35 Things we Love About Texas - Reader, Jessie Ong

Jessie Ong, of San Antonio, is a "jack-of-all-trades" Air Force veteran who loves to cook and eat, too. He and his wife, Cindy (a Latin teacher at Northside ISD), love to travel  through Texas and elsewhere to experience the food and the sights.

35 Things reader Jessie Ong loves about Texas!

1.    The red, white and blue of the Texas flag. Man, that Lone Star stirs up feelings of pride.
2.    The grocery store envy our out-of-state friends feel when they come to San Antonio and we take them to any HEB.
3.    The Texas-shaped gold nugget necklace I have had around my neck for over 20 years. It is my religious symbol.
4.    The sign in Hondo that says “This is God’s Country, Please Don’t Drive Through it Like Hell.”
5.    The American Volkssport Association’s (AVA) walks through Texas towns such as Boerne, Welfare, Gonzales, Bastrop and Comfort.
6.    Sitting on the benches on the shoreline of Corpus Christi and reading the names on them.
7.    Watching the video at the state capitol about the “Capitol Lands”and the building of the Capitol after it burned. It incorporates the story of the XIT Ranch. Wow, what a story.
8.    Seeing the picture of Audie Murphy in the congressional chambers of the Texas State Capitol.
9.    Fajitas! Especially the HEB pork fajitas, ready to put on the grill!
10.    Spending the night at the Driskill Hotel in Austin. What history!
11.    Seeing the huge longhorn bull relaxing under a mesquite tree across from LBJ’s ranch near Stonewall.
12.    Watching the lightning storms while driving Interstate 10 heading towards Fort Stockton.
13.    Stopping in Pecos and picking up a few ripe, sweet and delicious cantaloupes while driving up Highway 285.
14.    HEB salsa/picante sauce with the round HEB corn chips.
15.    Outside breakfast with applewood bacon at the Guenther House in San Antonio.
16.    Texas wines! Have you tried the Fall Creek merlot?
17.    Texas wineries. Sitting with friends, drinking, laughing and feeling good.
18.    The Lady Bird Wildflower Center in Austin.
19.    Touring the Bluebell factory in Brenham. Especially in the Spring when the wildflowers are blooming.
20.    Bluebell’s vanilla bean ice cream. Wow!
21.    Picking peaches, strawberries and blackberries at the Marburger Orchard outside of Fredericksburg.
22.    Watching the dolphin show at the Texas State Aquarium.
23.    Picnicking under the huge live oaks on the Boogie Bahn side of Schlitterbahn.
24.    The Texas shaped pool at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio.
25.    Walking the beautiful campus of Trinity University in San Antonio.
26.    The sausage or schnitzel at the Friedhelm Bavarian Inn in Fredericksburg.
27.    Holding sausage on a stick in one hand and a beer in the other while walking around the Wurstfest in New Braunfels.
28.    Hats! Cowboy, ball caps, flat caps, straw, felt, all shapes and colors!
29.    The San Antonio Spurs! Go Timmy, Manu and Tony!
30.    The 5K or 10K San Antonio Shoes (SAS) walk at Siesta Valley Ranch near Medina and the free BBQ dinner after.
31.    The memories of swimming at the Blue Hole Campground in Wimberley.
32.    Attending the Starving Artists Show in San Antonio for over 25 years.
33.    Petting the dolphins at Sea World in San Antonio.
34.    Seeing the White Shaman and other ancient rock art at The Rock Art Foundation’s White Shaman preserve near Del Rio.
35.    Being able to travel to places in Europe and being able to say, “I live in Texas!” and everyone knows about Texas and all that that implies!

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