Laura Rice

Weird Things in the Sky

For a few days it was all we could talk about: what is that thing? And then it was: what are those things? For the most part, we’ve moved on. But the answers remain a bit unsatisfactory for many. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Quinta Mazatlan

Cicero said, “If you have a library and a garden, you have all that you need.” Texas Standard commentator WF Strong says you can begin to understand that wisdom when you enter the gates of Quinta Mazatlan. It’s an urban oasis in south McAllen.

What the cold wrought

Texas is still picking up the pieces from another devastating February freeze. Some of the primary victims this round were trees big and small. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Puns

Some make you laugh out loud. Others make you roll your eyes. This punny poem comes by request from a Texas Standard listener.

Farmland

Texas is both rural and urban. Culturally rich and agriculturally rich. This Typewriter Rodeo poem celebrates farms and gardens of all shapes and sizes. It came by request from Texas Standard listener Finnegan.

Hang in there

The holiday season is behind us but the weather still tends to be a little cold and gloomy. The pace of projects and demands seems non-stop and any promise of a break seems very far away. Don’t we all need just a little bit of levity? That was the inspiration behind this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Who you callin’ cowboy?

Do you really have to ride horses regularly to wear cowboy boots? Do you have to be mending fences or herding cattle to love a good cowboy hat? This Typewriter Rodeo poem questions the meaning of “real” cowboy.

New NSA recruitment effort underway in San Antonio

Sticker shock at the grocery store. We’ll explore whether and how pandemic disruptions continue to affect the food supply chain. Also the race-motivated mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart in 2019 ruptured a community and captured the world’s attention. But the prosecution of the shooter has languished. What’s happening now? We’ll explore. And Russia’s invasion of Ukraine kicked off a series of events that are now having an impact on the Texas Gulf Coast. We’ll explain. Plus one of San Antonio’s biggest employers is hiring. Now the secretive National Security Agency is sharing a bit about its Texas operation. And the playoff win on the road that broke a decades-long streak for the Cowboys. All of those stories and more today on the Texas Standard.

Cedar Waxwing

The patterns of wildlife can be indicators of seasonal change. The habits of these animals might also be something humans could learn from. This Typewriter Rodeo poem was requested by Texas Standard listener Steven.

Climate Change Fatigue

The details of climate change can be overwhelming. For some, it’s so overwhelming that they begin to shut it all out. Others are just tired of hearing about it. Those where the dual inspirations of this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

New Year

Is the start of a New Year a clean slate? Or does it come with unreasonable expectations? This Typewriter Rodeo poem invites us to not overthink it — and just jump in.

Please Take it Easy

Hustle and bustle are two words often associated with the holiday season. Before the turkey is even consumed, often the Christmas lights are up, and then, before you know it, there are only X shopping days left. This poem invites us to slow down.

Eating Halloween Candy – Still

Did you gorge yourself over several days? Or were you patient? Are you still picking your way through what was collected that final night of October? That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Foodie Vibes

Trying something new and different can be fun — but may also leave you wanting a little more. That was the inspiration behind this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

All the Holidays All at Once

Tis the season for a trip to any retailer to make you feel very confused about the actual date on the calendar. Is it really time to buy egg nog already? What happened to that bag of Halloween candy I saw here last week? Are those — little Santas?? That inspired this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Fading Light

We’re all experiencing darker evenings after setting the clocks back an hour last weekend – the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Imperfect Song

Early voting in the Texas midterm elections is coming to an end and voter turnout so far is down. That was the inspiration of this Typewriter Rodeo poem. Election Day is Nov. 8.

Texas Standard: November 04, 2022

It’s the last day to vote early in the midterm elections but Texans haven’t been showing up at the pace they did last time; we’ll look at why. And one of the races on every Texan’s ballot is for state comptroller. So what exactly does the comptroller do and what separates the two top party candidates? Also on the ballot may be a change to your city charter, what’s that mean and what’s at stake? And we’ll meet a 75-year old Texan running his 75th marathon. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

The Flood

Drought has crept back over much of Texas. Now, a burst of rain provides much-needed moisture to a parched land. The challenging, perhaps heartbreaking ebb and flow of this weather pattern was the inspiration of this Typewriter Rodeo poem.