My journey has begun once again to Big Sky, Montana for the summer of 2017.  First stop is San Angelo, located in West Texas, the place I call the home of my upbringing.  My roots are deeply planted in this soil.  When my feet step upon this land, there is always a connection in my heart and soul.  A part of me will always belong here.

I am staying with my friend Barbara whom I have known for over 50 years.  We share a love for art and writing, for the beauty of God’s creation, and an unending search for the deeper places of faith.  This photo is taken in back of her home which overlooks the city of San Angelo.  From my bedroom window I can look out at night and find the city lights of home calling to me.  They hold a huge part of my life in their memory.

I love Barbara’s paintings!  With her permission I share with you this watercolor, one of my favorites.

This trip I am struck with the realization that San Angelo is romantic in its own playful, almost whimsical sort of way.  It is the land of horned toads.  We used to play with these little animals when we were kids.  They originally got their name, I suppose, from their spiking thorned bodies, like a gelled short haircut.

At some poignant moment in time, the horned toad realized a new name, “Horny Toad”, and it stuck!  What a wonderful awakening that was.  We must not let this creature become extinct!

Then, there’s mistletoe.  Far from the magical existence of a single twig tied in a ribbon on Christmas Eve, in West Texas mistletoe grows in massive abundance on mesquite trees everywhere .  Wow!  Lots of kisses available most any time!  You can see large clumps of this plant hanging from the branches of this mesquite tree.

There simply exists a more down home “amore” among the tumblin’ tumbleweeds, prickly cactus, and sticker burrs.  Ah, such is West Texas!  I love this place.

nk