MerrinDonahue.com

We’re back from Texas, and I have to say, while we may have a house here in Florida, it sure isn’t home. We had a great time with the Coopers (and thank y’all so much again for letting us invade your house for a while—we had a blast!), and I wasn’t ready to leave.

There are so many things I love about Texas. While I was waiting for my connecting flight in DFW, I overheard a cell phone conversation that went a little something like this:

“Well, I put that there gate in between them two pastures, but if the cows got out, then that’s ok. They can’t hurt nothing, and they’ve got plenty of water and plenty of food. Just let ‘em be. Somebody musta knocked that durn gate down, dangit.”

There is also no where else in this country where complete strangers will strike up a conversation with you for no other reason than just to chat. Every single person you come into contact with seems to have all the time in the world just to shoot the breeze, and everybody you pass on any given neighborhood street will be sure to wave, whether or not they know who you are.

The wildflowers were in full bloom, and the bluebonnets sure were putting on a show. I particularly love the little stretch of I-30 between Dallas and Fort Worth….you’re always sure to see someone pulled over to the side of the road snapping the annual picture of their little ones sitting in the bluebonnets. That is one true Texas tradition that will never fade.

I like Florida. There’s certainly a lot to do, and the weather is undoubtedly gorgeous. We live in a nice, quiet neighborhood. Every once in a great while, somebody will give you a wave as you pass by, or take a little time to chat about the weather and whatnot. But at the end of the day, I really do miss the laid-back friendliness that seems to be inherent in every Texan. We’re a nice bunch of folks, and we genuinely want you to have a good day. And we always have time for a little friendly conversation.