Texas Ten

05/29/2026

Day 6 of “Things I Love About Texas” takes me back to a memory from 7 years ago.

Yesterday, a memory popped up on my personal page from a road trip through West Texas — the very beginning of our journey to visit all 254 Texas counties.

Seeing photos from Balmorhea State Park and El Cosmico reminded me just how much I love big sky country. The wide-open spaces, endless sunsets, and quiet beauty of West Texas completely surprised me. I didn’t know a place could feel so wild, peaceful, and magical all at once.

West Texas truly is a Texas treasure.

What’s your favorite West Texas destination?

05/29/2026

Texas has ghost stories bigger than a Friday night football rivalry… and this week, Texas Ten is diving straight into the spooky side of the Lone Star State 👻🤠

From the haunted halls of the Excelsior House in Jefferson to the legendary Lady in Room 501 at the Hotel Galvez in Galveston, M'Lissa and “Casper the Friendly Steve” are sharing some of the wildest paranormal tales in Texas history.

Would YOU spend the night in one of Texas’ most haunted hotels? 😳

🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/mR55IQThIRo
And if you’ve ever had a spooky Texas experience, drop it in the comments below.

05/28/2026

This week's Ten-Minute visit finds us in beautiful West Texas, where we explore Borden and Garza counties. Gail and Post are the county seats, full of surprises. Hope you enjoy it!

In this episode of the Texas Ten Podcast, we explore the history, c...

05/28/2026

Day 5 of “Things I Love About Texas” ends up on the golf course. Most years, the Metroplex hosts back-to-back PGA tour events, The Byron Nelson and The Colonial. Texas Ten loves these events for the competition and for the history they convey.

Last week it was the Byron Nelson. Only two tournaments bear the name of a famous golfer, the Arnold Palmer Invitational being the other. “Lord Byron,” of Waxahachie, certainly deserves the honor. While he won 52 PGA tournaments, an astounding 11 of them in a row, and 5 major titles, his true impact was the gentlemanly demeanor and sportsmanship that elevated the game.

Teeing off today is the Colonial with its deep ties to Ben Hogan of Dublin, Texas, and then Fort Worth, who was one of the greatest ball strikers ever. “The Hawk” is one of six golfers to win the modern Grand Slam, but is best known for the grit he displayed in winning the 1950 U.S. Open a little over a year after nearly dying from injuries from a horrific car accident.

Hogan and Nelson are historic figures, and just two of the many Texans who built the game of golf in the United States. Texas Ten is most excited about the next generation of history makers, particularly Scotty. No, not current World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, but Scotty the grandson of Texas Ten. Hard at work perfecting his game yesterday.

05/28/2026

What is Texas’ official soft drink, you ask? Well, Dr Pepper, of course!

Dr Pepper is the oldest major soft drink in the United States, invented right here in Waco, Texas. Pharmacist Charles Alderton created it in 1885 — a full year before Coca-Cola.

And now you can see the world’s largest Dr Pepper bottle in Waco at the Dr Pepper Museum. The 23-foot-tall bottle was created to celebrate the museum’s 35th anniversary this year.

I had a blast exploring it with my grandson today. Texas summers are better with a cold Dr Pepper, so make yourself a Texas treat and try a Dr Pepper float!

Learn more about the Dr. Pepper Museum by clicking on the link in the comments to watch our episode with Joy and Autumn. Then go visit!

What’s your favorite way to enjoy Dr Pepper? Tell us in the comments!

05/27/2026

One of the best parts of exploring Texas isn’t just the places—it’s the people. ❤️

After getting a recommendation from a friend in Waco, M'Lissa and Steve made their way to Wellington and met Linda and Ronnie Duke, who helped bring the historic Ritz Theater back to life. They got a behind-the-scenes look, heard the stories, and were reminded that some of the best Texas memories come from unexpected connections.

Big Texas, small world. 🤠✨

🎥 Watch the full episode and see the full story here: https://youtu.be/aoo7Q27tNFw

05/26/2026

Day 3 of Texas Ten’s celebration of all things Lone Star. Tonight, the Spurs battle the Thunder. Texas Ten has a deep allegiance to the Spurs, as we were on hand when Dallas loaned the team (then the Chaparrals) to San Antonio to see if they could make a go of it. Steve’s dad was the chief scorekeeper and lead statistician for the franchise for 42 amazing years.

When it comes to major sports, they call San Antonio a “one-horse town,” but dang, what a horse! Five world championships, hall-of-fame players, and a world-class coach should be enough. But the franchise’s defining characteristic is the unbreakable bond between fans and team, based on the “Spurs’ Way,” meaning basketball played with grit, determination and selflessness.

From the Captain Late-Special K-Iceman-Double 0 teams to the Admiral-Big Fundamental-MANUUU!-Tony P. years to the newly ascendant Wemby-Castle-Harper-Fox group (we need to work on nicknames), the Spurs are just special.

So GO SPURS GO. If you agree, name your favorite Spur in the comment section.

05/26/2026

📸 Picture of the Week: Fishing for Dollars 🎣

This week, Steve takes us to Indianola, Texas—one of those quiet coastal places where old Texas still feels alive.

This working boat, Jackie, became a reminder that fishing for a living isn’t about relaxing on the water — it’s grit, long days, and trusting the Gulf to provide.

Big respect to the hardworking folks who make their living out there. And if Texas backroads are calling, Indianola might just be worth the drive.

🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/XO0yhiGYaC8
And keep exploring Texas with Texas Ten 🤠

05/25/2026

Day 2 of my “Celebrate Texas Daily” challenge. On Memorial Day, I am so thankful to be raised in a state that honors its servicemen and women. Growing up in San Antonio, military life was intertwined with city life. It is the same in Bell County with Fort Hood, El Paso with Fort Bliss, Wichita Falls with Sheppard AFB, Abilene with Dyess AFB, Del Rio with Laughlin AFB, San Angleo with Goodfellow AFB, Corpus Christi with Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Kingsville with Naval Air Station Kingsville, and a host of other facilities sprinkled throughout the state.

Those installations continue a long tradition of military presence in the state. As we traveled Texas, we always made a point to stop at the forts which protected us. In the 20th century, Texas and its wide-open spaces became ground zero for military training. Texans are a patriotic bunch, In World War II, 10% of our total population served, more than any other state.

As a result, Texas has more than its fair share of military heroes. People like Audie Murphy, Earl Rudder, and Roy Benavides will be part of U.S. military history forever. On Memorial Day, however, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Last year on Memorial Day we visited the national cemetery at Ft. Sam Houston. It is so peaceful there, which I hope consoles the souls at rest and their families. Many of those we honor today have never had their stories widely told. Even if you do not know them, take a minute today to thank them.

05/25/2026

History’s got a funny way of hiding some of its biggest players.

This week on Texas Ten, Steve takes us back to the Texas Revolution and the story of Lorenzo de Zavala—one of the men who helped shape Texas history but doesn’t always get the spotlight he deserves. From politics in Mexico to signing the Texas Declaration of Independence, his story is one worth remembering.

Plus, we take a look at the life (and end) of infamous outlaw John Wesley Hardin — proof that Texas history is never short on unforgettable characters.

Pull up a chair, y’all and come ride through another Texas History Moment.

🎥 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/LQjb07_Rc-Y