Who would have thought we'd be finding crawfish in the middle of nowhere East Texas? Oh, yeah, they live in water-filled ditches and mud banks. We've seen some beautiful red ones squashed in the road lately. However, when we went to check the jalapenos recently, one had established itself among the plants. Mind you, this little pepper patch of ours is at the top of a red clay incline that overlooks a nearly-dried up lake channel.

 There he was, going into pinch mode. He was pretty dusty from "being on the trail." While one crawfish wouldn't go very far in making an etouffee, our peppers are a few weeks away from plucking, too.

As we drive along the Texas highways and byways, I've noticed many beautifully designed gates and entries along the sides of roads. They don't go anywhere, they just are there. All incredibly designed in native stone and many with wrought iron accents. There's no road or even a rough, worn-down path that goes beyond these gates.

 Even  in winter, when the trees are bare, it's obvious that there are no homes in the distance, nor any other structure that warrants these extravagances. Perhaps, they're a Texas way of saying "howdy" without having to go to the trouble of actually entertaining guests.

Every year (29 of them now), the Blodgett Volunteer Fire Department hosts a chili supper. They have great music, a cake auction, and plenty of chili to go around. We're grateful to them because it means a deduction on our homeowner's policy. We're also very appreciative because they put their lives on the line, especially during those dry months when a blaze can kick up just by starting a lawnmower in the wrong spot.

 Last year, we didn't go, but we did contribute our $10 for two meals in absentia. This year, we planned on being there right at 6:00 p.m., just like the mailer instructed. However, we got wind from other locals that 5:30 was the best time to go. We found out why - the grated cheese was all gone by 5:45.

 Ran into a few of our neighbors, dived into a bowl of red, and scarfed up a sleeve of crackers while live down-home music played. Then the heartwarming part of it all was when the firefighters asked all the veterans in the room to raise their hands. Some were embarrassed about being acknowledged, but there was a pretty good show. Our volunteer firefighter spokesperson then said how much they admired all our veterans and that they were "the real heroes." Now, these are the guys who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way - right here in our little community. I hope they know how special they are.