It’s a long haul from Huntsville to San Antonio—four hours on the road—but it is well worth it! I get to be at the magnificent Drury Plaza Hotel and to be with the wonderful Road Scholars and the guides who lead them. I come to provide the Texas History background before the Scholars head out on […]
Why spend hours on the Internet to find your ancestors? Last week, I sat down with a friend who is helping me complete my application for membership into the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. She was fascinated, and it wasn’t even her own family. Hunched over the keyboard, fingers flying, she scurried from site […]
Last year I had the honor to be a nominee for the honorary post of Texas State Historian. This year the Governor’s office turned me down for the position. Depressing but not devastating. For those of you who, like I, have lived a while, I’m sure you will agree. One of the benefits of old […]
Have you ever stayed in a Bed and Breakfast in a lovely, old historic home? Or at least one that is carefully cared for and beautifully furnished, with scrumptious, elegant breakfasts? There are some gorgeous Bed and Breakfasts available. Now-a-days, with the Internet, they are easy to find and convenient to investigate. One caveat, of […]
The Wobbly How delightful to have friends who love to travel! Join us on Saturday, April 1, to visit the Galveston Railroad Museum and the latest exhibit on “The Wobbly”. The cost will be an affordable $25 for the day which will include transportation ($15) and admission ($10) to the museum. There is something about […]
In the Beginning Am I nuts? Why offer historic tours now in my advanced state of retirement? Why not relax and cruise and let someone else offer the tours? Why offer to help people learn about the wonderful Texas Dance Halls or the magnificent Painted Churches or the impressive Missions along the San Antonio […]
The sneer on my colleague’s face said it all. “Spain did not help the Americans fight their revolution,” he said. “They did it to get back at the British.” He continued, “All you Granaderos y Damas de Gálvez who claim that Spain helped the Americans win their independence are just delusional. Your symposium was a […]
Over the last three months, our Granaderos y Damas have been planning our Symposium in honor of Bernardo de Gálvez. For our Keynote speaker, we had hoped to secure the services of a scholar named Dr. Thomas E. Chávez. He is the author of a book titled Spain and the Independence of the United States, a […]
Nope, I’ve missed the blogging too much. I’m going back to daily blogs, so look for the ramblings of my feeble mind again with your daily coffee. Blogging is good practice for writing, it’s good discipline, and it’s a good means of getting focused. And it’s delightful to know I have a kind and gentle […]
How did the wealth of the Spanish world get to Madrid to fill the new palace of Carlos III? We’ve discussed Mexico City’s palaces during the 1770s and the Manila Galleons. Hopefully, everyone has heard of the Spanish silver fleets. After gathering silver and gold from Peru and Mexico, the shipments were collected […]