Regular or Ethyl?
I miss those [“Gas With Class,” January 2013]. Growing up in a small town, I used to pull in for my gas, sign a ticket that my parents had an account for and never thought a thing about how awesome it was to have full service. Plus gas was really cheap in the early 1970s.
If I shut my eyes and reminisce, I can still hear the “ding-ding” sound when you ran over the (signal) hose as you pulled in.
Belinda Embrey Hilley on Facebook | United Cooperative Services
Flag Flap
The article about the huge American flag [“Texas Pride, in All Its Glory,” January 2013] speaks volumes about the pride of the Dixie Flag Manufacturing Co., which took great pains to get it right. However, nobody at your magazine caught the fact that the flag was displayed backward.
Ask any good Boy Scout, and he will tell you that the blue, starred field always appears in the upper left corner. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Laura Coffman | Bryan Texas Utilities
I make a point of alerting businesses and others when I see them displaying the flag backward, as you are doing. Please make sure that in the future your proofreaders are aware of the proper procedures in displaying or printing the flag.
Dave Ogozalik | CoServ Electric
The union, or blue part, of the flag is on the right and it should be on the left. This is insulting to our country, along with being improper flag etiquette
Judith A. Little | CoServ Electric
As a World War II veteran, I increasingly note and sense decreasing pride in and knowledge by our citizens of our great republic … and its history, accomplishments, traditions, liberties and justices for all. Our USA has been and truly is an exceptional and unique nation.
Jim Foster | Pedernales EC
Displaying Old Glory in a proper manner is very important to me. I spent 38 years in the service for the greatest country on Earth. Wake up and learn the proper way to display our flag.
Angelo Falzarano | Pedernales EC
Editor’s Note: Well, we goofed. And we’re sorry. It didn’t take long after the latest issue landed in your mailboxes that we started hearing from readers, who are exceedingly observant and patriotic. We love that about you. Of all the details in the January issue that we checked and double-checked, the way the flag was facing simply got past us. While the U.S. Flag Code does not address the use of flag diagrams in print publications, it’s clear from this paragraph that Texas Co-op Power showed the flag improperly:
“When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right, that is, to the observer’s left.”
Still Learning
It’s amazing what you can learn, even in your old age!
I grew up in Huntsville, was subjected to all the “Houston” lore, and nothing was ever taught, published or printed (that I knew of) about this other remarkable Houston—Joshua [January 2013]. Perhaps it was because I grew up and was gone from Huntsville before segregation ended, and the “white” schools were not allowed to promote the intelligence, acumen and contributions made by the “black” community.
More’s the pity we had to suffer through all those years of not knowing the “rest of the story” about our brothers and sisters of different races and colors. Segregation, prejudice and bias have no place in our lives—now or ever.
Joyce D. Schaefer | Victoria, Karnes and Pedernales ECs
Wintering Birds
I enjoyed reading Suzanne Haberman’s Hit the Road article on the Emory Eagle Fest [January 2013]. I live on Lake Winnsboro, just 20 miles from Lake Fork. I’m an avid bird carver, and the eagle is my favorite bird to carve.
It is a shame that Suzanne didn’t get to see the large flock of white pelicans that winter on Lake Fork and other area lakes. This, too, is a spectacular site to see these beautiful birds in flight and their feeding action. I have witnessed and photographed as many as 60 pelicans and cormorants just off the end of my dock chasing a school of baitfish.
Bob Pierson | Wood County EC
True Meaning of Christmas
I enjoyed the article on the Nazareth Christmas Pageant [December 2012]. It was such a well-written, informative article, and the pictures were very good. We appreciate you sharing the true meaning of Christmas.
Ethel Schmucker | Deaf Smith EC
Better Stop Betting
I’d like to accept the bet for $100 Confederate because I do know of Lucy Holcombe Pickens [“Know Your Currency Events,” December 2012] and the fact that she was the only female ever to have her image printed on Confederate currency.
In fact, you owe approximately 30 members of the United Daughters of Confederate Veterans, Lucy Holcombe Pickens Chapter 2615, a Queen of the Confederacy hundred-dollar bill. The “Lucy Ladies” take great pride in their heritage and the preservation of the history of their families.
Thank you for the item on Pickens. Her life story is truly incredible.
Bendy Giddens | CoServ Electric
Hardly Ordinary
“Tales in Twilight” [November 2012] was especially meaningful to me since my father, William R. Gibson, was one of those brave World War II veterans who were part of the Greatest Generation.
Dad’s ship, the USS St. Lo, was sunk on October 25, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf—the first kamikaze attack by the Japanese against American warships. The attack forced him and other survivors to seek refuge on a sister ship.
Upon looking at the St. Lo’s website after his death, I had chills when I saw my father’s name listed among the survivors and tried to imagine what it must have been like to experience what he did.
When Dad died in 2001, I was amazed at the strength and composure exhibited by my brother when he spoke at the funeral about how Dad was just an ordinary man who stood tall by doing his duty during those troubling times. I see nothing ordinary about what those young men and women did to ensure our freedom.
Glenda Gibson Schill | Wood County EC
Coop de Ville
My husband is a carpenter—currently out of work and bored! He decided to build a chicken coop from scraps of lumber that he has. (Some of it should have been burned a long time ago.)
The further along he got on the coop, I thought, “Gee, it looks like it could use some chickens.” So I got involved and helped stretch chicken wire, paint signs, name chickens, etc. We now have six egg-laying chickens and a coop that didn’t cost a dime.
Shirley Hayden | Mid-South Synergy
Editor’s Note: See our April 2011 story, “The Chickens and the Eggs”, about Food Editor Kevin Hargis’ backyard chicken coop.