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November brings us Thanksgiving and is the beginning of the holiday season. One of my favorite childhood memories revolves around Thanksgiving.
Each Thanksgiving my mom and dad, my sister
Jean and I, would load up our family auto and head to Wichita, Kansas. Wichita was the home of my dad’s parents. Each year we would travel there and celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s where I was first taught how to make angels in the snow by my granny Lottie. Such wonderful memories.
our help in some way to get by daily. Let’s lend a hand in any way that we can to ensure that everyone, not just the most fortunate, can enjoy the holidays. Let’s band together and make it so that everyone can experience the joy, happiness, and love that the holidays bring.
It’s very important this time of year to remember to BUY LOCAL! Our local businesses need and deserve our continued support. As I have said countless times, almost anything you could ever want or need can be found right here locally. Let’s make this a banner holiday season for our local businesses.
Let’s not forget about the less fortunate people that surround us. Galveston is such a giving community and that is one of the many reasons that I am proud to call it my home. Let’s all be conscious and thoughtful of the people around us who may need
A heartfelt thanks go out to all of our loyal readers and advertisers for your support of Waves Magazine. You have made publishing WAVES a great ride and we appreciate each and every one of you! See you around the island…
Galvestonians are so fortunate to have Moody Gardens and all their amazing animals to enjoy. Along with the penguins, seals, and beautiful tropical fish, one resident in my mind stands above all others.
I’ll admit some favoritism, but Diablo, their fourteen-year-old Komodo dragon, is the star of the show. He is not only breathtaking to see in person, but his intelligence and behaviors make him worth the price of admission by itself.
Diablo arrived at Moody Gardens in 2010 having hatched from a five-inchlong egg three months earlier at the Los Angeles Zoo. The little guy was just eighteen inches long and weighed the same as a large apple. Thanks to great care, enrichment, and an abundance of training he has matured into an eight-foot-long, 175-pound adult. To many, Komodo dragons are just plain scary and gross. If you ask those in the Diablo Fan Club, he is an opportunity to see a living relic of the dinosaurs that roamed the earth 400 million years ago.
Thanks to the staff at Moody Gardens and his primary caretaker, Marci Kurtz, Diablo, in many ways, is as gentle as a kitten and as smart as most dogs. Marci is the Animal Welfare Manager at Moody Gardens and has spent hundreds of hours socializing and conditioning Diablo to bring out his amazing traits. Her twenty years of experience in reptile and animal care has made her a perfect “Dragon Mother” for Diablo. Don’t be fooled. Marci is aware Diablo is still a potentially dangerous wild animal and there are strict safety protocols in place when she and her staff are dealing with Diablo. When working with dragons, watching for any sign of agitation is important for staff safety. As gentle as he seems, there is no need to risk getting in the way of his one hundred razor-sharp teeth if he wakes up one day in a grumpy mood.
For safety reasons feeding sessions and other training activities are kept totally separate. Diablo knows when his favorite foods
consisting of rodents, fish, and eggs, are ready to be served. His handlers show him the mealtime cues of colored batons that trigger his feeding response. Then watch out! Diablo becomes a real dragon with a no-holds-barred, dino-appetite. He can swallow several pounds of food in a single gulp without chewing. Diablo eats five pounds of food weekly and requires a 120-degree “hot rock” to lay on to digest his food properly. He has been conditioned to eat the food presented to him on long tongs.
Komodo dragons are probably the most intelligent of all modernday reptiles and need daily enrichment activities to keep them happy, engaged, and well-conditioned. Diablo’s care includes positive reinforcement methods designed specifically by Marci to nurture his curiosity and intelligence. He enjoys daily head scratching and touch sessions for his own enjoyment and to reinforce the bond between himself and the people who care for him. All done in mind that safety comes first, and a safe space is present if he shows signs of agitation.
Diablo makes frequent trips to the Moody otter exhibit for swimming and sunbathing sessions. The otters of course are tucked away off exhibit for obvious reasons. Diablo is always curious about his surroundings when out and about and is quick to spot movement and new objects. He is no dumb dragon. You can look into his eyes and see he always is thinking. More than a pretty face, Diablo is as smart as a whip.
a geriatric dragon. In the wild, Komodo Dragons may live for ten or so years. In captivity, they may live twenty years. Diablo is now showing signs of old age. He has the knees of an old NFL football player without having played one down. He receives daily treatment for those arthritic joints. His therapy includes oral pain medication, therapeutic laser treatments, and monthly acupuncture sessions. Had to be a brave veterinarian to poke the first acupuncture needle into the knee of a full-grown Komodo.
Unfortunately, at fourteen years of age, Diablo is now considered
Diablo handles it like a champ. With all his good care we hope Diablo will break the longevity record for captive Komodo’s. So far, so good. He is living the life only a dragon could dream of. It would be even better if he had a girlfriend in the future. He would be a happier boy and Galveston might be blessed with a mess of little dragons. For me, it would be Dragon Nirvana.
Galveston Veterinary Clinic 2108 61st Street
Galveston, TX 77551
Thank you, Marci Kurtz, Animal Welfare Manager at Moody Gardens and Diablos primary caretaker, for contributing to this article and for all you do for Diablo!
Dear Jan and Dean, My husband and I enjoy your column but we haven’t seen a question like this so I hope you can help us. My husband “Tom” and I get along great. We will be celebrating our third anniversary this December. Our problem is not with us, it is with both sets of our parents.
Last year they both totally ruined our Thanksgiving. Both sets of our parents live in the North and Northeast, so they love coming to Galveston this time of year. They have all advised us that they plan on coming and staying with us for Thanksgiving again this year. Our house is plenty large enough so that isn’t our problem. Our problem is our parents do not like or get along with each other. They make absolutely no effort to try to get along.
or use their fingers? Just curious. I would have told them to leave and not come back till they knew how to act civilly. Forget the holidays with them, and go take that cruise. If they want to know why, tell them the truth. And by the way, you might want to get them copies of Emily Post and Ms. Manners’s books for Christmas and tell them to read cover to cover.
They argue about everything! They fight over what to watch on television. It’s impossible to watch the news in the evening because they argue over every subject reported on. They argue over who is going to get what they think is the best room in our house. Last year “Tom” cooked a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner and they totally ruined it. They got on the subject of politics at our dinner table and the argument turned very loud and ugly. Loud shouts and name-calling even. It got so bad that “Tom” left the table and wouldn’t come back. He didn’t get to enjoy one bite of our dinner. I was in tears. I don’t think we are being selfish by wanting to enjoy our Thanksgiving without them being here. “Tom” says we should just tell them all that we are going on a cruise for Thanksgiving and won’t be home. I don’t feel like lying to them. They are our parents after all. What can be done about this? We don’t want another Thanksgiving ruined by our constantly arguing parents. I want to be in our home for the holiday and not feel like I should have to run off to someplace else just to avoid them. Help! Distressed Debra.
Okay, I usually leave snarky comments for Dean, but I have to speak up. First, the good thing is that it doesn’t seem like you inherited your parent’s bad behavior. Second, both your parents are uncouth and have zero manners. To act like this is childish, and just plain rude. Do they even use utensils at the dinner table,
Hello Debra. I see your question got Jan all fired up. This is a situation that goes on with thousands of families every year when the holidays roll around. There is really no easy solution and anyway you decide on this people’s feelings are going to be hurt. I am going to say you go with some “tough love.” I feel the exact opposite of Jan on this. ( What else is new?) I would give them one more chance. Make it very clear to everyone involved that this is their last chance. Tell them loud and clear that their constant arguing and bickering ruined your last Thanksgiving. Also, tell them that since they are family and you love them they are getting this one last chance. Spell out exactly the behavior that is expected of everyone. There is no reason that families can not get along if the effort is made to do so. Tell everyone how much this means to you. If they ignore your wishes again this Thanksgiving after they have been put on notice, then you are entirely within your rights to pull the plug and say “That’s it, and never again!”
I truly hope families that are experiencing this situation give it some serious thought. Family is and should be important to all of us. Respect each other. Hoping you have a very nice Thanksgiving and Happy Thanksgiving to all. Have
Shaye Henderson, BSN, M.Ed., M.S., Instructor at Bent On Healthy Living Wellness Center, 2910 53rd Street, Galveston
You can get active in many ways, but walking is one of the easiest! It’s safe, easy to stick with, and low or no-cost for most people. It doesn’t require any special skills or equipment. And now that we have survived the dreadful heat of the six months of summer we seem to have and our weather is so pleasant, why not start a new fitness routine and include your pup?
Dogs, like humans, need regular exercise to live long and healthy lives. At least in our house, from the moment we pick up their leads and say, “Do you want to go for a walk?” there’s a joyful whirlwind of anticipation. Their eyes widen, tails wag, and they bark and spin in gleeful circles. Undoubtedly, taking our dogs for a walk is a favorite part of their day.
Daily walks are not just a great way to exercise your dog; you can also benefit from them!
Before you head out the door, you’ll need to make sure you have all the right supplies. Always carry plastic bags with you to clean up after your dog. If your dog tends to pull when excited, you may want to get him a harness so he doesn’t strain his neck or choke himself. You’ll only need a pair of good walking shoes, and you’ll be ready to hit the pavement.
It’s no secret that you’ll get fitter if you work out regularly. But with many workout programs, half the battle is sticking with it long enough to see the benefits. Walking with a dog nearly eliminates this challenge—they will be your training partner. Once you establish a routine, they will be so excited to get outside that they won’t let you skip a day, rain or shine.
Here are four ways walking with your dog can benefit your health and your furry best friend.
Walking is a fantastic, low-impact activity you can do anywhere. Over time, it will help strengthen your muscles, bones, and joints. How far you walk at a time and per day will depend on the breed and age of your dog—a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd will have more endurance than an elderly pug, for example. Tailor your walk to your dog’s needs and abilities. Bring water and a bowl for your dog if you are going for a longer walk.
On warmer days, because you know we can still get them in winter, you’ll also need to consider the surface you’re walking on. In the sun, pavement can easily reach dangerously high temperatures and burn your dog’s paws. Place your hand or bare foot on the pavement. If you can’t hold it there for 10 seconds, the ground is too hot for your dog to walk on. On days like this, you should forgo walking until early morning or evening.
There is a reason why so many dogs become service animals for veterans and people living with PTSD: walking a dog can improve your mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and research shows that spending time with a dog can reduce the output of the stress hormone cortisol.
For people struggling with depression, having a dog can be a complete game-changer. It can be hard to motivate yourself to leave the house if you do it yourself. You may experience physical fatigue as a symptom of depression, and this can make it challenging to exercise.
But there’s no better motivator than your dog giving you big puppy eyes and begging to go for a walk. Physical activity releases endorphins in the brain that energize you and create positive feelings. It will reduce stress, boost mood, and increase mental energy. Additionally, the routine of walking a dog every day can be a healthy distraction from negative thoughts.
Dogs’ companionship as walking buddies can also reduce loneliness. Walking a dog can often lead to conversations with other dog owners and help you stay socially connected to others.
You’ve probably seen your dog pass out on the floor when they get home from a long walk or prolonged play session because exercise is tiring!
Studies have shown that regular exercise does help improve the amount and quality of sleep. Adult humans require 7-9 hours of sleep per night, but 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation is associated with a higher risk of developing conditions like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Additionally, lack of sleep can negatively impact your mental health. It can be challenging to get yourself to exercise when you are already groggy and exhausted from lack of sleep. This is where your dog comes in! He will force you to get outside and break the harmful cycle of inactivity and poor sleep.
At least 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise (you can easily get from taking your dog for a walk) can help you achieve deeper, more restful sleep.
Keep in mind that exercising too close to bedtime can make it more difficult to fall asleep. Even light physical activity temporarily increases blood pressure, raises body temperature, and stimulates your nervous system, which may make it more difficult to wind down. Keep your walks limited to daytime hours, and you’ll sleep like a baby!
Daily activity not only helps keep your skeletal and muscular systems in peak working condition, but it will also help maintain your cardiovascular health.
Regular exercise lowers blood pressure, resting heart rate, and your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Most fitness authorities recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity weekly. This comes out to just over 20 minutes of daily exercise for you. With your dog by your side, this can be an easy benchmark.
For many dogs, 20 minutes per day is not enough activity—you will need to supplement with a longer walk, jog, or backyard time to ensure they get their own daily recommended activity. Again, this will depend on the breed and age of your dog. Always consult your veterinarian to discuss how much exercise your dog should get daily.
More dogs than ever before are suffering from health issues like obesity—due to a combination of overfeeding and limited activity. Taking walks is one of the best ways to combat this. Daily walks will keep not only your heart healthy but that of your dog as well.
Spending time with your dog is a great way to build a strong relationship between them and you. You both will benefit from the exercise.
So, grab your pup’s leash and get out there!
Galveston College has teamed up with a quintet of Galveston Island’s finest chefs to host the highly anticipated 2024 Five Fabulous Chefs culinary celebration on Nov. 19 and 20. This two-night event, held from 6-9 p.m. at the Galveston College main campus atrium, promises to be an unforgettable experience for food lovers, showcasing the diverse and vibrant flavors that define the island’s culinary scene.
The event will feature the talents of five of Galveston’s top chefs, each renowned for their exceptional culinary skills and dedication to creating unforgettable dining experiences. Attendees will have the opportunity to savor a curated menu of dishes prepared by these culinary stars, including Chef Kelsey Thomas of the San Luis Resort, Chef Sean Walker of the Grand Galvez, Chef Salvador Castro of 1817 Steak and Seafare, Chef Yarik Golobokov of Marmo Café and Lounge and Chef Marshall Monroe of Coastal Catering.
“The college has been part of my
life for 30 years,” said Chef Walker. “I think this is a great opportunity to raise money for a good cause and the future of Galveston College culinary.”
“It feels great to work with the students and show them the other side of the classroom, where they get to see how we actually operate in the restaurant,” added Chef Thomas.
The Five Fabulous Chefs event offers a mouthwatering journey through Galveston’s finest dining establishments. Each chef will participate in the preparation of the event’s signature dishes that showcase their unique style and culinary flair, accompanied by perfectly paired wines and beverages.
“I’m honored to be a part of Five Fabulous Chefs,” said Chef Castro. “This is my first time doing Five Fabulous Chefs and it feels like another huge goal I’ve achieved after opening my first local restaurant.”
In addition to the exceptional food and drinks, guests will have the chance to meet and mingle with the chefs, enjoy a cocktail hour, music and
participate in a wine and spirits pull. Proceeds from the Five Fabulous Chefs will benefit Galveston College’s Building Tomorrow capital campaign for the new three-story Health Sciences Education Center at the college’s main campus.
“This event is a true celebration of Galveston’s local culinary talent,” said Galveston College Foundation Director, Kelly Kennedy. “We are excited to bring together these remarkable chefs, who not only contribute to our community’s vibrant food culture, but also support workforce development by inspiring the next generation of culinary professionals.”
Reserved seating for the 2024 Five Fabulous Chefs culinary celebration event is limited and expected to sell out quickly. The event is business attire. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to experience the best of Galveston’s culinary scene while supporting local education and workforce development. For ticket and sponsorship information, call 409-944-1306.
Bob Rohan, or as he is known in Texas “Bad Bob”, has been playing the fiddle and singing in various groups for over 30 years in Texas, and has opened for Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels, Carlene Carter and John Conley to name a few. Bob has played in bands that have backed up country legends like Hank Thompson, Ray Price, Jack Greene, Pam Tillis, and Dale Watson.
Along with songwriting, Bob is also a talented cartoonist and has a self syndicated comic strip titled “Buffalo Gals”. The comic feature is about two cowgirls “Bess Winchester” and “Connie Cheyenne”. The comic strip was inspired after playing with “The Hays County Gals and Pals” a cowgirl western group that toured through Texas, Oklahoma and as far west as Elko, Nevada. Bob has won The Wisconsin State Fiddle Championship and has been nominated several times from The Academy of Western Artists for Best Cowboy Cartoonist.
www.badbobrohan.com
When you live up close and personal with your neighbors, privacy can be a challenge. A living wall can be an excellent choice for creating privacy and beauty. Fall is the perfect time for planting shrubs.
When choosing shrubs for your living wall, consider the amount of light and the height you want the wall to be. Many shrubs can reach over 8 feet tall, which gives you total privacy. Width is also a consideration. Tall and thin work well in tight spaces.
Yaupon Holly, “Scarlet’s Peak” - this shrub will only be 3 feet wide but can reach 20 feet tall. The beneficial insects will love the tiny white flowers in the spring, and you will enjoy the lovely red berries in the fall. Green leaves will remain year-round.
Sky Pencil Holly is another tall and then variety of Holly.
Elaeagnus - This is one of my favorite shrubs. It grows well in any soil, including the sandy soil of the island, is drought tolerant, and is disease tolerant. This shrub will grow to 6-8 ft and can be wide; however, it responds well to trimming.
Of course, there are many other shrubs you can use. But there are a couple of ones you should AVOID:
• Red Tip Photinia- these are shrubs that grow fast and want to be trees. The root systems are invasive and they are hard to manage.
• Cleyera- a cousin to the Red Tip, it is smaller than the Red Tip but still grows large and can lose its leaves, especially if it is too shady.
Neither of these are good choices.
There are a lot of benefits to having a living wall beyond privacy. The wildlife will be abundant and birds will feed and nest in the shrubs. The pollinators will feed on the blooms. The shrubs will sequester carbon and give off oxygen, how great is that?!
For more great information, go to: www.hollykross.com
Japanese Yew- Podocarpus - this neat and tidy evergreen shrub is drought tolerant and salt spray tolerant. This is a shrub that loves to be trimmed and can be shaped into any shape, if you have the desire.
Bobbie is a loveable, people/dog/kid friendly senior German Shepherd Mix seeking his furever home. Bobbie loves the beach, has a laid-back personality, and is very well-trained. He knows sit/shake and is housebroken. Bobbie is approximately 7ish years old and has some mild hip issues, so he’d need to live downstairs or in a beach/bay house with a lift. Bobbie is looking for a family that will suit his laid-back and chill lifestyle and provide him with all the love a senior dog deserves!
The Galveston Island Humane Society is always in need of volunteers, fosters, and adopters. By spending time with the shelter dogs, you can help them socialize and also promote their adoption. Becoming a foster parent or adopting a dog like Bobbie can give them the mental and emotional break they need from shelter life. If you’re interested in fostering, please visit www.galvestonhumane.org/foster.
If you’re interested in adopting Bobbie, please apply at www.galvestonhumane.org/adopt
By: Thomas Waggoner
Historically speaking, the birds migrating through Galveston Island have been doing so since birds first graced our planet. Galveston is home to many different types of birds. Because of our climate, some stay year-round while others enjoy a stop on the Island during their flight farther south.
Birds play an important role on the Island. They help keep insects and bugs in check. But perhaps the job they have that I enjoy most is entertaining. Their songs and dances are a delight! Galveston is a well-known bird watcher’s paradise!
Reddish Egret
Until the late 1800s, reddish egrets were hunted for their feathers, which were used to decorate ladies’ hats and clothing. The entire United States population of reddish egrets was nearly exterminated by hunters. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, there are only 1,500 to 2,000 nesting pairs of reddish egrets in the United States — and most of these are in Texas. They are classified as “threatened” in Texas and receive special attention. It is a long-legged, long-necked wader. It’s considered one of the most active herons. Fun Fact: This is the official bird of Galveston, the Reddish Egret.
Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Are there hummingbirds on the island? Yes! It is a small hummingbird with a slender, slightly down-curved bill. The ancient Mayans believed that the hummingbird was the “sun in disguise” and appeared in a hummingbird form to court the moon. Huitzilopochtli, the most powerful Aztec god, was thought to be half man, half bird. The Aztecs believed the god was made of hummingbird feathers that fell from the sky.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is bright emerald green on the back and crown. It hovers at a flower sipping nectar and beating its wings over 50 times a second. With the exception of insects, hummingbirds (in flight) have the highest metabolism of all animals. Their heart rate can reach as high as 1,260 beats per minute. The Hummers seen on the Island migrate to Galveston from as far south as Central America across the Gulf of Mexico. Fun Fact: The male has a bright red or “ruby” throat.
environment by consuming insects like mosquitoes, black flies, and ants. Their most substantial role in the ecosystem lies within their droppings.
Grackles are omnivores, and their diet consists of a considerable amount of seeds and even some fruit. Grackles are part of a large group of animals that essentially populate the Earth with millions of plants by dispersing seeds across the land in their droppings. The female is brown and about half the size of the male. In the evening, noisy flocks gather in trees. Fun Fact: Grackles use a behavior called “anting”. Anting is a preening technique that utilizes ants to help control lice or mites. Ants are used because of their special ability to secrete formic acid which helps to kill any parasites living in the plumage of the bird. Anting is performed by picking up one or more ants using the tip of the beak and rubbing them along the feathers typically focusing on the wings first, then moving on to the tail feathers.
Great-Tailed Grackle
No doubt you’ve seen this beauty on the Island! The Great-tailed Grackle has an oversized tail, iridescent black and purple feathers, and many call notes. As predators, Grackles help provide pest control services to the
Lesser black-backed gulls share a lot of features with great black-backed seagulls but are smaller. The back is more of a dark slate-grey color and while the head and bill are a similar color, overall size and appearance are very distinctive. They are similar to the more common Herring Gull, only slightly smaller with yellow legs on adults. This bird is a European seagull that winters on Galveston Island. Fun Fact: Bird watchers say it probably migrates from Iceland or Greenland.
This bird swims like a duck. Often called a mud hen. Unlike the webbed feet of ducks, coots have broad, lobed scales on their lower legs and toes that fold back with each step to facilitate walking. The American coot can dive for food but can also forage and scavenge on land. Their principal source of food is aquatic vegetation, especially algae. Yet they are omnivorous, also eating arthropods, fish, and other aquatic animals. During breeding season, coots are more likely to eat aquatic insects and mollusks. Fun Fact: Coots generally build floating nests and lay 8–12 eggs per clutch. Sexual intercourse usually takes no longer than two seconds.
The American Kestrel is a beautiful, robin-sized falcon. This raptor has a typical falcon body shape, a short neck, and a small head. The kestrel has a sharp, hooked bill and large, talon-tipped feet that are ideal for hunting. It is rusty brown with black spots above and pale below. The male has blue-gray wings and an unbarred tail, while the female sports a barred tail and lacks the blue-gray wings. While flying, pointed wings and rapid wingbeats help to identify this raptor. They are apt and able hunters. They hunt large insects, bats, mice, birds, and small reptiles. Kestrels usually hover before dropping on prey from above, pinning victims to the ground. They rarely chase prey, such as flying insects or bats, through the air. Fun Fact: This is the smallest North American falcon.
These are some of my favorites! Try to catch a glimpse. A large chunky shorebird, the American Oystercatcher has a black head and breast, brown back and wings, and an orange-red bill. Juvenile Oystercatchers are the same size as their parents but lack the solid orange bill and bright eyes. Their nests are a shallow depression scraped out of the sand. Adults may make five or more of these before choosing a winner and lining it with shells, pebbles, and bits of debris to disguise the eggs. Oystercatchers commonly nest on dunes, dredge spoiled islands, marsh islands, and mudflats.
“Once near extinction, the American Oystercatcher population is now doing better thanks to conservation efforts. Many individuals seen on our coasts are banded. They are caught and banded as chicks thanks to nest monitoring programs, and their movements, survival, and nesting activities are tracked throughout their lives.” Galveston Bay Area Chapter - TX Master Naturalist
Fun Fact: Oystercatchers sometimes drown when a tightly rooted mussel snaps shut on the bill and holds the bird in place until the tide comes in.
longish legs, pale gray head, and mostly gray-brown plumage. Their call resembles someone whistling. Fun Fact: The oldest recorded Black-bellied Whistling Duck was a male, and at least 10 years, and 7 months old.
Have you ever wondered if cows roamed the Island? Maybe this is the answer. The Bronzed Cowbird has red eyes and usually sticks to grasslands. They evolved to follow herds of grazing animals, often covering many miles in a day. They can little afford the time to build their own nests, lay and incubate eggs, and care for the chicks. Instead, the female cowbird finds the nest of another bird, lays a single egg in it, and leaves. The female cowbird may do this an average of up to 20 times per breeding season. The female cowbird will remove or destroy some or all of the eggs and or nestlings of the host birds. Fun Fact: Like all cowbirds, this bird is a brood parasite; it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. They allow other species to raise their young.
The history of this bird is fascinating! The gray catbird is known for its mewing call, which can sound like a cat’s meow. It’s also a versatile singer, with a repertoire that includes whistles, squeaks, chatters, and mimicry. The gray catbird’s unique vocal box structure allows it to sing with two voices at once. Catbirds are omnivores that mostly eat berries and insects. They are known to raid gardens for raspberries, cherries, blackberries, and strawberries. They are active during the day, especially at dawn and dusk, and sleep at night. Female catbirds build big, deep nests in thick underbrush or shrubs. The males sometimes help by bringing nesting materials, including sticks, straw, tree bark, and occasionally trash! Inside the nests are lined with fine, soft material including hair, grass, and pine needles to cushion the eggs. Nests are usually about four feet off the ground. Fun Fact: They can also mimic the noises of other birds and even other animals like frogs.
Can the Whistling Duck really whistle? Historically called a “tree duck”, the Black-bellied Whistling Duck occasionally perches in trees. This Whistling Duck is a mid-sized waterfowl species with a long red bill, long head and
Ever thought about joining a bird-watching group? Galveston Island is a great place to start! Try it out. I hope everyone has enjoyed learning about the birds of Galveston Island.
See ya next month!
Thomas Waggoner
by: Tom Valliere & Charlie Bresenhan
Sometimes you just know you are in for a pleasant experience. The excitement of trying a new place, the anticipation of watching the build-out for several weeks, the media hype, the owner’s track record, all of these things are indicators. However, nothing prepared me for that first walk across the threshold of this new neighborhood bar and restaurant.
As you enter, your eyes are drawn to the beautiful mosaic tile floor with the restaurant’s name spelled in black tiles contrasting with the white background. A large “U” shaped bar dominates the center with tables and booths positioned along the walls and the kitchen to the rear. The place is open, bright and inviting. Less of a cozy bar and more of a restaurant it seems they have struck a balance that targets an upscale and sedate rather than a more raucous clientele.
The decor is modern and sparkling clean. More of a fun bistro-type feeling than a stuffy restaurant. This feels more like Dallas or Houston than Galveston. I envision this will become a popular venue for upscale urban worker happy hours and a popular meet-and-greet venue for an affluent crowd.
Perfect for a business lunch or a casual dinner date, your guest(s) will be impressed.
As imposing as the physical layout is, the hospitality and food are just as good. On a recent visit, we were warmly greeted by a charming young lady who was managing the front-of-the-house activities by herself in an efficient and unhurried manner. She patiently explained the menu and guided our selections. Her service was attentive, her warmth was real, and our glasses were never empty. She managed the bar and several other tables and never seemed rushed or flustered. It was a great start to what turned
out to be a memorable lunch.
One of my great disappointments with Galveston dining is the lack of some of my favorite blue-collar foods. I sometimes long for an old-fashioned turkey dinner and lament I have to leave the island to enjoy it.
Another dish I miss is old-fashioned Southern fried chicken. Lots of places in Galveston have chicken wings, strips, breaded patties, etc., but if you want real whole-fried chicken, it is purely a fast-food experience - until now.
Prominent on their menu is real fried chicken. Marinaded, hand-breaded, and deep-fried to perfection. The waitress explained the entree consists of two legs and one thigh either regular or slightly spicy and cooked to order. You must allow for the 20-minute cooking time so not the choice for a quick lunch. However, if you have the time - wow! You are in for a treat. Delicious, hot and juicy. I asked for the “Nashville hot” version. Spiced perfectly it was a huge portion that made for an evening meal at home with the leftovers. It is served with house-made coleslaw and carrot and celery
sticks. The coleslaw was very good but I prefer a more vinegar/tart version. The celery and carrot sticks were a nice addition as was the ranch dip although it would be nice if they offered a blue cheese option.
The menu is portioned into various sections. It starts with “shareables” which seems to be an expanded appetizer section. It has the usual nachos and wings but also some heartier dishes like my aforementioned fried chicken and street tacos. Regardless of the classification and my limited experience, everything I have tried is delicious and it all looks great.
Next on the menu are their pizzas. In my quest for the perfect margarita pizza, they are next on my list to try. Interest in artisan pizza is growing on the island so I am anxious to try their version. They have a spinach pizza with Alfredo sauce and feta cheese and a veggie pizza that looks like a great option for those who avoid meat.
Salads come in several forms. Chicken Caesar is always a favorite of mine, but their Mediterranean Cobb also caught my eye.
One of the few restaurants that serve hotdogs (why is that?) I am anxious to try their Chicago dog. A Midwestern treat not often seen here, it is loaded with goodies and served on a poppyseed bun. Or how about their Galveston Street dog? Bacon wrapped with grilled onions, jalapenos, and Pico, it sounds like a fantastic idea for another visit.
with a twist. Along with the au jus, it comes with a side of horseradish. That ever-popular condiment for roast beef is missing on almost every menu. Are you starting to see the attention to detail? Nothing here goes unnoticed. There is a meticulous precision at work here and the results are obvious!
Of course, we cannot forget the drinks. Social Tap has a full-service bar and offers specialty hand-crafted cocktails, standard drinks, wine, soft drinks, and a selection of craft beers. Their Social 75 cocktail is a favorite, with Empress gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and sparking rose wine served in a tall glass. Delicious and refreshing!
Happy Hour brings food and drink specials from 4 to 7 PM on weekdays. With $5 well drinks, $4 domestic beers, and $7 martinis it is a wonderful way to end your day or begin your evening. Pair those drinks with their happy hour food bites - an Asian chicken skewer with grilled chicken and vegetables glazed with a sweet chili sauce or some cheese-stuffed meatballs with a bright marinara sauce.
It is all delicious and served with a smile. This is a new restaurant that is constantly evolving. Expect the menus and specials to change as they evolve and incorporate customer feedback. If you have been to Shuck’s oyster bar down the street, you will love this new place. Same owner, the same commitment to excellence, and a wholly different menu. You know I will be back!
Burgers can be boring. They appear on every menu with a certain sameness. A bun, meat, and toppings. Ho hum...except here they take it up a notch and the end result is indeed greater than the sum of ingredients. Try their version of the ever-popular smash burger with the frayed crispy beef patty edges merged with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles on a pretzel bun, it is perfection. Want to kick it up a notch? Try the Tex burger with onion strings, fried jalapenos, BBQ sauce, bacon, and pepper jack cheese. Wow! Keep on trucking there are a couple more.
Moving on to sandwiches, how about a fried bologna? Not often seen around here but oh so good. Served with mustard on Texas toast, it will take you back to your grandma’s kitchen. The ever-popular French dip is on the menu
This is an adult-only venue. Sorry, nobody under 21 is allowed. Street parking only. Handicapped access is good - there are curb ramps.
Hours of Operation: Mon, Tue, Wed 11:00 AM to Midnight Thu, Fri Sat 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM Sunday - Noon to Midnight
Social Tap Cocktails & Kitchen 811 21st Street Galveston, Texas 77550 (409) 295-4135
Galveston’s Newest Hotspot! Meet with friends, grab a bite to eat, or enjoy your favorite cocktail!
811 21st Street
Galveston, Texas
Smoked Brisket
Quality brisket covered with our original rub, slow smoked and ready to be sliced when you order.
Pork Ribs
Pork ribs cooked with our original rub till almost done then basted with our honey sweetened sauce.
Grilled Chicken
Chicken spiced with our rub cooked over wood. Unlike any chicken you have ever eaten.
Link Sausage
Pork and Beef link sausage smoked over oak ready and waiting for you to order.
Sandwiches
Chopped Beef | Sliced Beef | Sausage | Comes with a complimentary 4 oz side
Stuffed Baked Potato
Huge baked potato filled with butter, cheese, sour cream, chives and best of all chopped brisket!
Barbacoa (Sat. and Sun. Only)
Pennie Ochoa’s delicious recipe. Tender, moist shredded beef is the result.
Sides and Dessert
All sides are made fresh at Pennie’s
Potato Salad
Dill based cool refreshing chopped potatoes mixed with dressings.
Pinto Beans
My own recipe made fresh daily. Lots of love goes into the beans.
Spanish Rice
Green Beans
Cole Slaw
Banana Pudding Trifle
Spinach Pasta (vegetarian)
Farfalle (bow tie) pasta sautéed with fresh spinach, fresh roma and sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh herbs, feta, and imported parmesan cheese (served hot.)
Mosquito Cafe - 628 14th Street (409) 763-1010
Pork Ribs
Pork ribs cooked with our original rub till almost done then basted with our honey sweetened sauce.
Pennie’s Tex-Mex Takeout 1713 37th Street (409) 765-5719
Warm Goat Cheese Salad (vegetarian)
A crusted medallion of goat cheese atop mixed greens, sun-dried tomatoes, figs, and toasted pine nuts with homemade champagne vinaigrette.
Mosquito Cafe - 628 14th Street (409) 763-1010
“It’s always oyster season at Shucks”
Come try our Happy Hour OystersShuckers Choice - East Coast Oysters - $2.50
Shucks Tavern 414 21st St. (409) 444-1700
Elevate your Wednesdays at Saltwater Grill
Join us every Wednesday and indulge in our succulent, hand-cut prime ribserved with house au jus, your choice of mashed potatoes or baked potato, and buttered broccoli. Pair your meal with our 1/2 price select bottles of wine - only on Wednesdays!
Saltwater Grill - 2017 Postoffice Street (409) 762-3474
Joey Burger
6oz hand-pressed Wagyu beef burger with smoked cheddar, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Served with a side of truffle fries.
Saltwater Grill 2017 Postoffice Street (409) 762-3474
Crab Cake Eggs Benedict
Toasted English muffin, arugula, poached eggs, housemade crab cakes, sautéed in butter and covered with our homemade hollandaise sauce. Served with breakfast potatoes and bacon. Only available for Sunday Brunch from 10 am to 2 pm.
Marios Seawall Italian and Pizzeria 628 Seawall Blvd (409) 763-1693
Blackened shrimp served over angel hair pasta, tossed with scampi butter, spinach, tomato, and purple onion.
Shucks Tavern 414 21st St. (409) 444-1700
Delicious Shrimp Kisses, Blackened Stuffed Flounder, Rotisserie Chicken Pizza, Tacos, Fried Seafood Platters, Po’Boys...An Island Staple with a diverse menu. Always a treat!
Huli Huli Hut 312 19th St. (409) 443-5525
Sausage, peppers, cheese topped with a mini mac (mac & cheese, chopped brisket, pico, bbq sauce & aioli) tucked inside a warm 7” brioche bun with our Koop’s Sauce.
Koop’s BBQ 4501 Broadway (409) 539-0059
Lemon Herb Golden Tilefish
Lemon Herb Seasoned Golden Tilefish Topped With Gulf Blue Crab Sauce On Rockefeller Spinach.
Katie’s Seafood 2000 Wharf Rd (409) 765-5688
Enjoy our Danny Roll – spicy tuna topped with fresh salmon and avocado. It’s a firecracker for your taste buds!
Sky Bar Steak & Sushi 2105 post Office (409) 621-4759
Personalized
Complete
st
Orders must be placed no later than 3:00 pm on Sunday, November 24 th www.mosquitocafe.com or by phone 409-763-1010
Orders must be picked up at PattyCakes Bakery between 10:00 am & 5:30 pm on Wednesday, November 27 th (If you are not able to pick up by this time, please talk to our staff)
N AME:
P HONE NUMBE R:
DATE OF P IC K-UP : TIME:
ORD ER TAKEN BY:
GRAND TOTAL:
DATE ORDER WAS TAKEN:
______ Mixed Greens Garden Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing, Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Turkey Gravy, Grilled & Roasted Fresh Vegetables, Baked Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Patricia’s Stuffing with Italian Sausage and Ground Beef, Fresh-Baked PattyCakes Dinner Rolls, Patty’s Famous Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
ppetizers:
Fresh Basil Crostini
/pkg (serves 4-6)
Large Boiled & Peeled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
Pecan Crusted Brie with Homemade Chutney
Salads & Sides (serves 4-6):
Garden Fresh Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing
_____ Goat Cheese Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing
Roasted Maple Sweet Potato Mashers
/
16 (serves 2-3) Turkey: _____ Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Sliced, with Gravy
18/lb (serves 2-3)
Half
whole $18 half _____ Baked Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
_____ Creamed Corn
_____ Patricia’s Stuffing with Italian Sausage and Ground Beef
Mo squito-S tyle Desserts:
whole $18 half _____ Grilled and Roasted Fresh Vegetables
whole $15 half _____ Creamed Spinach
or Half _____ Lemonade Dream Cake (serves 12)
whole $28 half _____ Triple Dare Chocolate Cake (serves 12)
whole $28 half _____ Zucchini Spice Cake (serves 12)
whole $33 half _____ Lemon Bars
ea _____ Dream Bars
ea _____ Assorted Mosquito Sized
T H A N K S G I V I N G 2 0 2 4
Tuesda y Novemb er 26th
Wedne sday No vember 27th 7: 30am t o 6pm
OUR BAKERS WILL BE BAKING TH ROUGH TH E N IG HT TO M AKE
H UNDR EDS OF PIES & G OODIES FOR YOUR THANKSG IV ING FEAST !
Pa tty’s Pies :
♦Pecan Pie
♦Chocolate Pecan Pie
♦Pumpkin Chiffon Pie-Patty’s Favorite
♦Pumpkin Pie w/Fresh Whipped Cream
♦Pumpkin Pie
♦Double Crust Cherry Pie
♦Crumb Crust Cherry Pie
♦Mile High Apple Pie (Double Crust)
♦Crumb Crust Apple Pie
Bre ad & R olls:
♦Dinner Rolls
♦Sourdough
♦French Baguette
♦Cranberry Almond Bread
♦Cinnamon Raisin Bread
Bre akfas t/Bru nch:
♦NY Crumb Cake
♦Babka w/Cinnamon
Q uiche :
♦Ham & Cheese
♦Taco ♦Spinach
T ea Ca ke s:
♦Pumpkin ♦Zucchini
♦Babka w/Raspberry & Cream Cheese
♦Babka w/Chocolate
♦Babka w/Cinnamon & Pecans
Banana ♦Banana Nut
♦Lemon Poppy
Se as onal Fav orites : ♦Pumpkin Cake Bar ♦Pumpkin Gooey Bar
♦Pumpkin Tart
Dog Tr ea ts: ♦Doggie Bark Bones AND M UCH,
By: Paul Hager
TON COLLEGE THEATRE PRESENTS THE TAMING AND TOIL & TROUBLE IN REPERTORY
When one thinks of Neil Simon’s
The Odd Couple, I’d venture to guess that most - especially those of a ‘certain age’ like me - fondly recall the classic TV sitcom of the 1970s that starred Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, or perhaps even the 1968 film adaptation with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in the title roles. But, did you know the development of the original Broadway production has almost as rich a history as the legacy left us by the subsequent adaptations?
Sources vary as to the origins of the play. In The Washington Post’s obituary of Simon’s brother Danny, a television writer, Adam Bernstein wrote that the idea for the play came from his divorce. “Mr. Simon had moved in with a newly single theatrical agent named Roy Gerber in Hollywood, and they invited friends over one night. Mr. Simon botched the pot roast. The next day, Gerber told him: ‘Sweetheart, that was a lovely dinner last night. What are we going to have tonight?’ Mr. Simon replied: ‘What do you mean, cook you dinner? You never take me out to dinner. You never bring me flowers.’” Danny Simon wrote a partial first draft of the play but then handed over the idea to Neil.[1]
However, in the Mel Brooks biography, It’s Good to Be the King, author James Robert Parish claims that the play came about after Simon observed Brooks, in a separation from his first wife, living with writer Speed Vogel for three months. Vogel later wrote that Brooks had insomnia, “a brushstroke of paranoia”, and “a blood-sugar problem that kept us a scintilla away from insanity”.
Simon credited Boston critic Elliot Norton with helping him develop the final act of the play.[2] Norton practiced drama criticism when the relationship between the regional critic and playwrights whose shows were undergoing tryouts in their towns were not as adversarial as they were to become. Appearing on the public television show Elliot Norton Reviews, during Simon’s conversation with the critic, Norton said that the play went “flat” in its final act.[3] As it appeared originally at Boston’s Colonial Theatre, the characters the Pigeon Sisters did not appear in the final act.
Simon told The Boston Globe: “He invited one of the stars and the writer. He loved the play and gave it a wonderful review but he said the third act was lacking something. On the show, he said, ‘You know who I missed in the third act was the Pigeon Sisters,’ and it was like a light bulb went off in my head. It made an enormous difference in the play. I rewrote it and it worked very well. I was so grateful to Elliot ... Elliot had such a keen eye. I don’t know if he saved the play or not, but he made it a bigger success.”
The Odd Couple premiered on Broadway at the Plymouth Theatre on March 10, 1965, and transferred to the Eugene O’Neill Theatre where it closed on July 2, 1967, after 964 performances and two previews. Directed by Mike Nichols, the cast starred Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison and Art Carney as Felix Ungar. The production gained Tony Awards for Walter Matthau, Best Actor (Play), Best Author (Play), Best Direction of a Play, and Best Scenic Design (Oliver Smith), and was nominated for Best Play.
The film version made its debut at Radio City Music Hall. It was a hit and grossed more than $44.5 million, making it the third highest-grossing film of 1968 in the United States and earning Neil Simon a nomination for the Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay and also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. Lemmon and Matthau were both nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. At one point, Frank Sinatra (as Felix) and Jackie Gleason (as Oscar) were reportedly considered for the film version. Dick Van Dyke and Tony Randall were among those considered for the role of Felix, and Mickey Rooney and Jack Klugman were among those considered to portray Oscar. Much of the original script from the play was retained for the film.
The success of the film catalyzed ABC to produce the popular sitcom series, which was the first of several sitcoms developed by Garry Marshall for Paramount Television. Mickey Rooney and Martin Balsam were considered for the part of Oscar, and Dean Martin and Art Carney for Felix (Carney had originated the role on Broadway). Eventually, Tony
Randall (as Felix) and Jack Klugman (as Oscar) were hired; Klugman had replaced Walter Matthau as Oscar in the original Broadway production, and Randall had appeared as Felix in other productions of the play. Randall, who was hired first, wanted Mickey Rooney to play Oscar. Co-executive producer, Garry Marshall, had to lobby hard to get Klugman successfully hired. Once the cast was in place, the show’s writers came up with a multitude of situations for Felix and Oscar, while staying true to the soul of the play, which always reverted to the human tensions between the two that created the comic situations.
The show premiered on ABC September 24, 1970. The first season was filmed at Paramount Studios using the single-camera method and a laugh track, utilizing the same apartment set seen in Paramount’s 1968 film version. Klugman and Randall both expressed displeasure with using a laugh track without a live audience; theatre veteran Randall particularly resented the process of having to wait several seconds between punchlines to allot enough space for the laughter to be inserted. By the second season, ABC relented; the show was subsequently filmed with three cameras and performed like a stage play in front of a live studio audience, with laugh-sweetening completed during post-production. Randall and Klugman both enjoyed the spontaneity that came with performing in front of a live audience; any missed or blown lines usually passed without stopping (they would be reshot during post-production). In addition, it gave the show a distinct edge that had been lost during the first season. During its five seasons on ABC, The Odd Couple was juggled several times around the network’s programming schedule, never reaching the top 30 in the Nielsen ratings. However, ABC continually renewed the show because the ratings for the summer reruns were consistently high and two of its episodes - “Password” and “The Fat Farm”, were ranked numbers 5 and 58, respectively, on TV Guide’s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
Klugman and Randall also reprised their roles as Felix and Oscar in several regional productions of the original Neil Simon play. They toured in the play during the TV version’s summertime off-season in the early to mid-1970s, and I was lucky enough to see them in it when they came to Houston.
The story revolves around two mismatched roommates: Felix Ungar (Brock Hatton), a neurotic and fastidious news writer, and Oscar Madison (Christian Tannous), a laid-back and messy sportswriter. After Felix’s wife throws him out, Oscar invites him to move in, hoping to help his friend get back on his feet. What ensues is a comedic clash of personalities as Felix’s obsessive cleanliness and meticulous nature sharply contrast with Oscar’s carefree, chaotic lifestyle. As the two navigate their differences, Simon deftly explores themes of friendship, loneliness, and the quirks that make relationships work—or fall apart. The comedy is both hilarious and poignant, showcasing how two people can bring out the best and worst in each other.
PAUL HAGER
ETC’s production gave the play a great shot at our funny bones on
the Saturday night performance my husband and I attended. [I really loved Executive Director Kim Mytelka’s curtain speech where she advised the audience to be ‘laugh-out-louders’ rather than ‘big smilers’ and warned us that, since the cast rated their audience after each performance, we’d better put our shoulder to the wheel to make a passing grade]
Director Cameron Dunbar, whom one usually sees on the other side of the footlights at ETC, returned to the director’s chair and did a fine job keeping the action moving right along. Hatton was excellent as Felix, deftly playing him with a great deal of an noying authenticity. Tannous was also fine as Oscar; however, I felt he needed a bit more ‘seasoning’ to play a character in his 40s to 50s.
The play, of course, ‘belongs’ to the two leads, but wouldn’t be the laugh-riot it is without its supporting cast. The poker buddies - Speed (Justin Gonzales) Murray (Matt Poole), Roy (Kyle Crawford), and Vinnie (Juniper Garza) - were portrayed by ETC veterans, and, having worked with most of these guys before, it’s always fun for me to watch their different character choices. Especially funny was Crawford as Roy, whose vocalization was a cross between Alice Ghostly and Paul Lynde! Top honors in the supporting cast unequivocally go to Aili Maeve and Carissa Wonder as the Pigeon sisters. With their over-thetop British accents and facial con tortions, they sec ured some of the biggest laughs of the evening as they commis erated with Felix.
Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” is more than just a comedy; it’s a keen observation of human relationships, filled with laughter and heart. Its exploration of friendship, individuality, and the quirks that bind us together makes it a timeless piece that remains relevant across generations. Whether experienced on stage, screen, or in a living room, the antics of Felix and Oscar remind us that even the most unlikely pairings can lead to lasting bonds.
We are pleased to add Galveston College Theatre to our list of venues and take a look at their November production - two plays by Lauren Gunderson presented in repertory:
Tweetering, pandashrews, and undying giddiness for James Madison -- what else could you expect to find at a Miss America pageant? In this hilarious, raucous, all-female power-play, Miss America contestant Katherine has political aspirations to match her beauty pageant ambitions.
All she needs to revolutionize the American government is the help of one ultra-conservative senator’s aide on the cusp of a career breakthrough, and one bleeding-heart liberal blogger who will do anything for her cause. That and a semi-historically-accurate ether trip.
PAUL HAGER
TOIL AND TROUBLE
Underemployed friends Adam, Matt and Beth are desperate to beat the recession any way they can -- like, for example, combining forces to take over a small island in South America. But when a fortune cookie tells Matt that he will be king and Beth gets a little too handy with a dagger, plans go awry. This hilarious adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth pits friend against friend, ambition against fate, pet-sitting against miniature vicuna mogul-dom.
Both shows are recommended for mature audiences. See LISTINGS for dates and times.
ISLAND ETC [East-End Theatre Company]
THE LUCKY SPOT
By Beth Henley
November 22 - December 14, 2024
Sunday matinee November 24, 2024 No performance on Thanksgiving https://www.islandetc.org/
GALVESTON COLLEGE THEATRE
THE TAMING
By Lauren Gunderson
Nov. 6 - 7:30 PM Nov. 8-9 - 2:30 PM Nov. 14-16 - 7:30 PM
TOIL & TROUBLE
By Lauren Gunderson
Nov. 7-9 - 7:30 PM Nov. 13 - 7:30 PM Nov. 15-16 - 2:30 PM https://gc.edu/academic-career-programs/arts-and-humanities/drama-theatre.php
COM THEATRE [College of the Mainland Community Theatre]
FUNNY BONED
By H. Russ Brown
November. 7 – 24, 2024 https://www.com.edu/community-theatre/
THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE
THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS: LOVIN’ FEELIN’ FAREWELL TOUR
November 9 -10, 2024 - 8:00 and 3:00 PM
STRAIGHT NO CHASER
November 15, 2024 - 8:00 PM http://www.thegrand.com/
BAYTOWN LITTLE THEATRE [BLT]
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
By Robert Harling
November 7 - 10, 2024
Benefit show produced in partnership with Galveston Lighthouse Productions https://baytownlittletheater.org/
THE WINGS [Opening Soon]
THE GRAND 1894 OPERA HOUSE
DICKENS’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL
By Charles Dickens
December 6 & 7, 2024 - 3:00 and 8:00 PM
THE NUTCRACKER AFTERNOON TEA
A special event for young girls and boys and their families, held in Edna’s Room at The Grand.
December 14, 2024 - 12:30 PM
CITY BALLET OF HOUSTON PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER
December 14, 2024 - 2:00 PM and 6:30 PM http://www.thepurpleboxtheater.com/
PURPLE BOX THEATRE
A NEIGHBORHOOD NOEL
December 6 - 15, 2024 - FRI & SAT AT 7:30 PM SUNDAYS AT 2:30 PM http://www.thepurpleboxtheater.com/ Paul Hager
Galveston College students, from left to right, Annie Homer, Daniella Fink and Isabelle Hernandez
Like many singer-songwriter, guitar players, League City’s Emily Irene Glazener admits to enjoying playing with a band but says as a solo act what she appreciates most is being able to “go anywhere and just pick up a guitar and sing”. Although Glazener mostly performs solo she frequently invites “special guests” to the stage to sing or play with her.
“I play guitar because it allows me to use my instrument. My instrument is my voice. I play guitar so I can sing and not have to rely on anyone else.”
Born in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1980, Glazener moved to Port Arthur, TX when she was 9 and again four years later to the Baytown area, where she lived until she was 27. Texas City was home before she settled in League City, and despite spending most of her life in Texas, Glazener says she holds on to her Mississippi roots.
“I’m very proud to be where I’m from. I’ve written quite a few songs that have to do with Mississippi. The joke used to be that’s where I get my soul.”
With parents and older brothers who were big music fans from multiple eras and many genres it’s no wonder Glazener has several outlets for her musical creativity. In addition to writing, recording, and performing her own songs solo or with invited guests, Glazener is also lead singer of a Joan Jett tribute band called, The Joan Hearts, and recently performed at Warehouse Live in Houston. Glazener also sings lead for an original music band, Red Iris. Along with bandmates JJ Herrera, Zeek Hernandez, and Oscar Gonzalez, Red Iris describe themselves as “rock & roll & soul pop” according to their 6-song EP bio on Spotify.
“If there’s anyone you can emulate, with some rock & roll chick power – it’s Joan Jett. We do a lot of Runaways too. We have a really good time. As for Red Iris, we’ve been on hiatus for the last 2 years or so. Everyone is very busy with other projects,” Glazener said.
for a 2-3 week tour. Houston music producer and engineer Andy Bradley (Wire Road Studios) recorded songs with Glazener in 2022.
“Emily has a great voice and writes a good song. I enjoyed working with her,” Bradley said.
Releasing music under her own name on all digital platforms over the last few years, Glazener also played dates in England and has returned every year since
Glazener says she plays 2-4 times a week locally and has performed recently at Waterman’s Restaurant, The Old Galveston Club, and 1877 On The Strand. Find her on Facebook and Instagram to be notified of upcoming shows.
Zach Tate: Do you have any formal music training?
Emily Glazener: I was in Band and played saxophone. I was in choir in high school. I took one year of guitar lessons. I’m a big fan of Elton John and I wanted to learn to play piano but my parents said ‘We’re not buying a piano – play your dad’s guitar.’
ZT: What is your earliest memory of being inspired by music?
EIG: When I was an infant my Dad used to have an Ovation guitar with a rounded back. So to get me to sleep he would sit me where the curve of the guitar was and I’d hold on to his neck and he would lean back and walk around and play and I would feel all of that. When I got too big for that I remember sleeping in the fluffy guitar case. I just loved music from a very young age.
I think if you want to be seen and have success, be unique where you are. If you move off to Austin, Nashville, or New York – everybody’s there. Find your place here. Singer-songwriters in this area – it’s getting better all the time.
ZT: What artists did you love growing up (5-20 yrs old) and why?
EIG: Elton John. I can remember walking through an amusement park with my babysitter and hearing Elton John’s “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” and just belting it out alongside the music. I’ve always been into James Taylor. My older brothers were into Aerosmith, The Cure, and The Cult. Also, my mom and dad are about 8 years apart so I heard music from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. Bernie Taupin is the lyricist for Elton John and it’s really the lyrics that get me. He (Taupin) had a band called the Farm Dogs. I perform some of their songs in my set sometimes.
ZT: Where was the first place you ever performed in front of people?
EIG: When I was 15 and taking lessons from Kevin Hardin and he had this thing called the Baytown Opry. It was at Lee College and he had me get up and sing The Maverick’s “Here Comes The Rain”. I always liked that song because my mother liked The Mavericks.
ZT: Who influences you these days and why?
EIG: I love Sarah McGuinness. She’s an Irish singer-songwriter. I went to her one-woman show in Edinburgh and I got to meet her. I love her lyrics and her harmonies. She has a song called Strong that inspires me. Her emotion and how powerful her lyrics are is a huge inspiration for me.
ZT: What defines a ‘good song’ in your opinion?
EIG: If it moves me. If it teaches me. If it can change my mood.
ZT: What is your songwriting process?
I can’t say I didn’t get the job because I’m a guy or a girl. I have to be able to come up to that bar and the only way to do that is to work at it. I do know that it’s harder doing what I’m doing and being a woman but it is not impossible.
ZT: How do you determine what songs to cover?
ZT: What defines success for you in the music business?
EIG: If they move me. It’s got to be something I really love. Something I heard as a child or really love now. I don’t want to go too far away from the original version, but I want it to be mine.
EIG: Normally I come up with an idea and I’ll start with a lyric. Then I’ll try to find chord progressions. Then I’ll finish and I’ll have the bones of the song and I’ll add to it over months.
EIG: Success for me is if I’m able to make music that reaches people to let them know that they’re not alone. I write very uplifting songs. Everyone has gone through loss. Everyone’s pain is valid. I want to be able to reach people. And if I can do that then I think I’m successful.
ZT: Do you think age or gender are relevant to yours or anyone else’s success in the music business?
EIG: I think as a woman it is hard. But just because it’s hard does not mean it’s not possible. I’m 44, and I have kids at home and grown children. One of my heroes in life, Sarah McGuinness, once said ‘Not having enough money or the right tools for something is not an excuse.’ That line changed my life. It made me change my perspective on it. I’m truly a solo artist. I know it’s just me and a guitar and you want me to entertain you. If I can’t do that in the first place then
ZT: What is your opinion of the Galveston and Houston music scenes?
EIG: I love it. I think if you want to be seen and have success, be unique where you are. If you move off to Austin, Nashville, or New York – everybody’s there. Find your place here. Singer-songwriters in this area – it’s getting better all the time. No matter where you go in Houston or Galveston there’s always live music playing somewhere close by.
ZT: Where is the best place for people to find out where you’re playing next?
EIG: emmylouglaze on Instagram or Emily Glazener on Facebook.
facebook/emilyglazener instagram/emmylouglaze
Kingfish are one of our primary summer offshore target species and while the title of this piece is “A Kingfish’s Nightmare”, it’s really about numerous nightmare possibilities, not only for kingfish but also for their larger and faster family member, the wahoo. While most true smoker kingfish are taken on live baits, sizeable ones have come on freelined cigar minnows or Spanish sardines, also wahoo. My personal best kingfish of 53lbs.- 11oz hit these freelined dead baits, and my heaviest Wahoo, an 80 lb. - 2 oz. model, ate freelined cigar minnow. The heaviest two wahoo caught on the boat I fished were 87lbs and 93lbs. They also ate freelined dead natural baits, all taken on either single or tandem hook wire leader systems.
The basic layout of either the single or double hook hard wire leader system is shown in the illustration. The free-swinging hook in the bait fish’s nose can also be duplicated in the stinger hook position instead of being wired as a stiff hook. In a single hook wire leader, either the free-swinging or stiff hook can be used. I believe the stiff hook gives a quicker hook set.
is spray-painted camo green. John Deere Green to be exact — it hides in green or blue water. To finish the camo, spray on a light coat of flat clear to kill the reflected shine. Your bait, being the target without an unnatural distraction of the leader, will be more likely to get bit. I’ve caught sizeable kingfish and wahoo during my over 40 years of fishing offshore without the camo treatment, but I don’t know how many others have turned away at the last moment.
Fishing for either of these “drag burners” is aided by using a couple of readily available pieces of fishing-related gear - polarized sunglasses and a dark underbilled cap. Both of these items must be on your head since these targets are primarily near-surface swimmers. If you can’t see ‘em, you may not bait ‘em. With a freelined or lightly weighted Carolina-rigged baitfish out, I always recommend fishing with the reel in gear. I’ve heard and seen the technique used of “thumb the spool lightly and let ‘em run to a count of 4 or 5 before putting the reel in gear and setting the hook” sounds good, and it works if you have an educated thumb, otherwise, you can end up with
When making a stiff hook-wrapped leader section, make the stiff hook wrap first, then haywire twist the other end to its swivel. Make the eye around the hook shank, and twist together four to six turns. Now, push each end of the wire through opposite sides of the hook eye and do a haywire twist to complete the connection. See the illustration’s closeup view oval for the final look. Notice the stinger’s wire is connected to a swivel below the lead “J” or circle hook’s eye/shank and the swivel is wired to the hook’s leader wire. See the other oval. That “stinger swivel” reduces possible associated leader damage during the “fish fight”. The leader, swivel at the main line to the head hook can be 13 to 24”; mine are all 13”. The entire leader system, lead swivel to the stinger hook,
a painfully blistered thumb. That can ruin your day for days unless you are using a big, live bait that will require some “swallowing time”. Fishing kings or ‘hoo with the reel in gear will hook over 90% of them without the thumb problem. Hang on...at the hookup, if you don’t have a firm grip on your rod it could be ripped from your hands. I’ve seen this disappearing act present itself on several occasions.
Whether you’re fishing a nose-hooked only or a stinger-hooked baitfish, once it’s cast out or drifting back, every twenty seconds or so, give it a rod tip twitch. Over the years, I’ve seen countless instances where a person starts to reel in for a bait check and their bait is immediately bit — do the twitch. If current, etc. dictates Carolina rigging is needed to get your baitfish down into the strike zone, a quickly adjustable way to do it is with a Quick Change Slip LeadTM. The lightest ones are two ounces; to go lighter, hacksaw into four equal-length pieces. You will then have something like two of 3/8 ounces and two of 1/2 ounces. These slip weights give you great adjustability without having to cut and re-tie your line; they ride on a plastic bushing that snaps onto your line — I’ve routinely used them for a couple of years.
When using natural baits, targeting kingfish in particular, and their tendency at times to be short strikers, the stinger rig is the way to go. In my experience, when Wahoo strike they will inhale the whole baitfish. Regardless of which species is targeted, the stealth and target isolation that the camo green hardware provides could be the difference in hooking up with that personal best, record fish or tournament winner. Build ‘em, fish ‘em, and let this Kingfish’s Nightmare leader and rigging system help you on your way to success...it works for me; it will for you, too.
If you have any questions, stop by Serious Tackle or email me
Chris Gonzales Owner - Serious Tackle
• Baits/Lures
• Custom Rods
• In-House Rod/ Reel Repair
• Reel Parts
• Rod Components
• Inshore/Offshore Tackle
• Custom Rigging
• Custom Splicing
Ingredients
Stuffed Turkey Breast
Whole turkey breast brined
1 lb. boudin (Leo’s crawfish boudin from Galveston was used)
clarified butter
pepper jack cheese or chopped pickled jalapenos or olives
hickory smoked bacon
TSS the Juicy Pig
TSS Herbal Red seasoning
Cold brine breast overnight with this recipe:
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
3 quarts cold water
Ingredients
Praline pecan yams
4-5 yams
1/2 stick butter
1 cup raw honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice with pulp
2 tbsp Kahlua liquor
1 tbsp Frangelico liquor
2 cups pecan halves
Cinnamon to cover pecans
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
TSS Salted Vodka and Grapefruit BBQ glaze
“This
favorite family holiday side dish, which I enjoy with wild game. The leftover praline sauce can be served warm over vanilla ice cream or cheesecake.”
Cajun Stuffed Wild Turkey Breast Directions
Remove from brine and wash. Butterfly breast out and tenderize with a meat mallet. Brush outside with clarified butter and season. Flip over and repeat. Spread a thin layer of boudin across the turkey and at the top make a line of cheese and peppers or olives to taste. Roll up the breast and cut into smaller pieces to wrap completely in bacon. Season bacon exterior with the Juicy Pig BBQ rub and cook on an offset grill until an internal temperature of 160 then remove and glaze with salted vodka and grapefruit BBQ glaze. Rest 8 minutes before slicing.
Praline Pecan Yams Directions
Wash, dry, and lightly butter yams. Wrap in foil and bake at 350° until fork tender. Once cool to the touch,
peel, cut into pieces, and place in a shallow pan. For the sauce, start by spreading the pecan halves on foil and applying a generous amount of cinnamon and the nutmeg. Broil until brown and remove from heat. In a saucepan, melt ½ stick of butter then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and stir in pecans and all cinnamon from the foil. Return to heat and as soon as it boils, remove, keep stirring until the foam settles, and pour over yams. Cover and let rest 20 minutes before serving.
Your Bum would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.
There have been plenty of horror stories published about certain celebrities being some of the worst people around. Celebrities with huge egos that are very rude and condescending to their fans and the public. Their overall treatment towards people is just plain awful.
Your Bum had a thought the other day while riding around in my ol’ scarab. It’s not like me to have many thoughts in a day, but here is what had me thinking...
We read or see an account almost daily about how rude certain celebrities are. That got me to thinking, who are the really nice celebrities? Celebrities that are kind and good-natured. Celebrities that are good people. Your Bum has put together a list of first-person accounts from people who have had pleasant experiences while engaging with very famous celebrities. These stories are pretty heartwarming.
So enough of the bad celebrities, here is a list of some of the really nice ones. Your Bum has even thrown in a few celebrities that are no longer with us but brought joy to others while they were here on earth.
I met Tom Hanks while I was shopping at Best Buy. He was in line in front of me with a cart full, all by himself. I was only buying a bottle of water because they didn’t have what I was looking for. I just blurted out “Forrest Gump is my favorite movie” like a creep. He turned around and said “that was my favorite movie to make! I’m glad you love it.” He then chatted with me for a while about movies as we stood in line. When it was his turn to check out, while they were ringing up his stuff, he said, “let me get that water for you” and paid for my water. He kept talking to me and then we walked out and he said, “nice talking to you! You’re a very nice young lady and always remember...life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get” in his best Forrest Gump voice. It was the best thing ever.
Here are two accounts from people who had the good fortune to meet one of your Bums all-time favorite performers...
One: I was jogging at the San Francisco
Marina in 1988 when I saw Robin Williams sitting in the side of his van just chillin’. I said, “How you doin’ Mr. Williams?” He said, I’m doing great, you running from the cops?” I laughed and stopped to chat with him for about 5 minutes. He was absolutely delightful.
Two: “I saw Robin Williams at an ice cream shop while I was on vacation. I got my ice cream and went outside to eat. Then, Robin Williams came out with his ice cream and actually sat down at my table. We talked for a solid 45 minutes. Best day of my life.”
Bill Murray and his son came into an Inuit art gallery. The owner and I were the only ones there. Then, a UPS delivery person came in and freaked out about seeing Bill Murray on her birthday. Murray had his son pick up her feet and he picked her up under her shoulders and they started rocking her back and forth. While doing this, Murray crooned “happy birthday to yooooou...” After that, we all chatted with him for a bit. What a super nice guy.
“ I served her once at the restaurant where I worked. I was honestly having a really bad day. She had 3 kids in tow, dressed in yoga pants and t-shirts. Nothing about her screamed celebrity and I was focused on other stuff.” I messed up twice on her order and she honestly couldn’t have been nicer about it. “Oh. no problem. just bring it when you can, etc. etc.” She went out of her way to make small talk. I only found out who she was when I went to run her credit card and it said R.K. Zellweger. The kids all thanked me after their meal and she gave me a big hug on the way out.
She also left an amazing tip for my subpar service. “ It was a total dream.”
“ Jim Carrey gave me a ride to the gas station after my car ran out of gas in Bel Aire. I told him I was a huge fan of Ace Ventura and I could mimic his laugh from the movie. It wasn’t long before we both had our heads out the window cackling away. He bought my gas and drove me back to my car. One of the greatest moments of my life.”
I was working at a retail store in the Pittsburgh airport alone one morning. It was a slow day and I had no customers for almost an hour, then Sandra Bullock walked in. I sold her a portable charger for her phone and we chatted about Pittsburgh for quite a while. What a down to earth person she is. Really nice lady.
When I was 17, I got to go backstage at the Tonight Show because I was a huge fan of the show. After the show, Jay came back to the green room and talked to me and my family for a solid ten minutes. After we had left the studio, we saw him leaving the parking lot and signing autographs for his fans. The real kicker: the next year I graduated high school. Out of nowhere, Jay sent me a letter congratulating me on my graduation. He couldn’t have been nicer to me.
I was in the airport lounge for American in New York waiting for the early flight to Chicago. Ali came in with his entourage and sat in the seats across from me. I pretended to read my newspaper (this was early 1990’s) but was watching him the entire time. When one of his “people” went to the coffee service I went up to him and asked if I could say hello to Mr. Ali. The guy said “Sure! He loves it when people come up and talk to him.” I went over to Ali to introduce myself, we shook hands, and he invited me to sit down next to him. We sipped coffee and chatted for about 25 minutes until I had to leave for my flight. He can’t sign autographs because of his Parkinson’s, but he was the nicest, kindest man. I will never forget it.
We ran into Dave Chappelle at a hotel. He was extremely friendly to us and all of his fans that were around that evening. He actually invited all of us to come and hang out with him at a hookah bar where we chilled, smoked, and swapped stories for four hours. To top it off, he picked up the entire tab for all of us. How does something like this ever happen? What a terrific guy
I met Bryan Cranston once at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas while I was on vacation. I was a bit fan-boyish and blurted out...”omg, it’s Heisenberg!” Almost immediately his facial expression went angry and he walked up to me and muttered “How dare you call me out like that... if people knew who I was, I wouldn’t be in this business... next time you call me out like that be ready for a barrel.” Then he smiled and started laughing and we ended up talking for about 10 minutes about Breaking Bad. He gave me an autograph and I was so happy to have had this experience. What a cool guy.
by: John & Kathy Valastro
To my island friends, it’s been a tough few years with high inflation, a struggling economy, storms, and a tiresome political campaign. Even islanders grow weary, but as this year comes to an end, it makes me feel good to know that a majority of people still find ways to be “thankful” in 2024. I truly enjoy sending out Thanksgiving wishes and seeing the beautiful responses.
It seems the media and politicians have tried to cloud our hearts with negativity, blame, and a constant “woe is me” attitude every single day! It feels as though they are intentionally trying to break our spirits.
We must not go down that road. Some might ask, “How can you find ‘thankfulness and happiness’ in a time of hardship, turmoil, and divisiveness?” Well, here is my take on it. Feel free to agree or disagree, but regardless of where you stand, remember that we can still be kind to one another.
Politics is ugly, and perhaps more so now than usual, but it has always been that way. The only difference is that technology and social media make it live 24/7. With the election upon us, we’ve heard enough negativity to last a lifetime. I’ve walked away from news cycles, Facebook, and Twitter, and I am amazed that my life continues without all the negativity. Life is better without reliving or re-litigating the same news bites every minute of every day. Try walking away and see how much better you feel.
must live for today. Each day should be about family and personal relationships. If we are kind to one another, how much better will things be within ourselves, our families, our workplaces, our communities… and the world?
As for the tough economic times, we will find a way to get through them and come out even better than before. We are a resilient people. However, do you realize we are one nasty virus, a cosmic event, or a nuclear holocaust away from being wiped off the face of the Earth?
Seems bleak? Not really… if we take one day at a time and find the beauty and positives in each day. We can plan and work for the future, but we
Some may still wonder what there is to be thankful for. Well, for me, it’s having a wife of 37 years who takes care of me and loves me; it’s having two daughters, and their husbands, whom I get to watch as they begin their new lives together; it’s being retired after 32 years in education; it’s being able to help my in-laws with yard work and chores around the house as they’re getting too old to manage it all. It’s also being able to write reflections for Waves Magazine that have a positive spin on what’s happening on Galveston Island. It’s waking up at 5 a.m. to share Thanksgiving blessings with hundreds of people in my contact list. And, finally, it’s spending time in thanksgiving to God for the many blessings He has bestowed on me over my 61 years. I feel unworthy at times— because I am selfish, impatient, or not as understanding as I should be—but each day is a new chance to try and be better in His eyes. And for that, I am thankful.
So, to my island friends and all those who visit Galveston Island, have a happy Thanksgiving season, and many blessings to you all!
- John and Kathy Valastro
OUR MISSION
Dedicated to promoting animal welfare and the protection and prevention of unwanted or homeless animals of Galveston Island.
Fostering Saves Lives. For a weekend or until adoption, give a shelter animal time out of a cage in a home. You could be instrumental in finding that animals new home. From old dogs to bottle baby kittens our foster program is vital to our success.
Fostering Saves Lives. For a weekend or until adoption, give a shelter animal time out of a cage in a home. You could be instrumental in finding that animals new home.
From old dogs to bottle baby kittens our foster program is vital to our success.
Volunteers are the backbone of GIHS. Assisting with many tasks at the shelter and off-site events! Sign up today to help advocate for adoptable animals, take a dog for a walk, socialize kittens, or one of any other volunteer tasks that make our mission possible.
Volunteers are the backbone of GIHS. Assisting with many tasks at the shelter and at off-site events! Sign up today to help advocate for adoptable animals, take a dog for a walk, socialize kittens or one of the many other volunteer tasks that make our mission possible.
Whether in support of one of our designated programs or as a general contribution every dollar supports our mission and it is tax-deductible. We do have an Amazon wish list as well, you can literally give a dog a bone.
Whether in support of one of our designated programs or as a general contribution every dollar supports our mission and it is tax deductible. We do have an Amazon wish list as well, you can literally give a dog a bone.
SHELTER SERVICES:
S a f e h o u s i n g a n d c a r e f o r r e s i d e n t p e t s i n c l u d i n g a n i m a l h e a l t h a n d b e h a v i o r a s s e s s m e n t s R o u t i n e h e a l t h c a r e i n c l u d i n g i m m u n i z a t i o n s , w o r m i n g , a n d t r e a t m e n t f o r m i n o r i n j u r i e s R a b i e s o b s e r v a t i o n s f o r b i t e c a s e s P a r t n e r i n g w i t h o t h e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o t a k e i n a n i m a l s a s n e e d e d
Safe housing and care for resident pets including animal health and behavior assessments. Routine health care including immunizations, worming, and treatment for minor injuries. Rabies observations for bite cases. Partnering with other organizations to take in animals as needed. Coordinating transport for out-of-state placements.
C o o r d i n a t i n g t r a n s p o r t f o r o u t o f s t a t e p l a c e m e n t s
• Spay/neuter assistance
• Lost pet assistance and recovery
• Humane education for all ages
CONNECT WITH US
GIHS is dedicated to ensuring ALL pets are spayed or neutered to decrease the number of homeless and unwanted pets as well as the number of pets entering the shelter. Through generous grant funding, we offer spay/neuter assistance programs at low to no cost for those in need. Contact the shelter for information about the “Big Fix!”
A s a n “ o p e n a d m i s s i o n ” s h e l t e r f o r G a l v e s t o n I s l a n d w e a c c e p t a l l h o m e l e s s p e t s e v e n w h e n t h e s h e l t e r i s f u l l I n a c i t y w i t h a h i g h n u m b e r o f h o m e l e s s p e t s , t h i s c o u l d e a s i l y l e a d t o n e e d l e s s e u t h a n a s i a
e n c y M e d i c a l A s s i s t a n c e
• Pet food pantry for individuals in need
• Emergency Medical Assistance
WHAT DO ADOPTIONS INCLUDE AT GIHS?
A l l a d o p t e d p e t s a r e s p a y e d / n e u t e r e d a s
r e q u i r e d b y T e x a s l a w .
• All adopted pets are spayed/neutered as required by Texas law.
V a c c i n a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g r a b i e
c u r r e n t w h e n p e t i s a d o p t e d
o c h i
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M
• Vaccinations including rabies, as well as Flea and - Heartworm prevention, are all current when the pet is adopted.
• Microchip.
GICC was established in 2015 and is a progressive Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) program to fix, vaccinate and release feral cats on the island. To date, we have altered over 4000 felines with this program. The success of this program has reduced yearly intake at GIHS and has improved our live release rate in cats from 52% in 2014 to 94% in 2024.
• Microchip your pets.
• Spay or neuter your pets.
• Become a member of GIHS.
e
H S a n d h
• ADOPT your next best friend.
• VOLUNTEER at the shelter.
• FOSTER if you cannot adopt.
The Galveston Island Humane Society, Inc., formed in 1981, is a 501c3, non-profit organization. Originally created by concerned citizens to rescue animals from “the pound,” much has changed. Today we have a humane shelter, providing care for lost or homeless pets, reuniting pets with families, and promoting the adoptions of pets needing homes.
O u r p r o g r a m s w o r k d i l i g e n t l y t o r e d u c e t h e n u m b e r o f p e t s i n o u r c o m m u n i t y . W e a r e c o m m i t t e d t o a s s u r i n g t h a t a d o p t a b l e p e t s a r e k e p t a v a i l a b l e u n t i l t h e y a r e p l a c e d i n a f a m i l y o r t r a n s f e r r e d t o a p a r t n e r o r g a n i z a t i o n O u r s h e l t e r i s m a n a g e d b y a b o a r d o f d i r e c t o r s c a r i n g s t a f f a n d a c t i v e v o l u n t e e r s w h o w o r k t o p r o v i d e f o r
• Like and share from our social networks.
v e d o u r l i v e r e l e a s e r a t e i n c a t s f r o m 5 2 % i n 2 0 1 4 t o 9 4 % i n 2 0 2 4 M i c r o c h i p y o u r p e t s S p a y o r n e u t e r y o u r p e t s a n d e n c o u r a g e o t h e r s t o d o t h e s a m e L i k e a n d s h a r e f r o m o u r s o c i a l B e c o m e a m e m b e r o f G I H S A D O P T y o u r n e x t b e s t f r i e n d V O L U N T E E R a t t h e s h e l t e r F O S T E R i f y o u c a n n o t a d o p t
• DONATE to support our mission.
D O N A T E t o s u p p o r t o u r m i s s i o n T h e G a l v e s t o n I s l a n d H u m a n e S o c i e t y I N C , f o r m e d i n 1 9 8 1 a s a 5 0 1 C 3 , n o n - p r o f i t o r g a n i z a t i o n O r i g i n a l l y c r e a t e d b y c o n c e r n e d c i t i z e n s t o r e s c u e a n i m a l s f r o m “ t h e p o u n d ” a n d m u c h h a s c h a n g e d o v e r t h e l a s t f e w d e c a d e s T o d a y w e h a v e a h u m a n e s h e l t e r w i t h a n o - k i l l l i v e r e l e a s e r a t e D a i l y w e p r o v i d e c a r e f o r l o s t o r h o m e l e s s p e t s , r e u n i t i n g p e t s w i t h t h e i r f a m i l i e s a n d p r o m o t i n g t h e a d o p t i o n o f p e t s n e e d i n g h o m e s
As an “open admission” shelter for Galveston Island, we accept all homeless pets, even when the shelter is full. In a city with a high number of homeless pets, which could lead to needless euthanasia, our programs work diligently to reduce the number of pets in our community.
We are committed to assuring that adoptable pets are kept available until they are placed in a family or transferred to a partner organization. Our shelter is managed by a board of directors, caring staff, and active volunteers who work to provide for the pets in our care along with creating and managing community programs that will positively impact our shelter. We hope you will join us in our mission to make sure that every pet on Galveston Island can live out his or her life in a loving home.
Happy November, my wonderful Waves friends! Oh, how I LOVE November! The pretty fall colors, the crisp air (well, on some days here on the island), the tailgates and football games, all the fun plans for friends and family holiday gatherings, the baking aisles full of seasonal items at the grocery stores...oh my! I just get so excited thinking about it all!
Nothing gets us into the autumn spirit like the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and pumpkin spice in the air, especially when it is wafting out of the oven. When the coziest season hits, there is no better way to celebrate than with a fantastic fall baking list that includes all the pumpkin spice we can find. So this month, I am sharing the very best of fall flavor and good autumn feels with three spiced pumpkin desserts.
The Pumpkin Poke Cake and the Pumpkin Crunch Parfaits could not be any easier. They are both “beginner-friendly”. The Praline Pumpkin Pecan Pie is a delicious alternative to the traditional plain pumpkin pie. It has become a hit in my family and is now the requested Thanksgiving pie. I hope you enjoy these during this month of gratitude.
Ingredients:
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin purée
• 1 (15.25 oz.) box yellow cake mix
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Topping ideas: chopped pecans, caramel topping sauce, toffee bar pieces, cinnamon spice, walnuts, mini white chocolate chips, chocolate-covered almond pieces, Mellowcreme Pumpkins, and/or Halloween sprinkles.
Directions:
• Prepare oven and baking dish:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9- x 13-in. glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the yellow cake mix, pumpkin puree, and milk until well combined. (Do not follow the cake directions on the back of the box.)
• Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. This is a very thick batter, so be sure to spread it as evenly as possible.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Allow the cake to cool in the dish on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes, until cooled slightly.
• While the cake is cooling, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and pumpkin pie spice.
• Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake. Can also use a large straw or anything large enough so that the spiced milk mixture can ooze down into the baked cake well.
• Pour the condensed milk mixture over the entire cake, taking special care to fill all the holes and spread a bit on top.
• Cover with plastic wrap or foil and chill.
• Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, up to 24 hours. (A full 24 hours will give you the most moist, flavorful cake.)
• After it has fully chilled and before serving, frost the cake with the whipped topping.
• Add your toppings of choice. We used caramel sauce, toffee bar pieces, and chopped pecans.
• Chill cake for at least 1 hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup milk
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding
• 2 cups whipped topping
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 32 gingersnap cookies, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
• Optional: additional whipped cream and chopped pecans
Directions:
• In a large bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed 2 minutes.
• Whisk or stir in whipped topping, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice.
• Fold in chopped pecans, if you are adding them.
• Spoon half the mixture into 6 parfait glasses; top with half the gingerbread crumbs. Repeat layers. If desired, top with additional whipped topping and chopped pecans or more gingerbread crumbs.
• Refrigerate until serving.
Ingredients:
(this gingersnap crust can be used or any crust of your choice)
• 1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies (about 20 cookies)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping:
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, mix crushed cookies, pecans, brown sugar, and salt; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and upsides of a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Bake until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
For filling, in a large bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, milk, spices, and salt. Pour into crust. Bake on a middle oven rack until center is set, 50-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
For topping, in a large heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream, corn syrup, butter, and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir
until a candy thermometer reads 240° (firm-ball stage), stirring occasionally Remove from heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour over the pie immediately Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. ENJOY!
On November 3, 2024, at 2:00 am, we officially entered back into the Dark Ages once again. It’s that wonderful time of the year when we “Fall Back.” It is the time of the year when we go from Daylight Saving Time (DST) to Standard Time. This subject is going to remain an annual Pet Peeve until this horrible and depressing situation comes to an end.
Standard Time is just plain horrific. Studies have shown that longer daylight evenings motivate people to leave the house. Longer daylight hours counteract the sedentary lifestyle of modern living. The extra hours of daylight can be used for outdoor recreation like boating, fishing, golf, soccer, walking and jogging, going to the beach, etc. In other words, longer daylight provides a happier and healthier life.
Longer daylight hours are a boost for the economy. Extra daylight also provides more safety. Studies have shown that DST contributes to improved road safety, reducing pedestrian fatalities by 13%. Another study found a 7% decrease in robberies during DST.
Do we like it when it is completely dark outside by 5:30 pm? Do we like not being able to enjoy some of our favorite activities because it is too dark outside to do so? Do we like feeling like it is midnight when it is only 7:00 pm?
Back in March 2022, the United States Senate unanimously passed the “Sunshine Protection Act.” That would have made daylight saving time permanent starting in November 2023. However, the bill stalled in the House and expired. The bill was reintroduced in March 2023. The bill is currently in limbo according to Congress’ website. Let’s urge our representatives to do something productive and get this done!
