What a Perspective

September 4, 2011 a fire broke out within two miles from our house.  Thank God the wind was from the NE and did not blow it in our direction.  It is known as the Clemanis, Aster, or Dahlia rd Fire depending on who you talk to.  I was shaking all day long while I was trying to figure out how to evacuate myself and my animals with only a prius.  I know, when we bought it we didn't know we were moving out here.  We still lived in North Texas.


MDR, I have learned from you however dang if I had not put in in place.  Procrastination can be your enemy.  Other than lives I had no clue what I wanted to take with us.  What was really important to try and get it ready to be loaded along with whatever animals we could take?  I realized in the real life situation that your choices change.  I didn't go for pictures.  I got the rifle that was my biological fathers and my handgun, meds, "the flashlight" (Blackhawk), computer backup hard drive and that was pretty much it.  My main focus was on us and the animals.

That leaves me to the dilemma of how to actually pack the bag.  Depending on the emergency would depend on what to have in the bag.  Guess I will be pondering this and sorting out what is truly important.

Another thing that happened as a result of the fire outbreaks is I started 3 pages on Facebook.  After the first day being once again frustrated at the media's lack of coverage of the area to notify people of important information that they needed in order to keep themselves as well as their loved ones safe.

Upshur County Emergency Citizen Communications


Upshur County Citizens Volunteering Evacuation Assistance


Upshur County After Emergency Donations

In our area the media coverage is sloppy to say the least.  I have a computer and a scanner so I went to work.  With the help of others who joined the page we were able to keep the public informed enough to ease their panic.  It was also a good channel for all my stressed out energy for having a fire so close to me as well as other family members here in the area.  I think all Counties would benefit from pages like at least the upper two.


During the past 4 days we have covered the following fires:
Clemanis/Dahlia/Aster Fire
Diana Fire
Llama Rd Fire
Toad Rd Fire


All fires at this time are contained.  The Diana fire is the only one active.  The rest are just hot coals that have and still can flare up.  Thank God the wind has died down.


Our prayers now go out to Cass/Marion County.  This fire is out of control.  Responders are protecting lives and structures at this time and are allowing it to burn its self out.  There will be much devastation.

There are also fires in the counties to our south in Gregg, Smith, and Rusk.  Unknown containment at this time however my parents live in Gregg.  The community where I grew up has seen a lot of damage due to a wildfire there as well as a girl I grew up with lost her 18 month old granddaughter to the fire just a few days ago.


Keep Texas in your prayers.  Thank the many men and women both on the line, on the sideline, and the home front for their sacrifices.  Be grateful for your local VFD.  They are wonderful people doing a dangerous job.   Many of the ones around here have depleted their budget and they are in need of gas money in order to keep doing what they are doing.  Let us not forget those people who are there for us when we need them most.


God bless you all.

Fire Within Two Miles of My House

Looking southwest out my back door.  The wind was gusting from the east.  The fire is now contained but not out.  Many other fires around the county have broken out and manpower is stretch then.  I have cousins SE of town that have to be evacuated.


I just heard this fire has flared back up and jumped a road.  It is still heading away from me at this time but this is Texas and anything can change.


There is a page on FB where people are reporting in fires around the State as there are to many for one person to report.
Texas Storm Chasers.


MDR, I hear there is one down in College Station.  I pray for your daughter as well as everyone around the States safety. So many people are reporting being evacuated.

This is a hard stressful day.  Prayers are greatly appreciated.  Let's not forget to thank our emergency responders for all that they do.


 Texas Fire Activity From Texas A&M

Heritage - The Stuff You are Made Of

My Great Grandparents
Aloisia Krecjeck and August Mičan

I grew up in Northeast Texas in the Piney woods.  I was one of those people that just wouldn't stay in the house.  I was like a caged animal inside.  I needed the freedom of romping around.  It is here where I developed my love for nature.  It just came naturally to me.  I felt at home when people were not so close.  I still do.  I like people close enough for emergencies but far enough for privacy.


I believe it is very important to know where you come from in order to know where you are going.  It has been through my experience that much is passed on genetically.  I feel my drive to be self sufficient and live off the land came from my earliest ancestors who came to the new world to build a better life than they left behind.

I am of German & Moravian Czech decent on my biological father's side.  I am a decedent of the Muzny family who was one of the original founding families of Dubina, Texas.  Dubina Texas Information


My German ancestory's migration to Texas was document in Monken / Fietsam Journey to Texas 1845 -- 1846.


My Aunt told me that the Czechs were the farmers and the Germans were the business men. So I guess I got my love for self sufficiency from my Moravian Czech ancestors.  March 2011, I visited Dubina, Texas for the second time.  My goal was to find the Mičan Homestead.


My Aunt had given me directions from what she could remember from her visits as a little girl.  With a prayers to my Granny Mičan Strathman and my Aunt Pat's directions I drove right to the place.  All the stories that my Aunt had shared with me of the old homestead came flooding back to me.  Where was the original placement of the house.  Can I find where the old root cellar was?  There is the old oak tree that my Aunts had told me they all played on as children as well as my Granny.  I wandered around and absorbed as much as I could.  This was my heritage.  I took lots of pictures for some had changed but most had stayed the same.  The house had been moved further on the hill to catch the breeze better for the house never had running water or electricity when my family owned the property.  My Granny had learned to cook koláč on a wood burning stove.  Simply amazing to me.

In the words of my Aunt Pat:
"My most wonderful food memory: when we visited the farm, my mother would fix the greatest breakfast for Len (my father) and me! She would cut thick slices of Grandmother's homemade bread, spread it with homemade molasses and toast the bottom on the wood stove. My own children have never had it so good! 

Original House with the two side and back additions

If this front porch could talk

So what did I find out about me through this journey in my ancestry.  I learned that I come from good hearty stock.  The kind that doesn't give up and thrives despite it all.  I feel more connected with my family than I ever have and I carry them with me now.  I am rich beyond measure for I have roots sowed deep in this Texas soil where my relatives laid the foundation for me to live today.  I may not live on the old homestead however for the past 2 1/2 years we have been building our own.  We are pretty proud of it too.

The 200 plus year old live oak. It is the oldest oak in the area.
Dubina is Czech for "Oak Grove".