Category Archives: Texas

Art for All: Texas Art Museums

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Art is the theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program. This week focuses on information about Texas art museums. In fact, did you know that most art museums offer accessible tours? Well, they do. Look below to find information on accessible art tours near you!

Austin

Blanton Museum of Art

The Blanton is for everyone.

The Blanton recognizes the wide-ranging abilities and needs of visitors and offers services to ensure the Museum is accessible to all.

For questions, specific accommodation needs, and to share feedback, contact the Blanton’s Visitor Services team at accessibility@blantonmuseum.org or 512-471-5482 during Museum hours.

Visitors with Limited Mobility

  • Elevators are available on all floors of the Michener Gallery Building and the Smith Building. Austin by Ellsworth Kelly is wheelchair accessible.
  • Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available for use on the ground floor of the Michener Gallery Building and both the ground floor and second floor of the Smith Building.
  • Entrances have touch-free door access. Wave your hand to activate the sensors and automatically open the doors. Sensors are located on the left side of the exterior and after both sets of interior doors.
  • Wheelchairs are available for visitors to use on a first-come, first-served basis. Ask for assistance at check-in.

Visitors Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

  • Large-print texts of labels in some galleries are available upon request. Please email if you would like these prior to your visit.
  • Audio guides are available in English and Spanish for Austin by Ellsworth Kelly.

Visitors Hard of Hearing or Deaf

  • Assistive listening devices
  • Open Captioning
  • Sign language interpretation

MexiciArte Museum

All current programs and education lessons are readily available online in a digital format. Digital programs are accessible through mobile and additional internet connected devices. Because of their internet-based accessibility, any screen reader or accessibility browser extension already in use by a visually impaired person would be able to aid in bridging that gap. Additional accommodations are available upon request, including bilingual tours and associates. If you have any questions, please email info@mexic-artemuseum.org or call 512-480-9373.

Dallas

Dallas Museum of Art

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) welcomes visitors of all ages and abilities to discover the power and beauty of art. To request an accessibility accommodation such as ASL interpretation, gallery chairs, or wheelchairs, please email access@dma.org or call general information at 214-922-1200.

 Specific programs and accessibility accommodations include:

Meadows Museum

Any person needing a disability-related accommodation in order to participate in a Museum program should contact the Education Coordinator (museumaccess@smu.edu) at least one week prior to the program to arrange for the accommodation. For more information email Meadows Museum’s general information at meadowsmuseuminfo@smu.edu or call 214-768-2516.

  • Mobility
  • ASL Interpretation
  • Assistive Listening Devices
  • Access for Visitors with Vision Impairments
  • Service Animals

Nasher Sculpture Center

The Nasher Sculpture Center strives to be a sensory-friendly environment where all visitors can learn and experience modern and contemporary sculpture. Specific accommodations are available for visitors with the following:

Visitors with Autism

  • Sensory Kits
  • Quiet Room
  • Sensory-Friendly Resources

Visitors with Vision and/or Hearing Impairments

  • Verbal Descriptions of Artworks

Visitors with Limited Mobility

  • The Nasher Sculpture Center offers a curbless ADA compliant main entrance with buttons located on the left side of the entryway to open the front doors when you arrive.
  • The entire Museum is wheelchair accessible.
  • Service animals are welcome at the Nasher.
  • Wheelchairs, seating in the galleries, and portable chairs are available for use upon request at the admissions desk. The garden is also designed to be accessible for visitors with limited mobility. Ramps are available on both sides of the sculpture garden so that guests may see every work on display.

Contact

If you are planning a visit and would like to reserve any of the Nasher’s assistive resources in advance or if you have other questions, please reach out to their Visitor Experiences staff at 214-242-5100 or their Manager of Visitor Experiences via email at ileerosson@nashersculpturecenter.org. 

El Paso

El Paso Museum of Art

The Museum is fully accessible and welcomes all service animals. For additional accommodations or requests, please contact the Museum at 915-212-0300.

Fort Worth

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

The following accommodations are available for visitors to the Carter:

Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive listening devices are available upon request for use during all public events or tours.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is automatically provided for many events or may be requested up to 48 hours before for all other events. Email for additional information. This is provided in partnership with intern students and faculty support from the Tarrant County College (TCC) Sign Language Program.

Color-blind Glasses

Check out a pair of EnChroma color-blind glasses at the information desk. Sizes are available for both children and adults.

Visual Description and Touch Tours

These free tours can be arranged to cover the collection as a whole or concentrate on specific objects or themes. Fill out the form or email them at least two weeks ahead of your visit.

Large Print Labels

Booklets with large print labels are located in every gallery.

Audio Stops

Hear more about artworks from artists, Museum staff, community members, and others by dialing in or streaming on your smart device.

Tactile Tool Kits

Tactile tool kits feature 3D-printed copies and raised-line drawings of select artworks, visual descriptions in braille and large print, and additional sensory objects.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

The staff of the Modern is committed to making their building and programs available to all visitors. If a specific need is not addressed below, please call 817-738-9215 in advance of your visit.

  • Parking spaces for disabled visitors are reserved in the Museum parking lot by the main entrance.
  • Museum entrances are wheelchair accessible. The Museum offers wheelchairs free of charge to visitors at coat check on a first-come, first-served basis. Portable stools are also available upon request.
  • All public areas, including galleries, auditorium, restrooms, elevators, education studio, Café Modern, and the Modern Shop, are accessible to people who use mobility aids and wheelchairs.
  • The Museum welcomes service animals.
  • Assistive-listening devices are available upon request for auditorium programs on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a new option for assistive listening, the Listen Everywhere phone app that plays the film’s audio through your Bluetooth hearing aids or any phone headphones.

Houston

Blaffer Museum of Art

All galleries and facilities are accessible by elevator and by ramp. Gallery stools are available upon request. Certified service animals are welcome. Gallery wall texts are available in English and Spanish. If you have questions about accessibility resources and programs, email infoblaffer@uh.edu or call 713-743-9521.

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is a place for all people. The Museum is committed to making the art collections, buildings, programs, and services accessible to all guests.

Welcoming Guests Who Have Limited Mobility

Guests with limited mobility are encouraged to use the porte cochere at the Beck Building (5601 Main Street) or the valet entrance at the Kinder Building (5500 Main Street). Most public areas of the Museum, including the galleries, parking garages, theaters, restaurants, shops, and outdoor spaces, are wheelchair accessible.

The MFAH has wheelchairs that you may check out free of charge with a valid photo ID. The wheelchairs are available at any Museum entrance on a first-come, first-served basis. When you arrive, ask for a wheelchair, and the security staff can assist you. The MFAH also welcomes your personal walkers and wheelchairs. Motorized wheelchairs are permitted.

The Museum is accessible to visitors with limited mobility via escalators, elevators, and ramps. Wheelchair and family-accessible restrooms and elevators are located throughout the main campus.

Welcoming Guests Who Are Hard of Hearing or Deaf

Assistive-listening devices are available during lectures, films, and other programs. To request an assistive-listening device, check with any staff member.

Welcoming Guests with Dementia and Alzheimer’s

On the second Monday of the month, the Museum offers “Looking Together,” a program designed for individuals with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease or dementia to discover and discuss works of art together with their family members or care partners. Admission is free, but space is limited, so be sure to preregister. Contact sniemeyer@mfah.org  to sign up and for more information.

Welcoming Guests Who Have Low Vision or Are Blind

On the second Saturday of the month, the Museum offers “Art Beyond Sight,” a gallery program for guests who are blind or have low vision. Trained gallery educators use verbal descriptions and hands-on materials to engage participants with the MFAH art collections and exhibitions. Admission is free, but space is limited, so be sure to preregister. Contact sniemeyer@mfah.org  to sign up and for more information.

Welcoming Neurodiversity and Guests Who Are on the Autism Spectrum

Preparing for your Museum visit a few days in advance can help guests who are neurodiverse and those who accompany them to have the most enjoyable experience possible.

Contact Us

The Museum welcomes comments and suggestions about how to improve programs and services for visitors with disabilities. If you have questions about accessibility resources and programs, email accessibility@mfah.org or call 713-639-7300.

San Antonio

McNay Art Museum

Guests with special needs may call 210-824-5368 or email info@mcnayart.org  to make arrangements. Wheelchairs are available, and most galleries are wheelchair accessible. Some areas require additional assistance.

San Antonio Museum of Art

The San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to serving visitors of all ages and abilities.

Lightweight folding stools that also serve as canes are available by the stairway in the Great Hall, and wheelchairs may be requested from a security guard at the front desk at the time of your visit. Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Service animals are welcome in the Museum.

For more information on the accessibility of the building, call 210-978-8100.

Texas Talking Book Program Author Talk: Lisa Fittipaldi

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Join the Talking Book Program for an author talk on Thursday, June 19 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) with world recognized artist and Texas author, Lisa Fittipaldi.

Reader’s Advisory Librarian, Laura Jean will talk with her about her career as an artist as well as her book, BRUSH WITH DARKNESS: LEARNING TO PAINT AFTER LOSING MY SIGHT (DB 60724, BRG 02047). A Q&A chat will follow.

Our Author Talks are held via Zoom, but you can join using just a telephone!

Participating is easy:

  • Use your landline to dial in via phone.
  • Use the “one-tap” number on your smartphone.
  • Alternatively, join via computer using the Zoom invitation we’ll send a week prior to the event.

To ensure you receive the necessary details, please RSVP in advance.

We invite you to ask Lisa Fittipaldi questions about her book. Please submit your questions by June 12. We will select questions based on the responses, and they may be asked during the event! Fill out the form here: Author Questions

To RSVP, you can fill out our online registration form: Register Here

Or if you prefer, reply to this email or call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital cartridge with her book or if you prefer to download it from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

BRUSH WITH DARKNESS: LEARNING TO PAINT AFTER LOSING MY SIGHT (DB 60724, BRG 02047) by Lisa Fittipaldi.

NLS Annotation: Author discusses her life after being diagnosed with vasculitis in her forties. Describes her feelings of despair during her first two years of blindness. Relates that a gift from her husband–a child’s watercolor set–became the catalyst for her new career as a renowned painter, and for her new outlook. 2004.

We look forward to having you join us on Thursday, June 19!

Texas Food Brands and Restaurants

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One of the things Texas is known for is amazing food. For decades, enterprising Texans have been creating food brands and restaurants in order to share their favorite regional foods with the rest of the country. Below are books in the NLS collection featuring some of the famous Texas food brands and restaurants.

Blue Bell Ice Cream

BLUE BELL ICE CREAM: A CENTURY AT THE LITTLE CREAMERY IN BRENHAM, TEXAS, 1907-2007 by Dorothy McLeod MacInerney (DBC 18395)

Dr Pepper

ROAD TO DR PEPPER, TEXAS: THE STORY OF DUBLIN DR PEPPER by Karen Wright (DBC 14360)

Franklin Barbecue

FRANKLIN BARBECUE: A MEAT-SMOKING MANIFESTO by Aaron Franklin (DBC 29048)

Threadgills

THREADGILL’S: THE COOKBOOK by Eddie Wilson (DBC 26954)

Wolf Brand Chili

NEIGHBOR, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?: THE STORY OF WOLF BRAND CHILI, A TEXAS LEGEND by Wallace O. Chariton (DBC 18521)

In Their Own Words: George Foreman

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George Edward Foreman was an American professional boxer, businessman, minister, and author who passed away on March 21. Born in Marshall, Texas, and raised in Houston’s Fifth Ward community, Foreman went on to become a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist. Below are books that he’s written in the TBP collection.

BY GEORGE: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE FOREMAN (DB 40645)
GEORGE FOREMAN’S GUIDE TO LIFE: HOW TO GET UP OFF THE CANVAS WHEN LIFE KNOCKS YOU DOWN (DB 57421)
GEORGE FOREMAN’S KNOCK-OUT-THE-FAT BARBECUE AND GRILLING COOKBOOK (BRE 00001)

Texas Talking Book Program Author Talk: Harry Hunsicker

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Join the Talking Book Program for an author talk on Thursday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) with Texas Thriller author, Henry Hunsicker.

Reader’s Advisory Librarian, Laura Jean will talk with him about his career as an author as well as his book, STILL RIVER: A LEE HENRY OSWALD MYSTERY. Following the talk, there will be a Q&A session.A Q&A chat will follow.

Our Author Talks are held via Zoom, but you can join using just a telephone! Participating is easy:

  • Use your landline to dial in via phone.
  • Use the “one-tap” number on your smartphone.
  • Alternatively, join via computer using the Zoom invitation we’ll send a week prior to the event.

To ensure you receive the necessary details, please RSVP in advance.

We invite you to ask Harry Hunsicker questions about his book. Please submit your questions by February. We will select questions based on the responses to this form, and they may be asked during the event!

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ShareFormPage.aspx?id=_3tZpDifRUGgM0ohaDmaXpEw_c_Y9elOm8rvPNh2aWFUMTRTVU1VNTYzRTdRVjROOExSMjVDSjQ5US4u&sharetoken=m1dMlXIuF8rxFHdeo4fK

To RSVP, you can fill out our online registration form: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpcuigqTsiHdyEnNJPeodfE9FxQeIlb2pF

Or if you prefer, reply to this email, or call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital cartridge with his book or if you prefer to download it from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

STILL RIVER: A LEE HENRY OSWALD MYSTERY by Harry Hunsicker (DBC 18169)

NLS Annotation: An appeal from a high school acquaintance to find her missing brother, whom the unfortunately named Dallas private detective, Lee Henry Oswald protected from bullies’ decades earlier, leads to a maze of real estate deals somehow involving a violent drug gang. Strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex. 2005.

We look forward to having you join us on Thursday, February 20!

2024 Texas Writer Award – Naomi Shihab Nye

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San Antonio-based poet, educator, and editor Naomi Shihab Nye has been named the 2024 Texas Writer Award recipient. The award honors a writer who has made outstanding contributions to Texas literature. Nye will be honored with a custom pair of handmade boots from renowned El Paso-based bootmaker, Rocketbuster, during a special Texas Book Festival Weekend ceremony. Learn more about Nye’s work and life in her interview with TBF Literary Director Hannah Gabel. Check out the interview on the Texas Book Festival’s website.

Included are all of Nye’s books in the NLS Collection:

Adult

HUGGING THE JUKEBOX (DBC 26934)

Juvenile

A MAZE ME: POEMS FOR GIRLS (DB 95437) Grades 6-9
CAST AWAY: POEMS FOR OUR TIME (DB 98613, BR 23778) Grades 6-9
EVERYTHING COMES NEXT: COLLECTED & NEW POEMS (DB 101676) Grades 3-6
HONEYBEE: POEMS & SHORT PROSE (DB 109497) Grades 4-7
SPACE BETWEEN OUR FOOTSTEPS: POEMS AND PAINTINGS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST (DB 50238) Grades 6-9
THIS SAME SKY: COLLECTION OF POEMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD (DB 48296) Grades 5-8
TURTLE OF MICHIGAN: A NOVEL (DB 108881) Grades 3-6
TURTLE OF OMAN (DB 109496) Grades 3-6
VOICES IN THE AIR: POEMS FOR LISTENERS (DB 90690) Grades 6-9
WHAT HAVE YOU LOST? POEMS (DB 50773) Grades 6-9

Spooky Season: Ghostly Spirits and Haunted Places

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We have finally reached the months ending in “ber,” so you know what that means: it is officially spooky season! Get in the “spirit” of the season with these nonfiction tales about ghostly spirits and haunted places.

ADULT TITLES

GHOSTS OF THE OLD WEST: DESERT SPIRITS, HAUNTED CABINS, LOST TRAILS, AND OTHER STRANGE ENCOUNTERS by Earl Murray (DB 29228)
A collection of purportedly true stories about paranormal occurrences relating to historic locations in the American West.

MYSTERIES OF THE MAGNOLIA HOTEL by Erin O. Wallace (DBC 18483)
Explores one of the most haunted hotels in Texas.

HAUNTING OF ALMA FIELDING: A TRUE GHOST STORY by Kate Summerscale (DB 103054)
The sensational tale of Alma Fielding, a young housewife in 1938 London who is the target of apparent poltergeist activity.

HAUNTED TEXAS: FAMOUS PHANTOMS, SINISTER SITES, AND LINGERING LEGENDS by Scott Allen Williams (DBC 17908)
An unusual twist to seeing the sights in the Lone Star state.

GHOST STORIES OF TEXAS by William Edward Syers (DBC 26753)
A collection of fifty of the most intriguing tales about Texas ghosts, ranging from centuries-old legends to the baffling here-and-now.

GHOSTS ALONG THE TEXAS COAST by Docia Schultz Williams (DBC 14328)
Accounts of strange occurrences and unexplainable presences in the Texas coastal area.

SPIRITS OF SAN ANTONIO AND SOUTH TEXAS by Docia Schultz Williams (DBC 14314)
Steeped in history and tradition, San Antonio has numerous buildings and locations that, many claim, are also home to ghosts.

PHANTOMS OF THE PLAINS: TALES OF WEST TEXAS GHOSTS by Docia Williams Schultz (DBC 14342)
Stories of ghostly encounters on the Texas plains and reports of ghosts and hauntings connected with the old West Texas forts.

YOUTH TITLES

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (DB 19713) and MORE SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK (DB 22330) by Alvin Schwartz
Ghoulish stories of ghosts and witches, startling “jump” stories, macabre songs, frightening legends, and modern-day horror stories.

HAUNTED PLACES by Betsy Hoffman (DB 21835)
A tour of haunted building across the U.S., including the White House, Carpenters’ Hall, and an old hotel in Atlanta. For grades 4-7 and older readers.

SHORT AND SHIVERY: THIRTY CHILLING TALES (DB 30728), MORE SHORT AND SHIVERY: THIRTY TERRIFYING TALES (DB 40088) and EVEN MORE SHORT AND SHIVERY: THIRTY SPINE-TINGLING STORIES (DB 45766) by Robert D. San Souci
Restless spirits, impish demons, and other frightening creatures haunt these thirty spine-tingling tales from around the world. For grades 5-8.

GHOSTS UNVEILED! by Kerrie Logan Hollihan (DB 102596)
A collection of reported ghost appearances, unsolved mysteries, and eerie hauntings. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

GHOST STORIES OF OLD TEXAS (DBC 12016), GHOST STORIES OF OLD TEXAS, II (DBC 14332), and GHOST STORIES OF OLD TEXAS, III (DBC 12058) by Zinita Fowler
Collections of ghost tales illustrating the cultural heritage of Texas. For grades 6-9.

Fall Gardening in Texas

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By Rodessa

Fall is right around the corner—September 22nd, to be exact. What does that mean? It’s the perfect time to begin your fall gardening. The Talking Book Program has a ton of books and resources to get you started with growing your seasonal crops. Whether you are a novice or expert, have an acre of land or a small countertop, there are many ways to satisfy your green thumb. 

To start, determine what growing region you reside in. This will help you discover what vegetables grow best in your area and when you should plant them.

Below is a list of cities and their corresponding zones. Please determine your zone by your nearest major city.

Zone 1: Amarillo

Zone 2: El Paso, Lubbock

Zone 3: Dallas, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, Bryan/College Station, Houston

Zone 4: Corpus Christi, Laredo

Zone 5: McAllen

For more detailed information on zones, recommended plants, and plant dates, please refer to the Fall Vegetable Gardening Guide for Texas found within the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension website.

Direct Link provided below:
Fall Vegetable Gardening Guide for Texas – Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service (tamu.edu)

Now that you have discovered your grow zone, you are ready to start planting! Here are a few books we’ve found to be helpful on your plant journey. Feel free to reach out to the Talking Book Program for a more in-depth search into the gardening materials we have to offer.

TEXAS GARDENING THE NATURAL WAY: THE COMPLETE HANDBOOK by Howard Garrett (DBC 18790)
The complete handbook for Texas gardening the natural way. How to design, plant, and maintain gardens and lawns, with over 600 native and adaptable plants. Organic product recommendations and resources as well.

NEIL SPERRY’S COMPLETE GUIDE TO TEXAS GARDENING by Neil Sperry (DBC 14567)
This reference book is the acknowledged source for novice and veteran Texas gardeners. Radio/TV personality Sperry tells gardeners everything they need to know about growing fruits and vegetables, lawn maintenance, landscaping, and other subjects.

HERB GARDENING IN TEXAS by Sol Meltzer (DBC 12002)
All the information you need to grow and use herbs, including herbs used to ward off insects, pests, and gourmet recipes using herbs.

EASY GARDENING FOR TEXAS by Joseph Gebran Masabni (DBC 17955)
“Full sun” in Texas means six to eight hours starting in the early morning, and shade in the afternoon. Gardening in the Lone Star State has unique challenges, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow vegetables here. Learn what varieties to plant for the best harvest, which insects are your foes and which are your friends, what vegetables you can grow in Texas winters, and how to keep weeds to a minimum.

POSTAGE STAMP GARDEN BOOK: HOW TO GROW ALL THE FOOD YOU CAN EAT IN VERY LITTLE SPACE BY INTENSIVE GARDENING TECHNIQUES by Duane Newcomb (DB 09694)
A botanist explains clearly how to exploit the small plot to its fullest advantage through intensive methods of cultivation. Emphasis is on organic gardening.

VEGETABLE GARDENING (DB 14655)
Step-by-step guide for growing vegetables in a window box or a large garden provides instruction for buying seeds, preparing the soil, making compost, and double digging. Includes a quick and easy planting chart.

SQUARE FOOT GARDENING by Mel Bartholomew (DB 21079)
A system of gardening that the author claims consumes at least 80 percent less space, time, and money than is normally spent while still producing continuous harvests. The book is a companion piece to the PBS television series of the same name.

ENABLING GARDEN: A GUIDE TO LIFELONG GARDENING by Gene Rothert (DB 43253)
A step-by-step guide to barrier-free gardening for people with disabilities and older adults. Provides a checklist for assessing one’s gardening abilities, then offers advice on selecting appropriate structures, tools, equipment, plants, and garden designs.

ACCESSIBLE GARDENING: TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR SENIORS AND THE DISABLED by Joann Woy (DB 49080)
Advises gardeners with special needs on ideas, tools, and methods. Topics include garden design and layout, raised beds, container and tabletop gardening, easy composting, watering, lawn care, and accessories to facilitate physical tasks. An appendix lists sources of tools, supplies, and information.

KID’S GUIDE TO CONTAINER GARDENING by Stephanie Bearce (DB 70025)
Explains how to grow plants—herbs, vegetables, flowers—in pots, tubs, wooden boxes, or any other container that will hold soil. Discusses the advantages of these portable gardens, selecting the right plant for your climate, and keeping it growing. For grades 3-6.

SUPER SIMPLE HANGING GARDENS: A KID’S GUIDE TO GARDENING by Alex Kuskowski (DB 81571)
Provides techniques for growing plants in hanging containers and explains how to choose the right tools, soil, plants, and pots. Discusses safety precautions and includes instructions for making your own containers, including one for upside-down plants. For grades 3-6.

HOW TO HAVE A GREEN THUMB WITHOUT AN ACHING BACK: A NEW METHOD OF MULCH GARDENING by Ruth Stout (DB 53896)
The author, the sister of mystery writer Rex Stout, left New York City for the Connecticut countryside in 1929 and began experimenting in the garden. Her anecdotes record her trials, tribulations, and the new methods she devised to simplify her work.

JIM WILSON’S CONTAINER GARDENING by James W. Wilson (DB 59191)
Former PBS Victory Garden host advises people who want to explore gardening in pots, troughs, and other vessels. Provides information on containers, soil mixtures, and plants, herbs, and vegetables appropriate for various locations and situations. Includes condensed encyclopedia of plants adapted to container gardening.

RAISED BED GARDENING: A COMPLETE BEGINNERS GUIDE: GROW EVERYTHING FROM HERBS TO TOMATOES IN YOUR OWN CUSTOM RAISED BEDS by Tara Nolan (DB 115673)
A complete beginner’s guide, you will learn everything you need to know to prepare and execute your garden plan and grow and harvest your produce. The book includes: plans for building quick-and-simple beds that you can make yourself with a few common tools; details on how to build the right soil mix to fill your beds; list of the easiest plants to grow as a beginner; plant information, along with which plants work best with other plants; planting advice, including spacing instructions; advice on mulch, watering, and fertilizing; organic pest control; how to harvest and store your produce; and more.

THERESA YOUSSEF’S VEGETABLE GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS by Theresa Youssef (DB 62130)
Basic gardening guide covers soil preparation, crop selection, organic and container methods, and pest control. Provides instructions for growing eighteen vegetables and four herbs—onions, lettuce, spinach, peas, cabbage, potatoes, broccoli, beets, carrots, radishes, tomatoes, squash, corn, beans, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, parsley, mint, basil, and catnip—grouped according to hardiness.

CARROTS LOVE TOMATOES: SECRETS OF COMPANION PLANTING FOR SUCCESSFUL GARDENING by Louise Riotte (DBC 19721)
Plant parsley and asparagus together and you’ll have more of each but keep broccoli and tomato plants far apart if you want them to thrive. Utilize the natural properties of plants to nourish the soil, repel pests, and secure a greater harvest.

MISTER OWITA’S GUIDE TO GARDENING: HOW I LEARNED THE UNEXPECTED JOY OF A GREEN THUMB AND AN OPEN HEART by Carol Wall (DBC 24818)
Describes how a period of transition in the journalist author’s life marked by her empty nest, a recent illness, and her aging parents led her to forge a deep friendship with a gifted Kenyan gardener with whom she transformed her yard and shared long-buried secrets.

In His Own Words: Kinky Friedman

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Richard “Kinky” Friedman died June 27, at the age of 79. Beloved Texas icon, author, songwriter, tequila pitchman, and gubernatorial candidate, Friedman was born in Chicago in 1944 but moved to the Houston area the next year with his family. Nicknamed “Kinky” due to his curly hair, he formed the band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys in 1973. That same year their song “Sold American” hit the charts when it was covered by Glen Campbell. He was also a prolific author, writing a mystery series that starred a fictional version of the author as a detective. In addition, he was a contributor to Texas Monthly, writing a humor column titled the Last Roundup from 2001-2005. In 2006 under the campaign slogan of “How Hard Could It Be?” he ran for Governor of Texas as an independent candidate. For the past twenty years, he lived on his ranch in the Texas Hill Country where he spent his last years surrounded by the Texas landscape he loved. 

For a more in-depth obituary, check out this one from Texas Monthly.

Here are the titles by Kinky Friedman in the TBP collection.

Fiction

KINKY FRIEDMAN SERIES

1-3. THREE COMPLETE MYSTERIES (DB 39624)
6. ELVIS, JESUS, & COCA COLA (DBC 14308)
7. ARMADILLOS & OLD LACE (DBC 26894)
8. GOD BLESS JOHN WAYNE (DB 45711)
9. LOVE SONG OF J. EDGAR HOOVER (DBC 26309)
10. ROADKILL (DBC 12044)
12. SPANKING WATSON (DB 51194)
13. MILE HIGH CLUB (DBC 18370)
14. STEPPIN’ ON A RAINBOW (DBC 14404)
15. MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH (DBC 18282)
16. CURSE OF THE MISSING PUPPET HEAD (DBC 12055)
17. PRISONER OF VANDAM STREET (DBC 14395)
18. TEN LITTLE NEW YORKERS (DBC 11994, LB 11634)

Stand Alone Titles

CHRISTMAS PIG: A FABLE (DBC 12024)

Non-Fiction

YOU CAN LEAD A POLITICIAN TO WATER BUT YOU CAN’T MAKE HIM THINK: TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR TEXAS POLITICS (DBC 11945)

August 20: “TEXAS GREAT READ” BONUS BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION

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Please join us on Tuesday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) for our Great Texas Read book club discussion of WHICH WAY TREE by Elizabeth Crook DB 90644.

Every year, the Library of Congress asks each state Center for the Book to select a title that represents the state’s literary landscape to highlight at the National Book Festival. The event showcases the importance of books and reading. The festival is sponsored by the Library of Congress and takes place during Labor Day weekend in Washington, D.C.

In honor of this event, the Texas Talking Book Program will host a bonus book club meeting so that our patrons can participate in the Great Texas Read initiative. The Great Texas Read is an event sponsored by Texas Center for the Book.

Our Book Club meetings via Zoom, however all you need to participate is a telephone! If you have a land line, we will provide a telephone number for you to dial. If you have a smart phone we will email you an easy “one click” number you can use to join the discussion. We will also email a Zoom invitation to those who prefer to use a computer. This information will be sent to all patrons who RSVP a week prior to the book club meeting.

To RSVP, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605. 

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you the digital cartridge or if you prefer to download it from BARD. Also, please let us know if you would like a reminder via email or phone-call (or both).

NLS Annotation: After a panther attacks her family and kills her mother, young Samantha sets out to stalk and kill the ferocious creature. She travels along with her half brother, Benjamin, a Tejano outlaw, and a preacher. The group is, in turn, pursued by a sadistic Confederate soldier with a score to settle. Violence and some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2018.

We request that everyone remember the following:

  • Keep external distractions to a minimum.
  • Be courteous and be respectful of differing opinions.
  • Keep discussion points concise and relevant to the book.

We look forward to having you join us on Tuesday, August 20!