1. The Bottoms Cemetery, Harris County, Texas

   This cementery is close to my house, it is on the right side of Jones Road after you cross the bridge (traveling from Louetta to Cypresswood). It is very interesting because it seems abandoned. A few weeks back, I went and I took some pictures of the tombstones. Then, I started to look on the internet trying to find more about the cemeteary and I found this:

"In 1865, many freed slaves from Alabama and Mississippi came to Houston. Originally they settled in West Houston, but several families saved their money that they earned and purchased farmland in this area. Two of these families were the Woods and the Blackstocks. They built a church, school and cemetery and became successful farmers. The land for this cemetery was donated by pioneer, Willis Woods."

There is also a great website about this community's history.

    Census research shows the following: Strong Blackstock came from Mississippi as a freed slave. He married Daphne, also from Mississippi, and their first child was born in Texas in 1867. Their children were: Eliza (b. 1867), Linnas (b. 1872), Hannah (b. 1873), Mary (b. 1879), Strong, Jr. (b. 1886) and Leona (b. 1894). His wife Daphne was still alive in 1930, living with her daughter Leona and her family. Son, Strong, is buried in this cemetery.

    Jake Woods was born in Mississippi in 1853. He married Julia in Texas around 1874. He is on the 1880 Census. There was also a Willis Woods who lived nearby that is also on that census. He was more than likely Jake's brother. Jacob's children were Willis (b. 1874), Jacob, Jr. (b. 1876) and Minger (b. 1879). All sons. His son Jacob, Jr. is listed on the 1930 census with his wife Annie (b. 1892).

NAME	B. DATE	D. DATE	INSCRIPTION
AMSTEED, Jane		Nov. 18, 1848	Age 56
BLACKSTOCK, Strong	Jul. 14, 1880	Nov. 30, 1920
RAYMOND, Polly	1873
WILLIAMS, Ed	Mar. 29, 1879	Feb. 25, 1915
WILLIAMS, Essie K.	Jun. 20, 1881	Jan. 27, 1908	Age 27 yrs
WILLIAMS, L.	Dec. 27, 1854	Jun. 13, 1928
WOODS, Jacob	Dec. 3, 1875	Apr. 14, 1937
WOODS, Jake	May 30, 1851	Aug. 13, 1925
WOODS, Rozelia	Jun. 30, 1854	Sept. 11, 1922
WOODS, Zelma	Feb. 22, 1901	9-May-25	Has "Stewart" on bottom of stone

                              

Source: Ancestry.com

2. Ghost Tour of Old Town Spring

I went with my husband on a tour of Old TownSpring in November 2012. It was very interesting and educational.  It was interesting because the tour guide told us of the different legends and the historic background of different building and sites. I would have liked to have see some ghosts, but we had not luck. I thought the town was beautifull and I really enjoyed the tour!

3. Colombian Pandebono

 

I want to share with you some a food related to American History that is made from corn. In Colombia, pandebono is a typical food made from corn. Pandebono is a delicious cheese bread, perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack with coffee.

Here is the recipe for pandebono; they are very easy to make!

It's a simple recipe made with cheese and two kinds of flour - tapioca flour (cassava or yuca starch) and cornmeal. The precooked cornmeal used to make arepas called (masarepa) works well, as does regular cornmeal. You can even order a special mix for making these rolls: harina de pandebono. The cheesiness comes from salty farmer's cheese, or any mild, firm cheese that melts well - quesillo, monterey jack, mozzarella, or a mixture of these cheeses with a bit of cheddar and/or Parmesan.

The dough is shaped into balls or bagels, which puff up nicely in the oven even though there's no leavening ingredient. They're best when they're warm from the oven (and still soft), and they reheat very well in the oven.

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes                

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: About 12-15 small rolls

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow masarepa (precooked cornmeal)

1/2 cup tapioca (cassava, yuca) flour

2 cups grated farmer's cheese, monterey jack, or mozzarella

2 eggs

2 teaspoons sugar

salt to taste

Preparation:

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.Mix the two flours and the sugar in a bowl.

3.Stir in the grated cheese and the eggs. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Taste for salt, and add salt as needed. 

4.Knead dough until smooth. If the dough seems too dry, add a few teaspoons of milk or buttermilk. The dough should be soft and pliable. Let dough rest for about 10 minutes, covered with plastic wrap.

5.Roll dough into balls that are slightly larger than golf balls. To shape the dough into rings (rosquillas), first roll a piece of dough into a cylinder, then join the ends together to form a circle. The rolls do not have to be perfectly smooth - they will puff up in the last several minutes of baking.

6.Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden in color and puffed.
Serve warm!

4. Texas Renaissance Festival

   I moved from Colombia to Houston last year after I got married. I had never been to the Renaissance Festival but it was very nice. I went during the first weekend and I liked seeing all the different costumes  and as I walked the festival, the workers would great me in the language of the time; Good Day M'Lady!

 

5. Greek Festival 2012

                                                                           OPA!

6. Indian Pipe Tomahawk, ca. 1875

Form:

Tomahawk, Pipe

Material:

Wood, Metal, Ash, Brass

Period / Style:

19th Century

Value Range:

$8,000 - $12,000

The tomahawk's a sign of war, and the pipe is a sign of peace. The tool works as a pipe and a small ax. The handle is a little weak to use as a tomahawk, but the Plains Indians and tribes all throughout the southern U.S. carried these as signs of authority. The stem on it or the haft, is ash, and it's been decorated with brass tacks, and these are old tacks. If you look closely, you see that the shank on the tack is also made of brass.  

Also, the Native Americans used the tomahawk in ceremonial smoking and many other ceremonies. Uses dignified many occasions including but not limited to: Rallying forces for warfare, trading goods, ritual dancing, medicine ceremonies (healing), to discuss war or peace, to negotiate for a bride, and settling disputes over land. The pipes were smoked ceremonially whenever groups of Indians met. And used as a means of offering prayers.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/201104A04.html

 

7. Pearl Harbor Historic Sites

    I went to Pearl Harbor last August. This place is very organized and reflects how the navel base was the attacked. It was very interesting to read about how everything took place. Being from Colombia, I did not know this ever occured. It was an important lesson for me in American History.

    Just before 8 on the morning of December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The attack lasted just two hours, but it was devastating: The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and almost 200 airplanes. More than 2,000 Americans soldiers and sailors died in the attack, and another 1,000 were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan; Congress approved his declaration with just one dissenting vote. Three days later, Japanese allies Germany and Italy also declared war on the United States, and again Congress reciprocated. More than two years into the conflict, America had finally joined World War II.