Built to Last
One of my favorite gifts I’ve ever received is a hammock my best friend gave me for Christmas a few years ago. It now hangs below the 400-year-old oak tree in my backyard. When anyone comes to visit, provided it’s not chigger season, I always insist they go lie in the hammock. It’s an instant dose of peace and serenity. Often when I sway under the tree’s intricate web of leaves and branches, appreciating its beauty and impressive size, I reflect on how long it has persisted, despite Texas’ punishing weather; and how many people over the centuries may have admired it while contemplating nature’s endurance. This issue is a celebration of things that have endured. Each story pays homage to a place, landmark, shop, or restaurant that is 100 years…