Riding Around Calvert

Last Saturday was a beautiful day. A day when lots of people were talking about getting outside, gardening, taking a walk, or just going somewhere. Our youngest wanted to get out of the house and go for a ride to Calvert, so that's what we did. We hadn't been riding in quite a while, so we went.

I thought that downtown Calvert was the place to be on a Saturday. But I was thinking of the crowds we used to have on Main Street, busy days at the dry goods and grocery stores, a good "shoot 'em up" at the Eloia, ice cream or a Coke at Taliaferro's drugstore, french fries and a Coke or an open face sandwich at the City Cafe, or a bowl of stew or chicken and dumplings from Bienski's, or, before it closed after the big fire in the 1950s, a wonderful hamburger from Miss Mollie's (Tucker) beside the dry goods store. Saturday was library day and hair washing day, before going to the show or to work at the store, for me. It also meant walking from my house to the library and back, and walking from my house to town and back, to various friend's houses. It was great when we got to use the car, sometimes.

I thought of going to Calvert, now, and seeing some people walking around, sunlight reflected off the same concrete that we walked, as did our ancestors. Of seeing some of the same buildings and homes that I had seen throughout my life. And I thought of, perhaps, enjoying some ice cream as we used to do.

The picture show closed years ago, the drugstore was torn down, and all of the stores have been sold or are different businesses now. But, I can still go in and visit with some people I know in the buildings that I grew up around. I can remember the spaces where stores and homes used to be, and the people who made regular trips, walking around town, and on Main Street.

Dairy Queen has ice cream and I can go into my grandfather's old dry goods store and reminise with the new owner, potter Sonny Moss. And we can talk about the old days, and art and artists.

Saturday, we rode around town and, while I talked to Sonny and looked at the old mirror, shelves, and cash register from the old store, and all of Sonny's clay and creations, my daughter and grandson rode out to the Brazos River and took a couple of pictures. I had ice cream from the DQ and enjoyed that while we rode around.

One thing that brought about the visit was the tv segment, and an e-mail from Esther, talking about the house in Calvert that is for sale and is advertised in the "New York Times".

Wow! Calvert in the NY Times! That sounds amazing, but it isn't the first time. In looking up articles on Calvert, and for family history, I've found quite a few listings on Calvert over the years. Tex McCrary was from Calvert and he and his wife, Jinx, were often written about in the Times. We had baseball teams that were written about, there were events, and there were even ads that appeared in the Times. A Google search or one of the sites dealing with family history can turn up items in the Times and other newspapers around the country.

Some people asked me which house was advertised in the NY Times. There was a picture, and a video on KBTX tv.

The house is the old Randolph Field House that belonged to Mrs. Doremous and her daughter, Pauline Burnitt. Mrs. D. and Pauline lived in the big house on that block, just around the corner from this smaller house. A barn or carriage house was on the back corner of the block. I can't remember the exact street, but I think it is on East Texas St.

Pauline rented the house and, when she died, the property was sold. Since I had moved away, I'm not sure who bought it. The house was always white, with green shutters, until recent years.

I always thought of this house when the tv program, "Designing Women" came on. This house looked very much like the one in the opening of that program, to me. This is the house in the top photo.

The second photo is of St. Mary's Church. This small Catholic church was also white with green shutters, that stayed closed, when I lived in Calvert. It seemed very mysterious. In the 1980s, they were talking of restoring this little church and I got to look inside. I was amazed! It was just like it had been in the early 1900s. It needed some repair, not modernizing. The historical commission tried to make sure that it was saved and repaired. I haven't seen what was done, but I hope that it is still the same beautiful little church that it has always been.

The third photo is of the First Presbyterian Church. This historic church was moved on logs, pulled by oxen, from the original settlement, Sterling, near the Brazos River, to town. It was first placed near the railroad tracks, and then moved to its current location. The windows are called Ruby Glass and are a cherished feature of this church.

The fourth photo is of the bandstand in Virginia Field Park. The park dates back to the early days of the town, and was the location for a sky prison where the Yankees kept Southern sympathizers at the end of the Civil War. Another sky prison was located where the current Brazos County Courthouse stands in Bryan.

The bottom picture is of the Brazos River as seen from the bridge, west of Calvert, on Saturday.

It looks like there is plenty of water in the river, which is good for the farmers along the river's path to the Gulf of Mexico.

I have a few more pictures of Calvert, today, or last Saturday.

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If you are on FaceBook, be sure to look at Kyle's pictures of CHS and Calvert. There are some that need to be identified.

Also see my sidebar to join Calvert groups on Yahoo. I have the same things on FaceBook.

Add your pictures and stories.

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Sketch Crawl Today

Brazos Bankful

sketch

8.5" x 11"

pencil

This is it. The day when we all need to be out drawing things around us-all over the world. The 19th World Wide Sketch Crawl has arrived.

Here's the plan for Bryan:

Meet at the Frame Gallery in downtown Bryan about 8:30 or 9:00. Sign in there so we will know who is participating.

Those who need coffee and may want to get together as a group, might meet at the LaSalle Hotel. There, people can decide where they want to work.

Spend the morning and afternoon sketching. Some may want to stay in downtown Bryan where the Texas Reds Festival will be going on. Others may want to spread out in other areas of Bryan/College Station, or across the Brazos Valley.

At the end of the day, those who want to may like to meet back at the Frame Gallery to discuss experiences and share their work. Since entertainment will be going on, some people may like to stay on and sketch the rest of the Festival.

In Calvert, people can meet at Mud Creek Pottery to check in and decide where to work for the day. They could meet back there at the end of the day to share what they have done during the day.

I'm anxious to do some work, and to see what everyone else sketches tomorrow. Hope that everyone has fun tomorrow.

I tried to get the word out to others in our area through press releases to newspapers and tv while Greta Watkins appeared on "Brazos Arts" on KAMU fm radio.

Hopefully, the weather will be beautiful and everyone will have an enjoyable and productive day.

The sketch above is one that I did last year while we were going for a drive in the area of the Brazos Bottom. The Brazos River was full to the top of the banks and there was concern about flooding. It didn't flood at that time, though.

So far, this year, it is hot and getting really dry here. Thankfully, we have not had the bad flooding in this area like they are having in the Midwest, since they built the dam on the Brazos at Waco. We did have one bad flood back in the spring of -04, but that was more localized after around 20 inches of rain-15 of those in about 3 hours time. A couple of earthen dams broke, which made things worse. I hope that we never have those kind of problems again. And I am really sorry for what is happening to the people and the land to the north.

The above sketch is a plan that can be used in something more finished later.

Get out your sketching things and join us in drawing something today!

And if you are near downtown Bryan, enjoy the big steak and wine festival. I was hoping to see Big Otis who is one of the performers, but I realized as we were eating supper, that he was appearing on Friday night, not Saturday. But there will be lots of other things going on.

Have a great weekend!

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The Gully

The Gully

8.5" x 11 "

Pencil

That looks dangerous

It started as a tiny little forked line in the soil of the field. As it moved to a slight downhill slope toward the Brazos, the line deepened until it was about the depth of a finger, then to the ankle, to the calf, to the knee, and, soon, as the line was followed, it was deep enough to jump into. The wash grew increasingly deep from shoulder depth to above the head.

As little girls, we were soon climbing over outcroppings of orange and brown hardened earth, shaped by water rushing to the Brazos River through the ages.

Kathryn often invited friends and classmates out to her family's farm in Milam county, across the Brazos River from Calvert, where we went to school, and most of us lived. There were all kinds of things to do on the farm, from playing games, looking at the animals, and riding her horse. And, of course, there was the gully to explore. There might be a couple of guests or a whole group, along with our guide who must have spent a lot of time learning all about that gully as it changed.

For posterity, we carved our initials into the sides of the gully. I've shown those in my drawing. I wonder if they are still there, or have they been washed away by rain and the gully filling during times of flooding.

As usual, I was afraid, but didn't dare to show it. But I know from my hesitation to do some things, the girls all knew that I was a big sissy. I was afraid that they might just leave me out there, lost. That we might encounter a snake or a spider, or who knows what might have been out there. Something from one of the horror movies that were becoming popular or from one of the outer space movies. Maybe an escaped Prisoner of War from the POW Camp at Hearne.

But, usually, her father wasn't too far away, in case we needed him. Sure enough, there was the time that someone sprained an ankle and we couldn't finish our tour. Her father came quickly and carried the wounded explorer to the house. And, another time, when we reached the end of the gully, and the River, where large rocks spilled across the water to a large sandbar, the girls all crossed the rocks, leaving me in the gully. We planned to spend the afternoon sunbathing and just talking on the sandbar. But, when I saw the slippery rocks, with water swirling around them, I thought of all the warnings I had heard all my life, about that dangerous river. How people were often pulled under water by whirlpools, and how there was unseen quicksand that would also suck a person under. I feared that I would slip on a rock and fall into a whirlpool or quicksand. So, Kathryn got her father, who guided me across, then came back to bring me back when we were through sunbathing. I don't think the water was very deep beside the rocks, but I was sure it was treacherous. Eventually, I made it across without her father's help.

I didn't add all the girls in my drawing who went to the gully at various times since that would be too crowded. But, I did show Kathryn, with her coiled braids, urging us to come on up and over the blocked place; Missie and Pat, on the left; Sandra and Shirley who are climbing down after carving their initials on the right; and me, fearing to climb. I added a couple of other girls' initials, who I know had also visited the gully. Kathryn's sister, Joyce, and my sister, Barbara, are not in the picture. Joyce was older and I don't recall that she hung out with us, but I feel sure that she might have visited that gully at some time as she grew up. Of course, we are all dressed in girls' jeans, rolled up at the bottom, and short sleeved shirts. My braids and ribbons have come down, ribbons hanging. We wore oxfords or penny loafers and socks, rolled over. Later, the socks had to be rolled over 3 times. Tennis shoes were not in style for anything except sports that required them. Sometimes, if it was muddy, we would wear cowboy boots on our adventures.

To me, the gully was like a smaller Grand Canyon. Constantly changing, and very deep.

My sister, a visiting cousin, his wife, my aunt, and I rode out to the Brazos River last Thursday, and rode through the Bottom from Bryan to Hearne. Something the whole family used to do a lot. We have seen the tv news pictures of the flooding along the Brazos and other rivers. The Brazos was flowing swiftly with brown, racing water in our area, up to the bank, but not overflowing. Since the dam at Waco was built, we haven't seen major flooding from the River. Before the dam was built, however, I remember driving out just a little way from Hearne and Calvert, and seeing the river out of its banks, as far as I could see. Houses and fields were underwater or floating away. This happened regularly, before the dam was built. I worried that the rivers would come into town, but that didn't happen. In recent times, there were other floods, but not from the Brazos.

When my great-aunt was married, the Brazos and the Little Brazos Rivers met. I can always remember the year of her wedding as that is the year of the big flood-1913. Because of the flood, it took the preacher, who was the groom's brother, three days to get back home after the wedding.

I wonder how deep that gully is now, especially after all this rain. I do know that we are all too elderly to be climbing in a gully, these days.

"The Gully" was drawn on cardstock using a #314 Sanford Draughting Pencil.

Be sure to enjoy the links I have posted, and share my blog with anyone who you think might be interested.

Rainy Sunday Afternoon

Rainy Sunday Afternoon 8.5" x 11" Pencil

Wouldn't you just know that it would rain.

After church one Sunday, we rode out across the Brazos River into Milam county, where Kathryn's family lived. I looked forward to playing and trying to forget about the dreaded homework that always seemed to remain undone until just before bedtime Sunday night. But, I spent the weekend worrying about it, and dreading having to do whatever the assignment might be. I tried to put it out of mind and have a pleasant time, with friends or alone.
Kathryn had chores on the farm, but she also had a lot of things to do-a horse to ride, animals to care for and watch, land to roam around on, and a big gully that ran to the Brazos River, that was like exploring the Grand Canyon, to little kids. Electricity out in the country was fairly new, and there was still an outhouse, until a new bathroom was added off the kitchen. They had radio, but there were few good programs on Sunday afternoon,at least, nothing that kids would enjoy. We didn't have tv in the area yet.
We looked forward to an afternoon of walking, climbing, exploring, discovering while Kathryn's dad read the paper and her mother finished up in the kitchen after Sunday dinner.
But, then, it poured. Rain slid down the kitchen windows as two little girls sighed and sulked, and felt there was nothing to do. Mud puddles formed in the yard. It was one of those old fashioned days of rain that I remember. No lightning, no thunder, no threatening storms. Just a nice, steady rain that lasted all afternoon. We would have gone out to play in the rain, except for the mud.
On one rainy day, we did go outside to feed chickens or some chore, probably had a trip to the outhouse, too. Of course, I came in all muddy after falling, and had to change clothes. Since I didn't have extra clothes, I had to wear some of Kathryn's, while mine went into a paper bag to go home to the wash.
But, now, we were a little older and splashing in the mud was not so attractive. So, we whined and fumed.
After the dishes were done, Kathryn's mother, Anna, just smiled and said she would make us a treat. We watched as she pulled out a bowl, pan, platter, butter, cocoa, sugar, vanilla extract, and all the makings for fudge. We anxiously watched as she stirred and added ingrediants. Kathryn buttered the platter while I stood beside the stove and watched Kathryn's mother, waiting for a sweet treat.
If I had been at home, our family would have finished up Sunday dinner, then my sister and I would read the funny papers and a catalogue. The kids might have gone to a Sunday afternoon movie at the Eloia, with a treat at Taliaferro's drugstore, or the whole family, sometimes in two or three cars, would have gone for a ride until supper time, and time for bed. (Somehow, that homework often did not get done until I got to school on Monday! Or not at all.)
But, today, we would get to munch on rich, sweet fudge, and I wondered if Kathryn's mother made fudge that tasted like my mother's fudge. I wasn't crazy about fudge. I would rather have a Hershey bar or chocolate ice cream. But, fudge would do. (You would never know that sugar was rationed! )
Finally, the mixture was ready to pour into the platter, and we got spoons to clean out what was left in the pan, as the fudge hardened. Well, we cleaned the pan, dishes were washed and put away, and the fudge was still runny in the platter. It was too far to drive into town and get more ingrediants, and the weather was too bad. We all kept testing the fudge and it seemed to get just a little soft, but still was very runny.
Kathryn's mother talked to us about what might be wrong that the fudge just wouldn't get ready, and our mouths were almost watering, waiting for the treat. She told us that you shouldn't make divinity in certain kinds of weather due to the problem of it never getting hard if the weather was too damp. But she had never had that problem with fudge.
We were beginning to feel like having a snack was a lost cause.
Kathryn's mother laughed with her rich, wonderful laugh, and reached into the cabinet, pulled out a box of crackers, and told Kathryn to get a couple of knives from the silver drawer. We stood at the counter, watching the rain through the window over the sink, spreading fudge on crackers, and munching away. I was not so sure that would work, but found it to be really delicious! We ate until the platter was clean, the rain stopped, and it was time to take me home.
I don't think that my mother was very happy when I told her that I wanted her to make fudge like Kathryn's mother, to be eaten with a spoon and crackers!
Later, in college, my friends and I would go to the movies and get popcorn and a chocolate candy bar to eat during the movie. That reminded me of rainy day fudge!
In my drawing, Kathryn is by the table with her blonde hair in braids that she wore coiled over her ears. Blue jeans, with rolled up cuffs were the style. Girls wore jeans for girls with zippers on the side. While I started with pigtails, and ribbons, my hair had a mind of its own. The ribbons were soon hanging and the braids were loose. We tried to dress alike and would call each other on the phone to see what each one in the class or group was wearing the next day. We weren't allowed to wear pants to school, other than our band uniforms or shorts for P.E. and sports.
My drawings seem to take on a life of their own as I work, with parts just seeming to appear-sometimes things I thought I didn't remember at all show up in my picture.
There is a technique called "mapping", in which you can start with a large piece of paper and a marker, pencil, pen, or whatever is comfortable, but fairly large. Start by thinking of a place, such as a house, then try to draw a floorplan of the house, or focus on a room. As you work, you will start to remember all kinds of details and stories that are hidden deep in your memory. It's amazing how things like vases, doorways, knick knacks, people, and stories will start to come out as you draw. You can go on to map out the whole house, grounds, etc, or stop and write or draw about the one thing that you want to focus on.

Abandoned

Cozy Home 9" x 12" watercolor
My sister and I made a short trip to the old hometown today. It's sad to see so many of the old buildings and homes gone, others crumbling, and still others "restored" in ways that seem to take away the dignity that they always had. My sister has commented that, one of these days, we may drive through that town and find nothing but a pile of dust on each side of the street, where bricks have crumbled and structures collapsed.
Still, some places maintain the character that they always had.
Sometimes I wonder what they are teaching in design and architecture classes these days. I don't know why some people consider a "box" interesting, or even an accomplishment. Seems like they just put any old thing together, the easiest and cheapest way possible. It just looks like they didn't really try, to me.
Lightning and rain hit as we were on the highway. There are a lot of memories from years of driving that old highway 6 and spending time in the towns along the way. One little house and old filling station that I used to watch as I drove past, and had, for years, been almost hidden in trees, is no longer in view. I think they may have been torn down as the land was cleared for a commercial property next to them. After seeing so much restoration work done, I feel like the old interesting places could be saved. Instead, people seem to be quick to tear down anything that is old or needs work.
This little watercolor is of a small abandoned house, west of Calvert toward the Brazos River. I painted this before the house became covered with vines. I always thought it was a cozy-looking little house. Typical of many homes for workers on the farms in the area, in times gone by. A few of those little houses are still in use, but many are used for hay storage, or, like the one in my painting, are just left for nature to reclaim. Many are gone, however, as seems to happen to so many things, and people, as they grow older.
Cozy Home was done on 140 pound Arches watercolor paper, using Winsor Newton watercolors.