I love Texas! I am a native Texan whose families are Texans for generations – ranchers and farmers to be exact. I grew up with my mother telling me the story of the Alamo at bedtime and learning Texas songs not only in school but at home. Some people have said that I am an extreme Texan. When I lived abroad in St. Louis, Missouri, someone asked me why Texans are so proud of their state. I responded with “why aren’t you as proud of your state?” Texas pride is hard to explain to someone who has never experienced the beauty, ingenuity, loyalty, independence and hospitality of Texas and its people! Who couldn’t be proud of such a great land and people!
I grew up in Central Texas, Lampasas and Austin to be exact, but spent my childhood summers at my grandparents in Kerrville and Sonora. I attended Texas Christian University (TCU) in Ft. Worth and settled in Arlington with my husband, Keith. Our two native born children, Joyce and Tommy, are pretty hard core Texan themselves, although Joyce and her husband, Dan, are living abroad in St. Louis. I grew up going to the Texas coast – Galveston, Angelton, Surfside, South Padre and Corpus Christi. In the 1990’s my children and I traveled with my mother, Betsy Ross, visiting as many county courthouses across the state as possible during Spring Breaks. We saw the Paris tower, Gainsville circus, the red in the Red River and the beauty of Wichita Falls. I have a purple pearl from the Concho River in San Angelo, wine from the hill country and decorative woodwork from the state capitol. My favorite date in high school was going to the state capitol (seriously it is an impressive place). I traveled across East and Central Texas playing tennis as a teenager and attending Tyler Junior College for tennis camp. I have been to Del Rio and crossed the border to buy Mexican vanilla. My point being, I have seen a lot of Texas. But, there are places I haven’t seen – Big Bend National Park, the Marfa lights and Amarillo. And there are places I saw twenty plus years ago that are different now!
This year, as president of the Texas Bed and Breakfast Association (TBBA) I have a once in a lifetime chance to see this great state of Texas by taking a self mandated “Tour of Texas” to visit our members and see their amazing and unique properties! This tour of Texas will give me a chance to not only learn how these Texans share their “Great Stay of Texas” with travelers (Texans and foreigners alike) but to see a different side of Texas than I have seen before. This time I will get to hear the stories of the historic homes and their current owners, see the small and large towns on foot and experience Texas hospitality at its finest!
To document my TBBA “Tour of Texas” I will be using this blog, FaceBook and Instagram with both my personal and TBBA accounts. Each month I will hop in my car and go visiting the great stays of Texas! I hope you will join me!
Suzy Hankins
TBBA President 2015-2017
