POSTCARDS MAGAZINE - Piney Woods - APRIL 2026

Postcards

Piney Woods

Publisher’s Post

The Lessons of Spring

There is something about spring that reminds me how much life is meant to be lived together. Maybe it’s the return of baseball.

Across our community, ballfields are coming back to life. Little ones pull on oversized jerseys, parents unfold lawn chairs, and coaches patiently explain things like where to stand, when to run, and why you always cheer for your teammates. Some of these kids are holding a glove for the first time. Others already know the rules, but they’re still learning the bigger lessons that come with the game.

Lessons about teamwork.

About encouragement.

About showing up for each other.

Of course, spring baseball also means spring weather. Around here, the weather can change in a hurry. One moment the sun is shining and the crack of the bat echoes across the field. The next, dark clouds roll in; everyone is scrambling to grab chairs, blankets, and little brothers and sisters as the rain begins to fall.

And somehow, even those moments become part of the memory. People huddle together under dugouts and concession stands. Someone shares an umbrella. Someone else helps carry equipment. Before long the storm passes, and everyone drifts back out again, ready to keep playing.

It strikes me that community often looks a lot like that. Life gives us sunny days when everything seems to go just right. But there are storms, too. Times when plans get interrupted and things don’t go the way we hoped. In those moments, what makes the difference is the people around us.

The neighbors who check in.

The friends who show up.

The volunteers, coaches, teachers, and parents who quietly pour their time into the next generation. They remind us that none of us is meant to do life alone. Spring has a way of bringing us back outside, back to ballfields, front porches, and community events. It reminds

us that the best parts of life happen when we gather together, share the sunshine, and help each other weather the storms.

And if you listen closely at one of those little league games, you’ll hear it.

Parents cheering. Teammates encouraging one another. A community, doing life together.

Feedback

Thank You

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Keep it Up

I appreciate your magazine and all that goes into its publishing so much. Keep up the good and encouraging content and editing!

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Evening of Hope

The Evening of Hope dinner was such an enjoyable occasion to share Christmas cheer and connect with beautiful ladies with whom we have so much in common. Thank you for your generous support in making our evening so lovely. Continue to use your publication to glorify God.

Louise Murray

We Have Missed You

Thank you for looking into why people in my neighborhood have not been getting their Postcards Magazine for months. We have missed reading about our community. I started reading it cover to cover the day YOU handed me my February copy.

Tonie Sikes

Library Picks

Edgington reading

River

Knight reading

Wendy Massey reading

Sweet Blue Distance BY

Huntsville ISD Special Education

UPCOMING RESOURCES FOR PARENTS

Topic: Helping Your Child Calm, Focus, and Reset

Date: April 21, 2026 5:30-6:30pm

Hornets SPED Night

A night to learn about special education and supports available in Huntsville ISD

Date: April 23, 2026 5:30 - 7:30 pm

Topic: Supporting Students with Autism: Structure, Regulation, and Independence

Date: May 12, 2026 5:30-6:30pm

LOCATION: HISD Support and Learning Center 603 US 190, Huntsville, TX

The

SARA DONATI

Norma

The Frozen

BY ARIEL LAWHON

Julie

Theo of Golden BY ALLEN LEVI

Dr. Rob Hunt

Recounting the path of a gifted musician, composer, conductor, and teacher.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY RUTH FIELDS

Dr.Rob Hunt often recalls the Dallas orphanage where he spent his childhood. It was a happy existence, he says, as it was easy to find friends among the orphans and wards of the Buckner Baptist Children’s Home. “We shared loads of baseball and football games on the weekends,” he says.

“You could get up a whole army with hundreds of players.” As a teenager, Rob often mentioned his orphanage upbringing to his advantage, he says with a chuckle, but in truth, he and his two sisters lived there with their parents, who were employees.

When Rob was about four years old, he discovered an upright piano in the parlor of one of the dorms at the children’s home. He vividly remembers reaching up to the keys so he could pick out Leaning on the Everlasting

Arms—a song he’d heard at church—by ear. He also recalls his first “esthetic experience,” which occurred when he was about three or four years old. “There was a wonderful pipe organ in the chapel where we had our Sunday services,” he says. The sound gave Rob a thrill. “I loved it,” he says. “I wanted to understand it, and I wanted to do it.”

Fortunately, Rob’s parents, both musicians, recognized Rob’s giftedness, as did a cultured employee of the orphanage, who took Rob to see My Fair Lady and other touring Broadway musicals. For everyday entertainment, Rob watched famous conductors on television. His mother began teaching him to play the piano when he was five years old; when he was six, he took lessons from a piano teacher in Dallas. By the time he was 11, Rob was studying piano at Southern Methodist University (SMU), and he won the State Fair of Texas Talent Show when he was in junior high school.

At 14, Rob was already a veteran

performer. He played for 23,000 at a pregame show in the Astrodome, accompanying the Buckner Home’s choral group, as well as performing a piano solo of his own arrangement of the Theme from Exodus Rob, however, did not enjoy high school. Residents of the children’s home were bused to W. W. Samuell High School, which Rob did not find intellectually or musically challenging. “I hated it,” he confesses. He doesn’t remember who told him about the new Skyline Center, a high school that taught several pre-professional programs, including performing arts, but it caught his attention. At Rob’s audition, students were asked to improvise musical embellishments to complement a simple African folk tune. Although other students struggled, Rob completed the assignment with ease, and he was admitted to the school for his junior and senior years. “It changed my life,” Rob says. “I was in music classes four hours a day studying

Rob conducts the Kingwood Pops Orchestra. Photo credit Monica Hindmarsh Photography

with stellar faculty, including famous musicians who would stop by and do masters classes,” he says. Furthermore, he was in his element with other musically-talented students.

College, jingles, and nightclubs

Although several prestigious music conservatories tried to recruit Rob, his parents wanted him to attend their alma mater, Howard Payne University. While studying there, Rob traveled to seven countries as piano accompanist to the university’s Heritage Singers. After one year, however, Rob transferred to SMU, a move that gave him many employment opportunities in the music industry. It was not a typical college experience. Rob recalls the professor of an early-morning class routinely asking, “Where did you gig last night?”

During this time, Rob began writing and playing jingles for television and radio commercials. Most of his work was aired on local stations, such as the often-played jingle he wrote for Minyard’s Grocery Store, but some, including ones for Pizza Hut, received national audiences. Rob also played at nightclubs, where he became captivated with jazz piano.

Rob continued his formal music education at Texas Christian University (TCU), where he earned a master’s degree in musicology. There, he met his future wife. Jackie was a music major, and Rob was her graduate assistant teacher. The couple would later raise a son and a daughter; both are now professional musicians.

Although Rob wanted to play jazz, country music came knocking, and Rob became Ray Price’s pianist and conductor. Ray’s band often linked up with Willie Nelson’s band, so Rob got to know both legendary musicians. Rob enjoyed many memorable moments during this era, like the time during the filming of Honeysuckle Rose when Jackie had to hold his music so a strong wind didn’t blow it away. On another occasion, Rob substituted for Willie’s pianist (his sister, Bobbie Nelson), playing songs by ear.

Rob also fondly remembers Ray Price. On one occasion, Hoyt Axton’s segment of a concert lasted much longer than expected. Rob needed to

get home for a church job on Sunday morning, and Ray gave Rob a ride in his limo so he could catch a redeye flight out of Los Angeles. “It struck me as being very surreal,” Rob says. “We were going 90 mph, maybe 100, on the freeway at three in the morning.” At one point, Ray’s hit For the Good Times came on the radio, but Ray demanded that it be turned off.

In 1983, Dallas was losing its edge in the music industry, so Rob enrolled in the University of Indiana’s esteemed music program to work on his Ph.D. in conducting. While he was there, he detoured long enough to become certified to teach music. Years later, his students would benefit from the techniques he learned.

Just three hours short of his degree, Rob walked away when he snagged a dream job as conductor of the Midland-Odessa Symphony. (Although he didn’t think he’d ever return to college, Rob commuted from his home in The Woodlands many years later and earned a Ph.D. in 2006 from the University of Houston.) In addition to conducting traditional orchestra music, Rob enhanced the symphony’s popular music program. On one

occasion, the symphony played with The Moody Blues; later, they shared the stage with Kansas.

The Gift of Teaching

Although some talented musicians have difficulty teaching, Rob enjoys sharing his musical expertise with others. He taught music theory and piano at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) from 2008 until 2016, also serving as the music director for the Opera Workshop. Competing against universities such as Harvard and Yale for The American Prize in Opera Performance, SHSU operas won first place in 2013 and third place in 2015. Rob loves making—and teaching— music so much, he has no plans to retire. Today, he teaches music theory and piano at Lone Star CollegeKingwood (LSC-K). It’s exciting, he says, to identify and nurture talent, but he finds it equally rewarding to help struggling students. In 2024, he earned the LSC-K Faculty Excellence Award. Rob also conducts the Kingwood Pops Orchestra (KPO), a multigenerational organization affiliated with LSC-K. Orchestra members applaud Rob for his skillful conducting

Rob conducts the operetta Die Fledermaus at SHSU

and for his polite, respectful teaching techniques. One orchestra member laughs that instead of berating musicians for mistakes, Rob once mildly said, “I’m hearing some things that aren’t in my score.”

For Rob, the best part about conducting KPO is working with its artistic advisory committee to create interesting programs. In 2022, KPO hosted three Broadway musicians; in 2023, the Victory Belles, a vocal trio from the National WWII Museum, joined the orchestra. Twice, KPO has shared the stage with the Undercover Band for classic rock concerts. Most recently, attendees sang along and danced in the aisles when KPO featured music from the 1960s.

Rob seems to have endless energy. He has served eleven churches over five decades in part- and full-time positions as choir director and organist, and he has written and arranged countless songs. His best-known may be his choral arrangement of Wondrous Love, which was recently named a favorite by the Richmond, Virginia chapter of the American Guild of Organists. “I am kind of proud of that,” Rob says. Some of Rob’s arrangements have been

When

I stepped onto that podium to conduct the 200 voices from the combined choirs with my teacher looking on, beaming, it was a crowning moment in my professional life

performed at Carnegie Hall by Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops.

Most recently, Rob collaborated with Stephen Schwartz, the renowned composer of many musicals, including Wicked, to re-orchestrate the opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon for a small ensemble. “He got so busy with Wicked and his new Broadway show that I ended up doing it pretty much myself,” Rob says. He enjoyed “getting to work with a legend,” but it was a mammoth job. “Every one of the 800 pages was rewritten many times,” Rob says. The opera was performed in July 2025 in Houston.

Rob has many memories of his long, eclectic career, but one stands out. While conducting the Midland-Odessa Symphony, Rob asked his former TCU professor Ron Shirey to provide a large choir for the orchestra’s performance of the Carmina Burana cantata. Rob rehearsed the choir in the same building where he had spent time as a student. “When I stepped onto that podium to conduct the 200 voices from the combined choirs with my teacher looking on, beaming, it was a crowning moment in my professional life,” he says, “and to hear Mr. Shirey say, ‘Rob Hunt has turned into a hell of a conductor.’”

Rob recently collaborated with renowned composer Stephen Schwartz

Congratulations to our very own FNBH employee, Lorri Lehman, who was voted Favorite Loan Officer in the inaugural Postcards Magazine Community Choice Awards.

Lorri is an FNBH Senior Vice President and a Mortgage Loan Officer. She has been with the bank for 41 years and leads a knowledgeable team of

mortgage specialists. Lorri and her husband Chuck are members of University Heights Baptist Church and volunteer with A Time To Read. They enjoy their weekly FaceTime sessions with their two grandchildren and vacations with their family.

We could not be more proud of Lorri and we congratulate her on being voted Favorite Loan Officer - we certainly feel the same!

Star Students

Kayla Lambright

Huntsville High School

FAVORITE MOVIE: none given

FAVORITE MUSIC/ARTIST: Keith Whitley

FAVORITE FOOD: Chicken Alfredo

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Don’t lose your mind over people who don’t mind losing you.”

Kayla is a senior at Huntsville High School and is the daughter of Stacie Flores and Brandon Reynolds. Her activities include welding. Kayla looks forward to graduation and her next chapter.

Zane Underwood

Alpha Omega Academy

FAVORITE MOVIE: Dazed and Confused

FAVORITE MUSIC/ARTIST: George Strait

FAVORITE FOOD: Chicken

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man young, healthy, and wise.”

Zane is a senior at Alpha Omega Academy and is the son of Brandon Underwood and Ronda Underwood. His activities include baseball, community service, hunting, fishing, golfing, hiking, weightlifting, reading, meditating, and being a ranch hand. Following graduation, Zane plans to play collegiate baseball and study kinesiology, then get drafted and journey to MLB. He believes, “Do everything like it could be taken away tomorrow.”

Do everything like it could be taken away tomorrow.

Molly O’Banion

Huntsville High School

FAVORITE MOVIE: Singing in the Rain

FAVORITE MUSIC/ARTIST: The Neighborhood

FAVORITE FOOD: Bread

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.” –George R. R. Martin

Molly is a senior at Huntsville High School and is the daughter of Amanda Nowlin-O’Banion and Robert O’Banion. Her activities include swim team, Scouts of America (BSA), Life Scout (Eagle candidate), Walker County 4-H Club, National Technical Honor Society, FUMC-Huntsville (youth representative on church council), and Mu Alpha Theta. After graduation, Molly plans to attend college, then work in forestry. She believes, “Never let anyone take away your creativity.”

Things My Granddaddy Said

You’re sweeter than mama’s tea.

If hearing wild rumors about a girl you want to date, you might say, “Them’s the kinda things a fella likes to find out for himself!”

Are your legs tired, ‘cause you’ve been running through my dreams!

A young woman told her friend about her idea of the perfect mate: “The fellow I marry must be a shining light. He must be musical, tell jokes, sing, and stay home at night. Overhearing the conversation, an older lady pipes up, “Sugar, if that’s all you want, get a TV.”

As I grow older, more and more often I find myself saying, “Like my Granddaddy used to say…” In an effort to keep some of these old sayings alive, we are sharing them here. Please feel free to share yours with us!

Publisher Karen Altom and her Granddaddy J.C. Farris

Kathy Blossom

Check Out the Latest

Kathy Blossom has always liked to get her hands dirty. She entertained herself by playing in the mud when she was a first grader in Midland; when she was a young mother, she learned to throw pottery on a potter’s wheel.

Kathy’s “first career” was motherhood, but when her younger son was about to leave for college, she embarked on a new career. She’d always dabbled in artistic endeavors, but she wanted to be a master of something. Pottery, she decided, would be her specialty. The family had recently moved to The Woodlands, so she unpacked her boxes and enrolled at Sam Houston State University. “I took every ceramics class I could take,” she says, sometimes staying with classmates in the pottery lab until well past midnight to develop her skills on the potter’s wheel.

In May 2002, Kathy graduated with a bachelor’s degree in studio art with a concentration in ceramics. Meanwhile, she’d heard of a potter who demonstrated pottery-making to illustrate the Bible verses that refer to God as a potter (and people as clay). Although the thought of public speaking was

intimidating, Kathy wanted to use her pottery as a ministry. So, she invited two Christian mentors from Midland to her home. As Kathy explained each step of the pottery-making process, the three women saw spiritual applications and found supporting Scripture.

With the mantra “have wheel, will travel,” Kathy began giving presentations at churches and retreats, concentrating on Jeremiah 18:1-6. She has given more than 50 presentations since throughout Texas and Oklahoma.

Kathy soon felt a nudge to write a book, both to provide to attendees and to help other potters give similar presentations; however, the prospect seemed overwhelming. Kathy did nothing for nearly 20 years, but in 2025, she relented. For nine months, she wrote and navigated the challenging selfpublication process. “It was like giving birth to my third child,” she says, “but God was with me every step of the way.”

In His Hands: 21 Daily Devotions from the Potter’s Perspective, available on Amazon, was published in December 2025. It includes 21 devotions based on Kathy’s pottery presentation.

“My hope is that the book will show people that God wants to be a part of our lives,” she says, “and to shape and mold us to be who he created us to be.”

Originally featured in October 2014

(written by Ruth Fields)

Seen by: PC Staff

Seen by: PC Staff

Dewey & Rebecca Roberts celebrating their 30th Anniversary Rick and Laura Floyd celebrated their 40th Anniversary

Friends of Texas Wildlife

Local group shares the challenges and rewards of wildlife rehabilitation.

BY RUTH FIELDS | PHOTOS BY TOM MILLER

Themorning after a torrential spring rainfall, a young boy heard a squeaking noise underneath the slide in his backyard. Understandably curious, he went for a closer look. He was surprised and excited to find a baby squirrel.

After making several phone calls, the boy’s mother located Friends of Texas Wildlife, a non-profit, volunteerbased organization headquartered near Magnolia. A wildlife rehabilitator on duty determined that the infant squirrel was likely separated from its mother because of localized flooding and suggested ways to help mother and baby reunite. Animal mothers, the rehabilitator said, can only rescue one baby at a time, and it might take 24 hours for her to find all her offspring.

In this instance, the mother squirrel was reunited with her baby, which is an outcome that happens about half the time, says Lisa Wolling, executive director of Friends. “Our advice is always ‘please reach out to a rehabber,’” Lisa says. “We really want

Scales, feathers, fur Wildlife never seems to be on anyone’s radar, Lisa says, until they find an animal in trouble—whether it’s a raptor that has been hit by a car, a fawn with a broken leg, or a raccoon baby that appears to be orphaned. People are often surprised, she says, when they discover there is no government agency that can provide assistance. Furthermore, they also soon learn that it is illegal to keep wildlife as pets: native Texas wildlife that has scales,

Juvenile Bald Eagle

feathers, or fur are protected. Fortunately, organizations like Friends have come to the rescue. The mission of Friends is to support the rehabilitation of native Texas wildlife and to promote the co-existence of wildlife and people through education. Friends has existed since 1993, Lisa says, when “a group of rehabbers banded together.” The organization, originally located near Tomball, initially had some county funding and a veterinarian on staff; this set permitted a setting where wildlife rehabilitators trained and mentored aspiring rehabilitators. Everything was going well until 1998, when the group’s funding ended.

“Friends of Texas Wildlife became a group of homeless people,” Lisa says.

From 1998 until 2011, Friends existed in this limbo, but a benefactor eventually gave the organization a budget and instructions to find a suitable home. In 2011, Friends moved into its new facility at 29615 Highland Boulevard near Magnolia; it included a house, barn, and carport on nearly four acres.

Friends is funded solely through donations, but generous patrons and periodic fundraisers have enabled the organization to improve its facility. In addition, many Scouts have done their Eagle Scout projects to benefit Friends. Today, Friends’ headquarters includes large aviaries and buildings where animals can be quarantined and rehabilitated before being released. It even has a 100-foot-long flight cage, which allows Friends to have a permit to rehabilitate bald eagles and other raptors. Large birds, Lisa explains, may take 40 to 50 feet to get enough lift to fly, and birds must be able to fly before being released. Friends’ headquarters also has a small gift shop.

Friends has an ongoing need for donations and for more wildlife rehabilitators because dwindling habitat has put more animals in need. “More people are finding things… because now it’s in their backyard,” Lisa says. “It used to be in the forest.”

Screech Owl

Barn Owl

Barred Owl

A helping hand

Although about half the animals Friends assists simply need time and minimal intervention to survive, the other half are legitimately injured or orphaned. Fortunately, Friends can take care of many of those animals at its Magnolia facility; others receive home-based care from about 30 permitted rehabilitators who volunteer their time with Friends. There is no typical volunteer; they are male and female, young and old. What they have in common, Lisa says, is “is a passion for animals, and they don’t mind getting their hands dirty.” Volunteers, she says, usually specialize. “People come in wanting to do everything, but find what they are most passionate about and focus on one or two species.”

Friends supplies veterinary care if needed, and provides not only food and shelter to needy animals, but also the time they need to be reintroduced to their native habitats. While some animals might need just two weeks before being released, others—like baby raccoons—need as much as seven months. “Time is wildly variable,” Lisa says, “depending on species and time of year.” She estimates that Friends cares for about 2,000 animals each year.

“During songbird and baby season, every cage is filled to capacity,” Lisa says, noting most species are raised in small groups to mimic natural behavior. “Once they are healthy and self-sufficient,” she says, “they are released back into the wild in suitable habitats.”

Friends provides care for many native species, some more commonly than others. (Pelicans, alligators and armadillos are some of the leastcommon species admitted.) However, Friends lacks the housing facilities to care for such species as bats, beavers, otters, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, ducks, and geese. These native species can be referred to other appropriate rehab facilities, but wildlife rehabilitation groups cannot accept invasive species, domestic animals, or exotic species. Surprisingly, skunks are on the

Holding pen used for raptors to encourage flying in the recovery process

Broadwing Hawks

list of animals that are accepted. Rehabbers have gotten “skunked,” Lisa says, but it’s not usual. When a person takes care of a baby animal, she explains, the rehabber becomes its foster mom. “They bond with their caregivers,” she says. Lisa also notes that while Friends can care for fawns, Texas Parks and Wildlife regulations prohibit Friends and other wildlife rehabilitation organizations from assisting adult deer.

Wildlife rehabilitators sometimes develop a sixth sense about which animals will survive. “Some of these animals look so bad when they come in, but you see something in their eyes,” Lisa says. “You can tell they are going to fight for it.” While Friends’ goal is always to nurture animals until they can be returned to their natural habitats, some are too badly injured to survive; for example, an owl with a crushed wing will never be able to fly. In these unhappy instances, Friends must either euthanize the animals or to try to find homes for them as educational animals.

Friends maintains several animals that serve as “educational ambassadors,” including Willie, a oneeyed opossum. Most people, Lisa says, don’t realize how beneficial opossums are. (They are naturals at pest control, because they eat ticks, cockroaches, small rodents, and snakes—even venomous species.) Willie is a great educational animal, Lisa says, because people quickly learn the value of opossums instead of wanting to harm them. “People are more likely to want to coexist with animals they understand and don’t fear,” she says. Friends’ other educational animals include a variety of hawks and owls.

Friends has permits to conduct educational programs, and sometimes take animals to schools for wildlife presentations. The organization also hosts two annual events at its headquarters. Around Halloween, Pumpkins and Possums is an evening presentation that features nocturnal animals; each April, attendees have a once-a-year opportunity to tour the facility. In addition, Friends hosts

Critter Classroom once a month, usually on the second Saturday. (Check Facebook.com/savingtexaswildlife to see a schedule.)

Back in the wild

People who bring injured or orphaned animals to Friends often want to know if the animals were successfully rehabilitated. Fortunately, if they make donations of any size, they are given receipts that include intake numbers. By calling Friends and referring to those numbers, they can get quick answers.

While the goal is always to return animals to the wild, “release days are always bittersweet,” Lisa says. “The ones that touch me the most are animals we thought were never going to be able to live in the wild again, but they are about to be released.”

For more information, visit ftwl.org.

Celebrate Easter Week with Us

You’re warmly invited to celebrate community, reflection and spring joy.

Thursday, April 2: Silent Lord’s Supper, 8:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday, April 3: Service of Darkness, 7:00 pm

Saturday, April 4: Fish Fry & Fellowship • Bake Sale & Auction

Please bring your own lawn chairs for this event Join us from 4:00-6:00 pm

Sunday, April 5: Services @ 9 am & 11 am – Egg hunt between services

Covenant Fellowship

So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. Ezra 8:23

Lead Pastor: David Valentine

Kidspeak

Me (sharing with my 7-yo granddaughter): Now that I'm retiring, I will have time to have lunch with you at school and read stories to your class.

7-yo: Oh, Gran, I'm so glad you're being recycled.

Voyce Park

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Overheard a child at the park today tell his sad friend, "It's okay to be sad. Sad stands for Secretly A Dinosaur." Then he let out a big roar. That kid is going places.

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My son just asked me if I wanted a bite of his apple. I said, "No thanks, I'm not really in the mood for an apple." He looked me dead in the eye and goes, "I didn't want a stupid apple either. I wanted chocolate, and you said apples are delicious...so, I think you should take a bite of the delicious apple."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

There's sibling rivalry, then there's my 4-yo daughter faking a phone call from her 1-yo brother's daycare to tell us that we don't have to collect him today because he's going to live there now and he 'won't even miss us.'

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My 7-yo is trying to do schoolwork while my two youngest play in the same room, and he says, "Mom, you don't understand how hard it is to think with all this noise!"

Nope...can't imagine what that's like.

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My teen used to ask, "What's for dinner?" Now, it's "How many grams of protein is it, though?"

• Insure optimal air flow.

• Check possible air pollutants within your home.

Want to share something with us?

Sean of the South The Church Lady Elegy

When I was a kid, church ladies ran the whole world. Elderly women were always telling me what to do, randomly appearing from the shadows and trying to feed me.

Our little microcosmic community was operated by elderly women in beehive hairdos. They drove Lincolns, Mercury Grand Marquis, or Ford F-100 pickups with gun racks.

Church ladies carried the keys to our universe. Not metaphorically, but worse. Allegorically. The keys to the school, the library, the church building, they were all on huge keychains which these ladies carried in their prodigious church-lady purses, which were bags about the size of Waffle Houses.

You could find anything you needed in those purses. Professional-grade first-aid kits, cosmetic supplies, a change of underpants, spare tires, etc. And if you were hungry, you could find a three-course meal in such a purse, although the food was likely to taste like Rolaids and purse dirt.

So, these were the women who raised me. They were always present in my life. They taught every class, directed every pageant, prepared every fellowship-hall supper, played piano for every Fifth Sunday sing, visited every hospital, and babysat you when your mom worked doubles.

And when you lost a loved one, it was these church ladies who organized the committee that overloaded your front porch with casseroles.

Which is exactly what happened when my father died. My father died by his own hand when I was 11. And the very next morning, I heard voices on our porch before sunrise. Ladies’ voices.

There were elderly women, leaving casserole pans, glass cookware, covered in foil, and Corningware dishes, nestled in gingham dishrags.

And it was also one such church lady who took pity on me in the weeks after my father died. After my father’s end, I lost

Sean Dietrich

weight because I could not eat. I slept all the time.

I’ll never forget the morning when one such elderly woman came to visit me. She took me in her Mercury Grand Marquis to the hospital one autumn afternoon.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

She didn’t even look at me. “You’ll see. Would you like a cookie?”

“No, ma’am.”

“They’re butterscotch.”

“No, thank you.”

“Don’t you like butterscotch?”

“Maybe just one.”

We arrived at the hospital, where another church lady was waiting for us. A lady I had never met before. Church ladies are like police departments, they have precincts all over this country.

The women took me to the third floor. There, we were greeted by more church ladies who were waiting for us. They washed my little hands and dressed me in a paper gown. They put shoe-covers over my Chuck Taylors. They told me to be very quiet when we entered the next room.

Whereupon the church ladies and I entered the NICU. There were babies everywhere. Infants in clear plastic crates. With little bodies, so pink against the stark white blankets, they looked like giant hotdogs. Plastic tubes were coming from their faces. Oxygen cannulas draped beneath their tiny noses.

“These babies need your love,” they told me.

The ladies sat me in an enormous easy chair and placed a newborn into my arms. They said my job was to cuddle.

And so it was, I cuddled infants for three hours. One baby, I’ll never forget her, was so small. I told her I loved her and she clasped her tiny hand around my finger. Which is how a baby says I love you back.

And well, that was the first day I felt like eating.

The Tingling in Your Feet Is NOT “Normal Aging.”

It’s A Warning Sign

If your feet burn at night…

If they feel numb like you’re walking on socks…

If you wobble when you stand up…

You are not “just getting older.”

You may have Neuropathy .

And if you ignore it… it usually gets worse.

The Night Mary Cried

Mary is 68. One night she sat on the edge of her bed crying Her feet felt like they were on fire. But when she touched them… they felt numb. “I can’t feel the floor,” she said. “I feel like I’m going to fall.” Her doctor told her:

• “It’s probably your diabetes.”

• “It’s common at your age.”

• “Here’s a prescription.”

The pills made her dizzy. They did NOT fix the problem. And here’s what scared her most… She read that neuropathy can lead to:

• Loss of balance

• Falls

• Infections

• Even amputation

That’s when she said, “Enough.”

What Is Neuropathy?

Your nerves are like electrical wires. They carry messages from your brain to your feet. Healthy nerves need oxygen and blood flow. But when blood flow drops…The nerve starts to die. That’s when you feel:

• Burning

• Tingling

• Pins and needles

• Sharp pain

• Numbness

• Balance problems

Some days it feels better. Some days worse. Like a shortcircuit light bulb. And here’s the hard truth: Neuropathy does NOT usually fix itself.

The Big Lie People Are Told

Most people are told:

• “Just live with it.”

• “Take this pill.”

• “It’s part of aging.”

• “Nothing can be done.”

That’s not leadership. That’s surrender. And every month you

wait…The nerve damage can spread.

What If You Could STOP the Damage?

At our clinic, we focus on TWO things:

1.Stop the nerve damage from getting worse

2.Help the nerve heal by improving blood flow

No surgery. No masking pills. No “just deal with it.”

Mary said: “I can sleep again. I can feel the floor again. I’m not scared to walk in the dark.” That’s what matters.

This is For You If:

✔ Your feet burn at night

✔ You feel numbness or tingling

✔ You’re scared of falling

✔ You’ve been told nothing can be done

✔ You want real answers

If that’s you… read this next part carefully.

Neuropathy Severity Evaluation Only $47 (Normally $249)

For a limited time, you’ll receive:

✔ Advanced Nerve Testing

✔ Blood Flow Evaluation

✔ Detailed Neuropathy Exam

✔ 1-on-1 Consultation with Dr. McGee

✔ A Personalized Plan

We will show you:

• How much nerve damage you have

• If it is mild, moderate, or severe

• If we can help you

No guessing. No false hope. Just answers.

A Final

Word From Dr. Brian McGee, DC

“You were told to live with this. But what if you didn’t have to? What if your next step could protect your balance… your independence… your future? You’re not too far gone. You’re not too late. You just need the right plan.”

Call 936-241-7673 NOW

The longer nerves go without oxygen… The harder they are to repair. Waiting makes it worse. Action gives you a chance. Call now.

PS: Falls are one of the top reasons adults lose independence. Neuropathy is one of the top causes of falls. You can’t fix what you don’t test. Call 936-241-7673 today. Your future self will thank you.

*Excludes beneficiaries of federally funded programs

*This article is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for personalized advice or treatment. This is a paid advertisement.

Puzzle Solutions

Sudoku

from page 66-67 EASY

Glorious Grandchildren

Laikyn Hill

Grandchild of Rick & Lisa Severns

Ridge Delesandri

Grandchild of David & Judi Delesandri

Teachers Touching Tomorrow

Honoring teachers who work with our kids day in and day out. They go above and beyond, and really do “Touch Tomorrow.”

Nominate a special teacher today by going online: www.PostcardsLive.com Those chosen for publication are awarded a gift card to 1836 Steakhouse.

Sponsored by:

Jeff Sockwell

Huntsville High School

Agriculture Mechanics

NOMINATED BY Kayla Lambright

Mr. Sockwell has made a difference in my education by believing in me & always pushing me to do my best. When I get stressed, he lets me know it’s going to be okay…and I get the job done.

Friday, April 16th 6:00 PM

Pasta with the Pastors Supporting the Good Shepherd Mission For Tickets: donorbox.org/events/911115/ steps/choose_tickets Friday, April 18th 11:00 PM Earth Day Celebration

The Garden Post

The Top “Tough as Nails” Perennials

Spring is in the air! The garden bug has bitten, and every gardener in Texas is on the hunt for spring color! The number one request is perennials. Perennials are plants that will return each year from the root system and will thrive for many multiple seasons/years. Perennials often die back in winter and reappear in the spring. Keep in mind many plants we consider to be perennials will be annuals in a colder climate. The term “tender perennial” will refer to plants that will not survive temps below 32 for a sustained time.

Here are our top picks for hardiness and sun tolerance. Please keep in mind, new plantings will require more water than your existing landscape and will take additional water to develop a good root system. There seems to be a misconception that “hardy” refers to no water, other than mother nature...that is a myth, Even native plant varieties will die during a drought. Please ensure you will be able to water consistently there first year.

“TOUGH AS NAILS” perennials require sandy loam, good sun, and well-drained soil; here are our tip picks.

Achillea (yarrow) – 1⁄2 sun to full sun; tolerates high heat; butterfly friendly; grows 2’-4’ x 3’, depending on variety.

Sage – Salvia greggi- mystic spire – practically all sage -1/2 sun to full sun; various sizes from less than 12” tall to 4’; a definite for any butterfly garden.

Coneflower – Echicacea –takes more water; grows 12”-24”; a must for bees and butterflies; blooms spring through early fall. Requires sandy loam soil with good drainage.

Chrysanthemum – a personal favorite! Blooms spring and fall; spreads beautifully; requires more water for establishment; tough as nails after a year. If planted in 1⁄2 sun, mums have been known to have a third bloom set.

Kim Bius President, Kim's Home & Garden Center

Foxtail Fern – not a fern, but a hardy perennial that will take the toughest west sun, drought and return after a harsh winter. No blooms, but red berries; grows 2’-4’ tall x 3’-4’ wide; perfect under palm trees or in containers. The prickly foliage makes a great barrier for small animals. You may know her sister, Asparagus Fern – grows the same but without the conical foxtails.

t seemsonderful spring and to the “brotherhood” of the trowel.

Bulbine – blooming succulent from Africa; has orange/ yellow spike blooms, spring – fall. It is hardy, drought tolerant and heat resistant; great groundcover for area that will receive irrigation on a very limited basis.

Dianella – Variegated Blue Flax – personal favorite for landscape! This striking grass-like clumping foliage provides the perfect texture variation with white variegation to make any area “pop.” Grows 3’ tall x 3’ wide. Downside – may not return with winter temps below 15; beautiful tropical look; shade – sun.

Lantana – available in over 50 varieties and immense color choices; 12” tall – 3’ tall x 1.5’ to 4’ (depending on variety); deer proof.

Esperanza – a larger perennial – available in orange/red/ yellow blooms; native to South Texas and Northern Mexico. Grows 3’ tall x 3’ wide; aka “yellow bells”; tolerates sandy soil, high heat and drought; butterflies and hummingbirds love it.

No garden should be without one or more of these beauties, and there are hundreds more to choose from when making the annual pilgrimage to the garden centers.

Happy Gardening!

Dianella

Dear Gabby

Welcome back to the April 2026 edition of the Dear Gabby advice column. To update your calendars: April Fool’s Day is (as always) on the 1st; Good Friday is April 3rd; and Easter Sunday is April 5th. I hate to mention it, but April 15th is the deadline to file your tax returns. April showers would be most welcome in our parched part of the world. Bring them on! A few May flowers wouldn’t hurt, either. Send me your questions by clicking on Dear Gabby at www.PostcardsLive.com/share.

DEAR GABBY

I barely survive tax season worrying about whether I will get a juicy refund or owe a lot of money. I can’t afford an accountant, and the tax code is intimidating, at best. Do you have any suggestions on taking some of the sting out of the process?

PETRIFIED PETE

DEAR UNTOUCHABLE

It’s all fun and games until the IRS shows up. Their motto is: we have what it takes to take what you have. Even the sign over their door reads THEIRS. In other words, how much did you make? Send it to us. It’s called a 1040 Form because for every 50 dollars you make, you get 10 and they get 40. By the way, a refund is actually your own money that you have overpaid the government. If you are unable to calculate the tip at a restaurant, I strongly urge you to get professional help or, at least, a computer program. Because, if you accidentally add a couple of zeroes on your tax return, the IRS acts like it’s a federal offense. Just don’t let this tax process cause you to doubt your mental prowess. The average novel has 90,000 words.

The US tax code, with regulations, has over a million. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax.”

DEAR GABBY

Call me stodgy, but I detest April Fool’s Day and see no humor in it. I think the people who play tricks and pranks on unsuspecting individuals are the fools!

DEAR STODGY

Since there’s no fool like an old fool, April 1st holds little meaning for me, but it brings joy to many people. I detest harmful pranks, but I hope you realize you can’t change the behavior of anyone other than yourself. There’s a simple solution. If harmless, playful antics annoy you, I suggest you take the day off and stay at home, avoiding the chance that your sensibilities will be offended.

GABBY

GABBY

STERN FERN

Pet Pals

Jäger loved by Amber & Tyler

Kaptain loved by Pops

Keira loved by Amber & Tyler

Letty & Molly

loved by Scott Wells

Precious loved by Brock & Diana Pennel

Sigrdr loved by Nancy V.

We believe every client deserves high-quality, compassionate care, and we are committed to delivering exceptional support tailored to each individual’s unique needs and expectations.

Along the Road

Dead Man’s Hole

Located south of Marble Falls on CR401 in southern Burnet County is a sink hole or cave developed in the Honeycut Formation of the Ellenburger Group. The cave was developed by the dissolution of limestone. It was originally known as Burnam’s hole until after the Civil War. The cave achieved notoriety as a dumping place for the bodies of Union sympathizers. The remains of several bodies were recovered from the cave in the late 1860s. In the 1950s and 1960s, spelunkers from the University of Texas  descended into the hole and reported “bad air” in the lower section of the cave. They described Dead Man’s Hole as having a 5-foot by 6-foot wide entrance pit, then a 29-foot vertical drop to a sloping ledge, before dropping another 103 feet to a 50-foot long sloping

fissure, and then into a 15-foot pit. The total vertical depth is 155 feet, and the total length is approximately 200-feet.

A Texas Historical Marker was erected for the landmark in 1998. The landowner, Ona Lou Roper, deeded Dead Man’s Hole

From the Editor:

We are pleased to share the results of Postcards Magazine’s first Community Choice Awards for Walker County. There were 735 businesses and individuals nominated, and we tallied over 21,000 votes cast during the contest!

Some of the categories are quite competitive, and this demonstrates the quality of products, services, and people in our local communities. We take the responsibility of managing the contest process very seriously. As a result, the outcome will be both accurate and meaningful for the nominees, the voters, and anyone reading the results and relying on the opinions of their neighbors in making local business selections.

The results will remain available for viewing online year-round at postcardslive.com

If you missed out on nominations and voting this year, we hope you will take advantage next year…and the next… and so on. We plan to be consistent with the timing of our annual contest.

JUST THINK:

New Year, new contest-nominations will happen each year in January.

When Valentine’s Day approaches, tell us who you love!-voting will occur every February

Thank you to all who nominated and voted, and congratulations to all the winners!

Real Estate Company

Terri Coleman Realty

New Business

The Raven Italian Bistro and Bar

Pizza Joe's Italian Grill

Place for a Sweet Treat

Red Bird Creamery

Place for Adult Beverages

Fox & Barrel

Place for Comfort Food

Country Inn Steak & Seafood

Daisy's Diner Country Store

Place for Romance/ Celebrations

1836 Steakhouse

Salad Five Loaves Deli

Sandwich Shop Five Loaves Deli

Fast Food Chick-fil-A

Food Truck

Arnaud's Cajun Kitchen

Healthy Options Five Loaves Deli

Italian Dining

Joe's Italian Grill

Kid Friendly Chick-fil-A

Locally Owned Restaurant

Rodeo Mexican Bar and Grill

Lunch Five Loaves Deli

Mexican Restaurant

Rodeo Mexican Bar and Grill

Seafood

The Big E-Z Crawfish & Oyster Bar

Specialty Market

Tallent Sausage

Steak Texas Roadhouse

Takeout

Texas Roadhouse

Alterations Ou Alterations

Carpet Cleaning

The Steamery

Children's Activities/ Programs

Boys & Girls Club of Walker County

Cleaning/ Housekeeping Service

Deep Clean Texas

Contractor/Homebuilder

Cowboy Contractors

Daycare

Tomorrow's Promise

Montessori Schools

Dry Cleaners

Town & Country Cleaners

Electrician Service

McCaffety Electric Co Inc

Equipment Rental

Huntsville Rental Center

Event Venue

The Vintage Event Center

Farm Equipment Retailer

Huntsville Truck and Tractor

Funeral Home

Sam Houston Memorial

Funeral Home

Glass Company

Able Glass & Mirror

Heating/ Air Conditioning Service

All-Temp Heating & Air Conditioning

Home Security

Sentry Security Co

Hotel/Motel

Home2 Suites by Hilton

Landscaping/ Lawn Care/Pools

Kelsey Cryer - Clear Water Pools

Laundromat/ Laundry Service

Bubbles Wash House 1

Law Firm

Haney Paschal Romoser, P.C.

Locksmith

A-1 Lockmith

Managed IT Services/

Web Design

Anthem Technology

Moving Service

Bearkat Movers

Musical Instrument

Tuning/Repair

Madilene's Piano

Tuning & Repair

Pest Control

Precision Pest Control

Photography

Jenna Linn Photography

Plumbing Service

Affordable Plumbing Co

Portable Buildings

Cabins and More of Texas

Roofing Company

Utopia Roofing

Security Company

Lonestar Security & Investigations

Signs/Sign Company

Precision Impressions Signs

Storage Facility

Climatec Secure Storage

Tech Repair

Tech-ER

Trash Removal Service

Tx Trash It

Tree Service

Woods Tree Service

Welding Service

Woods Welding

Health & Beauty

Day Spa/ Medical Spa/Massage

MB Spa & Aesthetics

Drugstore/Pharmacy

H-E-B Pharmacy

ER/Urgent Care

Huntsville Memorial Hospital

Eye Care Center

Means & Associates Optometry

Fitness Center/Gym

Iron Works Health Club

Hair Salon/Barber Shop

The Facemaker

Health Clinic

Genesis Medical GroupHuntsville

Hearing Aid Center/ Audiologist

Family Hearing & Sensory

Neural Center

Home Health/Senior Care Service

Benchmark Home Health and Hospice

Hospice Care

Benchmark Home Health and Hospice

Medical Specialist

Dalton Heath II MDOrthopedics

Mental Health Professional

Prevail Behavioral Health & Wellness Center

Nail Salon

Hello Beautiful Nails & Spa

Other H&B Services

Unique Tan & Boutique

Physical Therapy Center

HMH Center for Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine

Senior Care Facility

Creekside Retirement

Community

People

Providing Services

Chiropractor

Joint & Spine Center: Jeffrey Pruski DC

Church/Pastor

Christ the King Methodist Church - Rev. Jeff Powers

Community Event/Festival Fair on the Square

Dentist

Logan & Fritsch Dentistry

Doctor/NP

Trey Young MD

First Responder

Scott Zella - SHSU PD

Loan Officer

Lorri LehmanFirst National Bank

Massage Therapist

Julie Fischer

Museum HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas

Nonprofit Organization CASA of Walker County

Orthodontist

Bryan Orthodontics

Real Estate Agent

Terri Coleman

School

Alpha Omega Academy

Teacher

Misty Lampson -

Alpha Omega Academy

Tourist Attraction

Huntsville State Park

Pets

Kennels

Magnolia Kennel

Pet Grooming

Pampered Pets

Vet Clinic

Walker County Veterinary Center Shopping

Antique Store

Rosey Opals Collective Market

Appliance Store

Otis Appliance Center

Boutique Joetta's

Building Supply

Walker County Ace Hardware

Embroidery Shop

Advantage Specialties Inc

Farm & Ranch Supply

Walker County Feed & Farm

Floor Covering Store

Ward Furniture & Flooring

Florist

Heartfield Florist

Furniture Store

Ward Furniture & Flooring

Garden Center

Kim's Home and Garden

Gift Shop

Walker County Ace Hardware

Grocery Store H-E-B

Hardware Store

Walker County Ace Hardware

Home Decor

Hobby Lobby

Jeweler

Elliott's Jewelers

Liquor Store

Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods

Mattress Retailer

Ward Furniture & Flooring

Men's Clothing

Lee Baron

Promotional Items/ Specialty

Advantage Specialties

Sewing/Hobbies

Fabric Carousel

Thrift/Resale Shop

Bargain Boxx / Simply Seconds

Vehicles

Auto Body/Collision

Amaya's Collision Center

Auto Dealership (new)

Bill Fick Ford

Auto Dealership (used)

Charlie's Used Cars

Auto Detailing

L & J Detail Shop

Auto Glass

Able Glass & Mirror

Auto Parts Store

Reliable Parts Co

Auto Repair & Maintenance

WC Auto Center

Car Wash

WhiteWater Express Car Wash

Custom Accessories

Extreme Outfitters

Specialty Vehicle Dealer

Big D Marine and Powersports

Tire Center

Discount Tire

Towing/Wrecker Service

Pete Johnson Towing

Voted Community Voted Community

walker county walker county title company title company

Sean Chen, PT, DPT Physical Therapy Director Tony Delclos, PTA

Postcardslive.com

Giggles & Grins

Doctor: Describe your morning routine.

Me: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

Doctor: M-o-r-n-i-n-g.

Me: I know how to spell it.

••••••••••••••••••••

Security guard: You can't bring outside food in here.

Me: This is a service taco.

••••••••••••••••••••

My team at work told me I needed to bring my A game to this meeting, but I thought they just said a game...so I brought UNO.

••••••••••••••••••••

Website: We use cookies to improve performance.

Me: Same.

••••••••••••••••••••

Wife: You seem happier.

Me: Thanks. I uploaded our whole argument into ChatGPT, and it said I was right.

••••••••••••••••••••

What do you call a beehive without an exit?

Unbelievable.

••••••••••••••••••••

They say, "When you snooze, you lose"... I say, "When you take a nappy, you are happy."

••••••••••••••••••••

Fun fact: Australia's biggest export is boomerangs.

It's also their biggest import.

••••••••••••••••••••

How many optometrists does it take to change a light bulb?

1 or 2?

1... or 2?

Sudoku Marketspace

Sudoku Marketspace

Funspace

BASKET

BOUQUET

BUNNY CARROTS

CHICKS

CHOCOLATE

COTTONTAIL

CROSS DYE

EASTER

EGGS FLOWER

HUNT

PEEPS

PURPLE

SPRING

Spot 8 Differences

Trusted Automotive Repair

Funspace

Escape the Maze

Begin

Grows into a Love of Learning

Funspace

Postcardslive.com

How does a bee brush its hair? With a honeycomb!

What did the tree say to the flower? "Hey bud, let's bloom together!"

Why did the bird join the band? It had perfect tweet for spring songs! What’s a chick’s favorite game? Peck-a-boo

Wildlife Wonders

Here’s Looking at You, Kid

The surprisingly expressive face of the wolf spider

Wolf spiders will look at you like they have something to say, and they’re not afraid to say it. They have a face complete with two large eyes that seem to stare right at you, giving them a surprisingly expressive appearance. They have six smaller ones arranged in three rows. On the bottom row are four small eyes. Above those sit the two enormous eyes that give the spider its unmistakable “face.” On top of its head are two more medium-sized eyes giving the creature a full surveillance system. The effect is a spider that doesn’t just wander through the yard—it looks like it’s studying you right back. This is fitting, because wolf spiders are active hunters with excellent vision.

The large middle eyes give wolf spiders excellent vision, especially at night. Try shining a flashlight across your grass after dark, and you might see tiny greenish sparkles. It’s the reflective layer in the wolf spider’s eyes sending light right back to you. While most spiders rely mainly on vibrations, wolf spiders see which means if you notice one, it probably noticed you first.

There are over 2,800 species of wolf spiders. In Texas alone, there are 64 species. In the Houston area, the most common ones are the Carolina wolf spider, the tiger wolf spider, and the rabid wolf spider. The Carolina is the largest wolf spider in North America—we’re talking up to four inches across. Despite its name, the rabid wolf spider can’t give you rabies. It gets the name from its erratic, twitchy movement. It’s smaller than the Carolina wolf spider and is very common in Houston yards and wooded areas. All three are beneficial because they keep the pest population down, but that doesn’t make finding one in the house any less creepy.

One evening, I spotted a rather large spider strolling across my floor like it owned the place. Since I am not a fan of spiders sharing my living space, my reaction was immediate and decisive. I stepped on it. What happened next was something straight out of a lowbudget horror film. Instead of the situation ending, the spider seemed to explode into

By Cheryl Conley Lake Creek Nature Preserve Board of Directors

motion as hundreds of tiny baby spiders suddenly scattered in every direction across the floor. It turns out the spider I had encountered was a mother wolf spider carrying her young on her back—a common wolf spider behavior that is fascinating from a biological standpoint and deeply alarming from a barefoot-in-the-house standpoint. I learned two things that night: wolf spiders are devoted mothers, and I can move surprisingly fast when properly motivated. Wolf spider mothers carry their spiderlings on their backs for several days after they hatch, protecting them until they are ready to venture out on their own.

One of the things that sets wolf spiders apart from most other spiders is they don’t spin webs. They chase down their prey on foot. They rely on their eight eyes and speed to catch insects. They can spin silk, though, which they use for lining their burrows and carrying their egg sacs.

Wolf spiders can bite but it’s rare and usually only happens if they feel threatened. If they bite, it’s generally mild. You’ll experience some redness, swelling and a little pain. For those with allergies, you could have a stronger reaction.

Wolf spiders may look intimidating with their staring eyes and speedy legs, but they are just hardworking members of nature’s pest-control team. They hunt insects, care for their young, and generally keep to themselves—unless they accidentally wander into someone’s living room. If that happens, you may experience a brief moment of panic followed by a renewed appreciation for how quickly a spider can run. Still, once the excitement subsides, it’s worth remembering these eight-eyed hunters

preferably when they’re outside. Don’t do like I did. Simply put— catch and release

Medical Matters

When Is a Fever Too High? What Parents Should Know

Few things worry parents faster than seeing a fever on the thermometer. As a pediatrician, one of the most common questions I hear is simple: How high is too high?

The good news is fevers are very common in children. In most cases, a fever is a normal part of how the body fights infection.

A fever happens when the body raises its temperature to help fight infections such as viruses or bacteria. For children, a temperature of 100.4°F or higher is considered a fever. While the number on the thermometer can be alarming, a fever is often a sign that the immune system is doing its job.

Most fevers in children are caused by common viral illnesses. These include upper respiratory infections commonly known as “colds,” the flu, and other infections that spread easily in schools and daycare settings. Children with these illnesses may also have symptoms like cough, runny nose, sore throat, tiredness, or a lower appetite. In many cases, the fever improves as the illness runs its course over a few days.

When I talk with parents about fevers, I remind them to look at how their child is acting, not just the number on the thermometer. A child who is drinking fluids, resting, and responding normally is often doing well while their body recovers.

However, there are times when a fever should be checked by a doctor.

For infants younger than six months, any fever of 100.4°F or higher should be evaluated by a physician right away. Young babies have developing immune systems, and fevers at this age can sometimes signal a more serious infection.

For older babies and children, parents should seek medical advice if a fever rises to or above 104°F, lasts longer than three to five days, or comes with other concerning symptoms. These may include trouble breathing, repeated vomiting, signs of dehydration, severe headache, unusual sleepiness, or a rash that spreads quickly.

Febrile seizures can sometimes occur when a child’s temperature

Natasha Shah, MD FAAP

Board-certified in Pediatrics

rises too quickly. Although these seizures are generally not harmful, closely monitoring a fever allows parents to better manage symptoms and provide accurate information to healthcare providers. Parents should also trust their instincts. If a child seems very weak, hard to wake, or much more uncomfortable than expected, it is always okay to call a healthcare provider for guidance.

When caring for a child with a fever at home, comfort and fluids are most important. Encourage your child to drink water or other fluids and allow them to rest. Fever-reducing medicines may also help children feel more comfortable when used as directed. Dressing children in light clothing and keeping the room at a comfortable temperature can also help. It is important for parents to remember that fevers themselves are usually not dangerous. In most cases, they are simply a sign that the body is working to fight infection.

If you ever have concerns about your child’s fever, a pediatric provider can help you decide whether your child should be seen. Having a trusted healthcare team to turn to can provide reassurance and help families handle the many minor illnesses that are a normal part of childhood.

Tasty Bites

Italian Breakfast Strata

INGREDIENTS

1 large loaf Italian or French bread

1 Tbs olive oil plus more to grease baking dish

12 oz Italian sausage, casings removed

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp dried rosemary

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 lb baby spinach

12 large eggs

2 tsp kosher salt

4 cups milk

8 oz fontina or fontal cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and spread out in a single layer on the work surface; leave uncovered overnight to become stale.

Step 2:

Add olive oil to a skillet set over medium-high heat and add sausage. Cook, while crumbling with a spatula, for a few minutes, just until the sausage starts to brown. Add onions, a large pinch of salt, black pepper, cayenne, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Cook, stirring until the onions soften and start to turn translucent.

Step 3: Transfer the mixture into a bowl, then spoon about 1 tablespoon of rendered sausage fat back into the pan; place pan back over medium-high heat.

Step 4: Add spinach and cook, tossing with tongs until barely wilted and bright green. Transfer into a strainer to cool. Squeeze out any excess water and chop before using. Or use scissors to snip into small pieces.

Step 5: Whisk eggs with salt until yolks have been incorporated into the whites.  Whisk in milk and set aside.

Step 6: Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom with a single tight layer of stale bread cubes. Top evenly with about 60% of sausage mixture, layer on 60% of spinach, and then scatter over half the cheese.

Step 7: Top this with another layer of bread cubes, pressing down lightly with your hands to flatten. Top bread with remaining sausage and spinach. Ladle egg and milk mixture evenly over casserole. Top with the remaining cheese.

Step 8: Wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Step 9: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 10: Bake strata in the preheated oven until top is lightly browned, and an instant read thermometer inserted into the center reaches 150 degrees, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Step 11: Let strata rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Tasty Bites

Green Grape Salad

INGREDIENTS

4 lbs seedless green grapes

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

½ cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 oz chopped pecans

2 Tbs brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Wash and dry grapes.

Step 2: Mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add grapes and mix until evenly incorporated.

Step 3: Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans, mix again and refrigerate until serving.

Tasty Bites

Pineapple Casserole

INGREDIENTS

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks (or tidbits)

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

½ cup white sugar, or to taste

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

40 buttery round crackers (such as Ritz), crushed

½ cup butter, melted, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Drain the can of pineapple chunks, reserving 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice to use in this recipe. Discard remaining juice or reserve for a different use.

Step 3: Transfer drained pineapple chunks and reserved 1/4 cup juice into a large bowl. Add drained, crushed pineapple, cheese, sugar, and flour; mix to combine.

Step 4: Pour into a 1 ½-quart casserole dish.

Step 5: Mix cracker crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl; sprinkle over pineapple mixture.

Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Tasty Bites

Million Dollar Egg Salad

INGREDIENTS

6 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

2 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

4 (2 oz) slices white bread

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Stir eggs, mayonnaise, bacon, Cheddar, green onions, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl until combined. Use the back of a fork to mash ingredients together until evenly combined.

Step 2: Spread half of the egg salad mixture evenly on 2 of the bread slices; top each with 1 bread slice. Cut sandwiches in half and serve.

Tasty Bites

Sweet Soy and Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 tsp ground white pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground coriander

Chicken:

2 Tbs avocado oil

1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast salt to taste

1/2 lb sliced crimini mushrooms

2 cups cooked white rice chopped green onion toasted sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: For sauce, place a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add sugar, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, white pepper, ginger, and coriander to the pot and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, place a skillet over medium heat. Add oil to the skillet. Season chicken lightly with salt on both sides. Cut chicken breast into bite-sized chunks. Add chicken and cook and stir until barely pink at the center, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink at the center and mushrooms are softened to taste, a few minutes more.

Step 3: Add chicken and mushrooms to sauce. Stir to coat; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve over white rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

48 Years of Beauty, Style & Community

Tasty Bites

Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars

INGREDIENTS

Brown Butter:

11 tablespoons unsalted butter

Cheesecake Filling:

8 oz full fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup white sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

Carrot Cake:

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups grated carrot

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Place butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until little browned bits begin to form in the bottom of the pan and turn an amber color, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch square pan with enough parchment paper to have overhang on all sides.

Step 3: For cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese, white sugar, egg, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pinch of salt together with an electric mixer until completely smooth and combined. Set aside.

Step 4: For carrot cake, to cooled browned butter, add brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and allspice and whisk until thoroughly incorporated, about 1 minute. Add egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and whisk until thoroughly smooth and combined. Add flour and baking soda and mix until just incorporated. Stir in grated carrots.

Step 5: Place about 1/2 carrot cake batter into the pan and smooth into an even layer (it will be a somewhat thin layer). Pour cheesecake filling over the top of the carrot cake layer. Place dollops of remaining carrot cake batter over the cheesecake filling. Use a butter knife to swirl the layers together a few times, taking care not to go all the way to the bottom of the pan. Tap pan on the counter several times to help the batter resettle into an even layer.

Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven until bars are puffed and have only a slight jiggle in the center, 40-45 minutes. Allow bars to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours.

Step 7: Remove bars from pan using the parchment overhang. Carefully peel off parchment paper. Run a sharp knife under hot water, then dry it off on a towel. Use the hot knife to cut the bars into 16 servings. Wipe off the knife as needed between cuts. Keep extra bars stored in the refrigerator.

Tasty Bites

Five Flavor Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 cup milk

1 tsp coconut extract

1 tsp rum flavored extract

1 tsp butter flavored extract

1 tsp lemon extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups white sugar

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup shortening

5 large eggs, beaten

Glaze:

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup water

½ tsp coconut extract

½ tsp rum flavored extract

½ tsp butter flavored extract

½ tsp lemon extract

½ tsp vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 10-inch tube pan.

Step 2: Combine flour and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine milk and

extracts in a liquid measure; set aside.

Step 3: Cream sugar, butter, and shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon mixture into the prepared pan.

Step 4: Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Step 5: While cake is cooling, make glaze: Combine sugar, water, and extracts in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

Step 6: Turn cake out onto the wire rack. Place waxed paper under the rack to catch glaze drippings. Slowly spoon glaze over the top of hot cake. Cool completely.

Romoser Jacob Paschal .

Davis Wealth and Risk Management, Inc.

Working hard to build relationships based on trust and solid outcomes.

STORY BY CLAUDIA KIRKWOOD | PHOTOS BY TOM MILLER

Christopher Davis, a licensed insurance agent and financial advisor in Huntsville, Texas, invites you to meet with him to discuss your insurance and financial goals. He has been a Mutual of Omaha insurance producer since 2005 and received his investment advisor representative license in 2017. Over the last few years, he has built trusting relationships with many in our community by helping to guide their financial decisions, providing solid information and long-term planning goals. “I am committed to providing my clients with the guidance and consistent service needed in developing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive

business and individual strategy.” Much of his business is through repeat customers and word of mouth, which are indicators of sound advice and successful outcomes.

Chris moved to Huntsville in January of 1985, after building houses in Austin upon high school graduation. He attended Sam Houston State University and graduated in August 1989 with a BBA in Management. His wife Janna grew up in Huntsville, and they have three adult children and four grandchildren. “We have enjoyed living and working in Huntsville because of the wonderful friendships we have been blessed with. And although we now live in Madisonville,

I drive every day to my office, which is still located in Huntsville.”

Mutual of Omaha recruited Chris in 2004 to start an insurance and financial services business. He primarily focused his efforts on the individual health, life and Medicare supplement markets. He worked with individuals, business owners, and people who were aging into Medicare at age 65. He began his career the oldfashioned way, by knocking on doors, selling Medicare supplement and life insurance policies. His dad always encouraged his kids by saying “Can’t never could,” and this sage advice was motivational for Chris. And although knocking on doors is no longer an

I pledge to be here when you need me ”

option, Chris is available through the internet, phone, or a visit to his office.

Chris works with his clients to provide risk management and investment planning services. He assists with Medicare and Social Security planning, retirement plan rollovers, investment management, and income planning in retirement. To protect for the risk of living too long and expiring too soon, he offers life insurance, long-term care insurance, and annuity planning. His income planning services consist of Social Security and the income for life strategy. “We utilize proper asset allocation matched to our client’s risk tolerance and time horizon. This helps provide a smooth transition into and through retirement.”

Although Chris is a Financial Advisor with Mutual of Omaha, he utilizes other companies such as Asset Mark and Envestnet for portfolio managed accounts. Also, other insurance companies are utilized for life insurance, Medicare supplement, Medicare Advantage, long-term care, annuities, group health insurance, and 401K planning.

A potential client should consider their financial priorities and determine what is most important at this time in life:

• Protecting your lifestyle (and income) if you get sick?

• Providing for your family financially if something happens to you?

• Sending your children to college?

• Securing a comfortable retirement?

Davis Wealth and Risk Management offers the following products and services:

Individuals and Families

• Risk management

• Wealth accumulation

• Retirement income planning

• Estate planning

• 401(k) rollover

Business Planning

• Retirement accumulation

• Retirement income planning

• Buy-sell arrangement

• Executive bonus plans

• Key employee insurance

• Estate planning strategies

• Benefit options for your employees

Some of the products he is licensed to provide include:

• IRAs

• Fee-based financial planning

• Mutual funds

• Business 401k planning

• Annuities

• Life insurance

• Income planning

• Long-term care insurance

• Medicare supplement insurance

• Critical illness insurance

• Employee benefit plans

Helping you navigate through various solutions and plan strategically for the future is a responsibility Chris takes seriously. “As a registered representative and investment advisor representative, I pledge to be here when you need me, to offer solutions that make sense for you and your family. I will be a lifetime resource for you, to help you make informed decisions year after year.”

To help achieve a client’s goals, he will first meet to discuss and answer questions you may have. After listening to your financial history and goals, he will suggest options and make recommendations based on your feedback. Once the plan is made and put into action, he will monitor the outcome with you and adjust the course as needed. Clients include:

• Young families who need financial and property protection

• Professionals and individuals planning for retirement

• Those close to retirement needing Social Security and income planning, and 401k rollovers.

• Individuals planning for the transition to Medicare and retirement including long-term healthcare planning

• Small business owners who need protection for their life’s work for their families and employees

Products include: Medicare supplement insurance; annuities; critical illness insurance; dental

insurance; life insurance; longterm care insurance; cancer, heart attack and stroke insurance; small business solutions; income planning; investments; and Social Security timing.

Chris represents Mutual of Omaha (MOO), a solid company which dates back to 1909. MOO has selling agreements with many other companies, which allows its agents access to all markets to find the best price for each product. No one strategy fits everyone, which is why every client gets undivided attention—from planning to execution to follow-up. And Chris searches for the best product for the best price for each client. Mackenzie Acord, marketing assistant for Davis Wealth and Risk Management, is a valuable member of

My obligation is to my client, and I work hard to build a relationship based on trust and solid outcomes in meeting their high expectations ”

the team and works closely with Chris to deliver the best options available.

Consider this your invitation to meet with Chris and discuss your financial, investment, and insurance needs. As he states, “My obligation is to my client, and I work hard to build a relationship based on trust and solid outcomes in meeting their high expectations.” Contact Chris using the information below.

DAVIS WEALTH AND RISK MANAGEMENT, INC.

Christopher L. Davis, LUTCF, Financial Advisor 1314 10th Street, Suite 130 Huntsville, TX 77320

936-295-1151

Chris.davis@mutualofomaha.com

callchrisdavis.com

Get even more info at: get-retirementright.com the3bigrisks.com

Securities and advisory services offered through Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Davis Wealth and Risk Management Inc. and Mutual of Omaha Investor Services, Inc., are not affiliated. Mutual of Omaha Advisors is a division of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company.

Creative Corner

Twins

by Debbie Bradshaw

Raggle taggle tomboys, Barbara, How we ran all day; Best of friends, there was no end To the games we used to play.

Shared our secrets and our tears, Shared our dreams and then… Laughing look-alikes we were Just yesterday it seems.

And Barbara, I miss you-Even though we’re miles apart; We’re both wives and mothers now, But you’re forever in my heart.

And Barbara, the years we spent Together growing up, Made me a person who could care-A person who could love.

Barbara and Debbie are 75 years old. Barbara resides in Southfield, Michigan with her husband Rick and their two daughters and eight grandchildren. Debbie and her husband Steve live in Huntsville, Texas, and their daughter Catherine and son Neil and have two grandchildren. Both Barbara and Debbie love the Lord Jesus Christ very much.

Your Best Agrilife

Small Scale Gardening, Large Scale Production

Spring is finally here, and the world around us is coming to life. From the early signs of the redbuds showing off vibrant pink florals to the partnering of Eastern bluebirds, the indications are clear. It is time to start spring gardening! Establishing a spring garden in our area can provide fresh produce through much of the summer. But not all of us have acres of land available to till the soil and establish large plots. Many turn to space-efficient gardens through various methods such as container gardens and raised beds. No matter how much space you have, there is always enough room to have fresh produce.

The most popular method of space-friendly gardening is raised beds. A raised bed is a container filled with growing medium standing from 6” to 3’ off the ground. This allows for high quality soil management no matter where you place it. Raised beds can be established in small yards or even on a balcony or porch. The dimensions of raised beds may vary to what space you would like to fill. A typical bed would be anywhere from six to eight feet long by three feet wide and around 12-24” deep for a moderately sized bed. The versatility of this style is endless in design and materials. These gardens can be prefabricated metal designs or homemade boxes made of wood. The price point of a raised bed fluctuates with material and size, but could even be a repurposed wheelbarrow or old feed trough. The success of a raised bed lies in quality soil, placement in a sunny spot, and watering control.

Ryan McCormick

Walker County Extension Agent

traditionally done with 5-gallon buckets due to inexpensive materials. One 5-gallon bucket can produce anywhere from 5 to 20 pounds of produce in a single growing season, dependent on plant type. All you need to do is drill around 5 half-inch holes into the bottom of the buckets and fill with potting mix. That’s it, ready to plant! Many container gardeners will make bucket racks that can hold up to 15-20 buckets with only a few 2x4 planks. This method is extremely easy to start and very inexpensive.

Remember, many of these space efficient gardens will need extra attention. Watering will have to be done more frequently

and controlled compared to ground planting. Nutrient requirements will fluctuate and change as plants grow and take up space in the containers. Some plant types will do better than others in containers, so keep in mind the size requirements for a full-size plant of anything you are planting. A bit of research and vigilance, and your container gardens will thrive and compete with large row gardens in terms of quality and quantity in space.

Another popular method for small design and major production is container gardening! Container gardening is

Gardening isn’t just for landowners or large-scale producers. With minimal space and creative design, anyone can grow fresh produce on their back porch or even apartment balconies. If you have efficient light, fertilizers for nutrients, and consistent watering, successful production is in reach. For more information on garden design or spring vegetables for your area, please reach out to your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office. We love being able to provide information that grows healthy bodies and healthy plants.

Terry Woods

OUR TEAM

Meet the people behind the pages.

Get to Know Us

Every issue of Postcards is made possible by a dedicated team working behind the scenes.

With Get to Know Us, we’re pulling back the curtain to introduce you to the people who make it all happen— one little question at a time!

"WHAT'S

YOUR FAVORITE COOKIE?"

Chip

Karen’s Oatmeal Craisin (Nancy and I fight over them. Karen, if you’re making them, give them all to me and I’ll make sure Nancy gets a couple… :)

Mom's Glaze Bars

Chocolate

Oatmeal Raisin

Karen's Oatmeal Craisin

Cowboy Cookies

Hello Dolly Bars

Mary Partida Designer

April Key Designer

Tammy Farkas Advertising

Nancy Jolly Advertising

Wes Altom Editor

Marshall Altom Operations Mgr.

Karen Altom Publisher

April 2026

Mustard Seed Moments

By JRA

Are We Living in “Selective” Service?

o ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. --Matthew 28:19

I needed to refer to this passage for another lesson, and when I read these words, it was like a slap in the face. I had to put the other lesson on hold and let the Spirit talk to me; this was a hard lesson I was guilty of, and the Spirit drove home my failures.

You see, I started driving for Uber back in April 2025, so I pick up at least 15-20 riders per day (and often many more). I realized this was a great opportunity to witness and invite riders to church. My church gave me cards with all the church information on them. I thought I was doing good and even patted myself on the back. But I was guilty of picking who got the cards and the invite. I was making a decision…inviting some, but not inviting others. I was letting the race, the long hair, the no hair, the braided hair, the tattoos, the language, the look, and the smell make up my mind.

In other words, I was guilty of blocking the way to God, because I was deciding who had a chance to go to heaven and who did not. As I read (and re-read) this verse, the Spirit brought to my attention the little three letter word “all.”

All means everybody. Christ died to save all, and here I was deciding. Guilty, guilty, guilty…no way around it, I am guilty. The Spirit reminded me that my duty was to plant the seed and not be concerned about the soil the seed landed on. All I can do is pray and trust I will get to open the door to my car and also open the door to heaven for those I have failed many times.

I like what I have heard my friend Reagan Cooksey say many times, “Come to the cross, and we will show you Jesus.”

Lord, I pray you will forgive me and let me show people what Jesus did on the cross. Give me love for those I have deemed unlovable. Give me boldness and a heart to say, “Come to Jesus and be saved from your sins.” Thank you for those who prayed for me, led me to Jesus, and were/are such an influence in my walk with you. I saw Jesus in them, so let others see Jesus in me.