Donna and I attended the 22nd Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine this weekend. Nothing speaks to the diversity of Texas like a cowboy reciting Whitman. The poetry was fun, but the highlight for me was the change of pace from Austin. Brewster County has a population density of about 1 person per square mile, so it was nice getting away from the crowded city.
My affection for the great state of Texas was bolstered by the diversity of what we saw. Where the Hill Country/Austin region is known for its plentiful natural resources, the plains of West Texas are just as striking for its barrenness. The irony of this is the relationships the people in these areas have with their surroundings. For example, my company’s headquarters in Austin is situated on a nice, wooded campus complete with acres and acres of juniper sage and live oak trees. We also have a spring-fed pond and a nature trail. I have a great view of all of this from my fifth floor office window.
But the places we visited this weekend are at the other end of the spectrum. Technically a desert, the area is dry rocky, yet agriculture is the primary industry. Seems backwards for me to be cooped up in an office in Austin where just about anything and everything flourishes while ranchers and farmers scratch out a living in some of the most unforgiving terrain anywhere.
