With Spring right around the corner, I’m ready to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty it provides. While I’m not one for fresh-cut flowers sent to me as a gift, I do love to experience their beauty in nature. In thinking of all the wonderful places to view flowers in the Lone Star State, and…
Category: Texas
From Valentine with Love!
The tiny West Texas town of Valentine has the perfect name for a town that hosts an annual February tradition. When I took this photo about eight years ago, the sign read population 217, a number from the 1990 census that was never updated. Today, Valentine’s population hovers somewhere between 65 and 75 residents, give…
Hat’s Off to Garland, Cowboy Hat Capital of Texas
This post is sponsored by Visit Garland. All opinions are my own. One of my favorite pictures of my family dates to somewhere between 1900 and 1920, when my great-grandfather, his brother, and their cousin went to the State Fair of Texas. In the photo, they’re dressed in classic cowboy clothes and representing what I…
My How Big Is Texas Top 5 for 2025
As we wind down 2025, I’ve been reflecting on this past year at How Big Is Texas. My hobby blog, photography, and social media posts are now my full-time job, along with consulting work I’m doing across the state. It’s exciting for me because now I can spend even more time sharing Texas with all…
Thanksgiving Blessings from How Big Is Texas
I don’t know that Thanksgiving in Texas is any different from Thanksgiving anywhere else in the U.S., but I’m guessing there are more similarities than there are differences. Family gatherings, sharing what you’re thankful for, watching parades, and cheering on your favorite football team are among the many joys I’ve experienced in my lifetime. And…
The How Big Is Texas 2025 Holiday Gift Guide
Check out my 2025 How Big Is Texas Holiday Gift Guide featuring all things Texas!
Sharing My Love for Texas
As the #1 Quester at How Big Is Texas, I love sharing my memories of growing up across East Texas and the Panhandle. I also love to share family holiday traditions and the flavors of small-town life. I recount my 3,300-mile perimeter road trip and the Texas mountains I discovered. I discuss winter birding in…
Texas Sunrises & Sunsets: Stunning Photos & Views
As an amateur photographer, I understand the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words,” especially when it comes to sunrises and sunsets. I’m blessed to have experienced many over my years in the Texas. While lots of folks I know like to sleep in, many of my photos show reasons why I choose to…
Buc-ee’s: A Texas Wonder of the World
A few years ago, I came up with the idea of traveling around Texas and visiting all 34 of the Buc-ee’s stores in the Lone Star State. For those of you not familiar with Buc-ee’s, they are far more than a convenience store with fuel and snacks. Most are massive with at least 50 fuel…
Who Really Invented the Hamburger? A Texas Tale
According to more sources than I can list, the hamburger was invented by Fletcher Davis from Athens, Texas, in the late 1880’s and introduced at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. “Uncle Fletch” is so beloved in Athens that they hold the Uncle Fletch Davis Hamburger Festival every September. In fact, the Uncle Fletch…