Passport to Texas

Christmas Tree inside Saur-Beckmann State Historic Site

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The custom of decorating trees for Christmas took root in German villages during the sixteenth century.

07—A lot of Germans, as you know, settled Texas. And they brought a tradition with them of the tabletop Christmas tree.

Cynthia Brandimarte is program director for Texas historic sites.

12—When you look at interior photographs of Texas houses, you see many tabletop Christmas trees ornamented for the season, particularly in German households in the late nineteenth century Texas.

Ornaments were handmade then, and small gifts often dangled from branches. Eventually, the tabletop conifer gave way to larger trees that became “floor models,” and the decorations sometimes mirrored the day’s events.

22—You saw more and more seven or eight feet trees that were placed on the floor. And because we had just ended the Spanish American war in victory, there was a fashion in the early part of the twentieth century to decorate trees with a few American flags here and there. We have photographic evidence for that.

If you celebrate Christmas, we wish you a joyous holiday. And if you do not, then it’s the perfect opportunity to spend time in nature, because Life’s Better Outside.

That’s our show… we record our series at the Block House in Austin, Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Trout stocking in Texas

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If you’re an angler who likes to eat what you catch, then now’s the time to reel in a rainbow trout.

14— We stock them at a catchable and eatable size. They are good fighting fish; they’re relatively easy to catch. We usually stock them in smaller bodies of water, so they’re a good fishing, catching opportunity and good eating opportunity as well.

Carl Kittle (kitl) is a program director for Inland Fisheries, and oversees winter trout stocking in Texas. Distribution began this month and continues through February 2014. Purchase of the trout is funded in part by city and local governments through the trout partner program.

17 – We’ve been stocking [rainbow] trout around Texas for almost 40 years. One interesting note about trout is that we often say there are no established populations of trout in Texas, but actually, way out west in the Davis Mountains there’s a small, tiny stream at high enough elevation that there is a reproducing population of rainbow trout.

In the rest for the state, however, it’s just too hot to sustain rainbow trout populations year round, and that’s why we will stock 289-thousand or so of the trout in 120-130 locations this year…including urban areas.

11 – And we have a special program; we actually stock somewhat larger trout in urban areas in our Neighborhood Fishin’ Program. And that’s something that you can specifically look for on our web page.

Find the stocking schedule and locations at the TPW website. The Wildlife and sport fish restoration program supports our series and funds rainbow trout stocking in Texas…

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

2013 TPWD Holiday Ornaments

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For over a decade, Texas state park lovers have collected commemorative holiday ornaments.

11—Like last year we have three unique ornaments; each one highlighting a specific park. This year we’re highlighting Goliad State park, Wyler Arial Tramway at Franklin Mountains, and Enchanted Rock.

Thomas Wilhelm, with state parks, says the laser etched wooden decorations are handmade in the USA.

06—And on the back of each ornament is an interpretive message about the park.

The 2013 ornaments as well as those from year’s past are available by calling the Texas Parks and Wildlife customer service center; proceeds from ornament sales support parks. In addition, we make supporting parks and spoiling loved ones this holiday season easy with a state park gift certificate.

23— The state park gift certificate is a way to give the gift of state parks to anyone. That gift card can be redeemed for annual park passes, facility fees, state park merchandise, pretty much anything that we charge a fee for in state parks you can use the gift card for. This year we do have a promotion: if you purchase a gift card worth $75 or more, you do get a free 2013 ornament.

Find details about the ornaments and gift certificate at passporttotexas.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

Barrington Farm Christmas

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If you love the holidays and the outdoors, now through the end of the month, find Yuletide events at state parks.

08—We have the Christmas in the Parks brochure for 2013; inside it details over 40 different events that are happening across the state.

Thomas Wilhelm, with state parks, says park goers have a variety of events from which to choose, including: historic homes and farms decked out for the season, hikes with Santa, and decorating your campsites.

22—If campers want to participate in that, they have to register in advance. They have the opportunity to decorate their campsite for the season with lights – or whatever. A lot of the parks, then, offer hayrides to the public to go through the campground and see all the campsites.