Anna Living Magazine Issue 4

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4

A.J. Fidelman holds up a portion of the 2020 lavender harvest on the farm he owns and operates with his wife Lenda Fidelman. The two have worked tirelessly for several years to build and operate their farm east of Anna as well as holding full-time jobs and raising their two sons.

CONTENTS 3 9

Meet the Neighbors - Eydie Robinson

A celebrated author and motivational speaker lives right here in Anna.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4

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Anna Resident Raisess Awareness of Human Trafficking

You could be shopping next to a child who is kidnapped and held prisoner.

According to this information, it’s more common than we realize.

14 Back to School Photos

Subitted photos of youngsters starting back to school for the 2020 Fall semester. These are photos that didn’t get included in Issue 3.

16 Sports Scrapbook

Action shots from football games over the past month. A view from the sidelines.

20 Lavender Farm East of Anna

A.J. Fidelman (on the cover) and wife Lenda, both military veterans, have spent the last three years developing and building their lavender farm using it to help other veterans.

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20 IN EVERY ISSUE

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4

A BIT OF ANNA HISTORY 4

LIBRARY JOURNEY 23

BEHIND THE BADGE 7

MOVIE REVIEWS 24

SERVING WHERE IT MATTERS 8

WORDS OF INSPIRATION 25

BUSINESS DIRECTORY 11

LIFE A LITTLE SIDEWAYS 26

ALL ABOUT THE YARD 22

JAMIE’S KITCHEN 28

Anna Living Magazine

A.J. Fidelman holds up a portion of the 2020 lavender harvest on the farm he owns and operates with his wife Lenda Fidelman. The two have worked tirelessly for several years to build and operate their farm east of Anna as well as holding full-time jobs and raising their two sons.

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from the

EDITOR

PUBLISHER

Joyce Godwin

Anna Living Magazine has been busy in Anna.

I hope you’ve been noticing our Facebook page where we try to make regular updates for information on the happenings around town and surrounding areas.

EDITOR

Joyce Godwin AD SALES

In this issue we have stories about a lavender farm east of Anna as well as an Anna neighbor who is also an author and public speaker, We have more back-to-school photos and a lot of scenes from the Anna football games over the past month. We also have a story from Chiropractor Caleb Braddock about healthy eating and the movie review made me want to check out every single one of the movies mentioned in the article. Here’s a little back story about our movie review written by Don Eldredge. He was my editor for many years at the Herald Democrat in Sherman and taught me most of what I know about journalism. He has been a serious movie buff for many, many years and his depth of knowledge in the subject is pretty amazing. He’s retired now from the newspaper business, and still highly regarded in those circles.

Now, here we are on Issue 4. We’re getting out and about to the happenings around town which is still not an easy task in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s amazing to drive through town and see so much construction going on everywhere. It’s a testament to a strong Anna future and we’re just excited to be here and be a part of it.

By the time this issue comes out, the presidential election should be settled, the new city council and school board should each be set and working with their elections completed.

The political signs will all be gone and things should be getting back to normal. Also, football should be winding up in Anna and we’ll begin to look toward basketball for boys and girls. It’s always an exciting time.

Be sure to send us feedback about our magazine and what we should or shouldn’t be doing to make our readers happy. And, if you haven’t already, please be sure to “like” us on Facebook.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Jamie Roubinek, Joyce Godwin, Amy Jukes PHOTOGRAPHERS

Xaviar Jukes, Joyce Godwin DESIGNER

Open Look Business Solutions DIRECTOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS

Amy Jukes 469-389-2636 amy@annalivingmagazine.com CONTRIBUTORS

Claude Webb, Lafe Angell, Don Eldredge, Lynette George, Alexia Swanepoel, Jamie Roubinek, Jimmie Gibson, Caleb Braddock SPECIAL THANKS

Anna Area Historical Preservation Society, Marc Marchand, Director of Neighborhood Services for the city of Anna, President and CEO of the Greater Anna Chamber of Commerce Kevin Hall FOR ADVERTISING QUESTIONS OR EDITORIAL REQUESTS

Please email joyce@annalivingmagazine.com MANAGING OWNER

Joyce Godwin 903-815-0044

P. O. Box 341, Anna TX 75409

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Anna Living Magazine

Getting to Know One of Our Great Anna Neighbors Photos and story by Joyce Godwin

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t all started with a question in 2012 “What is my purpose on this earth, because I know it has to be better than this.” Eydie Robinson asked herself that question from a dark place in her life that came from a failed marriage and more.

Today Robinson is a celebrated author and motivational speaker. She has her own, beautiful home in Anna and is successfully raising her three children, ages 21, 15 and 10.

“I wouldn’t have thought I would accomplish any of this,” Robinson said. “It was something God gave me.” She says God gave her the words to put in a book to empower women.

One book came and then another and they followed until she had six books in five years. But she and God didn’t stop there. God showed her a need to help empower women and started a non profit organization to support an annual women’s conference the first of which was held in 2015.

She also has a full-time job with Abilene Christian College in the admissions department.

Robinson’s journey has been a long one. She says she was once a woman who lacked confidence and who didn’t understand her value. On her website EydieRobinson.com, Robinson says “I am a strong believer that with God anything is possible which has led me to adopting an ‘I CAN’ and an ‘I WILL’ attitude!”

She put that new attitude to the test when started the conferences to empower women. “I had never spoken in front of a group of people,” she said. She didn’t realize she could until she did. It started with a group of 75 and the numbers have grown since then.

Robinson was living in Richardson and was

Meet

Eydie Robinson

invited to visit a friend in Anna. Once she was here, she looked around and saw how beautiful the area is and immediately began the steps to move. The little family of Robinsons, Eydie and her three children, is now happy in one of the neighborhoods of Anna in a beautiful home.

Since she is able to work remotely, it came in handy when this part of the world entered into a lockdown because of a pandemic. She added that it was challenging when her children were home from school because of the lockdown with everyone in the house trying to work remotely and she was glad to see classes start up again.

When not working at her job, Robinson is an avid encourager to help other women. She said she’s learned that to make a change in one’s life, the change has to start from within.

“I’ve learned that you cannot be something Anna Living Magazine

if you do nothing,” she states on her website.

She quotes James 2:22 from the Bible, “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”

Of her six books, Robinson says her favorite is the first one “Life Behind Closed Doors.” It’s a personal recount of her struggles and tells of the people who had a hand in her life encouraging her to see her own worth.

At this point, Robinson has written “Life Behind Closed Doors,” “Voices of the 21st Century,” “Marriage and the Aftermath,” “Change Your Words Transform Your Life,” “Women Inspiring Nations,” and one more to be released this year.

Readers may see more information about Robinson by visiting her websites EydieRobinson.com or DesireToEmpower.org 3

Westminster, Texas Six Miles East of Anna Has Rich History Written by Margaret Milam for “The Spark that Ignited the Town of Anna” Photos by Joyce Godwin, Anna Living Magazine

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A State of Texas historical marker is in front of the Westminster Baptist Church. It states the following: Westminster College In 1886, Rev. J.M. Harder founded Seven Points College, now called Westminster College, as an institute of higher learning for Collin County. Between 1892 and 1918, the college was known by various names and owned, at different times, by I.P. Rosser, the, the Methodist Protestant Church, and the Westminster Baptist Church. Primarily, it served as a preparatory school and college offering degrees and a theological seminary for students. In 1907, C.W. Bulger and Sons of Dallas were hired to construct a 3-story, concrete, 40-room building to replace the previous wood-clad school building. Financial problems forced the school to close in 1918 and the building was demolished in 1972.

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his is a story about the town called Westminster, Texas. Westminster is a rural farming town located at the intersec-tion of FM 3133 and FM 2862, twelve miles northeast of McKinney and six miles east of Anna in northeast Collin County. In 1854 Ezekial & Sherod Roland received 1,920 acres in recognition of Mr. Roland’s services to Texas during the revolution against Mexico and was later passed down to John Roland.

Later the land was owned by F.M. Atterbury and then purchased by the Methodist Protestant Church in 1895.

In 1860, what is now known as the Town Square was called ‘Seven Points’. I was told it was named this due to the fact that the square had seen roads going in and out of the Town.

The settlement also contained a stage coach stop (2) miles west of Town, just east of Rosamond and a camp ground for soldiers during the Civil War. In 1888, Rev. J.M. Harder built a two-story wooden building that became the Seven Points College. The College was later sold to I.P. Anna Living Magazine

Rosser in 1892, who in turn sold the property to the Methodist Church in 1895. The College President, Rev. James Lawlis, later renamed the school the “Westminster College” in honor of his Maryland hometown. The college was a preparatory school for ministers. As of 1903-1904, the town was still known as Seven Points. The residents later decided to change the community’s name to that of the col-lege.

In 1902, needing more room, the Methodists moved their college to Tehucacana, Texas and sold the school building to the Collin County Baptist Association and the name changed so Westminster Institute [Tehuacana is a town near the Tehuacana Hills in Limestone County, Texas].

The Baptist Association would not accept the old building, so plans were made for a new one. The cornerstone was laid in 1907 and a fifty-room 3 story concrete building was com-pleted fourteen months later in 1908. It was known as West-minster Baptist Academy, The top floor had 25 rooms that were used as a girl’s dormitory. The building cost $75,000 plus the donations of rock, sand and labor The school was closed in 1918.

The Westminster Baptist Church relocated to the Westmin-ster Baptist Academy building in 1920 and used as a church for 50 plus years.

In 1971, the Westminster Baptist Church constructed a new 3,023 sq. ft. church building 75 yards southeast of the old Westminster Baptist Academy building. The old Westminster Baptist Academy building was demol-ished in 1972.

At the turn of the century, Seven Points was a thriving com-munity. In places where cotton fields and grain once grew, people of the community began building a grocery store, blacksmith and tailor shops, a bank, a service garage and filling station, barber shop, and a cotton gin. The first gaso-line that was sold in 1908 was brought into town in barrels on a horse drawn wagon.

The Westminster Post Office opened on June 15, 1899 and converted to a remotely managed post office under the di-rection of the postmaster of the Anna, Texas post office.

A rail line was built by the Greenville-Whitewright and North-ern Traction Company which stretched from Anna to Blue Ridge, Texas. It was later discontinued in 1914 for financial reasons. The closing of the railroad was detrimental to the growth and expansion of Westminster which later caused the closing of the Westminster College.

The Town was hit hard due to the Great Depression and be-tween the years of 1929 through 1941 caused many families to move

away to find other jobs or means of making money.

As years passed, a new school was built which contained grades first through twelfth.

The school thrived on the sports program and activities, along with a winning six (6) man football team. Westminster began a noticeable decline after 1988, when the Texas Board of Education removed the ac-creditation from the

Anna Living Magazine

Westminster ISD. In 1989, voters abol-ished the district and closed the school. Most of the students in Westminster now attend school in either Anna or Van Alstyne.

Although, the Town of Westminster went through various tri-als and hardships, those that still remain will always have fond and memorable experiences of growing up in a small Texas town.

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To find regular updates about Anna’s government, visit the website at www.annatexas.gov.

Anna PD’s Officer Wesley Davis honored

Congratulations to Officer Wesley Davis.

He received the Directors Award from Steven C. McCraw who is the Director of The Texas Department of Public Safety for his life-saving actions at a major accident that occurred November 22, 2019 on U.S. Highway 75. Also honored were two State Game Wardens and one Texas State Trooper who were also on scene. Officer Davis’ family was there to see this historic event. Officer Davis has also received the Police Department life-saving award for his actions.

Roadwork at the Intersection of Sharp Street and Leonard Avenue Began October 7 Roadwork began at the intersection of Sharp Street and Leonard Avenue October 7. The

The Anna Fire Department announced that it has taken delivery of Anna’s very first Medical Unit. This vehicle was built by Frazer in Houston and will serve in a reserve status in

support of the current EMS provider, AMR. The department expressed a special thanks to the Anna City Council and City Manager Jim Proce for supporting Anna Fire in utilizing the CARES Act funding to purchase this top of the line unit. This is a major leap forward for our department and the entire community!n A visit to the Anna FD Facebook page shows a link to the manufacturer’s specifications on the new truck. Some of the details shown include the following: This Type I 14-foot unit is mounted on a RAM 4500HD chassis with a Liquid Spring suspension and MEPS generator system.

This unit is a Frazer IDU – which stands for Infectious Disease Unit. A Frazer IDU is a specialized vehicle designed to minimize exposure and limit the spread of infectious disease.

Some of the IDU features include ultraviolet disinfection systems, anti microbial grab bars, and an isolated patient compartment.

This unit also has a door forward design which allows for more interior space and storage options.

Find out more about Frazer Infectious Disease Units and the unique features this amazing Anna Fire Rescue unit has to offer!

Officer, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Deputy Chief. Among his responsibilities, he has commanded divisions responsible for narcotics investigations, policy development, project management, child abuse and exploitation, internal affairs, and SWAT. He has successfully exercised direct supervision of 54 sworn officers and has managed the department’s $8 million operations budget. The Chief has also been instrumental in directing

and implementing planning, operations, and emergency response.

Habel holds a Master Peace Officer license and is a licensed instructor for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. He is certified in Advanced Interview and Interrogation and has attained certification in the FBI’s Interviewing Strategies Through Statement Analysis program.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute. He’s been recognized as Farmers Branch Supervisor of the Year and has been awarded the Meritorious Conduct Medal by the FBPD. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree In Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Master of Liberal Studies degree in Behavioral Sciences from Southern Methodist University. He authored “Mexico: The Methamphetamine Superpower,” published in the Texas Police Journal.

Fire Chief Ray Isom, named Interim Public Safety Director during the search for a new Police Chief, will revert to leading the Fire Department.

road improvements are being done as a part of the new Children’s Lighthouse Daycare Facility construction. Both roads are to remain open to the public during construction, which is expected to last approximately 30 days depending upon weather. In addition, pedestrian pathways to school will be preserved for students. Please follow all traffic-control signage, watch for construction workers and pedestrians, and maintain safe travel speeds through the construction zone.

Anna FD gets its first emergency medical vehicle

Anna taps Farmers Branch Deputy to lead Police Force

New chief counts on 25-year law enforcement experience From city of Anna staff reports

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he City of Anna has selected Dean Habel as the next Chief of Police.

City Manager Jim Proce made the announcement after briefing the City Council at the Oct. 14 City Council meeting.

The Council meeting, held at the Rattan Elementary School cafeteria, followed a work session of the Anna 2050 Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee.

Chief Habel, scheduled to start his new position on Nov. 16, currently serves as Deputy Chief of Police for the Farmers Branch Police Department. He has held that post for four years and recently celebrated 25 years with the FBPD. During his career, Chief Habel has worked in virtually all aspects of the department’s services, including patrol, investigations, and SWAT. He has steadily progressed through the ranks, occupying positions as Police 6

Anna Living Magazine

Chief Ray Isom Stepped in to Fill Vacancy

By Joyce Godwin

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ot everyone can fill a vacancy like the one left in the wake of Police Chief Jeff Caponera’s departure, but Fire Chief Ray Isom can and did. When the police chief position was left vacant, Isom stepped up and became Interim Public Safety Director during the city’s search for a new police chief.

That search ended October 14 when City Manager Jim Proce announced at a city council meeting that Deputy Chief Dean Habel of the Farmers Branch Police Department will be on the job November 16 as Anna’s new police chief.

During his time in the police department last month, Isom said he was focused on filling the chief ’s shoes to keep the PD in the right direction. Isom says he loves the job in the police department as well as the fire department.

In 2004, Isom became a deputy with the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office in Austin. During this time, he oversaw fire prevention for all state-owned facilities while working on several high-profile arson and bomb cases. He said he really loves both jobs; fire and police.

Looking ahead for Anna, Isom says he believes Anna will double in size within five years and the needs at the fire and police departments will have to keep up. The department now has 22 in the police department and 24 in the fie department with 12 of those being volunteers.

“All our guys are cross trained as firefighters or paramedics and we require our volunteers to have training also. They have to meet so many hours per month, because we don’t want a drop in service abilities,” Isom said.

Isom is a second-generation firefighter who began his career in 1996 in his hometown of Ennis. He was also involved in coastal relief efforts in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The city of Anna website states Chief Isom joined the Allen Fire Department in 2008 as a Fire Prevention Specialist. While there, he worked on countless new construction projects, arson investigations, and assisted with the city’s Emergency Management efforts. He is a certified Master Firefighter, commissioned Master Peace Officer, and an Emergency Medical Technician Certified in the disciplines of Arson Investigator, Fire Inspector, Plans Reviewer, Fire Officer, Driver/Operator/Aerial, Incident

Safety Officer, Fire Service Instructor, and Law Enforcement Instructor.

Isom was recognized as a Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association in 2005. He has also completed the nation’s only Fire Executive Management Training program through the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas located on the campus of Sam Houston State University. Additionally, Ray holds a General Class FCC Amateur Radio License.

As a 2001 graduate of Oklahoma State University Isom holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology with a minor in Fire Protection. He earned his Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2015.

Isom joined the Anna Fire Department in 2017. He’s excited to see some of the changes coming to his department. They just received Anna’s first ambulance for the fire department and Isom says that was a result of the Cares Act. This will be a back-up to AMR which is a third-party service group with which the county has an agreement to serve the outer ring communities. Isom says Anna wants to have its own ambulance in case it’s needed. “When COVID first hit, nobody knew how bad it would be, so what will we do if COVID takes out the AMR personnel,” Isom said.

The new ambulance isn’t the only upgrade headed for the FD. Isom says they will be getting a new brush truck. “We received $45,000 toward a new brush truck on the Texas Forrest Service grant and that should come in a few weeks.”

Shiny new equipment isn’t the only thing coming to the fire and police departments. As most are aware, there is a new building in the future that is seriously needed and currently under construction on State Highway 5.

“We are getting a central station that is a game changer for us,” Isom said. “The old station was built in 1975. The new station will Anna Living Magazine

open before the city hall facility. Then when the city hall opens, the police department will move in and that will allow them to expand. On the fire side, we are looking at three stations over the next five years. The other two are probably going to be on the west side.”

Isom is a second generation fire firefighter and he says his greatest influence has been, by far, his dad. He was a firefighter in Ennis and still lives there in Isom’s home town. Chief Isom started his firefighting career in 1996 in Ennis.

In his position today, Isom says his job is to make sure everyone has the equipment they need to do their jobs.

“Over the Anna community, there are a lot of great people here and it’s really fun working with the city manager and the team of directors he’s put there,” Isom said. “The city council is really supportive of us.”

Isom added that he has a lot of fun learning while working at the police department. “I like to serve. Things work out better when you take that approach.”

The city’s website states Isom is married to his wife, Lola, for 10 years and they have two children. In his spare time, he enjoys listening to music, playing guitar, outdoor adventures, and the pursuit of wisdom.

Behind the Badge is a series in Anna Living Magazine in which an Anna first responder is featured in each issue.

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New to the city and ready to go, Anna has a new Director of Neighborhood Services

By Joyce Godwin

For Marc Marchand, the city’s new Director of Neighborhood Services, the decision to move to Anna was simple. He wants to be where he is needed; where he can make a difference. Anna is that place.

He started his career in Human Resources at Collin County and said he’s had his eye on Anna ever since. He said working in public service, you pay attention to what’s going on in the market around you. “So when Jim [Proce] came to the city of Anna, I was paying attention,” He said he met Proce two years ago and was smitten with him. “He knows how to put together a great team,” Marchand said.

Since coming on board in June, Marchand says it’s been a lot of fun and busy. Working on the capital plan, Marchand is getting ready to create the new recreation department, and he says he finds himself more in love with the job every day. The community is welcoming and the possibilities for achievement are exciting.

Marchand says the Anna community is ready for the next level of service, and that requires time, planning, engagement and forethought. “We are thinking of the next generations and trying to think of Anna 20-30 years from now,” he said. “But when you are trying to create legacy-level services, how can you not be excited about that.”

He talked about the team Proce has put together to run the city of Anna and said it’s the finest he’s ever known. “They are talented and hungry to serve with passion and we mesh well together,” Marchand said. “When you come in, and the organization is already going on, you just step on the train and get to work.”

Marchand says his responsibilities take in recreation and parks, code compliance and health. “When building a community you want your neighborhood and facilities to be well kept and show what we value.”

But there is more to Marc Marchand than what he does for the city of Anna. He’s a musician, a broom squire, creator of The Fishing Librarian, educator and committed family man.

Also, with several claims to fame, his daughters are competing with him and getting attention for accomplishments of their own.

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Of his three daughters, Anna is the middle child at 10. She got third place in the Arkansas State Youth Fiddle contest last year.

Claire is 13 and has won that contest twice.

She is a two-time State Arkansas Youth Fiddle Champion.

The youngest of the three is Ellie, 8, and she has decided to play the banjo. She takes endless and good-natured ribbing from the others who are committed to the fiddle. Her older sisters tease her with, “It could have been worse, it could have been the accordion.”

Marc says they all play the traditional mountain dulcimer, and that’s not all they do in the traditional way.

Marchand has become a broom squire by making brooms with old, original equipment.

He says there are fewer than 200 broom squires in the U.S. It’s a hobby that pays for itself. He said he just wanted to promote the product and not do it as a business so he’s keeps the prices at cost. Check out his Facebook page at Marchand Heritage Brooms.

He’s even entered some of those products in competitions and won. Claire, his oldest daughter entered the National Broom Making Contest in Illinois and placed higher than her dad’s entry.

Marchand seems to be always on the lookout for better ways to do his job and in past positions, trying to promote the library and recreation at city parks, he created The Fishing Librarian, who also has a Facebook page. He said he found it to be a great way to reach the children of his area and heighten their interests in books and fishing at the same time.

“Kids were lining up for my autograph, but it was a lot of fun and proved I have no shame in connecting kids to learning about and being connected to the outdoors whether environmental science or another type of recreation,” he said. “I’ve learned that kids usually want to be involved because of a caring adult gets involved with them for a positive experience.”

He also says he is looking for things like that for Anna to activate the parks with archery, camping and more activities.

Marchand also has responsibilities with code compliance for the city and he says the goal is to prevent someone from getting a citation.

Anna Living Magazine

Marc Marchand

“It usually just involves a phone call to get it straightened out,” Marchand said. “Sometimes, it’s just that someone has fallen on hard times and doesn’t have the ability to care for their property.” He speaks highly of city of Anna’s Code Compliance Manager Kevin Martin who was named Code Professional of the Year by the Building Officials Association of Texas.

“When he finds violations, sometimes he learns it’s because of illness or other situations, and he works it out to help alleviate the problem,” Marchand said.

He is also working on the library project and doing everything he can to make that project a reality. “The library becomes the community’s living room,” he said. “No longer is it just the place to go to get information. It’s where you go to give information, whether it’s helping someone get a GED, English as a Second Language, literacy skills or helping someone apply for a job.”

Books are still popular, says Marchand, and he’s looking forward to being able to get a dedicated librarian for the city.

He pointed out there is already a Friends of the Library group headed by Alexia Swanepoel, and they’ve been working together for about three years. He said it’s a function of timing and getting the right pieces in place. The city council had the foresight to see the need and adopt the funding strategy so a program can b created. “We don’t have a facility yet but that won’t stop us from starting to work on it.”

The group gathered to raise awareness for human trafficking begins its march through National Spring Park.

Anna Residents Raise Awareness for Human Trafficking

By Joyce Godwin Photos by Xaviar Jukes

It’s a distasteful subject but something everyone should know about says Anna resident Bridgette Huitt. So, she planned and held a rally to help raise awareness and educate the people around her.

Huitt describes herself as a stay-at-home mom who is becoming a child psychologist.

She said she got interested in the dilemma of missing persons, and as she learned more and more, she came to realize the problem is prevalent and everywhere. The more research she did, the more she learned and what she learned alarmed her.

Now, she said she works with a lot of groups in North Texas against trafficking of children.

She’s become adept at finding on-line accounts where children are being exploited. She says the average age of kidnapped and exploited children is 12-13.

The rally was held in front of Sue E Rattan Elementary School on Ferguson Parkway and was followed by a group march through Natural Springs Park and back to the school.

A short rally was held before the march during which Crystal Carle and Roxxane Aragon, both Anna residents, spoke about their individual work with groups who fight the problems of human trafficking. They both work to educate folks wherever invited.

Carle is especially active with the Poiema Foundation for which its mission is to educate the public and raise awareness in order to prevent sexual abuse, sex trafficking and other methods of sexual exploitation.

At the Rally, Carle raised several points of awareness and facts. She said the system of human trafficking is very hard for victims to get out of and there are few survivors. “It is one of the most lucrative endeavors in America,” she said. One of the differences between the drug trade and trading in people is drugs are used

one time but people can be used over and over and bring in a repeated income.

She also explained that these victims can be seen at the hair and nail salons with the rest of us because the people who are running the victims like inventory, want to take care of their commodities. “These people are everywhere we go,” she said, “so, we should keep our eyes open.”

Aragon had a similar but different story.

Hers was about the children who come into the U.S. at the southern border. She said her own father had been orphaned and at one time, was in the hands of coyotes who were bringing people across the border. He overheard the coyotes making plans that would be harmful to her father and was able to escape. He has been able to work to be a member of the U.S. society and now works to help others who might be in the same spot he was in.

She said 80 percent of the coyotes are fraudulent. The parents who place their children with them and pay large amounts of money, believe they are sending their children to a better life. For one out of four, it doesn’t work out that way.

For more information on the human trafficking endeavors, some of the websites to research are: Poiema Foundation, www.poiemafoundation.org, will give a lot of information on how to recognize human trafficking and what to do if you see it. It educates the public and raises awareness in order to prevent sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other methods of sexual exploitation. www.kidslivesafe.com will tell you lots of ways to make sure your children are safe. www.cybertip.org is the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and may be reached 24 hours a day at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678). This website will take you to a form to fill out to report anything suspicious.

Huitt said people ask “Do we really need this in Anna?” Her answer is “Yeah we really need this. Everyone in the country can help by keeping your eyes open.”

Anna Living Magazine

Bridgette Huitt speaks at the rally for human trafficking awareness in October at Rattan Elementary School in Anna.

Roxxanne Aragan, Anna resident, speaks at the rally for human trafficking awareness in October at Rattan Elementary School in Anna.

She spoke on the tragedy at the southern border of the U.S. and its effect on immigration.

Crystal Carle speaks to the rally in Anna. She speaks to groups across North Texas to help raise awareness for the scourge of human trafficking.

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It’s Pronounced MAN-CHEW-AY

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riving south on 75 every morning, near Van Alstyne, I look to the west and see huge bulldozers leveling a wide expanse of land. The trees are all gone, and fields once full of corn, are being prepped for concrete slabs and streets. More often than not, the words to a John Prine song, “Paradise,” come to mind.

“Then the coal company came with the world’s largest shovel And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land Well, they dug for their coal till the land was forsaken Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man.”

This particular area has been a hot topic in Grayson and Collin counties as developers plan to build 6,000 houses, along with extensive parks and a commercial area between Van Alstyne and Anna called — Mantua Point.

I can’t remember the number of times over the past forty years I’ve corrected someone’s pronunciation of the word, Mantua. Maybe we were driving past the exit sign on Hwy 75 or it may have just come up in conversation, but rarely have I heard it pronounced correctly.

So, why should I consider myself an expert at pronouncing the word, Mantua? Well, it goes back to a Sunday afternoon in 1976. I was invited by my college friends, Russ and Dale Harlow, to their parents’ home in Anna for Sunday lunch. A typical Harlow family “Sunday Dinner,” as they called it, was akin to what my family typically served only at Thanksgiving and Christmas, maybe even better. There were always several varieties of meat, vegetables from their garden, the creamiest, butteriest mashed potatoes I had ever tasted, home-made rolls and a surplus of desserts. Topped off with tea so sweet it made the enamel on your teeth hurt, it was always a treat I looked forward to when the invitation was offered.

Leonard and Judy Harlow, both life-long Anna residents, and their children, Russell, Dale and Suzanne, lived the rural version of the TV show “Leave it to Beaver” (in fact, we called Dale the Beave) in their two-story home next to a feed store on the two-lane blacktop that was, and still is, Texas Hwy 5.

Next door lived Judy’s parents, the Lindseys, also long-time residents of the area. Sunday Dinner always included the Harlows, the Lindseys, and usually a half dozen or more friends that would stop by. Regardless of how many people showed up, it was impossible to eat all the food Judy Harlow prepared.

One day a visitor that lived just down Hwy 5 from the Harlow’s home announced that he had put his house up for sale. “It’s just getting too crowded around here,” he said. “I’m moving to the country.” Heck,

COURTESY PHOTO FROM RUSS HARLOW, FORMER RESIDENT OF MANTUA AREA

The marker states: On February 23, 1854, William C. McKinney, James W. Throckmorton, John A. Throckmorton, and Joseph Wilcox set aside twenty-five acres for the town of Mantua, which was conceived as a site for Mantua Seminary. Proceeds from the sale of town lots provided funds for the school. The town plat consisted of forty-eight city blocks surrounding a town square. To help ensure a proper environment for the school, deeds for town lots prohibited gambling, horse racing, prostitution and the sale of alcohol.

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COURTESY PHOTO FROM RUSS HARLOW, FORMER RESIDENT OF MANTUA AREA

In this photo Suzanne Harlow is standing; from left are Dale Harlow, Gene “Pop” Lindsey and Russell Harlow.

Anna Living Magazine

from my perspective, having grown up in East Dallas, I thought WE WERE ALREADY IN THE COUNTRY! But back to the correct pronunciation of Mantua. One Sunday after we had eaten, Mr. Lindsey known as Pop, said, “I need you boys to help me with something.” No questions asked, we hopped into the back of his faded Chevy pickup and headed off. After navigating several gravel roads he crossed a cattle guard onto a field and proceeded another mile or so before pulling to a stop. We hopped out to find a cow lying on the ground, obviously in distress. Pop announced, “We need to pull that calf.”

Being a city-boy, I had no idea what he was talking about, but a few minutes later, with the help of a chain, a come-a-long like they use to open box-cars, and all the strength we could muster, that cow successfully delivered that calf. It was only after that calf was on its feet, already nursing, that Pop stood up, lifted his straw cowboy hat, wiped his forehead, and began to talk.

He waved his hand across the horizon and told us that this land was once an Indian village, a tribe called the Mantua, which he very slowly pronounced, MAN-CHEW-AY. We began to walk with him as he recounted what it was like here when he was a boy, finding arrowheads and other artifacts, and sharing stories passed down to him by his ancestors who had settled there over a hundred years ago. I not only got a lesson in animal husbandry that day, but also a fascinating history lesson.

And because of that adventure, I’ve felt it was my duty ever since to make sure people correctly pronounce Mantua. With the land being leveled for 6,000 new homes, I don’t know if Pop would consider it “progress,” but at least they will be pronouncing it correctly.

UNCLE SPIDER calls North Texas home, but has traveled all over the world, seeking adventures that might make for a good story.

He’s also one of the owner/ operators of the GARHOLE in Westminster. Stop by and see him there, or email him at spider@garhole.net.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Your business card can be on this page in our next issue.

For more information, email joyce@annalivingmagazine.com or call 903-815-0044.

Protect Your Finances from “Cyberthieves”

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ou’ve no doubt heard reports of personal data being stolen and used for financial fraud – anything from online shopping on your credit cards to actual theft from your financial accounts. This problem won’t go away anytime soon – but you can take steps to defend yourself.

• Use multifactor authentication or other extra security options with online accounts.

Many of your online accounts offer extra security by giving you the option to prove your identity in different ways. With mutifactor authentication, you must provide at least two different factors to prove your identity when you log in to an account. This additional layer of security provides you with much greater protection. use to commit their crimes. You can help stymie them by limiting what you share on- line.

It’s a good idea to keep your full name, address and birthday private. You might also avoid discussing your plans for upcoming vacations.

And review your privacy settings periodically so that only people you know or approve can see your information.

Here are a few suggestions: • Limit use of public Wi-Fi. Hackers often set up their own Wi-Fi networks in public areas, such as the computers found in hotel business centers. Ask an employee for the name of the legitimate network. And even when you use it, log off when you’re finished.

• Be creative with passwords. Create different passwords for work, finan- cial services sites, social media and email – and give each password some length and complexity. Consider pass- phrases – actual words combined with symbols and numbers (for example, “ThisIsAPassphrase!2468”), for sites that allow them.

Cyberthieves go “phishing” for sensitive information – usernames, passwords and account numbers – by sending communications, such as emails, purporting to be from a business or financial institution with which you often do business. They may claim your account was “suspended” or that an “unauthorized transaction” was made, and you’ll be asked to click on a link that takes you to what appears to be the company’s website.

• Protect your computer and your key data.

Keep your antivirus software updated. And 12

don’t install bootleg or unlicensed software, which could infect your computer with a virus. Also, back up your important data.

If you go along with this request, you could find malicious software being downloaded on your computer. But legiti- mate businesses generally won’t ask for account numbers or passwords unless you initiate the transaction. Other signs of phishing include threatening language, “urgent” requests, misspelled words or odd word choices. If an email does look suspi- cious to you, delete it without opening it.

• Watch out for fake websites or apps.

• When making financial transactions, be sure you’re on the website of your bank or financial institution – and not on a fake site established by hackers. Your financial statements should have the legitimate website, so bookmark it and use it when doing anything with your accounts. Also, be careful when downloading apps – stick with those from established providers such as Google Play or the App Store.

• This list is not exhaustive, but by put- ting these steps to work, you can at least reduce the Anna Living Magazine

risk of becoming victimized by cybercriminals.

• Avoid “over-sharing” on social media.

Cyberthieves constantly stalk social media platforms for information they can • This article was provided by Edward Jones and your Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

• Edward Jones, Member SIPC

Robert Franze is Anna’s Edward Jones Financial Adviser. He is passionate to help clients with retirement plans, setting financial goals, savings for education and more. He may be reached at robert.franze@edwardjones.com.

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Anna Living Magazine

13

Anna Coyotes head back to school for 2020

Go Coyotes! More pictures of students headed back to school

By Joyce Godwin

I

n our last issue we showed back-to-school pictures of Coyotes or all ages but our response to the request to send in pictures was greater than our available space. Here are more of those sweet faces embarking on another school year.

Some are doing the online program while the rest are on campus in person.

Samuel Carrasquillo , Anna Education Center, PreK— online learning

Kamilah Balderas, age 5, Kindergar

ten.

Maddox Atch le Joe L. Bryant y, fifth grade, Elementary.

Dylan is atte nd Howard miss ing AEC in the sixth grad e. es his human while he’s at school.

Joey Slaughter, age 17, Senior at AHS

Jaycee Wells, age eight, third grade

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t, third grade

Isaac Slaughter, age eigh

Anna Living Magazine

Moxie, age 8, third grade e Carina, age 16, tenth grad

Hailey Wyatt,

Sophomore,

AHS

Madison Wyatt, Freshman at TWU

Christin Carranza, Freshman, Anna High School Distance learning for the first nine week s.

Haleigh Shouse, age 10, fifth grade

Anna Living Magazine

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SCENES FROM FRIDAY NIGHTS IN ANNA Story and photos by Joyce Godwin

I

t’s been the highlight of each week for Anna Living Magazine to be on the sidelines with the Anna Coyotes. What fun it’s been with wonderful opportunities to capture the special sights of high school football and all that goes with it from the band to the youngsters who handle the balls for the referees to the student athletic trainers and more. There is a lot that goes into putting on a high school football game and it’s never more evident than from the field level.

Here are some of the scenes we’ve been able to capture over the past several weeks.

This is a familiar sight for most people at Anna school events. Danny McFaddin goes to most of the school events to take great pictures of students which he then loads to his website and encourages all to download any photos they want. He never asks for a penny in return. He is truly a community servant.

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Anna Living Magazine

Anna Living Magazine

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The Twinkie Tree & Grocery Store Strategy I often share with patients the importance of eating LIVING foods.

What do I mean? Let me explain....

Imagine you plant an apple seed. Given time and the right conditions the seed can grow an apple tree. Once mature, the tree can produce more apples. Once you eat the apple the core with the seeds is left. You can theoretically plant the seeds and grow more trees. More trees equal more apples. More apples equal more seeds and more seeds means more trees. I think you can see the pattern. This is LIVING food.

Now imagine you plant a twinkie. What grows??? I know you have your fingers crossed that it’s a twinkie tree but no such luck! LOL. A twinkie is an example of DEAD food. It’s not even a food really, just a concoction of chemicals that your body doesn’t recognize.

The fact is, if you want to be more ALIVE than DEAD, you need to eat foods that are more ALIVE than DEAD! Imagine going to a local housewares store and buying a beautiful decorative apple and then to the grocery store and buying a real 18

apple. They look the same. They feel the same. But if you were to eat the plastic apple your body wouldn’t recognize it as anything that it can use to rebuild and repair itself. If you ate the real apple your body would immediately know what it was and what to do with it to make your body healthier.

A simple strategy to use the next time you go the grocery store is to do the majority of your shopping on the perimeter of the store. WHY? Because the outside of the store is where they keep all the perishable foods. These are the foods that will go bad if not eaten because they are LIVING foods. The food you find in the aisles of the store are foods that will still be there in a year if no one bought them. These are the processed and fake foods.

The more you can begin to fuel your body with living foods rather than bogging it down with fake food, the better your health will be.

Remember, with every fork full of food, you are either fighting disease or feeding it. The choice is yours!

God Bless, Dr. Braddock Anna Living Magazine

Dr Caleb Braddock is the founder and owner of Braddock Chiropractic & Family Wellness in Van Alstyne. Dr Braddock has been able to help thousands of families live happier, healthier lives through chiropractic care. Braddock Chiropractic celebrates 15 years this year.

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Anna Living Magazine

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Lavender Farm Thrives East of Anna

By Joyce Godwin

When one thinks of veterans at home after years of service, farming is an occupation you might think of but farming lavender? That’s what we have right here in Anna — a lavender farm. A.J. and Lenda Fidelman, both Army veterans, are making a go of operating a lavender farm they’ve been able to convert from a cattle ranch.

Over the past three years, the two started from scratch to learn how to cultivate lavender and do everything they can to share what they’ve built with others. Enter Warrior’s Keep and Veterans Produce, both non profit concerns built by veterans to help veterans, and the Fidelmans have learned they want to do what they can to help other veterans as well.

It actually started back in 2009 when A.J. Fidelman was on his last tour of duty. He was an Army Captain doing post security close to Camp Victory in Iraq. He said he and wife Lenda were trying to decide their next station in life and he happened to run across the information for a lavender farm. And from there, the Fidel20

mans went to work to learn all they could about producing lavender and now they are making lavender products from sachets to bug repellant and a good number of items in between.

Their farm became Fields of Fidelis, a veteran-owned organic lavender farm. The Fidelmans are as interested in helping fellow veterans as they are in harvesting quality lavender.

Last spring The Warriors Keep brought a group of former military service members along with husbands and wives and children. The group worked side by side with the Fidelmans and learned the techniques of harvesting lavender while the owners got some much needed help.

A.J. and Lenda understand first hand the emotional demands on military service men and women who have to learn to overcome their experiences at war and find a way to fit into their lives at home again. Being outside and learning a new skill can help with that, Lenda Fidelman said. But The Warriors Keep is not the only group they work with.

Veterans Produce, a group designed to help Anna Living Magazine

feed homeless veterans., has also caught their eye. The Fidelans learned that in a minimal amount of space, they can plant seedlings and hnurture them under a grow light until they are large enough plants to transplant. Then they go the Veterans Produce greenhouse to finish the journey to be a meal for homeless veterans.

Lenda calls them her plant babies.

Fields of Fidelis specializes in varieties of lavender that thrive in North Texas and can be used for essential oils, soaps, and baking. A quick look at the Fields of Fidelis Facebook page right now will show a display of spices Lenda Fidelman has recently developed. She posted: “New product, new obsession! Culinary Lavender! I made Lavender Lemon Scones last weekend and loved the flavors and smells that came from my kitchen.”

They have mastered the arts of soap making with lavender, sprays of all kinds and essential oils through their distillation process using their two stills.

But it’s not just a function of planting and

PHOTO BY JOYCE GODWIN

A.J. and Lenda Fidelman look over one of the lavender fields behind their house.

harvesting and finding outlets for the products that makes the farm successful. The Fidelmans have built a place for gathering for friends and customers. They’ve had bands come to entertain on the beautiful patio while providing a meal from the outdoor cooker.

During harvest time, every inch of structures on the property gets converted to help dry the lavender. After the stalks are harvested and bound they get hung upside down for the drying process. They may be found hanging from ceilings and on the stairs.

Upstairs above the work area, is another work area that involves the computers. This is where communications happen and the planning profit gets measured against expenses.

It’s also a place for a bit of dreaming by A.J. and Lenda as they look out on the place they’ve created and plan for expansion.

Both the owners have full-time jobs away from the farm but they are looking toward a day when full time can be spent with lavender.

Lenda is able to work from home and that is handy for the couple since they homeschool their two boys Lance, 13, and Jon Pierce, 7.

The boys can ben seen helping out from time to time. Like most Texas farms, Fields of Fidelis gets help from neighbors and the favor is returned.

For more information on any of the projects in this story check out the following websites. @FieldsOfFidelis www.thewarriorskeep.org www.veteransproduce.org

PHOTO BY JOYCE GODWIN

The Fidelmans have converted this work room ceiling to a drying rack for harvested lavender.

PHOTO BY JOYCE GODWIN

In this photo, on the right, is one of the farm’s large stills used to extract the essential oil from the lavender and a byproduct of the distillation process is the lavender hydrosols also called lavender flower water. On the far left is the farm’s small still which is used to extract essential oils from other herbs that they have in smaller quantities.

Anna Living Magazine

PHOTO BY JOYCE GODWIN

This is the amount of space required for the Fidelmans to grow lettuce they later donate to the Veterans Produce green house to finish growing to maturity to help feed homeless veterans.

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Is it finally time to plant that tree of yours?

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ne of the most asked questions I get wherever I am running around town is “Jimmie, when is the best time to plant a tree?” Depending on how I am running on time that day I can give the short answer or the long answer.

In general, the best time for planting trees is mid fall to early winter or early spring. If that doesn’t fit your schedule, then aim for autumn.

Summer’s a bad choice, because the weather’s too hot and the actively growing plants too susceptible to damage. Weather also restricts your options in the late winter because the cold causes the ground to freeze. If you’ve had the foresight to do all your digging ahead of time (before the ground freezes), it’s not impossible to plant trees in winter. But unless you can water them sufficiently late winter is not the best planting time, either.

TREES IN A DORMANT PHASE: When the temperatures from the hot summer subside and the cooler days and nights of fall set in, most trees begin to enter a “Dormant” phase where the sap starts falling down from the canopy and slowly works its way into the main trunk and eventually into the root system. This is when, on a deciduous tree, the leaves start turning all the pretty colors of fall and a few weeks later a big wind will come through and blow them into your yard! “Note to self: teach the kids how to rake leaves!!”

WHEN TO PLANT TREES THAT ARE DECIDUOUS In a way, the best time to install deciduous types is more obvious. The dropping of their leaves in autumn signals that they are entering dormancy. The unfurling of buds in spring signals that they are leaving dormancy.

WHEN TO PLANT TREES THAT ARE EVERGREEN You have more leeway in the matter of when to plant trees that are evergreen. You can undertake the operation earlier in the fall 22

and later in the spring than their deciduous counterparts. However, you’ll still want to avoid planting them when it’s hot. If it’s still hot in late September, hold off till later in the fall.

Likewise, it gets pretty hot here by June or July so plant those evergreens earlier in the spring!

WHEN TO PLANT TREES: A FOLLOW-UP CONSIDERATION Intense heat is a major enemy to newly planted saplings. But lack of water for their root systems is another. And although you may not think of winter as a dry time due to cooler temperatures most of our trees will still require about an inch of water per week year round! That’s why watering trees properly in fall is important -- regardless of whether you’ve opted for planting in autumn or in late winter or early spring.

Question: Jimmie, thanks for your wonderful columns! I so enjoy reading them and really learn allot from your years of wisdom. I am thinking of buying a new tree for my backyard and I spoke with a tree farm on the phone and the first question they asked me was I okay with a B&B tree?? I immediately thought, “what the heck is that?” So I figured I better ask you before I went any further! Thank you again for your time and help!

Sue L. in Anna Answer: Hi Sue, thanks for the kind words!

Balled and Burlapped plants are transplants shipped to the consumer after having been planted, dug up and wrapped. “Balled” refers to the root ball which has been dug up, while “burlapped” refers to the wrapping material traditionally used for transporting tree and shrub deliveries. The burlap is secured with string, wire or twine. When purchasing balled-and-burlapped plants, ask if the burlap has been treated to be rot-resistant. Anything not biodegradable needs to be removed when planting (e.g., wire and rot-resistant burlap).

These can also be known as (B&B, Balled in Burlap or Ball and Burlap) Your best (but more expensive) trees purchased from a grower would be “Container Anna Living Magazine

Grown.” Those would have all the roots the tree has had its entire life and has the best chance at surviving in its new home (your backyard)!!

Question: Jimmie, I had a young man stop by my house the other day and advised me to do some tree work out front to my trees and claimed he was a arborist. I figured if anyone would know how to check this man out it would be you. Is there somewhere you know about to follow up on this guy to make sure he is legit? Thank you so much for your time!

Rachel P. in Anna Answer: Hi Rachel, Arborists are professionals who practice arboriculture. They are knowledgeable about how trees grow and how to take care of tree problems that homeowners may experience.

Before hiring arborists, check to ensure that they are certified. While this will not guarantee the desired outcome, at least you are starting the project with someone “a cut above” the sort of jack-of-all trades who may offer to do the work for less money -- but who may only exacerbate the problem. Certified arborists are accredited by the International Society of Arboriculture. Until next time...Happy Gardening!!

Jimmie Send your landscaping and gardening questions to Jimmie Gibson Jr. at http:// www.absolutelybushedlandscaping.com or jimmie@absolutelybushed.com or in care of the Anna Living Magazine at joyce@ annnalivingmagazine.com.

JIMMIE GIBSON is a Prosper resident and the owner of Absolutely Bushed Landscaping Company, an award winning, family and veteran-owned-and-operated business created in 1980 to provide the highest quality custom outdoor renovation available to homeowners in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Look for his columns in each issue of Anna Living Magazine.

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ctober is usually a magical month for people in Texas. The temperature during the day can still remain warm, but during the night the air is crisp enough for a blanket or light jacket. People who don’t normally wear boots all year long wear them now with all sorts of stockings, socks and jeans. Colors fade, people bake and slow cookers become our best friends all over again. As a reader, I can see my suggested reading options evolve to include all sorts of horror, psychological thrillers, and cozy mysteries. Whether you embrace all the fanfare of Halloween or just enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie, there is something comforting and yet a tad eerie about our autumn season.

Hands down, one of my all-time favorite short story authors is Shirley Jackson. Hailed as the Queen of Gothic Horror, Jackson was just 48 years old when she passed away. It was with the encouragement of her husband that Jackson became a prolific writer, known predominantly for her short story “The Lottery” and her novella The Haunting of Hill House. Dark Tales is a collection of short stories that focus on what each of us poten-

tially finds chilling within our own mind.

Some stories are better than others, but the book as a whole, is worth a read. Jackson treats her audience as being an educated one, which is one of many of her traits that I appreciate so much. Grab yourself something warm to drink, a blanket and snuggle down.

Jackson is never boring.

Last month, I promised you a more in-depth update about our future library. Unfortunately, I am unable to keep this promise.

I was recently asked on our library Facebook page the status of the library and this was my response: “There is a lot going on, but I am not at this moment able to provide a lot of details. It is definitely on the short list of high priority with the city and two of us on the Friends Of board are meeting regularly with a city liaison regarding this project. We have the support of the current council, the mayor and staff. That is huge right there. It is critical that we continue to receive this support post-election.”

I want to assure you that I am not deliberately trying to be vague. As I stated last month, we have several people working

Anna Living Magazine

simultaneously in various capacities to make our library a reality.

Who these people are and what each person is doing is just not something I can share at this time. There are lots of moving parts to a capital project like this, and we want to ensure that all of the pieces are in place when the initial concept plan is shared with our neighbors. Rest assured that a lot of great preliminary work is being done, and we are excited about the future of our library!

ALEXIA SWANEPOEL is the President of the Friends Of Board of the Anna Community Library and a published writer. Join her writing page and learn more about her book Bohemian Swan by visiting bit. ly/2JwWHNO.

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T

houghts of movies, music, even conversations can take strong left turns over time, resulting in a romantic remembrance of something that doesn’t measure up when re-examining it years later.

Example: The two or three scenes of fall foliage from the 1957 picture “Peyton Place” seem to envelope much more time spent watching the orange and red leaves of New England (filmed in Maine) when actually the story covers several years and favors no season in particular. Fall just seems to rest better in the mind than most other times of the year.

Even though autumn scenes do not dominate these films, an internet check of fall favorites includes such titles as “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012), “You’ve Got Mail” (1998), “Dead Poets Society” (1989) and “Good Will Hunting” (1997). Each has a scene or two that dazzles the eye. About halfway into “Baby Boom” (1987) there is a four-minute trip through Vermont that is as beautiful as can be, but fall colors are seldom and few the rest of the way.

For reference, all the movies discussed here are worthy of the time spent watching them, but the purpose of this is to concentrate on the single aspect of fall foliage and how it enhances the primary pictures discussed.

One animated film especially comes to mind, and in fact, if it were live action, would offer perhaps the best example of fall colors.

Co-scripted with Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story,” “The Squid and the Whale”} from a Roald Dahl novel, writer-director Wes Anderson’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009) is drenched in yellow, brown and orange throughout. There can be no misunderstanding of time or place.

“Far From Heaven,” Todd Haynes’ 2002 paean to the 1950s melodramas of director Douglas Sirk (“All That Heaven Allows,” “Magnificent Obsession,” “Imitation of Life,” “Written on the Wind”) lovingly displays the fall season amidst the heartbreak and tenderness conveyed by the story. It certainly deserves to be in the conversation.

Back to the aforementioned “Dead Poets Society,” there is a short sequence about 10 minutes in that concentrates on bird migration — quickly cutting to student migration at a Vermont boarding school and leaving behind most other visual references to colorful outdoors. That migration scene calls to mind a film that eventually focuses on bird migration and allows many miles and minutes of fall 24

scenery, along with the telling of a beautiful story.

“Fly Away Home,” released to theaters in 1996, wasn’t particularly successful until it reached home video just a few short months after its initial showings. It is the story of a father and daughter separated through divorce but thrown back together with the untimely death of the girl’s mother. It is set in Ontario, Canada, and stars Jeff Daniels as the father and Anna Paquin, 14 years old at the time, as the daughter.

The girl, unhappy at first in her new surroundings, comes upon some unhatched goose eggs that were abandoned because of a deforestation project. She stays with the eggs until they hatch and is allowed by her father to keep the goslings as pets. The birds also adopt her. By the time the geese are ready to migrate, she has learned that they follow the path their mother leads, and they will likely not survive such an ordeal.

Her father, an inventor-artist-handiman, comes up with the idea of putting his daughter in an ultralight aircraft designed to look like a giant bird, and the two fly off with birds following from Ontario toward a North Carolina bird sanctuary. The trip, harrowing at times, is also quite beautiful and flush with fall scenery.

Carroll Ballard directed “Fly Away Home,” and that’s of interest because his previous efforts included two striking films, “The Black Stallion” (1979) and “Never Cry Wolf ” (1983), also animal-inspired adventures that are still enjoyed today by film lovers. All three are wonderfully photographed.

When it comes to fall colors, however, no picture comes to mind that can top “The Trouble With Harry,” one of only two verified comedies directed by suspense master Alfred Hitchcock. The 1955 production was the film debut of Shirley MacLaine and featured fine support from John Forsythe, Edmund Gwenn (Santa Claus in the original “Miracle on 34th Street”), Mildred Natwick and a young Jerry Mathers, pre-“Leave It To Beaver.”

The setting is a small Vermont village in autumn and the story, which unfolds almost entirely outdoors, concerns a body stumbled upon individually by several people, all of Anna Living Magazine

whom believe they might be responsible for his death. The body is buried and dug up several times over the course of the film and both the antics and the setting dazzle viewers throughout.

There’s a kicker to the filming of “The Trouble With Harry.” Reportedly, when the film crew arrived in Vermont, the leaves had already begun to fall. So Hitchcock had the crew spend much time taping and gluing leaves back to the trees. Remember, this was all pre-computer graphic days.

Of course there are many more fall-set films, including some in black-and-white that convey the season quite well. Orson Welles’ “The Stranger” (1946) and the classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) are fine examples. The closing set piece in ‘Mockingbird’ chills like a November breeze and the viewer finds himself a part of the season.

It’s a nice feeling, the fall chill and beautiful colors. Happy viewing.

DON ELDREDGE is the retired editor of the Herald Democrat newspaper (Sherman-Denison, TX) and resides in Sherman. E-mail him at eldredgedon@gmail.com.

Challenges Don’t Need to be Handled Alone T

hese are challenging times we are in. Election seasons are ALWAYS polarizing and divisive, but this one seems extreme. We are experiencing division and unrest based on the color of our skin, our political ideologies, what group we are a part of or not a part of, and on and on (I’ll write another article on the purpose and meaning of unity soon). Laid on top of all of this is the current pandemic and the ongoing economic consequences.

Maybe right now it feels like you are dealing with more than you can handle. Maybe you are feeling tired, stressed to your breaking point, and worn out.

There’s an interesting passage in Matthew that gives us hope, but at first reading it seems like God is adding more weight on top of what we already carry.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) 28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Jesus looked at the crowd and asked, “Are any of you tired, stressed, and worn out? Come to me and I’ll give you a yoke to bear on top of what you’re already carrying.”

That picture may seem odd to you, but the truth is that the yoke distributes the load particularly when two animals are yoked together.

Jesus is offering to share the load WITH you by taking up HIS yoke with HIM. Being yoked with Jesus makes our load manageable. Life is difficult, and Jesus knew that it would beat us down WITH OUT HIM. But WITH HIM, it is different! HE gives us a way to carry the weight of the responsibilities

of life and to do it in unity with Him. He was in the beginning with God. All things The main challenge with accepting the inwere made through him, and without him was vitation in this passage is that we see ourselves not any thing made that was made. In him was as unworthy of the offer. We need to stop and life, and the life was the light of men. The light consider why we see ourselves the way we see shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not ourselves. Has the enemy been beating you over overcome it. the head with stories about your past failures That’s the same power that lives IN you! and things you can’t fix? If you let him, then Write your name on a piece of paper. Take you’ll never understand the power, authority, hold of your Bible to represent Christ. Place and hope we have IN Christ! the paper in the book and close it. You are in A big part of changing how we see ourselves Christ. Where the book goes, you go. Where involves changing the context of our story. the paper goes, He goes. God has taken you Why? Because we define ourselves by our story: and placed you IN Christ. either victim or hero, either failure or a work in There’s a saying that gets thrown around a progress, either rejected or loved. lot in Christian circles that says, “God won’t We look myopically, we look short term, we give you more than you can handle.” look emotionally, we look at the temporary as if Let me tell you, that’s nowhere in the Bible. it were the final word. But JESUS puts our stoIt’s something people say when they are trying ry in the context of His kingdom, in the long to encourage someone who is struggling, but term, by faith in him, and He declares the final it’s just not true. We need to quit minimizing word! We know that’s true from Romans 8:28 our NEED for our savior. Personally, outside of where it says, “He works all things together for Him there have been a lot of things that came the good of those who love him and are called my way that were too much for me, BUT IN according to his purpose.”

Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, IN Quit reliving your hardships, failures, and Christ the one who overcame the world, IN insecurities. Hard things may have happened to Christ, the one in whom everything consists you, but it is not the final word. Why? Because and has being… IN Him we are enough… according to Galatians 2:20, “it’s no longer I even in this crazy season. who live but Christ who lives within me!”

God bless you IN Him! But there’s even more! Christ lives IN us AND we are IN Christ! 2 Corinthians LAFE ANGELL graduated from Oral Roberts University in 1993. He and wife, Hope, have three children Callie, Caleb, 5:17 says “Therefore, if anyone is IN Christ, and Noelle and live in Anna. he is a new creation. The old has passed away; The couple served at Elevate behold, the new has come.”

Life Church in McKinney over Paul used the expression IN CHRIST 20-year period in different JESUS to describe this. Understanding that capacities moving to Pastor of you are “IN” Christ Jesus changes how you see Servant Leadership in 2014.

In august 2019, The Angells yourself and how you understand your value. launched a new church and John 1:1-5 (ESV) began services at Grace Point In the beginning was the Word, and the Family Church in January 2020.

Word was with God, and the Word was God. Anna Living Magazine

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Grocery-store produce brings back memories Photos by Lynette George

I

’ve tried to block it out of my mind. I’ve stalled, dragging my feet harder than an NBA player riding a Shetland pony. I’ve seriously considered use of a sander, cutting torch and welder to stave off what is apparently the inevitable. I’ve lost the battle and it’s official. I’m old and I’ve become my mother — sort of.

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What brought on this life-altering epiphany?

It wasn’t that scary woman who mysteriously appears in any mirror I glance at. It wasn’t my obviously poor quality clothing that continuously shrinks. It wasn’t my distaste for what is considered today’s “Top 10” music (if you can call it that) nor the lack of manners, respect and responsibility so evident these days. It wasn’t even the upcoming election. Nope. It was much simpler. It was produce.

In explanation, I began working at a local grocery store in April. Believe it or not, landing a gig at a grocery store was a job I was always interested in, second only to the newspaper.

Alas, back in the day, when I applied at my favorite grocery store as a cart pusher-outer (known today as a courtesy clerk) and a stocker, I was told I couldn’t handle the job because I was a “girl.” Back then, I didn’t rush to the nearest attorney. Instead, I accepted that it wasn’t to be and moved on.

When I got the job at the grocery store, I was excited. At last, I’d be vindicated! “Girls” can’t handle this stuff huh? I’d just show that old grocery store what a “girl” can really do.

I first served as a cashier then a stocker. I even pushed out a cart or two before being moved to the produce department as a cutter, Anna Living Magazine

a position I still hold. I spend my days in a 50-degree room where I slice, dice, chop, mix, blend and package everything from watermelon to squash. The fact that I, an accident-prone klutz, have been turned loose with a big box of knives that would make the infamous Michael Myers of the Halloween movies green with envy, should scare everyone, including me. But aside from a few minor huh-ohs requiring a one - or four - bandages, there have been no incidents. In fact, I like it.

All the colors, textures and tastes (a perk for me since I’m encouraged to taste test everything), keep me interested. It has, however, caused some unexpected flashbacks.

Growing up, if mom and dad didn’t grow or raise it, we didn’t eat it which explains why I didn’t even have my first pizza until middle school. During growing season, mom would spend six days a week from daylight until dark working in the garden, planting, nurturing and gathering the vegetables and fruit, then processing same. Of course, it was her duty to pass on those skills to her rambunctious daughter who would much rather have been fishing in the neighbor’s pond.

Even as a tiny youngster, I’d try to get out of gardening chores. As an example, one day I was

watching mom plant what, in my mind, seemed to be 50 rows of onions. I knew what would soon follow — days and days of weeding.

Doing some critical thinking, I deduced that if I pulled up the onions mom had just planted, there’d be no need to weed around them. Mom felt differently when, later, she saw all her carefully placed onions strewn all over the place.

(Note to self: Never leave the evidence where it can be seen.) That event and the backside “whoopin’” that followed led to one of my earliest vocal performances as I sat amongst the massacred onions and sang that well-known hit “I’m a lonely little petunia in an onion patch.”

As I got a little older, I grudgingly helped shuck corn, snap beans, shell peas, peel apples, peaches and pears, and all manner of processing duties. Mom had amassed what had to be the world’s largest collection of Tupperware freezer containers, along with what seemed to be every Mason and Ball canning jar in North America and it was her yearly goal to fill every single one of them. Trust me. She achieved that goal without fail. She canned, froze or dried every food item she could grow, plus lots more folks gave us. On the plus side, we had all the food we needed for an entire year.

By the time I’d reached teenage hood, I’d discovered there were things called grocery stores which my parents had kept me as far away from as possible. Even better, there were companies who did all that canning, freezing and drying for me. Who knew? I swore I’d never, ever garden, can, freeze, dry or process any kind of food. So much for swearing.

This spring, the moment I started working with all those fresh veggies and fruits, all those years working with (more like working against) mom came back to me. I was shocked that stores clearance out or toss out perfectly good produce just because it’s not perfect. What in the world were they thinking? My mom would have a stroke right between the onions and oranges. I started snagging all the fresh stuff I could gather and wagging it home.

One problem — I’m having to try to remember all that canning, freezing and drying stuff my poor mom tried to teach me. I can’t even tell you how badly I’d like to get back all those Tupperware freezer containers and canning jars she had. Up to my eyeballs in beans, corn and whatever is the flavor of the day, I catch myself wiping my brow much like my mom did and wondering like she must have if I’m ever going to get finished. I’m still working on my canning skills that are lacking to put it mildly ( Just ask those jars of wannabe plum and peach jelly that are now gracing the septic tank.). I have high hopes that, some day, I’ll be able to can something that might be able to be eaten without a hospital visit. My freezer techniques are pretty fair (Thank you plastic freezer bags.) and my dehydrating techniques, though still in experimental stages, haven’t been too awful aside from some jerky that also qualifies as hockey pucks.

I’m not giving up, though. I’ll keep plugging away. Little by little, mom’s lessons from a thousand years ago are coming back to me.

I’m proud to say that the freezer is filled with

fresh vegetables and fruit, ready for the cold winter days ahead. And I’m already thinking about the possibility of raised gardens next spring. Maybe I’ll plant a little of everything, even onions.

LYNETTE GEORGE is the former editor and some times reporter for the Herald Democrat (Denison-Sherman, TX) for about 20 years. Her sometimes zany outlook on life gives her an enviable sense of humor like no other.

She lives in Denison and her love of animals prevents her from ever passing an animal in need. She may be reached at nettiegeorge79@gmail.com.

Anna Living Magazine

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Sweet Potato Casserole

S

ometimes I get to host the family for holiday dinners and, when I do, there are a few dishes that always make it onto the menu. One of those is this Sweet Potato Casserole.

It’s a dish my family expects me to have when they are gathered around my table.

My young ones, two of whom are usually picky eaters, always put plenty of this on

their plates and go back for seconds.

I’ve shared this recipe with my friends and it gets shared with their families and their friends. Sometimes, even today I get emails from people asking me to send them the recipe.

Yes, it’s that good!

You won’t be disappointed and neither will anyone else around your table.

Ingredients: • 3 c cooked mashed sweet potatoes (peel and boil, or bake and peel your choice!)

• 1/2 c granulated sugar • 1/3 c milk • 1/2 c butter (I have used 1/4 c before without a problem) • 2 eggs • 1 tsp vanilla Instructions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix above ingredients together. I use beaters to make the mixture really smooth, and put into a 9 x 13 pan.

3. In a separate bowl: 1 c brown sugar 1/3 c melted butter 1/3 flour 1 cup pecans 4. Sprinkle on top of sweet potatoes 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. You know it’s ready when the top is crisp and yummy!

I’m JAMIE ROUBINEK and I’m the girl behind this little corner of kitchen inspiration.

I find great pleasure in always learning something new. I was never confident in the kitchen but I love learning new things and trying them out. Doing that experimenting has led to a lot of happiness around the kitchen table at my house. Fortunately, the key to my husband of 13 year’s heart is through his stomach and he is easy to please. With our five kids, on the other hand, that hasn’t always been the case. I love fine-tuning recipes and making adjustments to make everyone smile. I hope that I can help you see how easy it can be to bring that same happiness to your kitchen table! Submissions and suggestions from readers are welcome.

Send to jroubinek@yahoo.com.

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Anna Living Magazine

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