Sunday, March 11, 2012

God's Painted Canvas

I must admit, spring time in South Texas after a very rainy winter season is my favorite time of the year!  After being away from Texas the past almost 6 years, I forgot how beautiful Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush, among many other wildflowers, truly are in person! 

Evan and I have been taking short drives through the country after finishing up our school work, and we have thoroughly enjoyed our time seeking out all of the Texas wildflowers.

One particular town that I am so fascinated with (and Evan is too) is Sutherland Springs, TX.  Now, just a drop on the map with a gas station or two, a post office, and an antique shop, this once vibrant town holds so much rich history! 

Of particular interest is the Polley House, located just north of the town, about 3 miles down a county road.  This house dates back to the mid 1800's, and was one of the very first homes ever built in this area!  The gentleman, Joseph Polley,  that built this house and raised his family there was part of Stephen F. Austin's  first 300 colonists in Texas!  Evan and I drove out to see the Polley House firsthand (okay, we have driven out there to it three times!), and wow, the wildflowers out that way are just amazing!  Unfortunately, it appears that the Polley House is not being cared for, and is surrounded by piles of old junk.  It's very sad.  Evan says that maybe we can help clean up and restore the house.  I think that would be nice.  It's truly a beautiful, old home full of history.  I like to sit and stare at the house and imagine what life was like back then, and how many memories were made there. 

This is just some of what we have been up to around here.  I want to encourage mothers to get out and learn the history of the areas near you.  There is history all over the place!  I also want to encourage you all to get out and do nature studies and walks.  Simply walk around your neighborhood, your property (if you live on a farm or land), or a nearby park.  Take in all of the tress, flowers, weeds, insects, etc.  And don't forget a nifty nature journal and colored pencils, as well as a field guide to identify flowers or whatever you are looking to study.  God bless, and happy homeschooling!

*Photos are property of Shannon Wallace and may not be taken from this blog without permission. 

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Shannon that is a beautiful historical place so sad it is not better taken care of. When I went home to TN. at Christmas we did a lot to civil war history exploring. I grew up there and never had taken time to investigate the rich history.
Good encouragement, now I need to do it for CA.

Shannon Wallace said...

Hi Tesha! I pray that your heart is finding peace today. :) Thanks for stopping by! Isn't is just a gorgeous home? It makes my heart so sad that it hasn't become an historical landmark. There is so much history in that old mansion! We are military, and move around alot. I am actually from this area and had no idea that this place even existed until a few months ago. Homeschooling has definitely increased my "hunger" to learn about the rich history of our great state and nation! :)

Sam said...

That home is gorgeous! I clicked on it to see it bigger, and there are similarities to the home on my site. I bet they are of the same period. The house is so grand, and the trees are gorgeous!!!

Shannon Wallace said...

Hi Sam! Yes, I do believe both homes are from the same time period. :) Isn't is just gorgeous? It's quite sad that it is deteriorating.

Jenny said...

That is a nice house! Too bad it doesn't look like there's any historical society around to take care of it. Restoring it would definitely be a worthwhile homeschool group project.

Shannon Wallace said...

Jenny, thank you for stopping by! Yes, that would be an excellent homeschool group project to restore this beautiful piece of history! :)