March 13, 2023
The day before this post was published was March 14, 2023. It marked five years since Patrick Shane Glasgow was killed in front of the entrance to the Franklin Drive Thru Safari near Franklin, Texas. While many tongue-in-cheek “celebrate” Pi Day, Kristi and I mourn it as the anniversary of the worst day of our lives.
Patrick brought a lot of good things into our lives and the lives of those who knew him–either directly or indirectly. He was all about good things and wanted good things for everyone. Even at such a young age he appreciated beauty. For example, he would run through the house calling all of us to come outside and view a beautiful sunset. “It’s epic and beautiful,” he would say.
So much of that epic beauty has been lost to us. Everything is grayer and sadder now. But we still try to enjoy what beauty there is in the world, even if it is tinged with the sadness that results from not being able to share the experience with Patrick, who so loved such things.
Which is why every Spring Break we make an effort to go out and see the Texas wildflowers and explore the countryside. We went back to one of our favorite areas to see the bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, buttercups, and myriad other flowers that bloom along the highways and back roads.
Unlike last year, the flowers are on time–maybe even a little early. I don’t think the peak has arrived yet, so even more spectacular shows may be coming. Our journey took us into Washington County, the birthplace of Texas, near where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. (This fact is represented in a number of road names that appear throughout this post.)
When viewing wildflowers, please be mindful of the traffic around you and respect property lines. Do not cross fence lines. Be respectful of the locals. Do not litter! And pick up trash where you might find it, if you are able.
The first part of our adventure began on William Penn Road, which starts at TX-105. William Penn Road once led to a community named William Penn that was founded around 1849. The town was named for a steamboat that visited ports on the nearby Brazos River.
A short distance into the drive we came upon this pasture that was covered in bluebonnets and other flowers:
To me, there is something special about a pasture full of flowers behind a barbed wire fence. The landowners have created something beautiful and have preserved it for all to enjoy.
Next to the pasture we came upon this old pickup on display in the front yard of a house. The bed of the truck is loaded with what appear to be beehives.
A little further down the road we passed through a short tree tunnel.
Heading toward Independence, Texas, La Bahia Trail runs west from William Penn just past this magnificent, overhanging tree:
Soon after turning onto La Bahia Trail, we turned north onto FM 1935 and headed toward the Bethlehem Lutheran Church. This area was heavily settled in the mid-19th century by German immigrants who organized several Lutheran churches.
I love finding these magnificent church buildings in remote places. Among other things, they are usually a sign of a thriving community where people know one another and (hopefully!) get along. The church is something they all have in common, if nothing else, although I’m sure many of the families in this area have long histories of acquaintances.
We proceeded north on FM 1935, then turned west onto Kettler Road. Kettler Family Dairy is located along this road. Established in 1949, they are one of a handful of raw milk dairies in the Brenham, Texas area.
Turning right onto St. Peter’s School Road, we traveled a short way to Mertins Creek Lane. Like all of the surrounding area, this road is flanked by pastures. One in particular stood out to me because of its park-like appearance, with oaks scattered about a green, gently sloping hill.
Mertins Creek Lane ended at La Bahia Trail, which we followed west to Independence Way. An old AT&T Long Lines tower is located at this intersection. These towers were built and operated from the 1950s into the 1980s to transmit television, telephone, and computer signals across the nation. This particular tower connected other facilities located in nearby Caldwell, College Station, Bryan, and Pattison.
When I was three or four years old, I thought that these towers were the source of thunder. The feedhorns resemble giant drums, so I reasoned that they were “thunder drums.” I always wondered where the thunder drum tower was near my house but figured that it must be far out into the woods where I couldn’t see it.
Driving south down Independence Way, we came upon St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Sandy Hill.
Independence Way ends at FM 50. I spotted another church steeple some distance across the road. A short “jog” to the north, and we turned west onto Prairie Hill Road and came up to St. John Lutheran Church.
Kristi took the picture above. Her phone lens has a crack in it, which creates rainbow patterns when the light hits it just right. I chose this picture because Patrick loved rainbows.
We headed south on Old Independence Road, which runs in front of St. John. It passes to the west of the Brenham Municipal Airport before turning to the west and crossing over New Year Creek. If you’ve read my previous posts on wildflower viewing in this area, you’ll know that some of the roads that run around New Year Creek are some of our favorite viewing spots.
From the creek, we continued along Old Independence Road past Linda Anderson Park and the Washington County Fairgrounds in Brenham, where the road ends at East Blue Bell Road. We turned left, then left again to get back onto TX-105.
The second part of our adventure started on the familiar North Meyersville Road, which begins at TX-105. This road is one of our favorites in Washington County, and we have visited every year for several years now. It has some of the best roadside views of Texas wildflowers that we know of.
At the intersection of North Meyersville Road and Wiesepape Road lies the remains of the Providence Missionary Baptist Church. We don’t know much about this church. It appears to have been in use until fairly recently, but the building is in a progressive state of decay. Each year it looks a little worse. It’s sad to us that no one has either the interest or resources to preserve and use it. The last time we looked inside it still had pews and a pulpit. A cemetery with recent graves is located adjacent to the building.
Y’all should know by now that I am not particularly fond of deer. They’re cute and all, but they are also destructive and can do a lot of damage to persons and property if struck when they suddenly leap in front of vehicles. We counted seven of them crossing the road a little past the church.
We once again crossed New Year Creek, and shortly after arrived at our ultimate destination on South Meyersville Road.
The sun was getting low, so we decided to head back home.
We always enjoy our adventures, but the Spring wildflowers are extra special. We look forward to the vivid colors, sweet scents, interesting shapes, and the feeling of life returning after Winter. Patrick would have thought that they were Epic and Beautiful.
