POSTCARDS MAGAZINE - Piney Woods - Oct. 2022

Coach Michelle Rochinski / Local Haunted Places / SHSU Planetarium and Observatory / DBL Real Estate

49 Sudoku Solutions

Awesome Apps

Sudoku Marketplace

From the Mouths of Babes

What’s Cookin’

Wildlife Wonders

Kidding Around

Living with Children

81 Snapshots!

Better Living

Along the Road

Creative Corner

Giggles & Grins

Community Calendar

Mustard Seed Moments

Cover Photo by Lori Slott Postcards 2021 Cover Photo Contest

From Our Readers

Recipes and Teacher spotlights are my favorite.

Denise Winston

I love how you spotlight local businesses!

Heike Ness

I enjoy finding out about local businesses.

Tanya Hollas

I love seeing pics of the pets, grandkids, and high school kids.

Melissa Allen

I love to see the Star Students! Cathy G. Schweitzer

all the local

and people! I love that we celebrate our people!

Karen Denman

Waverly, Midway,

We

Publisher’s Post Karen Altom publisher@postcardslive.com

Music City News

As I write this, I am sitting on a hotel balcony in Nashville, overlooking a lovely fountain and thinking about last night. Hubby’s birthday is in September, and I had planned a trip for him to experience the Hell’s Kitchen restaurant in Las Vegas. He really enjoys watching cooking shows (suits me, since he cooks more than I do), and I thought it would be fun to surprise him. So, how did we end up in Nashville? Well, that was because of a different TV show.

We normally don’t watch America’s Got Talent, but we happened to catch it one night when a country group called Chapel Hart performed. Chapel Hart (three young black women from Poplarville, Mississippi) are two sisters and a first cousin, and their harmonies are the special ones only families can make. When asked after their audition if they had been trying to break into the music business for long, they got a little emotional and said it had been tough because, “Country music doesn’t always look like us.” Chapel Hart ended up getting 5th place overall on AGT, but they won big when they received an invitation to perform on the Grand Ole Opry. Their debut performance was last night…and that’s how we ended up in Nashville.

I had forgotten what I love about the Opry…the old, the new, the different varieties of music. But what I really love (and was reminded of) was when Chapel Hart took the stage and asked for all current and former military, veterans, and first responders to raise their hands. My sweet Wes never looks for public recognition, but after a poke in the ribs from me, his was one of those hands. They thanked them and sang their original song, American Pride Then, these young women looked at the audience and acknowledged what we at Postcards believe to be true. As Americans, as children of God, we can get through all the junk that divides us if we join together as community and love each other.

I felt like she knew us.

Community. It’s what we do. Hell’s Kitchen can wait.

Until next time, ~ Karen

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material.

copied, faxed, electronically,

Magazine™

from Postcards Magazine™

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We are living in strange times… or are we?

For the last couple of years there has been a lot of discussion about getting back to normal. Nobody has ever really defined what normal means, but in the context of the pandemic and economic shutdowns I guess 2022 has been more normal. But is this really the normal everyone has been hoping for?

The first several months of 2022 have been challenging from an investment standpoint. Add to that the highest inflation American households have experienced in 40 years, and it creates a lot of uncertainty. For many investors this is the worst combination of falling markets and high inflation they have ever lived through, or at least the worst they can remember living through. But this is not the first time (nor will it be the last) that we have faced challenges of this type. It always feels like the worst time when you are in the midst of it.

We often talk about process. It is times like these that really show the value of a process. We employ a process that attempts to help us identify when to be invested in stocks, and when to move to more conservative positions.

Specifically, this year we have been in money market positions since late in the first quarter. We do still take the opportunity to “dip our toe” back in the market for short periods of time in an effort to find some positive results. But the majority of time has been spent in those more conservative (money market) positions. It has allowed us to slow the market related losses in accounts that we manage for our clients. The portion of any specific account that would be in stocks or in money market varies based on the individuals risk tolerance. As a result, there are varying levels of outcomes, but the process has allowed us to avoid some of the market volatility as compared to simply maintaining an allocation to stocks.

We understand that for many of you, any losses are hard to live with. As with past market downturns, this will be a temporary occurrence and before you know it, we will be back to the “normal”. Again, I am not sure how to define normal. While these may be strange times, they are not unprecedented.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your investments, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are always here to answer your questions or provide you with a second opinion on your current investment strategy. We would love to help you “Enjoy More, Worry Less”.

What Are You Reading?

John Davis reading Where the Crawdads Sing

By Delia Owens

By Heather Morris

By Deb Spera

Norma Edgington reading Call Your Daughter Home

Johnna Bryant reading Cilka’s Journey

Securities

member,

Advisory

investment advisor. Cambridge and

Submitted by: Brian B Smith, CFP®, Bryan M Masten, CFP® & Riley W. Smith

Let’s Celebrate!

This Month’s Business Anniversaries:

1849

1992

Celebrating 173 years

TDCJ

See their ad on page 11

1962

Celebrating 60 years Reliable Parts Co.

See their ad on page 78

2002

Celebrating 30 years McKenzies Barbecue & Burgers

See their ad on page 28

2010

SCelebrating 20 years Sullivan Classic Homes

See their ad on page 49

1981

Celebrating 41 years B&B / Legacy Builders

See their ad on page 22

2005

Celebrating 17 years Neuwirth Slaughter & Associates

See their ad on page 34

2018

Celebrating 12 years

Kelly Lawson, Realtor®

See their ad on page 89

Celebrating 4 years Climatec Storage

See their ad on page 24

Joetta’s

See their ad on page 60

Dr. Stephen Means

Honoring

day in and

“Touch Tomorrow.”

above and beyond, and really

Teresa Ruiz

Huntsville High School Spanish Teacher

by Dutch Binetti

Ms. Ruiz gave

a new

Rather than just handing out worksheets, she was able to help me understand Spanish by just speaking it to us as if we were in the real world.

Nominate

A Special Conversation

Coach Michelle Rochinski

Even in the exhilarating aftermath of her team’s undefeated, 41-victory season, Lake Creek Softball 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. Postcards had the honor of visiting with this accomplished coach.

Story by Ruth Fields

Photos by Gina Turner

‘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.”

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.

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. “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.

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. 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?’” 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

every

know. It’s not my job to coach her through high school. It’s time for her to start listening to someone else.’”

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. “There are three big ranking systems,” 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.

On June 4, the Lake Creek Lions defeated Georgetown High School in Austin and clinched the state championship. 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 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.”

“Everybody wants to be top dog, but I think everybody needs to learn how to sit on the bench.”

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.”

Dear Gabby

Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column. It’s October, generally a cool, pleasant month. And then there’s Halloween. Every year, I pretend to be the same thing--not at home. I stopped leaving my porch light on when Batman told me he could only accept no high fructose, gluten free, non-GMO, milk product-free, nut-free and locally sourced candy. When my kids were young, they took everything I said literally. I told them to “only eat the wrapped Halloween candy.” The next year, I had to add that they should unwrap it before eating it. Drop me a line to Dear Gabby at PostcardsLive.com. I hope you don’t have a scare in the world.

DEAR GABBY

I’m seriously thinking of proposing to my longtime, long distance, lady friend and wondered if you could share some insight on what to expect when we are not so long distance. I expect there are some major differences in male/female marriage expectations, but I have no clue what they are.

CLUELESS

DEAR CLUELESS

Make some popcorn and have a seat. To be happy with a man, a woman must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman, a man must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all. A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t. A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change, and she does. A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband, while a man never worries about the future until he gets a wife. The bottom line is--there are two times when a man doesn’t understand a woman – before marriage and after marriage. The fact that you care about expectations speaks volumes. You’ll be fine!

CONFIDENTIAL TO “LOSING IT”: Don’t worry about it; it’s caused by birthdays. Some days, I amaze myself. Other days, I look for my phone while I’m talking on it!

GABBY

The Garden Post

By Kim Bius

Fall Planting Season has arrived!

October is a very busy month in the world of gardening, and we will touch as many topics as possible.

Fall Color

October first marks the beginning of pansy season, and garden centers will be filled with every color, size, and variety of this adorable and hardy winter annual. Pansies are sun lovers and will not fare well in a shaded location, but beware…deer love pansies. Violas, the tiny, delicate looking mini pansy (annual) will take the shade and has been more deer proof than not in garden trials. Dianthus and flowering kale/cabbage are a great “go to” if deer are a problem. Snapdragons, marigolds, stock, rosemary, plumbago, and ornamental grass are also great candidates for deer proof container gardening. The all- time, perennial favorite for fall is the chrysanthemum (or mum, as we often call them). Mums are sun lovers, require light, loamy soil with great drainage, and do not fare well if not watered consistently…but no wet feet. Mums will bloom September through mid- October and rarely past Halloween.

Beds/Mulch

De-weed the beds and apply a pre-emergent to deter seed germination for 60 days. My “go

to” favorite is Hi-Yield Turf and Ornamental Weed and Grass Stopper. Now is a great time to apply two inches of mulch for winter protection, to conserve water, and to deter weeds. Does it really matter which one you use? Yes! Acid lovers (such as azaleas, camellias, gardenias, roses) have a tendency to become sickly when a hardwood mulch is applied, as the Ph level is affected by the

alkalinity in the mulch. If you do not mind applying soil acidifier a few times a year as this occurs, problem solved.

Azaleas, camellias, dogwood, dwarf Japanese maple, roses, fern, and most trees often fare better if planted in the fall. Planting now gives plants time to establish a root system before the heat returns; rain is often more plentiful; disease and insects are dramatically decreased; and it is a pleasant time to be outside.

Pumpkins

To keep your fall pumpkins fresh through the season, place them out of direct afternoon sun, keep them elevated and off damp ground or surfaces (place on a small, brick, wood block, or such) and preferably out of the rain or sprinkler system. We often cover/ tarp the pumpkins in the pumpkin patch if a heavy rain is on the way…blow dry them with a yard blower to remove excess water from stem area. Wipe the pumpkin with bleach or an antibacterial agent to keep rotting at bay, and do not carve until just a few days before Halloween.

Winterizer

Winterizer is a late fall, fertilizer application designed to help lawns store more food for

CLEANING

winter survival and to encourage thick and rapid growth and rooting in the spring. A lawn

winterizer is NOT meant to encourage fall growth of grass. The higher potassium level gives plants hardiness to withstand cold.

Roses

Roses put on a “fall flush” when the temperatures break and will benefit from a light pruning mid- September and fertilization. The rule of thumb has always been not to prune in October as it may promote dormancy; but, if the first freeze comes in late January, you miss out on beautiful roses through Thanksgiving. It is a gamble, but I do it yearly, and am sure one year I will get “snake eyes” on the roll.

First Freeze Date

The average date is November 17-18th, for the first killing frost of the season In Walker County. What does that mean? It means harvest is over, but planting season continues as long as the temperatures are above 35 degrees and ground is not frozen. Since 1985, we have only experienced two years where temperatures and light ice occurred in late October/Halloween.

Star Students

Aryel Grimaldo

Madisonville High School

Favorite Movie: Princess and the Frog

Favorite Music/Artist: Justin Bieber

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Quote: “The best things in life are free; the second are very, very expensive.”—Coco Chanel

Aryel is a recent graduate of Madisonville High School and the daughter of Yolanda Rode and granddaughter of Yolanda Rodriguez. Her activities included Beta Club and Honor Society. Aryel plans to attend the University of Houston to study psychology, then attend law school to one day become a family lawyer in Houston. She believes in working hard for what you want.

Anthony “Dutch” Binetti

Huntsville High School

Favorite Movie: The Godfather Part 1

Favorite Music/Artist: Kanye West

Favorite Food: Birria Tacos

Favorite Quote: “Give a cow enough time, and she’ll change grass to milk.” – Scott Bumbaugh

Anthony is a senior at Huntsville High School and is the son of Emily Binetti and Tony Binetti. His activities include Huntsville Military Marching Band, tennis, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and English Honor Society. Following graduation, Dutch plans to attend Texas A&M University to study in the Mays School of Business. He says, “I value education and personal experience to help me further my success in life.”

Jessica Barnett

Huntsville High School

Favorite Movie: The Halloween Series

Favorite Music/Artist: Taylor Swift

Favorite Food: Pasta

Favorite Quote: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Jessica is a senior at Huntsville High School and is the daughter of BJ and Michael Barnett. Her activities include soccer, Spanish Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and National Technical Honor Society. Following graduation, Jessica plans to attend Sam Houston State University to study nutritional science and dietetics with hopes to become a clinical dietician. She believes, “Commit to the effort of improving constantly, for yourself and your relationships. Continue learning peace and success so you may provide it for others.”

Emilia Lopez

Huntsville High School

Favorite Movie: Up

Favorite Music/Artist: Taylor Swift

Favorite Food: Cane’s

Favorite Quote: “People may forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -- Maya Angelou

Emilia is a senior at Huntsville High School and is the daughter of Maria Del Carmen and Rito Lopez. Her activities include videographer for football team, Spanish Honor Society, Chick-Fil-A Leadership Academy, TAFE, and National Technical Honor Society. Following graduation, Emilia plans to attend Sam Houston State University to pursue a career as a bilingual teacher (she never wants to let language barriers interfere with a child’s learning). She believes, “Make people remember you not only for being a good person, but also for making an impact in their lives.”

Twenty Questions Tim Johnson

1 SCHOOL YOU ATTENDED? Southern Illinois University. Gale Sayers was our Athletic Director.

2 FAVORITE MOVIE? Casablanca, watched it hundreds of times, still entertains

3 HOW DID YOU MAKE YOUR FIRST DOLLAR? Delivering newspapers

4 BOOK THAT LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION ON YOU? Wizard of Ads by Roy Williams

5 LAST THING YOU BINGE-WATCHED? League of Their Own mini-series. It’s about the Rockford Peaches from my hometown.

6 WHAT WOULD WE FIND YOU RIDING DOWN THE ROAD LISTENING TO? KSAM & The LAKE

7 YOUR FAVORITE DISH? Pasta Carbonara, everything is better with bacon.

8 YOUR GO-TO BARISTA ORDER? Chai Latte - hot

9 FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY Receiving the Timothy Award (Awana program)

10 SOMETHING THAT WOULD SURPRISE US ABOUT YOU? I’ve swam with sharks, from bull to whale

11 WHAT WOULD WE FIND YOU DOING ON YOUR DAY OFF?

Just enjoying a rare free day with my wife and Aussie rescue Wrigley

12 HOW WOULD YOUR PERFECT DAY BEGIN? Breakfast on a beautiful beach in St. John, USVI

13 HOW DO YOU CLEAR YOUR MIND AFTER A BAD DAY? Tickling the 88s on our baby grand

14 ONE THING YOU’RE EPICALLY BAD AT? Patience for fools

15 BUCKET LIST ITEM YOU’RE MOST GLAD YOU’VE DONE? 2019 Induction into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame for Career Achievement

16 TOP THING LEFT TO DO ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

17

Fly into space

IF YOU COULD LIVE ABROAD, WHERE WOULD THAT BE? Australia, so much to explore and the Great Barrier Reef too!

18 WHO DO YOU ADMIRE AND WHY?

Ken Burns, he is our genius for historic storytelling

19 BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN? Met an old man at a wedding in my early 20s. His advice “Try everything that interests you in your 20s, focus on what you enjoy in your 30s, eliminate the rest. Become an expert in those things in your 40s and charge others for access to your knowledge. In your 50s and 60s, teach the next generation.” I’ve strived to live by his counsel ever since.

20 ADVICE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Remain fearless. Make mistakes and learn from them. Stay focused on your dreams. Choose to do good. You will achieve more than you can imagine.

Luis, Lynne, &

Phyllis

Let us simplify your task of getting your personal and financial affairs in order. Protect your assets by having a valid Last Will and Testament. We can help your executor as they work through the process to carry out your wishes. If the deceased has no will, we can help navigate having an administrator appointed to represent the deceased’s estate and to disburse the estate according to the Texas intestacy laws.

Also important are power of attorney documents which will allow you to designate an individual the power to make decisions for you, according to your wishes, regarding your health and finances while you are living, if you are unable to do so.

We would welcome the opportunity to work with you in planning what will be best for you and your family. Schedule an appointment today. We have years of experience involving end-of-life matters and will gladly assist you with your case.

936-295-3712

www.huntsville-texas-attorneys.com

Holden

CRUSH loved by Gavin & Heike Ness

CHICKEN NUGGET loved by Jacob, Lucrecia & Jackson Chandler

PEPPER loved by Brittany McClure

On a recent Sunday afternoon, the Postcards Magazine crew joined a very interesting tour offered by Historic Tours of Texas--the Local Haunted Places Tour. This particular tour came about because of the arrival of the Halloween holiday, but it is also available during other months. This tour visits different Huntsville Downtown District haunts, the Walls Unit, Oakwood Cemetery, and the Sam Houston State University campus, all within minutes of one another. Each of the locations are riddled with rich history and a little mystery.

Local Haunted Places Tour

Story by Lindsey Kinane

Photos by Tom Miller Historic Treasures

Robin Logan

While the Local Haunted Places Tour information relates claims the Huntsville community has gathered through experiences at the many different locations, it is up to each tour participant to decide whether to believe what is revealed or to justify occurrences through other explanations. Following are just a few snippets from our tour…of course, there’s much more than what we can share in this space.

The condensed tour begins at the GibbsPowell Museum, where Lee Anne Wiseman and guests claim to hear music playing, along with creaking and moving in the two upstairs bedrooms.

Founders Park has a spring, which Huntsville founder Pleasant Gray, the indigenous Bedias Indians, and hundreds of original settlers all used as a water resource. Today, the spring is capped with the water being rerouted underground. One of the park’s features are indigenous statues, and some people claim that noises of the Bedias can be heard chanting and wandering around in search of water.

The old Walker County Jail building downtown has a

storied past, including hangings that happened on the premises. The jail is said to be haunted by two little boys, Daniel and Ernest, and the nine cells upstairs are apparently haunted. There have been claims of people being hugged and having their arm squeezed when visiting.

bathroom, followed by statements that the door was locked from inside with nobody there. A local bed and breakfast has people too afraid to spend the night due to mysterious noises. At Bluebonnet Square Antique Mall, historical objects, like trunks, have even moved without explanation.

Off University Avenue are many relocated and preserved historic homes. Henderson Yoakum’s home is one of those. The energy at Yoakum’s lends to claims

Visitors to the basement of Texas’ eighth oldest lodge, the Forrest Masonic Lodge, report getting goosebumps and uneasy feelings.

At different downtown locations near the Walker County Courthouse, there have been several unusual occurrences. Some reports include a woman disappearing in Nitsch in Time after asking to use the

of happy and playful spirits, while the Ashford Home, a former funeral home, reportedly has confused spirits. A nearby log cabin has people noticing a smell of fire. The tragic history is a mother burned to death inside the home, where her children later succumbed to starvation—it could have been months before anybody discovered the scene.

There is a tombstone on the Sam Houston State University campus on the hill near the Old Main ruins marking the grave of a dog called Tripod. He wandered around campus

in life, but students have claimed to hear dog panting and barking near the location. Across the street from Tripod’s tombstone is BelvinBuchanan Hall, where an elevator door has quickly shut and closed, along with rumbling of movement in the basement. This reportedly could be the spirit of Caroline Belvin, one of the first settlers in Huntsville, watching the halls.

Built in 1848, the Walls (Huntsville) Unit has seen over 300 executions, both by electrocution and lethal injection, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that people say the walls talk. At the morgue, workers prefer not to work at night, because of the noises heard and the numerous claims of a white orb floating around like a flashlight.

Next to the Walls Unit is the old cotton factory, built in 1937. While there aren’t white orbs, 1.2 million bats come out at dusk and have been there for about twenty years. The Huntsville

A VOICE for CHOICE!

Lifelong Resident • Conservative • Veteran • Retired DPS Sergeant

After 20 years of service to the Texas Department of Public Safety, protecting and serving the residents of Madison County, I retired in 2021. I would be honored to continue serving our residents as your County Judge.

Madison County should be a place where kids have a safe place to grow up and enjoy life in a close, family town. We need someone to help manage positive growth, which includes new job creation and housing.

I know firsthand the hard work it takes to keep our residents safe, and I will work with law enforcement to help their efforts any way I can.

I feel Madison County residents had their ability to have a choice to vote for their County Judge taken from them, and I want to give them a voice at the polls. I would appreciate your vote.

On the ballot next to County Judge: (1) click the write-in box (2) type Carl Clary (3) hit enter!

Write-in Candidate for MADISON COUNTY JUDGE

CARL CLARY

POLITICAL ADVERTISING PAID BY CARL CLARY CAMPAIGN.

POLITICAL ADVERTISING PAID BY CARL CLARY CAMPAIGN.

Walls (Huntsville) Unit

group is a maternity colony, meaning 60% of the bats are females and pups.

The last stop of our tour was the Oakwood Cemetery, where Sam Houston is buried. However, what is best known about this place is not Sam Houston’s ghost; rather it’s the lifesized statue of the “Christus,” or comforting Jesus. After the unexpected death of five-yearold Rawley Powell, son of successful lawyer Benjamin Powell III and his wife Marian, the statue was placed in an effort to help others grieve. On cold and misty nights, people have claimed to see the outstretched arms of Jesus

close, like a comfort to the five people buried below him, one of them being Rawley, who lies directly in front.

For anyone who has the time coupled with an interest to learn about the vast history of Huntsville, these tours are full of information and intrigue. The one absolute you will walk away with is there’s never a dull moment in history! Thank you, Historic Tours of Texas for giving us the opportunity to understand how enlightening it can be.

More than you might expect.

For you, for your business, for the next generation. Going beyond the numbers for the health of your financial future.

Dewitt Oleinik, CPA

Brian Slaughter, CPA

Since 2016, the Historic Tours of Texas catered to those interested in touring different parts of Texas. Founder of the independent corporation is former Sam Houston State University history professor, Dr. Caroline Crimm, who started by driving friends around during tours. In 2019, Robin Logan, a former advanced EMT for twenty years, joined the company and says, “Huntsville has such a diverse history, and whether we agree with some of this history or not, it’s still our history and needs to be kept alive so people learn and respect the history.”

Historic Tours of Texas offers a large variety of local, day trip, multi-day, and even international tours that can be found on their website, www.historictoursoftexas.com, along with the pricing per person. Their large party bus with limo seating holds up to twelve people.

During the summer months, Historic Tours slows down since students and families are traveling, moving, or graduating. But this could pose the opportunity for people to do private tours that, with the help of Dr. Crimm and Ms. Logan, can offer custom tours based on your interests.

Embracing Tradition

Milestones

Implant Timelines Explained

We have patients on a regular basis who are either going to lose a tooth or have already lost a tooth and want an implant. We do believe that replacing a tooth with an implant is the best long term option, the only drawback is the timeline involved! Let’s walk through the process

First thing is you have a tooth that needs to be removed. Typically, that tooth will need to be removed and a bone graft will need to be placed. The bone is from a donor, not of animal origin, and your body will completely overturn that donor bone and make it your own bone in 3-4 months time. Occasionally, we can skip this bone graft step and place the implant the day the tooth is removed. That is case specific and not the norm.

Second, after that bone graft has had 3-4 months time to heal, you will then be ready to have an implant placed. Contrary to popular belief, this is actually the easier, less uncomfortable step. Once the implant is placed, your body will need another

3-4 months to allow the implant to integrate.

Finally, after those two steps are complete, you are ready to get the new crown placed on top. A quick impression is taken and you will have a new crown in 10-14 days.

We do our best to make you as comfortable as possible during these procedures. Oral sedation and/or nitrous is available to help ease the process.

That is the general process of having an implant placed. There are more nuances specific to each patient that we will go over for each case. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!

If you have a question or a topic you want to be discussed, send an email to drlogan@drscottlogan.com

Aaron Fritsch, DDS

Happy 4th birthday to Burke Randall Spencer! Burke is the son of Nathan & Megan Spencer. He is the grandson of John & Renee Spencer and Darrell & Susan Massey.

Congratulations to Matthew Harmon on his graduation from Texas A&M! Matthew is the son of Kathy & Ernest Harmon.

“Seens” from our World

Fingers crossed it’s queso!

Seen by: Penny Foley

Guess I need to put a visit on my “bucket” list.

Seen by: Robert Allen

We want to see what you’ve seen! When you see the unusual, funny or absurd, break out your camera, take a picture, and submit to us with a description at: PostcardsLive.com

Things my Grandaddy said...

She walked across his heart like it was Texas.

He’s as tight as a hawk’s butt in a nosedive.

Love can’t grow in the shade.

Men are like the weather. Nothing can be done to change ‘em.

Women come and go, but your tools last forever.

It’s better to be hated for who you are than loved for who you ain’t.

A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

If you stir it, it’s gonna smell.

Story by Ruth Fields

Photos by Gina Turner

Just for Fun

It was a dreary afternoon when the Postcards team assembled in Montgomery, and in the early evening, the rain began to come down in torrents across the town. There was thunder and lightning, then the electricity went out, leaving the windowless room in total darkness. The team agreed it was the perfect evening to meet with Leah Lamp, Lamplight Ghost Tour’s owner, founder, researcher, and guide.

Learning to love Montgomery

When Leah moved to Montgomery in 1986, she was an impressionable teenager. She had previously attended a high school in Louisville, Kentucky with about 3,000 students, so Montgomery High School, which had about 400 students enrolled at the time, was a shock to Leah. She was also surprised there were dirt roads near her family’s home in the country. “My teenage heart hated this town,” she confesses. “I couldn’t wait to grow up and move away.”

Understandably, Leah had never studied Texas history during her school years in Kentucky, so she was unaware of Montgomery’s noteworthy background. Over time, however, she learned to love the historic town, and she is now proud to call Montgomery home. All four of her children have attended Montgomery schools. “We”—the town of Montgomery and Leah—“kind of grew up together,” she quips.

As most parents of Montgomery Junior High School students know, seventh graders participate in a historical scavenger hunt every year. Created in 1999 by Brenda Beaven, a tenured Texas history

teacher, the scavenger hunt sends students on a deep dig into the history of Montgomery, one of the oldest towns in the state. When Leah’s oldest child Drew took Texas history in seventh grade, the scavenger hunt was as educational for Leah as it was for her son. She was surprised and captivated by the town’s unique history, and a thought bubbled to the surface of her consciousness. What the town really needed, Leah mused, was a ghost tour. Knowing what she did about historic locations, she was sure there were stories of local hauntings.

Leah, a multi-talented writer, podcast host, and graphic artist, has long been a fan of ghost tours. She has attended several cities’ ghost tours, including those in Galveston, New Orleans, and Old Town Spring. “Whether you believe in ghosts or whether you don’t, a ghost tour is fun,” she says. “It’s a fascinating glimpse into the town. It’s a crash course in the culture and the feel for the people of the town, because it’s their stories and lore and legends. It’s rich, and it’s beautiful.”

Leah ultimately helped all four of her children complete the seventh-grade was also other homework many duties around the passed, but Leah did not have the time to create a tour. “When the kids got older, tried to get it off the ground

not wanting to compete, she put her idea to rest.

“I always wanted to take the tour,” Leah says, and one day in early 2022, she looked into it. When she discovered that Montgomery’s ghost tour was no longer in operation, she realized it

“You will remember history if it is attached to a ghost story“

was time to start her own. “I started calling people and emailing people,” she says. Because she has lived in Montgomery for decades and had four children pass through the school district, Leah knows many Montgomery residents. She soon discovered a lot of people had stories, and some people suggested others that she should call. The Montgomery Historical Society was helpful, as were longtime residents of the town. “Doors opened. Things happened,” Leah says.

Lamplight Ghost Tours

Just in time for the spooky season of the year, Lamplight Ghost Tours is now accepting

reservations for 90-minute walking tours of Montgomery. It all begins at Phil’s Road House and Grill, where tourists will be served complimentary refreshments at 6:30 p.m., with tours beginning promptly at 7:00.

As Leah leads her tour groups through the historic town, she will share about a dozen stories she has gathered. She promises that she did not make any of them up. She collected each story from “people who lived through it and experienced it,” and feels a great responsibility to the locals who shared stories with her. “When people tell you a story, they are entrusting it to you,” she says.

“They have given them to me to pass on.” She also notes that while some of the stories might be a little unnerving, her tours are not meant to be frightening. “No one is going to

jump out and scare you,” she says.

Although Leah says she does not like to “play favorites,” she is particularly fond of the ghosts of Confederate soldiers, who are featured in a couple of stories. (Some Confederate soldiers are buried in Montgomery’s “New Cemetery,” which was founded in 1868, and the “Old Cemetery,” founded in 1838.)

While most of the stories told on the tour are first-hand accounts of hauntings, participants will also learn tidbits of Montgomery’s history.

“You will remember history if it is attached to a ghost story,” Leah says. “In one night of fun entertainment and a nice little walk around town, you can be introduced to the character of the town.”

Leah has a great appreciation for the Montgomery Historical Society, which has

honored the town’s history by keeping it alive for decades. Even as the town grew and prospered, it still kept a firm grip on its history.

“Not every town embraces its history. Not everybody knows about it, because it’s not told and passed down and made important,” Leah says. “Knowing history ties you to a place. You are now a part of that. You have an intimate connection to those who came before.”

Does Leah believe in ghosts? Maybe.

“It’s egotistical to think we know everything,” she says, but she also acknowledges the power of suggestion. “All of the stories are one hundred percent historically accurate,” she says. “The ghost stories--you are going to have to decide for yourself.”

Lamplight Ghost Tours are available most Friday and Saturday nights throughout the

year; in October and November, some Thursday and Sunday night tours will be available, as will hayride tours for those with mobility issues (or those who prefer to ride).

Tickets are $25, with a discount to seventh grade students who are participating in the Montgomery scavenger hunt. Private tours can also be arranged. Although tours are not designed to be exercise sessions, comfortable shoes are recommended.

As she launches her new venture, Leah’s excitement is infectious. “A ghost tour,” she says, “is a way to gain a personal connection with the flavor and the stories of a town that should not be forgotten.”

For more information and to book tours, visit lamplightghosttours.com

Ashlyn Kelley Grandchild of John & Mary Kellar

The Grands

1 What is your grandparent name and does it have a special meaning? PaPa. No special meaning, only special because of who uses it.

2 Number of grandchildren and age range? 3.5, Ellie is seven, Noah is four, Emmelia is one and Simon will be here this December.

3 Favorite activity with them?

I love taking them out on the boat to swim.

4 Advice to other/new grandparents? Spend time with them doing what they like!

5 What’s your fondest memory of your grandparents?

Watching the Houston Oilers play football with my Grandpa Buck. It was especially exciting when the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Oilers played each other.

6 What do you hope your grandkids remember about you?

I hope they remember that I was fun and of course super cool!

Scott KEY

By Steve VanWagner, D.V.M.

Equine Wound Management

Know when to call your veterinarian; when in doubt, give them a call anyway. Understand wounds in proximity to or involving eyes, joints and tendon sheaths, abdomen, and other body cavities may be very serious and may require immediate veterinary attention. Depending on the location, age of wound, degree of contamination and other factors, your veterinarian will choose whether a wound should be sutured.

HEAD WOUNDS

The head has an excellent blood supply that helps with rapid healing, but there is little extra skin over the bones of the face. Thus, wounds with significant skin loss take a long time to heal. Head wounds often result in loose flaps of skin. A veterinarian should repair these wounds as soon as possible. Suturing these wounds saves months of healing time and results in improved cosmetic appearance. Wounds near to or involving the eye require a veterinarian’s assessment immediately. Proper repair of eyelid lacerations is critical to the future function of the eye.

BODY WOUNDS

The critical question is whether the wound involves deeper structures. A wound that penetrates into the abdominal cavity or chest introduces life-threatening infection into the cavity and results in severe illness within hours. Whether or not body wounds are sutured depends on many factors, including location, age of wound, degree of contamination, and muscle damage.

LOWER LIMB WOUNDS

For the best outcome, any wound below the hock or carpus (knee) should be evaluated by an experienced veterinarian. Excessive movement, little loose tissue for contraction, and a poor blood supply in the lower limb results in difficult and slow wound healing. Suturing of selected lower limb wounds is usually accompanied by careful bandaging or casting, and long-term confinement. A properly applied cast can result in a quick, cosmetic and functional outcome in what otherwise would be a slow and difficult healing process.

UPPER LIMB WOUNDS

Upper limb wounds generally heal rapidly. There is a better blood supply here and additional tissue mass, which aid wound healing. Veterinarians sometimes choose to repair these wounds by suturing, but often recommend treatment leaving the wound open.

While there is an early window of opportunity to suture wounds, many other factors determine whether suturing is the treatment of choice. Phenylbutazone (bute) is a potent pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. It and other anti-inflammatory medications can be helpful in some wounds to reduce swelling and pain, but should only be used under the supervision of your veterinarian. They can be dangerous when used incorrectly. Ointments should be used cautiously and under the direction of your veterinarian. While some have positive effects, many actually retard healing or add time and complications to the clipping and cleaning of the wound. Always call your veterinarian immediately if a wound causes lameness visible at the walk. The largest uncomplicated wound may heal uneventfully and with little scarring, whereas the smallest wound in the wrong place can be life-threatening.

SHSU Planetarium and Observatory

Story by Lindsey Kinane

Submitted Photos Local Treasures

Not every area is blessed to have a local university. Institutions of learning can open up whole new worlds to students and area residents alike—literally! People often forget or are unaware that Sam Houston State University has a planetarium and observatory, available to the public and not just the students.

We recently visited with Michael Prokosch, the public outreach director in charge of the planetarium and observatory, to get the “Big Dipper” scoop on the facilities and available indoor and outdoor programs.

The Planetarium

Located on the SHSU campus in the Farrington Building (Room 102), the university’s indoor planetarium can offer the public the opportunity to explore our solar system and beyond the Milky Way. The planetarium’s dome is 7.3 meters and 22 feet across (shaped like an umbrella).

The planetarium shows movies and a digital night sky within the room. Such shows can last about an hour and are ideal for those with

younger children or students who want to explore constellations. There are also feature programs and readings for about twenty to thirty minutes each. But there is always something different about the shows, so an audience would not experience the same thing twice.

If there is an interest in visiting the planetarium

OCTOBER EVENTS

COLLEGE OF ARTS & MEDIA

Theatre & Musical Theatre AIRNESS

By Chelsea Marcantel

Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 | 7:30 p.m. October 1 | Matinee | 2:00 p.m. Showcase Theatre, UTC

Art

THRESHOLD EXHIBITION

September 6 – October 8

Reception | September 8 | 6 p.m. University Gallery, HFAB Free Admission

Theatre & Musical Theatre

GREEN DAY’S AMERICAN IDIOT Music by Green Day Lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong Book by Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer

October 13 – 15 | 7:30 p.m. October 15 | Matinee | 2 p.m. Erica Starr Theatre, UTC

Art

63RD ANNUAL FACULTY EXHIBITION

October 16 – November 23

Artists’ Talks | October 20 | 5 p.m.

Reception | October 20 | 6 p.m. University Gallery, HFAB Free Admission

Music

JAZZ ENSEMBLE AND JAZZ LAB BANDS CONCERT October 20 | 7:30 p.m. Payne Concert Hall, GPAC Dance

MASTERS OF DANCE

October 20 & 21 | 8 p.m. Dance Theater, GPAC Music

SOMETHING “OPERA”

THIS WAY COMES October 27 – 29 | 7:30 p.m. Recital Hall, GPAC

FOR TICKETS & INFORMATION

shsutickets.com | tickets@shsu.edu | 936.294.2339

To view our full list of events, visit shsu.edu/CAM

on campus, people can visit the SHSU Physics Department page (www. shsu.edu/academics/physics/links) and the SHSU Planetarium Facebook page to see when and what is available that month. You can also contact Michael Prokosch at (936)294-3664 to make an appointment.

During the fall and spring semesters, when the campus is more active, the planetarium only offers one show a month or by appointment.

During the summer, there are two shows (one at 7:00 pm and another at 8:00 pm)—once a week, with thirty seats available for appointments. This is an ideal time for scout troops, churches, homeschooled children,

and similar groups to experience what the planetarium has to offer. The physics department webpage also includes planetarium show trailers which offer a preview as to what people can expect when visiting.

Most importantly—the planetarium shows are free!

When people visit the planetarium, there is parking located off Sam Houston Ave and Bowers Blvd; this parking is paid by the hour using the ParkMobile app, available in the app store. The Farrington Building is located between the Estill, Marks, and Academic Building III buildings.

Sam Houston State University’s planetarium has been in existence since the construction of the Farrington Building in 1956.

The Observatory

Another former part of the Farrington Building, until its removal in 1985, is the Sam Houston State University Observatory. The observatory is currently located off Highway 19, north of Huntsville, where the public is able to visit with appointments. The address is 39 Knox Circle, Huntsville, Texas. Allow for 25 minutes of drive time once you leave campus.

There is a current transition going on with the observatory, with its original telescope being replaced and wheelchair accessibility added for people to view the telescope. These improvements are expected to offer the opportunity for more events at the location.

To set-up appointments, follow the same

procedures as for the planetarium. There is not a set schedule for the observatory, due to the unpredictability of Texas weather throughout the year. When there are eclipses or meteor showers, the observatory has special events associated with such happenings.

When there is the opportunity to visit the observatory, digital cameras and different gear associated are allowed. With the observatory being outside, it is important to arrive early enough to set-up your equipment before it gets too dark. But, being without a digital camera should not stop people from coming out. According to Prokosch, though, Android phones are able to capture night vision, due to the accessible use of shutter speed and iOS options for people to better capture the night sky. Newer Apple devices are improving in

this area.

A word of warning: Being outside comes with “The Dew Factor.” Excess moisture during cool, clear nights when the SHSU Observatory is accessible for perfect sky viewing is common. This can wet equipment if people do not have access to something able to wipe down the surfaces. With this, Prokosch states, “Less gear is better,” because everything eventually gets wet.

Going to the SHSU Observatory offers people the opportunity to see parts of the Milky Way not accessible when standing in a neighborhood, restaurant parking lot, or shopping center due to light pollution. According to Prokosch, light pollution can make people forget that the Milky Way has color and can cast a shadow from its light, if light pollution were non-existent.

Make

in Your Schedule for a Visit

Our rat race pace in life can be daunting at times. The planetarium and observatory can offer a welcome change of speed. First, the planetarium offers indoor programming with preparation for scheduling a day with Mr. Prokosch. The observatory, opposite in terms of location and scheduling, is offered at night when the brutal sun has set for the day, and a calming breeze blows throughout the

location. People can spend their time at the observatory reclining in silence while gazing at the different constellations or taking the time to capture better images of the night sky.

By going to the SHSU Planetarium and Observatory, you can forget about your day for an hour and try to comprehend the massive size of our universe. Search for Venus, Jupiter,

or Mars in the night sky at the observatory; connect the dots of Orion’s Belt or the Big Dipper on your search for Polaris, the North Star. If the observatory is not available, visit the planets and stars within reach at the planetarium. The sky isn’t the limit, after all.

I will be retiring and closing my practice effective November 1, 2022. Please contact our office regarding transfer or retrieval of your medical records. It has been my honor and pleasure to care for you and your family over the past three decades.

I-45 South

Huntsville 936-291-2557

Suite B

College

Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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From the Mouths of Babes...

After reprimanding my husband for not doing the dishes, our daughter comes into the room and asks, “Mami, why are you yelling at my Poppa? You know he is a good boy and he loves US very much...Please apologize and next time use your inside voice.”

Jada, age 3

puzzle. page 1, Book 1

X: Look Mommy, those are some big storm clouds! We might be getting a tomato!

Me: ..a what..?

X: A tomato! It might destroy our house!

Me: You mean a tornado?

X: Yes that’s what I said, a tomato!

Trying to be happy is like trying to build a machine for which the only specification is that it should run noiselessly.

Xavier

“After watching me make several attempts to connect a TV to WiFi, bypass some kind of game system, and try to find something for her to watch - my four year old granddaughter leaned in to her Mom and whispered “I just don’t think grannies are very smart.” I died laughing.

Isabelle Skiles, age 4

One of our college age daughters took our youngest daughter Gracie to Dairy Queen for an after school snack. When she got home, Gracie asked if she could have a snack. Her dad said, “Didn’t you just have ice cream for snack?” Gracie looked at him and said, “Sue me.”

“Mom, can you stop talking now? I’m not old enough to understand this.”

Ellie, age 4

Kelli Stevens

Sheet Pan Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

cooking spray

3 cups baking mix

2 cups buttermilk

4 large eggs

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large sheet pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.

Step 2: Combine baking mix, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Mix until the ingredients are well combined, but don’t overmix. Pour batter onto the parchment paper-lined pan.

Step 3: Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

Step 4: Remove sheet pan from the oven. Lift the parchment paper with the pancake from the pan and set it onto a cutting board. Slice the pancake sheet into squares using a pizza cutter or into your desired shapes with a cookie cutter.

Cook’s Note: One of my favorite breakfast hacks for busy mornings or breakfast meal prep. This sheet pan pancake recipe can be easily customized by adding your favorite fruit or other pancake toppings on top of the batter before cooking.

Memories... are stored in our heart and soul!

Tailgating Spicy Taco Cheese Ball

Ingredients

¾ cup dried parsley

4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 (1.25 oz) pkg hot taco seasoning mix

¼ cup pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped

Directions

Step 1: Sprinkle parsley in a shallow baking dish. Set aside.

Step 2: Mix Mexican cheese blend, cream cheese, mayonnaise, taco seasoning, and jalapeno peppers in

a large bowl until well blended. Divide the mixture into 3 portions and roll each portion into a ball. Roll each ball in the parsley until completely covered. Wrap individually with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Halloween Pumpkin Stew

6-pound pumpkin with fairly straight sides

lb lean ground beef

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp salt

tsp ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Step 2: Wash the pumpkin and cut off the top at an angle to form lid that won’t fall through. Clean out and discard seeds and string.

1 onion, diced

2 large stalks celery, diced

½ med green bell pepper, diced

2 lb mozzarella cheese, cubed

16 oz tomato sauce

1 ½ cups water

1 (15.25 oz) can corn, drained

6 large mushrooms, sliced

¾ cup instant rice

Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, oregano, salt, and pepper in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper; cook 3 minutes. Add mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, water, corn, mushrooms, and instant rice. Stir well.

Step 4: Pour mixture from the skillet into the pumpkin and replace lid.

Step 5: Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour. When serving, scrape the insides of the pumpkin to get some of the soft flesh in each bowl.

Lemon Panko Crusted Salmon

Ingredients

6 Tbs panko breadcrumbs

1 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp lemon pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp dried parsley

1/8 tsp granulated garlic

1/8 tsp lemon zest

2 (4 oz salmon fillets

1 Tbs butter, melted

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Step 2: Combine panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon pepper, thyme, parsley, granulated garlic, and lemon zest in a bowl. Arrange salmon on the prepared baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over salmon fillets.

Step 3: Bake in the preheated oven until salmon flakes easily with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cook’s Note: Margarine is NOT recommended.

Pizza Dough Pretzels

Ingredients

¼

all-purpose

1 (16 oz) pkg refrigerated pizza crust

1 Tbs cornmeal, or as needed

6

water

1/3 cup baking soda

coarse salt

Directions

Step 1: Lightly flour a work surface. Place dough on flour and sprinkle more on top. Begin to knead dough, kneading about 2 tablespoons flour into dough until it is soft and supple but not too sticky, 5 to 10 minutes. Cover with a large bowl and allow dough to rest and come to room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.

Step 3: Place water in a deep skillet. Whisk in baking soda to create an alkaline bath. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Adjust heat to keep water at a low simmer while you shape the dough.

Step 4: Dust dough with a sprinkling of flour as needed so that dough does not stick to work surface. Flatten slightly and divide into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a round dough ball.

Step 5: Shape each dough ball into a disk, thinner in the middle, thicker around the edges. Poke a hole in the center. Gently keep pulling and stretching until you’ve achieved a round pretzel shape that’s not too thick.

Step 6: Transfer pretzels (in batches if necessary) to simmering alkaline bath. Boil about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to prepared sheet with slotted spoon. Immediately sprinkle with coarse salt while pretzels are still wet and sticky. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before baking.

Step 7: Place on center rack in preheated oven until beautifully browned, and stretch marks have formed, about 20 minutes. Exact times will depend on the specific size and shape of your pretzel.

Step 8: Transfer to a rack to cool a bit.

Chef’s Note: When you’re shaping the dough into rings, be sure to stretch them out, so your pretzels are not too thick. If you make them too fat, they become too bready. Larger, thinner dough rings will give you a chewier pretzel, closer to the ones you get at the mall.

Chocolate Spiders

Directions

Step 1: Chop the chocolate confectioners’ coating and place into a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the chow mein noodles so they are evenly distributed. Spoon out to desired size onto waxed

paper. Let cool completely before storing or serving.

Cook’s Note: Make sure you have enough of the chocolate coating as it will be hard to make these stick together if it isn’t “wet” enough. Also, you can pop the mix in the microwave if the chocolate starts drying too much as you make the spiders. I used butterscotch chips (point side down) for the eyes. My daughter said that they looked like spiders or mummy-babies, and I think if you used white chocolate coating, it would really look like a mummy head (I’d use chocolate chips for eyes with that one). Very easy and popular.

(936)283-5450

Sat:10:00am-6:00pm

By Cheryl Conley

In the wildlife world, no one wants to hear about endangered or extinct animals. Sadly, animals are being added to these lists now more than ever and mostly because of us.

What is an endangered species? It can be a plant or an animal that is considered at risk of extinction. A plant or animal can be listed at a state level, federal level and international level.

In other words, there can be an animal that is considered extinct in Texas but not in other areas of the country. Looking at animals in Texas, there are 45 on the endangered species list. (You can view the list at https://texreg.sos. state.tx.us/fids/202001043-2.pdf.)

When an animal goes extinct it means every single animal in that species has died. So what causes an animal to go extinct? Habitat destruction, invasive species, overexploitation,

illegal wildlife trade, pollution and climate change put the survival of species at risk but according to the World Wildlife Fund, human actions alone account for the extinction of 869 species in the last 500 years. A sad example of an animal going extinct by the actions of humans is the Dusky Seaside Sparrow. In 1963 in an effort to control the mosquito population around the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA decided to flood an area of marshland around Merritt Island in eastern Florida. This

area happened to be one of the last areas populated by the Dusky Seaside Sparrow. When the area was flooded it destroyed the sparrows’ breeding ground. The construction of a highway around the St. Johns River also contributed to habitat loss. The bird struggled to survive but by 1979 only 5 birds remained and they were all male. The species was declared extinct in 1990.

~ Ashlyn Hooks

But occasionally there’s good news. Let me tell you about the red wolf. The wolves once roamed the Southeastern US but their populations dwindled due to habitat loss by humans and hybridization with coyotes. They were declared extinct in the wild in Texas in 1980. Along came wildlife biologist Ron Wooten, a resident of Galveston. In 2008 a pack of what he thought were coyotes snatched his dog. He was able to track the group but it was too late for his dog. His flashlight picked up red coloring on the muzzle of one of the animals and he was fascinated. He posted a message on Facebook and asked to be notified if anyone in the area saw the pack. He got a response and rushed over with his camera. Looking at the photos, he saw that they had overly long legs, sharply pointed snouts, and unusually broad heads. The body looked slightly out of proportion. He did some research on red wolves and was convinced the animals were either a red wolf-coyote hybrid or maybe even an actual red wolf. He began looking on roadsides to see if he could find any dead ones. He got lucky and found a couple of dead animals. He removed some skin from each one and froze it. He tried for years to get scientists and biologists to take an interest. Finally, in 2016, someone listened. He contacted researchers at Princeton University and requested genetic testing. “I regularly receive this kind of inquiry, but something about Wooten’s email stood out,” says Bridgett von Holdt, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton. “His enthusiasm and dedication struck me, along with some very intriguing photographs of the canines. They looked particularly interesting and I felt it was worth a second look.”

DNA from the skin samples was compared to the DNA from coyotes, gray wolves, red wolves, and eastern wolves. Although mostly coyote, it turns out that nearly 30% of the genetic makeup of the samples was from the red wolf. Under the Gulf Coast Canine Project, the animals are now being fitted with GPS collars and wildlife cameras to track movements. Both fecal and tissue samples are being collected as well. For more information on this project, go to gulfcoastcanineproject.org.

The new secondary wing at AOA provides 7,500 additional square feet for new classrooms and a lecture hall. A sports court and track expansion were also part of this project.

Scavenger Hunt

AOA is a fully accredited Classical Christian School serving more than 500 students from Pre-K through 12th Grade.

DBL REAL ESTATE

Story by Claudia Kirkwood

Photos by Tom Miller Business Focus

Despite the occasional unexpected meeting with an alligator, a snake, or wild hogs, ask Lisa Hatcher Taylor about the real estate business, and she is all smiles. She realizes critters just come with the territory at times. Lisa is a Broker Associate and SRES with DBL Real Estate in Madisonville, Texas. She, along with her parents, Don (Realtor® and Owner) and Beverly (Broker and Owner) Hatcher, established the business in 2000 to serve the counties of Madison, Leon, Grimes, and Walker. DBL Real Estate is a thriving company that handles all types of real estate needs in the area--including residential, commercial, and all types of land sales.

DBL specializes in selling homes, farm and ranch, raw and hunting land, investment properties, and commercial transactions. They aggressively market properties through advanced technology and advertise on many platforms, including two MLS (multiple listing service) databases (HAR Houston) and BCL (Bryan/College Station). They also advertise through The Madisonville Meteor, LandsofTexas.com, Lands of Texas magazine, TXLS, Facebook, www.dblrealestate.com, and many more. Over the years, they have compiled a list of contacts who are skillful in preparing properties for showings, as well as a team of trusted vendors to ensure successful transactions. This team includes title companies, inspectors, surveyors, appraisers, contractors, and lenders who are knowledgeable about lending in rural areas. Some of these include Prosperity Bank, First National Bank, the Mortgage Corner, Gold Financial, Bradley Home Inspections, and Duke Home Inspections, among others. In addition to the team of experts who partner with DBL Real Estate, let’s get acquainted with the DBL team of Realtors.®

Don and Beverly Hatcher

Don and Beverly Hatcher, owners and agents, are native Texans married for 54 years. They enjoy living in Huntsville and keeping their four children close by! Don specializes in ranch, recreational, and commercial properties, with over 40 years of experience in a diversity of careers that include retail sales manager, farmer, and real estate developer. Beverly has played an important role in their business ventures and applies her knowledge and abilities in the administrative side of the business.

Lisa Hatcher Taylor

Lisa Hatcher Taylor is the eldest daughter of Don and Beverly and has been with the business since its beginning in 2000. She is a Broker Associate and holds an SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) designation. A current member of RLI (Realtor’s Land Institute), she plans to obtain her ALC (Accredited Land Consultant) designation in the spring of 2023. She offers 22 years of real estate experience and specializes in home and land sales, with a background in mortgage processing. Lisa lives in Huntsville with her husband. They have four sons (the youngest is currently a senior at Huntsville High School), one adorable grandson, and one spoiled Aussie Doodle.

Zulma Cuevas has been a Madison County resident for over 25 years. She lives in Madisonville with her husband and four beautiful children, and she has one grandchild. She is a Madisonville High School graduate, started her career as an investor in 2008, and has been a Realtor® for six years. Zulma loves going to the beach and spending time with her family and extended loved ones.

Tyler Yeager is the grandson of Don and Beverly and has been with the business since May 2021. He was born and raised in Huntsville and currently lives in Huntsville with his beautiful wife, Jesse Oden Yeager, and their 11-month-old baby boy Elijah. Tyler is a Huntsville Hornet graduate and has an extensive background in HVAC and construction. He spends his spare time with his large extended family (and all that comes with it) and golf.

Tyler Yeager

Brittany Langley

Brittany Langley is the granddaughter of Don and Beverly and has been with the business since May 2021. She was born and raised in Huntsville and currently lives in Huntsville with her husband and three children. She is a graduate of both Huntsville High School and Sam Houston State University, with a background in education. She loves the Lord and is a devoted member of Northside Baptist Church of Huntsville; she also serves as a Unit Leader in the American Heritage Girls Troop TX2020 in Huntsville. Her free time is spent with her husband, children, and extended family at the beach, boating on a lake, or traveling. As a past Hornet and Bearkat, Brittany loves her community and all in it. It is a privilege for her to serve her community, and real estate provides the perfect opportunity for her to do just that.

Kristen Olney

Kristen Olney is a Texas Realtor® from Madison County who is committed to serving clients and listening to their needs. With a background in banking and marketing, she can utilize those skills in real estate. Serving clients and listening to them daily made it easy for her to understand them and place their interests above her own. Her goal is to serve her clients in a way that works best for them. A wife and proud mother to her children, she spends her free time with family enjoying fun in the sun on the beach or around her ranch with her dogs, cows, horses, ponies, turkeys, chickens, and hogs!

Lois Irving was born and raised in Huntsville where she currently resides with her husband of forty years. She is the mother of two and the grandmother of three. She is a local business owner and has been in real estate for over twenty years. Lois is an active member of her church and is a joy to anyone who meets her.

Lois Irving

“Seeing the success of our clients, whether

or selling property, is the greatest enjoyment of this business.”

Why go to DBL for your real estate needs? Lisa confidently states, “Making our clients’ transactions as stress-free as possible is our goal. Here at DBL Real Estate, we see buying a home as a process and not a one-time meeting. We walk with all our clients and customers through this process and build lasting relationships with them. We are trained and committed to working a transaction from start to finish, no matter what challenges occur in between. Our experienced group and the team of vendors we partner with are adept at overcoming the challenges that often occur in real estate transactions.” And, she adds, “Our extensive knowledge of ranch land and improvement values has proven to be an invaluable asset countless times over the years. Understanding your needs allows us to narrow down the potential properties which will work best for you and your family.” Lisa is also a Seniors Real Estate

Specialist (SRES) and is trained and knowledgeable in helping maturing citizens as they consider life-changing decisions regarding their real estate needs. She can provide them with the best options in selling, buying, relocating, and refinancing their residential or investment properties.

From start to finish, DBL Real Estate covers it all. As Lisa relates, “I enjoy the fast pace of the business, the diversity of the people I meet and work with, and the fact that no one day or transaction is the same. Seeing the success of our clients, whether buying or selling property, is the greatest enjoyment of this business.” Lisa is known for making a career out of helping people whom others could not. DBL Real Estate invites you to bring your real estate needs to them and welcomes you into their family of friends.

DBL Real Estate

1702 East Main Street Madisonville, TX 77864 936-348-9977 www.dblrealestate.com

Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

After hours and weekends by appointment only

Drilling personnel (floor hands, derrick hands, drillers,

Service personnel (floor hands, pump rig

mechanically-inclined,

A

Living with Children

By: John K. Rosemond www.rosemond.com

to

Own Homework

Kids

Q: The school our 10-year-old daughter attends believes parents should micromanage homework sessions – they call it “being a homework buddy.” Mind you, we’re willing to help when help is truly needed, but we don’t want to be our daughter’s “buddies” under any circumstances. What are your thoughts on this?

A: When are teachers, administrators, and college professors going to realize that enabling by any other name is still enabling? Homework buddies? Back in the dark ages of my youth, when children did their homework independently, they did their homework, and student achievement was considerably higher than it has been since.

Yes, it is possible to get a child to do his/her own homework, even in the face of teachers who want parents to be “homework buddies.” My three-point plan:

First, do not allow a child to do homework at the kitchen table or in any other family area. Make it clear that homework, being the child’s responsibility, is to be done in the child’s room. Parents should make sure

the child has a suitable work area stocked with appropriate homework supplies – i.e., paper, pencils and/or pens, crayons, a ruler, etc. Rule of Thumb: When homework is done in a family area, homework will become a family affair, thus diminishing its benefit to the child in question.

Second, limit the number of times per evening you will render assistance to the child, and limit the length of any such rendering. For example, when our children were of school age, my wife and I made a rule that we would not provide help with more than three homework problems per evening, nor would any one such “helpful occasion” exceed five minutes. Within these draconian (by today’s standards) limits, our children managed to make grades decent enough to get into good colleges.

I am convinced that one of the unintended messages the “homework buddy” system sends to children is that they are not independently competent. Along those lines, veteran teachers tell me today’s kids are liberal users of the phrase, “I can’t.” Also, I think many a child has figured out that paying attention in class isn’t that important because his/her parents are going to re-teach everything anyway.

Third, hold children responsible for their school performance. Just as negative consequences befall irresponsible adults, so should negative consequences befall children who do not accept their responsibilities. Lessons in real life should begin early, lest they come too late.

The “I am NOT your homework buddy” system described above amounts to nothing more than proper discipline, which has forever been and will always be the key to a child’s success in school.

Covenant Fellowship Come as you are !

Bible Study: Sunday Mornings, 9:30 am

Worship Time: Sunday Mornings, 10:30 am

Celebrate Recovery: Tuesdays, 7 pm

Church Email: covenantpastor@gmail.com

Church Website: cfhuntsville.org

Lead Pastor: David Valentine

Address: 606 FM 1791 N. • Huntsville

Church Phone: (936) 435-0993

So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.

Ezra 8:23

Do

JoAnn Frizzell’s Easter celebration with family

By James W. Jones, MD, PhD, MHA

It Should Be Considered Beneficiary and Even Necessary to Acquire an Extraordinary Vocabulary

A lifestyle improvisation I have employed throughout my adult lifetime is to ferret out areas of experience that are vital, but considered secondary and just exist on their own without requiring attention. These issues, once identified, are fully evaluated, and a determination made whether they can be improved; if so, one’s personal standard of living would be significantly enhanced. Certainly, one such area is our personal vocabulary.

Our beginning vocabularies of English words were brought to England during the 5th to 7th centuries from Western Germany by AngloSaxon immigrants displacing Celtic languages.

Wow! That part of the English lexicon is known today as Old English, because it underwent substantial revamping when the Normans conquered Britain in 1066.

Words are the magical illuminators of our thought realms. They cheer up, clarify, circumscribe, comfort, and even coerce--depending on choice of words and intonation. Vocabulary can be used to estimate the intelligence of persons by listeners and readers, and consequently indicates the merit of individuals. Candidates for jobs, admission to organizations, and esteem

of associate’s level of lexicon differentiates. Thus, it seems enhancing one’s vocabulary is a worthwhile pursuit. Indeed!

When listening (or especially when reading), paying close attention to the words is crucial.

Eagerly look for new words you do not understand fully and make a note of them.

I have a list of many pages of such findings accumulated over years. Included are words that were recognized, but of which I was not fully certain, and included were particularly meaningful words I don’t usually utilize.

An easy and significant system to supplement your vocabulary is to subscribe to a “Word of the Day” site. Merriam-Webster is excellent, as are several others, to feature an interesting, useful word that just pops up, fully defined, in your email.

The vocabulary enhancement process requires a dictionary be handy to obtain precise definitions of newly found words. I have copies of the standard, bound dictionaries handy. However, modern technology provides easier and much more efficient means of finding definitions. An especially helpful source is a website named “OneLook Dictionary,” which is certainly true

Your feet are in good hands

to its name because, when the word is entered, many top dictionaries offer definitions.

Utilizing a thesaurus when gaining access to new words is helpful to see shades of meaning of similar words.

Flashcards are a souped-up approach to jumpstarting vocabulary acquisition for those so inclined with the intellectual aptitude and forbearance, but this is not for everyone. In choosing that approach, start slowly with a few cards; gradually add more to fit your tolerance, so as not to strain your memory capacity.

A further enhancement to memory of new words is to know their etymology. Vocabulary as a “list of words with understanding of their meanings” comes into the English language in the early 1500s from the Medieval Latin word vocabularium “a list of words,” from Latin vocabulum “word,” which derived from

Toi Williamson President/CEO

Egypt, Montgomery County, Texas

Egypt was located near the junction of FM 1488 and FM 2978 about nine miles southwest of Conroe in Southwestern Montgomery County. From the 1840s, it was a farming area. The community was settled by George Bell Madeley, who had come to the area from England. He owned a grist mill, vineyard, orchard, wine press, cotton gin, and herds of cattle. The services for his grist mill were paid for with corn instead of money. During a time period of considerable drought, the people in the community had no corn due to crop failures.

The community farmers went to purchase corn from Madeley. They named the area “Egypt.” The name referred to the Bible story in which Jacob’s family went to Egypt to buy corn from their brother in a time of famine (Genesis 41:56-57). Madeley gave his community cornmeal during the time of drought. The area declined through the rest of the twentieth century, and though Egypt was still shown on highway maps, by 1990 there was virtually no sign of the community. In 2006, a byway called Honea-Egypt Road reminded travelers of the former area.

From Heritage Museum of Montgomery County and writing of Dan Madeley (1981).

Battleship Texas

Original story June 2021 by Wes Altom

The legislature passed a bill in 2019 providing $35 million to tow the battleship and repair it at a dry dock. On August 31st, Texas finally made the trip under tow from San Jacinto to Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation - Galveston, for some long-awaited TLC. That night, she was lifted out of the water in dry dock, marking the first time out of the water in 32 years and only the second time since she became a museum in 1948.

This new dry dock in Galveston arrived under tow from the Bahamas in early June, and its first job will be the battleship repair. This event culminates years of planning and work to prepare the ship for this journey. In addition to dredging to allow a transport path from the site, there was six months work to install over 750,000 gallons of expanded foam into the Texas, drastically reducing her leak rate from 2,000 gallons per minute to under 20 gallons per minute. This enabled the tow, which went smoother than anticipated.

The extensive repairs and restoration in drydock are expected to take up

to a year to complete. Following, the Texas will not return to San Jacinto, but instead will have a new home in a different location in hopes of increasing exposure and the number of visitors, thus increasing income to offset operational costs. This was a provision from the legislature in the funding bill. No announcement has been made yet as to the new home for the battleship after repair.

My Cup

By Sara Hardy Bartee 27 Feb 2010

Our cups can either be full or empty. I suppose the cup could be half full or half empty. My cup has been both, though not at the same time.

As a child, I grew up in a very poor family, when measured by worldly standards. My cup was empty of frivolous things; we had only the necessities of life. But the cup was full of love. When I was nine months old, my cup was emptied of my young mother. She left us for nearly a year while she sought treatment that might prolong her life. When she returned, I was allowed to have her for about ten years, then my cup was empty, again. Death snatched her away one cold January night in 1950. It was just a few days past my twelfth birthday.

My daddy became both father and mother to me. We lived together in the house he had shared with my mother and me. Daddy had always been special to me, and now that he was all I had, I clung so tightly to him. But, once again, Death came calling at our house. One June night, Daddy slipped away to join his loved ones who had preceded him in death. I was twenty years old.

Then my cup was filled again! Avon and I had been in love for some time. He had promised my Daddy he would take care of me, so we married less than a year after Daddy died. My cup wasn’t just filled, it overflowed. There was love between two young people that could have filled a bucket, not just a cup. The Lord blessed us with three lovely children. The children brought such joy to us.

As the children grew up and left home, one by one, the cup did not become any less full. There was a different kind of fullness. Having lived as a couple for over 30 years, we could anticipate the thoughts, desires, pleasures, and wishes of the other. Then suddenly, on a hot, hot July day, the cup was tilted and emptied again. My beloved Avon was taken from me. I was fifty-seven years old. For a brief time, I felt the cup was broken, never to be filled again.

But time is changing the hurt. It is still there, but I can deal with it, because the cup is being filled again. My children and grandchildren are seeing to that. I arouse from a sound sleep many times and reach out to touch that one who shared our bed for so many years. It is at times like that the cup feels empty. But, when morning comes, I arise and thank God for another day to seek His will for me. Soon the phone will ring, or there will be a voice at the door, and one of the children will be there, refilling my cup.

Then I can again go to the Lord and say, “Thank you for filling my cup so many times.” He will never leave me with an empty cup.

CALENDAR

Thru 9

Brenham

“Crimes of the Heart” unitybrenham.org

Thru 23

Dallas

State Fair of Texas bigtex.com

1

Conroe

The Brian Black Show w/Twitty and Lynn outhousetickets.com

Galveston

Neil Berg’s 50 Years of Rock ‘n’ Roll thegrand.com

Huntsville

Fair on the Square faironthesquare.com

13

College Station

“The Other Mozart” mscopas.org

13-15

Huntsville

“Green Day’s American Idiot” shsutickets.com

15

Conroe

Relay for Life/Bark for Life of Montgomery and Walker Counties relayforlife.org/mocotx

Madisonville

Annual Texas Mushroom Festival txmushfest.com

Willis

“Chills Down Your Spine” –Conroe Symphony Orchestra conroesymphony.org

1-2

College Station

“Disney’s Winnie the Pooh” mscopas.org

Huntsville

Homecoming – Cook Springs Baptist Church cooksprings.org

15-16

Huntsville

St. Thomas Fall Festival saintthomashuntsville.org

15-23 Bryan

Brazos Valley Fair and Rodeo brazosvalleyfair.com

2

Huntsville

“Reba – The Tribute” – Corrie Sachs cooksprings.org

6-7

Conroe

Lobsterfest chamber.conroe.org

6-16

Waco

Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo hotfair.com

8

The Woodlands

10 for Texas Run visitthewoodlands.com/10fortexas

15-31

Trinity

7th Annual Pumpkin Patch firstumctrinitytx.org

21

Conroe

“Barefoot in the Park” owentheatre.com

Sugar Land

Steve Martin and Martin Short smartfinancialcentre.net

21-22

Galveston

Island Oktoberfest galvestonoktoberfest.com

Nacogdoches

Full Moon Concert visitnacogdoches.org

21-Nov 6

Conroe

“RENT” crightontheatre.org

22

Madisonville

Tour de Madisonville Bike Ride 936-348-4602

Palestine

Hot Pepper Festival visitpalestine.com

Sugar Land

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons smartfinancialcentre.net

23

Galveston

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. – A Celebration of the Music of Aretha Franklin thegrand.com

Sugar Land

Disney Princess: The Concert smartfinancialcentre.net

25

College Station

Back Home Again: A Tribute to John Denver mscopas.org

25-Nov 9

Houston

“The Secret to My Success” tuts.com

28

Galveston

“Pride and Prejudice” thegrand.com

29

Huntsville

Scare on the Square huntsvillemainstreet.com

COLLEGE OF ARTS & MEDIA PRESENTS

CAM ARTIST SERIES

HARMONIA STELLARUM HOUSTON, TALES OF ICARUS AND APOLLO Music by Bononcini,  Štěpán, and Handel November 5 | 7:30 p.m. Recital Hall, GPAC

To view our full CAM Artist Series and season, visit SHSUTICKETS.COM HOLIDAY CONCERT December 1 & 2 | 7:30 p.m. Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Mustard Seed Moments

by Wes Altom

If You Know, You Know?

Recently, while attending a high school athletic event, I noticed each class had made a poster and put it up in the gym. The 10th grade banner proudly proclaimed “SOPHMORES.” I had to chuckle at the misspelling. This made me recall having previously heard the word origin.

“Sophomore” is derived from the roots sophos meaning “wise”and moros meaning “foolish, dull.” Yes, sophomore literally means “wise fool.” Such is our world today, and if we admit it, we each individually have our sophomore moments. Like the well-meaning young banner makers, there are times when we think we know, but we really don’t have a clue. This is dangerous ground, and it can make us lose track of how much we truly don’t know. Self-examination, reflection, and a humble heart are vital to our daily walk and spiritual growth. May God increase our hunger to continually learn and to be filled with His knowledge and goodness.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he

James 4:10