I'm from Texas, What Country are you From?

Happy Texas Independence Week, fellow Texans! In case you didn't know, March 2nd is Texas Independence Day.

Here's a post dedicated to all things Texas to celebrate our independence from Mexico way back in 1836!


So a quick road map, this post contains: lyrics, quotes, catchphrases, and Texanisms. If you ain't from Texas none of this will make much sense probably! But if you are lucky enough to be from Texas, you're lucky enough and you'll be able to relate to everything here! 

I LOVE MY STATE!!!

John Steinbeck once said, "Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word." I couldn't agree with him more. 

Country legend George Strait's song, "Texas", is a perfect summary of our great state. 

"There wouldn't be no Alamo,

 No Cowboys in the Superbowl...

No "Lonesome Dove", no "Yellow Rose",

If it wasn't for Texas.            

I wouldn't be a Willie fan.

Nobody'd swim the Rio Grande.

I wouldn't be an American,

If it wasn't for Texas.

Fort Worth would never cross my mind,

An' there'd be no Austim City limits sign.

No Lonestar of any kind.

If it wasn't for Texas.

I'd never've gone to Tennessee,

To sing my songs an' chase my dreams.

Only Heaven knows just where I'd be,

If it wasn't for Texas.

Fort Worth would never cross my mind.

There'd be no Austin City limits sign.

An' no Lonestar of any kind.

If it wasn't for Texas.

It made me the man I am...

Thank God for my old stompin' ground.

I wouldn't be standin' right here, right now,

If it wasn't for Texas." 

lyrics via AZ lyrics

First off, our wonderful state of Texas is neither entirely western nor entirely southern: Texas is Texas, and we're pretty darn proud of that.

Texas has two seasons: Summer and Winter. They usually alternate within the same week. Sunday was a very good example of that. It was in the 80's most of last week. Sunday I got up to go to church, it was 70-sumthin', sunny, and humid. So I put on a spring-y outfit. When we got out of service an hour and a half later, the temp had dropped down to the low 50's. By 3pm it was in the low 30's and I was in leggings and a sweatshirt. Bipolar Texas weather at its best. Welcome to the state where you can get sunburn and frostbite within the same week!

The Lone Star State has three major food groups:

1. BBQ
2. Tex-mex
3. Fried anything             

OK, we do eat things that are healthy. But those are some local favorites for sure!

Tejas, the word that the name Texas is derived from, is an Indian word meaning "friends". We local Texans are known for our friendliness, therefore, we do what foreigners consider strange. Things such as, waving at passing cars while driving. People from the North think that's just plain weird.

Texans talk funny. I "reckon" we drop alot of g's. Like we don't pronounce the 'g' on words ending with 'ing'. Why waste your precious time saying "you guys" when you can just sum it up in a "y'all"?  We often greet each other with a warm "howdy" rather than a northerners "hello". Thanks to us, "ain't" is now a real word in the dictionary. We know exactly where "yonder" is. Why do it "quickly" when you can do it "right quick"? We don't get upset, we get "all riled up" to where we're "fit to be tied" and sometimes "pitch conniption fits". We don't eat dinner, we have supper. When we ask for a Coke, double check to see what kind, 'cause its probably Dr. Pepper that we're askin' ya for.  When we're piddlin' around getting ready to do something, we say "I'm fixin' to!" - its like the unofficial official state verb. If we say sumthin's "bigger'n' Dallas", it must be pertty dern big. When we want to say "No, thats something different", it usually is said like "That's a whole 'nother thing". Those are just a few of our more common words and phrases that we refer to as "Texanisms".

Our state tree is the pecan tree. We pronounce it PUH-CON instead of PEE-CAN. Our favorite desserts usually contain these wonderful nuts. I could totally eat an entire pecan by my self if ever given the opportunity. Unfortunately everyone at our family thanksgiving dinners also love pecan pies, so we have to fight for our share.  Buy me a box of Pangburns Millionairs from Corsicana, and I will love you forever. Best.Candy.Ever. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Our state flower is the beautiful Bluebonnet, which is actually a weed, but we don't care. Their pretty. Its a tradition in nearly all Texan families to take pictures in the blue fields each spring. If you don't do this or have memories of this, then are you sure your a Texan? The only years we don't have Bluebonnet pictures from are the years where there were no wildflowers due to extreme drought.

We are serious about chilli. It's actually our state food. Ingredient lists are very controversial as to who's chilli is "real" chilli - like some people think it isn't real chilli if it has beans or chicken instead of beef. I'll personally eat both kinds but I agree, true Texas chilli is made with beef and no beans. Chilli cook-offs are a big deal, as well as a ton of fun. Until you get a bowl that tastes like the cook used a whole bottle of Five Alarm, Tabasco, and half a shaker of Slap Ya Mama! That's absolutely miserable.

Our state bird is the Mocking Bird. They are annoying. Nuff' said. They mock other birds.

Oh yeah, we are crazy when it comes to football. All levels. Peewee, middle school, highschool, college, pro. We love it all. Its an obsession. If you're an Aggie you don't like Longhorns, if you're a Longhorn you don't like Aggies. If your a Dallas Cowboys fan, you don't care one little bit about the Houston Texans. Even though lately the Texans have been alot better, it doesn't matter. Dallas Fans are diehards. We also love baseball and the same rivalry exists between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros, you like either one or the other. Texans are sticklers about sports.

Texas is a beautiful state. Since it's such a large state, we have an extreme variety of landscapes. From the wonderful  rocky and river filled Hill Country to the flat Coastal Plains to the beautiful Piney Woods to the dry Panhandle and vast Big Bend regions, Texas is gorgeous. I have to admit, our beaches aren't the best. But we do have wonderful rivers, well at least in West Texas and the Hill Country where the water is clear with beautiful rocks lining the bed. You couldn't pay me to swim in the muddy rivers near the coast or in East Texas, but they do offer great fishing!

Texas Country singer Gary P. Nunn sang it best in his song "What I like about Texas" everything thats so great about our state.

You ask me what I like about Texas 
I tell you it's the wide open spaces! 
It's everything between the Sabine and the Rio Grande. 
It's the Llano Estacado, 
It's the Brazos and the Colorado; 
Spirit of the people down here who share this land! 
It's another burrito, it's a cold Lone Star in my hand 
It's a quarter for the jukebox, boys, 
Play the sons of the mothers of the bunkhouse band!
You ask me what I like about Texas 
It's the big timber round Nacadoches 
It's driving El Camino Real into San Antone 
It's the Riverwalk and Mi Tierra 
Jamm'n out with bongo Joe 
It's stories of the Menger Hotel and the Alamo! 
(You remember the Alamo!) 
Well, you ask me what I like about Texas 
It's Blue Bonnet and Indian paint brushes 
Swimming in the sacred waters of Barton Springs 
It's body surfing at Freo 
It's Saturday night in Del Rio! 
It's crossing over the border for some cultural exchange! 
Well, you ask me what I like about Texas 
Well, I could tell you, but we'd be here all night long
Lyrics via lyricsmania.com

You might be a Texan:

• If you take a week off of work/school for deer season, and nobody makes a fuss about it.
• If you have ever burned your hand on a car door or a seatbelt.
• If you have ever thought your skin was gonna burn off by sitting on a leather car seat in the summer.
• If any and all fireworks are banned due to extreme drought conditions.
• If any temperature below 100 in the summer is a blessing.
• If the thought of your air conditioner breaking down seems worse than the thought of death.
• When it snows for no more than 20 seconds and the entire state shuts down.
• When you hear "The stars at night, are big and bright..." you and everyone in the entire vicinity start singing along.
• Same for the Cotton Eyed Joe. You know the lyrics and the dance by heart. 
• If you know that cowboy boots go with any outfit, all year long.
• If you know that Taco Bell's food is a laxative and is not to be considered real Mexican food. 
• If you say PUH-CON rather than PEE-CAN. Pecan.
• If bluebell is your favorite ice cream.
• When you take a road trip and the longest part is getting out of your own state.
• If  HEB is your favorite grocery store, even though you know the B stands for butt.
• If you wear a jacket in 70 degree weather.
• If you think tubing the Comal, Guadalupe and Frio rivers is a better vacation than going to the beach.
• If your favorite waterpark is Schlitterbahn.
• If you determine the best parking space by amount of shade, rather than distance. 
• If you've been asked by people in other states if you ride a horse everywhere (Seriously though. why do people ask us this!?!??)
• If your family has a secret salsa recipe and you're highly esteemed for it.
• If for birthdays you go to the Texas Roadhouse to celebrate
• If you or someone you know drives a Texas Edition truck
• If you get the best sleep when its raining.
• If the only ketchup you like is the Spicy Ketchup from Whataburger.
• If the only snowman your front yard will ever see is the inflatable kind.
• If you say "excuse me" when you bump into someone.
• If you've ever hit 1 or more deer while driving.
• If you know you can't keep anything in your car or it'll melt.
• If you drink as much sweet tea as you do water.
• If you listen to a lot of country music.
• If you own at least 1 camo t-shirt, and know the difference between all Mossy Oak and Real Tree patterns. 
• If you either bleed maroon or bleed orange. You can't be both.
• If you consider a rainy day a holiday.
• If you know why its called 6 flags.
• If you go all Texas when talkin' to a tourist.
• If you keep hot sauce in your car or purse. (I do this. I have a bottle of Tabasco with me 24/7)
• If you wave to everyone you pass by.
• If Dairy Queen and Buccees are the highlights of every road trip you take.
• If you've never experienced real snow in your own yard.
• If San Antonio is your yearly vacation spot.
• If the first thing that come to mind when you hear the "constitution" is the 2nd amendment
• When you go to other states you don't know what to buy for a quick breakfast, because all you're used to is tacos.
• If you make small talk with strangers and see nothing weird about it.
• If you eat BBQ, chilli, and fried chicken on a regular basis.
• If you like spicy food.
• If you and your friends argue over which company makes better trucks, Ford, Dodge, or Chevy.
• If the Gulf of Mexico is the only ocean you've seen.
• If the bottoms of your feet are always black in the summer.
• If you drive for more than 30 minutes just to get to a decent store.
• If you or people you know refer to all soda flavors as Coke
• If your Christmas presents revolve around hunting supplies and beef jerky.
• If you remember the Alamo without being told to.
• If all your plans get put on hold when the rodeo comes to town.
• If being stuck behind a tractor or trail ride is an acceptable excuse for being late.
• If you or someone you know eats squirrel.
• If you choose a side between Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
• If as a kid you and your friends had wars with horse poop, acorns, or persimmon balls as ammo. 
• If you have scared legs because when you were a kid you played outside.
• If your favorite deserts are Blue Bell ice cream, pecan pie, and peach cobbler. 
• If you would rather receive yellow roses than red ones.
• If you own multiple pairs of cowboy boots. 
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