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Farewell to the Rio Grande Valley

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As my time in the Valley grows shorter, I think of all the things I’ll miss that make the Valley unique. Special memories include stately rows of palm trees lining a road silhouetted against a blue sky, hummingbirds competing for air space as they swarm around a bird feeder and warm winter days with forecasts of cold fronts that always seem to veer away to Corpus Christi. Nothing can match the full sound of a mariachi group or the swirl and stamp of folkloric dancers. Walking through the library where I've worked for ten years reminds me of the satisfaction of seeing the excited faces of young children peering over armloads of books, the coziness of a parent cuddling a child on her lap while reading aloud, and the intentness of the computer users. I’ll miss my wonderful staff and remember their dedication and think of the special talents that each brings to the job. The library courtyard has always been special to me with its lush plantings and the splashing of the fountain. They are imprinted in my memory for future savoring. I’m glad to have been here to see Weslaco’s renaissance with the Main Street project and now all the lovely Spanish style buildings springing up along Business 83. A return trip to see it completed is certainly necessary. It’s fun to listen to varied voices in the Valley from Winter Texans with their mid-western accents, the occasional French Canadian, the rapid Spanish, and the Tex-Mex. When a Spanish speaker hears my fractured Spanish, they suddenly are willing to communicate in their limited English, realizing that I won’t laugh. I love the lush purple flow of bougainvillea, the variety and stylishness of older stucco houses hidden away on side streets in Weslaco, and the amazing butterfly population explosions that occasionally occur. Of course, I’ll miss the moist and luscious tres leches cake and the tastiness of a platter of carne guisada. Sigh…. the Valley is truly special with its landscape, wildlife, food, architecture, customs and people, and I will miss these things and all of you when I leave.