Hello from Camp Toyahvale

To hell in a handbasket.

When I looked out the window this morning at 7:30 AM, it was as dark as when I arrived the night before at 9:30 PM. The glaring halo around the truck lights on I-20 were from a dense fog and drizzle, not my blurry vision. Sunrise was buried under miles of clouds. I only made it as far as Abilene the night before due to a late start. Oh brother, it would be a long, miserable drive to Camp Toyahvale near Balmorhea State Park.

I used to be ridiculously proud of Texas. Back in ’05 or ’06, when I started blogging and needed an alias, I chose TXsharon because I wanted people to know where I was from. And I put TX first because it’s more important than any one person.

It’s been damn near impossible lately to be proud of Texas. It’s going to hell in a handbasket. Driving into Big Spring, the petroleum stench from the refinery was so overpowering I had to hold my hand over my nose to breathe. The stench returned frequently, as I drove through miles and miles of pump jacks, well sites, injection wells, flares, frack sites, compressors, refineries and drilling rigs. It’s hard to feel proud of a state that allows industry to operate in such a reckless manner harming our climate and the health and safety of those who live nearby.

This is the fate of Balmorhea, the San Solomon spring, Balmorhea State Park and even the McDonald Observatory. Some of our greatest Texas treasures will be ruined and generations of Texans will never experience their pleasures. Unless…

Hello from Camp Toyahvale

Camp Toyahvale is a place where a Texas gal can feel proud. People there live and work together building a community. Take a look at some of what they have going on.

A few of the tents and the temporary kitchen against the Davis Mountains backdrop

Another shot of the kitchen. Wonderful smells coming from that place.

This is the new kitchen under construction. They were about to raise the first wall when I left.

This is the lumber that will be all gone after the kitchen is built.

If you want to help build Camp Toyahvale but can’t be here physically, please consider making a donation so they can buy more supplies. The next building will be a social media computer station so residents and visitors can tell the stories of Camp Toyahvale.

Everybody is working building the camp. No grass us growing under anyone’s feet.

Some camp residents are out in the community picking up trash along the highway and making themselves useful to the community.  <3

Raising a flag

More campers.

I left the camp and headed to Fort Davis just before dark. I’m staying there at the most adorable adobe house of a friend. The drive through the Davis Mountains is stunning. Texas mountains are rugged like the people. Around every bend they look different so you are always looking at something new and unique. The mountains are like the Camp Toyahvale community—diverse, different but standing tall and strong together as one unit for one purpose: Save our Springs Too.

Tonight I’m damn proud of Texas and my heart is as soft as a two minute egg.

More to come…