THE SUN'S GOING DOWN AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, AND DARKNESS IS COMING ON QUICK. WE'RE DRIVING 75 MILES AN HOUR ON THE SLIM TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, WHICH SOMEHOW FEELS SLOW WHEN THERE'S NO ONE ELSE AROUND FOR MILES AND MILES. THE ENDLESS FIELDS OF DRY, SCRUBBY UNDERBRUSH WE'VE STARED AT FOR HOURS AND THE PREHISTORIC DAVIS MOUNTAINS ROLLING IN THE DISTANCE HAVE MELTED INTO INDISCERNIBLE BLACKNESS. FOR ALL I KNOW, THERE MAY BE UFO'S LURKING IN THE DESERT AROUND US.
My eyes scan for the bouncing orbs of light we've been warned about: the odd, unexplainable, rumored extraterrestrial "Marfa Lights," as they've been called for decades. Squinting into oblivion, it's easy to start feeling paranoid. There's even a remote viewing area where people gather every night in hopes of witnessing the mysterious phenomenon, often leaving with exaggerated "You didn't catch that?" accounts. We admittedly see none, except for the faraway flashes of what we deduce to be just late-night truck headlights.
Out in West Texas, perhaps the most quintessentially Texan place in existence, Marfa does feel like a concealed corner of the world. The nearest commercial airports are both three-hour drives away in El Paso and Midland. In our case, the town is a seven-hour drive from Austin-and from there, you hit the road, losing cell service almost immediately until you roll up to a slow-blinking stoplight that welcomes you to Marfa, coaxing you to choose a direction, none of which spans more than a handful of blocks before nothingness begins again.
Just two generations ago, residents of the Trans-Pecos region, also known as Far West Texas, could never have foreseen all the fuss to come. Marfa was a place where even cattle had a hard time living under the relentless sun, without enough nutrients despite vast desert lands to roam.
Bu hikaye Southern Living dergisinin April 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Southern Living dergisinin April 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Thumbs Up
Three twists on the classic chocolate-filled cookie
SUPPERTIME: Elegant Made Easy
Tender braised short ribs are fancy enough for Christmas dinner or any special occasion. Bonus: They're even make-ahead
A Big Easy Christmas
Let the good times roll in New Orleans
TIMELESS DECOR: Good as Old
Natural elements and folksy finds infuse this 1886 Georgia cottage with warm-fuzzy charm
Classic Pattern, New Spirit
Four tastemakers put their fanciful spins on an old-faithful Spode collection
MEET HER IN ST. LOUIS
Trimmed with ribbon and wrapped in wallpaper, designer Amy Studebaker's 1950s Missouri home proves there's no such thing as too much of a good thing especially this time of year
A TENNESSEE TREASURE
For nearly 115 years, The Hermitage Hotel has been Nashville's holiday mainstay
The Powerg Poinsettias
A little while back, a neighbor knocked on my door, hoisting up a ruby red plant so enormous it concealed her completely from midriff to head. I was new to the area, and this was her way of welcoming me. A poinsettia, vividly colored, overflowing its pot, and endearingly ill-timed-it wasn't even Thanksgiving yet. But the plant seemed to brighten up the whole world just a bit, as if daring anyone to reject the early holiday spirit. You could say it kick-started my love for the leafy shrub and what it seems to represent: a simple kind of goodwill.
WRAPPED WITH CARE
In San Antonio, Christmas isn't complete without a plate of steaming tamales on every family's table
PARTY LIKE IT'S 1984
Entertaining now is quite different than it was 40 years ago, but our recipes stand the test of time