In the new edition of Hemispheres, that bastion of quality journalism that fills United's seat back pockets alongside the spent chewing gum, used napkins, and broken drink stirrers, I see that the managing editor has penned an article about Texas, also known as the former home of Continental Airlines.
Extolling the virtues of the Texas Hill County, and Highway 71 in particular, the fearless and knowledgeable author notes the profusion flowers that can be found there, such as the famous Texas bluebells...
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OR, he could have been discussing the Texas bluebells also seen on the side of the highway in the Hill Country. We shouldn't assume the author meant bluebonnets.
OR, he could have been discussing the Texas bluebells also seen on the side of the highway in the Hill Country. We shouldn't assume the author meant bluebonnets.
Haven't seen too many bluebells on the roadside in the Hill Country... much less on Hwy 71 near Llano...
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I had no idea, but Hemispheres has an online edition! The reference in question is:
"Route 71 West out of Austin belies the notion, held by the uninitiated, that Texas is all low scrub and big sky. The road takes you through dramatic terrain, past ostentatious stone and iron ranch gates and between pools of bluebells (even going at a good clip, you can smell them) gathered amid the gentle green hills. We saw half a dozen families that had pulled over to just sit in the fields of wildflowers."
From the context, it's obvious that the author meant bluebonnets. I drive the stretch of road in question 10-15 times a month. I've also never found them to be notably smelly... but my nose is pretty bad.
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I live out 71 West of Austin and the bluebonnets (not Bluebells) are fantastic when they are out.
The writer is off about the flowers and his navigation skills. 71 runs Northwest out of Austin, no where near Fredericksburg. They must have got lost and finally saw a sign pointing South to Fredericksburg and had to drive for another 45 minutes.
The hill country isn't even the best place to find wildflowers. The Brazos valley (around Hempstead/College Station) has far more, but it is pretty flat so it might not be as attractive overall. Hill country is being overrun by those stupid yellow flowers.
The hill country isn't even the best place to find wildflowers. The Brazos valley (around Hempstead/College Station) has far more, but it is pretty flat so it might not be as attractive overall. Hill country is being overrun by those stupid yellow flowers.
Hill Country is being overrun by tourists, Houston lawyers and Northern tax refugees.
You can always count on a New Yorker to teach us, the "uninitiated," about Texas. Does he really expect us to be surprised that Texas isn't "all low scrub and big sky" as he seemed to be himself?
What's the least substantive, most irrelevant thing you can complain about: wildflower identification edition.
There's probably no hope in replying, but to draw an analogy, the bluebonnet mistake is as if an article about San Francisco praised the wonderful Water Gate Bridge, or the city's famous rye bread.
If you're from San Francisco, you'd probably get a wry laugh out of such a mistake.
__________________ My flight memory (mid '06-present) may contain forward-looking (but ticketed) statements.
There's probably no hope in replying, but to draw an analogy, the bluebonnet mistake is as if an article about San Francisco praised the wonderful Water Gate Bridge, or the city's famous rye bread.
If you're from San Francisco, you'd probably get a wry laugh out of such a mistake.
Mm, I think that's too strong. The Golden Gate Bridge is truly world-renown, so that's off. Rye vs. Sourdough is closer, but (if we're working with SF examples) I think it's more like saying California-style Burrito vs. San Francisco/Mission style Burrito. The California Burrito is actually a distinct type from San Diego, but most people probably associate Mission-style Burritos with CA, hence a mixup. Californians would get it, though.
