I’ll ALWAYS be a Texan….

The stars at night, are big and bright, deep in the heart of…….Maine? Seriously y’all, I thought Texas had some great starscapes, that is until I came to Maine and got to set outside one August night with a glass of local wine and looked, well, up.

Also, not sweat to death at 9 PM.

I spent 38 years living in the great state of Texas. Having been born and raised there; I’ve seen and experienced all the best and worst Texas has to offer. From Tex Mex, super close friends, summers on Lake LBJ and at Camp Longhorn, Texas Tech Football (Go Red Raiders), Bar Crawls in Uptown Dallas, and Fiesta (VIVA San Antonio)…. to Austin’s Exploding Popularity, The Downtown Dallas Sniper, The Bastrop Fires, Governor Rick Perry, and Lubbock (‘Nuf Said)….

Worst of all…. I’m pretty sure I’ve got an unfinished Margarita somewhere in basically every major Texas city.

True Texans Know what a SIN that is…..

Regardless of where I am…. I’ll always be a Texas Woman at heart.

Y’all know I was raised by my mom, right? My parents divorced when I was 4 and my mom was my primary caregiver. Dad was always there (my awesome Stepmom, too!), but many of the pinnacle moments in my upbringing had my mom by my side. My mom is a tough, smart lady who called me her “Independent Child” and taught me to find something I was passionate about to chase relentlessly.

Being a smart, outspoken, and ambitious woman is also a long-standing family trait. The women in my family have and will continue to accomplish and succeed in pretty much anything they touch.

This is a BIG part of being a Texas woman. We’re characterized by a strong sense of hard work grounded in passion. Texas women are often seen as being confident and assertive, unafraid to speak their minds and stand up for what they believe in. This spirit is deeply rooted in the state's history, as Texas has always been a place of strength and perseverance.


Texas women are known for being entrepreneurial, creative, business-savvy, and self-reliant. As conservative of a state as it is…. women are well-represented in a variety of industries. From technology and finance to fashion and beauty, Texas women are breaking barriers and making their mark. Hell, Texas has FOUR cities among the Top Ten for women to start a business in (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin).

By far and away, the most stand out Texas Trait about me; my unshakable ambition to simply say “Told you I could do it.”

But, 38 years is a LONG time…. and Texas is HOT… and getting CROWDED. And I need to experience something…. else.

I took some “me” time this fall and set out to find something that was going to be a total 180 from Texas. It didn’t take me more than a few days to realize how much I MISSED “going” and seeing places beyond my world. And I found the BEST gateway to both get out and explore… AND where I can keep cozy close to home. And thats Portland, Maine.

When I decided to leave Austin, it wasn’t for anything other than getting a bigger perspective more permanently. And I love it here, in New England. I can’t wait to see lobster dinners at weddings, tread thru the snow in LLBean Boots, have Oyster themed adventure family sessions, and eat ALLLL the blueberries.

No matter what, I’ll always be a Texan at heart. I’ll always be my mother’s “Independent Child”; Ambitious, Resilient, and Fearless. Truly. I just hope you join this “Texan in Recovery” as she continues to get a bigger perspective, one Lobster roll at a time.

Until Next time, y’all!

-Caity CC.
Proud Owner of The Bohde Collective