Introducing "Know Your Winter Texan"

A chill in the air becomes flurries of snow, which gives way to curtains of big flakes, rapidly dropping, sticking and piling up in the northern region of the United States. Places like Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota and Wisconsin turn into frozen tundras for some.

Just as birds fly south for the winter, people who some call "snowbirds", also make the trek south for the winter. When the mercury drops, those "snowbirds", or Winter Texans, come in droves to the Rio Grande Valley to take advantage of the plentiful sunshine, the entertainment available from McAllen down to South Padre Island and to meet up with fellow winter visitors.

Here, they will not need to scrape ice off of their car's windshield, there will be no shoveling of snow off driveways and golf can be played the entire winter season. What's not to love?

Winter Texans do more than just play when they're in the Valley. Many will give their time, money, goods and effort to several charitable organizations in the RGV. They're unique residents of south Texas who should be recognized. Beginning today, The Monitor's Valley Life Section will profile one Winter Texan each week to show the Valley what special guests there are among us.

Name: Karen Bowman

Age: 71

Home State: Iowa

First time to RGV: 1992

Full-time resident since 1993

Maybe the Rio Grande Valley hasn't been very good to the Bowmans. Tom Bowman has become a craft widower. He rarely sees his wife anymore because she's down at the activities building in their RV park, knitting, quilting, crocheting and taking part in other crafts as often as she can.

"I guess I have nervous energy," Karen says. "I have to stay busy."

Karen's home is full of the fruits of her labor, including rich wooden figures, carved by her. She has helped create many quilts which are donated to local hospitals, but the most unique craft she works on is, at times, one of the most overlooked necessities in life.

Burial gowns for babies are the last thing on most people's minds, but that's what Karen spends a lot of her time crocheting. She creates cap and booties in blue and pink for those babies who don't make it home. The garments are boxed lovingly, with a note from her which reads, "God's little angel".

It all started when someone she knew up north began making baby clothes for women at abortion clinics as a way to open a dialogue about abortion versus keeping the baby. That changed when someone suggested that the crocheted clothes be given to hospitals for families who couldn't afford to buy burial gowns.

"A woman at Rio Grande Regional said you'd be surprised at how many people just wrap the baby in a t-shirt," said Karen, while putting away another craft into a bag. "It's for the needy though, not just anyone."

The low cost of living and warmer weather convinced the Bowmans to become full-time residents.

"And the people here are very friendly," said Karen, picking up another work-in-progress and fidgeting with it.

Having the Bowmans in the Valley full-time means Mission Regional Medical Center's patients benefit from Karen's hard work year-round.

Tom smiles as he watches Karen place her crochet hooks back into the bag again.

"It's a way to be helpful," he says.