Courtesy of The Looking Spoon!

   By Elvis Chupacabra

The old timers said that a dry, chill wind was blowing out of the northwest, right from the heart of the Commancheria, that dawn of March 6, 1836. It ripped the palls of black smoke billowing from the old Alamo mission into ragged tendrils and hurled them away, as if trying to clear the air of the sickly sweet smell of burning flesh and the acrid stench of gunpowder. By the time the sun broke above the horizon and cast a golden light over the old mission-turned-fortress, gunshots still sporadically rent the air, but the main sound was that of an enraged mob. (more…)

Texas Independence Day

March 2, 1836

    By Elvis Chupacabra

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When I was a mere lad, Texas Independence Day was celebrated in schools with patriotic songs, readings of the Declaration by schoolkids and grave lectures on our role as Texans by our teachers. Even the Mexican kids participated, because anyone who’d read the  hallowed rolls of the Alamo and Goliad dead knew that there were plenty of martyrs with Spanish surnames. We also knew of Lorenzo de Zavala and Juan Seguin, both Texian heroes of the Revolution.

It was understood by the youngest of us that Texas went from being just the mostly empty northern part of the Mexican state of Cohuila-Texas to the independent Republic of Texas with the signing of this document. Like the beloved United States, from whence the spirit -and some would say impetus – of revolution had come, we won our right to be free through the force of arms, wielded by brave and bold men. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the despot which our Texas Forefathers overthrew was ever bit as evil and prone to predations as Britain’s George III. His one saving grace, that he invented that most American of oral fixations, chewing gum, was more than off-set by his cruelty and duplicitous nature. The self-proclaimed Napoleon of the North, he boasted an army well-officered and well-equipped that had spent the past couple of years putting down rebellions in Mexico. It wasn’t just the Texians who longed for the return to a government who respected the liberal Constitution of 1824.  (more…)

Dear Friends,

Last year, I wrote a small piece about what it means to me to be a Texan. My friends know it means about damned near everything. Anyway, this fella asked me to reprint what I’d wrote and I didn’t have it. So I set out to think about rewriting something. I considered writing about all the great things I love about Texas. There are way too many things to list. I can’t even begin to do it justice. Lemme let you in on my short list.  (more…)

……………………Click HERE for the live webcam from the Alamo…

   Guest posted by “Texan59”…

Today, February 24, marks the 177th anniversary of what many would say is the most important letter ever written in the State of Texas.  On February 24, 1836, Lt. Col. William Barret Travis wrote his “Liberty or Death” letter requesting additional troops be sent to the Alamo in their battle against Mexican General Santa Anna.  While history has been more amenable to some of his compatriots, most notably Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, Lt. Col. Travis was tasked with leading this disparate group against the formidable Mexican army.  For the first time since he penned his  immortal words, the letter is back at the Alamo.

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This series of articles is guest posted by Elvis Chupacabra!

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February 23, 1836:

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna reaches San Antonio with a large body of his troops, mostly cavalry. Much of his assault infantry, engineer troops and siege artillery are strung out along the road back to the Rio Grande. Of these, many of his native troops, lightly dressed for the warmth of Mexico, have suffered in a late and particularly harsh winter storm along their hasty, forced march towards the rebellious province of Tejas. (more…)

*Sigh*……so election 2012 has come and gone.   Even though most of us managed to survive Jan. 20th, there are still a few things some of us need to get out of our system. 👿   (Big Smile 😀)….now that’s a start!  But, I still think the DNC could stand to have a little more loving (aka disinfecting light) tossed it’s way.  Besides hating America 24/7, these evil jackwagons are obsessed with dragging our country into a bottomless abyss of soulless and financial depravity.  Not to mention the mindless droning of  hateful, insulting, and “raaycisss” epithets against anyone not marching in Teh One’s parade. Check below the fold for some special Valentines….. then have a little fun and add one of your own.  I know you can…. 😉 (more…)

Today we celebrate the anniversary of our dear and beloved Menagerie’s 29th birthday!  Many of you do not know that Menagerie is famous – she single-handedly pulled the Jack Daniels Distillery out of hard times many years ago, much like her friends Waltzing Mtilda and WeeWeed saved Coors Light from calamity.

But here in the treehouse, she is a fearless and hardworking admin who more than carries her weight in responsibilities, postings, and convivial bantering with visitors. Oh, and if you’re feeling down or lost and need a bit of prayer, Menagerie’s your girl. Her faith is  constant, glowing softly like a candle or blazing like an inferno, depending on the requirements of the situation, but always, always shining.

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