Postcards Magazine - Lake Conroe - April 2024

Community Calendar -32

Dear Gabby -21

Glorious Grandkids -15

Garden Post, The -30

Let’s Celebrate -9

Medical Matters - 28

Milestones - 29

Mustard Seed Moments - 34

Pet Pals -20

Publisher’s Post -6

Puzzle Solutions -15

Sudoku Marketplace -31

What’s Cookin’ -22

Cover Photo by Janice West Postcards 2023

1st Place Winner-Nature

COMPREHENSIVE CARE FOR NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

Close to Home

At Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, we provide comprehensive, expert care for mild to severe neurological conditions. With innovative and advanced treatment options, our doctors collaborate across specialties to meet each patient’s unique needs — from diagnosis and treatment through recovery.

Our team of experts treats a variety of conditions, including:

• Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders

• Brain and spinal tumors

• Epilepsy and seizures

• Headaches and chronic pain

• Neuromuscular disorders

• Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders

• Sleep disorders

• Stroke and cerebrovascular diseases

Publisher’s Post

Karen Altom

publisher@postcardslive.com

Pizza and a Slice of Life

I’m in a race.

There are times when I write this column days (and occasionally weeks… though rare) ahead of when it is due. I am very used to living in a deadlinedriven world and doing the things I have to do on the day they are due. There are also times, like today, that my column was due yesterday, and all I could manage to provide was a blank page with the word “TITLE” at the top. But now it’s serious.

Now, we are literally hours away from sending pages to press, and I do not think you will enjoy a blank page with the word TITLE at the top. So, I am in a race. On production days, whoever is around proofing pages and doing all the last-minute checks and quality control will usually share a meal. Today, lunch is late, closer to supper than noon. Of course, on production days, we do not really have time to cook…so someone will either pick up something, or we have it delivered. Today, it’s pizza. And, since I was still looking at a blank page when we ordered, I decided I would race the pizza delivery man. Thirty minutes to write. Can I win?

This past week, Wes and I were given an opportunity to host a sweet couple in our home who are moving to our community and were in town for a short time house hunting. They have been living in a foreign country and serving as missionaries there for the last three years. It reminded me of the first time I ever had the opportunity to meet a mission family. They were staying with my grandparents as they visited churches and congregations who helped support them. I was so fascinated by the stories their children would tell of living in a land called Pakistan. I have relived some of those memories this week as we have gotten to hear of this couple’s life and time spent in Tajikistan. I had to get our guests to help me attempt to say it properly, because I was fairly certain it sounded like I sneezed the first time I tried!

As a young person and a minister’s daughter, I remember feeling that I should probably think of serving in the mission field. I always kind of expected I would feel that call. I never did.

Instead, I witnessed over and over my precious grandmother Wowo and my sweet mother opening their homes and a place at their tables to those who needed a place to stay or a good meal. During a sweet conversation we had this morning, I was reminded how we all have our part to play. Sometimes, it’s moving thousands of miles from home, and sometimes it’s providing a place to call home even for a short time. I am thankful and grateful to carry on that legacy.

And no. I did not beat the pizza man and win the “race,” but there are words on the page, and I hope they encourage you to know you can do plenty… right where you are.

Until next time, ~

Let’s Celebrate!

This Month’s Business Anniversaries:

1986 Celebrating 38 years

Global Financial

See their ad on page 27

2011 Celebrating 13 years

City of Conroe

CK Ray Recreation Center

See their ad on page 8

2020 Celebrating 4 years

Nothing Bundt Cakes

See their ad on page 29

2022 Celebrating 2 years

Texas Generator Solutions

See their ad on page 13

Community Builders

Story by Ruth Fields

Photos by Gina Turner

Operation Pets Alive

Local organization works to help counter Montgomery County’s pet overpopulation problem.

A man sees a box on the side of the road and notices that it moves. He stops and looks inside, finding eight puppies. A couple realizes their neighbors have moved, but left their cat behind. A shopper finds a box of two-week-old puppies in the Target parking lot. A stray dog barks all night in the woods behind a rural home. All these animals—and many more—usually end up at overcrowded animal shelters. If they are not adopted, they are euthanized.

“Houston, we have a problem,” says Sue Woody, who volunteers for a local organization that has more than a goal. It has a plan.

Operation Pets Alive

In a perfect world, the number of dogs and cats would equal the number of people who want to adopt them. However, both the Montgomery County Animal Shelter (near The Woodlands) and the Conroe Animal Shelter have more dogs and cats than they can handle. In 2011, two women--Marcia Piotter and Cathi Bruhn-decided to take steps to solve the county’s pet overpopulation problem and founded Operation Pets Alive (OPA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Marcia and Cathi worked tirelessly putting innovative programs in place and raising funds to support these efforts. Marcia and Cathi ultimately retired, but are still active volunteers. (Current board members joke that it took five board members to replace them.) OPA is staffed entirely by volunteers and is funded through grants, donations, adoption fees, and fundraising drives.

While some of OPA’s programs reduce the number of animals that go into shelters, other programs strive to increase the number of animals that leave shelters alive, says Deidre Northcott, OPA’s treasurer. Since 2011, OPA has saved the lives of more than 25,000 dogs and cats. Its mission is to help Montgomery County become a “no-kill county,” with shelters facilitating live outcomes for 90 percent of incoming animals, says Deanna Ooley, a board member and volunteer. To reach this goal, OPA needs the help of local citizens.

Spaying and neutering

One of OPA’s biggest challenges is that some people are hesitant to spay or neuter their pets, thinking they may later want to breed them. Actually, Deanna says, there is little money in breeding; furthermore, shelters have many adoptable dogs and cats of desirable breeds. Some end up in shelters because owners were unable to sell their puppies or kittens, says Sue, who is OPA’s vice president and event coordinator.

Volunteers understand that spaying and neutering is expensive, so OPA subsidizes the cost of these surgeries for lower-income families. Montgomery County families that earn less than $40,000 per year can have animals spayed or neutered for $50 through OPA. (Higher-income families pay $85 for cats and $140 for dogs.)

OPA volunteers believe spaying and neutering is the most powerful tool in their toolkit. “If they are not born, we don’t have to save them,” Deanna says.

Sue, Deanna, Deidre, Evie & Crystal

Adoption and fostering

When shelters are full, there are few options for animals: adoption, fostering, transportation to rescue groups in other parts of the country, or euthanasia. OPA currently has about 250 volunteer fosters, who take animals from overcrowded shelters and give them temporary homes while they are waiting to be adopted. OPA supports fosters by providing veterinary care for the animals, Deidre says.

OPA always needs more animal-loving fosters like Crystal Salas, who has been fostering since June. “I was just looking for an adoption event, looking for a dog to adopt,” Crystal says. “I showed up at the wrong time, when it was ending.” Before she knew it, she had volunteered to become a foster. Since that time, she has personally saved more than 20 animals, and currently keeps 10 foster dogs and cats at her home. Foster dogs and cats appear on OPA’s website; some are lucky enough to be taken to adoption events at Petco, PetSmart and other businesses and events in the county. Rather than assigning animals randomly to adopting families, OPA volunteers try to find good matches between people and their animal companions. How many people are a part of the adopting family? Are there small children in the home? Do they live in an apartment, have a fenced in yard, or have room for animals to roam? Are they looking for a high-energy animal or one that Sue calls a “couch potato”?

OPA volunteers insist there are animals for every person and people for every animal. They have even seen “tripods” find loving families. Sue often tells people about the time she discovered one of her foster dogs was deaf. She was afraid the dog would never find a home, but a woman in Dallas, who had experience with deaf dogs, wanted to adopt

her. “This dog undoubtedly has the best life ever,” Sue says. Her adoptive people even take her to a doggy daycare where she plays with other deaf dogs.

Another dog, a black Labrador retriever, was hit by a car, but ended up in the care of OPA, which paid for his extensive veterinary care. An OPA foster spent time with him before his adoption. Today, the dog lives near Lake Sam Rayburn and goes boating with his adoptive family. “He went from getting hit by a car to living the life of Riley,” Sue says.

All OPA animals are vaccinated, de-wormed,

spayed or neutered, treated for fleas, tested (and treated, if needed) for heartworms, and microchipped before they are eligible for adoption. Adoption fees, which differ for dogs and cats and vary according to an animal’s age, help OPA pay for its ongoing programs.

Animal Transportation

While Texas has an overabundance of dogs and cats, some parts of the country, such as the northeast, don’t have nearly as many. Although the situation is changing, OPA still helps the local pet overpopulation problem by sending dogs and cats to other parts

of the country, where they can be adopted quickly. Pet travel can take a variety of forms, from private transport to trucks; sometimes, smaller animals even travel by air, courtesy of off-duty flight attendants who have airline flight benefits.

Trap, Neuter and Return

Mostly in the rural parts of the county—but sometimes in apartment complexes and mobile home parks—feral cats are a big problem. Good-hearted people feed them, but as the cats multiply, this can become prohibitively expensive. One solution to this

Crystal Evie

Sue

Deanna

problem is OPA’s trap, neuter and return (TNR) program.

A typical scenario, says Deanna, who coordinates this effort, begins when frustrated landowners call OPA, explaining they can no longer afford to feed the cats if they continue multiplying. Can OPA help? Unfortunately, OPA currently has about 500 cats on its TNR waiting list, but OPA volunteers, working with other volunteer organizations, are working on the problem as fast as they can. “It’s like sweeping the ocean back with a broom,” Deanna says.

Once or twice a month, OPA contracts with veterinarians and their crews who are willing to work on their days off. Cat owners are instructed not to feed the cats that day, and then volunteers, using humane traps, entice the cats with a tasty mixture of cat food, tuna and mackerel, adding a dose of Capstar, an over-the-counter flea treatment. Cats find the combination irresistible.

Once the cats have been trapped, vet techs sedate the cats, vaccinate them, prep them for surgery and “ear tip” them. (By removing the tip of one ear, the surgically-altered cats

can be identified in the future.) All that’s left is for the veterinarian to perform the surgery. “We have done 102 in the past two weeks,” Deanna says. After surgery, cats are returned to the same places where they lived before.

OPA volunteers say that the goal of making Montgomery County a no-kill county is realistic; however, more work needs to be done. “Join us,” Deidre says, “and be part of the solution.”

For more information, visit operationpetsalive.org.

Deidre & Deanna Deidre

Sue & Deanna Puppy love at adoption event

A Special Conversation

Story by Karen Altom Submitted Photos

A family quartet of musicians and vocalists make their mark—in many different and multi-talented ways.

How does one describe an unusually unique band such as Southern Raised in three words or less? They probably don’t! That would be very difficult to do even in a full, single sentence. You would have to encapsulate family relationships, vocal harmony, bluegrass, gospel, classical, Celtic, traditional, contemporary, eclectic, every band member playing multiple instruments, and LOTS of awards and nominations. Perhaps this well-constructed single sentence from the band themselves is a good start: We are Southern Raised, a bluegrass band from the Ozark Mountains that has created a trademark sound where classical meets bluegrass and city streets meet country roads.

Postcards visited recently with sibling band members Emily (Reith) Clayton and Matt Reith so we can share with readers more about the group ahead of their upcoming performance on May 10, 2024 at Old Town Theatre in Huntsville, Texas. As a group, you have such a different style and sound combination. How did that happen?

Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of outside musical influences other than classical music. I know that’s probably unusual for a group from the Ozarks. Shortly before 2007, when the band started, we became interested in bluegrass. We saw bluegrass family groups at Silver Dollar City, near where we live, and just fell in love with that style of music; but our instrument learning and playing had already been steeped »

in classical, with orchestral-type experiences and lessons. We started the band with bluegrass, and it was really several years before we did anything with classical music in the group.

How old were all of you when the band started?

We started as four siblings. Lindsay was 20, Sarah was 18, Emily was 12, and Matt was 9. Of course, we all started out learning to play instruments prior to that, and doing very local shows. It wasn’t even really an “intentional” band start. It kind of happened by accident. We loved that bluegrass sound we heard, and we thought let’s just get some bluegrass instruments and play around. Then our grandmother had us play for a senior function at her church. It was just the three girls… Matt hadn’t begun guitar yet, so he wasn’t with us. And we didn’t sing, because that’s

NOT something we grew up doing <laughs>. We did an hour of bluegrass instrumental tunes. Then we started getting requests to appear, and it just grew. Looking back, for sure it was a God thing, because it wasn’t something we really “tried to do.”

Matt, who originally played only the cello, learned guitar in order to join the group. He recalls his first appearance with the group was a few months later at an outdoor amphitheater. He joined for one song, “Orange Blossom Special,” because that’s all he had learned at that point.

The group name is Southern Raised. Where exactly were you raised?

We were all born in northwest Arkansas. We have been here near Branson, Missouri for almost 20 years. Sarah got married and left the group to settle down in late 2019. She now lives in Kansas and has two daughters.

At that point, we added musician Alex Clayton into the group. That developed into another family relationship when Alex and Emily got married! So, now the group is three siblings and a spouse.

That’s interesting! Tell more about this Alex connection.

We actually met through a promoter who connected us. We didn’t know him at all before that. He was working at a music shop in Springfield. The three siblings did an interview with him in a small practice room at the shop. Alex later shared that it felt more like an “interrogation.” It’s quite a big deal when you try to replace a sibling in a sibling group. I’m sure we were kind of overwhelming. We did one show with him before Covid hit, so it was a really weird transition, as well.

Emily and Alex started dating in April 2020. Like the beginning of the band, neither really saw that coming, and that also seemed like God gifted a real blessing into an otherwise hard transition and difficult situation. The couple got engaged in September, married in March 2021, and now have a toddler son.

Describe yourselves.

Matt plays guitar, cello, and penny whistle. He handles logistics and finances for the band, as well as giving input on creatives and arrangements. He is also the newlywed of the group, having married in August 2023. He enjoys mountain biking.

Emily plays violin, mandolin, and ukulele. She works on creatives and arrangements.

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She loves traveling, writing, and interior design.

Lindsay plays bass and is the emcee for the group. She loves hiking and gardening.

Alex plays banjo, dobro, guitar, and bass. He is laid back and quiet, and he enjoys cooking, traveling, target shooting, and exercising.

Where did the Celtic come in?

We have some Irish ancestry on our mother’s side, but that’s not really the source behind it. We also really enjoy that style of music. It’s a favorite for each of us, and we have found that it lends itself well to the bluegrass instruments. That makes it fun!

You have some unusual choices for song selections. When it comes to the creative side, how do you select?

We like choosing older songs that haven’t been revisited a lot. They seem to go really well with our style of music, and we get a lot of comments from people whose memories are touched by them. It’s a cool way to have a musical “connection” with folks. We do try to read all the comments on YouTube as well, to see what people who are following us want to hear. We have gone on a little run of doing some older classics recently, and we have found that people really love that and are kind of craving it. It also translates well to

stage, because a lot of the people who come to see us found us on YouTube. What is something you want people to know about your group or your family?

Our ultimate goal, always, is to share the message of Jesus Christ—and the hope, and the love, and the acceptance we have in Him.

Check out the group at www.southernraisedband.com, or use the QR code above to connect and give a listen on YouTube. Don’t miss Southern Raised at the Old Town Theatre in Huntsville on May 10th. Visit www. oldtowntheatre-huntsville.org to purchase tickets.

Pet Pals

SADIE & AXL

loved by Lacey Tomczak

LINK loved by Rob & Catharine James

Dear Gabby

Welcome Gabby regret be column. news that APRIL humor. myself! next to to can’t your www.PostcardsLive.com/share. peace,

DEAR I am cooking care them I. me

Physical Therapy

DEAR I’m it else route, Recipes end up looking like the picture. Even with the successful ones, there’s the mess to clean up. It may be a little late for you, but I married a good cook. It’s a win/win for me.

GABBY

CONFIDENTIAL TO “FIRST NAME GIVEN (BUT WITHHELD)” The problems you perceive from the authority agencies in your area are much too serious for this forum. If all those incidents are truly happening to you, it sounds as if you need legal advice. The following information came from Texas.gov website. The Houston Bar Association offers its LegalLine on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month between 5 and 8 p.m. Please sign up to select a date and time slot to receive a phone call from an attorney. If you have questions, please call the HBA office at (713) 759-1133. This service is also offered in Spanish on the 1st Thursday of each month from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the same phone number. I hope this finds you some relief.

What’s Cookin’

Best Strawberry Cake from Scratch

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 (3 oz) pkg strawberry flavored gelatin

4 large eggs (room temperature)

2 ¾ cups sifted cake flour

2 ½ tsp baking powder

1 cup whole milk, room temperature

½ cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries

1 Tbs vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Step 2: Beat sugar, butter, and dry strawberry gelatin together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Step 3: Combine flour and baking powder in a large bowl; stir into butter mixture alternately with milk.

Step 4: Blend in strawberry puree and vanilla.

Step 5: Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes; run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack to cool completely.

Real Strawberry Frosting

Ingredients

1 cup fresh strawberries

1 cup butter

3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, divided

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1: Place strawberries in a blender; purée until smooth.

Step 2: Transfer strawberry purée to a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring often, until reduced by at least half, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Step 3: Beat butter with an electric mixer in a bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar until combined. Beat 2 tablespoons cooled strawberry purée and vanilla extract into butter mixture until just blended.

Step 4: Beat in 1 cup confectioners’ sugar until combined, followed by 2 tablespoons strawberry purée. Repeat this step once more.

Step 5: Beat remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar into mixture until just blended.

Story by Darlene Dufour

Photos by Tom Miller

The time to install a standby generator is before, not after, the power fails.

“We are the solution to backup power.”

Power outages are annoying and inconvenient, but also life-threatening for those who depend on medical equipment requiring electricity. They need a standby generator that kicks in automatically to connect to an existing LP or natural gas supply if they are on oxygen or dialysis. Diabetics’ insulin and breastmilk for infants must be kept refrigerated. In addition, many

Owners, Dustin Sorensen & Jerry Sorensen

people now work from home and rely on the internet. Being without electricity for several days could be detrimental in all these scenarios.

Both Dustin Sorensen and his father Jerry worked previously for companies in the Houston area that offered several brands of standby generators. They were impressed that about 90 percent of customers chose Generac rather than other brands.

Jerry had thirteen years of experience of dealing with generators, and Dustin had eight. “We always dreamed of owning our

own business,” says Dustin. “Jerry and Dustin have a great relationship and have worked side by side for 15-plus years. They have always liked working together,” said Dustin’s mother Shannon.

The ice storm and the power grid failure of 2021 became the catalyst for starting the business. In March of 2022, Texas Generator Solutions, an authorized Generac dealer, opened for business in Montgomery County. Dustin takes pride in his Texas roots. “I grew up in Montgomery and want to reinvest in it.”

Owner, Dustin & office manager, Krystal Bakers

Left to right: Danny (service technician), Geddy (plumber), Krystal (office manager), Dustin (owner) & April, Jerry (owner) & Shannon, Will (electrician), Garry (electrician), Richard (plumber)

Texas Generator Solutions is a family-owned and family-operated enterprise. Dustin Sorensen takes care of operations; his father Jerry takes care of sales. Dustin’s sister, Krystal Baker, is the office manager. April Bond, Dustin’s fiancé, is a big part of the company’s development, because she has experience in business as an escrow officer and deals with the public.

“A large percentage of our business is referral-based,” notes Shannon. “That’s when you know you’re doing something right.”

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” Dustin stressed. “We started business with one employee. Our team has grown to twelve, and we are so proud of them. All of them are certified and trained individuals. The guys out on the floor are the reason we are successful. It’s their hard work that gets our referral business. Our business has increased 100 percent because of the trust our customers have in us.”

“We don’t think of the people who work with us as employees; we consider them family,” Krystal said.

According to Dustin, Garry Walker has been an integral part of the company’s success. “Garry is a master electrician. He’s been with us since day one and has assisted in our technicians’ development.”

Garry and Will are the electrical team. The plumbing team members are Geddy, Richard, and Jorge; the pad team are Robert, Ociel, and Kevin. The Service team members are Danny, Will, and Garry.

According to Dustin, “Teamwork has allowed the company to become a Premier

Authorized Generac dealer in only two years. That was our five-year goal; we met it in two.” That’s thanks to the work ethic of everyone on the team. “It takes all of us to install a generator,” Krystal said.

“Our goal is not to become the biggest generator sales business. Our goal is to provide the best service to Montgomery County and surrounding areas,” Jerry Sorensen said. “Our service includes scheduled maintenance programs, warranty, assistance, and emergency service. We also

Mike Park, Rane Riley, Chrissy Wieghat, Meghann Barnes and

Pad crew: Ociel, Robert (lead), Kevin

maintain large inventories of Generac parts, components, and accessories for the built-inthe-USA generator (which has a 5-year limited warranty).”

“We don’t just come in and install the generator and leave. We have a sustainable service department that uses authorized parts and technicians. If you have done business with us,” Jerry said, “you are part of the Texas Generator family. Communication is the key. Our customers are not just numbers.”

Dustin’s philosophy is simple. “Don’t chase the money; chase the dream.”

Satisfied customers include Dana Armstrong in the Kingwood area, who bought a generator from Texas Generator Solutions in 2022. According to Dana, “It was a pleasant experience. They have given us great service. They delivered on time and kept me aware of when they were coming and what they were doing. They helped me complete the forms for financing. They serviced our unit in 2023. We’ve already referred several people to them.”

Helen Burge purchased a Generac from the company because she and her sister deal with several medical issues that make them dependent on equipment that is powered by electricity. “My sister lives with me, and she has problems with her leg. Dustin went above and beyond. He understood what I was going through. Dustin answered all my questions, and his guys did a wonderful job.”

Texas Generator Solutions offers a free, noobligation quote without high-pressure sales tactics. Jerry sizes up the house, finds the best solution for a generator, finds the best location for the generator, and conducts a load calculation. Then he talks with the homeowners about the best generator for them and how to pay for it. Zero percent interest is available for 18-month loans, and with other available loans, customers can finance for up to 11 years.

The time to install a stand-by generator is before, not after the power fails. As Dustin says, “There’s no such thing as being too early.”

For more information, visit texasgensolutions.com.

13786-B

Conroe, Texas 77304

936.588.9317

Medical Matters

By Melissa Arief, MD

Relieving Inner Elbow Pain

Tennis elbow, the most well-known cause of elbow pain, occurs when tendonitis develops and leads to pain on the outside of the elbow (medically known as the lateral elbow). However, pain on the inner part of the elbow (the portion closest to the body) is usually caused by a syndrome called medial epicondylitis, also known as golfer’s elbow. “The problem might not be immediately obvious, but lifting with an underhand grip is when it most often hurts,” says Dr. Melissa Arief, a Houston Methodist orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hand and upper extremity surgery. “Unlike lateral epicondylitis, medial epicondylitis can often be associated with irritation of the ulnar nerve (gives sensation to the ring and small fingers). Therefore, you may notice numbness and tingling in the hand, as well as pain that radiates down and up the arm.”

Common injury, not just for sports

“You don’t have to be a golfer to develop golfer’s elbow. Baseball pitchers are also prone to this injury, but most people who experience golfer’s elbow don’t play either sport,” says Dr. Arief.

The elbow is a crucial joint used to perform many tasks. Both medial and lateral epicondylitis arise from irritation of the muscles that control motion of the wrist and hand.

“A sharp increase in repetitive activity can trigger golfer’s elbow,” says Dr. Arief. “For instance, new moms holding their baby in a way that stresses the inner elbow can sometimes experience the condition.”

Treating inner elbow pain

Fortunately, golfer’s elbow tends to improve on its own, though this takes both time and attention.

“Your doctor will recommend the antiinflammatory that works best for you, based on your medical history and other factors,” says Dr. Arief.

“For initial treatment, I recommend a wrist splint to be worn at night. Immobilizing the wrist at night will relax the muscles at the level of the elbow,” says Dr. Arief. “In addition, conservative therapy focuses on stretches performed either at home or through formal physical therapy, whichever is preferred. Some people like the dedicated guidance a physical therapist provides.”

When to see a doctor

Dr. Arief recommends evaluation any time elbow pain persists for more than two weeks or if the symptoms also include numbness and tingling in the hand. A specialist can help distinguish between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow and rule out more serious causes of elbow pain, like fractures and ligament tears.

Happy 40th Anniversary to Tim & Delia Ramsey!

Happy 60th Anniversary to Martin & Linda Slott!

The Garden Post

By Kim Bius

Deer-Resistant Gardening

Rabbits and deer are adorable to watch, but nemeses for gardening. They can “wipe out” a garden overnight if the opportunity exists.

Deer are, by far, the greater threat! They can jump over six feet, travel in herds, and are voracious eaters--especially when we tempt them with luscious, delectable foliage and your neighbor is feeding them. To ensure we do not tempt them beyond their limits, we must use the most “deer-proof” plant selections on the market. The term “deerproof” should really be rephrased to deerresistant. It does not mean plants will not be touched as an ironclad rule, but it is defined as a plant that deer will normally consider less favored and generally ignore.

Keep in mind, during times of severe drought and heat, deer will eat anything, including prickly pear cactus, because they are in severe distress and looking for sustenance. It is even worse if someone is feeding the deer. Deer are wildlife and not meant to be tamed. They may lose their will to forage and eventually starve if the cycle of instant food is not kept up.

Deer are quite a paradox; they dislike heavily fragrant plants, but love roses and heliotrope (which are heavily scented) and steer clear of rosemary and garlic. Some heavy fragrances are considered “ewww” while others are

“ahhh”--with no exact rhyme or reason, other than experience from watching their grazing habits.

The following plant list has been derived from 40 years of working in the gardening industry. Many varieties are on the Texas Dept. of Agriculture list, and many varieties may vary from one region to another, and different seasons. And again, in times of drought, all bets are off.

The list will help and guide you in determining which plant varieties are good selections for areas prone to a heavy deer population and their feeding habits. These plants are your best line of defense in keeping them away from your landscape--no plant is 100% all the time.

Trees and large shrubs over 20’

Ash, Dogwood, Persimmon, Pine, Leyland Cypress, Bald Cypress, Maple, Loquat, Wax Myrtle, Cedar, Crepe Myrtle, Oaks, Mountain Laurel, Ligustrum, Acacia, Eucalyptus, Japanese Yew, Vitex, Holly, Magnolia, Fig, Palms, Redbud, Juniper

Shrubs

Abelia, Elaeagnus, Pomegranate, Angel Trumpet, Pineapple Guava, Privet, Bamboo, Azaleas, Oleander, Barberry, Holly, Sweet Olive, Bird of Paradise, Ixora, Camellia, Butterfly Bush, Juniper, Viburnum, Boxwood,

Mahonia, Aloe, Plumbago, Nandina (* there are many deer-proof shrubs)

Perennials

Lantana, Lamb’s Ear, Philodendron, Yarrow, Daylily, Blue Daze, Lupine, Rosemary, Thyme, Wood Fern, Angelonia, Marigold, Vinca (annual), Wandering Jew, Ajuga, Calendula, Mondo Grass, Snapdragon, Wallflower, Iris, Dusty Miller, Pampas Grass, Society Garlic, Santolina, Daffodil (sometimes), Feather Grass, Purple Fountain Grass, Sword Fern, Hedera Ivy, Coreopsis, Euphorbia, Sage, Yucca, Chrysanthemum

Vines

Star Jasmine, Wisteria, Cypress Vine, Carolina Jasmine, Morning Glory, Evergreen Wisteria, Trumpet Vine, Honeysuckle, BlackEyed Susan Vine, Crossvine, Passion Vine, English Ivy, Bleeding Heart

Deer love vegetable gardens and fruit trees (generally leave citrus alone due to the fragrance of the leaves). Deer tend to avoid citronella, scented geraniums, cilantro, dill, and most herbs--but they will devour tomatoes and other vegetables.

Other deterrents for deer are preventative sprays, canisters that emit an odor, light and motion sensors, deer netting, and fencing. The same deterrents work on rabbits.

April 2024

Thru 6

CALENDAR

5-21

Huntsville

Walker County Fair & Rodeo walkercountyfair.com

Thru 8

Dallas

Dallas Blooms dallasarboretum.org

Thru 14

Houston

“Dog Man: The Musical” crightontheatre.org

Thru 31

Palestine

Piney Woods Vintage Train Rides texasstaterailroad.net

5-6

Cleveland

Rummage Sale fumcclevelandtx.org

Huntsville

Bill Watrous Jazz Festival shsu.universitytickets.com

5-7

Galveston

Steampunk Festival galvestonsteampunk.com

Houston

FOODIELAND Food Festival nrgpark.com

5-14

Palestine “Sister Act” thetexastheater.com

Conroe

“Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” crightontheatre.org

6

Montgomery MISD Education Foundation Spring Soiree montgomeryisdef.org

Nacogdoches

Spring Brewfest nacbrewclub.org

Port Arthur

Cajun Heritage Festival visitportarthurtx.com

6 – May 26

Waxahachie

Scarborough Renaissance Festival srfestival.com

10-13

Conroe

“The Spongebob Musical” lonestar.edu/ticket-info

11-13

Huntsville

“Vive La Commedia!” shsu.universitytickets.com

11-14

Houston

Disney on Ice: “Magic in the Stars” nrgpark.com

12

11-21

Conroe

Montgomery County Fair & Rodeo mcfa.org

Huntsville

Jimmy Fortune oldtowntheatre-huntsville.org

12-13

Spring

Joy of Quilting 2024 Quilt Show kleinumc-piecemakers.com

Tomball

Art Show & Sale thetomballartleague.com

12-14

Poteet

Strawberry Festival strawberryfestival.com

The Woodlands

The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival

thewoodlandsartcouncil.org

13

Bryan Street and Art Fair destinationbryan.com/art-fair

Conroe

“Space: The Final Frontier” conroesymphony.org

Huntsville

2024 Lane Smith Classic alphaomegaacademy.org

2024 Rotary Winequest: Fantasy Island winequestrotary.org

SHSU Alumni Food Drive

https://www.surveymonkey.com /r/NGZSDL7

13

Madisonville

2024 Mudbug Festival madisonvilletexas.us/events

19

Huntsville

14th Annual Diva Night business.huntsvillewalkerchamber.com

20

Huntsville

All About KIDS Expo casaofwalkercounty.org

22-30

Willis

WISD Bond Election willisisd.org/bond2024

24

Cleveland

Taste of Cleveland business.clevelandtxchamber.com

25-27

Huntsville

“The Prom” shsu.universitytickets.com

26

Huntsville

Doug Stone

oldtowntheatre-huntsville.org 27

The Woodlands

Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas visitthewoodlands.com

Mustard Seed Moments

by Ruth Fields

Are We Dishwasher Safe?

When my husband retired in 2023, he offered to help me with some of the many household tasks I had been doing alone. Because I hate to unload the dishwasher, I suggested he might want to take over this task. I congratulated myself for being so clever.

What I soon discovered, however, is that hubs didn’t know where everything in the kitchen was supposed to go. When in doubt, he put items in whatever spots seemed handy. After he unloaded the dishwasher, I often had to go on Easter egg hunts to find things in the kitchen. Clearly, we needed to talk.

My intent is not to bash my brave, hard-working, smart, funny, loyal spouse; however, his dishwasher-unloading technique reminds me of a much greater issue. We humans like to do things our own way. We take matters into our own hands, sometimes bending God’s laws to our own benefit. We make excuses, forgetting that God’s rules do not shift with time. (“I the Lord do not change.” – Malachi 3:6.)

Once I started digging, I found many verses that warn us to stay true to God’s Word. For example, Deuteronomy 5:32 says, “So be careful

to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left.”

I love the way the Bible, with its poetic language, often compares our Christian experience to a walk. The Bible tells us that Noah “walked with God,” and we all know the rest of the story. King Solomon, considered the wisest person in the world during his lifetime on earth, used a similar analogy in Proverbs 4:26-27: “Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

This is (of course) easier said than done, but I believe we should all strive to maintain a straight path. I’m sure my husband will agree (as long as I don’t ask him to change the way he unloads the dishwasher). Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6

VBy: James M. Bright, Attorney at Law

ery often, this firm is faced with a formal Will which is being offered for probate that has been altered by pen and ink changes. Even though it is probable that the testator made these changes, in most cases they, will be ignored by the court.

Examples of the types of ineffectual changes encountered by this firm are as follows:

· A beneficiary has predeceased the testator and the testator attempts to redirect the gift to another beneficiary, by scratching out the original beneficiary and substituting another.

· For one reason or another, the testator has decided that they do not wish for the person named as the independent executor to serve in that capacity and have penned in the name of a substitute executor.

· A trust provision in the Will was contingent upon certain conditions existing such as, the beneficiary reaching the age of 30 before the beneficiary inherited a portion of the estate free of trust. In some cases, this firm has encountered entire sections of a formal Will that have been scratched out, or otherwise modified by the testator.

If a testator wishes to make changes to a formal Will, then those changes must be made with the formalities of a Will. This can include:

· Going back to an attorney of your choice to have him/her draft a codicil to your Will and republishing the original of Will.

· Hiring your attorney to draft a new Will which complies with your current wishes.

· By separate document, publishing a handwritten codicil making desired changes. If you take this approach, which is NOT advised, be certain that you do not accidentally invalidate the entire original Will by use of language that you have gleaned from the original Will. This revocation can easily end up yielding unintended consequences. Be certain that you are clear regarding your intent to change only a portion of the Will, prepare the codicil totally in your handwriting (not even one word should be typed). This approach sounds very simple, but it is fraught with danger. In the experience of this firm, we have encountered a testator who attempted to make this type of holographic codicil, but instead invalidated his entire Will so that neither the original Will nor the codicil could be admitted to probate. I cannot overemphasize the importance of obtaining professional help in attempting to make these changes. Chances are great that the probate court will completely ignore any changes made to a formal Will after it has been signed and witnessed. In re Estate of Flores, 76 S.W.2nd. 624,631 (Tex. App. - Corpus Christi 2002, no pet.) the Court states in part “... changes made by the testator after the will has been signed and witnessed are of no effect; the will must be probated as originally written, unless the changes were made with formalities required for the making of the will.”

At first glance the casual observer might come to the conclusion that this rule of law is unfair or ill-founded, but it is intended to make certain that your wishes have been followed. For example, if “evil uncle Larry” did not like the fact that he received fewer gifts in your Will than did “helpful

Harry”, if evil uncle Larry were to get his hands on the original of your Will, he might be able to cross out the sections that he didn’t like and substitute others to his advantage. The courts are very conscious that they have an important duty to you to protect your wishes as they are set out in your original Will and will strive to be faithful in the execution of that duty.

It is realized that many people are reluctant to contact an attorney and incur even modest legal fees to make changes to their Will. This is typically false economy, a professional codicil would require far less time, trouble and expense than having your estate pass in a way that is not consistent with your wishes or that spawned a Will contest.

Those of us who live in the Montgomery County or Harris County areas of Texas are fortunate to have an abundance of qualified attorneys who can make sure that your testamentary wishes are followed and that the requisite legal documents are prepared properly.

As always, this firm recommends that you find an attorney of your choice who is both knowledgeable and experienced in the drafting of Wills and their probate.