A Firm Place to Stand

5/4/2020

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1. My protagonist, Maribel, drives the same car my husband drove when I first met him—a 1967 Ford Falcon. While hers is covered in gray primer, my husband had his painted baby blue. But like hers, his didn’t have air conditioning or heating either. I always took a blanket with me when I rode with him in the winter and a hairbrush for the summer.

2. My great grandmother never spoke a mean word and rarely spoke an angry one. The closest she ever came to cursing was when she said, “Blame!” I have no idea how that came to be the way she expressed her frustration, but I must admit that I was the cause of her saying it on more than one occasion—like when I rubbed rotten peaches into the stucco walls of her house or sprayed all of her flowers with deodorant (who can understand the inner workings of an imaginative child’s mind, right?). I also distinctly remember her telling me on more than one occasion that I could drive a wooden man crazy, a statement I didn’t fully understand until I had children of my own. In my book, A Firm Place to Stand, the elderly Peg Moreland uses the word “blame” to express her own frustration. There are several pieces of my great grandmother’s influence sprinkled throughout the story, but in case you’re wondering about the odd use of that word, now you know.

3. Texas history and folklore are rich with tales of lost treasure, whether the lost gold of the Spanish conquistadors or the hidden treasure of the outlaws, bank robbers, and notorious bandits that frequently hid out in the vast state. My personal experience with these tales comes from the stories passed down on my father’s side of our family. My great grandfather was one of the hunters who spent a great deal of time searching for these buried treasures. He often told the story of camping out on one such hunt and being awakened in the middle of the night by what sounded like the entire Mexican army passing by. He and his friends, who had also been awakened by the mysterious commotion, packed up at first light and went home. In my novel, some of the characters believe they may discover one such treasure.Here are some links to articles on lost treasure you might find interesting:
http://www.lonestartreasure.com/
https://www.legendsofamerica.com/more-texas-treasure/
http://www.texasescapes.com/FEATURES/Texas-Buried-Treasures.htm

4. Although I named a certain place on the river in the book, I never actually named the river (maybe I should have a reader contest to name the river?). I grew up on the banks of the Paluxy river and in close proximity to the Brazos and the Bosque. I’m sure on some subconscious level that they each have a bit of a presence. The spot on the river referred to as the Pool of Siloam is named after a real place, however—just not a place in Texas. The Pool of Siloam was a place of ceremonial bathing outside the temple in Jerusalem. Scripture recounts the story of Jesus restoring the sight of a blind man there, and it seemed fittingly symbolic to me to use it in this story. There are so many things in this world that we often let blind us to what is true, and often it is coming home to the simplest of things that restores our sight.

Here’s a link with more information on the real Pool of Siloam:
https://www.bibleplaces.com/poolofsiloam/

5. Pecan pie is the official state pie of Texas, so it was the obvious choice for the grand matron of the Moreland Ranch to be known for making this dish. Did she use a pecan pie in an attempt to bring Maribel and Conner together? Only she knows for sure, but she was happy to share the recipe with you in case you ever need to sweeten someone’s life with pie.

Peg Moreland’s Pecan Pie
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 unbaked 9” pie crust
1 ¼ cup pecan halves

Combine butter, sugar, and corn syrup and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly, then add eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix well.

Pour into unbaked pie crust and top with pecan halves. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes until filling is set.