Oak or cedar Christmas trees?

By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — Christmas lights and decorations are going up all over town. I love all the green, the red, the shiny and the bright. Our German town founders did too. The tradition of putting up a Christmas tree goes back to 16th century Europe. Germanic-speaking Christians brought fresh-cut evergreens into their houses […]

Nikolaus memories

By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — The small dining/living room was stuffed with my eight aunts, seven uncles, Grandma and Grandpa, and my cousins. I think there were about 13 of us kids at the time. It was Christmas. Grandma’s tree was decorated with old ornaments that were not like our 1960s ones. And there were […]

Agarita memories

By Keva Hoffmann Boardman — I’m on the riding mower last weekend and encountered some of the least-friendly Texas botanicals: stickyweed (Galium aparino), greenbriar (Smilax bona-nox L.) and agarita (Berberis trifoliolata). I totally detest the first two. The only thing stickyweed is good for is to use in a throwing fight against your friends and […]