Over the Moon
Want to see a total lunar eclipse?
The moon will pass through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow November 8, a phenomenon that will be visible in Texas wherever skies are clear.
Check it out 2:01–7:58 a.m. It’s the last chance to see a total lunar eclipse from Texas until March 14, 2025.
Edible Edifice
The Traditions Club near Texas A&M University holds the world record for the largest gingerbread house, built in November 2013 in Bryan.
The brown gingerbread bricks lacquered in frosting required 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs, 7,200 pounds of flour and nearly 3,000 pounds of brown sugar.
All told, the house stacked up to be 60 feet long, 42 feet wide and 10 feet tall. Oh, and it contained nearly 36 million calories.
75 Years of Insight
Meet the Press, the longest-running program on American TV, first aired November 6, 1947.
Landmark Election
Edith Wilmans became the first woman elected to the Texas Legislature when Dallas County voters chose her 100 years ago this month—November 7, 1922.
She served one term in the House and then ran unsuccessfully for governor.
Make sure to cast your vote on Election Day, November 8.
Harini Logan received a trophy and a check for $50,000 for her Scripps National Spelling Bee victory. “This is my fourth bee, and I’m just so overwhelmed,” she said.
Alex Brandon | AP | Shutterstock.com
S-U-R-R-E-A-L
That’s how San Antonio teen Harini Logan, described winning the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee in June.
Surreal could also describe Texans’ prowess at spelling. Three of the other 12 finalists call Texas home. And Logan joins six other Texans who have won outright or shared titles since 2014.
That includes three from the state who were among the octo-champs in 2019—the only time eight contestants were co-champs.
Don’t be one of the nearly 35 million Americans who will do some digging on their property this year without making a call to 811 before sticking a spade, trowel or shovel into the ground.
Nasida Studio | Shutterstock.com
Dig This
November 4 is Arbor Day in Texas.
Your electric cooperative wants to keep you safe and your power on, reminding you that regardless of where you’re planting, never dig without first calling 811 to locate underground utilities.
Lip Service
Bill Pickett was the Texas cowboy who introduced steer wrestling to Wild West shows—though his technique was to “bulldog” steers by biting their lower lips to bring them to the ground. So legendary was his career that he entered the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma 50 years ago.
That made Pickett, born in Williamson County in 1870 and inducted into the hall in 1972, the first African American to be so honored. Read more about Pickett in our April 2013 story A Cowboy’s Unusual Dental Work on our website.
