November 2021

Dear Neil: This is the third landscape in the past 20 years where I have grown Caesalpinia pulcherrima. I have never had this experience before. Two large plants set out by a landscaping firm had hitchhiking plants along with them. They bloomed light yellow, and their stalks have many thorns and lighter green leaves. What is this? I can’t find it anywhere.

Tristen Hutchings won the men’s All-Around title at the Texas Tech College Rodeo last week. He also won the bull riding event, and placed third in steer wrestling. Hutchings is shown on the right in the photo.

The Alpine FightinÊ Buck cheerleading squad for 2021-2022 stops to smile for the camera. In the photo, Alyssa Duenez, Kimberly Lara, Ryka Morales, Lourdes Acosta, Danica Mulholland, Illeana Hamilton, and Johanna Barber.

Alpine High School Homecoming Queen Jenica Portillo and King Jayden Canaba hold court after their crowning on Oct. 29 before the Fightin’ Buck football game against Odessa Compass.

Colonel Edward Hatch spent little time in Fort Davis, but he has a consistent presence here and in New Mexico. In the past few weeks, I have been purchasing and roasting for future use Hatch green chilies, always the best. These come from farms in the Rio Grande Valley near Hatch, N. M.

The Jeff Davis County Library was designated as a Literary Landmark on Oct. 22 in honor of late Fort Davis resident, historian, and writer Lonn Wood Taylor. Taylor’s wife, Dedie, stands proudly next to the plaque honoring her late husband outside the library, along with Friends of the Jeff Davis County Library board member Elaine Harmon. An official proclamation was also read declaring the week of Oct. 17-23 as a county observance in honor of Taylor and commemorating National Friends of Libraries week.

Living out here in the land of Mexican food, one usually thinks about stuffed peppers being that cheese filled and battered delight, chile rellenos. Many people use poblano peppers these days, but Anaheim chiles have always been my favorite. But this is not the only stuffed peppers to be had. In fact, a truly satisfying dish is none other than stuffed bell peppers.

Ingredients: Bell peppers, any color Olive oil Ground beef Cooked rice if desired Chopped onions Tomato paste Garlic Oregano Can of chopped tomatoes if desired Salt and pepper to taste Directions: First, remove the tops of the peppers and the cores. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet, add onions, and cook until softened.

Fort Davis Junior High School Spanish Club folklorico dancers from Martha Sanchez’s Spanish Club show off their colorful outfits at the Family Fun Fall Festival held on Historic Murphy Street in Alpine on Oct 23. There was plenty of music, dancing, food, and games for the whole family, and the Spanish Club dancers delighted the audience with their performance. Avalanche photo by Roxanne Hill

Kerry Awn Fitzgerald, a life long devotee of the Big Bend, recently became an Alpine resident. Fitzgerald is an artist, cartoonist, actor, muralist, comedian, and musician. He was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame, and has been recognized by the City of Austin and the State of Texas for his contributions to the arts. He was voted Austin’s funniest person 10 years running by the Austin Chronicle.