Heart of Texas Today

Heart Of Texas Today May -June 2015

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Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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Heart Of Texas Today May-June 2015

Publisher Alice Sadler Graphics & Production Golden Monkey Productions Head Writer David Blackburn

My ddog winks M i k att me sometimes… ti And I always wink back in case it’s some kind of code 5 Obamacare Update: 2015 Accountable Care Act IRS Checks And Balances 7 New Regulations for Mortgage Loans 9 Do Standards Matter When It Comes to Car Repairs?

10 Benefit Solutions Offers a New Air Ambulance Membership for Texans 12 Summer Garden Tips 14 KCCAC-Kerr Christian Action Council 17 Temper Tantrums 18 A Texas State of Mind…

A Short Story from a Tall Texan: It Came Out of the Sky

Contributing Writers Kelly Dooley David LeMeilleur Denise LeMeilleur Lainie Johnson Todd E. Peter R. D. Shade TD Cooper Michael McGroarty Illustrator Old Dogs, New Tricks Layne Roach Cover Photography Courtesy of Todd E. Peter

22 Me-Ma & the Shopping Trip 26 Backyard Picnic Recipes 28 Old Dogs, New Tricks

To Advertise Call 830-370-9257 www.heartof texastoday.com

The Opinions expressed in Heart Of Texas Today are those of the advertisers and writers.

And not necessarily those of this magazine.

2EDPDFDUH 8SGDWH 2015 Accountable Care Act IRS Checks and Balances I know most of you just recently completed your 2014 tax returns, so the last thing you want to contemplate is filing next year’s return. However, there have been some important changes that everyone needs to be aware of. Many individuals have provided inaccurate information in the past in order to receive advance premium tax credits on the Health Insurance Marketplace, or to avoid penalties for not complying with the Individual Mandate. On your next tax return the honor system and loopholes have been replaced by a comprehensive benefits reporting system. Benefits information will now be reported to the IRS in a fashion similar to income and wages. Your insurance company or employer that provides benefits will be required to file a Form 1095 with the IRS and provide you with a copy for your taxes, just like your Form W-2 or Form 1099 for income that you currently receive. This system is designed to insure compliance with the Individual Mandate, and to insure that applicable large employers comply with the Employer Mandate. These checks and balances, coupled with stiff penalties, will make the Affordable Care Act much more difficult to circumvent.

Another ACA Casualty

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Mr. Peter is a Registered Health

Assurant just announced that Assurant Health will no longer issue health insurance policies in 2016. Unlike some of the larger insurance carriers, Assurant Health primarily focused on individual and small group health insurance plans. However, they have suffered financially like many other smaller health plans as a direct result of the Affordable Care Act. The ACA eliminated medical underwriting in the individual and small group health insurance market and reduced plan flexibility through increased benefit mandates and limitations. Also, the ACA requires 80% of premiums to be spent on medical claims. Therefore, it has become nearly impossible for smaller companies to compete. Assurant has said that if it doesn’t find a buyer, it will simply shut down operations.

Unfortunately, Texas has lost another health insurance option.

Underwriter, Registered Employee Benefit Consultant, Chartered Health Care Consultant, Small Group Specialist and has been recognized as one of the top health insurance producers in the nation by the National Association of Health Underwriters. Mr. Peter is the owner of Benefit Solutions located in Kerrville, TX. He provides free consultations by appointment.

Employer Sponsored Coverage

(830) 896.3727

Are you currently reimbursing your employees for their individual health insurance policy? These arrangements do not satisfy the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “market reforms� and may make you subject to a $100 per day excise tax per applicable employee (which is $36,500 per year, per employee) under the federal tax code. See IRS Notice 2013-54.

Seek advice from a healthcare specialist and begin planning now.

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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Joann Faust, Agent (830)-329-2902 Joann@ShermanCo.com

Ed Hamilton, Broker Assoc.

Kelly Dooley, Agent (830) 459-0452 Kelly@ShermanCo.com

(830) 739-0056 Ed@ShermanCo.com

SHERMAN & CO., REALTORS ® 819 WATER STREET ONE SCHREINER CENTER 68,7( ‡ .(559,//( 7; OFFICE: 830-257-7588

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+,*+ 9,6,%,/,7< &200(5&,$/ $&5( SURSHUW\ in Kerrville. City utilities available. 0/6 Or FDQ VHOO DV WZR VHSDUDWH DFUH ORWV DW HDFK. Call Ed RU .HOO\ $&5( %8,/',1* 6,7( ,1 +817 Area of nice homes. +2$ ULYHU SDUN DQG DFUH DUHD IRU KLNLQJ ELUGLQJ HWF 5('8&(' WR 0/6 &DOO .HOO\ %5,1* <285 +256(6 %8,/' <285 '5($0 +20( RQ WKLV OHYHO DFUH ORW LQ DUHD RI QLFH KRPHV MXVW RXWVLGH .HUrville city limits. Reasonable restrictions. No mobiles.

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www.ShermanCo.com

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79.48 Acres

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WHEN ONLY THE BEST WILL DOâ&#x20AC;Ś It takes this hilltop Tuscan home on 79+ rolling ag exempt acres located just outside Kerrville city limits. Wonderful views from the large covered back patio. Fenced & cross-fenced property great for horses or cattle. 1600-sq. ft. storage barn or workshop.

Offered at $1,750,000. MLS #82673.

Call Joann Faust or Kelly Dooley to schedule your private tour!

NEW REGULATIONS FOR MORTGAGE LOANS

by Kelly Dooley, Realtor ÂŽ

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*HW \RXU 5LGH 5HDG\ IRU WKH 5RDG COMPLETE AUTOMOBILE, TRUCK & RECREATIONAL VEHICLE Maintenance, Repairs & Services Gas/Diesel includes all Chassis Repairs, Gas & Diesel RV Oil Changes, ROOFTOP & DASH Air Conditioners Maintenance Inspections & Generators

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DO STANDARDS MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO CAR REPAIRS?

By Denise LeMeilleur

When it comes to car repairs it is important you take your vehicle to a repair facility where they invest in training and have certification or schooling to work on the complex vehicles manufactured today.

Accreditation should matter to the end user in the repair industry because of the complexity of the repairs including routine maintenance. ASE certification is a standard used to measure technicians, it is an indicator your technician is a professional who has passed a series of tests or just one, but knowledge has been applied to receive this certification. This stigma of a mechanic getting their education the old way, hands on or under a shade tree, is no longer applicable to the car of the 21st century.

Today a technician needs to understand computer diagnostics, emissions control, electrical components, and you don't get this type of training working under a shade tree. No, this comes from constantly staying up to date on how vehicles are being manufactured and knowing the right tools to diagnose a problem, understanding the solution and being able to fix it. Does certification matter, you bet it does! Especially when you are putting your family or your employee behind the wheel of a vehicle every day.

ASE certification is not a designation for life, all ASE credentials have expiration dates, and ASE requires automotive service professionals to retest every five years to demonstrate a commitment to continuing education and stay abreast of continually changing technologies in order to retain certification.

When you are choosing a shop for your vehicle repairs consider asking this question, "What sort of ASE certification do your technicians have?” If they do not have any this could be a clue they will not be able to diagnose and fix the issues with your late model vehicle. They may be a shop where they "throw parts until it starts" at your expense. National standards for any industry help the consumer and separate the competition from those who can’t to those who can. Another good question to ask your repair shop is "how much training do you send your technicians to?” If they can’t answer this question you have to wonder will they know what to do when it comes to your vehicle. ASE certification certifies the technician, not the shop where they work, however, it stands to reason, shops who hire ASE technicians are usually involved in keeping abreast of training, they see themselves as Professionals and they raise the bar for other repair facilities.

Tony Molla with ASE states; “Qualified technicians are the backbone of any repair establishment,”! As an ASE World Class Technician, David LeMeilleur, owner of LeMeilleur's RV Truck and Equipment Repair Co., agrees with Tony and he also states; Standards alone do very little for the technician. For them to drive achievement and positive results for the consumer they obviously need to be implemented, which means technicians need hands on experience, continuing education (training) and ASE certification to show the consumer they have what it takes to do the repair correctly the first time." Standards matter! Standards affect all of us, every day of our lives. Whenever we use a product or service, there’s a good chance there’s a standard to cover it, there are standards for all kinds of things. Put simply, standards make things better: safer, higher quality; they foster trust and build confidence in the organization that believes in achieving and maintaining a "Higher Standard".

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015 Heart of Texas Today | September - October

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Don't be afraid to trim those flowering shrubs and trees that need it. Failure to prune is probably the biggest gardening mistake a person can make. I spent 20 years landscaping homes and businesses, and I watched people make the investment in my services, then they failed to prune when the plants needed it, and before you know it their landscape looks terrible.

If you make a mistake pruning, don't worry about it. It's like a bad haircut, it will grow out. Of course use common sense and read the previous articles that I've written on pruning.

Along with summer time comes high humidity. High humidity can cause a lot of problems with the plants in your garden and around your house. One of the simple things you can do is don't water just before dark. Make sure your plants are nice and dry when you tuck them in for the night and you can cut down of the chance fungus being a problem.

One of the more common fungi that I get asked about a lot is powdery mildew. This appears as a white film on the leaves of ornamental plants. Dogwoods and Purple Sandcherry are often the victim of powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew isn't extremely harmful to the plants, it's just that the foliage is damaged, and little growing takes place once it sets in. Your local garden center will have a general fungicide you can spray if you'd like to try and control it. Usually once the plant defoliates in the fall the plant is back to normal.

If you have Perennial Rye Grass in your lawn, and you probably do if you're in the north, you must be careful not to leave your grass wet at night. There is a fungus known as Pythium Blight that appears in very humid conditions. This fungus attacks and kills perennial rye grasses. Here in the north most of our lawns are a blend of fescues, perennial ryes, and Kentucky Blue Grass.

If you have problems with pythium blight you will lose the perennial rye grass in large areas of your lawn, and even though the other grasses will still be there and fill in, your lawn will have areas that are much darker green than the rest of the lawn because you will then have concentrations of Kentucky Blue grass.

You can see this fungus in the early morning. It looks like white cotton candy laying on top of your lawn. It usually appears along walks and driveways where the soil is the wet if you have been watering. To prevent pythium blight, water as early in the day as possible.

Another nasty little blight that likes summer time is Fire Blight. Fire Blight attacks ornamentals, especially Apple trees, Crabapple trees, Cotoneasters, and Pyracantha.

You know you have Fire Blight when a branch on one of your plants dies and turns almost red. The leaves

12

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

usually hang on but turn reddish brown. The damage usually starts out near the end of the branch and works its way toward the main stem of the plant. There is little you can do except prune out the affected branch, cutting it as far back as possible.

Fire Blight is very contagious to plants so you should burn the branches you prune out. You should also dip or wash your pruning shears in rubbing alcohol after each cut to keep from spreading this deadly fungus.

Unfortunately, I've got one more summer time culprit to warn you about. It's a handy little fungus that grows in mulch. Actually there are all kinds of fungi that tend to grow in mulches, and most of them are really disgusting looking. But this little gem is unique in the fact that as it grows it tends to swell. Then somehow it manages to explode, and it will spatter your house with tiny brown specks. The experts have appropriately named this one “Shotgun Fungus”. Isn't that a cute name?

These tiny little brown specks will fly as high as eight feet into the air, and once they stick to your house or windows, they stick like glue. I know that right now there are people hollering across the house at their spouse, “Hey, remember those brown specks all over the house?

I know what they are. It's from the mulch!” Tell me I'm wrong, but I know I'm not.

A lot of people are victims of this nasty little fungus, but they don't know it. All they know is that there are tiny brown specks on the house that look like paint. So far they have blamed everything from spiders to aliens.

There's not a lot you can do to prevent this fungus. I have found that if you keep the mulch loose so air can circulate it is less likely to grow fungi. Don't just keep adding layer after layer to the mulch around your house.

You should skip at least every other year and just loosen the mulch you already have down. If you loosen it and then rake it flat it will look like you've just mulched.

Mulch is great, just don't let it get packed down hard.

Loosen it up at least once a year.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter. Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com

“People will forget What you said, People will forget what you did, But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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<Ğƌƌ ŽƵŶƚLJ ŚƌŝƐƟĂŶ ĐƟŽŶ ŽƵŶĐŝů d, WƌĞŐŶĂŶĐLJ ZĞƐŽƵƌĐĞ ĞŶƚĞƌ ϳϬϰ :ĞīĞƌƐŽŶ ^ƚƌĞĞƚ͕ <ĞƌƌǀŝůůĞ͕ dy ϳϴϬϮϴ ϴϯϬ-ϳϵϮ-5644 ƚŚĞƉƌĞŐŶĂŶĐLJƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞĐĞŶƚĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ &ĂĐĞŬ͘ĐŽŵͬŚŝůůĐŽƵŶƚƌLJƉƌĞŐŶĂŶĐLJƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ < ĞdžŝƐƚƐ ƚŽ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ƉƌĞŐŶĂŶĐLJ ĂŶĚ ƉĂƌĞŶƟŶŐ ƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ƚŽ ĨĂŵŝůŝĞƐ ŝŶ dĞdžĂƐ ĞŶĂďůŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶƐ ƚŚĞLJ ǁŝůů ŶŽƚ ƌĞŐƌĞƚ ƌĞŐĂƌĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ƉůĂŶŶŝŶŐ͘ ϯ͕ϴϬϬ ďĂďŝĞƐ ĂƌĞ ŬŝůůĞĚ ĞǀĞƌLJ ĚĂLJ ŝŶ ƚŚŝƐ ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ ͙ ƚŚƌĞĞ ĞǀĞƌLJ ŵŝŶƵƚĞ͘ tĞ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶůLJ ůŝŶĞ ŽĨ ĚĞĨĞŶƐĞ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚŝƐ ĂďŽŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ <Ğƌƌ ŽƵŶƚLJ͘ tĞ ŚĞůƉ ǁŝƚŚ ŵĂŶLJ ƉƌĞŐŶĂŶĐLJ ŝƐƐƵĞƐ͕ ďƵƚ ǁĞ ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůLJ ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ƌĞĂĐŚ ĂďŽƌƟŽŶ ǀƵůŶĞƌĂďůĞ ǁŽŵĞŶ͘ tĞ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ĨƌĞĞ ƉƌĞŐŶĂŶĐLJ ƚĞƐƚƐ ͙ ŽǀĞƌ ϱϬϬ ĞĂĐŚ LJĞĂƌ͘ ŶĚ ǁĞ ŽīĞƌ ĨƌĞĞ ƐŽŶŽŐƌĂŵƐ ͙ ŵŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϭ͕ϬϬϬ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉĂƐƚ ƚŚƌĞĞ LJĞĂƌƐ͘ DŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϵϬй ŽĨ ƚŚŽƐĞ ǁŽŵĞŶ ŚĂǀĞ ĐŚŽƐĞŶ ůŝĨĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ďĂďŝĞƐ͊ tĞ ĂƌĞ ĚŽŝŶŐ Ă ŐŽŽĚ ũŽď͘ EŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞƐĞ ǁŽŵĞŶ ŚĂǀĞ ĞdžƉƌĞƐƐĞĚ ĂŶLJ ƌĞŐƌĞƚ ŽǀĞƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ ƚŽ ŐŝǀĞ ďŝƌƚŚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞŝƌ ďĂďLJ͘ ^ŽŵĞ ŚĂǀĞ ĐŚŽƐĞŶ ƚŽ ƉĂƌĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐŽŵĞ ŚĂǀĞ ĐŚŽƐĞŶ ƚŽ ƉůĂĐĞ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĐŚŝůĚ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĂƌŵƐ ŽĨ Ă ůŽǀŝŶŐ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ǁŚŽ ŝƐ ǁĞůů-ĞƋƵŝƉƉĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ Ă ƉĂƌĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ŐŝǀĞ ƚŚĂƚ ĐŚŝůĚ ƚŚĞ ůŝĨĞ ŝƚ ŚĂƐ Ă ƌŝŐŚƚ ƚŽ͘ tĞ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ƚŚŽƵƐĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ ŚŽƵƌƐ ƉĞƌ LJĞĂƌ ŝŶ ƉĂƌĞŶƟŶŐ ĐůĂƐƐĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĂůůŽǁ ĐůŝĞŶƚƐ ǁŚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ĐŚŽƐĞŶ ƚŽ ƉĂƌĞŶƚ ĞĂƌŶ ĐůŽƚŚĞƐ͕ ĐĂƌ ƐĞĂƚƐ͕ ƐƚƌŽůůĞƌƐ ͕ ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶƐ ŽĨ ĚŝĂƉĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŵƵĐŚ ŵŽƌĞ ǁŚŝůĞ ůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ďĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ƉĂƌĞŶƚ ƚŚĞLJ ĐĂŶ ďĞ͘ tĞ ŽīĞƌ ŵŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϮϬϬ ĐůĂƐƐĞƐ ƵƐŝŶŐ ƌĞĐŽŐŶŝnjĞĚ ĐƵƌƌŝĐƵůƵŵ ĨƌŽŵ ƌ͘ < >ĞŵĂŶ͕ ƌ͘ d͘ WŚĞůĂŶ͕ ƌƐ͘ ůŽƵĚ Θ dŽǁŶƐĞŶĚ ĂŶĚ ŽƚŚĞƌƐ͘

^ŝdžƚLJ-ƚŚƌĞĞ ƉĞƌĐĞŶƚ ŽĨ Ăůů ǁŽŵĞŶ ǁŚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ĂďŽƌƟŽŶƐ͕ ĚŽ ƐŽ ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ ƐŽŵĞŽŶĞ ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞĚ ƚŚĞŵ ŝŶƚŽ ŝƚ͘ ĂĐŚ ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶ ŝƐ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ͕ ďƵƚ ǁĞ ǁŽƌŬ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ĞǀĞƌLJ ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ĞĂĐŚ ĐůŝĞŶƚ͘ tĞ ǁĂůŬ ǁŝƚŚ ŚĞƌ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ďĞƐƚ ĨŽƌ ŚĞƌ͘ tĞ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ƉƌĞƐƐƵƌĞ͕ ǁĞ ũƵƐƚ ŚĞůƉ ŚĞƌ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ĂŶ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĞĚ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ͘ KŶĐĞ ƐŚĞ ŬŶŽǁƐ Ăůů ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨĂĐƚƐ ĂŶĚ Ăůů ŽĨ ŚĞƌ ŽƉƟŽŶƐ͕ ǁĞ ďĞůŝĞǀĞ ƐŚĞ ǁŝůů ĐŚŽƐĞ ǁŚĂƚ ŝƐ ďĞƐƚ ĨŽƌ ŚĞƌ ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶ͘ tĞ ĂƌĞ ŶŽŶ-ũƵĚŐŵĞŶƚĂů ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶĮĚĞŶƟĂů ŝŶ Ăůů ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞ ĚŽ ͙ ĂŶĚ ŝĨ ƐŚĞ ĐŚŽŽƐĞƐ ĂďŽƌƟŽŶ͕ ǁĞ ŝŶǀŝƚĞ ŚĞƌ ƚŽ ĐŽŵĞ ďĂĐŬ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƌ , Zd ZĞĐŽǀĞƌLJ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ ĨŽƌ ŚĞĂůŝŶŐ͘ tĞ ĂƌĞ Ă ďĞĂĐŽŶ ŽĨ ŚŽƉĞ ƚŽ ĨƌŝŐŚƚĞŶĞĚ ǁŽŵĞŶ ͕ ŚĞůƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ ƚŽ ƚĂŬĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŽů ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ ůŝǀĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚŝƐ ŵĂũŽƌ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ͘ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ ƚŚĞLJ ǁŽŶ͛ƚ ƌĞŐƌĞƚ ůĂƚĞƌ ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ ƚŚĞLJ ĚŝĚŶΖƚ ŚĂǀĞ Ăůů ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨĂĐƚƐ͘ KŶůLJ ǁŚĞŶ ŽŶĞ ŬŶŽǁƐ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ĨĂĐƚƐ͕ ĚŽ LJŽƵ ŚĂǀĞ ƚƌƵĞ ĐŚŽŝĐĞ͘ tĞ ŽīĞƌ ĐŽƵŶƐĞůŝŶŐ ŽŶ Ăůů ŽĨ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽƉƟŽŶƐ͘ hƐŝŶŐ ^ƚĂƚĞ ŽĨ dĞdžĂƐ͕ ĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ ŽĨ ,ĞĂůƚŚ ŵĂƚĞƌŝĂůƐ͕ ǁĞ ĞĚƵĐĂƚĞ ŽƵƌ ĐůŝĞŶƚƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƚLJƉĞ ŽĨ ĂďŽƌƟŽŶ ƉƌŽĐĞĚƵƌĞ ƐŚĞ ǁŝůů ŵŽƐƚ ůŝŬĞůLJ ƵŶĚĞƌŐŽ ŝĨ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ŚĞƌ ĐŚŽŝĐĞ͘ ŶĚ ǁĞ ůĞƚ ŚĞƌ ƐĞĞ Ă ƐŽŶŽŐƌĂŵ ƉŝĐƚƵƌĞ ŽĨ ŚĞƌ ďĂďLJ͕ ŝĨ ƐŚĞ ǁŽƵůĚ ůŝŬĞ ƚŽ͘ ůů Ăƚ ŶŽƚ ĐŚĂƌŐĞ͘ ĞĐĂƵƐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĮŶĂŶĐŝĂů ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͕ ƉƌĂLJĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌ ŚŽƵƌƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚŝƐ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ͕ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ĚŽ Ă ǀĞƌLJ ŐŽŽĚ ũŽď Ăƚ Ăůů ŽĨ ƚŚĞƐĞ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞƐ͘

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Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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There has never been, Nor will there be, Anything quite so special as the love between a mother and son +DSS\ 0RWKHU·V 'D\

You may thought I didn’t see, Or that I hadn’t heard, Life lessons you taught me, But I got every word.

Perhaps you thought I missed it all, And that we were grow apart, But Dad, I picked up everything, It’s written on my heart.

Without you Dad, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today.

You built a strong foundation, No one can take away.

I’ve grown up with your values, and I’m glad I did.

I love you Daddy.

Happy Father’s Day 16

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

Temper Tantrums +DYH \RX HYHU QRWLFHG KRZ OLIH LV IXOO RI VXUSULVHV" :HOO WKDW LV WUXH HYHQ PRUH VR IRU D WRGGOHU (YHU\WKLQJ LV D VXUSULVH WR D WRGGOHU /LIH LV IXOO RI VXUSULVLQJ QHZ DGYHQWXUHV IRU \RXU WRGGOHU and one of those adventures is testing authority.

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is new exciting to him and hard for him to understand where the boundaries are. When you say QR LW LV IUXVWUDWLQJ WR KLP ,I \RX XQGHUVWDQG WKDW LW¶V DOO SDUW RI KLV JURZWK LW ZLOO EH OHVV IUXVWUDWing to you. As he matures he will learn to be able to control his emotions better, but for now you might try holding and comforting him during a tantrum. $OVR UHPHPEHU WKDW KH LV MXVW OHDUQLQJ WR FRPPXQLFDWH +H XQGHUVWDQGV PXFK RI ZKDW \RX VD\ EXW KH PD\ QRW EH DEOH WR YHUEDOL]H ZKDW KH ZDQWV WR VD\ +H PD\ XQGHUVWDQG \RX VD\LQJ ³QR´ EXW KH GRHVQ¶W NQRZ WKH ZRUGV WR UHVSRQG +H LV IUXVWUDWHG E\ WKLV DV \RX ZRXOG EH LI \RX ZHUH XQDEOH WR VSHDN DQG KH LV FU\LQJ RXW IRU KHOS $OO SDUHQWV DUH HPEDUUDVVHG E\ WKHLU WRGGOHU GLVSOD\LQJ SXEOLF WHPSWHU WDQWUXPV 6R ZKHQ \RXU FKLOG ³WKURZV D ¿W´ LQ SXEOLF VWD\ FDOP²UHPHPEHU WKDW HYHU\ SDUHQW ZKR LV ZLWQHVVLQJ WKLV WDQWUXP HLWKHU KDV EHHQ WKURXJK LW LQ WKH SDVW RU ZLOO JR WKURXJK LW VRPH WLPH LQ WKH IXWXUH 2WKHU SDUHQWV DUH QRW MXGJLQJ \RX QHDUO\ DV PXFK DV \RX PD\ WKLQN WKH\ DUH 6R VWD\ FDOP LI \RX GLVSOD\ VWUHVV LQ DQ\ IRUP \RXU WRGGOHU ZLOO JDLQ WKH XSSHU KDQG <RX FDQ GR VRPH WKLQJV WR VWRS WDQWUXPV EHIRUH WKH\ HYHQ VWDUW ,Q GD\ WR GD\ DFWLYLWLHV \RX FDQ UHZDUG JRRG EHKDYLRU <RX FDQ WHOO \RXU FKLOG WKDW \RX DUH JRLQJ WR WDNH KLP WR WKH JURFHU\ VWRUH DQG WKDW LI KH EHKDYHV DQG VLWV TXLHWO\ LQ WKH FDUW \RX ZLOO JLYH KLP D UHZDUG %H VSHFL¿F DERXW ZKDW WKH UHZDUG ZLOO EH &KRRVH VRPHWKLQJ WKDW \RX ZLOO DSSURYH RI DQG WKDW KH ZLOO ORYH 5HPLQG KLP RI WKLV UHZDUG MXVW DV \RX DUH JHWWLQJ RXW RI WKH FDU DQG DV RIWHQ DV QHFHVVDU\ GXULQJ WKH VKRSSLQJ WULS $QRWKHU ZD\ \RX FDQ KHOS SUHYHQW WHPSHU WDQWUXPV LV WR DOORZ KLP WR PDNH some small decisions. If you are in the grocery store, let him choose some of the items that will EH SXUFKDVHG %XW PRVW IUHTXHQWO\ FKLOGUHQ KDYH WHPSHU WDQWUXPV VLPSO\ EHFDXVH WKH\ DUH WLUHG <RXU WRGdlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s normal tolerance for frustration is diminished when they are tired, as is yours when you DUH WLUHG 6R PDNLQJ VXUH WKDW HYHU\RQH JHWV D JRRG QLJKW¶V VOHHS LV DQRWKHU ZD\ WR VWRS WDQWUXPV before they start.

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Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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IT CAME OUT OF THE SKY %\ 'DYLG %ODFNEXUQ

It was after ten PM when the phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and saw that the call was originating from my friend Paula so I answered with a flippant remark, “Hey good lookin’! What’s up?”

Her voice was somber as she said, “David, Drey has been injured. He is all right, but he had a bad blow to the head and was knocked out for a short while.”

Drey is Paula’s husband, a really great guy and a good friend. I was immediately concerned. “What happened,” I asked. “Was he is a car wreck? Is he in the hospital?”

“No, he is not in the hospital. He has a pretty good cut in his scalp, but he seems to be okay now. And no, he was not in a car wreck. He was struck by a chicken that fell out of the sky.”

Paula is pretty level headed (she writes an occasional column for Heart of Texas Today about fitness and diet) and is not known for practical jokes, so I was really confused by what she was saying. A chicken fell from the sky and hit Drey in the head? Chickens don’t fly and I have certainly never heard of one dive bombing a pedestrian, so I asked for clarification. “WHAT? What happened—exactly???”

“Well….earlier today he was standing in our driveway when he felt a thud and a loud ringing noise in his ears. Next thing he knew he was flat on his back and there was blood everywhere. You how a scalp wound is; even a small cut will bleed a lot. The first thing he saw was a mangled chicken about two feet away from him. At first he thought it was dead, but then it started making some strange chicken-moaning noises. He picked it up and came into the house with blood dripping everywhere. He looked like Jack The Ripper had gotten after him. When I saw him I almost had a heart attack.”

“Paula, I don’t understand. How did he get the scalp wound and where did the chicken come from?”

“As far as we can tell, when the chicken fell on his head it must have cut his scalp with its beak. And the dang thing was heavy---so the impact knocked him cold for a few minutes.”

Still confused, I pressed for more information. “I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it. Chickens are hardly ever airborne and they certainly can’t gain much altitude. It must have been going pretty fast to hit him hard enough to knock him out. I must be missing something.”

Paula took a breath and tried to explain as much of the scenario as she could. “The chicken was in bad shape. It was covered with claw marks and scratches, so what we think is that it was probably snatched up by a hawk or something. The bird of prey was taking it to its nest or wherever they go to eat chickens and

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probably lost its grip---after all, it is a pretty big chicken. It fell from God knows what height and beaned poor Drey right on the noggin. How it lived through the abduction then the fall is a mystery and a miracle.”

“So both Drey and the chicken are okay?”

Paula reminded me that Drey, in addition to being an animal lover, is also a trained paramedic. “I looked at his head; the cut was small and he didn’t need stitches. So I cleaned him up and put a butterfly bandage on his head wound. Then he checked out the chicken. The poor thing was in a state of shock and bleeding quite a bit, so Drey cleaned the claw marks and put some antiseptic on them. We put the chicken in a container so the dogs couldn’t get at it and after a while it started to settle down and act normally. All in all, it was a very strange day.”

I was having a hard time swallowing this story. It all seemed too, well….unbelievable. I mean, what are the odds that a chicken---a big chicken---would get grabbed by a hawk or a falcon or an eagle or alien spacecraft or whatever, that would then lose its grip on its victim and drop it EXACTLY over my buddy who just happened to be standing directly underneath it? And after knocking poor Drey senseless, the chicken survives the whole ordeal? I mean, really…….

Paula was almost offended when I challenged her account of the facts. “I am NOT making this up, David!

Drey was hit by a falling chicken and has a lump on his head the size of, well, the size of a chicken egg. I can’t believe you would think I am just fabricating a story like this!” “…..It just seems a little….farfetched, I guess…”

At that point Drey got on the phone and backed up the story. “It was weird, man! I had just walked outside and was minding my own business, when ---BAM!---something beaned me. I thought I had gotten hit with a baseball; the next thing I knew I was seeing stars in the middle of the afternoon. When I came to I saw the chicken next to me.”

He texted me two photos of the chicken—one taken immediately after the incident and a second one taken hours later showing the chicken in the prime of life. As I looked at the photos, I realized that this particular fowl was probably the luckiest bird that ever lived. Not only had it survived the attack of a vicious predator, it also survived a fall from the upper atmosphere and was not killed when it struck my friend on his extremely hard head.

Now the creature no longer lives in a barnyard, it has become the pet of my two animal lover pals, who will undoubtedly spoil it rotten and pamper it with more love and affection that most eople give to their children. At first they were going to name it “Lucky”, but then considered “Miracle Chicken”. Finally they decided on “Mother Clucker” in hopes that it would provide either offspring or breakfast. So the next time you venture out of the safety of your home, keep an eye towards the sky and be on the lookout for hungry hawks and falling chickens. And wear a hard hat, just in case.

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

Expires 6-30-2015

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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0H 0D DQG WKH 6KRSSLQJ 7ULS %\ 7' &RRSHU Every May I remember the time Me-Ma and I went downtown so I could pick out a Mother’s Day card for my mother. With Me-Ma there was no one stop shopping. She carried a purse and a heavy canvas bag for whatever she bought. Well, she carried the purse. I had to carry the bag.

We first went to the A&P to get fresh ground coffee. It smelled good but I still hadn’t developed a taste for it unless it was thick and sweet as condensed milk. Then we went to Dr. Hall’s Pharmacy for some of his Spring Tonic. My mother said it was about 80% alcohol but I don’t know. A lot of people used it.

And last, before the card, Me-Ma wanted to go to the Post-Office. I don’t know why she went there ‘cause all she did was talk to Miss Ada behind the grill. I never saw her buy anything. While they talked I looked over the FBI wanted posters thumbtacked to the side wall. I kinda thought about what it would look like if my face was up there. At that point in my life I planned on being a tough gunslinger with a moustache and slit eyes, like Lee Van Cleef in “High Noon”.

Anyway, the most interesting was of woman killer named Floyd “Wink” Odom.

He was born in Ft. Dundee, which wasn’t that far from our town of Parson’s Nose. I’d never heard of him before but still, our own criminal. Pretty neat.

I showed it to Me-Ma when we left and she told me I needed to set my sights a bit higher than staring at the scum of the earth like that.

Finally we headed to the Rexall Drug Store to get my card. They had the best )OR\G ´:LQNµ 2GRP selection in town and I definitely wanted to get the best for my Mom. While I fiddled through the card selection, and checked out the newest comic books, Me-Ma stepped next door to Kennerly’s Dress Shoppe to get those heavy, thick stockings she wore. You knew it was a nice store on account of the extra “pe” added on the end.

As I was reading the Superman comic where he meets Batman on a cruise I stepped back and accidentally stomped on the toes of a man skimming the newspaper.

“Sorry, Mister,” I said, embarrassed as all kids back then were if they interacted with an adult.

“No problem, Son,” he said and gave me a wink.

I turned back to the comic book and it hit me. ,W¶V KLP ³:LQN´ 7KH NLOOHU IURP WKH SRVW RIILFH. I got weak knees and at the same time super curious. I turned slowly, holding the Superman Comic Book in front of my face so he wouldn’t see me. I looked over the top and he was looking straight back at me. I nearly turned and ran right then. I guess my eyes about popped outta my head.

“Anything I can do?”

22

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

“Nothin’, Sir. I was just readin’ this book.”

He looked at me and moved closer. “Readin’ upside down? That’s somethin’ new.”

I looked at the book and I was holding it upside down. My sweaty hands were shaking so bad I thought I was gonna rip it in half.

“I’m practicin’. You know, to be a spy.” That sounded weak even to me.

He put his hand on my shoulder and leaned down. “You need to practice your manners, not your spyin’.”

“Yessir,” I mumbled. Me-Ma was gone. There were ladies having their afternoon coffee and donut’s in the fountain area. I knew I had to do something fast so I walked, calm and cool except for almost knocking over a display of Ray-Ban sunglasses, to the pay phones up front.

I dialed the zero and real quiet asked the operator to connect me to the Sheriff’s office, which she did after I deposited some of my Mother’s Day card money in the slot. Mrs. Johnson answered and I asked for Sheriff Quint.

“RB’s not here,” she whined. “He had to go out to the Murdock place to separate them two again.”

“He’s here, Mrs. Johnson,” I whispered.

“Who’s where?” I swear she yelled it.

“Sshh. Sshh. He’ll hear you. It’s that guy from the wanted poster. “Wink”. The woman killer.”

Well, of course she didn’t believe me but I finally convinced her I knew what I was talking about so she said, “I’m sending help right now.”

Help, as she called it, was her husband, Deputy Willis Johnson, called “Wet Willie” by most. It wasn’t two minutes before old “Wet Willie” came roaring up to the front of the Rexall, sirens and lights flashing like it was doomsday.

When he came in he had his gun drawn and scared all the ladies in their booths by the fountain.

Me-Ma heard the siren and she came from next door. When she saw “Wet Willie” she yelled, “TD. Get away from gun happy idiot.”

I thought she meant the criminal so I called out real loud and pointed at the man. “That’s him. That’s “Wink”, the woman killer, on the FBI wanted poster.”

The man looked around to see if I was pointing at somebody else. Willie waved his pistol around while Miss IdaBelle screamed and fainted, falling all over her cheese danish in the back booth.

Well, it was pure chaos for a while there but Willie finally got “Wink” subdued and in cuffs. While “Wink” was drug off to jail to wait for Sheriff Quint, Willie told me and Me-Ma that I had to go the jail to identify the criminal.

“You know you’ve put your foot in it this time, TD,” she said. “But I’ll stay with you.”

I paid no attention to that silly woman talk. At the jail “Wink” was yelling his head off and denying everything.

Willie locked him in a cell until the Sheriff got back from separating Mr. and Mrs. Murdock, who had as usual been drinking too much.

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

23

It was after dark and past supper time but with a brief rundown from Willie he went to the cells. Not three minutes later Sheriff Quint came back out with “Wink”. He looked around and said, “Who reported this ferocious, wanted criminal to the Sheriff’s office?”

I was kinda embarrassed, you know, being the hero and everything, but I stood up and said, “It was me, Mr. RB.” “Well, TD,” Sheriff Quint said. “I want to congratulate you on helping us capture Reverend Silas Whitaker, the new pastor of the Church of God out on Highlands Ave.” It was pretty much downhill from there. My mother and father came to the jail to pick up me and Me-Ma. My mother got kind of hysterical but Me-Ma told her to calm down. “It’s no harm done and it’ll be an interesting page in the story of his childhood,” she said I was sent to bed as soon as I got home. I tried to sleep off the humiliation. Next morning I woke up and realized I hadn’t bought a Mother’s Day card. Lucky for me my father thought of everything. When I went in to breakfast there was a card on her plate, with my name forged inside.

I went to Sunday School that morning, red flower in my buttonhole, and found out I was more famous than “Wink”, the killer. It took me most of that summer to lose my new nickname – J. Edgar Loser.

Dear Lord, So far today , I’m doing all right.

I have not gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, or self-indulgent. I have not whined, complained, cursed, or eaten any chocolate.

I have charged nothing on my credit card.

But I will be getting out of bed soon, and I think that I will really need your help then.

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Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

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Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

25

Bacon, Onion and Cheese Stuffed Burgers 3 pounds ground beef 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoons barbeque sauce 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces 1 medium onion, finely chopped 3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 6 hamburger buns split In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, salt, black pepper, barbeque sauce and garlic powder using your hands. Taking a small handful at a time (approximately 1/4 pound), shape into 12 patties. Lay patties out on a cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap; place patties in the refrigerator. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Turn the heat down to medium and pan fry the onions in the remaining bacon drippings until soft and translucent and just beginning to brown. Mix together onions and bacon in a small bowl. Prepare a grill or large skillet for medium heat. As the grill heats, pull beef patties out of the refrigerator; top 6 of the patties with 1- 1/2 tablespoons of the bacon and onion mixture each, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Top each with one of the remaining patties and press the edges together to seal. Grill or pan fry the stuffed and sealed patties until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve on hamburger buns with condiments of your choice. Recipe makes 6 burgers

Cajun Style Baked Sweet Potato 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 large sweet potatoes 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

WƌĞŚĞĂƚ ŽǀĞŶ ƚŽ ϯϳϱ ĚĞŐƌĞĞƐ & /Ŷ Ă ƐŵĂůů ďŽǁů͕ Ɛƚŝƌ ƚŽŐĞƚŚĞƌ ƉĂƉƌŝŬĂ͕ ďƌŽǁŶ ƐƵŐĂƌ͕ ďůĂĐŬ ƉĞƉƉĞƌ͕ ŽŶŝŽŶ ƉŽǁĚĞƌ͕ ƚŚLJŵĞ͕ ƌŽƐĞŵĂƌLJ͕ ŐĂƌůŝĐ ƉŽǁĚĞƌ͕ ĂŶĚ ĐĂLJĞŶŶĞ ƉĞƉƉĞƌ͘ ^ůŝĐĞ ƚŚĞ ƐǁĞĞƚ ƉŽƚĂƚŽĞƐ ŝŶ ŚĂůĨ ůĞŶŐƚŚǁŝƐĞ͘ ƌƵƐŚ ĞĂĐŚ ŚĂůĨ ǁŝƚŚ ŽůŝǀĞ Žŝů͘ ZƵď ƚŚĞ ƐĞĂƐŽŶŝŶŐ ŵŝdž ŽǀĞƌ ƚŚĞ ĐƵƚ ƐƵƌĨĂĐĞ ŽĨ ĞĂĐŚ ŚĂůĨ͘ WůĂĐĞ ƐǁĞĞƚ ƉŽƚĂƚŽĞƐ ŽŶ Ă ďĂŬŝŶŐ ƐŚĞĞƚ͕ Žƌ ŝŶ Ă ƐŚĂůůŽǁ ƉĂŶ͘ ĂŬĞ ŝŶ ƉƌĞŚĞĂƚĞĚ ŽǀĞŶ ƵŶƚŝů ƚĞŶĚĞƌ͕ Žƌ ĂďŽƵƚ ϭ ŚŽƵƌ͘ DĂŬĞ ϰ ƐĞƌǀŝŶŐƐ

26

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

Amish Slaw 1 medium head cabbage, cored & shredded 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 cup white sugar 1 cup vinegar 11 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 teaspoon prepared mustard 3/4 cup vegetable oil In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, onion, and 1 cup sugar. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, celery seed, 1 teaspoon white sugar, mustard and oil. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Cool completely, then pour over cabbage mixture, and toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor. Makes 8 servings

Banana Pudding Cake Original recipe makes 1 - 10 inch Bundt cake 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant banana pudding mix 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix 4 eggs 1 cup water 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup mashed bananas 2 cups confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons milk 1 dash vanilla extract 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, water, oil and mashed banana.

Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until cake tests done. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. To make glaze: In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and of a drizzling consistency. When cake is cooled, drizzle icing over cake with a zigzag motion. Sprinkle chopped nuts over wet icing if desired.

Jalapeno Poppers 1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened salt and ground black pepper to taste 6 ounces fresh corn kernals 8 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded 8 slices bacon, cut in half 16 toothpicks Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Mix together the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, corn, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Fill the jalapeno halves with the cream cheese mixture. Wrap each stuffed pepper with bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Be sure the toothpick pokes through the bacon as well as the pepper. Place the poppers face down on the grill over direct heat. Grill until bacon is crispy and brown, about 5 minutes; turn the poppers over and grill until bacon is crisp on other side, 5 more minutes. These can also be cooked in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Makes 8 servings

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015 27

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The wedding ends with the groom kissing the bride and the little church in Crawford, Texas empties quickly. Mr. Taylor, Bobby, Becky, and Bingoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owner is now a married man.

Cindy Warner, his new bride, owns a flower shop in Crawford and, like Mr. Taylor, was raised in Texas. She is tall, dark haired, attractive, and very well-liked in the community.

After a few customary photographs, both bride and groom hurry off to Mr. Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ranch where an old fashioned western cookout is about to begin.

Bobby, Becky, and Bingo are busy â&#x20AC;&#x153;greetingâ&#x20AC;? the guests as the newlyweds pull up the drive. Most of the guests know the dogs and pay little attention to them. Cindy has already made friends with them, and they are glad to see her.

This is good because they will be seeing a lot of her now.

The Taylors, and all the guests, are wearing blue jeans, boots, and cowboy hats. People often dress like this in Crawford, but especially for cookouts. An old-timer is tuning up his fiddle on a makeshift stage. The aroma of beef cooking over an open fire fills the air and the three dogs cannot get enough of the wonderful smells. This is a great day to be a dog on the Taylor ranch.

After Mr. Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coopâ&#x20AC;? gives a short congratulations speech and the preacher offers up a blessing, the reception gets into full swing. The cook carves up the beef and begins serving it along with the other foods. The fiddler plays favorite country western songs, and the newlyweds go from person to person thanking them for sharing in their special day. Bobby, Becky, and Bingo pick up a lot of beef treats throughout the night, including some delicious bones.

Mr. Taylor and Cindy drive away, while Mr. Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother and others help the cooking crew clean up. It has been a fun event, and the three dogs are very tired.

Coop stays at the ranch for three days while the Taylors are away on their honeymoon. By the third day the house sitter from Maryland is becoming used to Texas ranch life. He has enjoyed playing with the dogs and hates to say goodbye when his brother and new sister-in-law return. They do return though, and life is about to get very interesting for Bobby, Becky, and Bingo.

It takes the better part of a day for Mr. Taylor and his friends to unload the rental truck full of Cindyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s furniture,

28

Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

clothing, artwork, and floral arrangements. Bobby, Becky, and Bingo watch with great interest as the men go back and forth from truck to home. Every so often, the three dogs circle the truck, but it never moves in the direction that they want it to go.

Mr. Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large home has only the most basic furnishings and nothing on the windows. The walls are painted white and there are no pictures. His only decoration is a massive set of â&#x20AC;&#x153;longhornsâ&#x20AC;? mounted on the wall just above the stone fireplace. With the addition of Cindyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s things, the house takes on a whole new look. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It sure looks different,â&#x20AC;? Mr. Taylor remarks after all the furniture is moved in and arranged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have a lot of ideas for the house,â&#x20AC;? replied Cindy, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but I think this will do for now.â&#x20AC;?

Cindy joins Mr. Taylor and the dogs each morning as they drive to the coffee shop in Crawford. When they finish with their breakfast, Mrs. Taylor walks to her flower shop and opens up while Mr. Taylor departs for the ranch. With over a thousand cattle there is always plenty of work for Mr. Taylor and his dogs to do. After work, the dogs ride with Mr. Taylor and his wife to the supermarket, to the high school football games, and to their friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ranches. Bobby, Becky, and Bingo are used to going everywhere with Mr. Taylor, as his wife soon finds out.

Saturday morning finds the Taylors working in their yard. Mrs. Taylor plants flowers in her garden, and Mr. Taylor trims dead branches from an old oak tree. Both need a break and sit down together under one of the many pecan trees. The three dogs draw near to them and lie down in the grass. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You know,â&#x20AC;? says Cindy, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been thinking.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love Bobby, Becky, and Bingo but we need to change some things with them.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh,â&#x20AC;? replied Mr. Taylor, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like what?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, the first thing is that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really need to go everywhere we go in the pickup truck. Another thing is that we need to take them off their current diet of basic dog food, table scraps, and bones, and put them on a special veterinarian recommended plan. I also think we should let the dogs in the laundry room of the house when it storms. These things just make a lot of sense to me. What do you think?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well,â&#x20AC;? replies Mr. Taylor, choosing his words carefully, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The dogs are really used to going places with me. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even think twice about them being with me most of the time.

Guess we could try leaving them at home. As for their food, they really like getting meat scraps and bones once in a while, and they seem to be in really good health. We could see about a new diet if you want though. The dogs have never been in the house. They just run under the cover of the barn

or tool shed if it gets bad out. Maybe we could let them in and see how it goes during the next storm.”

“Thanks,” says Cindy, as she gets up and walks back to her flowers.

The following Monday morning, Bobby, Becky, and Bingo awaken before dawn and eat from their bowls.

Something is different about their food and all three dogs walk away after just a few bites. As always, they hop into the back of the pickup and wait for Mr. Taylor.

Soon, the Taylors come out of their house and walk to the truck. Mr. Taylor looks at his wife and then looks at the dogs. He whistles once and the three dogs fly out of the truck.

Mrs. Taylor shouts, “Sit and stay!” and then gets into the truck.

Together, they drive the short distance to Crawford. The border collies are left standing next to the ranch house. This is something different and Bobby, Becky, and Bingo are confused.

“Well,” says Cindy, “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“So far, so good,” replies Mr. Taylor.

The newlyweds enter the coffee shop and have breakfast. As they exit the restaurant, they spot Bobby, Becky, and Bingo wagging their tails and jumping up and down in the back of the pickup.

“I had a hunch this might happen,” says Mr. Taylor as he covers a little smile with his hand.

“How did these dogs know where to find us?” inquires Cindy.

“They’re just smart,” replies Mr. Taylor. “I think I would have to drive halfway across Texas if I ever wanted to really lose them,” he adds.

Mr. Taylor and the dogs have a long day of work ahead of them. One hundred of his young steers need to be branded. A few of his rancher friends and his ranch hand, Miguel, help with the branding. Bobby, Becky, and Bingo assist in gathering the animals and keeping them together while the men do the branding. The men and dogs work from daylight until dark and all one hundred cattle are branded.

Everyone is “dog tired” as they pile into their pickup trucks and return home.

That night, a mighty wind kicks up as the Taylors are relaxing in their house. With a loud clap of thunder, the heavens open, and the rain begins.

“Let’s get the dogs in!” Cindy yells from another room.

“Okay,” replies Mr. Taylor as he moves toward the back door.

Opening the door, he whistles out into the rainy night.

Within seconds Bobby, Becky, and Bingo appear. Since they are trained to not enter the house, the three rain-soaked dogs stop near the house and stare at their owner as he holds the door open.

“Are they in yet?” calls Cindy.

“Not exactly,” responds her husband.

As Mr. Taylor steps out of the house and reaches for the dogs he slips on the wet concrete. Down he goes into one of Cindy’s newly planted flower beds. Before Mr. Taylor can regain his footing, Isabella, the Taylor’s “outdoor” cat, dashes inside the open door. That is all of the encouragement Bobby,

Becky, and Bingo need to enter. With a mighty “whoosh” the door flies open and the chase is on. Into the den the cat runs for her life with three barking dogs close behind. Cindy enters the room just in time to see the cat sprint across her new white sofa, followed by three dogs with twelve muddy paws.

From there, it is into the kitchen where Isabella leaps onto the counter and then up on the refrigerator. The dogs are now barking very loudly and jumping as high as they can trying to reach the cat. Cindy enters the kitchen and yells, “Sit and stay!” The dogs obey, but not before each takes its turn shaking the water and mud from its cost all over the newly painted kitchen walls.

Mr. Taylor appears in the kitchen doorway. He has bright flower petals stuck to his western style shirt, and his jeans are caked in mud. His hair is soaked, and he is breathing hard. He walks over to the refrigerator and grabs Isabella. The dogs sense that they should stop barking. One at a time, Mr. Taylor removes the animals from the house.

When he finally gets the last one out, the rain has stopped.

“Wow!” says Cindy, “That was really something.”

“Yep,” replies her husband, “That was a little more excitement than we probably needed tonight. Those doggies aren’t used to wiping their feet at the door.”

The next day the dogs are up before daylight and at their bowls. Their food is “vet approved” but they are not very interested in it. For the last five days the Taylors have fed the dogs only what is in the vet’s meal plan. Each day, only about one half of their food is eaten. The dogs look like they are losing weight.

Later that night, the Taylors are sitting on their front porch. It has been a busy day on the ranch and at the flower shop. Bobby, Becky, and Bingo are sprawled out nearby. Two of the dogs look like they are asleep.

“You know,” says Mrs. Taylor, “I have been thinking.

Maybe we should just keep things the way you had them with the dogs. After all, they have lived five years with you, and are the happiest and healthiest dogs I have ever seen. So, why change things now?”

Mr. Taylor doesn’t quite know what to say so he just nods his head.

Heart of Texas Today | March - April 2015 29

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Heart of Texas Today | May - June 2015

Memorial Day 2015

To Those Who Courageously Gave Their Lives….

And Those Who Bravely Fight Today…

Thank You

“Tuscan Home on 79+ Acres” Contact Kelly Dooley at 830-459-0452 Or Joann Faust at (830)-329-2902 Sherman & Co., Realtors® www.ShermanCo.Com

See page 7 for more photos and information