Cenizo Journal Spring 2010 | Page 6

Editor’s Notes Maiya’s riata Inn Fine Cuisine Full Bar Hwy 67 n. • Presidio Open Wed - Sat at 5pm Swimming pool Wireless internet Large rooms King size beds 103 N. Highland Ave Marfa 432.729.4410 432.229.2528 Jett’s Grill at the historic Hotel Paisano serving dinner 5 to 9 p.m. seven days a week 207 N Highland Ave • Marfa 432.729.3838 IVAN’S Rustic Furniture S now still in the high elevations, fruit trees flowering in the valleys, and, between the two, the turkey vultures float in silent sentinel. It’s spring in the Big Bend of Texas; the season of growing is upon us. We hope this issue of Cenizo will see you into the warm months with stories to amuse, history to teach, poetry to inspire and lots in between. If you haven’t sat on the porch in Terlingua with your own cold beer in hand, you’ve heard about it and, perhaps, wondered if it were really like all the stories. Phyllis Dunham is here with a story of the character – and characters – of the Terlingua Porch. No doubt you’ve marveled at the ceiling in the Museum of the Big Bend and wondered how the Sul Ross Campus came to be a tree-filled oasis in the high desert. The answer is Victor J. Smith, who seems to have designed all of the campus in the early days of the college. Melissa Keane tells readers about the amazing man who created the physical campus and yet, even today, has no building named for him. Orie Gilad helps us think about the benefits of mountain lions on our Big Bend lands – read on! Jim Glendinning tells the story of our part of Texas through the “Voices of the Big Bend.” You’ll meet three of our friends who have dedi- cated their lives to the railroad, hospitality and teaching. Cenizo Journal is named for the state native shrub of Texas, the cenizo – sometimes called Texas Sage. Our very first Cenizo cover was a photo taken of cenizos down south after much winter rain had made the desert floor magenta and green. The photographer was Crystal Allbright, whose eye catches all the things the rest of us see – but never see. Her photo essay tells us more. Thursday is newspaper day in the Trans- Pecos. While the big cities mourn the shrinking, even the passing, of their dailies, we have a slew of weekly papers to choose from. Charles Boisseau offers us a bird’s eye view of each publication. Three Martinis – not liquid but words that flow from Lauren Martini, Houstonian and Big Bend lover who writes love letters disguised as poems. Since we’re headed to the growing season, let’s look at the native flowers that fill our desert scrub with color and scent. Jean Hardy Pittman guides us through Lone Star Wildflowers, where we learn not only what these flowers look like but also what they do, be it cuisine or pharmacopeia. The Nature Conservancy Preserve at Independence Creek comes under the keen eye of Kelly Fenstermaker. Her story makes you want to explore this beautiful place, and the dates of future Open Days let you know when you can. Bob Miles introduces Barry Scobee – another of those people who came to the Big Bend and stayed to make his mark. Scobee was largely responsible for the rebuilding of historic Fort Davis and was honored by having the mountain that looks across Hwy. 118 to the fort named for him. And Trans-Pecos trivia will test your knowledge of our local parks – put on your thinking cap! All of this is the result of many talented folks and especially of our advertisers who make Cenizo possible. We have great friends in the business community here. They make life easier for all of us – buy local, why travel? Please support them, and thank them for advertising with us. Published by Cenizo Journal LLC P.O. Box 2025, Alpine, Texas 79831 www.cenizojournal.com C E N I Z O J O U R N A L S TA F F PUBLISHER/EDITOR Dallas Baxter editor@cenizojournal.com graphics@cenizojournal.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Danielle Gallo Direct xico m o fr Me ces Pri le a s Whole Orders m to s u C e Welcom advertising@cenizojournal.com BUSINESS MANAGER Martha Latta business@cenizojournal.com WEB MANAGER Jennifer Turner web@cenizojournal.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Cenizo Journal will be mailed direct for $25.00 annually. Checks made payable to: Cenizo Journal P.O. Box 2025, Alpine, Texas 79831 Tuesday – Saturday • 9:30am – 6pm 306 E. Holland • 432.837.5903 6 GRAPHICS Katherine Shaughnessy Cenizo Second Quarter 2010 SUBMISSIONS Deadline for Third Quarter 2010 issue: May 15, 2010. Art, photographic and literary works may be e-mailed to the Editor. For advertising rates or to place an ad, contact: advertising@cenizojournal.com