Flint Knapping Texas Replica Points

When I was a kid I would often find pieces of worked flint or broken arrowheads. Once in a great while we would find a complete point. I always was amazed by the points and wondered about the hunters that made the point. I read of those that could make arrowheads but had never seen one made. Around three years ago I went to a Knap-in and discovered the world of Flintknapping. There are skilled craftsman that can take a rock and turn it into a replica of Indian and prehistoric projectile points beyond belief. Some of these points are almost perfect works of art. I decided to become a flintknapper at that time and started studying the craft. Little did I realize how long and difficult a road I was starting down. I finally finished my second display this year and hung it on the wall. One shadow box for each daughter to have when I am no longer in this world. I have broken hundreds of rocks to get the ones I have made and learned much about how the old hunters created their hunting tools. If you have the extreme patience of Job and access to lots of flint this could be something you might like to try. Good luck, Wild Ed

Spring in the Texas Hill Country

One of the things I have always loved about Texas is spring in the Hill country. There is no other place in the world that puts on the show of wildflowers that one sees along the highways of Central Texas. Even from a small child I can remember my parents and grand parents driving the roads in the granite country to see the flowers as they burst forth in all their colors. The vivid blues, violets, reds, yellows and other colors blanket some areas in solid fields of color. Some of the best towns to drive from were Blanco, Llano, Marble Falls, Fredericksburg and Kerrville. The Willow City loop was always one of my grandparent’s favorites when I was growing up. I know that others have their very own favorite roads to drive and see. One must also check out the towns and unique places to eat as you go through these Texas treasures. Some eateries have become Texas legends and others are just family favorites. Some of the ones I remember are the Bluebonnet café, Coopers BBQ, Lairds BBQ, Storms, Antler Inn, the Smokehouse and Fredericksburg Brewing Company. These are just the tip of the iceberg in good Texas dining. If you have never had good smoked sausage, German hot potato salad or Hill Country BBQ these road trips are a must do on your bucket list. Don’t forget all the fine German and other bakeries, the great Mexican food and all the Hill country wineries. Get out this spring and enjoy the beauty of the Texas Hill country and make some memories of your own. Good traveling, Wild Ed

REMEMBER THE ALAMO

It is a religious pilgrimage for me to make the trip to San Antonio to return to the Alamo. I also have made the trip to Goliad numerous times to teach my children about the massacre of the Texas patriots that took place there after their surrender to Santa Anna and the mexican troops. As I walk the hallways of the missions and read the monuments, tears well up in my eyes as I read the names of those that died for Texas. I believe that GOD had a hand in getting together all the heroes that fought for Texas freedom. Men from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds came together for a common purpose of birthing a nation, the Republic of Texas. I am saddened by those that do not know the history of Texas and the great men that made it possible. I wish more people would remember that Juan Seguin and other Texas Mexicans stood with the others to defend the walls of the Alamo and Texas. This war was not a war of whites against Hispanics. It was a war of Texicans against Tyranny and for freedom. This is a special week in Texas history. Chuck Baldwin sent me the following article and I would like for you to be able to also read these words of wisdom.

GOD bless Texas, Wild Ed

During this week back in 1836, the Alamo fell. For more than 13 days, 186 brave and determined patriots withstood Santa Anna's seasoned army of over 4,000 troops. To a man, the defenders of that mission fort knew they would never leave those ramparts alive. They had several opportunities to leave and live. Yet, they chose to fight and die. How foolish they must look to this generation of spoiled Americans.

It is difficult to recall that stouthearted men such as Davy Crockett (a nationally known frontiersman and former Congressman), Will Travis (only 23 years old with a little baby at home), and Jim Bowie (a wealthy landowner with properties on both sides of the Rio Grande) really existed. These were real men with real dreams and real desires. Real blood flowed through their veins. They loved their families and enjoyed life as much as any of us. There was something different about them, however. They possessed a commitment to liberty that transcended personal safety and comfort.

Liberty is an easy word to say, but it is a hard word to live up to. Freedom has little to do with financial gain or personal pleasure. Accompanying Freedom is her constant and unattractive companion, Responsibility. Neither is she an only child. Patriotism and Morality are her sisters. They are inseparable; destroy one and all will die.

Early in the siege, Travis wrote these words to the people of Texas:
"Fellow Citizens & Compatriots: I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. . . . The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise the garrison are to be put to the sword . . . I have answered the demand with a cannon shot & our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. . . . VICTORY OR DEATH! P.S. The Lord is on our side. . . ."

As you read those words, remember that Travis and the others did not have the A.C.L.U., P.E.T.A., People for the un-American Way, and the National Education Association telling them how intolerant and narrow-minded their notions of honor and patriotism were. A hostile media did not constantly castigate them as a bunch of wild-eyed extremists. As school children, they were not taught that their forefathers were nothing more than racist jerks.

The brave men at the Alamo labored under the belief that America (and Texas) really was "the land of the free and the home of the brave."
They believed God was on their side and that the freedom of future generations depended on their courage and resolve. They further believed their posterity would remember their sacrifice as an act of love and devotion. It all looks pale now.

By today's standards, the gallant men of the Alamo appear rather foolish. After all, they had no chance of winning--none. However, the call for pragmatism and practicality was never sounded. Instead, they answered the clarion call, "Victory or death!"

Please try to remember the heroes of the Alamo as you watch our gutless political and religious leaders surrender to compromise and political correctness. Try to recall the time in this country when ordinary men and women had the courage of their convictions and were willing to sacrifice their lives for freedom and independence.

One thing is certain: those courageous champions at the Alamo did not die for a political party or for some "lesser of two evils" mantra. They fought and died for a principle, and that principle was liberty and independence. So did the men at Lexington and Concord. That is our heritage.

Today, however, our national leaders are in the process of turning America over to the very forces that the Alamo defenders gave their lives resisting. On second thought, do they look foolish, or do we?