Altom Lake Conroe

Lake Conroe Edition

April 2020

Do You Know?

Lois Blackburne

Texas Talent

The Woodlands Waterway Art Festival

Texas Treasures The Bentley Exhibit

Business Focus

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April 2020 | Volume 9, Issue 4

Do You Know?

Lois Blackburrne

The Woodlands Waterway Art Festival

Texas Talent

14

Texas Treasures

20

Business Focus

26

8

The Bentley Exhibit

14

20

8

Hamm’s Flooring

Features

Favorites

26

7

From the Publisher

7

Letters from Readers

12

Glorious Grandkids

18

25

29

Dear Gabby

30

Pet Pals

Star Students

Health Matters

31 32 34

“Seens” from Our World

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Adapt and Overcome Last month, I wrote that I would see you at the ballpark…apparently not! Who would have ever thought our world could be turned so upside down in such a short period of time? It’s as if, in the span of a week, everything we know as normal was flipped, twisted, and turned inside out.

From the Publisher Karen Altom publisher@postcardslive.com We encourage you to check websites or call before you head to events or public places until this crisis has passed.

We also encourage you to continue to do all you can to support each other. Take care of yourself. Be kind and thoughtful to your neighbor.

Step outside and breathe some fresh air. Check on your family and As the impact of “the virus” spreads throughout our country and state your friends. Tell them you love them. And please know, we love you, and city, the reality can seem sobering. Public gatherings and events our readers, too. are closed, canceled or postponed and the uncertainties continue.

Economic realities are uneasy as well, as businesses are sensing hard Until next time, times ahead. In times like this, it is normal to feel some level of anxiety; folks can even get caught up in feelings to the point of fighting over

~ cases of water or toilet paper.

Karen

And yet…life goes on. We are adaptable. We will figure out our new normal. We are in this together.

At Postcards, we will continue to do what we do…highlighting the wonderful people and businesses that make up our incredible communities. One of the difficult things about publishing a magazine is the amount of lead time required for print and delivery, so we will utilize our Facebook pages to alert you to any changes made after we have published.

Letters from Our Readers Thank you for the Star Student Gift Card! I have always wanted to be in the Postcards Magazine ever since I was a little girl. My parents always have one sitting around and the first part of the magazine I would turn to is the Star Students section! I can’t wait to use my gift card!

Thank you, Lauren Ward

I enjoy learning about the people who make a difference here. All in all, thank you for a great magazine.

I”m off to make one of your recipes now!

Della Lindquist

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Thanks Postcards, Burke Family Plumbing, LLC. April 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 7

Lois Blackburne

By Ruth Fields Photos by Gina Turner

Do You Know?

Lois Blackburne grew up in eastern Kentucky. She had an aptitude for art as a child, but she was the daughter of a coalminer, and there was no money for art lessons. So, Lois taught herself to draw, and then to paint. She did not take an art class until she was in her twenties. In 1978, she moved to Conroe.

Lois recently welcomed the Postcards team to her home, where a collection of lamps and scented candles illuminate rooms filled to overflowing with a variety of striking artwork. Most of it was painted by Lois herself. Even the guest bathroom is decorated with Lois’ art, including a hand-painted porcelain sink. She jokes that decorators would call her home “tastefully overdone.”

A tenured member of the Conroe Art League, Lois is also a member of the Lone Star Art Guild and Oil Painters of America. She teaches art lessons two days a week, but she paints every day, and says she plans to do so for the rest of her life. She says, “When I die, if I don’t have a paintbrush in my hand, put one there!”

8 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | April 2020

When did you discover you had artistic talent?

How did a girl from rural Kentucky end up in Conroe?

My ex-husband was in the military. We lived five places in nine years, and I am a person who doesn’t like change. I told him, “We’ve got to get out of the military and get some roots.” And we came to Conroe.

The first thing I did was join Conroe Art League. I was in my late twenties. I had done a few paintings in Savannah. When I was in Savannah, I mostly painted seascapes. When we came to Texas, I started painting bluebonnets. I had two small sons. There was no money or time for classes, so I would rock my sons to sleep, and then I couldn’t wait until I got them to bed so I could paint. I would stay up until two in the morning and paint.

How did you teach yourself to paint?

I didn’t think I was grasping it, and I remember one day it all assimilated and came together—all the self-study, all the visits to galleries, reading books, and making lots of mistakes. All that study came together and I said, “Yes, I get it!” I remind my students of that when they get frustrated. I tell them, “Your brain is like a computer.

You may not think you are retaining it, but it may just download one day.”

How often do you paint?

I paint something every day in some medium, because you have to keep those juices flowing. I painted lying down one whole summer.

When I am sick, I will paint in bed. I will paint on the couch. If I’m sick, I may as well do something I enjoy. When my schedule permits, I will take a seminar or a workshop. I recently spent a year working with a master artist, Juan Cantevella. Conroe Art League is very blessed that he chose Conroe as his home, and he shares his immense talents with the gallery. When you have a master among you, you take advantage of that.

What types of painting do you do?

ART

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Oils, pastels, watercolor, china painting, and colored pencil. When I first decided I wanted to take a class, I was real young and we were in a military town. I walked into a gallery. An Austrian lady owned it. I told her, “I don’t even know the difference between watercolor and oil.

You will have to explain it.”

She said, “Honey, oil is a beautiful 50-year-old woman with all of her makeup and jewelry, and watercolor is a 16-year-old girl with a scrubbed face.”

I work in so many different mediums. Even though they

APRIL

COLLEGE

It was always my desire to be an artist. I grew up in eastern Kentucky, the daughter of a coalminer. So, suffice it to say there were no art lessons, but it was always in me. I would sit and sketch. Women’s magazines would have drawing contests. As a child, I just knew I was going to win.

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»

April 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 9

have different qualities, they all have the same theory that makes the criteria for a great painting. It’s like music. There’s high key music, there’s low key music. Which is right? They are both right. They’re just different. The subject will let you know which medium to pick, according to what you are trying to say.

Do you have a favorite medium?

over the class.” I was a young artist in my twenties, and I am thinking, “Are you kidding me?” They set up a class for me. The first night, 24 people showed up, and I was just scared to death. I had to split the class. That was my first encounter, and I was terrified.

Later, I would just teach now and then. When the Hobby Lobby opened in Conroe 23 years ago, I started teaching there. A lot of great artists aren’t good teachers. Some things you do intuitively. When you are teaching someone, you have to think about it, and you have to verbalize it on a level they can understand. I still teach two classes a week in all those mediums we talked about. I enjoy it. It keeps me on my toes.

It’s like asking me to choose between my children. The different mediums have different personalities. Some of them will give you problems, and other times a certain medium will come out just like you visualized. My favorite is whichever one I am working on at the time, but I have a special love for porcelain, being a dyed-in-the-wool Victorian. China painting is for my own enjoyment. It relaxes me. It’s My students inspire me. I have several really advanced, brilliant the most intimate, because you are holding it in your hand. students, and I have to work hard to stay ahead of them. Sometimes students say, “But I don’t know how to draw or paint.” I tell them, Tell us more about your china painting.

“You wouldn’t be here if you did.” The graveyard is full of people who My love of china painting came when I was 16. My ex-husband (then could have been great artists, but it was never cultivated. The most boyfriend) took me to his house. His mother was a china painter important part is the drawing. People want to have their chocolate and, being from Kentucky, that was the first time I had seen china pie before their spinach, but you can’t paint it if you can’t draw it. The painting. I said right then, “I want to do that someday.” I give my first thing I do for beginners is teach them to draw. former mother-in-law credit for the inspiration. The only class I took was a china painting class from a local lady, Etta Burns, a retired school teacher. Every art you do is a layering process. With china painting, you mix paints with mineral oil, and it is painted and fired many times.

Which do you enjoy more, painting or teaching?

When did you begin teaching?

And you paint portraits!

I enjoy them both. The teaching allows me to interact with other artists, but when I come home, there is solitude. I have to get in my own head.

When we lived in Savannah, Georgia, I signed up for a six-week class Portraiture is the Ph.D. of art. It’s the hardest. You not only have in acrylics. We painted seascapes. My teacher told me, “I am not to paint that person as you see them, but you have to see them as going to teach this class anymore at the YMCA. I want you to take the customer sees themselves or their child. It’s a totally different

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If he says, “That doesn’t look like me,” I’ll say, “Who asked you?” There is only one judge when you are working on a commissioned portrait, and that is the person writing the check. People usually prefer portraits in oil, but I also paint many of my subjects in pastel. Pastel has a subtle beauty that lends itself to portraiture, especially when painting children.

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What can you tell us about your creative process?

The steps are: getting excited about it, visualizing it in my mind, and the challenge of making it come to fruition. We have been taught that when we paint, we should activate all five senses: sight, of course, and touch. For taste, I have coffee or tea, and I have candles for smell. For sound, I play soft music. Art speaks for itself. As artists, it’s hard for us to elaborate any further. It’s a lonely craft. You are painting alone. You are in your head and, when you are finished, everything you have to say is on that canvas.

Your china painting has been featured in national and international magazines, and you have won several awards. Of which award are you most proud?

I won the best floral at the Lone Star State convention a few years ago. The convention consists of only ribbon winners from across the state from home clubs, and in the spring they all come together and compete. It’s an honor to win a major award on the state level. Most recently, I was voted as the People’s Choice for the month of November at the Conroe Art League show. This award is special because it is voted on by both my peers, as well as the public.

What do you do when you’re not painting?

My art is my passion, but my two sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and six grandchildren are my life. My extended family is my church family at First Methodist.

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H

Artists from The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival Part One

Texas is replete with arts communities, offering the state’s arts lovers much to choose from. The difficulty, however, is navigating the Lone Star State’s endless highways just to get from, say, Dallas to Marfa (eight hours…). Fortunately, the state also has numerous art festivals that allow visitors to find all their art in one place.

One of the best of these festivals is The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, which, following an extensive jury-selection process, features some 200 talented artists from Texas and (well) beyond. In this special edition of (Mostly) Texas Talent, we highlight three artists appearing at The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival: Christina Smith, the Festival’s 2020 “Featured Artist”; ceramicist Debra Steidel, from Wimberley, Texas; and sculptor/jeweler Rita Marie Ross, from Austin, Texas.

Note: The Woodland Waterway Art Festival is typically scheduled for early April. This year, however, coronavirus concerns have prompted festival organizers to postpone the festival. More information about the festival and The Woodlands Arts Council can be found on their website: https://www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/.

Christina Smith grew up in Missouri, but she now lives and works in northwest Arkansas while also maintaining a busy art-show schedule. This schedule includes this year’s The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival, where she was chosen as the Festival’s “Featured Artist.”

This recognition provides additional well-deserved exposure to her work, which is characterized by the ability to capture “shadow and light, subtle turns and transitions, the true and complex structure of [wildlife and nature.]” Visit www.christinasmith.net.

By Mike Yawn

14 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | April 2020

You took art classes in college, but you describe yourself as a self-taught artist. Were any of your art classes informative?

Not really (laughs). I took pottery, jewelry, and drawing classes, but art instructors did not teach realism, at least not back in the 1970s. I work from a realist perspective, so that instruction was a bit foreign to me. Also, what makes my work different, I think, is the way I look at and see things, and they definitely didn’t teach me that.

How do you see things?

I am near-sighted, so I am naturally drawn to detail. I don’t do landscapes; I zoom in. I focus on natural elements, on details people might miss if they were walking by: the bark of a tree, lichen, or a feather. I will study those things—the colors, the texture, the curvature. That’s part of my work.

As a self-taught artist, how did you teach yourself to look at those things?

My father was an engineer, and he was meticulous. My hand has also always been steady, and perhaps I got some of that from him. You need a steady hand to do detail.

But, I think the biggest lesson I ever learned was not to give up. I’ve persisted, and it has allowed me to work through those challenges and become a better artist.

Jennifer Baird Photography 281-639-0233 jenniferbairdphotography.com

How long did it take you to be comfortable showing your work and advertising yourself as a professional artist?

Probably 10 years. It takes a lot of courage to put your work out there, to take that first step out of the studio. But I worked hard at it, and my work has gotten better in the 40-plus years I have been showing my work.

What attracts you to wildlife?

I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and my parents didn’t take me to many rural places.

Of course, I had seen birds, and I loved them, but it really wasn’t until my 20s that I saw beautiful rural scenery: hills, mountains, forests. So to see the wildlife in nature is really special to me.

What artists have influenced you?

Specializing in: Family Portraits Senior Portraits Engagements Maternity

Sallie Middleton is one. She was from North Carolina, and early on I bought one of her books. She did opaque watercolors as I do, and she simply omitted the backgrounds.

Until I saw her work, I didn’t realize that was possible. It freed me up, allowing me to focus on the composition and the details.

Tell us about your primary artistic media: gouache and pencil.

As I mentioned, I am a detail person, so using transparent watercolor—which bleeds extensively—is not going to suit my style well. I work with little brushes that don’t hold much water. Gouache, an opaque watercolor, is what is right for me. In terms of using pencil, that’s an interesting story. All three of my children were in band, and my oldest son played the French horn. Unfortunately, the French horn we had was old and beat up. One day, I was in Shreveport at an art show,

»

April 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 15

and a couple walked into my booth, looked around, and told me they really liked my work. Turns out, they owned a music store.

After some discussion, we agreed they would give me a new French horn—a $2,300 instrument—and I would create a painting with ducks. By this time, I was tired of doing ducks, so to do something new, I decided I would use the gouache for the ducks and use pencil for the root work and foliage. That’s the first work I did that way, and my son ended up getting a music scholarship with his new French horn.

You proved all at once that art and music education can pay!

That’s right.

and I plan to paint it. That work will be in my booth at the Festival.

You clearly know the area. How many times have you shown your work in The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival?

I’ve done the Festival 10-15 times.

It is a pretty area, the show is well run, and I’ve been enough times that I will see friendly and familiar faces there.

You work and live in northwest Arkansas; do you ever paint Texas You are the Featured Artist for this year’s Festival. What does that entail? scenes?

Well, since you mention it, near The Woodlands is the W. Goodrich The Featured Artist agrees to donate a work to The Woodlands Art Jones State Forest. The Forest is one of the few places where the Council’s VIP Preview & Art Dash Party, which typically takes place endangered red-cockaded woodpecker lives. It’s an interesting bird, the night before the Festival. The artist, in turn, is featured on

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Will your donated piece feature a bird?

Of course! It will depict scarlet tanagers, which are red birds, the same size as cardinals, but without the crest and black mask.

We’ve discussed birds a lot. What do you think explains their special appeal to artists and people who love art?

From an artistic perspective, they are interesting for many reasons: their character, colors, and shapes. But I think it’s universal--people are drawn to birds. I think some of it is that we would all like to fly, and it’s fascinating to watch creatures that can. I remember watching them as a child, seeing a young bird take a step out of the nest and, eventually, go into flight. It takes a lot of courage for them to take that step out of the nest, and I think that’s a quality we all can admire.

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Star Students

    Sonijah Fox

Chris Lopez

Conroe High School

  Conroe High School

Favorite Movie: Friday Favorite Music/Artist: Roddy Ricch / Summer Walker

Favorite Movie: Fast Five

Favorite Food: Stewed Chicken Favorite Quote: “Success is not an accident; success is actually

Favorite Music/Artist: Hip-Hop, Country, Mexican Favorite Food: Tacos / Chinese Food

Favorite Quote: “Everyone wants you to forget you’re going to die. If they convince you, you’ll waste your time doing what they want you to do.”

C

hris is a senior at Conroe High School and is the son of Pascual Lopez and Irma Lopez. His activities include playing sports with friends. Following graduation, Chris plans to help in his dad’s business and travel the world. He believes, “Keep going; don’t leave your potential untapped.”

a choice.” – Stephen Curry

S

onijah is a senior at Conroe High School and is the daughter of Michelle and Sherwin Fox. Her activities include basketball. Following graduation, she plans to attend college to study business. She believes, “Just keep going, because it could always be worse.”

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April 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 19

TEX S Treasures THE BENTLEY EXHIBIT

By Claudia Kirkwood

Photos by Libby Rogers

District Judge Bascom Bentley had a foolproof security plan in place. He filled his office with hundreds of footballs, helmets, and deerskins…knowing that no one with bad intentions would go looking for the Judge in that mountain of memorabilia!

You have just come face to face with the vibrant personality of the late Judge Bascom Bentley III of Palestine, Texas.

Welcome to his world, which was overflowing with quite an enviable collection of memorabilia, one which he was apparently using to his advantage! More on that after we learn about this extraordinary man.

The honorable Judge Bascom Bentley III grew up in Palestine, earned a BBA from the University of Texas and graduated from the University of Houston Law School in 1976. Over his career, he served as the Palestine City Attorney, the Anderson County Attorney, the Anderson County Court at Law Judge, and as Judge over the 369th District Court until his retirement in March 2017. During these years, he received numerous accolades and recognitions and was deeply loved and respected. Cliff Johnson, a former member of the Texas House of Representatives and lifelong friend, remembers their first day together in kindergarten. “Bascom marched in wearing a ‘Cisco-Kid’ outfit, riding a stick-pony, and sporting a cowboy hat with a bolo string-tie. I knew, right then and there, that he was going to be trouble!” We could go on about 20 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | April 2020

the illustrious Judge, but it is time to uncover the secret to his safety, what is now known as “The Bentley Exhibit.”

The Bentley Exhibit is currently on display in the Museum for East Texas Culture, housed in the old Palestine High School building at 400 Micheaux Avenue in Palestine, Texas. A trip to view this vast accumulation of memorabilia is well worth your time and effort! Director Daniel Dyer is responsible for the well-organized display, which covers almost half of the top floor of the building and contains thousands of items spanning sports and political areas of interest, as well as a large collection of wildlife heads, horns, racks, and skins.

Board President and Archivist for the museum is Bonnie Wolverton. This massive collection was formerly housed in at least two of the Judge’s district offices and two or three warehouse units before being transferred to the museum.

According to Dan, cataloging the collection would have taken two years if done item by item, but videoing the display resulted in a much more efficient way of recording the thousands of items of memorabilia.

TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL The first collection that catches your eye as you enter the exhibit is a huge array of football helmets. These helmets were transferred from Judge Bentley’s office in a landscape trailer, filled to the top.

•Over 400 football helmets from high schools across the state are on display. Visitors delight in searching for the helmet from their own hometown team and are usually successful in finding its inclusion in the exhibit.

NCAA FOOTBALL Judge Bentley, a University of Texas alum, was hoping Adrian Peterson would play for UT, as evidenced by the Judge’s quote in the New York Times when Peterson signed with the Oklahoma Sooners: “It would be like your wife running off with Brad Pitt. You understand it, but it still hurts.”

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Jerseys (many are autographed) •Adrian Peterson’s autographed University of Oklahoma jersey •Michael Singletary (Baylor), Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson (Auburn; Heisman Trophy winner), Joe Montana (Notre Dame), Andre Ware (Houston; Heisman Trophy winner), David Dickey (Arkansas; sweater and helmet), Earl Campbell (Texas; Heisman Trophy winner), Tommy Nobis (Texas; jersey and signed Life magazine cover), Roosevelt Leaks (Texas), William Edward “Rooster” Andrews, Jr. (Texas), Steve Wooster (Texas), Vince Young (Texas) Footballs and Helmets (autographed) •Darrell Royal, Mack Brown, Charlie Strong, Duke Carlisle, Ricky Williams, Doak Walker •Helmets from every major NCAA football team

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE As Dan headed into Judge Bentley’s office one day, he rounded a corner and saw a jersey hanging on a nail. He had to check it out. It was an autographed jersey belonging to Johnny Unitas!

JERSEYS (Autographed) •Troy Aikman, Bill Bradley, Sammy Baugh, Raymond Berry, Terry Bradshaw, Len Dawson, Brett Favre, Otto Graham, “Mean” Joe Greene, Forrest Gregg, Michael Irvin, Jim Kelly, Tom Landry, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Bob Lilly, Dan Pastorini, Barry Sanders, Gale Sayers, Emmitt Smith, Bart Starr, Roger Staubach, Johnny Unitas, Randy White (includes a personal note to the Judge) FOOTBALLS •Dozens of footballs with autographs, including Hall of Famers: Jim Brown, Tom Landry, Walter Payton and Gale Sayers

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NCAA BASKETBALL Basketballs (autographed) •John Wooden (UCLA), Dean Smith (North Carolina), Rick Barnes (Tennessee), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Tom Penders (Texas)

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Jerseys (autographed) •Roger Clemens, Bob Gibson, Stan Musial, Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan

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April 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 21

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PHOTOS, MAPS, MAGAZINES AND MORE Framed and adorning the walls of the exhibit are covers from several well-known magazines including Texas Monthly and LIFE. These publications would frequently portray the image of a prominent sports figure of the time. One such cover in Judge Bentley’s collection is truly a very rare find.

This is a November 23rd edition of LIFE Magazine. The prominent sports figure being celebrated on the cover photo was Roger Staubach. The seven million copies with his image were never distributed. The year was 1963. The day before the publication was to begin selling in newsstands, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. According to an employee at LIFE, the magazines being printed at the four U.S. plants were recalled, the covers were ripped off and new covers displaying a close-up photo of Kennedy were added. Apparently, a few with the Staubach cover survived, and one is now on display in the museum.

In addition to magazine covers, visitors can also view a wide assortment of sports posters and programs, newspaper articles, photographs and hundreds of novelty items depicting famous people, places and events.

Here is a small sampling of what is in store for you to see: • Photograph of Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, autographed by both players (certified authenticity) • Autographed photos of Pete Rose, Woody Hayes, Mack Brown, Ray Nitschke (including a personal note to Judge Bentley), President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush, Governor Rick Perry, and many more!

• A celebrity quilt including squares autographed by the cast from “Frazier,” Alex Trebec, Nicolas Cage, Robert Stack, the “Today Show” group, Jerry Jeff Walker, Leslie Neilson, KD Lang, Lena Horne, Sally Field, George Strait, Kay Bailey Hutchison and others • United States map with Governors’ signatures from several states, including that of Arnold Schwarzenegger • Photo of Gov. Rick Perry when he played drums with ZZ Top

• The massive carved wood seal from Rick Perry’s office when he • The Hudson Log Cabin: this is a vintage log cabin from the Civil War served as Agriculture Commissioner. Several other items from his era, which was disassembled piece by piece, then reassembled in the office are on display. gymnasium area of the museum.

• Plans are being made for a military exhibit, when funds are available.

According to Dan, Judge Bentley could have kept a taxidermist in business for years! The extensive assortment includes moose, The Museum for East Texas Culture is sure to be a treat for all ages. antelope, deer, hogs, a cougar, several fowl, and a 12-foot alligator The citizens of Palestine have preserved a monumental collection of from Victoria, Texas. The Judge was a busy man! memorabilia that is almost beyond description and have placed this treasure trove within the walls of an equally impressive structure. And, The Bentley Exhibit is testimony to a man who, as one acquaintance as with all such endeavors, funds are needed for further improvements put it, “made a friend out of everyone he met.” Many of these and preservation of these treasures. For information on making acquisitions were from sports figures and politicians who were donations or to plan a trip to the museum, call 903-723-1914 or go to personal friends of the Judge. And, according to Bonnie, it is a well- their website at www.MuseumPalestine.org for details on hours and fees. known fact that he did not shy away from asking for things!

THERE’S MORE AT THE MUSEUM! Once you have taken several hours to peruse The Bentley Exhibit, don’t leave! You have only toured a portion of the top floor of this precious landmark! There is much more to see including: • The Railroad Room, the Black History Room, the Fire Department Room, the John H. Reagan Room, the Knox Glass Exhibit, an old Barber shop, the medical and pharmacy exhibit, a working iron lung, old cameras and business machine exhibits and Governor Campbell’s carriage from 1904-1908.

• The John H. Reagan Room contains a table made from 1 million pieces of wood by inmates in the Texas prison system around the year 1898.

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24 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | April 2020

Health Matters

By James W. Jones, MD, PhD, MHA, and GOB (Good Ole Boy)

Let it be Said it is Crucial to Dread and Not Spread COVID The COVID risk is as harshly real as anything we have seen in a very long while. According to the available statistics from reliable sources, COVID has a far worse mortality rate than the flu! REAL DANGER. I have beheld a number of smart people who have become convinced the problem is a bunch of hullabaloo. “The news media has blown it out of proportion,” is a common renouncing. Other’s denial surmises, “It is no worse than the flu, and we don’t run from that.” WRONG. The medical authorities, including CDC and WHO, have listed measures that are essential in prevention of COVID, and they should be committed to memory.

But, while scientific information is important, it is always shrewd to bring in common sense and use both to achieve the best results.

Having medical treatment primed and ready is essential, but it is the backstop, not the firewall, of viral epidemics. Prevention is the vital firewall, and each of us is on the front and essential line for our own health and that of family, friends, and the entire community.

All of us must realize that specific actions done in specific ways are essential to protect everybody. Knowing something like frequent handwashing is important, but is not enough.

People need to be informed about how and when to wash hands.

Washing should concentrate on fingers, especially the tips and nails.

Clipping nails gives COVID less room to hide. Wash before and after going to public places, after touching items that have been touched

by others from outside your home, before eating, and (if washing is not possible) use sanitizer. Consider a number of people touched the door you opened and the chair you moved for seating.

Move and stay at least ten feet from someone coughing or sneezing, and move away from anyone appearing sick. When you or loved ones don’t feel well, STAY HOME! Take tissues or a hanky to temporarily cover your nose and filter air when appropriate.

Get stocked up necessary items so you can sequester when indicated.

Which items are necessary and how much?

Common sense on subjects like those mentioned is essential. And efforts must concentrate on areas that are likely to suffer the most, ones with crowding living and concentrations of older, sicker people.

With health issues such as COVID, it is important to establish healthful actions as a routine to be followed regardless. Deciding there is little danger here, so I do not need to do what I normally do, is a dangerous variation--because how do you know whether someone infected has passed through?

Is this punctilious? Perhaps, but in important health and life-or-death matters, it is best to overact on the side of safety!

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By Leah Lamp Photos by Gina Turner

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Hamm’s Flooring 2751 East Davis Street Conroe, TX 77301 936-756-5602 http://www.hammsflooring.com 26 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | April 2020

Hamm’s Flooring Times have changed in the flooring business.

That’s certainly true at Hamm’s Flooring in Conroe, a family-owned business that has passed the torch to the next generation.

But, it’s also true as an industry.

President James Hamm explained some of the recent changes.

“Over time, inventory and delivery systems have become better and better, and it’s not necessary for us to inventory high quantities of product; I can order and have carpet in my warehouse in four days. That’s as fast as I can schedule installation anyway, so there is no advantage in having materials stacked to the roof.” Hamm says this “cut order” process gives the customer a lot more choices at consistent pricing.

worked alongside their parents for many years. When his dad became ill and died 15 years ago, the family members met in the living room and flipped coins to divide up the management duties. James became president, and Jay began learning the books from his mom. They eventually retired Jaynell and brought in Jaylyn, James’ son, to begin working with Jay. Then James’ and Jay’s sister Jennifer came on board.

“The Lord knew what he was doing,” said James. The right people ended up in the right places. Jaynell recently passed as well, but the family business lives on. James says his dad’s business philosophy was “Use Years ago, wood was the only hard option, but it had little resistance your best judgment at the time.” to wears and tears from daily living. The last few years have seen significant advances in realistic wood visuals in virtually waterproof Says James of his take, “As an employer, I view myself as a talent scout. product with high durability. High definition photography has really I’m looking for people who have the right heart. I can teach them their played a role in the “look” of flooring today. High tech embossing has skills. It’s a whole lot easier to manage people who want to be here provided realistic texture, as well. Says Hamm, “You just have to get than to oversee people who don’t want to be here. people who picture ‘vinyl’ as the old school roll of flooring to consider the new material with an open mind. And with it 60 cents on the dollar “My ministry is what comes through that door. And to what real wood would be, you’ve got a ‘friend for life!’”

I never know what it’s going to be that day. I’ve got to figure out why it’s here and what to do with it.

The ratio of carpet to hard surface in homes has also changed over Sometimes people just need to be listened to. When the last 20 years. “It used to be most everything was carpet, except dealing with a customer problem, the last thing we for vinyl in the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room,” says Hamm. think about when we talk about fixing a problem is “Carpet is less expensive, but it has to be replaced sooner. Now, that’s money. We talk about what’s the best thing for the flip-flopped. It went for a time from 1/3 vinyl to 2/3 vinyl. Now, pretty customer and what’s the right thing to do.” much everything in the house is vinyl, except for bedrooms in some homes. It’s just more practical. It’s not that you’re cleaner with the James started in 1975 as an installer when he was in high school. After vinyl, but you have access to the dirt and can clean easier.”

45 years, one might think it would get old, but James states, “There has never been a better time for the public in the way of choices, duHamm also notes our society has transitioned from more formal to rability, and value as there is right now. It’s as good as it’s ever been. more casual. An additional change is people’s relationship with their It’s fun surprising people with what can be done and seeing them so pets. A couple of generations ago, you found animals very sporadically happy with their outcomes.” inside a home. Now, almost everyone has animals that come in and out.

James says the family roots go back to when his father and mother, James said the company could expand and do other things, but instead Jack and Jaynell Hamm, started Carpets of Conroe, with his mom as chooses to be a flooring specialist company. “You can dilute yourself the bookkeeper. James and his brother Jay joined the business and with other products and not be as effective—but, it’s my name on

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April 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 27

the building, and that means something.” James even makes it personal.

If you were to visit his home, you would find flooring materials covering his back porch—an intentional experiment into the durability so he can provide the best information to customers.

Hamm’s prides itself on customer service and information expertise.

“We want to be your ‘floorist.’” From your initial consult to job completion, you will work at Hamm’s with one point of contact; they find this method reduces miscommunications.

Hamm’s primarily serves Montgomery and surrounding counties, unless an existing customer moves and calls them. They have even traveled out of state for established customers. 85% of their business comes from referrals. They don’t actively pursue commercial jobs, but they are glad to work with customers when contacted.

James Hamm -President Jay Hamm -Sales Jaylyn Hamm -Manager Don Smith -Sales Twana Kitzman -Accounting Scott Schneider -Sales Jennifer Preather -Office Manager

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Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column. Have you ever had one of those days when you just don’t want to be bothered? I had one last week, and a stranger sat down beside me on a bus with lots of empty seats…Obviously, a talker. Tightly gripping the package that was in my lap, I asked, “Did you bring the money?” He quickly found another seat. Drop me a line at Dear Gabby at PostcardsLive.com/share for simple solutions to life’s everyday problems. Prepare yourself for some tongue in cheek advice.

DEAR GABBY

I am about to take my landline telephone and throw it out of the window! All I receive anymore are solicitations, threats, offers, and other scams. How can I stop the calls without requiring the services of a glazier?

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Vet Connect: Covid-19 and Your Animals Article Submitted by: Steve VanWagner, D.V.M. The coronavirus is on the forefront of everyone’s minds. Here are some facts we know as of 3/18/2020 with new information continually evolving.

Infectious disease experts, along with several other health care organizations, agree there is no evidence at this point that pets become ill from CORID-19 or that they can spread it to other animals, including humans. There has been a dog in Hong Kong that tested positive for the virus without any clinical symptoms. Experts from the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences of the City of University of Hong Kong believe the consistency and persistence of the results suggest the virus may have spread from the infected owner to the dog in this particular case. In other testing, IDEXX announced March 13th, that they have evaluated thousands of cat and dog specimens during validation of its new veterinary test systems for the COVID-19 virus and have obtained no positive results.

Although there have not been reports of pets becoming sick with COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution, it is recommended those ill with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. If you are ill with COVID-19, be sure to tell your physician and public health official that you have a pet or other animal in your home. Have another member of your household

take care of walking, feeding, and playing with your pet. If you have a service animal or you must care for your pet, then wear a facemask; don’t share food, kiss, or hug them; and wash your hands before and after any contact with your pet or service animal. You should not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people or pets in your home. Additional guidance on managing pets in homes where people are sick with COVID-19 is available from the CDC. If you are not ill with COVID-19, feel free to interact with your furry friend as you normally would. It is encouraged to practice good hygiene during times of interactions with your pet. Wash your hands before and after interaction, keep your pet well groomed, and regularly clean your pet’s food and water bowels, bedding material and toys.

As always, contact your vet for the latest updates on COVID-19. or the AVMA or CDC sites. While we are recommending these as good practices, it is important to remember there is currently no evidence that pets can spread COVID-19 to other animals, including people.

Stay safe, keep your distance, and follow medical professional guidelines. We will all get through this as a nation. May God protect and bless each of your families!

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minton.frank@gmail.com Living in Walden on Lake Conroe for 15 years has been a pleasure, but for me it has a distinct spiritual dimension.

Several times a week, I walk the land barrier between the lake and the marina—my attempt to stay in shape, a routine from my Brooklyn (now Los Angeles) Dodger days. As I walk along, I hand out a business card (made to resemble a baseball card with a photo of me as a pitcher at age 20).

On the back, it reads, “Minton realized that following God’s call to preach was more important than making it to the Big Leagues.”

I share a smile, briefly talk baseball, and tell them, “I never looked back!” I usually walk away, leaving it up to them if they want to converse further. The response has been amazing.

Countless conversations and prayers have resulted. Broken hearts, divorce, loss of loved ones, confusion with life, and even thoughts of suicide have been openly confessed. One lady sitting lakeside asked, “Can I tell you my story? I’m mad at God!” Her husband had been killed in the war in Afghanistan. After pouring out her hurt, we prayed to God— twice!

So, for me, it’s more than a walk to keep in shape. Sharing your faith as you go in everyday living is received better than you think. Give a pleasant hello and a winsome smile. Ask how they are doing. Start a conversation and listen! The Holy Spirit will lead you further (and you don’t need a baseball card).

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April 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 35