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Lillian and Bo at Faywood Hot Springs, 1910 (photo by Roy Bedichek) My great-grandmother Lillian Bedichek’s story of her marriage is one of my favorites. Several months after arriving by bicycle (a 1,000-mile trek along the railroad from Eddy, Texas to Deming) in 1909, my great-grandfather, Roy Bedichek filed a homestead claim. For the next year and a half, he wrote desperate love letters to Lillian, trying to convince her to join him. I have known...that with you life woul

Historic family items as symbols of hope.

James Madison Bedichek, no date. Guessing he is about 30 years old, here. Last year, I visited locations that represented the “bookends” of my great-great-grandfather James Madison Bedichek’s Civil War story: Lawrence, Kansas and Camp Chase, Ohio. At 19, James joined William Quantrill’s August 21, 1863 guerrilla attack on Lawrence, Kansas. He was one of 450 guerillas (along with Jesse and Frank James) who ambushed the town, indiscriminately killing over 160 people. The museum

Back to my Bedichek First Arriver and my 3rd great-grandfather, Frederick Augustus (1809-1891). Frederic Bezdíček arrived in New York in...

The Bedicheks were part of the US homesteader story. The larger story is a sad one to me, white (and a few black) folks given land stolen from Native Americans, but the more intimate story is one of adventure and fortitude -- building a cabin and attempting to live off the unforgiving high desert. As I am learning though, the full family story is more complex and interesting than the simplified version handed down for four generations. The family lore I brought to my research

So, the family story becomes much richer! Roy and Lillian's adventure was amazing, and now we have the just-as-amazing story of his parents'

As we prepared to leave Kentucky on our way to Des Moines, Iowa, I realized we could easily swing through Newmansville, Ill, the...

Roy Bedichek's friends and colleagues wanted him to write a book. They had spent years receiving his eloquent letters and enjoying stimulating and inspiring conversations. His closest friends, J Frank Dobie & Walter Prescott Webb, were insistent -- they must have been confident this man had something to say that would be meaningful to audiences far and wide. They secured enough funding (grants and perhaps private donations) to support a one-year leave from work and Webb offer

In Karankaway Country, Great-Granddaddy Bedichek has a chapter called "Dust" where he talks about topsoil. He explains the role that...

Hello, Adventurers! I have started to dig into and organize the photos I took of Bedichek documents at the Briscoe Center. I found this gem and just had to share it. It is a letter to the editor that Great-Granddaddy composed and sent after noting a short article in the newspaper (attached to the top of the letter in the first photo) about the sighting of an unusually large flock of European Starlings. This letter is a great example of his artistic literary style. I love it.

My first Adventures with Bedichek road trip is in the books. It is great to be home and it is now time to reflect and digest. I'll continue to post as the reflections from the trip surface. _________________________ On my last day in Austin, I was able to see the few items in the Briscoe Center's Bedichek collection that are considered "artifacts." Included are a briefcase, wallet, Swiss Army knife and a hackberry tree clipping that was sent to him (not sure its significance)

Great-Granddaddy wrote about the Cliff Swallows that made mud nests on the Congress Avenue Bridge. I have yet to see the swallows -- if they are still here. But, after the bridge was renovated in the 1980s, a maternity bat colony moved in. It is the largest urban bat colony in the world at 1.5 million! Tonight, I saw them for the first time! It is early in the season, so the display was less spectacular, but I did see bats flying out from under the bridge right below me. I co

Today, I decided to take a hike along Barton Creek -- farther upstream to see if I could find running water. I had to walk 2 miles, but I found beautiful clear water and water falls! It felt like an oasis in a desert.

Personally, if I have to fight for this country, I will not fight for the flag, or the American “way of life,” or democracy, or private enterprise or for any other abstractions, which seem cold as kraut to me. But I will fight to the last ditch for Barton Creek, Boggy Creek, cedar covered limestone hills, Blazing star and Bluebonnets, Golden-cheeked Warblers and Black-capped Vireos, and so on through a catalogue of this natural environment of Austin, Texas. It is through this

I stumbled upon the perfect place for this first Adventure with Bedichek. My lodging is on a simple urban homestead with chickens, a turkey, rainwater catchment tanks and gardens. We are only 1.5 miles from the site of the Bedichek home and the University of Texas campus. The bed is wonderfully comfortable and the bedroom has tons of windows -- which I love. Each morning brings a peaceful collection of wild bird songs -- beyond the cardinal who greeted me the first day. With

Great-Granddaddy wrote and wrote and wrote! I am truly grateful! Here are some more bits and bobs that I particularly enjoyed. (Titles...

Friday Mountain -- Picnic with Great-Granddaddy #3 When Great-Granddaddy's friends implored him to write a book, they found funding for...

Today was an amazing day. I was able to touch the very papers that Great-Granddaddy wrote. Our family is immensely lucky that there are...

Today, I spent several hours in Eddy, Texas -- where Great-Granddaddy Bedichek spent his formative years and where he was buried. I have...

Great-Granddaddy tells the story of his father's passing. Although he loved and admired the man greatly, he said when he learned of JM's...