Vol. 37 No. 11
November 2023
Western Hoedown: A Heel-Tapping, Good Time By Sara Henninger, photos by Darrell Holdaway Cowboy hats off to the Social Committee who on Saturday, September 23, hosted a Western Hoedown poolside at Rec Ctr 1. It was a beautiful night, and the tables were filled to the maximum with smiling and happy residents. Many came attired in western wear including blue jeans, western shirts, fringed vests and skirts, boots, and cowboy hats. Doug Houston, disc jockey extraordinaire, provided entertainment. He is a wonderful singer and
Doug Houston teaching line dance to many guests Joann and Jesse Hunt are experienced line dancers
line dancer. He got many people out on the floor and taught them the steps of a line dance and then danced with them while singing. What a talent! Continued on page 4
Neighbors and Nature By Claire Readey, photos by Bill Woolley One of the many wonders of Casta del Sol is an abundance of wildlife living here in hidden nooks. Bill Woolley, a resident since 2016, enjoys vigorous early morning walks, often covering three plus miles on his usual route. Last May, quite by surprise, some neighbors living near Bill pointed out some Great Horned Owls, known by their distinctive ear tufts and hoots, while he was on a walk. As an amateur photographer, Bill captured the owls in different poses in
the trees and sometimes even on the ground, that are very hard to spot. The owls seen turned out to be a family of four. New to enjoying birds, he posted pictures on Next Door and had 29,000 views! He was flabbergasted by the response, and sent some photos to the Courier. Great Horned Owls, largest of the tufted owls, are considered to be common across the United States, and mate in winter. The owls have acute hearing, up to ten miles away, but Continued on page 4
Thanksgiving Appreciation By Sara Henninger
Thanksgiving dates back to Pilgrim days after their very first harvest in the New World in 1621. Their feast lasted
three days and was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday that would be celebrated the fourth Thursday in November. It is a time when many residents reflect back on Thanksgivings from years gone by. I remember when my mom prepared a few days in advance of the holiday by baking homemade cornbread and
Great Horned Owl poses in a Casta pine tree biscuits to add to the white bread for the stuffing. Then, on Thanksgiving morning, we would wake up to the smell of pies in the oven – pumpkin, cherry, coconut cream, and pecan, just to name a few. A sumptuous dinner was served with turkey and all of the trimmings. More memories were made as we shared love and laughter around the table. Some families have a tradition of guests taking turns at stating what they are thankful for. May you all have a joyous Thanksgiving season with those you love.
Family of Owls in Casta
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday that would be celebrated the fourth Thursday in November.