Postcards Magazine Lake Conroe September 2020

Lake Conroe Edition

September 2020

Texas Treasures

The Two Worlds of Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker

Texas Talent Bri Bagwell

Business Focus

Global Executive Protection

â„¢ e n i z a g a M

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2 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

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September 2020 | Volume 9, Issue 9

Texas Talent

18

Business Focus

24

The Two Worlds of Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker

8

Bri Bagwell

Global Executive Protection

Favorites

24

5

Letters from Readers

6

What are you Reading?

7

From the Publisher

11

Milestones

12

Glorious Grandkids

13

Dear Gabby

ine™

az Mag Published Monthly by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc.

Features

Texas Treasures

18

8

14

“Seens” from Our World

15

Health Matters

16

Recipes

22

Pet Pals

23

Star Students

28

Out of the Mouths of Babes

29

Community Calendar

Mustard Seed Moments

30

Postcards Magazine™ welcomes reader feedback ADVERTISE IN POSTCARDS Call our Office: 936.293.1188 Online: www.PostcardsLive.com

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Letters from Our Readers

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Your article has brought in so many favorable comments from all my friends. Our soon to be President of CAL just wrote that he considered that the best article he has read in a long time!

Thanks so much!

Lois Blackburn

I’m going through an old stack I think I set aside with the intent to look through “someday.” And found the September 2018 Postcards magazine in the stack. I read about how your father saved cigar boxes to give the kids at back to school time and what a great memory that was for you. My grandfather owned a bar that sold cigars and I had a variety of really cool cigar boxes in which to store things. What I remember most of all was keeping my crayons in one of those boxes.

Thank you so much for bringing back that memory.

Carrie Grin

I just want to tell you that this month’s Postcards was a pure delight! I always enjoy it, but this one was so good from cover to cover. I adored hearing about little Walker’s grand entrance into the world, because “Life is just Grand!” and Wes’s Mustard Seed (The Grand Consolation Prize) was spot on and so timely! So, thank you for the wonderful magazine y’all provide.

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ted. any ne™ sed les, tute d/or ards .

Kathy Hazlewood

I love learning about people in our community and the story of their businesses. Shopping local, supporting local is important, and to know more about the people behind the business is awesome.

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September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 5

What Are You Reading?

Tell us what you’re reading! www.postcardslive.com

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

What’s Next?

Jeri Adams reading

Little Women

By Louisa May Alcott

Many, many of our friends and clients have done very well for themselves financially--from businesses they’ve started and grown; to long-term employees who were very good savers and investors; to just Mom & Pop, who have paid their dues, minded their Ps & Qs, and never imagined they would enjoy the financial blessings they’ve received.

What a great thing to watch happen all these years, and to celebrate, for them and with them.

Years of blessings and good choices come home to roost, so to speak, and along the way, obstacles have been overcome that seemed much larger at the time!

What’s next?

This is NOT another article on why your estate planning is important (You know, the wills, trusts, durable and medical power of attorney, special needs trusts, charitable giving type subjects). While it is important, that’s not today’s topic.

Succession & Continuity: Imagine you have a business (maybe even a family business), or you have sold the business, but are now still managing it, or at least the assets that remain from it. Maybe you are doing so with a married couple, or business partners, with the duties of running things separated by skillsets unique to the individuals involved. Linda and I began to think about this more than 5 years ago.

With all that said, please join me in congratulating Bryan Masten, CFP®. Our Director of Strategic Wealth Planning is now a FULL Partner with Global Financial Partners.

In late 2014, Bryan was a terrific addition to our team. He is even more so now, as we formalized his partnership and ownership of a portion of GFP in late April of this year. If you have not had the opportunity to spend time with him, you will love his low-key, easygoing nature, as well as his deep understanding of all things financial.

We began to think years ago, not only about our own future, but the future of our clients, and the mutual trust we share with their assets and financial futures. This move with Bryan cements a continuity and succession plan not only for GFP, but for all our clients, many of whom have 3-4 generations of relationships with Global Financial Partners.

Wanda Bedenbaugh reading

In the Eye of the Storm

By Max Lucado

Anna Jean Bailey reading

Afraid of All the Things

By Scarlet Hiltibidal

While Linda and I continue to own a majority and have no intention of “vacating the premises,” we feel good about the business being in great hands, should a health or other event arise. Not only that, but this “Formal Succession & Continuity Plan” moves out another step, too. Our oldest son Riley is doing a great job, and with the agreement, becomes the Next Generation succession plan to Bryan.

You have multiple generations in your family and your business. We now have multiple generations to serve your investment and financial planning goals and needs.

www.financialpartner.net (936) 294-0201 • 1211 Financial Plaza • Huntsville Securities offered through Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member, FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a registered investment advisor. Cambridge and Global Financial Partners are not affiliated. Cambridge does not provide tax advice.

6 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

Lisa Truhlar reading

Before He Sees

By Blake Pierce

From the Publisher

u ?

! m

Karen Altom publisher@postcardslive.com

Was There Ever Really an “Old Normal”?

You might have guessed…I love words. I’ve loved them for a long time. When I was in first grade, my teacher was Miss Diserens, and she helped me to LOVE school!

My mom remembers one day when I came home from school and, in telling her about my day, I used an uncharacteristically large word.

She said, “Karen, do you know what that word means?” I replied, “No ma’am, but my friends don’t either, and they think I’m smart!” I’m unsure how long it took my friends to “catch on” to me, but thankfully, they never quit being my friends, and we are still friends to this day.

tickled, he has a laugh that lifts your spirit!

Early in our marriage, I made it my goal to make him laugh every day.

Some days I have to work at it, and some days I don’t. Recently, I had a “wasn’t trying to” moment. We were getting in the car, and I told Wes I needed my purse. He watched me run in the house, come out of the house, go to the car and by the time I got back in the car, I had three purses. He looked at me and started laughing, “Weren’t sure which one you needed?” I was forced to explain that the first bag had some of what I wanted but the second purse had my keys in it which I needed to open the car so I could get the purse that had what I really needed. He said, “I think that’s a publisher column on our new normal.”

As we adapt to the “new normal” of our world, I must admit there are a few words I’m already tired of. Words like unprecedented, pandemic, I’m honestly not sure I can blame that on Covid, but I think I will. corona and Covid. When you think about it, our new normal also brings After all, you’re my friends, and you think I’m smart. Right? ;) some funny moments. For instance, whoever thought we would be ASKED to wear a mask into a bank?

Around our house, laughter is a daily occurrence. In fact, if you know my sweet Wes, you know he’s very quiet, but when he gets really

Your Local Community Magazine!

Until next time,

~

Karen

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September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 7

The

s d l r o Two W of

TEX S TREASURES

Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker Story and Photos by Mike Yawn

The Sam Houston Memorial Museum is hosting an exhibit featuring Cynthia Ann and Quanah Parker. On display at the Walker Education Center until October 1, 2020, the exhibit features rare photos of the two historic figures, while telling the “story of two persons caught between two different worlds.”

The Parkers In 1833, the Parkers—a clan of six families—moved to Texas, settling near what is now Groesbeck. After taking a pledge to Mexico, the families were given some 16,000 acres of land--arable, replete with game, and beautiful. But it was on the frontier, extending far beyond settlements and into Comanche Territory. Although the Parkers erected heavy fortifications, their farmland was outside the walls of Fort Parker. So, when ten of the Parker men left to work in their cornfields, inexplicably leaving the door to the fort open, the families were vulnerable.

Five of the Parker clan were killed and another five captured that day. The captured included: Elizabeth Kellogg; Rachel Plummer; James Plummer; John Parker; and Cynthia Ann Parker.

Within a couple of years, Plummer was bought by a white couple in Santa Fe, NM and returned to her remaining family—who now lived 8 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

in Huntsville, Texas. Much of what we know about the attack at Fort Parker is from a vivid account penned by Rachel.

Much of what we know about the other captives were from accounts written (or told) by James Parker, who made an Ahab-like quest of finding his relatives. With (President) Sam Houston’s help, he was able to pay $150 in ransom money for his sister, Elizabeth. In 1842, he paid ransoms to return his nephew (James Plummer) and son (John Parker) from the Comanches.

But it was his quest to find young blue-eyed Cynthia Ann that became the stuff of legend. He undertook at least eight searches for his niece—often alone, sometimes on foot—in journeys that totaled, according to historian S. C. Gwynne, at least 5,000 miles. That he survived his travels amounts to a minor miracle, and it earned him a reputation as a man with single-minded purpose (The John Wayne character in The Searchers was inspired by Parker.)

Among his friends, this tenacity was admirable. Among his enemies— many of whom were erstwhile friends—his single-mindedness was an unhealthy obsession, a madness.

Parker’s relationship with Sam Houston is instructive. According to Glenn Frankel, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend, Parker sought Sam Houston’s assistance, requesting, “a large company of soldiers to hunt down the Indians and rescue the captives.”

Although Houston initially authorized such a search, Parker’s behavior—which was often irrational—led Houston to conclude that the aggrieved patriarch was an “Indian hater and a one-man wrecking crew.” He withdrew the soldiers and the funding, arguing that a peace treaty would be more effective than an erratic and destructive search party. In this manner, Houston earned the enmity of Parker, who believed the Texas President “betrayed too great an indifference to the matter.”

Cynthia Ann Cynthia Ann would remain “captive” for almost 25 years—although, for most of those years she was a willing, perhaps even a happy, Comanche captive. Indeed, she married into the tribe—possibly to one of the Comanche warriors who participated in the raid on her family’s home.

Little is known about her life with the Comanches. Although there were many purported sightings of her, most are of dubious authenticity.

We know she was adopted by a Comanche couple after the raid; she lost her ability to speak English, while, according Army Officer Randolph Marcy, adopting “all the habits and peculiarities of the Comanches.”

Of those who did claim to see her, they agreed on this: the Comanches would not sell her and, in any case, she evinced no desire to leave her Indian home. Her name was “Nautdah,” which meant “Someone Found,” and her husband, Peta Nocona, was a Comanche Chief. She was wedded to him and their three children: Prairie Flower, Peanuts, and Quanah.

Her time in the Comanche culture, however, neared its end in 1860.

Throughout the year, Peta Nocona’s raids of white settlers grew more frequent, prompting Sam Houston, in one of his last directives as Governor, to appoint 23-year old Sul Ross to command a company formed to end Comanche raids.

Following a Comanche raid on Parker County (named for Cynthia Ann’s uncle), the band retreated to the Pease River, near Chillicothe, Texas. Ross and his company tracked the group and, in what would have been a minor battle were it not for the presence of Cynthia Ann, emerged victorious. Although Ross exaggerated the number of Comanche warriors involved, most historians believe that there

were approximately 15 Native Americans at the camp, many of them children and women.

One of those woman was on horseback, with a small child, attempting to flee. When Ross’s soldiers caught up to her, she cried, “Americano.”

She had blue eyes.

For the second time in her life, Cynthia Ann experienced a traumatic clash between Comanche and white worlds. And for the second time, she endured a captivity of sorts in a strange culture. Although reunited with some of her Parker family and with Prairie Flower, she was separated from her husband and from her two sons: Peanuts and Quanah.

She was disconcerted by her surroundings, her new dwellings, even the food she ate. She and Prairie Flower shuffled to and from the homes of different branches of the Parker family. As it became clear that Cynthia Ann did not celebrate her “rescue,” newspaper reports of her wellbeing and activities dwindled.

The Parker family’s oral history suggest that Prairie Flower passed away, possibly from smallpox, before Cynthia Ann, but the dates of their passing differ by as much as a decade. The 1870 census reports Cynthia Ann as living, so reports of an 1871 passing may be the most reliable, but as Frankel notes, “There are no newspaper accounts of her later days, no obituary for her or Prairie Flower, and no reliable way to know exactly how or when she died.”

Quanah Parker Cynthia Ann passed away not knowing the fate of her husband or her sons, fearing they had died. And, indeed, Peanuts passed away in the early 1860s, probably the victim of disease, and Peta Nocona passed by 1864. By his late teen years, Quanah was an orphan.

Being half-white, he was also somewhat ostracized. “I was left friendless,” he recalled years later, adding that he was “often treated very cruelly,” as “orphans only of Indians are treated.”

But in a culture that rewarded courage and a martial spirit, Quanah’s fortunes soon ascended. He was a warrior by 15, and he soon grew to a height of more than six feet, probably six to eight inches taller than the typical Comanche male. S.C. Gwynne describes him as “strikingly handsome.” Frankel describes him as “dignified, with piercing gray-blue eyes.” Jeff Guinn, whose novel Buffalo Trail features Quanah, describes him as possessing his “father’s battle skills, mahogany skin, and thick black hair, but also his mother’s gray eyes and a white man’s height.”

Pictures of him, irrespective of age, show him to be a striking figure, handsome and imposing. He looked like the chief he became.

»

September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 9

Quanah’s road to chiefdom, however, is obscure. In his years of ascendancy, numerous treaties were signed, increasingly relegating Native Americans to reservation or private homesteads. Quanah, however, resisted, and he became, according to Gwynne, “at a very young age, one of a small, select group of Comanche men who would lead the tribe’s final raiding and military expeditions in the last years of their freedom.”

But much of what is known about raids and expeditions comes from his own (perhaps imaginative) retellings. In 1867, he was present (as an observer) at the Medicine Lodge Treaty negotiations; he led raids in Texas and Mexico; and he led the disastrous Second Battle of Adobe Walls, where 28 men repelled more than 200 Comanches.

A year later, Quanah and his band surrendered to Colonel Ronald Mackenzie at Fort Sill.

Shortly after the surrender, Quanah learned that his mother and sister had passed, but until the end of his life, he sought to make contact with his white relatives and to learn more of his mother.

He began to go by the name Quanah Parker, rather than just Quanah.

He also served as a go-between for the US Military, convincing recalcitrant Comanches to join the reservation. But he also negotiated on behalf of the Comanches and other Native American tribes, arguing for more money, resources, amenities, and land—efforts that earned him the title, “Principal Chief of the Comanche Indians.”

Of course, Quanah used his negotiating skills to do well for himself, too. He befriended ranchers such as Charles Goodnight, cattlemen such as S. B. Burnett, and he used his friendship to sell grazing rights on more than 1,000,000 acres of Native American land—taking, of course, a middle-man cut in the process. Eventually, he would amass great wealth, allowing him to build a 19th century mansion: the Star House.

The Comanches had been known as a fierce, even fanatical, tribe. But Quanah was a realist, and he saw the future. He learned the English language, he dressed in “white man’s clothes”—when it suited him— and he sent his children to the government’s Native American schools.

But Quanah also worked to preserve Comanche culture. He would not convert to Christianity; he wore his hair in braids; and, as Frankel notes, “he refused to abandon polygamy, arguing that it was an essential part of the Comanche way of life.” Along with his great wealth, he amassed at least seven wives, not counting the ones who left him.

In many respects the last years of Quanah’s life were most remarkable.

His rising fame coincided with a renewed interest in the life and death

of his mother. Their stories, often embellished, gained currency--and their legend took hold.

He developed an alliance of sorts with Sul Ross who, in the late 1880s, became Governor of Texas—in part, based on his claim to be the man who rescued Cynthia Ann Parker. Ross sent Quanah a daguerreotype of Cynthia Ann with Prairie Flower. Quanah allowed Ross to exaggerate and twist the story of the Battle of Pease River.

He became friends with Teddy Roosevelt, who invited him to participate in his 1905 Presidential Inauguration. In return, Quanah invited Roosevelt to his Star House, and President Roosevelt spent four days in Comanche territory, eating and sleeping outdoors. “It was,” as Roosevelt later described it, “a thoroughly enjoyable company.”

When Roosevelt returned to Washington, he signed paperwork establishing a Bison Refuge on Comanche land, and he sent 15 bison—culled from the New York Zoo—to Oklahoma, where Quanah greeted them, according to Frankel, “in full war feathers.”

In 1909, Quanah sought the help of powerful friends, and he requested that his mother’s remains be disinterred and transported to Comanche lands. After getting approval, he sent his son-in-law to find Cynthia Ann’s grave. Eventually, it was located in Anderson County, and, Cynthia Ann’s remains—along with those of Prairie Flower—were reinterred near the Star House on tribal lands.

Within a year, Quanah died, and he, too, was buried on tribal lands, near the Star House, which still stands.

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12 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2019

Dear Gabby Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column.

I love my readers! They are more than happy to write to me and tell me what they think of my intelligence. Some declare that I’m a genius, and some imply that I’m crazy. There is an old adage stating there is a fine line between genius and insanity. I like to use that fine line for a jump rope.

Drop me a line at Dear Gabby at PostcardsLive. com/share and we can play jump rope together.

DEAR GABBY I don’t like housework, and you’ve written that you don’t, either. I get more cleaning done in the 10 minutes before someone comes over than I do in a week. What are your tips for making the house look clean without working real hard to do it?

NOT LAZY, JUST PACING MYSELF

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DEAR NL,JPM You’re my kind of girl! Do you have any young female children? When my daughter was a child, she wanted a Cinderella-themed party, so I invited all her little friends over and made them clean the house! My idea of cleaning is just putting stuff in less obvious places, so instead of cleaning house, just watch an episode of Hoarders and you’ll think, “Wow! My house looks great!” If someone shows up unexpectedly, you can explain that you’ve simply set up obstacles in case of burglars. I think I’ve already shared the one about the fake get-well cards on the mantelpiece. Good luck!

GABBY DEAR GABBY I have a friend who gets offended when I try to help when she makes a faux pas in her make-up or wardrobe. What good is a “bestie” if you can’t give a little constructive criticism once in a while?

JUST TRYING TO HELP

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DEAR HELP I know…what’s a girl going to do? I told my friend that she’d arched her eyebrows too much. She looked surprised.

GABBY CONFIDENTIAL TO WOMEN!!: Never underestimate a gender that can take off her bra without removing her shirt!

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September 2019 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 13

“Seens” from our World PostcardsLive.com 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 it to us with a description!

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

It is High-time We Put the Sublime Back in Mealtime The word “dieting” carries some distain, because it requires altering one of our most vital daily activities. It is always satisfying when a desired result can be achieved by doing something SMARTER rather than mindlessly following RULES. Counting calories can be monotonous at best. Regarding appetite, we have inherited the pondering of our ancient ancestors, which is survival. Prehistoric meals were opportunistic, occurring only when hunters had success. Those who ate more, especially fat, had more reserve when game was scarce, and they survived. We have survivor’s genes!

In the Mayo Clinic book Guide to Stress Free Living, Dr. Amit Sood mentions how to maintain a vigorous physique by adhering to the four S principles: slow, small, savor, and smart.

SLOW: Relax your eating process. Initially, concentrate on taking more chews per fork portion, not rushing with the fewest chews

necessary to allow a swallow. Allow the act of mastication to provide mealtime fulfilment.

Chewing satisfies (ergo, chewing gum). Also, after swallowing, allow a few seconds before the next fork portion. There is no woe with going s-l-o-w.

SMALL: Allow a partial filling of your fork or spoon to serve yourself the next bite. It will be just as satisfying and will reduce your caloric intake considerably.

SAVOR: Enjoy the tastes and texture of each bite. It is fun to relish the spices, varied flavors, the content’s essences, and the mouth feel of what you are eating. Doing so provides added satisfaction.

SMART: Choose what you consume according to its nutritional value, not according to its caloric content. Avoid foods that contain a lot of salt, are high in calories, high in saturated fat, or are processed. Fruits and veggies are a bonus for your body, especially dark green veggies and berries.

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Adopting the four S principles will allow your brain to decide sooner that you are satiated with smaller amounts and that more enjoyment accrues, especially when you stand before a mirror. In addition, try to eat with others so it becomes a social time as well.

An added recommendation is that three meals a day is a convention from European settlers who focused on a 9 to 5 workday. The Bible has reference to two meals a day in the morning and evening. Romans ate one meal daily, and eating more was considered gluttony.

Hello, fellow gluttons. It is hard to break what you were brought up doing, but consider whether you need to eat conventionally or smartly.

At mealtime, my bride and I frequently ask each other, “Are you hungry”? If each of us answers NO, we thankfully skip and do not miss the unnecessary meal. The FAT cells ante up the calories we burn until the next mealtime and shrink. SHRINK, YOU FREELOADERS!

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Contact CarrieAllbritton127@gmail.com for more information and supply list September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 15

QUILTERS WANTED!

Recipes

Tipsy Peaches Ingredients 1 Tbs butter 4 cups sliced fresh peaches 2 Tbs brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract

Make us YOUR quilting store!

Featuring fabrics from:

1 (1.5 fluid oz) jigger whiskey Directions 1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the peaches, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, and whiskey; simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until peaches are soft and sauce has darkened.

3. Serve as a side dish or over ice cream.

• Moda • Benartex • Blank

Yellow Squash Casserole Ingredients 4 cups sliced yellow squash

• Robert Kaufman

1/2 cup chopped onion

• Quilting Treasures

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

35 buttery round crackers, crushed 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 tsp salt ground black pepper to taste 2 Tbs butter Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.

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3. In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

16 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken Ingredients 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/4 tsp dried parsley 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 2 Tbs butter 1 Tbs olive oil 2 tsp garlic powder 3 Tbs lime juice Directions 1. In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.

2. Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side.

3. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice. Cook 5 minutes more, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Watergate Salad Ingredients 1 (3.4 oz) package instant pistachio pudding mix 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, with juice 1 cup miniature marshmallows ½ cup chopped walnuts ½ (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed Directions 1. In a large bowl, mix together pudding mix, pineapple with juice, marshmallows, and nuts. Fold in whipped topping. Chill.

BAKERS TIP: Have a recipe that calls for chocolate squares? You can substitute 3 Tbs cocoa and 1 Tbs butter for each chocolate square!

September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 17

She is undoubtedly the “queen bee” of the Texas Country Music Scene. At 33 years old, Bri Bagwell has had six No. 1 singles on the Texas Music charts and has made a name for herself as one of the hardest working artists in the genre. The Las Cruces, New Mexico, native made the move to the Lone Star State to attend college with the hopes of finding her way in the music industry. Now with 10 years of experience under her rhinestone belt, Bagwell talks with Postcards Magazine about how she has gotten where she is today, the importance of paving the way for other female artists… and becoming a better cook during the pandemic.

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By Amy Barnett Submitted Photos

18 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

How did you get started in music?

Volleyball was pretty much my life throughout high school, but my brothers and I started a band when I was 14. They are identical twins and were 21 at the time and in college. I would play in the band on Thursday nights until 2 a.m., and then be at volleyball practice on Friday morning at 7:30. I loved music and sports. I also loved school – I was kind of a nerd. Now I feel like it was so long ago, I’d probably run the other way if a volleyball came in my direction.

for three hours – not including food or drinks. But I was still in college, so it was cool to be out playing.

What were your goals at that time in your life?

This answer has gotten me in trouble a few times. There had never been a female Pat Green or Randy Rogers, and I loved Texas Country Music when I was a teenager. My brothers would drive to El Paso to see Pat Green, Cory Morrow, and Jason Boland and bring me back signed autographs. I remember going there to my first Randy Rogers show, and I thought – I am going to be the girl who knows all the words, because I am such a big fan. Everyone knew all the words. It was so magical, and I thought – I want to be the female version of that!

I had a manager tell me he didn’t want to work with me because my dreams were too small. I also had the goal to play the Opry and sell out stadiums, but looking back when this was brand new, that was the goal. And I still love that goal.

What were your plans after graduating from high school?

I had a bad shoulder injury, and I knew I could either go to a school in a smaller city and play volleyball for four years, or I could go to Austin and dive into the music scene. I felt that was the right place for me. I only applied to two colleges, and when I got into UT – from out of state and into the business school – I thought, well, I had to go because they don’t always let that many out-of-state people in. It just felt right. And I ended up playing club volleyball at UT. I earned a marketing degree with a management minor. I tell my mom – I market I’d say you’ve reached that goal. People always refer to you as myself every day, and I managed myself for a long time, so my degrees the “queen bee” of Texas Country Music. aren’t a complete waste.

I really appreciate you saying that. It warms my heart. To even think that somebody would be interviewing me and saying those words makes Did you start performing when you were in college? me want to cry, but there are nights when we sell a lot of tickets, and Yes. My neighbors were four boys in the dorm. They wanted to learn nights when we don’t. It’s really hard. We’re still not selling out the to play guitar to impress girls. So, they got a guitar, and I showed them bigger venues like the guys are. the few chords I knew and then thought – well shoot, I can kind of do this (laughs). My cousin who lives in Nashville, who played steel Your stage show is fantastic. What do you prefer – performing, guitar for Kenny Chesney for nine years, mailed me my first guitar to writing, or recording? my dorm room. I just started playing and writing, but I didn’t start Songwriting on its own is such a rollercoaster, and performing live on playing shows until my senior year. When I started playing on 6th its own is a rollercoaster, too. This is kind of a cheat answer, but when Street, I had a happy hour gig on Fridays. Then I got a Monday night I can perform live with my band and my songs, that’s the magic for me. gig, and it just snowballed from there. I think my first ones were $50

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Let’s talk about your new song, As Soon As You. It’s about being afraid to settle down for fear of having to give up my guitar or give up playing on the road or give up on my dreams. It’s not bashing marriage or anything. It’s basically saying, in my life, I have to wait for the right person who will let me still pursue my dreams. And we made a very crazy video. I’m doing dishes, doing laundry, and running in a wedding dress. I put all my fears into one video. It’s climbing really fast on the charts, so people are relating to it and that’s really exciting.

Between 2012 and 2015, you had a contract with Sony in Nashville to write songs. How did you balance that with performing… in Texas?

I would play shows in Texas on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and then fly to Nashville on Sundays and write Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Then I’d fly back to Texas and repeat it. I was stretched thin, because I didn’t have a manager, a tour manager, or a merch guy. So, I was running the band and writing every week and borderline killing myself, but I didn’t know it, because I was having the best time; it taught me a lot. It was crazy. I’m tired just thinking about it.

Writing for Sony is quite an accomplishment. What are some of your other proudest moments?

Dean Dillon, who has written so many number one songs for George Strait, was on stage at Red Neck Country Club, and they asked him to name his favorite up-and-coming songwriters, and he named me as one of his three. To me, that’s probably worth more than any award I could get. Houston Press named us one of the “10 Best Live Acts in Texas Country.” I thought that was really cool. I did get to sing with Willie Nelson, which was the most insane, mind blowing thing. And I’ve won female vocalist of the year seven or eight times, which makes me happy – but every female on the road deserves that award.

When you look back over the past 10 years, to what do you attribute your success?

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20 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

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People I have met have done magical things for me. Networking has been so important. I met the Lamberts – Miranda’s mom and dad – early in my career, and they introduced me to my first booking agent, who I wouldn’t have been able to get by myself. I think that, coupled with people I have been blessed enough to meet plus perseverance, has had a lot to do with it.

How have you been navigating the pandemic?

I’ve still been busy, but a different kind of busy, with live streams and fundraisers. I did take a month off and go back to New Mexico to be with my family. I went to Arizona and just hiked and camped and stayed away from everyone. I’ve been writing a lot and cooking a lot – and gaining COVID pounds -- but I don’t even care. Times are tough (laughs). I’m like – I wish I knew how to make scallops. So, I made some. Then I thought – I want to be the girl who makes an amazing ribeye. I made one – it was not amazing. And I usually don’t have time for breakfast, but I’ve been making bacon and eggs, and it’s been fun.

I will say I have the best fans. They have been checking on me, but I’ve been good! There were some things that I didn’t pull the trigger on right before the pandemic – big purchases that I needed and now I’m like – that was Jesus! I was able to keep that money in my bank account, and that has been a blessing.

are saying this to me realize how offensive it is to me? This is where I want to be, and you are telling me I can’t be here solely because of my gender? If I wanted to be dentist and someone said that, people would think that’s crazy; but for some reason, in the music business, it’s okay. I tell my mom all the time, I don’t know if I will make it past where I am now – in my mind I will – but if this is as far as I get, and I’ve paved the way for other females, then that’s okay with me.

Bri Bagwell is up for the Texas Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year award again this year, and she is currently working on new songs for her next album, which she plans to release in early 2021. Visit bribagwell.com to find out when she will be performing in our area.

Many Texas Country female singers have called you a blessing to them – someone they can look up to. How does that make you feel?

It’s special to be thought of as someone who inspires girls. I was told so many times, early on, to move to Nashville--that there was no point in me being in Texas, because there has never really been a successful female on the scene. I thought – why don’t people who

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S CO O T E R

Star Students

  

Bradley Rice

April Nicole Douget



Madisonville High School

Favorite Movie: Young Guns Favorite Music/Artist: Zach Williams Favorite Food: Cheeseburger

Favorite Quote: “If God is for you, who can be against you?”

A

pril is a recent graduate of Madisonville High School and is the daughter of Tammy and Joel Douget. Her activities included 4-H and FFA. April plans to attend Lone Star Community College and to pursue a career as a labor and delivery nurse.

Home School

Favorite Movie: The Martian Favorite Music/Artist: Need to Breathe Favorite Food: Burger



Favorite Quote: “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father; prepare to die.” from Princess Bride

B

radley is a home school graduate and is the son of Elicia Rice. His activities include animation, drawing, singing, music, and acting at local community theaters. He plans to pursue a degree in animation, one day work for Pixar, and own a dog (since his mom never let him have one!). Brad believes, “If we show the love of Jesus throughout the world, society and the human race as a whole will be greater and will prosper.”

Mark Peters, D.D.S. Dentistry With Excellence!

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2040 N. Loop 336 W • Suite 207 • Conroe, TX

Do you believe you will live for eternity?

Or do you believe that life on this earth is all there is? If this life is all there is, what is the meaning of it? Are you sure you know? Many, if not most, of the people in this world never even contemplate these questions.

When you do, you must realize that each of us could be wrong in our assumptions about this present life, as well as what is waiting for us after our lives have run their course!

Some of us seem to have everything that could make us happy – yet we struggle with heartaches that keep us from the true happiness we should have. After all, isn’t that what we are all seeking: true happiness?

But what if the “happiness” we are so intent on achieving is really a lie this world imposes on us? Is there anything in this world that will indeed give us true joy?

Come along in this compelling read to get some answers to these questions and others you may have about what you are really seeking in this life – and in the life to come!

We support your children's health and value their education.

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Submit your student nomination and why you feel they are a "Star Student" @ PostcardsLive.com/share.

September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 23

Focus Business

T. L. “Tom” Johnson, Mandie Medina & Russell Rhodes

Global Executive Protection

By Janet Davidson Photos by Gina Turner

“Play it Safe!” “Safety First!” “Safe Haven!” “Better Safe Than Sorry!” People need to feel secure and protected.

As a result of Covid, masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and social distancing are all current signs of this innate desire. One local company has been a hallmark of a different type of protection for over two decades.

24 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

Whether one is a high-profile individual seeking a security detail, a homeowner seeking to keep one’s family and dwelling protected in every conceivable way, an employer vetting a possible new-hire before extending a job offer, a law enforcement professional needing to complete Continuing Education Units to remain certified, a person seeking to obtain a License to Carry, or somebody desiring to learn varying self-defense techniques, Global Executive Protection (Global) offers the services to meet these needs.

“We have been in business for twenty years. We do Executive Protection, Threat Assessments, Security Surveys, high-end security, and we have a regional training academy here as well.

We are a state licensed DPS academy,” Agent Director T. L. “Tom” Johnson shared. After 25 years in law enforcement, Tom said this vision developed from working security and other extra jobs within this field. This unique business offers varying classes for law enforcement agents, such as a course in investigative hypnosis, but they also present instruction to private citizens. “People are watching the news and are scared to death right now. They are showing up at the gun range and trying to shoot a gun that they just bought. To keep yourself safe, there are a number of other protocols to learn before you try to shoot a firearm. We teach people how to protect their homes and their businesses,” Johnson explained. “We teach proper use of firearms: rifle, pistol, shotgun, as well as taser, baton, and pepper spray.”

Pulling into the parking lot of 2125 North Loop 336 West, and walking into the offices of Suite 120, one would not understand the wealth of security knowledge contained here.

Mr. Johnson is the security consultant for the Houston Rockets and the Texans. Their nine bomb dogs have kept citizens safe in locations such as the Toyota Center and the NRG Stadium. Their bodyguards have also protected the homes and families of nationally known local celebrities, such as the owner of the Astros. “When people receive death threats, we will monitor the web and do an analysis to prepare a plan of action. Sometimes, that means putting 24-hour security at their house,” Johnson noted. Depending on the type of threat being faced by the customer, the staff will send out from their well-trained pool of licensed men and women anywhere from regular security officers to Navy Seals. This security company uses state-licensed and background checked security officers, locksmiths, private investigators, alarm and camera installers to ensure the safety of their consumers.

They are state-licensed to keep such individuals certified through their regional training academy. They also have retrieved jewelry from high-end companies such as Cartier® or De Beers® and delivered them to fashion shows and fundraisers.

Former death row prison guard and security officer Mandie Medina greets potential clients with a smile. As an administrator, she takes care of all who are seeking to become licensed. “It is often difficult for people to understand all the details required by DPS, so I take care of all of the paperwork and processing; I get them set up for fingerprinting. I also take care of all our invoicing, incoming and outgoing phone calls, setting up private citizens for various trainings, etc. I am human resources and administration all wrapped up in one package,” Medina laughingly quipped. “Back when I was young, I didn’t understand what all the laws were in this field. I thought I wanted to be a marine biologist, and somehow, I got twisted up into law enforcement. With Tom’s experience, he knew how to place me in a position to succeed in this field. I have been a bodyguard and an executive security officer for his company.”

Senior Agent Russell Rhodes met Mr. Johnson about a decade and a half ago when he was doing personal protection for a client who was contracted with Global Executive Protection.

Rhodes, who has a military background and who had worked in safety management in the oil field, is no stranger to offering personal security and protection to those in need. “Any person can increase or decrease his/her chance of being chosen as a victim of a violent attack by the way he/she walks, moves, or carries himself/herself. We train individuals how to present themselves. You don’t have to be somebody who learns to do barrel rolls or hide behind stuff when you are walking out of the grocery store…but you can let people around you know, ‘Hey, I am paying attention to my surroundings; my phone is in my

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“Our motto is, ‘To report a crime, call 911. To prevent one, call us.”

pocket. I know if you (a perpetrator) are out here looking for me,’’ Rhodes communicated.

If Homeland Security has flagged a sailor on a ship that is not allowed to disembark into our country, they have often reached out to Global to help protect the Texas coast. At times, this means apprehending an individual, processing said person, and putting him on a plane headed home. They have kept bedside vigil over injured individuals identified by Homeland as a threat, as well as detaining stowaways.

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26 Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition | September 2020

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If a private citizen desires to explore one’s own residential safety, preparedness, and protection, a call to Global will begin an in-depth and thorough process. Some of the things evaluated in the fivepage Residential Security Survey include inspecting locks, lighting, internet, emergency preparedness, etc. This company protects their clients by signing a non-disclosure agreement from the onset. After the survey is complete, they will return with a package which details what “must” be completed, what “should” be completed, and what “might” be completed to garner the safety of the dwelling and its occupants. They have even built panic rooms in and around the area. They also offer personal training, so the family knows what to do if there is a situation that requires emergency action. “Our motto is, ‘To report a crime, call 911. To prevent one, call us,’” Medina commented. “Statistically, there is a one-in-four probability of a person being assaulted in a lifetime. There is hope, and there is a way to protect yourself, and we can help you get there,” Johnson concluded. “We are here to help our neighbors be safe. We have the knowledge, technology and ability to do that.”

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September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 27

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Our daughter Juliet said, “Alexa, play the little teapot!”

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BRENHAM

9 SEPT 2020

Washington County Fair Sept. 11-19 washingtoncofair.com

GLADEWATER

JEFFERSON

NEW BRAUNFELS

Arts and Crafts Festival Sept. 19-20 gladewaterartsandcrafts.com

Historic Jefferson Railway Labor Day Celebration Sept. 5 jeffersonrailway.com

River Revival Music Festival Sept. 26-29 splicerecordstx.com/events/ river-revival

LONGVIEW

PALESTINE

Neal McCoy and Friends Benefit Golf/Dinner/Concert Sept. 25-26 easttexasangelnetwork.com/ events

All Aboard the Texas State Railroad Sept. 4-Oct. 28 texasstaterailroad.net

HOUSTON “Crimes of the Heart” Sept. 24-Oct. 11 unitybrenham.org

CONROE

The Oak Ridge Boys in Concert Sept. 25 arenatheatre.net

HUNTSVILLE

CASA Superhero Run (Virtual The Highwaymen: Live Event) Sept. 26 Sept. 26 oldtowntheatre-huntville.org bit.ly/2020_CASA_Superhero_ Run

GALVESTON Wild Texas Shrimp Festival Sept. 25-26 galvestonshrimpfestival.com

Calendar of Events

Fair on the Square Oct. 3 faironthesquare.com

SPRING

MADISONVILLE

The Texas Tenors in Concert Sept. 26 cypresscreekface.org

Fourth of July Celebration (rescheduled date) Sept. 5 (new date) visitmadisonville.org

Submit your calendar items:

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Due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus, some events have been postponed or canceled in the interest of safety and participants’ well-being. Please make sure to check the event website, social media, or call ahead to confirm an event is still taking place if you are interested in attending.

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It’s Time to Get Out and Travel!

Under the tall pines of East Texas, Huntsville brings new meaning to “Texas Charm.” Visitors will be enchanted by the “trick the eye” paintings as they stroll historic downtown, dine in one of many unique restaurants or picnic in the park. Bring the entire family and come to Huntsville where a warm welcome awaits!

For more information and overnight accommodations visit HuntsvilleTexas.com

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For more information on the College of Arts & Media visit www.shsu.edu/CAM

September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 29

S

mm

Mustard Seed Moments

Thoughts from The Carpenter’s Bench

by Wes Altom

I am not a handyman…in fact, I am not even a handy man (it’s okay, really--I know I have other gifts). So, when it came time to remodel our home a couple of years ago, the only thing I was fully qualified to help with was—you guessed it—demo. I am firsthand evidence that it is much easier to tear down than to build (or build up).

It was no accident that Our Heavenly Father sent his human form likeness to earth in the trade of a carpenter—always seeing the potential…crafting and refining…be it disciples, the poor and downcast, the kingdom, even the very human spirit. Brings to mind his words, “Destroy this temple, and I will rebuild it in three days.”

Today, we see so many in the world around us overflowing with emotion…lashing out…rushing to tear down...taking the easy route. May we thoughtfully reflect, examine our hearts, and be a worthy apprentice to the Master Carpenter as we dare to be different and to always be about the more challenging family business of slowly and carefully building and building up.

You can rely on us!

Do not let unwholesome words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear you speak. –Ephesians 4:29

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Located in the WaterPoint Marina and Shopping Center next to CVS

“Your Home Town Family Eye Care Clinic”

www.cameronoptical.com

September 2020 | Postcards Magazine: Lake Conroe Edition 31

737 I-45 South Huntsville, Texas 77340

www.billďŹ ckford.com

800-559-4295