Legend of the Bluebonnets

Blankets of bluebonnets threaded with colorful Indian paintbrushes, winecups, and lemonmint are popping in the wind today. God and the Texas Department of Transportation have covered the roadsides, especially from Washington-on-the-Brazos to Chappell Hill. As always, I am reminded of the legend of the bluebonnet.

When I was five, a babysitter told me the tale of the drought on the High Plains and how a young Comanche girl's sacrifice brought the bluebonnet to Texas. Do you know the story? Actually, like most legends, there are many versions around. This is the one I was told:

Once upon a time, a long time ago, in the High Plains of Texas, Comanche lived and hunted buffalo. But one summer, the buffalo did not come because there had been no rain to water the wild grasses. In fact, it had not rained for many moons, and the people in the village were worried. And very thirsty.

The shaman told the people that they needed to make sacrifices to the Great Spirit so he would bring the rain. A big bonfire was made in the center of the village and the tribe, one by one, offered up possessions--buffalo blankets, silver jewelry, clay pottery, flint spears and arrows.

But still the rain did not come.

The shaman told the people that their sacrifice had to be great, that they had to sacrifice what they prized the most to the Great Spirit. The people went back into their tepees and slowly began to uncover their greatest treasures to bring to the fire.

Still, the rain did not come.

In the village was a small girl. She was an orphan who had only one tiny possession of her own. It was a doll made from an old corn cob wrapped in a dusty rag with a single bluejay feather hanging from its head. It was nothing really, especially when compared to the wealth the other tribe members were bringing to the fire. But it was all she had left from when her parents were alive, and even though she  loved the doll more than anything, she decided to offer it as a sacrifice for her people.

She walked to the edge of the bonfire and with tears in her eyes, she threw her doll into the flames. Immediately the bright flames consumed the doll, turning it to ash. The sacrifice was complete.

And then thunder clapped and the sky opened and rain began to fall. The wind blew the doll's ashes through the gentle rain and spread them over the land. 

The voice of the Great Spirit spoke over the wind and thunder and rain to say: "This child gave me her most precious possession, and I will never forget her sacrifice." Flowers began to spring up where the ashes had fallen. They were wildflowers topped with the same blue as the feather on the girl's doll. We call them bluebonnets.

Today educators say this is a story that teaches children about selfless acts, about giving up something important for family, about letting go of material things, about surrender. As a five-year-old, I got none of those lessons from the story.

Here is what I got from the story: God loves little girls so much--maybe even best. That was a very important message for a little girl like me who felt invisible between two boisterous brothers. Every spring God covers the meadows and hills with beautiful bluebonnets to tickle my nose and remind me of His special love.

Riding the wildflowers

I love riding a motorcycle with my man. I used to ride my own Harley, but I prefer the view from the "queen seat" now. I can look around and think how blessed I am while Ronnie keeps us upright and between the lines.

We spent last weekend riding the wildflowers on the back roads around Navasota, TX, our new hometown, which, with a population of 7,000+, is the largest town in Grimes County.

On Friday we stopped first at the Filling Station Cafe and Restaurant on E Washington Ave., for breakfast, where our favorite waitress served us omelets and biscuits and coffee. After gassing up at the Valero station, we headed for Anderson, the county seat. We had business there, such as getting our vehicles registered and obtaining a DBA for writing retreats at our 1875 Victorian house.

According to the website, the county clerk's office is open from 8 am until 4:30 pm. We'd called to be sure and an answering machine repeated the same hours listed on the website. However, the door was locked when we arrived. We weren't surprised. Not really. Last Friday was Good Friday and Grimes County is a Christian stronghold, not full of profit-driven heathens like the big cities have. We, being more Christian than heathen ourselves, saw it as a sign to enjoy the countryside and took a farm-to-market road to Carlos, TX.

The sun warmed our backs and the scents of bluebonnets, buttercups, lavender, wild lilies and other field flowers filled our noses. We passed ranches where Herefords and Brahmans and Texas longhorns moseyed the pastures and glimpsed other pastures that were home to Palomino horses and goats. Vegetable gardens and lush rose bushes bumped up against ranch houses and mobile homes. Such a startling and welcomed contrast to Houston skyscrapers and concrete.

The next day we got a late start and headed in the opposite direction to Washington-on-the-Brazos. We stopped at the state park where Ronnie had to surrender his Derringer pistol while we toured the museum. Men and their guns! But I guess, after seeing Easy Rider in the 60's, a biker, war veteran and former police officer wants to be prepared for the worst on the road.

We learned some Texas history that we didn't know before, thanks to a documentary produced by Blinn College in nearby Brenham. Afterwards, we rode a back road to Chappell Hill. Farmers had planted bluebonnet seeds in fallow land, and we enjoyed the contrast of deep blue-purple against green clover and greener grass. A miniature pony farm caught our attention, but our tummies grumbled so we continued following the road to town. We stopped at a place that advertised great homemade pies, but stuck to roasted meat and mashed potatoes and collard greens. (I'm off sugar these days and Ronnie is supportive in that he doesn't feed his sweet tooth when I'm around. One more reason I love him.)

We found a pretty little nursery with big pots of lavender. I love the slender beauty of lavender stalks and the calming scent of its flowers. I did not know lavender is a natural mosquito repellent. Ronnie plans to return in the Jeep this week and load up 6 pots for our backyard patio. (See how easy it is for me to find reasons to loved him?)

We looked for roadside vendors selling homegrown tomatoes on our way home by way of Hempstead, but only saw truck beds loaded with watermelons. Oh well, no worries. Wed just have one more reason to mount that bike and ride the wildflowers.


What do you do to enjoy  the Texas springtime?