MARCH 2018
THE
magazine an original since 2005
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O PE R AT E D
KITCHEN
We’re making it easier to see a primary care doctor in Lufkin.
Adult medicine physician Sushma Arramraju, M.D., is here to help you become your healthiest self. She focuses on adult patients, providing preventive care and treating conditions that range from everyday illnesses to diabetes, heart disease and COPD. Ask about same-day appointments. Call 936-634-8827 or visit WHInternalMedicine.com to schedule an appointment.
Sushma Arramraju, M.D. Board-Certified in Internal Medicine 10 Medical Center Blvd., Suite B • Lufkin, TX 75904 Member of the Medical Staff at Woodland Heights Medical Center. Woodland Heights Medical Center is owned in part by physicians.
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ANGELINA COUNTY FIRST FRIDAY LUNCHEON This monthly event features
ST. PATRICK'S DAY
a keynote speaker, incentive drawings, announcements,
Saint Patrick's Day is held
and lunch. Held on the first
in honor of Saint Patrick,
Friday of each month, the
the missionary who brought
luncheon typically occurs
Christianity to the Irish
at Crown Colony Country
people in the 400's AD.
Club at 12:00 noon. Tickets
11
Did you know that over
to attend the event are $15.00 each.
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME Spring Forward! While we may lose an hour of
34 million Americans are
20
of Irish descent? That's almost nine times the population of Ireland!
FIRST DAY OF SPRING
sleep, we gain an extra
Spring officially begins with
hour of sunlight for our
the Spring Equinox. Enjoy
day. Go make it a great
the increasing sunlight
day knowing Spring is
hours with earlier dawns and later sunsets. Time
almost here!
for baseball, gardening, warmer temperatures and
12-16 SPRING BREAK
30
sun.
GOOD FRIDAY Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at
Spring break is a vacational period in early Spring at
Calvary. It is observed
universities and schools which started during the 1930s in
during Holy Week as part
the United States. Spring break is frequently associated
of the Paschal Triduum on
with extensive gatherings and partying in warm climate
the Friday preceding Easter
locations.
Sunday.
COMING SOON...
From left to right: Jim Johnson, Chamber President; Robert Lindsey, MD; Roy Guse, MD; Peter Ross, MD; Dan Fuentes, DO; Jason Carter, MD; Mayor Bob Brown; and Mark Dunn , Dunn’s Construction
YOUR NEXT GENERATION MRI
COMING SOON
YOUR NEXT GENERATION M
Dedicated MRI Center of East Tex
From left to right: Robert Lindsey, MD; Dan Fuentes, DO; Peter Ross, MD; Jason Carter, MD; Roy G
Dedicated MRI Center of East Texas will be the first and only MRI Center to offer a state-of-the-art, next genera Tesla MRI scanner, which is far superior to out-dated 1.5 Tesla MRI scanners currently used in all hospitals and i centers in East Texas. With superior imaging quality, better diagnostic capabilities, faster scans, open large bore e ment for large or claustrophobic patients, and quieter almost silent scans for a more comfortable patient scanning Dedicated MRI Center of East Texas will be the first and only MRI Center to offer a state-of-the-art, next generation 3.0 experience.
Dedicated MRI Center of East Texas
Tesla MRI scanner, which is far superior to 1.5 Tesla MRI scanners currently used in all hospitals and imaging centers in East Texas. With superior imaging quality, better diagnostic capabilities, faster scans, open large bore environment for Forlarge the first time, our 3patients, Tesla MRI scanner brings Lufkin East Texas the ability to scan the fu or claustrophobic and quieter almost silenttoscans for aand moresurrounding comfortable patient scanning spectrum of specialties including: Spine, Orthopedics, Neurology, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Angiography, Oncolog experience.
Body, Breast, and Prostate.
For the first time, our 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner brings to Lufkin and surrounding East Texas the ability to scan the full spectrum of specialties including: Spine, Orthopedics, Neurology, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Angiography, Oncology, Body, Dedicated MRI Center will be the only MRI Center in East Texas owned and operated by Orthopedic Specialist, Breast, and Prostate.
associated with Fellowship Trained MSK and Neuro Radiologist. They saw a tremendous need here in East Texa worked together to bring Texas the highest of medical imaging available todaySpecialist, with a state-of-the-art f Dedicated MRI Center willEast be the only MRI Center inlevel East Texas owned and operated by Orthopedic and Fellowship andEast Neuro Radiologist. These specialist recognized a tremendous need inpatient East care. Eastassociated Texas nowith longer has toTrained travelMSK out of Texas for uncompromising quality and cost-effective Texas for the highest quality medical imaging possible at in-network, outpatient rates.The result is access for all patients 208physicians Gaslight Blvd.Suite C, to• theLufkin, Texas 75901 • 936-634-8800 • DedicatedMRICenter. and throughout East Texas highest level of medical imaging available today within a state-of-the-art facility at the absolute lowest cost to the patient possible... anywhere. East EastTexans Texas no longer has to travel out of East Texas for uncompromising quality and cost-effective patient care.
Compared to all other MRI Centers and Hospitals, Dedicated MRI Center offers higher quality at lower cost... 208 Gaslight Blvd.Suite C, • Lufkin, Texas 75904 • 936-634-8800 • DedicatedMRI.com
a l e t te r fro m th e
OW N E R
Let me make this next statement very clear… I don’t want anyone to misinterpret what I’m about to say. I AM OVER THIS COLD WEATHER! Yes, yes I know. There are those of you reading this who prefer 40 degree weather to 115 degrees in the shade. Sweaters and f ires and hot chocolate make you happy and your Pinterest boards are f illed with photos of blankets, knee boots and scarves. I may just have to unfriend you. I, on the other hand, am craving warm sun on my shoulders, breezes that feel like a hair dryer blowing on me in the middle of a New Mexican desert, evenings f illed with tunes from Margaritaville Radio, and long sunny days spent outside in cutoff shorts, tank tops and f lip f lops. I’m ready for summertime concerts – Buffett, Chesney and ZBB just to name a few, and am counting the days until #BeachHairDontCare and lazy weekends spent out by the pool with family and friends. If mother nature is listening… please, BRING ON THE HEAT. Until then, I’ll continue to pump island music through my stereo speakers, hide my pale legs with jeans and dream of the day that my makeup literally melts off my face between the walk from my back door to the garage. Until then Texas heat… until then. Hugs –
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ta ble of
CON T E N T S features
home
community
46 TOUGH TOPICS
14 HOME TOUR
36 20 QUESTIONS
6 4 PLACES & FACES
24 IN THE KITCHEN
38 WISDOM FROM THE WORD
28 TIPS & TRICKS 32 GARDENING TIPS
8 | M A RC H 2 0 1 8
ta ble of | C O N T E N T S
sports & outdoors
family
42 GANDY NOTES
82 NATURE'S EYE
52 EVERYTHING ELSE 56 FAMILY GAME NIGHT
FROM THE FOUNDER REALISM - A NICHE MARKET
reader showcase
76 YOUR CHALLENGE 77 YOUR JOURNEY
BEYOND THE SHOTGUN TEXAS TURKEYS AROUND THE CAMPFIRE
THE
magazine an original since 2005
OW N E R & D I R E C TO R :
Kim Ogden
kogden@lufkinjourneymagazine.com M A NAG I N G E D I TO R :
Beth Johnson beth@lufkinjourneymagazine.com
P H O T O G R A P H Y:
Lisa Crow
L AY O U T D E S I G N & A D V E RT I S I N G D E S I G N :
Kelly Hudman
CONTRIBUTORS:
Kris Ball Claire Brody Emily Courtney/Nature's Eye Angela Gandy Dan Grenier Blake Hamilton/Nature's Eye Matt Persons/Nature's Eye Ben Stanford/Nature's Eye Teresa Stokes Patricia Todd
C O N TA C T U S : Mailing:
P.O. Box 150351 Lufkin, Texas 75915
Physical:
1302 East Lufkin Avenue Lufkin, Texas 75901 (936) 366-5463
Online:
facebook.com/thejourneymagazine instagram.com/thejourneymagazine www.lufkinjourneymagazine.com
a l e t te r fro m th e
E DI T O R
Since we just went through our f irst “real” winter in a long time, many of us are welcoming spring with open arms! I’m not sure I’ve ever been more eager to get in the f lower beds and get my hands dirty. Bring on the work days in the yard! Every Spring Break, my family usually spends a couple of days outside cleaning up from the winter. We will cut back bushes, pull up any weeds that managed to survive the frost, and get the ground ready for new plants and seeds. When my hands are covered in dirt and my knees stained with the grass and dust, God always reminds me of the many parallels between working in the yard and His work in my life. Preparing a f lower bed for new growth is just like preparing my heart for Him to do new things in me. I must be very attentive to what I’m doing to make sure I get a hold of every weed and dead part so that it won’t inhibit the newly planted seed. The soil needs to be tilled up, and sometimes I add extra fertilizer to help the plants grow better. The conditions for growth, sunlight and warm weather, might be there, but if the soil isn’t well prepared, there is no hope of watching the seed bloom. Because of Christ’s resurrection power, He can grow new things within us. When we search our hearts to remove any dead or dying places and pluck any weeds that will choke out growth, we position ourselves to be planted by Him. As you prepare to celebrate Easter, I pray that you are also readying your heart for new seed to be sown. When those f lowers begin to bloom, remember the One who causes the seeds in your life to grow. All the way home,
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H OM E T O U R | I N T H E K I T C H E N | T I P S & T R I C K S | G A R D E N I N G T I P S
wel co m e | H O M E
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B OB & GE N I E F L OU R NOY welcome us home
(As told by Bob Flournoy) My parents met at SFA when the doors were opened for the f irst time at the University in 1921; they fell in love and were married. In 1929 my parents came to Manning to teach school - Dad was a superintendent and mother was a teacher. They taught here until the end of the school year in 1935, after the mill burned on January 3rd of that same year. That mill, built from yellow pine, had the most modern machinery in its time and cut all sizes of lumber. It employed roughly 300 people and in its heyday, Manning had approximately 1500 people living in it. Next to Luf kin, it grew to become the second largest town in Angelina County.
home | H O M E
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When my parents moved us into this house in 1941, it had electrical f ixtures and switches, but no power. We actually didn’t have electricity or running water until about 1950. The stove was wood burning. We had an actual "ice box" that held a large block of ice to keep certain foods cool, and we even had a salt pit where we salted and dried meats for storing. To this day, when I talk about that with our kids and grandkids, they can’t imagine it!
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home | H O M E
T O U R
I built this to-scale model of the house (bottom left photo) for my wife Genie to be used as a bird feeder. It didn’t quite work out the way I had planned, and instead I turned it into a time capsule – set to be opened by family January 3, 2035 (100 years from the mill burning down). Inside I’ve placed artifacts, books, notes and various other items relating to Manning in the mid 1900’s.
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(Opposite page, bottom right photo) My parents, Morgan and Ruby (or Miss Ruby as she was affectionately called by many), were married for 65 years when Dad passed away in 1988. Mom died in 2009 at the age of 103 years and 10 months. She was the oldest living graduate of Stephen F. Austin at the time. When Genie and I began the remodel on this house after my parents were gone, we decided to name one of the rooms the “SFA Room” and one of the other rooms “Miss Ruby’s Room” in their honor.
home | H O M E
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After the mill burned, Dad began cotton farming, had a couple of cotton gins and owned a general store at Shawnee Prairie. My brothers, Morgan, Don, Tom and I worked extremely hard to help out where needed. Mother and my sister Judy would prepare three large meals a day, clean the house, wash the clothes by hand and milk a cow twice daily. It really was a wonderful, fulf illing life. We were not rich by any means, but we were wealthy in our relationships and our work ethic that allowed us all to become successful in our individual lives.
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This house has seen its share of people coming in and out of its doors over the years. It's a happy place, an inviting and welcoming retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. While the town of Manning may no longer exist, the spirit of the people who poured their hearts and souls into the land remains. I'm very proud of the history of this property and of Manning itself. Sharing it with travelers and soon-to-bemarried couples is at the heart of everything we do.
This quaint chapel was originally mom's wash house. During the remodel, we added the beautiful stained-glass window (one of many found in the structures on the property), expansive wood beams on the ceiling, pews and other personal touches to create a peaceful and relaxed setting for a bride and her groom to say their vows.
It's amazing to think that this year Genie and I will celebrate 56 years of marriage! We met in college in 1960 and were married two years later. We've seen each other through all the ups and downs that life can show you and remained constant in our faith in God that He would guide us and bless us throughout these 56 years. For more information or to book the Mansion on Sawmill Lake for your event, visit http://texasforestcountryretreat.com/mansion-sawmill-lake
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home | I N
T H E
K I T C H E N
E a s te r Fa m i ly Fa v o r i te s -with Teresa Stokes
Honey Brown Sugar Glazed Ham My mother's ham was a standard dish at every Easter meal, and we still enjoy it today.
INGREDIENTS1 bone-in spiral-cut ham, about 10 pounds 1 cup honey 1/2 cup f irmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground mustard 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon cloves
DIRECTIONSPreheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place the ham on its side in a roasting pan. Mix honey, brown sugar and spices in a small bowl until well blended. If mixture is too thick, microwave on high 30 seconds to one minute or until smooth, stirring after 30 seconds. Brush 1/2 of the honey mixture over ham, gently separating the slices so mixture can reach middle of ham. Cover loosely with foil. Bake one hour, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Remove foil. Brush with remaining honey mixture. Bake 45 minutes longer. Serve ham with pan drippings.
Cynthia's Cole Slaw This is a different take from the traditional slaw with creamy dressing. My sister-in-law, Cynthia Boles, brought this recipe into the family, and it has been a favorite ever since.
INGREDIENTS3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
pounds shredded cabbage or slaw mix green or red pepper onion cups sugar cup oil cup vinegar teaspoon salt teaspoon dry mustard teaspoon celery seed
DIRECTIONSMix slaw, pepper, onion and sugar in a medium bowl. In a sauce pan mix oil, vinegar, salt, dry mustard and celery seed. After bringing to a full boil, pour over cabbage.
Strawberry Surprise My Aunt Marie made this when we would visit her in South Texas. It became a family favorite for me and my sister.
INGREDIENTSCRUST: 2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs and 3/4 cup for topping 1/3 cup melted butter PUDDING: 4 1 1 2
eggs, well beaten box powdered sugar stick butter, cubed teaspoons vanilla
LAYER: 1 cup chopped pecans 2 boxes frozen strawberries, thawed 1 large Cool Whip
DIRECTIONSMix wafer crumbs and melted butter. Press into 8x10 baking dish. Using a double boiler - Mix eggs, powdered sugar and and cubed butter. Cook until thick, approximately 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spread cooled pudding over crust. Sprinkle one cup chopped pecans over pudding. Spread half of the Cool Whip over pecans and refrigerate until set. POUR two boxes thawed strawberries over pecans and freeze until set. Top with remaining Cool Whip and cover with additional wafer crumbs and freeze. Thaw one hour before serving.
Teresa Stokes is the co-owner of MarTeres Tea Room in Luf kin. She enjoys cooking for friends and family and she and her husband, Mike, love to entertain in their home around a festive, seasonal table.
a classic, collected master bedroom makeover WRIT TEN BY
CLAIRE BRODY
Hello, I'm Claire, an interior stylist living in Austin, Texas with my husband, Parker. I'm the blogger and business owner behind Claire Brody Designs. I specialize in providing unique and one of a kind spaces on an affordable budget.
Mix new and vintage items. In order to achieve a “collected” look, you’ll want to incorporate both new and vintage pieces. You can also consider mixing modern and traditional lines if you want to take the collected look a step further.
29 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
home | T I P S
&
T R I C K S
Focus on natural light. A classic room typically feels light, incorporating window treatments that highight, not hide, the sunshine.
Steer clear of 'trendy'. A classic room might incorporate a few small popular statement pieces, but the overall feel of the room will not be trendy.
Choose a cohesive, neutral color palette. Typically classic style bedrooms incorporate neutrals, as they tend to be calming. If you do want to incorporate color, choose just one accent color for the room. Navy is a great choice.
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home | G A R D E N I N G
T I P S
Tulips
ALL ABOUT
I love f lowers. My grannie always taught me to look for the amazing details in God's work. It is amazing how beautiful His creation can be down to every last petal.
T
ulips are one of the most elegant f lowers we see today. They are soon to be blooming here in East Texas. Here is a list of some fun facts about tulips that are sure to make any tulip lover appreciate this beautiful bloom even more.
• Tulips are said to signal the arrival of spring. • There are over 75 species of tulips with over 3,000 different varieties. • Tulips are edible and can be replaced with onions in some recipes. • Tulips flower buds are known for being almost symmetrical. • Tulips are part of the lily family. • Tulips only bloom for 3-7 days in the spring. • You can find tulips in almost any color. • Tulips originated in Central Asia hundreds of years ago. • Tulip Mania hit the Netherlands in the 1600's when it was said that a single bulb cost ten times that of a wealthy, skilled craftsman's annual salary. • The Netherlands is the world's largest commercial producer of tulips, with around 3 billion exported each year. • The best time to plant tulip bulbs is in the fall so they can grow roots before it gets too cold. • Tulips will twist and bend to grow toward sunlight.
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*Medical professionals may include physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. 2 0 Q U E S T I O N S | W I S D OM F ROM T H E WO R D Medical Center is directly or indirectly owned by a partnership that proudly includes physician owners, including certain members of the hospital’s medical staff.
a l o ving | C O M M U N I T Y
.indd 1
4/5/17 10:09 AM
Photographed on location at The Mansion at Sawmill Lake 35 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
c o m m u n i ty | 2 0 QU E S T ION S
twenty questions -WITH-
DEMETRESS HARRELL Chief Executive Officer at Hospice in the Pines
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1
WHAT SONG ALWAYS MAKES YOU HAPPY WHEN YOU HEAR IT?
God is Able by Keith “Wonderboy” Johnson What is your motto in life?
If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would it be?
DEDICATED
3
Pretty Woman
May the works I have done speak for me.
If you could hire any actress to play you in a movie, who would it be?
ANGELA BASSETT
12
15
Favorite words of wisdom?
It is not what you expect, but it is what you inspect.
18
What was the last gift you gave someone?
CLOTHES
DUNCAN HINES
PROVIDE ENCOURAGING HUGS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS I COULD AND PRAY FOR UNITY AMONG ALL.
9
What would you tell your 18 year-old self?
GO TO LAW SCHOOL
16
W H AT I S YO U R FAV O R I T E M OV I E ?
LOVE & BASKETBALL
What is something you say that people would consider “your saying”?
What is the last thing you bought online?
SHOES
WHAT
CRUNCH 'N MUNCH
SUNSET
6
If you were the Pope for a day, what would you do?
What is your go-to chick flick?
7
IS YOUR FAVORITE MIDNIGHT SNACK?
4
Sunrise or Sunset?
Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines?
13
If y o u d in p e o p a liv e )
c n e le , w it
o u ld r w it (d e a h o w b e ?
14
I give you a chinchilla as a gift. What do you name it?
h a v e h 3 d o r o u ld
Oprah, Warren Buffett & Rosa Parks
17
I commend my team, you are exceptional & bless you
If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be?
GIRAFFE
Scary Whiskers – for the one day before I found it a new home, because I would be so afraid to pet it for any period of time.
Your purse is on fire and you can only save one thing. What would it be?
20
Who is your favorite person/ group to follow on social media? 1 - BANA ALABED 2. HOSPICE ACTION NETWORK 3. ROTARIANS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
MY CELL PHONE
FINDING PEACE
in the Hills
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A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121 I spent a year living alongside Mount Elgon in Mbale, Uganda. My year in Uganda was one that was full of culture shock. Every day I would walk around, or ride around on a motor bike taxi called a Piki-piki, and I would see, hear, feel, and experience things that were… well… shocking. Motor bikes that carried entire families (including a baby or two, a few chickens, and possibly some living room furniture) were just asking for a devastating accident. If there were any retail food laws, I couldn’t see them being enforced as I scooped flies out of my stew. The simplest daily activities turned into day long struggles, and keeping up a regular schedule and rhythm was impossible at times when I wasn’t sure if there’d be a city-halting celebration or if we’d even have electricity that day. It was a challenging year. A year of daily struggles. A year where I suffered through one of the most painful experiences of my life. A year where I found peace in the peaks and valleys of Mount Elgon. I connected that year with the author of Psalm 121. The Psalmist is led to seek the Lord in the hills and it is there that he confidently proclaims that his help comes from The Lord. That the Lord will watch over him and keep him from slipping. The Lord is with Him always and knows his coming and going. The words of this Psalm echoed in my mind as I led an exhausted group up a steep mountain side only to reach the top and meet a child with a backpack on and no shoes, who took an even more difficult path, every single day, just to get to and from school. This Psalm gave me security as I made my way down a very rickety, 100 foot long ladder, and then some impossibly smooth and slippery rocks in order to dive into an incredibly refreshing pool created by a powerful 300 foot tall waterfall. This Psalm led me into times of peace as I enjoyed several weekends at a secluded and rustic mountain retreat to play games, swing on vines, enjoy a beautiful hike, and rest with God. I found peace with God that year as I was challenged by some incredibly difficult experiences and led to deeper trust in my Lord and Savior who watches over my coming and going both now and forevermore.
Dan Grenier has been married to his beautiful wife, Jessica, for two years this March. He and Jessica moved to Luf kin a bit over a year ago to minister to the teens and families at Central Church of Christ. Dan grew up in Wellington, Colorado and is still adjusting to Texas heat and humidity, but the barbecue and Tex-mex keeps him content.
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G A N D Y N O T E S | T O U G H T O P I C S | E V E RY T H I N G E L S E | FA M I LY G A M E N I G H T
tim e | F A M I L Y
Photographed on location at The Mansion at Sawmill Lake
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, K A E R B G N ATE I R SP G E L BI N WRIT TEN BY
ANGELA GANDY
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Now that I’m a teacher, I get to relish in the perks of teacher-life. One of those amazing perks is Spring Break! I love being super lazy on my breaks and spending time with my kiddos in the bed watching movies and catching up on sleep, but something else I love to do is stay up late and binge watch TV shows. So unless you’ll be soaking up the sun somewhere, I want you to celebrate the upcoming Spring Break week and binge watch TV shows and movies with me!
TV SHOWS: SUITS TRANGE S THINGS R My husband got me hooked on
this show and it’s turned into one
of my favorite shows, ever. Catch up on all of the ins and outs of
the law-world while holding onto
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the
your seat!
past year, you’ve heard of this show. Trust me,
</scorpion </scorpion
it’s worth every rumor you’ve heard!
You can binge for a while on this CBS series
that has been on since 2014. Follow a team of
the
highly intelligent “mis-f its” while they partner
GoodDoctor
with Homeland Security and tackle some amazing world problems!
This is a new medical drama on ABC that
gives such a great insight into Autism. Are you intrigued? You should be!
FULLER HOUSE Don’t let me lose all my credit for my other picks by picking this, too (it’s my guilty pleasure). I can’t not watch The Tanner/Fuller Magic in this corny Netf lix series.
MOVIES:
wonder
THE
STAR
Whatever you do in
2018, don’t let this year pass you by without seeing this inspiring
This family-friendly movie was probably my favorite of
movie!
2017. Even if you’re not into animated movies, this is funny and interesting enough to keep everyone’s interest.
If you miss watching the X-Men series, then enjoy the background story of Logan with Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman.
LOGAN
THE
SH AC K
G R E AT E ST S HOW M A N THE
Albeit a controversial pick among some, the story is interesting and entertaining. If you enjoy heart-warming movies, this will def initely warm you up – just as long as it doesn’t make you “hot” with controversial feelings.
Musicals may not be your thing, but don’t let it
discourage you from this movie! Enjoy all the theatrics and music while under The Big Top.
Pop some popcorn and sit back and relax! If you have some of your favorite movies and TV shows, please share them with me (and maybe some popcorn). I’ll be binging along with you, too!
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Angela is a multi-tasking wife and mother of two boys who keep her on her toes. She loves a good story and enjoys writing. You can contact her at angelagandy@gmail.com.
A
PERFECT LIFE? WRIT TEN BY
PATR ICI A ( PAT ) TODD
If you scrolled through the Instagram feed of
that had been her dream.
19-year-old Madison ‘Maddy’ Holleran, you
But when Maddy’s Dad dropped her off to
would see a perfect life. She was a freshman
begin the spring semester, she seemed to be
at an Ivy League school (University of
back to her old self…positive and upbeat.
Pennsylvania) on a full athletic scholarship
She promised to f ind a therapist near
in track. She was beautiful, popular,
campus and to keep in close touch with her
f iercely intelligent and loved dearly by her
parents. Looking back, he remembers that
close family. This was a young woman who
she did seem to hug him longer than usual.
succeeded at everything she tried; she was
This would be the last time he would see his
just getting started. Her family described
daughter.
her as always happy and never seemed to
She called her Mother the next day and said
struggle at anything. In high school, she was
she was heading to the bookstore to buy
on a soccer team that won two state titles.
books for the new semester. Her Mother was
She then started running track and won the
relieved that she was getting back on the
state championship in the 800M.
grid and moving forward.
When Maddy came home on Christmas
Later in the day Maddy would take a picture
break,
of a tranquil setting in downtown Philly and
her
parents
noticed
something
was different. She had become somewhat
post it on Instagram. She continued walking
withdrawn and her thoughts centered on
to a parking garage at Spruce & 15th.
how she could change her life. She even
Maddy climbed nine f lights of stairs to the
contemplated transferring from the school
top. There were only 2 cars parked there
and no activity. She put her bag from the bookstore down.
Other factors that inf luence one’s vulnerability are: life
Instead of school books there were gifts she had gotten for
history (e.g.: childhood traumatic experience), diagnosed
her family and notes she had written. She left the gifts out
mental illness (e.g.: schizophrenia), lifestyle, poor job
in the open where they would be found. She also left a
security, relationship problems (e.g.: bullying), genetics
picture of her as a little girl holding a tennis racket.
and family history, extended illness often with chronic
It is thought that Maddy took a running leap over the metal
pain or a stressful event.
railing, clearing it like she had once cleared hurdles on the
Maddy’s story hones in on two factors that are unique to
track. She landed in the bike lane some distance from
this generation. One is the kind of PRESSURE that our
the building. Maddy died on January 17, 2014. Her death
young people experience in today’s competitive culture.
shocked family and friends and rocked the University of
There will be those who will thrive in such an environment.
Pennsylvania campus.
But there are others who won’t. The rate of suicide on the
One year after she died, Maddy’s family made the diff icult
college campus has risen drastically and the highest rate is
and brave decision to share her story: her chilling last
among the Ivy League schools. Even an honor student can
words, text messages, emails, and all other social media
feel shamed, isolated and worthless.
interaction. Their hope is that this will promote awareness
We must reach the point where, if our sons and daughters
about mental health and depression which oftentimes is
don’t live a ‘perfect’ experience, it’s not the end of the
only discovered when it’s too late. ESPN columnist Kate
world. We need to help them see it as an opportunity to
Fagan wrote a riveting book, What Made Maddy Run,
lift the sails and head in another direction. Our young
in
cooperation
Maddy’s
family.
with
people need to be reminded
The
over and over that there is
book looks at Maddy’s
ALWAYS a Plan B.
struggle with depression
The
second
and reveals the mounting
distinction
pressures young people,
generation
and in this case college
MEDIA.
athletes,
be
started
in
mental
face
to
perfect…especially an
age
of
relentless
with
major
in
today’s
is
SOCIAL
England a health
a
has
signif icant initiative
study
named
connectivity and social-
#Statusof Mind. Over 1500
media saturation.
young people aged 14-24
As
Alison
Overholt,
were surveyed on how social
Editor in Chief of ESPN
media
The Magazine, put it,
health and well-being issues
“How much do each of
such as anxiety, depression,
platforms
impact
us sift out our struggles
self-identity
and
image, such as Anorexia.
pare
away
our
and
body
personal truths each day as we work so hard to present a
Instagram, the image-saturated app with over 700 million
more perfect vision for critique by a social media-fueled
users worldwide, topped the list in terms of negative
world? Many of us ARE Maddy…. but for the grace of a
impact. The study went on to say, “it draws young people
few decisions or moments of support that placed us on a
to compare themselves against unrealistic, largely curated,
different path to a different outcome”.
f iltered and photo-shopped versions of reality.”
What causes someone to take their own life is of course
Social Media also negatively affects sleeping patterns and
very complex and there are factors that make some more
can encourage the “FOMO”: Fear of Missing Out. And
vulnerable than others.
the effects of Cyber-Bullying in and of itself could f ill a
Think of our veterans who often struggle with mental
book.
health issues, including PTSD and addiction. On an
How ironic that socializing behind a screen can be so
average, we lose 22 in our military to suicide EVERY DAY.
terribly isolating. Platforms that are supposed to help
young people connect may actually be fueling a mental
to our community. I’m also involved with the American
health crisis. So many of Maddy’s friends said, “But she
Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and take part
had a perfect life!” and it was mostly based on the prof ile
in their annual Overnight Walk while also coordinating
Maddy crafted on social media. This brings to mind a
a community walk. Each year we design a new Walking
quote that has always spoken to me: “COMPARISON is the Thief of Joy.” Sadly, there are no easy answers. But we must begin by raising TOUGH TOPICS and any STIGMA must lovingly be challenged.
for Scott shirt and the money raised
“COMPARISON is the Thief of Joy.”
After I lost my son, Scott, to suicide
goes to the AFSP. My Walking for Scott Facebook page is where I post relevant information, share my thoughts and announce any upcoming events. Twenty-two years ago when Scott died there were NO resources.
in 1996 I became a Licensed Professional Counselor. I am
We’ve come a long way, but we still have far to go. Just
now a fulltime Mental Health Advocate & have started
during the time I spent writing this article 30 people
the organization Walking for Scott. The response has
succeeded in taking their own lives in the United States
been unexpected and has given me so much hope. We are
alone.
currently working hard to bring mental health resources
A
BOUT the UTHOR PAT RICI A (PAT ) TODD
I was born and raised in Kirksville, Missouri.
epiphany. This tragedy was either going to shut me down....
After graduating from high school in 1970, I attended
or I needed to look for a way to put meaning to my pain.
Colorado State University and received a degree in Child
This is when I decided....at the age of 44....to go to graduate
Development in 1974.
school at SFASU and get into the f ield of counseling. I knew
I married Jansen Todd, a medical school student, shortly
it would be hard, because I still had 5 other children who
after my college graduation. In 1976 we moved to Luf kin
needed me. But I also knew that they needed a Mom who
where Jansen started a Family Practice.
didn't want to just curl up & die. It took me 2 years and
We were blessed with six children during a 9-year period,
in December 2000 I walked across the stage to receive
so I was a full time "plate spinner" ....especially after they
my Master's degree in Counseling. I went on from there
started being involved in extracurricular activities and
to become a Licensed Professional Counselor and had
such.
the privilege of going into private practice with Dr. Lois
On April 3, 1996, my life was forever changed. It was one
Gonzalez'.
of those harsh "before and after" events where you realize
During this time I facilitated our community's f irst support
that not only has your world changed, but also YOU as a
group for those who had lost a loved one to suicide. It was
person will never be the same. We lost our oldest son....
sponsored by Hospice in the Pines and was a HUGE leap
second oldest child....to suicide at the age of 17.....just 5 days
of faith for them to offer grief support for those who lost
before his 18th birthday.
someone to suicide. I'll be forever grateful to Demetress
In the midst of the turmoil, chaos and pain I had an
Harrell for trusting me with their endorsement. Our society
49 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
was f inally beginning to acknowledge that suicide is often the end result of long term mental illness. After about 15 years in private practice, I decided to go into Advocacy work full time. I am active in the American Foundation for Suicide Awareness (AFSP) and take part in their annual fundraiser that is known as the "Overnight Out of the Darkness Walk." You walk about 20 miles throughout the city beginning at dusk. It attracts people from all over the world and is hosted by a different city each year. Two years ago it was in Dallas....last year it was in NYC....this year we walked in San Diego...next year we'll be going to Chicago. Our goals are to raise awareness and to remember how our loved ones LIVED....not just how they died. I am also a part of a grass roots group that is striving to bring SUICIDE AWARENESS and more mental health resources to our community and to offer support to those who are dealing with a personal loss to suicide. We coordinated a "Walking for Scott" event in Luf kin that was the same day that I would be walking through the night in San Diego. It included speakers & a musician. We hope this grows year by year. I started a Facebook page earlier this year....Walking for Scott....as a way to provide a forum for my advocacy and a place to share the journey of my Great Sadness. I have been so humbled by how many have responded and shared their own stories. Twenty one years ago when we faced SUICIDE
there were no such
resources. None. I struggled with shame, guilt, and loss of self worth. The STIGMA was paralyzing. To be able to offer any kind of relief to others.... in turn... becomes healing for me.
R
ESOURCES:
SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE: 1.800.273.TALK (8255) CRISIS TEXT HOTLINE: Text ‘TALK’ to 741741 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website: www.afsp.org The AFSP OVERNIGHT WALK website: www.theovernight.org Walking for Scott Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/221261285013158/ Email: walkingforscott@gmail.com Instagram: @WalkingforScott
JUST TRUST ME WRIT TEN BY
K RIS
B AL L
I
love living here in East Texas. I love the scenery, the trees, and all the national forests. I enjoy the rivers and the lakes that our area has to offer. I enjoy all the wildlife that is native to East Texas. I also enjoy the weather for the most part. Typically, we have ten months of summer, one month of fall and one month of winter. But this year, for some reason, it seems winter has lasted six months. Some days it feels like we are stuck in a snow globe or something, with no sunshine in the forecast. It gets frustrating to get off work right at dusk then hurry home for 30 minutes of sunshine or to be trapped inside all weekend because it’s raining and cold outside. If you’re not careful, the dreary weather can affect your mood. It can make a four and six-year-old downright ornery. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not complaining. I’m simply saying that my family and I are ready for some vitamin D. Kids need to go outside and play. I’m ready for a garden. I’m ready for longer days and those precious summer memories. I’m ready for spring, and I’m sure our little boys are, too. When I think back throughout my childhood, most of the memories that pop up in my head are from summer. I remember some winter things, but the summer vacations, the company picnics with my dad, having to be called in from playing just to eat dinner, I remember those times vividly. My dad was in route sales up in Mt. Pleasant Texas. That’s where I spent my childhood and graduated high school. He had a large route which included all the small
surrounding towns in that area. It also included some larger ones like Paris and Sulphur Springs. The days that he went to those towns, he would stay overnight and spend two days working that area. If we were lucky, that overnight stay for a day meant a one night vacation at the fabulous Ramada Inn for me and my brother. Now this may sound like nothing to special by today’s standards, but in the mid 80’s, this might as well have been a trip to Disneyland for us. You see, in the 80’s motels were some of the few places that had cable TV. They had Nickelodeon, HBO, Saturday morning cartoons, and wrestling. This was a luxury that only the wealthy had back in the day. Motels also had pools. One of my fondest childhood memories with my father happened right there at the Ramada Inn pool in Paris, Texas. That’s where I first started swimming. I had taken swimming lessons and knew the basics, but I was just too afraid to try what I had learned in the deep end. I always stayed at the shallow end of the pool. I remember my dad holding onto the side of the pool with one hand, the other arm wrapped tightly around me. I was reluctant to let go, and I remember him asking, “What are you afraid of ? I’ll grab you if you go under. Just trust me.” I pushed off of him with one foot and began to kick and paddle frantically. I was almost swimming on top of the water. I paddled around for maybe ten seconds before he grabbed me and pulled me back against his chest. My head never went under water. “You see! I told you I wouldn’t let you go under!” My childhood was not perfect by any means; I’m not trying to paint that picture. I’m simply telling you of a time with my father that I hold close to my heart. I had plenty of opportunities to swim in other pools or at swimming lessons, but I never could let go of the side. A child’s trust in a father is an awesome thing. If a child can’t trust a parent, who can they trust?
53 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
We put our trust in strangers all the time, and we put our trust in the government, politicians and celebrities only to be let down. Some of us, including myself, feel that we were let down by that parent that we trusted so much. That happens, too. After all, parents are just humans like everyone else. I’ve let my wife and kids down in the past. It takes time to regain and rebuild trust. I had to prove to my family that a change had taken place in me, that I was different on the inside. I strive for progress, not perfection. There was a time in my life when I felt I couldn’t trust God, because he would let me down, too. I learned the hard way that my thinking was wrong. I realize now in my life, and I want to tell you, that The Father of the Universe is not like any man of this world. Maybe you had a bad experience with your father, a horrible childhood, or possibly a negative
idea of what church is supposed to be. That’s not God, that’s people that failed you. People will let you down; God never does. God says that he will never give up on us. God says that he wants us to succeed. God says that he loves all his children and will never forsake us. If you think God is a mean angry father who sits in a gold chair waiting to hand out punishments, then you have been misled. I’m telling you God is a loving father, and if you trust anything in your life, trust Him. Don’t spend your life holding onto the side of the pool. It doesn’t matter how deep the water is or what’s beneath the surface. God will not let your head go under. He promises. Just Trust him. In Mark 5:36 Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” Then he brought a little girl back from the dead….you might want to check that out.
54 | M A RC H 2 0 1 8
Kris Ball grew up in Mt. Pleasant, Texas but has called Luf kin his home for the past 20 years. He is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University. He brief ly toured as the Ringmaster for the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey circus.
He was
disbarred from the circus community after supporting the efforts to continue with live elephant performances.
Kris has been
married to his lovely wife, Leslie for 12 years. They have two boys, Brett who is 6 and Luke who is 4. In his spare time, he enjoys farming, hunting and coaching t-ball.
"GOD WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNDER."
Family Game Night is a favorite in our home. I love these simple, fun ideas for bringing families together!
ADD SOME TA ST Y TR E ATS TO YO U R FA M I LY’S G A M E N I G HT W ITH TH E S E C UTE A N D E A SY I D E A S!
SCRABBLE BROWNIES 1 package of brownie snack cakes (each package includes 6 brownies) 1 tube of prepared white icing, ready for piping Open the brownies and gently remove any toppings that might be there (nuts, sprinkles, etc.). Cut the brownie in half down the center line. Now cut each half into 4 equal squares. One wrapped brownie will give you 8 “scrabble squares”. Repeat this process with all 6 brownies. Plan out what letters you will write on your brownie pieces and pipe on the letters with the white icing. Display on a cutting board or lay a piece of parchment over a scrabble board and display the brownies there.
CHECKERBOARD SANDWICHES White bread Wheat bread Olives Grape tomatoes Sandwich f illing of your choice (pb&j, ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, etc.) Make 4 sandwiches with white bread and 4 sandwiches with wheat bread. Remove crust from each sandwich and cut into 4 squares. Layout sandwiches in a checkerboard pattern. Top one side with grape tomatoes and other side with black olives.
DARTBOARD PIZZA 2 ready- made pizza crusts 1 package of pepperonis 2 cups shredded mozzarella 1 jar pizza sauce Spread out pizza sauce over crust. Layout pepperonis in the shape of a dartboard. Sprinkle cheese in between each row of pepperoni. Bake according to pizza crust package instructions.
DOMINO TREATS 1 package of individually wrapped Rice Krispie Treats 1 tube of prepared black icing, ready for piping Open the rice krispie treats and set out on a platter. Using the black icing, draw a line down the center of each rectangle. Pipe domino patterns on each side of the treat. Enjoy!
P L A C E S & FA C E S
| YO U R C H A L L E N GE | YO U R JO U R N E Y
re a d e r ' s | S H O W C A S E
61 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
PLACES
&
FACES CH A M BE R BA NQU E T , C I N DE R E LLA A N D S T . C Y P R I A N ' S C O O K & S E RV E
( P L A C E S & FA C E S P H O T O S P R O V I D E D B Y L I S A C R O W )
63 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
p l a ces & fa ces | C H A M B E R B A NQU E T
Th e 9 8 t h A n n u a l C h a m b e r B a n q u e t fe a t u re d a re c ep t i o n , y e a r - in - re v i e w p rese n t a ti o n , a n d s t e a k dinn e r , i t t o o k p l a ce o n T h u r s d a y , Ja n u a r y 2 5 t h a t t h e P i t s e r G a r r i s o n Co n v e n t i o n Ce n t e r . T h e A n g e l i n a , G o l d e n A n v i l , a n d D ip l o m a t o f t h e Ye a r A w a r d s w e re a l so p rese n t e d du r ing th e b a n q u e t .
65 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
p l a ces & fa ces | C H A M B E R B A NQU E T
67 | T H E J O U R N E Y M AG A Z I N E
p l a ces & fa ces | C I N DE R E LLA
68 | M A RC H 2 0 1 8
T h e A n g e l i n a A r t s A l l i a n c e p re s e n t e d R o g e rs + Ha m m e rs t e i n ’ s CI N D E R E L L A o n Ja n u a r y 2 1 , 2 0 1 8 . Sp e c t a t o r s w e r e e n t e r t a i n e d w i t h l u s h p ro d u c t i o n fe a t u re s i n c l u di n g a n i n c re di b l e o r c h e s t r a , a “ m a g i c p u m p k i n ” , Ci n d e r e l l a ’ s g l a s s s l ip p e r , a m a s k e d b a l l a n d m o re ! It w a s t h e p e r fe c t e s c ap e fo r a ny o n e w h o ’ s e v e r h a d a w i s h , a d r e a m … o r a r e a l ly g r e a t p a i r o f s h o e s .
p l a ces & fa ces | C I N DE R E LLA
70 | M A RC H 2 0 1 8
p l a c e s & f a c e s | C O O K A N D S E RV E
72 | M A RC H 2 0 1 8
S t . Cy p r i a n ’ s Ep i s c o p a l C h u r c h ’ s Co o k a n d S e r v e i s a n o u t r e a c h m i n i s t r y g e a re d t o w a r d s h e lp i n g fe e d t h o s e i n n e e d i n o u r c o m m u n i t y . T h e y s e r v e t h e c o m m u n i t y e v e r y f o u r t h S a t u r d a y o f t h e m o n t h a t Jo n e s Pa r k f r o m 1 1 a m u n t i l 1 p m . If y o u w o u l d l i k e t o b e c o m e a p a r t o f t h i s m i n i s t r y a n d v o l u n t e e r y o u r t i m e , p l e a s e c o n t a c t Jo r d a n D i e t z a t j o r d a n @ s c e c l u f k i n . o rg o r b y p h o n e a t ( 93 6 ) 6 3 9 - 1 2 5 3 .
re a d e r ' s | S HOWCA S E
• South Loop Crossing • 4605 S Medford Dr • (936) 632-2333
St. Cyprian's Episcopal School received a Keep America Beautiful Youth & Education Award at Keep America Beautiful’s National Awards Ceremony, which took place during Keep America Beautiful’s National Conference in Dallas, Texas, Jan. 17-19, at the Fairmont Dallas. Pictured Left-Right... Mary Michael Todd, Millie Haney, Kate Trevathan, Helen Lowman- President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, Keegan Nash, Kade Jordan, and Alex Tiu.
your | C H A L L E N G E
e g n e l l a h C T he
hin g g u la e k a St ar t f li t t le w o h e e a nd s f ore e b y b s t im e goe c t ua ll y a e ’r u o y or k s W . p u g crac kin e. ever y t im
OMG‌ I really tried this and was for real laughing within about 15 seconds; day made!
DEDICATED MRI CENTER OF EAST TEXAS GROUNDBREAKING PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JIM JOHNSON, CHAMBER PRESIDENT; ROBERT LINDSEY, MD; KRISTOPHER MCCALL, MD; PETER ROSS, MD; JASON CARTER, MD; ROY GUSE, MD; MAYOR BOB BROWN; AND MARK DUNN , DUNN’S CONSTRUCTION "AT 6500’ YOUR PROBLEMS HAVE A WAY OF BECOMING VERY SMALL. FIND YOUR PASSION MY FRIENDS. THEN, SHARE IT WITH OTHERS." - BY MARK DUNN
CONGRATS TO KADE CLIFTON FOR MAKING TX SLAM BASEBALL TEAM! - BY STEPHANIE CLIFTON (YARD SIGNS BY CARD MY YARD THE WOODLANDS)
ARE YOU A PRO OR JUST A HOBBYIST? SHARE YOUR BEST PHOTOGRAPHY WITH US AND GIVE YOUR JOURNEY SOME EXPOSURE. SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHS WILL APPEAR IN THE JOURNEY MAGAZINE. PLEASE SEND YOUR HIGH RESOLUTION (300 DPI) IMAGES TO
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"THIS IS LIKE MEETING TAYLOR SWIFT!" (CHARLOTTE DEATON) - BY STEPHANIE OLIVER
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INCLUDE YOUR NAME, CONTACT INFORMATION AND ANY TITLE YOU WISH TO GIVE YOUR PHOTO. WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR JOURNEY IN THE BEST MAGAZINE!
ASA SHOWING OFF HIS CREATIVITY! - BY HILARY HAGLUND
WATCHING THE OUTSIDE WORLD! -BY KELLY HUDMAN
MOUNT BONNELL PARK - BY LYNN HOPPER
WOODLAND HEIGHTS ENJOYING JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BOWL-A-THON - BY JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF ANGELINA COUNTY
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TEAM ENJOYING A GREAT NIGHT AT JA BOWL-A-THON - BY JUNIOR ACHEIVEMENT OF ANGELINA COUNTY
GNO AT THE FREDONIA HOTEL - BY AMBER MICHELE
LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER! HAVING FUN AT ST. CYPRIAN'S MARDI GRAS BASH! - BY SAMIE LOVE MONTES
Prese n ts :
sp o r t s & | OU T D O OR S
FROM TH E FOU N DER | R E A LSI M-A N ICH E M A R KET | BEYON D TH E SHOT GU N | T EX AS T U R KEYS | A ROU N D TH E CAM PFI R E
CAPTURING MOMENTS by - BLAKE HAMILTON
Last spring, I took my daughter, Rivers, to
sp o r t s & o u t d o o r s | F R O M T H E F O U N D E R
the seed store and asked her what she wanted to plant. She said sunf lowers. So we bought a package of seeds, took them home to our backyard garden, and planted them together. She checked on them every day and was disappointed not seeing any results for the first couple of weeks. Then a stem finally poked through the soil, then a bud, and a f lower, and finally a huge sunf lower taller than her. The wonder of her discovering that fully-grown sunf lower was so special; I took out my phone and captured a photo of that moment. The past year was one of great personal loss, bookended by the death of my father in January and my grandfather in December. What I have learned more than anything is how precious life is, and how important it is to capture meaningful moments shared with loved ones while you have the chance. I have photos and videos of my daughter with my dad that I cherish so much now. I never knew those would be some of their last moments together, but that’s the brutal truth of life, you never do. It’s easier now than ever to take photos and videos, we all carry the necessary equipment in our pocket. I used to be horrible at remembering to stop for a second and take a photo, but I make it a point now to do just that when spending time
82 | M A RC H 2 0 1 8
sp o r t s & o u t d o o r s | F R O M T H E F O U N D E R
outdoors with my my wife, daughters, family and friends. I find that I’m most often moved to document my girls when we’re sharing time in nature because that’s where we like to share our time the most; whether we’re planting a spring garden, searching
for
antler
sheds,
checking
trail cameras, or just walking the woods together. It’s such a simple thing, taking a photo and capturing a moment; but something as simple as a photo can help you relive an experience and feel the presence of someone you’ve lost.
Don’t just take
photos of your family and friends; take photos with them.
Those will be the
moments they cherish one day.
"Don’t just take photos of your family and friends; take photos with them." 84 M A RC H 2 0 1 8
sp o r t s & o u t d o o r s | R E A L I S M - A N I C H E M A R K E T
REALISM - A Niche MarketE by - MATT PERSONS
In the technologically advanced world that we live in today, it is tough for anyone to come up with anything that somebody has not already combed over. The same holds true for turkey hunters. With calls made to fit any hunter young or old, from beginner to old pro, it is hard to find a place in the business that is specialized for you. Today’s call makers do an excellent job making calls to fit most any turkey hunter. Heck, you don’t really even have to be a turkey hunter to have a decent idea on how to run a turkey call. With the popularity of our sport growing seemingly by the second, any “Average Joe” can turn on the TV and find somebody running a yelper of some sort. With this kind of competition, one must find their “niche” to have any hopes of survival. I am confident that the vast majority of turkey hunters arrived at their first opinion of how a hunter should sound on a turkey call from some person during the poult stage of their career as a turkey hunter. Most everyone was at least shown the ropes by someone who was more experienced in the spring woods. From these people we likely heard some of our first turkey calling, sitting next to some tree, in an area where someone had likely heard or seen some turkeys within a reasonable timeframe prior to the hunt. Therefore, effective or not, we concluded that whatever sounds they were making on that call were the sounds that needed to be made in order to kill turkeys – with that exact rhythm and cadence no matter how much the sound resembled the desperate, pleading whales of a dog hung in a wire fence. Now, let’s freeze the scenario, step back, and examine what is happening here. We have our (hopefully patient) grizzled veteran teacher sitting against a tree, going through the “be stills” and whispers with his green, rookie pupil, who is soaking up each passing second like a Brawny paper towel on a two liter coke explosion. A great thing is happening here; something that happens every year – someone new is being introduced to our great sport. While they may not leave here with eighteen pounds of dead gobbler over their shoulder, what they will leave with is a sound ringing in their mind of how their teacher ran his calls that morning. After the hunt, said pupil will retreat to his/her local sporting goods store and buy a fortune’s worth of calls and hunting videos to give them further opinions on how they should sound on their fortune’s worth of calls. This is all well and good, but, at the end of the day, what has said pupil learned? They have learned to make their calls sound just like what they are – somebody yelping on a turkey call. Here is where many turkey killers have found their “niche market”, and when I say turkey killers I mean – people that call turkeys to the gun, year in and year out, like they carry, in their back pocket, a drink from the wild turkey fountain of youth and gobblers must commit suicide to get a taste. That “niche” is realism. Sounding like a hen turkey can be one the deadliest tools that a hunter can acquire. The in-depth, comprehensive study of realism is just that- an in-depth, comprehensive, ongoing study. Each and every note of every yelp, every pitch variation, the pauses in every cutting sequence, the length of the front end of a yelp note, depth of rasp on the bottom end of a yelp note, there is an entire list of factors that play into realism when it comes to wild turkey vocalizations. True realism can only be accomplished by listening to, studying, and understanding live hen turkey talk. Turkeys are just like people, each individual turkey – hen, jake, or gobbler – has his or her own voice, they each have their own way of carrying out their “words”, and, therefore, their own personalized way of executing the wild turkey language. What you have to find during your study of this language is your own definition of realistic turkey talk – what pitch, rhythm, and cadence is most repetitive and sounds most realistic to you. Upon making this determination, it is then up to you to tune you’re calling to mimic those sounds. The discovery and application of true realism has been a turning point in the career of many turkey hunters and the demise of many bad turkeys, as well. Some have been quoted saying that realistic turkey vocalizations will kill turkeys nothing else will. Take the wise, hardened, battle worn gobblers on public land for instance. If you walk in before daylight and setup on the public land bird that you roosted the evening prior and everything is perfect, but your first call to him that morning sounds just like every other Tom, Dick, or Harry yelping on some big name brand friction call that you picked up on your last trip to the local sporting goods store, guess what… He did not make it until today by f lying down and running to the pleading beckons of any of those guys, and unless you were beaten over the head with the lucky stick before leaving the house this morning, he probably is not coming to you either. However, if he hears your call and with each passing note listens a little closer and by the end of the forth note of your first yelp he is convinced that you are a long lost acquaintance of his that was conveniently displaced during the night to within 125 yards of him by an owl fight gone bad, then you may be onto something! Some of the best advice that a turkey hunter can possibly heed is to go out and buy live turkeys, one of the many available recordings of live turkeys, or make your own recordings of live turkeys, and study their vocalizations. Conform every cluck and purr and each note of every yelp to sound like that of a live hen turkey and you will increase your odds of being more successful. With a record number of people hitting the woods in pursuit of the wild turkey each year, and the number of educated gobblers growing with every passing hour, realism does and will continue to kill more and more turkeys each and every season.
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BEYOND the Shotgun
For us true turkey hunters, our season with shotgun lasts but a few brief months. But our hunting skill and learning of the species can continue past the season by staying in the woods with a camera. As a nature photographer, my interest in learning the behavior of America's largest game bird, the North American wild turkey, has evolved into a year-round experience.
sp o r t s & o u t d o o r s | B E Y O N D T H E S H O T G U N
God's grace has allowed me all six species of wild turkey: the Eastern, the Osceola in Florida, the Rio Grande in Texas, and Merriam's from the New Mexico mountains; the largest, the Gould’s, from deep within old Mexico, as well as the smallest, the ocellated species from the lower jungles of the Yucatan. The Grand, Super, and World Slam, right? Yeah, big deal you might think. But, for those of us who live and breathe turkeys, we are of a wee bit different breed. On any given turkey hunt, no doubt it's a great hunt to call in a gobbler and take him with shotgun at 25 yards. But we must be reminded these great birds survive day and night, 24-7, 365 days each year in the wild. Each season those who survive get wiser, and much more cautious. Our learning curve of any species of wild turkey does not have to stop at the end of the hunting season. For me, and many others, our personal quest of learning more of this most elusive creature can continue by observing their yearly cycle that Mother Nature has ingrained into their genetics through their evolution. I love nature photography, and thus personally take time to hunt turkey year-round with a camera. Whether you use a camera, or just enjoy being outdoors, learning the different patterns of nature’s annual rituals can expand your knowledge for your next shotgun season. Photographing wild turkey in their natural settings in any season can be a challenge. My off-season photographic sessions are set up identically as if I were hunting in spring. First, locate the birds. This could be on your deer lease, a National Forest, or a hike into any woods where you have access. Just as in spring hunting, first and foremost is your setup! Cover yourself and camera equipment to be completely camouf laged. Only the lens opening should be visible. You should be covered head to toe. This is more tedious than only concealing yourself with a gun in spring hunting season. At times it's wise to use a leafy camo covering draped over you and the camera. Think of where the light will be coming from. Set up with the sun at your back. It is critical to take the time and set up properly. Your camera's settings must be preset, as you won't be able to move once the birds come in. I personally would recommend using auto ISO, f 8, and setting the exposure to 1/1000th of a second. Why 1/1000 of a second? It will freeze all movement. It's horrible to have gone to all this effort and get a great capture, only to later find blurred images. Calling in birds is a bit different than spring hunting. Use your slate, box, mouth call, or even the old wing bone. Whichever you control the best according to wind and weather. The idea here is attract them to come and investigate your location. Use only clucks and purrs, with an occasional "slight" yelp series, but do not over call. Remember, we are speaking their language in the off-season. Every sound is more subtle and they are on wide open survival mode. The hens are rearing their chicks, and they certainly do not want to draw attention to predators. The first-year-old Jakes have found their group, and the 2- and 3-year-olds tend to run together. And even the older Gobblers will tolerate each other and stay in a loosely formed small group. All is done for protection purposes; the more eyes and ears, the greater protection from all predators. But, with the old Gobblers, one can sense they'd all rather be left alone and on their own. At times they will get into a fight for pecking order. These off-season fights can last up to an hour. It is most impressive to witness. Be very patient, don't move, listen at each pine needle hitting the ground, and at the first sound of a turkey cluck, slowly face yourself in that direction. If you don't, you most likely will never get the camera on them. Once you can see them, they can see you. And their eyesight is many times sharper than ours.
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Focus your camera on their eye or head by using the smallest spot metering focus on your camera. If weeds or low hanging limbs are in the way try focusing at an object next to them. If they give you a clear body view, then refocus on the body, again, preferably on the head. Keep shooting and refocusing between shots. Remember, they blink, too. One could get their eyes closed or miss a quick semi-strut and fanning of the tail scene. When the birds are some distance out, and start to come, use a soft putt or purr from your call. Off-season is timid calling. Remember, they do not want to attract predators. Think caution, and call with caution, very softly. Unless there’s a heavy wind, they will hear you and come to have a look. If they start to move towards your setup, stop calling and start photographing. Only call again if they seem to lose interest in your position and start to go away from you.
sp o r t s & o u t d o o r s | B E Y O N D T H E S H O T G U N
Photos can be taken with any camera. However, to get that quality shot of a lifetime, that no citydweller ever imagines, a long lens will bring them in, up close and personal. I personally use the Canon system, and rely on a 100-400mm zoom, or a 150-600 mm zoom for this type of setup. Why a zoom lens? A fixed Prime lens cannot change its magnification, and you cannot move to change to a different lens. By using a zoom lens it allows for photos across a field, or by a slight turn of the lens, to capture them at much closer distances. If you use video equipment, all of the above applies as well. Enjoy our great outdoors, and learn a little from each outing. Always use an insect repellent, Deet 40 or higher on your outer clothing to prevent insect bites and possibly infection. "A day in the country is worth a month in town". If any readers have questions on the photographic equipment, lens, settings, etc., feel free to contact me. I will do my best to personally assist. Ben Stanford bendstanford@gmail. NWTF Houston Chapter Committee Member
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TEXAS TURKEYS Turkeys have a storied history in Texas. It is believed that they were quite abundant in the state when it existed as a vast region of wilderness, but populations declined as settlers moved in removing their habitat and hunting them without restraint. Their populations were eliminated altogether in some areas, but over the years efforts have been made to restore habitat and reintroduce the birds where they once thrived. Turkey hunters have now become the greatest champions of conserving turkey
sp o r t s & o u t d o o r s | T E X A S T U R K E Y S
habitat. There are two species of wild turkeys, the North American wild turkey (Melaeagris gallopavo) and the ocellated turkey (Melaeagris ocellata), which is native only to the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico.
The North
American species is diversified geographically into six different subspecies. Three of these subspecies thrive across different regions of Texas. As their common name implies, the eastern turkey (M. g. silvestris) can be found in the Pineywoods region of the easternmost part of the state. The Merriam’s turkey (M. g. merriami) is confined mainly to the mountainous Trans Pecos region in the westernmost part of the state. The Rio Grande turkey (M. g. intermedia) is the most abundant in the state, and is found throughout central Texas from Oklahoma to Mexico. These elusive game birds all pose their own set of challenges to hunters. Their subtle variations in plumage make them each a unique prize.
Some hunters set
lifelong goals to pursue every subspecies. Whether or not you’re hunting them, they are magnificent to behold and fascinating to watch. Consider joining a local chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and supporting their conservation efforts.
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G sp o r t s & o u t d o o r s | A R O U N D T H E C A M P F I R E
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There’s nothing quite like gathering around a campfire to share stories and experiences from our time outdoors. We’d like to invite you to share your stories with us here by submitting photos of you and your loved ones enjoying the outdoors. Whether they’re snaps from a weekend camping trip, proof of a conquered hike, or a trophy shot of your kid with their first fish, we want to see them! We know there’s a great community of outdoors enthusiasts in East Texas, and we’d love to see what you’re up to! Submit photos on our Facebook page, or post on Instagram using the hashtag #journeyout, and we’ll choose the best to print here every month!
SUBMIT PHOTOS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, OR POST ON INSTAGRAM USING THE HASHTAG #JOURNEYOUT, AND WE’LL CHOOSE THE BEST TO PRINT HERE EVERY MONTH! ENJOYING THE CAMPFIRE AND THE COLD EVENING - BY CHRIS PORTER
LOVE ME SOME WINTER TIME FISHING!! - BY RYAN WILLIAMS 2
We’re making it easier to see a primary care doctor in Lufkin.
Adult medicine physician Sushma Arramraju, M.D., is here to help you become your healthiest self. She focuses on adult patients, providing preventive care and treating conditions that range from everyday illnesses to diabetes, heart disease and COPD. Ask about same-day appointments. Call 936-634-8827 or visit WHInternalMedicine.com to schedule an appointment.
Sushma Arramraju, M.D. Board-Certified in Internal Medicine 10 Medical Center Blvd., Suite B • Lufkin, TX 75904 Member of the Medical Staff at Woodland Heights Medical Center. Woodland Heights Medical Center is owned in part by physicians.
MARCH 2018
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