This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for October 7, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, TX. Considering my love of German and Czech polka music, I can’t let October pass by without writing about “Oktoberfests.” Back in the 1940’s in Dime Box, we never held an Oktoberfest, but we had mini-OKTOBERFESTS […]
Oktoberfests: For Me, It’s The Music Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for September 30, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. Martin Luther once said, “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our thoughts, minds, hearts, and spirits. . . . Our dear
A Tale Of Another Violin Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for September 23, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. Working in some form of mass media, — which today includes television, print media, such as magazines and newspapers, radio, and internet, — was one of my aspirations as a youngster. However, back in my
“Good Evening, Everyone, There’s Good News Tonight!” Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for September 16, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. My twin brother and I had a happy life, growing up in the small rural town of Dime Box, Texas, and we shared a love of camping in the woods, fishing in the creeks and
Texas-Flavored Tanka Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for September 9, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. Having grown up in Dime Box where we raised several cows, and familiar with all kinds of animal fodder, including hay, I remember being appalled by a scene from Dr. Faustus. We read this famous
That’s “Fodder For Thought” Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for September 2, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. This week I finished the wooden pendants I was creating for the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League’s annual Silent Auction. In the past I have always created larger pieces of wood art for the Auction. I
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for August 26, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. Many folks in rural Texas erect Texas-style faux windmills on their property to give their homestead a rustic, country look, though some do have the real thing that actually pumps water for the cows. Whether
The Changing Faces Of Windmills Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger appeared first in IMAGES for August 19, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. As is true of so many other annual festivals and celebrations this year, the Wendish Fest in Serbin, Texas, is ON after lying dormant during the height of COVID. A longtime member of the Texas
Devoutness And Joviality Of The Wends Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for August 12, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. Although the flute or “pipe” has been played since the beginning of humankind, I never found favor with it, — in fact, hardly paid attention to it, — until recently. Years ago, when I
The Piper Poets Love Read More »
This article by Ray Spitzenberger first appeared in IMAGES for August 5, 2021, East Bernard Express, East Bernard, Texas. Every Monday I am “in a pickle.” I am faced with the challenge of generating a topic for my weekly newspaper column. Some tell me finding a topic shouldn’t be so difficult considering the extraordinary,
