Tales from River’s End – Passport to
Adventure
Brazoria County, Austin, Spring and Other
Thoughts
Part 2
By Jan Edwards
Greetings from River’s End.
Guess
what? While I wasn’t looking, a couple of
interesting things happened down here at the
end of the river. The Barn Swallows are busy
building nests under our dock and in the
nest boxes under the house – and my ducks
are back wanting their hand outs. The
Seagulls are getting raucous again – and the
male White Pelican is again sporting the
mating bump on his beak. The Bluebonnets I
planted under the Welcome to Fisherman’s
Isle sign last year came back volunteer and
are blooming! Just in case there was any
doubt – Spring has sprung!
But
let’s transport ourselves back to Austin for
Brazoria County Day. I don’t know how
much you all know about Brazoria County
Day, but it has been happening now for
35 years. In 1973, Brazoria County started
sending a delegation to Austin to voice
their concerns for the first time. Every
other year (in odd numbered years), when the
legislature is in session, another group of
businessmen, elected officials and just
regular Brazoria County citizens who want to
join the group, go to Austin with their
concerns. As far as I can tell, Brazoria
County Day is the biggest county day
during the legislative session. That just
might be because of our county’s World’s
Largest Shrimp Cocktail. One of the things
that make me proud to have participated this
year is that those who go foot the bill for
the trip themselves. Yeah, the t-shirts, the
legislative breakfast, and the Shrimp Boil
are underwritten, but the people who go are
passionate enough about Brazoria County,
that they pay their own way - pretty
impressive in this world of corporate
junkets.
Oh
well, enough of the history and background
and back to the Official Brazoria County Day
in Austin, March 19, 2006. The day started
with a 7:30 a.m.
Legislative Breakfast. Roy and I
caught up with Connie and Pat there and we
sat with them and County Commissioner Mary
Ruth Rhodenbaugh for the wonderful
breakfast. Sitting at the dais at the head
of the ball room were the elected officials
representing Brazoria County in Austin.
Former County Commissioner, Larry Stanley,
Pct. 4, introduced them each in their turn.
In no particular order, the legislators
present were: Rep. Dennis Bonnen, Rep. Mike
O’Day, and Senator Kyle Janek. They each
addressed the large group from Brazoria
County. County elected officials were asked
to stand and be recognized by the group. The
coordinator of Brazoria County Day, Debbie
Pennington, was formally recognized for her
Herculean effort to put all the pieces
together. Then, everyone (who had not
already done so) went to change into their
official Brazoria County t-shirt for our
photo – op with elected officials on the
stairs of the Capitol.
A portion of the
Brazoria County crowd-Texas State Capitol
Everyone in the crowd took different methods
to get there, but everyone was wearing white
and heading for the south steps of the
capitol to have a group picture made. Roy,
Pat, Connie and I caught the Gold Armadillo
– a free bus shuttle between the Hyatt and
the Capitol. We found Fred and Nancy Kanter
and Ken and Sharon Corley in the crowd on
the steps of the Capitol. The shoot was to
take place at 9:45 a.m. sharp – and it did.
However, there were so many people there; it
was hard to fit us all on the steps. Dan
Dalstra, photographer from The Facts
took some pictures as did Representative
Mike O’Day, who quipped he wanted to take a
picture of “his people” into the session to
show everyone what kind of people come from
Brazoria County. I have to admit, it was
indeed an impressive sight and my heart
swelled with pride yet one more time.
House of
Representatives
Directly after the picture, the Brazoria
County gang was due in the House of
Representatives at 10:00 a.m. After all,
when the legislature formally declares it
Brazoria County Day, you really want to
be there to be recognized. The Gallery was
full of white t-shirts. Brazoria County sure
made a good showing – and in those white
t-shirts, we were hard to miss!
Portion of Gallery, filled with
Brazoria County Residents
After being recognized in the House, the
Brazoria County Delegation trekked to the
Senate. Here, they also declared it
Brazoria County Day and made us all
proud.
Senate
After this recognition, we were on our own
for a bit. Roy, Pat, Connie, and I were due
at Fiesta Gardens at 2 p.m. to set up
for the party due to start at 4:30 p.m.
Connie and Pat went to the RV park where
they were staying and Roy and I made a quick
trip back to the Hyatt for a nap before the
real work began. Humm… guess the shrimp boil
will have to wait until the sequel.
So,
what’s springing into action at the end of
the river now? Check back next time read
about the Shrimply wonderful time
Brazoria County had at Fiesta Gardens.
Here’s wishing you the joy of Spring, Barn
Swallows making their spring visit at your
home, Black Bellied Whistling Ducks feeding
at your bird feeder, a boat full of boiled
shrimp, a full belly, a stretched fishing
line, a good story and your own River’s End.
F.O.R. San Bernard -
Brazoria County
Day -Austin Texas
