Rainy Days and Starry Nights: Growing up in the South Texas Brush Country

Depression and the worst drought in Texas history did not make it easy for a large family on a small South Texas farm in the mid-twentieth century. Lawrence Zook tried cotton, corn, peanuts, even black-eyed peas on his 100 sandy acres 30 miles southeast of San Antonio near Floresville, now known as the Peanut Capital of Texas. His family survived, though he tended to be disagreeable when it didn't rain which seemed to be most of the time. Brush Country natives will quickly relate to the moving descriptions of sweeping the family's sunbaked, grassless lawn, of six-man football on Friday nights, of dance hall rituals on Saturday nights. Those who grew up elsewhere will enjoy being introduced to the lifestyle of a Texas region that is too often overlooked.