¡Viva Conjunto!
Of all the things I miss about Texas, dancing to a live conjunto band is at the top of the list [Soul Music of South Texas, March 2020].
Bruce Lamb | Via Facebook
Get to the Point
I kept looking for a reference to the “correct” pronunciation, according to my Texas-born and -raised husband, of the words barbed wire—“bob wire” [Sharpening My Knowledge, March 2020].
Anita Carswell | Georgetown
Pedernales EC
Editor’s Note: Check out Chet Garner’s video with the story on our website. He notes the “proper” pronunciation, though it’s a variation on this one.
Masterful Illustration
I enjoyed the article but even much more so the clever illustration of crape murder [Crape Murder, February 2020]. Michael Koelsch is pure genius with his depiction of the terrorized housewife with the painting of her beloved crape myrtle tree, while outside, her menacing husband viciously commits the heinous act of crape murder. This illustration could easily be the cover of a midcentury Nancy Drew Mystery Stories I collected as a girl.
Elizabeth Walters | Burnet
Pedernales EC
Cut off crape myrtles as close to the ground as your saw can get. Then prune off subsequent suckers. Replace with native trees that support butterflies, hummingbirds and other native wildlife.
Like the tallow tree people seem to love for its hardiness, the cumulative effect of crape myrtles is that of a destructive invasive species.
Joe Flarity | Oakhurst
Sam Houston EC
Around the Clock
I really enjoyed the picture of the Wise County Courthouse in the March Letters. My wife’s grandfather, Daniel Jensen, a jeweler and watchmaker, was hired back in the early years of the 20th century to keep the clock on top of that courthouse running properly. I wonder if anyone sees to the clock’s functioning these days.
Dan Teed | McKinney
CoServ
A Mother’s Love
Only a mother’s love could have recognized that the picture of the raising of our American flag over Iwo Jima included her son [A Texan at Iwo Jima, February 2020]. Belle Block recognized her son in that splendid image. Also, most amazing, she recognized him from his back in a crouching position. She must have had a million images stored of him in her memory and heart as he grew up.
Fred Smith Jr. | Buna
Jasper-Newton EC
I wonder how many Americans know that the picture taken by Joe Rosenthal was in fact the second flag raised on Mount Suribachi. The first flag raised was a smaller flag.
I write this to bring a little-known fact to the public’s attention and to honor Cpl. Charles W. Lindberg, who passed in 2007 as the last living flag raiser on Mount Suribachi. He was in the squad of Marines responsible for the first flag raised, and I have a picture, autographed by him, of the squad during the first raising.
Donald Grubbs | Victoria
Victoria EC
