For want of a tourist...

(Originally published June 26, 2002)

"If they call it tourist season," reads the bumper sticker, "why can't we shoot them?"

"Tourist, terrorist," someone popped off, "they're pretty much the same thing."

Those who live in Port Aransas, Texas, chastise themselves when they forget to go to the grocery store before the Friday onslaught of weekend tourists. And you learn the best time of the day during the week is early in the morning before a lot of the vacationers arise.

In fact, just driving down the street can be difficult. Tourists tend to think things like traffic laws take a holiday along with them. Like kids out of school, they blithely walk or bike into the street in the middle of traffic.

Squash, peas and memories

(Originally published June 15, 2005)
 
We were pulling away from downtown Jewett, Texas, pointed down U.S. 79 toward Franklin and Hearne, when my wife said, “Wait, can we go back?”

Leah promptly clarified what I already knew; she wanted to visit the roadside produce stand we had just passed.