ConroeLake PRSRTSTD U.S.POSTAGE PAID PERMITNO.51 HUNTSVILLE,TEXAS Postal Customer September2022 POSTCARDS Coach Michelle Rochinski / Goodgrass Farm / Area Teens Flip Out / MidSouth Fiber Internet Magazine
2 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 936-295-2514 Like us on Facebook! 180 I-45 • Huntsville Mon. - Fri. 8-5:30 • Sat. 9-4 Ward Furniture & Flooring www.wardfurniture.com Now’s the time to get ready for the Holidays!
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4 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 Your trusted electric provider for over 80 years now o ers you high-speed fiber internet. We’ve spent the last two years building a strong and reliable fiber backbone. Now, every MidSouth member has the opportunity to sign up for fiber internet. • no contracts • no data caps • 24/7 tech support and outage restoration MidSouth Fiber is bold and fast. With unlimited upload and download speeds up to 1 gig, MidSouth subscribers also enjoy: Jump on the broadband wagon and join our growing fiber community at midsouthfiber.com. Local. Committed. Reliable. www.midsouthelectric.com September 2022 | Volume 11, Issue 9 Cover Photo by Lisa Pogue 2nd Place Winner-Local Living Postcards 2021 Cover Photo Contest 10FEATURES Do You Know? Coach Michelle Rochinski 16 Just for Fun Goodgrass Farm 24 Texas Talent Area Teens Flip Out 32 Business Focus MidSouth Fiber Internet FAVORITES 6 Publisher’s Post 7 Dear Gabby 8 Let’s Celebrate 9 From Our Readers 14 Glorious Grandkids 20 The Garden Post 22 Star Students 28 Pet Pals 29 What Are You Reading? 29 Sudoku Solutions 30 Better Living 31 What’s Cookin’ 37 Milestones 38 Vet Connect 39 Sudoku Marketplace 40 Community Calendar 42 Mustard Seed Moments
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 5 Leading Orthopedic Care to KEEP YOU MOVING Our sports medicine specialists can help keep your body in motion. At Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we know every movement matters. Our board-certified sports medicine specialists offer: • The latest imaging and technology • Advanced nonsurgical treatments • Minimally invasive procedures • State-of-the-art physical and occupational therapy Whether you’re suffering from simple aches and pains or dealing with a complex injury, we can get you back on your feet — and keep you moving. Same-day appointments for injuries. Schedule an appointment: houstonmethodist.org/sportsmed 936.321.8000 20 convenient Houston Houston Kingwood 59 45 8 The ConroeWoodlands Your health and safety are our priority. We are taking every necessary precaution to keep you safe.
The other day, we were getting ready to leave our house. As I was on the driveway, my attention shifted to the powerline above. More than 11 years ago, some sweet friends (who had twin littles at the time) lived across the street from us. One day our doorbell rang. It seems they were flying a kite, which had gotten tangled on the powerline above our driveway. We told them not to worry about it, it would eventually come down. What we didn’t know is that this particular kite apparently has the half-life of uranium! Our friends have long since moved, but that kite has kept us in touch over the more than a decade they’ve been gone. An occasional texted photo - the latest one seen here - is always good for a giggle and a “Hello, we’re thinking of you!” Those little twins are going to graduate high school this year. I have many sweet memories of spending time with, and around, them while they did “nothing”…like fly a kite. So today, I just want to remind you that, sometimes, those nothings that make up your day may actually be something important to someone else. And who knows? Maybe it will be something for a long, long time. Go out and do a whole lot of nothing. Until next time, ~ Karen Matters
Nothing. What are you thinking about? Nothing. What’s on TV? Nothing good. How was your day? Nothing special. What are you writing about in your publisher column? I got nothing!
Whatcha doin’?
Nothing
6 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 @PostcardsMag Your LocalMagazine!Community PostcardsLive.com If you would like to receive our magazine and are not currently on our mailing list, subscriptions are available. MAILED to select postal routes in Conroe, Willis and Montgomery. FREE rack copies at advertisers and businesses in towns listed above. Published Monthly by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc. Publisher Karen Altom Editor Wes Altom Advertising Team Jennifer MarshallNancyAbbratJollyAltom Design Team MaryAprilPartidaKey Social Media Management Abby Altom Boyd Printed in Texas by Shweiki Media Online: www.PostcardsLive.com Address: PO Box 690 • Huntsville, TX 77342 Call our Office: 936.293.1188 We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited material. No material from Postcards Magazine™ can be copied, faxed, electronically, or otherwise used without express written permission. Publication of articles, advertisements or product information does not constitute endorsement or approval by Postcards Magazine™ and/or its publisher. Business Focus stories printed in Postcards Magazine™ are drawn at random from contract advertisers. © 2022 by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc., All rights reserved. Publisher’s Post Karen Altom publisher@postcardslive.com There was once a TV show based on nothing. It was about all the “nothing” that goes on in our lives. It was called Seinfeld. And it was a smash. Because we all have those “every-days” full of “nothing.”
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 7
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Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column. It’s September! The first month we can possibly reduce the air conditioner a notch or two! We may also risk sliding down a metal slide in shorts again. Guys, don’t zip your pants legs back onto your cargo shorts just yet, though. In Texas, we have to take this day by day. I have to go now. Dud just yelled, “Hey, Babe, do you smell that?” When I told him, “No.”, he replied, “Me, neither, start cooking.” Drop me a line by clicking on Dear Gabby at PostcardsLive.com/share for “do as I say, not as I do” advice.
DEAR GABBY I am well beyond drinking age and enjoy drinking wine in the evening. My friends are always telling me reasons, pro and con, about why I should, or should not, drink. I paid no attention to them until one of them told me that drinking wine would make you fat. That got my attention! Do you think drinking wine makes you fat?
CONFIDENTIAL TO WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?: When life gives you lemons, freeze them real hard and throw them at the people who are giving you grief. Just kidding! Make some lemonade and some new friends.
JUST RIGHT DEAR JR Absolutely not! Wine does not make you fat; it actually makes you lean. You lean on walls, chairs, and (occasionally) people. I am not a “cork dork.” I can’t even get down the eight glasses of water I’m supposed to drink daily. Now, my neighbor is a wine enthusiast. The more wine she drinks, the more enthusiastic she gets. How much wine to drink should probably be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is my paltry understanding that you should open the bottle to let it breathe. If it doesn’t look like it’s breathing, give it mouth-to-mouth. Just be careful not to get a wine hangover, otherwise known as the Grape Depression.GABBY
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September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 9 Share what you love about Postcards! PostcardsLive.com/Share From Our Readers I love the calendar of upcoming events and usually keep it posted for reference! I also love to see who is reading what. Gorgana Hyde Love that local people and business are spotlighted. The first thing I look for is “Things my granddad said”. Enjoy the pet section and seeing fur babies! This is the only magazine I read cover to cover. I’m not a reader! Cathy Stokes I appreciate learning about hometown people and places that I wouldn’t have known about. Pam Hunt I love seeing the pets and grandbabies! Carrie Sanford Love seeing the pics of local folks! My mom with her great-grands was featured once! Trudie Fetterman Local business spotlights and star students are my favorite things each month!!! Jamie Sanders
by
Even in the exhilarating aftermath of her team’s undefeated, 41-victory season, Coach Michelle Rochinski is reluctant to boast. Although she seems mellow and reserved, her eyes show the glint of fierce competitiveness. This inner determination has served her well. In just the fourth year of the existence of Montgomery’s Lake Creek High School, Michelle and her talented softball team put their school on the national map. In early June, they won the UIL 5A State Championship, and in July, they were named national champions by virtue of the USA Today High School Sports Award. To Michelle’s knowledge, it is the first time in Montgomery’s history that a team has been so honored.
Coach Michelle Rochinski
10 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 Do You Know?
Photos by Gina Turner
Story Ruth Fields
Michelle won a softball scholarship to the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she played for two years. She missed basketball, however, and transferred to Sam Houston State University, where she walked on to both the softball and the women’s basketball teams.
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 11 » Manage Your Future Well! We Guide You Through The Entire Process! Bryan M. Masten, CFP® Linda Smith Ally Grounds Paula Armstrong Riley W. Smith Brian B. Smith, CFP® Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member, FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisor. Cambridge and Global Financial Partners are not affiliated. Cambridge does not provide tax advice. Partners 1211 Financial Plaza • Huntsville (936) 294-0201 www.financialpartner.net LET US HELP YOU SAVE YOUR MONEY! Tax laws are complex. It’s our business to stay informed about the latest changes in the tax laws so we can identify the money-saving deductions and credits available to you. Dewitt Oleinik, BrianCPA Slaughter, CPA Neuwirth Slaughter & Associates, L.L.P. Certified Public Accountants www.MyCPAsaid.com 168 Col. Etheredge Blvd. • Suite B Huntsville, TX 77340 936-291-8500 ‘A little bit of everything’ “My brother and I grew up doing sports from day one,” Michelle says. “We did a little bit of everything.” Coached by her dad on youth teams, Michelle excelled; in high school, she played softball, volleyball, and basketball. Early on, she discovered she had a knack for helping others become better players. “Even when I was playing, I always wanted to help younger kids. I was always involved in lessons and camps. That was just my calling,” she says. She also enjoyed volunteering with Special Olympics, which prompted her to minor in special education in college. She realizes she was fortunate to have been well coached at Katy Taylor High School. “My high school coaches were huge mentors to me, and I looked up to them. I still keep in touch with them,” she says. “They taught me a ton: how to be a good teammate, how to take a loss, how to win successfully.”
On the basketball court, Michelle earned her reputation not because of her height—five feet, six inches—but because of her speed. She lettered in both basketball and softball before sustaining a knee injury that curtailed her college sports career. She graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. Meanwhile, Mike Rochinski played football at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan before coming to SHSU for graduate school. While working at the university’s Johnson Coliseum, where Michelle played basketball, Mike became a fan. He eventually became Michelle’s husband. The couple have two children: Cade (18), and Kalee (17). Cade, a recent graduate of Lake Creek High School, will be playing football at Howard Payne University this fall. Kalee, who plays softball on her mother’s team, has already committed to play at the University of Texas at San Antonio after her graduation from Lake Creek in 2023.
Coach Roch Michelle began her career in education at Klein High School, where she was an assistant coach for girls’ basketball, volleyball and softball. She was also a co-teacher in special education classes. After just one year, she was made the head coach of the school’s softball team; however, she decided to leave public school coaching the following year to become a personal trainer. It was a career move that was not to be. While she was busy enrolling in personal training certification courses, golf coaches from Klein and Montgomery high schools met at a tournament. As they talked, Michelle’s name came up. Montgomery’s softball coach had left the district and the school needed a new one without delay. “Rusty Herridge [Montgomery’s then athletic director] called me out of the blue and asked, ‘Would you be interested in looking at Montgomery?’ I came out and interviewed. I actually started that school year two weeks late,” she says. “I really wasn’t even looking.”
Twenty years later, Michelle is still coaching in Montgomery. In addition to being the head softball coach, she has coached volleyball and basketball, and helped start the soccer program at Montgomery High School. For two years, she coached both softball and soccer.
system Time for a HEATER CHECKUP
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Principal Phil Eaton (now retired) and Athletic Director Clint Heard, however, had other ideas. “They asked me, ‘Would you want to go start the softball program over there?’”
Ultimately, Michelle chose to make the transfer to Lake Creek High School. Seniors were allowed to choose which high school they attended, and six out of eight softball players elected to attend Lake Creek. In its inaugural season, the team had a good record. Then things got interesting. The following season, Michelle had high hopes for her team, but after winning 15 games and losing just one, the remainder of the season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The will to win, however, would not go away. In 2021, during Lake Creek High School’s third year, the team had a record of 39 wins and zero losses going into the regional finals. Defeated by Barbers Hill High School (the team that ultimately won the state championship), the Lake Creek Lions were disappointed. But they were not finished. Unfinished business After the blow of elimination before the state championship series, “Unfinished business” became the motto of the Lake Creek softball team. “Starting from the day we walked in for off-season, the girls were ready. I think they prepared last summer after we lost,” Michelle says. “We all believed we had that chance.” As the season progressed, the Lake Creek softball team began to receive national attention.
$350 any
In 2018, Montgomery ISD opened its second high school, Lake Creek. At that point, Michelle was thinking about retiring from coaching and becoming strictly an athletic administrator.
Michelle explains, “based on competition, a point system, and wins and losses. Two out of three ranked us number one.” At one point, Lake Creek played Katy High School, and word spread in Michelle’s original hometown. “A bunch of my high school coaches were there. A family member said to Michelle, ‘Man, Roch, you might have more fans here than the team!’ They followed us through the playoffs,” Michelle says.
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“Those sports overlap,” she says, “but they needed help, and I felt like it was my job.”
Along the way, she also became an assistant athletic coordinator.
Suddenly, Michelle was faced with a dilemma. Her own children would attend Lake Creek High School, and her daughter would be on the softball team. “I questioned it for a little while, because I didn’t know if I really wanted to coach Kalee,” she says. “Some people kind of dream about coaching their kids, but at first, I was like, ‘I don’t know. It’s not my job to coach her through high school. It’s time for her to start listening to someone else.’”
On June 4, the Lake Creek Lions defeated Georgetown High School in Austin and clinched the state championship.
“There are three big ranking systems,”
Commemorative T-shirts proclaim in large letters: “Business—finished.” The team members recently ordered state championship rings that are barnacled with 41 tiny diamonds to represent their 41 wins. The rings also proclaim “national champions.”
Meanwhile, colleges have noticed Lake Creek: two out of three graduating seniors will be attending college on softball scholarships. Four of the team members who will graduate in 2023 have already committed to colleges. In fact, many of Michelle’s former players have played in college. “I don’t have very many
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Cade, Michelle, Kalee, Mike
who play varsity ball and don’t play at the next level,” she says. She has had at least one student athlete sign to play in college every year that she has been a head coach—which is 21 out of the 22 years she has been coaching. Over the year, Michelle’s coaching style has evolved. “I think I learn something every day,” she says. She leads by example, working hard, even when it’s not convenient. Sometimes that means driving a bus so a team can compete. “The kids see that,” she says. “I am hard on them, but I care about them. I will do anything for them.” She also stresses the importance of being a team player. “All of us want to be starters. Everybody wants to be the top dog, but I think everybody needs to learn how to sit on the bench. They learn how to be a teammate and do the right thing. Being a good teammate is going to help you do a better job at whatever you decide to do. They are hopefully going to be successful young women in whatever they decide to do.”
Michelle has no regrets about making the intra-district move to Lake Creek. Her record at Lake Creek is 113 wins and 12 losses. And coaching Kalee has worked out. “We have our moments. She doesn’t get by with much, but she takes it like a champ,” Michelle says. “I don’t think I would take it back. God was telling me something. It was something we did do, winning the state championship. We won state together. That put the cherry on top.”
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14 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 Funded in part by a grant from the City of Conroe. Glorious Grandkids
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Story by Lindsey Kinane Photos by Tom Miller Just for Fun
After a scenic drive past numerous farms in Willis, the Postcards team arrived at the Goodgrass Farm Dairy and Creamery, where husband and wife John and Camille Bock produce items like raw milk and cheeses on location with the help of their small staff.
The dairy is license inspected in the Montgomery, Walker, San Jacinto, and Grimes County area, making it possible to sell raw milk, cultured butter, cheese from fresh and raw milk, pasture pork in season, and additional items.
The milking process The milk comes from their eleven cows milked on location. They are raised on pasture and milked once a day, every day. Milking starts at 8:30 AM, changing to 7:30 AM during the summer to adjust for the brutal heat that is a Texas summer. Goodgrass Farm is a seasonal operation that halts from November until January to allow for calving and recovery of the cows. When the farm is in operation, customers can come to the shop Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM where the products are on Eachdisplay.cow on the property has to be trained for milking, because a rambunctious animal is dangerous for everyone. Unfortunately, animals deemed too dangerous get sold. When it comes time for milking, the cows are milked one at a time, once a day, and are given inspections by those milking to make sure the teats aren’t infected. To make sure everything is sanitary, the teats are coated with iodine before and after milking; they do this to make sure no bacteria gets into the milk. If, however, there is something wrong with the milk, the milk gets thrown out. If a cow isn’t
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The history behind Goodgrass Farm John Bock came out of retirement and built Goodgrass Farms without a background in dairy; however, he had previously milked cows and raised cows and lambs during the 39 years he has lived in Willis with Camille. The couple has about 100 acres of land that they own and manage. Approximately seventy-five acres is used for young calves, and twenty-five acres is used for pasture. In addition to the dairy farm, they have a joint venture selling pigs, piglets, and pork because Camille states, “You can’t have a dairy without raising pigs.” Across the street from the dairy, they make their own hay as well, which is free of pesticides and herbicides.
Events and Tours at Goodgrass Farm
On the third Sunday every month between 2:00 PM 5:00 PM, Goodgrass hosts a producers’ market. Camille states, “This market showcases neighbors and local producers who do great things…such as raising beef, pork, lamb, poultry, rabbit, wine, and honey.” Offerings include jams, jellies, fruits, vegetables, and a spinning demonstration; jellies, jams, olive oil, and honey can also be found at the Goodgrass Farm store with the
The cheese-making process
Goodgrass Farm starts milking their cows when they reach two years of age and continues for several years. If they wean a calf and their teats are still good, a cow will continue milking. The environment at the farm is stress-free for the cows and for the workers, especially since their process involves having the cows milked one at a time.
Magazine: | September milked regularly, the teats will dry up.
The cows start the day in a holding pen, waiting their turn like they are waiting for a ride at a carnival. When they get up to the milking platform, they snack on some grain feed during the milking, then step down, where another barrel of feed awaits them. After they finish the second grain feeding, they walk through a cow scale into the pasture for the day. If there is a heifer being trained for milking, they do the entire process, except they are not actually milked. Cows find stepping down from the milking platform more difficult than getting up— Camille calls this “The Step of Death.” This comes from a cow’s weight distribution and bone structure, as their necks are not mobile enough for them to see straight ahead. With the help of the workers, the cows at Goodgrass Farm are able to successfully negotiate the milking platform, but this comes with training them through the repetitive process.
Cheese offered at Goodgrass Farm can be fresh cheese or aged raw milk hard cheese. The cheesemaking process takes six hours from start to finish—the longest of any products at the farm. Cheese is pasteurized, meaning it has been heated at about 145-161 degrees Fahrenheit. When the cheeses are finished, it takes at least sixty days before the raw milk cheese is ready to sell.
Empowering succeed Operation School (OSB)
SALE-LEASEBACK
Children age four and up are permitted to tour if accompanied by an adult. If there is an interest in touring Goodgrass Farm, you can submit a message on their website. When visiting, guests might also meet Ragner, John and Camille Bock’s dog. Ragner is a Swedish Vallhund—a cow herding breed— that looks like a husky and corgi mix. Ragner’s short legs help him come behind the cows to nip at them, to herd. Being short helps ensure that, when the cows kick, he won’t get hurt. When people look at the cows, they might notice a thin appearance. While some might think all cows are supposed to be big and fat like a beef cow, Camille mentions that milking cows are supposed to look thin. A simple explanation comes from what the different cows produce—meat versus milk. With the energy it takes a milking cow to produce milk every day, they are able to convert feed production into milk, while a beef cow converts their feed production into fat.
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 19 www.assistanceleague.org/montgomery-countyThriftshophours10-3Tuesday-Saturday Real Volunteers Real Results
Quaintly located at the entrance of the property there is a small, free sharing library. People have to opportunity to take or share a book of their choosing on an honor system.
Greater cash flow. A sale-leaseback allows the previous owner to access capital that would otherwise be unavailable in the ownership of the asset.
Sale-leaseback gives you immediate access to capital. This allows business owners to reinvest capital back into their business for equipment upgrades, to pay off debt, or to expand to another location. With a lease in place, the business owner can continue to stay operating in the same building without the hassle of moving. A sale-leaseback also better positions business owners to access long-term capital at a lower cost, further improving your income statement.
During the 2021-2022 year, Assistance League clothing for almost 5,000 Montgomery County students and delivered over 700 various classroom and libraries. With your support, can continue with this successful program.
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Replacing a book when taking one ensures there are always books available for others.
126 N. San Jacinto Street Conroe, TX 77301
Benefits of Sale-Leaseback dairy products. The event can be found on the Goodgrass Farm website, where people can RSVP. During the producer’s market, people park on the street outside the property. People are able to tour the farm in groups of four. Arriving in the morning offers people the chance to see the milking process and to avoid the heat of the day. Touring guests can observe the milking process, but may not physically milk a cow. They may get the chance to pet a cow if they come close.
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Leasing offers better tax advantages than ownership All terms of the lease are determined by the Seller MHW can assist in creating beneficial lease terms and offer professional advice. We work with investors across the country that invest in all types of property. So, why is now a good time to consider a sale-leaseback?
Access Your Capital MHW specializes in helping businesses free up much-needed capital by accessing equity from owned real estate assets through sale-leaseback opportunities. In a sale-leaseback, an owner sells their property, and then immediately leases it back from the buyer within the same transaction. This allows the seller to access capital and still retain the use of the property. Thus, the seller is able to convert the asset into funds that can support their needs without losing the ability to conduct business from the site. There are a variety of needs for an influx of capital: ability to purchase new equipment or product, growth, expansion and acquisitions, mitigating expensive debt, ownership consolidation, succession planning, etc.
Goodgrass Farm LLC. 9924 Bilnoski Road Willis, TX www.goodgrassfarmllc.com77378
281www.mhwre.com 651.4898 336 ½ North Main Street, Suite 214, Conroe, TX 77301
Rain/Water – With minimal rain, landscapes should be watered 4 times a week while temperatures are 98 degrees and above, and a minimum of 15 minutes on bedding plant areas. Plan on 25-30 minutes on areas with sod and shrubs. Established trees in distress will benefit from having a water hose trickling overnight on the dripline. Large trees can and have begun dropping limbs in order to survive, so be careful. Insects – The lack of rain has allowed spider mite populations to explode. Spider Mites are microscopic and, upon close examination, will have what resembles tiny webbing hanging off dried out leaves. Frequent rains keep the spider mite population at bay, but drought is a green light for growth. A systemic miticide will be required to get a heavy infestation under control. Mites will not “just go away” with onset of winter; they must be treated, or the infestation increases.
20 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 By Kim Bius Survival Tips for Your Lawn The Garden Post Your hometown experts in celebrating life! shmfh.com Montgomery • 20850 Eva St. • 936-597-7300 Willis • 10129 FM 1097 W. • 936-890-0454 Smith Memorial Park Cemetery • 10129 FM 1097 W. • Willis • 936-890-0454 THE MEMORIES OF OUR LOVED ONES ARE STORED IN OUR HEART AND Huntsville • 1700 Normal Park Dr. • 936-291-7300
Chinch bugs are rampant in area lawns. Areas that are dried and crunchy brown, but surrounded by green growth, are a direct sign of chinch bugs. Chinch bugs can overtake a lawn in 48 hours and move to the next. Their damage is easily visible in subdivisions where the dried dead grass jumps driveways and extends along the side of the road for blocks on end. How do you identify a chinch bug? Place a white sheet of paper on the ground and step away 8 feet. Begin circling the sheet of paper at 8’, 7’, 6’, 5’, etc.; tiny flecks of red/ brown (juveniles) to black(adults) will begin jumping onto the sheet of paper. Chinch bugs can be treated with a liquid or a granular systemic insecticide. I prefer a granular, because it lasts longer, and each treatment is good for 45-60 days. Liquid application generally last 2 weeks, but can easily be applied with a hoseend sprayer. Lawns – The damage is done. Dead grass will need to be raked out. If the rhizomes are green, the sod will return in 3-5 weeks; if the root system can be easily pulled up, the sod will need to be replaced. With all the dead lawns, sod will be a high commodity. St. Augustine is not sold in seed form, but you can seed with centipede, Bermuda, or buffalo. Sod will do best when planted with temperatures that don’t exceed the low 90s and will need to be watered 5x a week until the grass is tall enough to mow. When too dry, all sod varieties will turn a lime/yellow and the blades of grass will fold closed. After a few days in this stage, the grass will brown and die out. It would be near impossible to have brown patch or other fungal infestations in the lawn at this time, with little to no moisture in the soil or air. Take heart, soon fall will be on the way, temperatures will gradually decrease, and rain will return. Happy Gardening!
Summer of 2022 will go down as one of the biggest challenges in the garden industry. This summer surely will be as devastating on area landscapes as the winter snowstorm of ’21.
Heat – Tomatoes and peppers will not set fruit when temperatures are above 95 degrees in the day and 75 at night. During triple digit temperatures, pollen is destroyed and the leaves curl. The same is true with other vegetables and fruits. Do not try to “carry over” tired and “diseased” spring vegetables. Start fresh with seed or new starters. Fall Vegetable Gardening – Plant seeds now and plan your harvest according to the production time. It is too late for pumpkins by Halloween or corn that requires 100-120 days before harvest, but a great time for squash, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and beans. Plant cool-weather vegetable seeds now, but starter plants for vegetables such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and kale should be planted when 85 is the daytime high temperature……late September through mid -October.
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you
you
Favorite No “A man can be as great as he wants to be. If believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive if are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done.”
ColtonSmith TrinitySchoolHigh C olton is a recent graduate of Trinity High School and is the son of Gary and Kymberly Smith. His activities included football, powerlifting, baseball, track and field, community volunteer, and sports mentor. Colton was recruited to play football for Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie. He plans to become a history teacher and football coach. He believes, “You only get one chance. Let’s go!”
22 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | Star Students Favorite Movie: Hacksaw Ridge Favorite Music/Artist: RM Favorite Food: Enchiladas Potosinas Favorite Quote: “The only time you should ever look back is to see how far you’ve come.” HernandezKaren HuntsvilleSchoolHigh K aren is a recent graduate of Huntsville High School. Her activities included National Technical Honor Society, Justice Society, Lone Star College, interior design with believes, “It’s not a loss Sponsored by Wischnewsky Dodge MARK YOUR CALENDARS! SEPT. 17-18 Huntsville Antique Show Walker County Fairgrounds 3295 SH 30 W - Huntsville Saturday 10 am - 5 pm Sunday 10 am - 4 pm Admission - $7 Good for Both Days! Kids 12 & Under www.huntsvilleantiqueshow.comFREEKayKing936.661.2545Bringthisadfor$2offoneadmission! Postcards Magazine "At Texas Generator Solutions, we are true believers in Community Without the trust in our community there We are a family owned and operated business the long term. There are a lot of different your name out there...Postcards Magazines amazing for our growth. We have received calls and have taken up to 3-4 customer day. We love our Postcards family and the we have obtained from this great publication. Give us a call @ 936-588-9317 for a free in-home We are the solution to back up Thank you, Postcards Magazine, for everything -DUSTIN SORENSEN & THE TEAM AT TEXAS GENERATOR 936-293-1188 Call for an advisor today!
drive, and
-Vince Lombardi
Way Home Favorite Music/Artist: Skillet Favorite Food: Chicken Nuggets Favorite Quote:
Movie: Spiderman:
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 23
Conroe was well represented, too. Jordy Maldonado began gymnastics training when he was ten years old. “My medical doctor recommended it. The doctor thought the sport would help me cope with my ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder). Jordy started focusing on tumbling and trampoline about two years ago, but he has done well enough to compete in trampoline at the Intermediate Level. He placed second in synchronized with his partner Syler Buck. Jordy also placed sixth in the Individual Trampoline event.
They were among multiple USA Elite gymnasts who competed in the qualifying tryouts at the 2022 USA Gymnastics Championships held in Des Moines, Iowa in June. Two athletes, Morgan Kessler and Miah Bruns, won the national championship in their divisions. Morgan Kessler (18) from Katy won the National Championship in Tumbling-Intermediate Elite. Morgan began taking gymnastics lessons when he was six years old because, “I was always a very active kid and needed an activity to keep me occupied. I like competing in tumbling because I love to demonstrate both power and grace.”
Five local teens have qualified to compete in the 2022 World Championships and World Age Group (WAG) Competitions in Trampoline & Tumbling in Sofia, Bulgaria November 16-19.
24 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 Story by Darlene Dufour Photos by Gina Turner Texas Talent
Left to Right: Jeffrey Brown, Cole Bianca, Jordy Maldonado, Morgan Kessler and Amanda Bianca
FLIPTEENSAREAOUT
Miah Bruns (18) defended her 2021 title to win the 2022 Senior Women’s Tumbling National Champion again. According to Miah, “This year, I achieved one of my biggest dreams, which was to represent Team USA at the World Games this July. The World Games is the Olympics for non-olympic sports. After this year, my goal is to continue training for the next World Games in 2025 in China.”
Left to Right: London Hunt, Alec Pelezo, Miah Bruns, Jeffrey Brown and Isabella Pansano
Fifteen-year-old London Hunt of Spring competed in tumbling as a Junior Elite Female and placed fourth. “I like competing in tumbling because it’s fun.”
London Hunt (15) of Spring competed in tumbling as a Junior Elite female and placed fourth. She says she began taking gymnastics lessons when she was eight years old says about herself as, “I am very competitive. I like competing in tumbling because it’s fun.”
The group remembered that it was a difficult venue to compete in “because the weather was hot and the building we competed in was not air-conditioned. “
Isabella Pansano, from The Woodlands, placed third in Trampoline as a Junior Elite, and she placed fifth in the Double-Mini category. “I like the Double-Mini because it’s fun,” Bella said. Fourteen-year-old Cole Bianca, from Spring, placed third in the Youth Elite category of Tumbling. “I’ve been taking gymnastics lessons since I was four. I was always flippin’ around.”
(17) from Magnolia placed eighth in the Power Tumbling -Elite Category in Des Moines, Iowa, and ninth in the event in Italy. He also ranked tenth in Double Mini-trampoline, the Senior Elite division in Des Moines. Alec said , “I like tumbling because of how fast the pace is.” Alec is a senior and, after high school graduation, he wants ”to continue the sport and go to junior college in order to keep competing.”
London is also impressed with the leotards Coach Brown designed for the team. “Mine’s pink. I got to choose the color. “
The gymnasts train at the World Championship Centre in Spring, Texas. (Think Simone Biles.) Jeffrey T. Brown and Amanda Bianca (Cole’s mother) are the team’s T & T coaches. Why do you train at WCC? What do you like about Coach Jeffrey?
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 25 » THE EXPERTS IN PEST CONTROL SINCE 1981! D.L. Shiver II (936) 291-2902 License: TPCL 0774786 Rodent Control • Household Pests • Mosquito Control Roaches • Ants • Spiders • Termite Control & Inspection Lawn and Ornamental Treatments • Weed Control Follow us on Facebook! We serve Conroe, Willis, Montgomery & surrounding areas! D.L. and Shannon Shiver Sam Houston Memorial Museum & Republic of Texas Presidential Library 1836 Sam Houston Avenue Huntsville, TX samhoustonmemorialmuseum.com 936-294-1832 Museum Hours: • • Tuesday thru Saturday – 9:00am to 4:30pm Sunday – 12:00pm to 4:30pm Clossed Mondays and Holidays Honoring the life and times of General Sam Houston. Do you think the sport helped you with your ADHD? “Yes, it helped me get a lot of energy out and it helped me learn to focus.” There are several other gymnasts going through their routines at the same time. How do you maintain your concentration when you compete? “I have to focus. I listen to music while I’m waiting. Then, just before my turn, I pray. I like it when people cheer when I’m performing. That Alechelps.”Pelezo
Tasha Williams said, “My father owns gyms in Illinois and is a coach himself, but I had big goals. I wanted to make Senior Elite. I wanted to make the national team, and I wanted to make World Cup in Italy in 2022. I did all that. My goal for 2023 is to make World again.”
Tasha Williams ranked second in the Senior Women’s Tumbling in Italy. She also ranked second in the same event in Italy. She and Miah Bruns came from Illinois to train with Jeffrey Brown. Tasha is hosted by Dr. Marixa Maldonado, a medical doctor in Conroe. “Jordy’s mother has hosted several students at their home in Conroe so they can reach their Fourpotential.”athletes also competed May 25-27 in Rimini, Italy, for the Aere World Cup Championships in Tumbling and Double Mini-trampoline.
Describe a typical weekday; what’s your routine?
Morgan: “Seeing all of my friends from across the nation; traveling to new locations.”
Morgan Kessler drives two hours each day from Katy. “I always wanted the opportunity to pursue an elite gymnastics career at a facility that could support my needs as an athlete. Jeffrey is so understanding and supportive. He has helped me get to where I am today and has allowed me to grow as both an athlete and a person.”
Miah said, “The reason I train at WCC is because of Coach Jeffrey and the facility. I moved away from home in Crete, Illinois, in order to be coached by Jeffrey and follow my dreams.”
London appreciates, “The way coach pushes me to be my best.”
Alec said, “He always supports me, even when I’m having a bad time. “ Jordy said that he likes, “The way they encourage me and push me every day to do my best.”
Her host family is Dr. Amelia Robinson and Joshua Johnson. Dr. Robinson is the principal of the Academy at WCC, which helps the gymnasts balance school with their intense training hours. “It’s a compressed school day, with a small student-teacher ratio. This allows each student to receive direct and tailored help in order to maximize their learning abilities. My season never ends, because I’ve been an international athlete for eight years, so I compete in more world and WAGS meets than most people,” Miah explained. “I go home to Illinois at Christmas. Otherwise, my family comes to see me at meets.”
What is your favorite thing about going to competitions in other states or countries?
The gymnasts are in home-school programs offered at WWC that allow them to practice 25 hours a week. They are up by 7:00 AM and off to the gym for practice from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM. They do lunch and school work from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, then it’s back to practice from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Afterwards, they finish up any needed school work, have supper with the family, play with the pets, watch television, and get to bed by 10:00 PM or 11:00 PM.
How did you learn about Coach Jeffrey?
Jeffrey had won five national titles and competed for the United States in South Africa. He has been a member of the USA Gymnastics National Team since 2001 and has competed in Canada, Belgium, Russia, Belarus, two World Cups and two World Championships. In addition to his achievements in tumbling and trampoline, Jeffrey trained in tap, jazz, and ballet dance for ten years. He also performed with Walt Disney World as a tumbler in the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. Jeffrey also performed stunts, dance, and acting roles for Universal Orlando, Sea World, and Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba.
Miah: “Meeting all the gymnasts from around the country and world. When traveling to international competitions, I enjoy getting to experience and learn about the different cultures.”
26 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022 STAGE RIGHT OF TEXAS 2022 - 2023 Funded in part by a grant from the City of Conroe. Oct. 21 - Nov. 6, 2022 Dec. 2 - 18, 2022 Sept. 9 - 25, 2022 Feb. 10 - 26, 2023 Apr. 7 - 23, 2023 Jul. 7 - 23, 2023 All performances at the Crighton Theatre 234 N. Main St. Conroe, TX 77301 For Season Tickets and Audition Information Visit the website: stage-right.org Call 936-441-7469
The group agreed with Miah, who said, “We knew him from meets and other events for about eight years. We knew his reputation and athletic ability, so when we heard he’d started coaching full-time, we got in touch with him. “
London: “Seeing different parts of the world; spending time with friends and Cole:competing.”Gettingtosee friends from other states…but I don’t like the plane rides.”
Do you have any role models in your sport? Cole’s role model is Elliot Browne from Great Britain. Isabella admires Lina Sjoberg, “Because she is a good Double Mini Miahathlete.”admires
According to London Hunt, “My role model is Miah, my teammate, because she is the best women’s tumbler in the world.”
Alec and Morgan both admire Kristoff Willerton of Great Britain. They say, “His tumbling style inspires me.” Who knows? Maybe one day a young gymnast will be regarding one of these athletes as their role model. Oh, wait. One already does.
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 27
“Getting experience
Jia Fangfang from China because, “She is one of the best women power tumblers, and I aspire to be as good as her one day.”
And the results confirm it: Miah Bruns won the 2022 World Cup Tumbling championship in Italy. She then won the silver medal for Team USA at the World Games in Birmingham, Alabama in July of this year.
Isabella: “Meeting people from everywhere.”
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The most unbelievably complex part of a human body in the living biosphere unquestionably is the brain and its counterpart in the nonliving material world is a modest but similarly intricate computer. Both use energy to function while collecting information and amazingly assembling vast volumes of subject matter to arrive at conclusions.
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!
To initiate a reboot, isolate and be mindful only of your SELF not of environment from the outside world. Our selves have all the complex methods and routines propelling us to function as individuals leading independent lives in a vast complex world. But we need to come up to the realization whatever plans we have for reaching our goals maximally need to be properly adhered to rather than just given passing attention.
WOW TWO BRAINS!
Bywww.drjimshealthtips.comJamesW.Jones,MD,PhD, own use a pole and bait the limited amount of supplies available.
MHA Better Living • Register on site the day of the event • You may use your
from
You can Make Your Life Astute if You Trouble-Shoot Starting with a Reboot
gear or
30 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022
Look to such instances in your past which you regret and realize that preserving detrimental considerations from the past is like not taking out the household garbage. It confers no value and only begins to stink up your lifecycle.
AHA MOMENT!
The ultimate key to living the finest life one is capable of is to perfect the way it is lived by polishing the self’s lifestyle. Lifestyle is gradually implemented by your family, educational level, moral training, romantic experiences, and many additional life’s encounters molding the inner self’s beliefs.
When computer glitches happen a simple but magnanimous procedure labelled reboot generally renovates functioning back to normal. This simple on-off switch seemingly magically resets otherwise jammed malfunctioning programs back to routine and the rebooted computer becomes normal in functioning. Glitches happen because over time there is an accumulation of unneeded scripts causing hiccups which are removed by means of Thisrebooting.column has focused for some time on reengineering everyday life so that we can be the best we can be. Even when we feel like shouting “THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS” the mood will not last long, but reengineering can make it happen more often.
should allow focusing on eradicating shoddy segments of our self’s persona which includes remorse, guilt, distaste of others, and fear that something unpleasant is looming.
FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION WHERE PersonalNEEDED!rebooting
• Trophies awarded immediately following the final measuring of fish. REBOOT
Life generally accumulates baggage because our cave-dweller brain continues unnecessarily to focuses on serious incidents to stay alive.
Rebooting dictates to decide that is past and has no place in your self’s now. Expect the rebooting to remove unwanted-baggage and produce a clean slate for your mental being. Then you can restart and replace old habits with new more exuberant lifestyles and reward yourself with Aha moments.
I must caution that I am not trained in psychiatry. However, I remember that I made one of the highest grades, if not the highest, in psychiatry in medical school, enough so the chairman called me in and asked if I was going into psychiatry, but I replied no because I would just sit and analyze myself. The professor was not amused.
Step 3: Whisk eggs and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until just mixed; do not over-whisk. Beat gradually into the butter mixture until well incorporated. Sift in flour and baking powder, bit by bit, folding after each addition. Set batter aside.
Step 4: Puree raspberries, confectioners’ sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Separate half the cake mix into a different bowl and stir the coulis through.
Step 2: Cream superfine sugar and butter together with a paddle attachment of a free-standing electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
3/8 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 drops lemon juice, or to taste
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 31 What’s Cookin’
Raspberry Loaf Cake
Cake Mix: 1 cup superfine sugar
1 3/8 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp soft margarine, or as needed
3 large eggs
1 ½ tsp baking powder
Coulis: 5 ounces fresh raspberries
DirectionsStep1:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x4inch loaf tin with soft margarine and set aside.
Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the cake is golden brown and risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges of the tin and remove the cake, leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.
Ingredients
¾ cup unsalted butter
Step 5: Put alternating dollops of the raspberry and vanilla batter into the prepared loaf tin using a small ice cream scoop. Swirl both sets of dollops together slightly using the blunt end of a skewer.
½ tsp vanilla extract
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MidSouth Fiber is a subsidiary of its parent company MidSouth Electric Co-op. The cooperative and its subsidiaries have provided quality electric service to the community for over 80 years. Now, MidSouth Fiber is continuing in that excellent tradition. Most of our employees live and work in the MidSouth territory. We are your friends, neighbors, and fellow co-op members, and we treat you as such. Our focus on reliability and member experience sets the electric cooperative apart from other local power providers. The expectations are just as high for MidSouth Fiber. As we studied other internet companies and listened to our members, we learned outage restoration timelines varied greatly, sometimes lasting days or weeks. Knowing how crucial access to fast and reliable internet is in today’s world, MidSouth Fiber adopted the same restoration strategy we use in electric operations and created a new standard for internet reliability.
Once word spread that we were establishing a broadband subsidiary, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Additionally, the cooperative had also been considering a more reliable way to communicate with its electric devices to improve outage restoration times and increase efficiency. Fiber optic lines were the perfect solution. With such major
MidSouth decided to pursue fiber installation based on need. Our members, especially those living in more rural areas, desperately needed internet to keep up with advancing technology. They were the ones who would call us, email us, or stop us in person to ask if we would ever consider providing internet to the community.
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 33 »
“MidSouth Fiber Internet is a high-speed internet provider focused on supplying reliable highspeed internet service directly to the homes of co-op members across six counties,” according to CEO and General Manager Kerry Kelton, “and is a welcome addition to the services provided by MidSouth to our neighbors and friends.”
What makes MidSouth Fiber different from other internet providers in the area?
Once a subscriber has reported their fiber outage to the 24/7 tech support center, a fiber technician will analyze the account data. If the solution requires more than a simple reboot, the technician creates a work order and sends it directly to the outage response team. Depending on the severity of the outage, a technician or construction crew is dispatched to determine the source of the outage and restore service. This new approach helps shorten the amount of time a subscriber is without internet service and Why did MidSouth decide to provide internet to its members and how long did it take to implement the project?
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advantages and services in mind, MidSouth began planning and constructing the fiber backbone. Originally designed as a fiveyear project, MidSouth completed initial construction in just two years. Finishing the fiber project at an unprecedented pace required the commitment of every MidSouth employee. Our team sacrificed nights, weekends, and time with family to bring fiber internet to all MidSouth members as quickly and efficiently as possible. . Why is the fiber project so important? The fiber framework supports our community in multiple ways. Access to reliable high-
Members
to
MidSouth offers three speed packages for residential members choose from: 100 mbps, 500 mbps, or 1 gbps. There are unlimited upload and download speeds without data caps, giving subscribers a fast, reliable, and consistent experience on the web. can find more information fiber services and schedule their inhome installation at midsouthfiber.com. In addition to our Fiber to the Home project (FTTH), we also offer business internet solutions to our commercial members. Commercial fiber subscribers enjoy the same benefits as our residential customers, as well as priority service and 24/7 tech support. Custom commercial internet opportunities are also available for businesses requiring a unique solution. Members interested in commercial internet services can contact our Fiber Sales Manager, Will Bond, at 936-4338010 PRICING BEFORE TAX (PER MONTH) 100 mbps: $64.95 500 $79.99 1 $99.95 mbps: $199.95 $399.95 next for
RESIDENTIAL
•
•
MidSouth Fiber?
What services does MidSouth
MidSouth uses the fiber infrastructure to communicate between electric devices across system, monitor status, and maintain reliability. do encounter faults or outages, a crew can be dispatched to the exact location of the issue and restore power quickly. Fiber offer?
about our
What’s
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 35 BACK TO SCHOOL BACK TO HEALTH Look and feel better for the holidays! Jan Nell COPE Certified Health Coach www.facebook.com/jannell.healthcoach 281-850-6426 j219nell@gmail.com 13786 B H-105 W Conroe, TX 77304 TECL# 37154 (936)588-9317 texasgenerator@gmail.com www.texasgensolutions.com Sales, Service, Financing Generators In Stock! Financing Available Family Owned & Operated speed internet improves the quality of life for our members who have historically been left behind. With MidSouth Fiber, subscribers can work remotely, take online classes, video chat with loved ones, and utilize telemedicine practices. Also, the availability of fiber internet service encourages business development and relocation to rural areas, contributing to the economic health of the community. Fiber also improves our electric service.
How do I know if MidSouth Fiber is available in my area and how do I sign up? Consult the map on our website at midsouthfiber.com to determine if your home or business is in the MidSouth service area and schedule a free installation. If you have any questions, our member services team is available by phone at 936-825-5100.
our
As with everything MidSouth does, our primary goal is to maintain the exceptional foundation of fiber we have established to ensure that our members have access to fast and reliable internet. As growth within our territory continues, we will continue to install fiber along any new MidSouth electric service routes, and eventually into non-electric service areas as well.
mbps:
If we
•
COMMERCIAL PRICING BEFORE TAX (PER MONTH) • 100 mbps: $99.95 • 500
gbps:
• 1 gbps:
PHOTO CONTEST ENTER NOW! ENTER ONLINE! www.PostcardsLive.com/Contests For complete rules visit our website at PostcardsLive.com/contests. PEOPLE (YOUNG TO OLD) • SEASONS FOUR CATEGORIES: • ANIMALS/NATURE • LOCAL LIVING Show us your Best Shots! Postcards Magazine GRAND PRIZE WINNER RECEIVES: • Photo featured on a Postcards Magazine Cover • 2 Nights at Margaritaville Lake Conroe Resort • Postcards Campfire Mug Set • Specially Customized Postcards Swag • Recognition in Postcards Magazine 1ST PLACE IN EACH CATEGORY WINS: • Photo on a Postcards Magazine Cover • 1 Night at Margaritaville Lake Conroe Resort • Postcards Campfire Mug • Postcards Swag • R ecognition in Postcards Magazine 2ND & 3RD PLACE IN EACH CATEGORY WINS: • Postcards Swag • Recognition in Postcards Magazine ENTRIES DUE BY SEPT 30, 2022
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 37 ShareMilestonesyourMilestone! PostcardsLive.com/Share Happy 50th anniversary to Dennis & Karen Garrison! Eddie & Glenda Collard recently celebrated 47 years of marriage.
It is a global program designed to increase feline care by reducing stress for the cat, the owner, and the veterinary practice.
• Client Education: Apart from the vet and the team engaging with the client about feline care, educational hand-outs and materials are important to expand the knowledge of feline care.
Improving Care for your Cats!
• Dentistry: Good dental health is so important to overall health of your cat. Most of the time, your cat’s first sign of pain or discomfort stems from dental disease.
Providing a safe, stress-free, and happy household for your cat is as important as taking your cat to a Cat-Friendly Practice to benefit their health and wellbeing. 10 ways to enrich your cat’s1.life:Provide toys
• Comfortable Hospitalization: Cats can become very stressed when hospitalized. Cat-Friendly Practices aim to provide a thoughtful and comfortable place for treatment. This includes providing hiding places for cats to relax in. Bringing blankets or beds or toys to leave with the cat is encouraged.
10. Think about getting another cat
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4. Acclimate your cat to its carrier
7. Go out – cats can be walked on a leash with a harness or in a confined space outside.
Here are some ways a Cat Friendly Practice (CFP) ensures the best care and experience for you and your cat:
2. Train your cat
This is where the CATalyst Council has embraced the challenge. Their goal is to get more cats adopted, educate cat owners, and provide more lifetime healthcare for cat patients by encouraging vets to engage with cat owners.
• Feline-friendly waiting area: This includes a cat-only waiting area away from other animals and excessive noise.
8. Provide scratching posts
9. Provide preventive medications –monthly or bi-monthly prevention for fleas, ticks, heartworms, and intestinal parasites is important
6. Microchip your cat – provides permanent identification
There are roughly 60 million cats and 75 million dogs in the United States. A study about household pets revealed ¼ of residents were cat owners and 1/3 were dog owners; however, veterinarian practices see dogs 4 times more than cats. Ever wondered why? Most times when someone gets a cat or a kitten, it’s either free or is found. And when taken in to get vetted and neutered, there is little conversation about long-term preventative healthcare and the importance of regular veterinary checkups.
3. Make your cat work for food
38 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022
• Feline Preventative Healthcare by Life Stages: CFP recommends annual exams for all cats and bi-annual exams for senior cats or cats with chronic health conditions. An exam should cover pain, nutrition, and behavior of the cat, and include vaccinations, if applicable.
5. Visit the vet – healthy cats are happy cats!
Feline health is important! Together, we can get more cats to the vet and ensure they receive the long-term healthcare they deserve.
• Feline-friendly handling: This means the physical exam can be performed in the carrier, on the floor, in the owner’s lap, or on the exam table. Wherever the cat is least stressed, you will get the best results.
By Steve VanWagner, D.V.M. Vet Connect:
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 39 Suduko Marketplace Easy Sudoku Fillintheblanksquaressothateachrow,eachcolumnandeach without logicalpuzzle. ifsolve.page youreallygetstuck.©2013KrazyDad.com Sudoku #6 Easy Sudoku Puzzles by KrazyDad, Volume 1, Book 1 on elevators constantly rearrange positions as people get off so there is at all times an equal distance between all bodies. John Sharkey 2368 7513 45926359 3991426 142 7843295 Service Area Magnolia Conroe Montgomery North Houston New Waverly Huntsville Willis Spring Tomball Pinehurst The Woodlands Shenandoah Cypress KleinCall or Text 713-570-6095 see answers on page 29 Do you owe the IRS $$$ Income Tax • IRS Representation • Insurance • Notary Public 100 Hwy 190 East Huntsville, TX 77340 Email: onecdcrawford@aol.com (936) 291-1887 (Direct) (936) 661-0692 (Cell) (936) 291-1789 (Fax) National Association of Enrolled Agents • National Society of Tax Professionals Chester Crawford, EA Since 1981 chestercrawford.com Our services benefit families by: Saving drying time • Lowering energy costs • Preventing dangerous dryer fires We do one thing and do it well... Dryer vents are all we do! Clean • Install • Repair (713)814-4772 woodlandsdryervent.com Serving Montgomery, Conroe, & The Woodlands ARE YOU TURNING 65? NEW TO MEDICARE? Choosing your first Medicare plan is a big decision. You don’t have to make it alone. Bakers Bouq floral@bakersbouquet.com bakery@bakersbouquet.com 806 N. Loop 336 W. • Conroe (936) 760-3499 Cookies • Desserts • Keto • Gluten Free • Full Florist • Weddings • Birthday Parties Funerals • Flower Specials • More • Tuesdays for First Responders • Wednesdays for Military • Thursdays for Medical Staff • Fridays for Teachers 15% Discount on: Fall is on the Way
CALENDAR September Thru 30 The Woodlands Submissions Accepted for The Woodlands Wildflower Festival Art Contest 832-326-0832 3-4 Bryan Hullaballoo Blues Fest destinationbryan.com 9 Sugar Land Disney Junior LIVE on Tour smartfinancialcentre.net 9-10 Palestine Historic Bowers Mansion Ghost Hunt hauntedrooms.com 9-25 Conroe “Murder on the Orient Express” crightontheatre.org “School of Rock 2022” owentheatre.com 9-30 Palestine Piney Woods Express Diesel texasstaterailroad.net 10 Caldwell Kolache Festival burlesoncountytx.com Conroe Brian Black with Marty Haggard outhousetickets.com Huntsville Comedian - William Lee Martin oldtowntheatre-huntsville.org Kingwood In a Pickle Festival facebook.com/getyourselfinapickle 11 The Woodlands Pitbull woodlandscenter.org 13 Houston Michael Buble toyotacenter.com Sugar Land Alicia Keys in Concert smartfinancialcentre.net 14 Sugar Land Earth, Wind & Fire smartfinancialcentre.net 16 The Woodlands Sammy Hagar & The Circle woodlandscenter.org 16-17 Nacogdoches Old Town Rig Down (Big Rig Truck Show) oldtownrigdown.com 17 Conroe Woodforest Charity Run woodforest.com Master Gardeners Fall Floral Plants Sale mcmga.com Around the World in 180 Minutes, Annual Charity Wine Event bridgewoodfarms.org Galveston Three Dog Night in Concert thegrand.com Palestine Rockin’ the Rails featuring Blacktop Mojo texasstaterailroad.net 17-18 Huntsville Antique Show huntsvilleantiqueshow.com
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 41 Art THRESHOLD EXHIBITION September 6 – October 8 Reception | September 8 | 6 p.m. University Gallery, HFAB Free Admission Music SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT September 20 | 7:30 p.m. Payne Concert Hall, GPAC Music WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT September 22 | 7:30 p.m. Payne Concert Hall, GPAC Music SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA September 24 | 7:30 p.m. Payne Concert Hall, GPAC Theatre & Musical Theatre AIRNESS By Chelsea Marcantel September 29 – October 1 | 7:30 p.m. October 1 | Matinee | 2:00 p.m. Showcase Theatre, UTC FOR TICKETS SHSUTICKETS.COMVISIT For a full list of events visit shsu.edu/camevents SEPTEMBER EVENTS Buying or selling, I’m YOUR next door agent. Broker Associate936.581.4434 19 Conroe Gulf Coast Trades Center Golf Tournament gctc.us 20-Oct 2 Houston “Ain’t Misbehavin’” tuts.com 23-24 Galveston Shrimp Festival visitgalveston.com 24 Huntsville Touch a Truck huntsville.tx.gov Wayne Toups oldtowntheatre-huntsville.org 25 Sugar Land Diana Krall in Concert huntsville.tx.gov The Woodlands ZZ Top’s Raw Whiskey Tour woodlandscenter.org 27-28 College Station Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock ‘n’ Roll mscopas.org 29 Sugar Land CoComelon LIVE! JJ’s Journey smartfinancialcentre.net Oct 1 Huntsville Fair on the Square faironthesquare.com Oct 1-2 Huntsville Homecoming – Cook Springs Baptist Church cooksprings.org
“Come all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28
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“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” – Psalm 23:6
The good news is that with God, we always have a loving home to return to. We may leave Him, but He never leaves us. He gives us a place of peace we can return to every day. And if we find ourselves wandering away, we don’t have to worry. All we have to do is turn around, and He will show us the path back to Him, back to home sweet home.
42 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2022
Most have heard the story of the prodigal son, told by Jesus to illustrate the depths of God’s love for us. Told from the father’s point of view, it is a story of grace and forgiveness. It is a story that promises a “welcome home” celebration for repentant sinners, even the worst among us. What if the story were told from the perspective of the prodigal, however? For those who think you can’t relate, let’s compare his journey to summer vacation. When we head out, all we can think about is our imagined destination. Depending on where we’re going, it may be the cool island breezes, the quaint stores and restaurants, or the bright city lights calling out to us. What we don’t think about are traffic jams, long lines at the airport or the amusement park, and strange tastes and smells. We wonder how the locals manage to drive up and down steep mountain roads that don’t seem wide enough for two-way travel. We find ourselves frustrated when there is no air conditioning, the stores close early, and the cab drivers don’t speak English. Perhaps it’s raining at the beach, or the nearby forests are on fire. Suddenly, in the middle of our dream vacation, we begin to sound like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. “There’s no place like home,” we realize.
“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” – Isaiah 32:18
Mustard MomentsSeed by Linda Perkins Home Sweet Home
In many ways, we are all like the prodigal. If we knew all the obstacles we would face in life, we might not ever take a step forward! As youths, we step out of the comfort of our parents’ homes and are excited to take on the world. Just like we do on summer vacations, we know there will be the unexpected things we don’t like, but we don’t want to hear it. We just go. But somewhere along the way, we get tired…and the very place we longed to leave – home – is the one place we really want to be.
September 2022 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 43 Therapeutic Optometrist & Glaucoma Specialist 15260 Highway 105 W. Suite 127 Montgomery, TX 77356 Cameron Optical Dr. Bonnie J. Cameron Glaucoma Specialist Pediatric TherapeuticSpecialistOptometrist Mark Soveral, A.B.O.C. Join our Cameron Care program today and let us help you begin a lifetime of wellness, good health, and perfect vision! “Your Home Town Family Eye Care Clinic” www.cameronoptical.com 936-448-1200 SUFFERING FROM DRY EYES? YOU DON'T HAVE TO "JUST LIVE WITH IT!" $500 OFF OptiLight Treatment Buy a Year Supply of Acuvue Oasys 1 Days and receive a $300 Visa with Purchase (In office Cameron Optical purchases only with complete eye exam) We are the only Acuvue Preferred Provider
