Texas Signs of the Times

Signs are ways to communicate.  Road signs tell us a lot. Every community around the world has its many ways of posting them for people to read.  Long before Facebook and Twitter, but much later than smoke signals, road signs, aside from traffic ones, were the first means of  mass communication - limited but way more than person to person. It goes back to the days in how people left messages for their relatives or friends when they traveled during the days of the Roman Empire.  The story goes that at one time at a point where three roads (tri {three}-via {road} ) met and split, travelers would leave important messages for their kinfolks as to where they were going. At first they were indeed only important messages but later  became merely mundane notes.  Then the messages at the three roads deteriorated to  the level of mere gossip. They became trivial.

But in Texas, in today's times, I call it Roadside Twitter. Every state has the welcome sign like the one below. It is up to anyone to interpret "Drive Friendly - The Texas Way". I've lived here long enough to know all its meanings and different permutations and to be able to tell the Texas story with my personal interpretations of its road signs.

By the way, in Texas, y'all is both singular and plural pronoun.

The driver of this cute vehicle (below) will soon have learned that the pick up truck is the official state car.  

It is true what y'all have heard. Even the car wash is bigger and more accommodating in Texas, even for long horns.

It is also true what y'all have heard about the Texas weather.  Those from the East and West Coasts make fun of Texas weather but Texans' self deprecating humor deals with it.

By the way, next to California, Texas, despite its self description of being a "big oil State", has the second largest arrays of wind turbines in the U.S.  

Below, wildlife knows how to deal with the state climate.

I haven't been to the small town of Arroyo. Small but it has a large area of vacation rentals, hence a "tourist spot". The residents there have taken advantage of the Roadside Twitter phenomenon. You shall see a lot of them here. Whoever came up with the sign below knows the weather too well but also has a grasp of the double meaning of words.

Texans have accepted the other label of being a Bible Belt State - they tell you so.

A one time presidential candidate may have hit a nerve when he referred to conservative voters from the south as "clinging to their guns and religion" but may have spoken closer to truth by the sign below.

And they love the Second Amendment for protecting their homes with a passion ..

No offense is intended here against the Hispanic population, who are predominantly Catholic; someone in Arroyo just can't resist puns.

No ethnic offense here either.

A quick history note about Texas below. But pay attention to the one above the plaque.

The Fire Marshall - ruler of the public place occupancy code - makes fun of its own building occupancy limit in the city of Grapevine, suburb of Dallas. The old code limit from when the building was constructed needed updating so it was easier and least costly to just put in an addendum.

But a serious public caution .. Just sayin'

Speaking of truth in advertising, this last stop before you get to your favorite fishing hole says just about what every fisherman needs after a long drive.  It's a restaurant, gas station and a fishing supply in one. You can't be any more precise and concise about your place of business.

Next to fishing, Texans love to hunt too but you are cautioned about where exactly NOT to do it.

And nearby, after fishing or hunting, there certainly is a night spot for the two-step and beer.  You have to be familiar with the song.

Speaking of restaurants, this sign spices their menu with a bit of humor, albeit a bit grisly, and showing off its familiarity with what happened at the Roman senate on March 15, a couple of thousand years ago.

One restaurant had this sign in front:

"Dear Vegans, If you are trying to save the animals, STOP eating their food".

Texans are not too keen on vegetables, unless it's mashed potato with thick gravy on the side of a  ribeye steak and beer.

The punster in Arroyo is at it again.

Texans are proud of the southern drawl. But they love to engage in self deprecating pokes at their use of the English language.

When texting's feature doesn't always work.

And spelling too !

And punctuations, most of all!

Southern drawl aside, Texas happens to be home to two great engineering schools - Texas A & M and The University of Texas, and the self-described Harvard of the south - Rice University.  Texans know their science and math.

Many will get the joke below. But a hint to those not from Texas. This talks about salt ..

Not getting it still?  It refers to the first part of the scientific abbreviation for salt. Any Texan will tell you that any further explanation beyond that ruins the humor.

Arroyo loves college spring breakers but want to make sure out of state sojourners know their dy/dx.

Or NOT

Texas is senior friendly. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) wants to take care of its senior drivers.

And its pedestrians ..

Covid 19 or not ..

Seniors have this to say about their insecurity over their retirement income but don't want to deal with 8 characters or longer for their IRA account.

Texans are good parents and they know a thing or two about child rearing.

And they have something more to say in the midst of the lockdown.

The lockdown's other side effects is explained below:

Texas logic and philosophy in life explained:

Texans may love to talk but they have something about "silent" and "silence".

Texans love politics but not politicians

Texas - second only to Alaska in area - is big. Just as you cross the border from Louisiana and you get to Beaumont, don't think you've seen the whole state.  The Texas Highway Dept. wants to let you know you could be driving all night and day and you're still in Texas.

 

Texans love to drive and the Highway Dept. pokes fun at them.

Some Texas areas get flooded from time to time, including the intersection with a street name ..  what else? 

And we have winters too!  And to be safe, the Dept. of Public Safety won't take chances.

Yes, Texas is oil and cow country.  There are cowboys and ranchers.  A highly educated population but the cows don't go to school so they can't read.  Again, it is all about grammar and punctuation, isn't it.  The sign at the gate (below) is for people who crosses it.  There are cows here, so please ..

That about tells the Texas story in Roadside Twitter.

And to anyone with a legitimate and good reason to move here, don't worry about the weather. Utilities and gasoline are cheap, so you'll live in a fully airconditioned home and go from place to place in an airconditioned pick up truck.  Texans love to brag too.