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SHOP, EXPLORE & STAY IN GOLIAD
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CONTENTS
October 2017
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35
61
John Beland
In Every Issue 6 Editor’s Welcome
58 Garden Basics
10 History & Heritage
61 Recipes
24 Travel + Leisure
67 Cafés Across Texas
56 Relics of Yesterday OUR COVER
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Features
10 GILMER - HOME OF THE EAST TEXAS YAMBOREE - This festival, celebrating its 80th year this year, has been going since 1935. 24 AUTUMN IN JEFFERSON - Whether looking for something spooky to ring in Halloween or just enjoy the cool autumn air Jefferson is unlike any other Texas town.
27 A SWEET TRADITION - Henderson’s Heritage Syrup Festival a celebration combining southern and Texas roots.
These Sweet Potato Pies, photographed by Ruel Felipe of Photos by RUEL, were made at Lori’s Eats and Sweets in Gilmer.
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61 HEARTY AUTUMN DISHES - With the cooler weather of fall, it is time to get in the kitchen and practice for Thanksgiving. OCTOBER 2017
Photograph by Mary Chavoustie
San Augustine Sassafras
Photograph by Mary Chavoustie
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EDITOR’S WELCOME
Wayne & Christina Cutler Stewart
MANAGING EDITORS Christina Cutler Stewart, cstewart@texasfarmandhome.com Wayne Stewart, wstewart@texasfarmandhome.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda Moffett, Jolene Renfro, Connie Strong ADVERTISING SALES Department Linda Moffett, Promotions Manager lmoffett@texasfarmandhome.com 512-966-9426 Kelly Sullivan, sales ksullivan@texasfarmandhome.com 936-635-1662 Ansel Bradshaw, sales ab@texasfarmandhome.com 936-546-6707 SUBSCRIPTIONS Lesia Rounsavall, lrounsavall@messenger-news.com 936-687-2424 or Texas Farm & Home, P.O. Box 130, Grapeland TX, 75844
EDITORIAL/SALES OFFICES: 202 South Main St., Grapeland, TX 75844. TEXAS FARM & HOME is published monthly by Nicol Publishing Company L.L.C., Copyright 2017. Subscription price: $24.95 a year (12 issues). Reproduction without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.
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Back in August as we sent the September issue of Texas Farm & Home to press Hurricane Harvey was nothing more than a disorganized jumble of clouds after it exited the Yucatan Peninsula. Within just a few days it became a category four monster barreling into the coastal town of Rockport and other nearby areas. That was just the beginning, as the storm went inland, then back out into the Gulf, then up the Texas coast before again making landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border. During this time more than 50 inches of rain fell across portions of Houston, with some describing it as a 1,000-year flood, inundating the coastal regions of Texas with a year’s worth of rain in just a few days. The floods submerged entire neighborhoods, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, some rode out the rising waters on top of rooftops — truly it was a calamity of Biblical proportions. Texans, being Texans, though, managed their way through it. Thousands of men and women with boats descended on the area working to pull people out of the flood waters. Rednecks, doctors, black, Hispanic, none of that mattered — people were in trouble and others came to help. One of the indelible images in my mind was of two teen girls, sisters, waiting beneath a highway overpass, staring up what used to be a street at a small, green aluminum boat. Suddenly
Photography Courtesy of Brittany McBrayer
Photography by Anthony Wyers
www.texasfarmandhome.com VOLUME 8 • NUMBER 1
Photography by Anthony Wyers
The Spirit of Texas
s t t h c T g
Photography by Anthony Wyers
Photography by Anthony Wyers
Photography Courtesy of Brittany McBrayer
screams could be heard as they spotted their mother riding in the boat. With the family reunited, the mother fell on her knees, tears running from her eyes crying out, “God is good, God is good.” The young men in the boat, grinned and gave her a hug and told the TV cameras
focused on them, “We ain’t no heroes, we’re just here to help.” There is no greater testament about the Texas spirit than what those young men stated. What a testimony. In spite of the loss of property and the terrible ordeal they found themselves in, the mother
praised God. There are many who can look at the terrible effect the storm had on Texas and wonder where God was. Or, look at the homes lost and possibly hundreds of billions of dollars worth of damage done and it truly is amazing that only 82 people died as a
Scavenger Hunt Find 5 Autumn Leaves and enter to win one of these prizes: Hidden in this edition of Texas Farm & Home are 5 leaves similar to the one above — do not count the one above. Find the 5 leaves and email us the page number and general location of where each one was found, plus your contact information. Email cstewart@texasfarmandhome.com or send a note to Texas Farm & Home, P.O. Box 130, Grapeland, TX 75844. Please send your entries by October 15. Last months peanuts were located on pages 17, 24, 35, 39 and 63. The winners from September were Kyle Westfall - the Mojo Voodoo Dove, Danette Millican of Crockett - the $100 Sadler’s Gift Certificate and Cheryl King of Lexington the year’s subscription.
1 Year Free Subscription
Win a 1 Year Free Subscription to Texas Farm & Home.
“As The Spur Stirs” Cookbook Donated by: Jaqueline Skeens Cavender and Cavender’s Proceeds from the cookbook benefit the American Cancer Society and Cystic Fibrosis. “As the Spur Stirs” is available at Cavender’s stores, or online at www. cavenders.com; it also is available at Barnes & Noble’s Texas locations. To learn more about the book and its contributors go to asthespirstirs.com.
Two free tickets to ride the Texas State Railroad. OCTOBER 2017
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result of Hurricane Harvey, God spared many from the wrath of the storm. In a typical week, nearly 5,000 people die, mostly due to natural causes, in the Houston area. Officials stated Harvey could have easily caused a mass-casualty event, but by the grace of God so many made it. Psalm 107 contains 43 verses praising God for His deliverance, verses 23 to 30 come to mind, “Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, They see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.” For all of our technology, for all of our talk, for all of our so-called might, we are brought to our knees by a storm. Texas was brought to its knees, but God raised up some caring individuals, some who call upon His name and some who do not; men and women who put their own safety aside, who gave of their time and their own resources to help those who lost so much. We honor Houston Police Sgt. Steve Perez, who lost his life in the flooding, giving his life in service to his fellow man. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of this brave man, and to the Houston Police Department, who lost a dedicated officer. These are the stories of Texas, of giving, of life, of laying everything on
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Photography by Anthony Wyers
EDITOR’S WELCOME
the line in the service of our neighbors. Then, when the storms are at their worst, not just amidst the ocean’s torrents, but through all of life’s travails, fall upon bended knee, and look to God. In Psalm 107:31, the writer tells us, “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His won-
derful works to the children of men!” Praise God for delivering us from the storm, offer prayers of repentance for forgetting the One who redeemed us — praise His name above all others, our shelter from the storm. Praise God for sparing and blessing Texas once again.
Photography by Anthony Wyers
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HISTORY + HERITAGE
East Texas Yamboree
Photograph by Joe Newsom Jr.
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Photograph by Ruel Felipe
Home of the East Texas Yamboree Photography by Christima Stewart
Sweet Potatoes, Queens, and a lot of fun are all trademarks of Gilmer’s annual celebration.
The festival, celebrating its 80th year this year, has been going since 1935, only taking time off for World War II. These days between 100,000 and 200,000 pour into Gilmer for Yamboree. It’s not fair to call it just a festival, Yamboree is an East Texas event unlike any other. The Yamboree’s origins lie in the farming traditions of the area and Texas’ efforts to promote the state’s agriculture industry during the height of the Great Depression. “The state encouraged towns to hold festivals to promote their produce,” explained Linda Koudelka with the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce. “Gilmer was one of the first to overcome the weevil problem and be able to produce the sweet potato, and the Yamboree came out of that.”
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Photograph by Kelly sullivan
Traditions bind communities together, and perhaps no tradition envelops a town and its people like Gilmer’s East Texas Yamboree.
Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
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Story by WAYNE STEWART
Photograph by Joe Newsom Jr. Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
Photograph by Kelly sullivan
Photograph by Ruel Felipe
Barn Dance
Downtown Gilmer around the Upshur County Courthouse Square still has the brick streets from the city’s origins. The parade travels up the streets. This festival, celebrating the yam, or sweet potato, has spawned some delicious pies and glorious floats over the past 82 years.
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East Texas Yamboree
Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
HISTORY + HERITAGE
Photograph by Ruel Felipe
Yamboree Livestock Show
An evening at the festival.
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It was so popular its first year that organizers decided to make it a yearly event. Today volunteers continue to help the festival maintain its place in the life of Gilmer and Upshur County. These days the festival cannot be held just around the downtown square area, it also is held at the Upshur County Fairgrounds north of Gilmer. The festival truly is full of pageantry and spectacle with the Yamboree Queen, their floats and the parade; but agriculture still plays a big part in the festival as the Yamboree Livestock Show coincides with the East Texas Yamboree. “Our show is a little different,” explained David McQueen, who worked with the Yamboree Livestock exhibition over the years. “It’s in two portions. We have the market show, which is where our Upshur County schools and 4-H members participate; and we also have the open show, which is open to anybody in the state — they don’t have to be from Upshur County.” The Open Show features steers, heifers and dairy cattle; the Market Show features chickens, hogs, goats, steers, rabbits, dairy cattle and shop projects. For the past couple years Mr. McQueen said there have been 185 shop projects from the county with about 80 to 85 projects being sold every year, along with the numerous entries from the livestock exhibition. The show also pays homage to the once thriving dairy industry in Upshur County. “We used to have 54 dairies in Upshur County,” Mr. McQueen noted. “Now we have six, but we have a lot of holdover dairy families and we do this for them.” The livestock show runs concurrent with the other events of the Yamboree and culminates Saturday with the countywide lunch followed by the sale. The annual sale garners more than $200,000 for the kids involved in the various agriculture projects, which are as much a part of the tradition of Yamboree as sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes, they are the very reason for the theme of the East Texas Yamboree, and they still are a big part of the festivities, whether it’s who can grow the best, or who can
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make the best sweet potato pie — it’s truly the tastiest part of the festival. Lori Metcalf, owner of Lori’s Eats & Sweets, a restaurant and catering service in Gilmer, makes and serves a sweet potato made from a recipe that won the 1947 sweet potato pie contest and was featured in the 20th Century Club cook book. The recipe was developed by Ruth Bowie Cook, and she said it was her grandmother’s recipe — and even after all these years its delicious and earthy flavor cannot be topped. “Sweet potatoes are such a big deal here,” Mrs. Metcalf said of Gilmer. “During October in the restaurant we offer a different sweet potato recipe every day — they are really the thing here.” One of the treats Mrs. Metcalf makes is a yam cake. “It’s a three-layer cake and by the time it’s frosted it weighs 17 pounds,” Mrs. Metcalf noted. “It’s really something.” The pie, though, what about the sweet potato pie she recreates every year. The secret to a great sweet potato pie, according to Mrs. Metcalf, is the sweet potato. “It’s all in the sweet potato,” Mrs. Metcalf explained. “You don’t want them stringy. I prefer the Jewel sweet potatoes. When you select them, get the smaller potatoes, they are more tender and not as stringy as the larger ones.” To learn more about all the delicious sweet potato recipes offered by Lori’s Eats & Sweets, visit her website at www.loriseatsandsweets.com to order custom-baked pies and taste what the Yamboree is all about. A sweet potato pie contest is part of the Yamboree, but spices are not used as the pie is to be judged solely on the quality of the sweet potatoes — and of course the baker. Lori shared the recipe with us and is reprinted in this edition of Texas Farm & Home. The festival contains four days of fun with varied exhibition and events within the Yamboree. Of course there’s the arts and crafts fair, but the Yamboree is so much more than just some out-of-town vendors, the Yamboree features all the things that are so special about East Texas, and the traditions this down-home part of the state offers.
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East Texas Yamboree
Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
HISTORY + HERITAGE
TOP: Past Queens ABOVE: Past Presidents LEFT: Yamboree liscense plate
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Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
Street Dance The Yamboree features a car show, the Yamboree Livestock Show, the Barn Dance; Queen’s Coronation; Photography Contest; Gospel Music, a home canning contest, an Elvis show, Yam Pie Contest, Yam Pie Recipe, quilt show and a decorated yam contest; all of this joins with art shows, a carnival, nightly street dances and so much more. This year’s barn dance will feature country music artist Jack Ingram and Texas Troubadour Cameran Nelson. The Barn Dance is held at the Trinity Street Gym on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 at the door and $25 in advance. The Yamboree also features two parades. On Friday, Oct. 20, the Friday School Parade, which features marching bands from throughout the area around Gilmer and Upshur County; on Saturday the Queen’s Parade travels along the brick streets
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East Texas Yamboree
Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
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Past Queens
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Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
of Gilmer in all of its pageantry. This is the largest of the parades and features the festive floats of the Queen contestants, including the Queen’s float. Each queen contestant represents a service club, such as Rotary, Lions and others. Every year there are seven candidates for Yamboree Queen, and the queen is chosen through their individual fund-raising activities. The queen gets to wear the flowing train, which is ornately decorated and wonderfully suited for royal raiment. Inside the halls of the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce, a photo hangs of every queen since the festival’s inception in 1935. “It’s fun to walk through here and see all the different styles throughout the years,” Mrs. Koudelka noted. “They are so elegant, so much work went into them.” The Upshur County Museum, located on the Upshur County Courthouse Square in Gilmer, displays many of the gowns worn by the queens throughout the years, allowing visitors a real glimpse into Gilmer’s past. Work also goes into the floats used by the queen contestants, as the service organizations spend weeks getting their float ready for the annual parade. “They really go crazy with the floats, the service clubs really put a lot into it,” Mrs. Koudelka said. “The floats are judged and it gets very competitive, but they are absolutely beautiful. I like to come into the float barn when everything is over and just look at them — it’s one of my favorite parts, to see all the color and all the finished work.”
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East Texas Yamboree
Photography by Christima Stewart
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TOP: A photo of every queen hangs inside the halls of the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce. Also on display is train used and personalized by the queens. ABOVE AND LEFT: The Upshur County Museum displays many of the gowns worn as well as chronicling the counties history. Brandon Garmon is the 2017 Yamboree President and Union Grove ISD Band Director. Mr. Garmon grew up in Gilmer and attended Gilmer High
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School, where while in the Gilmer Buckeye Band marched in many Yamboree parades. Mr. Garmon notes of the special appeal of the East Tex-
Photography by Christima Stewart
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as Yamboree. “The Yamboree is a very special time in our community,” Mr. Garmon wrote, “A time when everyone comes together to celebrate our town and its heritage, to enjoy the homecoming of friends and family and to create memories that will last a lifetime.” The East Texas Yamboree begins on Wednesday Oct. 18 and runs through Saturday Oct. 21, culminating in the Barn Dance. The Queen’s coronation is set for Wednesday Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Gilmer Civic Center. The East Texas Yamboree School/ Youth Parade is set for 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20 and features all Upshur County schools, 4-H groups, Scout troops, church youth groups and others. The Queen’s Parade takes place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 in downtown Gilmer. The Quilt Show runs Oct. 19-21 at
East Texas Yamboree
Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
HISTORY + HERITAGE
the Upshur County Historical Museum and features categories such as antique, wall hanging, appliqué and much more. On Saturday of the festival on the south side of the courthouse square the Fiddlers’ Contest is sure to a thrill for music lovers. It is a Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association sanctioned event and begins at 1 p.m. The Yamboree Gospel Music Stage features two days of Southern Gospel Music. Artists include The Wesley Brothers, The Mattingly Family, Masterpeace, Forgiven Quartet, No Other Way Quartet, The Hamptons, Harmony Quartet, The Arnharts, The Latimers, John Randolph, Miles Pike, The Pleasant Mountain Boys and many more. The music can be heard at the Gilmer Civic Center from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday of the Festival, and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday. To learn more about it, visit yambo-
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Photography Courtesy of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
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East Texas Yamboree
reegospelstage.com. Yamboree events take place in several locations, including the Upshur County Courthouse Square, Yamboree Park, located north of the Gilmer Civic Center on Hwy. 271 North; Trinity Street Gym, located at 500 Trinity Street, Gilmer Civic Center, Wesley House, located at 231 Quail Dr.; and at Gilmer High School, located at 850 Buffalo St. For more on everything that has to do with the East Texas Yamboree, visit the Yamboree website at www. yamboree.com.
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TRAVEL + LEISURE
Auntie Skinners
Exploring Texas
Historic Kahn Hotel
Scarlett O’Hardy’s Gone with the Wind Museum
Autumn in Jefferson
Whether looking for something spooky to ring in Halloween or just want to stroll the streets in the cool autumn air, fall brings Jefferson to life Story by WAYNE STEWART Photography by ANN LEBLANC
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o place does autumn like Jefferson. Whether visitors are looking for something spooky to ring in Halloween, or they just want to walk below stately trees turning their brilliant hues in the cool autumn air. Fall brings Jefferson to life unlike any other town in Texas. The many beds and breakfasts, Jefferson is known as the “Bed & Breakfast Capital of Texas,” welcome guests to Jefferson. From there travelers can explore the historic town more like an old Louisiana city than anything else in Texas. A popular aspect of fall in Jefferson is the Jefferson Ghost Walk Tour. Several houses and other buildings around Jefferson claim to be haunted, go on one of the tours and be a judge. There are two groups giving ghost tours around Jefferson, both take guests through the streets of Jefferson, in some of the historic buildings and homes locatedHaround Jefferson. 24 TEXAS FARM & HOME OCTOBER 2017 The
Made in the Shade offers events held in their courtyard during October on Friday and Saturday nights including an old school horror movie.
The Union Missionary Baptist Church, located on Houston Street in historic Jefferson, has been the location of a church since 1842. The church is under reconstruction as a project of the Today Foundation, which is working with Partners for Sacred Places.
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Exploring Texas
LEFT: Stan and Michelle Davis of Auntie Skinners CENTER: The Golden Era mural RIGHT: Gold Leaf Antiques
tours are much more than just a search for ghosts, they are history tours of the area telling about its rich history. The tours happen at 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night and take about 1 1/2 hours. Don’t miss the special History, Haunts and Legends Event on Nov. 4. To learn more about the Historic Jefferson Ghost Walk, visit the website, jeffersonghostwalk.com. For a little extra spooky, let Lone Star Carriage Co., take you for a ride in a real horse-drawn hearse every Friday and Saturday in October, including Halloween night. Autumn is the perfect time to take a walking tour of Jefferson and take in the history of this unique East Texas town. Is romance the order of the day, then stay in one of the elegant B&Bs around Jefferson and take a carriage ride around Jefferson, offered by Lone Star Carriage Co., for an evening turn around the
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town. It’s also a great time to take a boat tour on Big Cypress Bayou, or the mystical Caddo Lake. Caddo Lake offers several tours, and closer to town Bayou Boat Tours offers of the old steamboat basin that brought steamers into the city before the Great Raft was demolished which ended the boat traffic into Jefferson. The remnants of that era are in Jefferson still, so be sure and learn about it. Jefferson also offers abundant opportunities for antique shopping, just as The Gold Leaf Antique Mall and many other great antique stores. There also are several museums located throughout the town, each telling its own unique story. Stroll into Jefferson Images and visit with owners Larry and Jan Johnson, and get some old-fashioned Blackburn-Made Syrup. While in Jefferson, be sure and stop by Auntie Skinner’s Riverboat Club, located on Austin Street across from the Marion County Courthouse inside the old international building, constructed in 1866. The building served as the first of the city’s many riverfront warehouses. It’s one of the few downtown commercial buildings never to be modernized. Auntie Skinners also helps sponsor the Burn Benefit, a Biker Rally held for burn survivors. The rally is set for Oct. 13-15 in Jefferson, held next to Auntie Skinners. The event features live music and entertainment, a poker run, bike contest and much more. To learn more about the benefit visit www.bikersforburnsurvivors. com. Also, Made in the Shade Boutique will hold special Halloween activities through the month of October on Friday and Saturday nights in their courtyard followed by old-school and family-friendly horror movies. To learn more about all the happenings in Jefferson go to www. visitjefferson.com.
TRAVEL + LEISURE
Fall Festivals
A Sweet Tradition Henderson’s Heritage Syrup Festival a celebration combining Southern and Texas roots
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ack before mega-stores in every town many commodities were hard to come by. Sugar and other sweets were some of those commodities. East Texas farmers, being the ever independent and industrious sort, could supply the needs of their sweet tooth. The farmers would grow sugar cane in the southern portions of East Texas, and in the areas that got colder they grew sorghum. Through a process of squeezing the stalks then boiling the juice into syrup allowed the people to have the sweets that could be hard to find in hard times. As people left the farms and commodities became more abundant through industrialization, sugar became easier
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to get for people in cities and life changed and the old traditions began to die out, but not in Henderson, though, as they celebrate the old tradition of making syrup with the annual Heritage Syrup Festival, held the second Saturday in November. Some regions honor roots, such as the Czech and German communities across Central Texas and also regions with large Spanish populations or other things making them different, but Henderson is uniquely Southern. The uniqueness of East Texas culture lies in its traditions, rooted in the antebellum South. Towering pines and rolling hills along with a few swamps here and there makes East Texas much like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. It’s pure Southern, with a little splash of Texas thrown in. This comes out in the food and in the people of East Texas. Head to Henderson on that special day in November and find out about this unique part of Texas as a group of friends along with several thousand invited guests watch the old tradition of syrup making, using mule power and old fashioned ribbon cane. Upon entering the grounds of the Depot Museum (home of the Heritage Syrup Festival) the smell of burning pine wafts through the air — pine fuels the fire and boils the cane juice into syrup. Get nearer where all the action
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happens and the steam from the boiling juice drifts over, filling the nostrils with a stunning sweetness that cannot be found in the western reaches of this expansive state. In hard times sugar became as scarce as money, syrup provided the family with some sweets. “We do it the way they used to do,” noted Depot Museum Director Vickie Armstrong, “when folks made syrup in the back yard with a mule and crusher.” The thing about the events at the Depot Museum, real artists and artisans display their items and sell their wares — unique items and artwork not found at most craft fairs. “The things we have here are dying arts,” Mrs. Armstrong continued. “It’s amazing to see how much it’s grown. It started with just a handful of people doing something to bring people together and keep this tradition alive. “It got so big that it grew to incorporate the downtown area. That’s where the retail vendors set up and we keep the folk artists here where they can show their skills and produce their items by hand.” Several exhibits at the Depot Museum depict how people in East Texas existed and thrived for generations. An operating sawmill pays homage to a still-thriving timber industry in the region. An old cotton gin, that used to call Mt. Enterprise home, now stands
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Historic structures, like this barn at the Depot Museum in Henderson, come alive during the Heritage Syrup Festival.
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on the museum grounds, showing visitors the vital role cotton used to play in the region. “We have a lot of volunteers who work to keep things going,” Mrs. Armstrong said. Henderson’s beautiful downtown area holds live entertainment, mountains of food and crafts vendors plus all the unique shopping venues Henderson provides. The downtown portion of Henderson differs from most county seats. Henderson, the county seat of Rusk County, has a county courthouse; the downtown area does not form a square around the courthouse. Instead the downtown area forms a T-shape south of the Rusk County Courthouse. This makes for a perfect area to hold a festival. Henderson offers so much more than just a festival, though, as the town offers quality restaurants, and as noted earlier, great shopping venues, where browsing through a men’s clothing store, a women’s boutique, art galleries, antique shops, gift shops — the list seems endless. The Depot Museum makes any drive to Henderson worth the trip, even it
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Fall Festivals its nothing more to see possibly the most posh outhouse in the state with its three-holer sitting on the museum grounds. The famed structure even boasts at Texas Historical Marker. The museum also features other old buildings from the area, and for children the museum offers a fun and safe place to play, while learning about how life used to be. The Children’s Discovery Center calls the old depot home, and it recently underwent a facelift and offers kids interactive games. Throughout the year different activities for the children involve them in hands-on situations and a chance to learn by doing. A performance of the Henderson Civic Theatre provides enough incentive to make anyone want to head to Henderson. Over the coming months the Henderson Civic Theatre plans several shows including “Velveteen Rabbit” scheduled to show Dec. 1-3, 8-10; other shows are set for the spring, go to the Henderson Civic Theatre website at hendersoncivictheatre.org. In the spring the Depot Museum keeps the fun going with Heritage Folk Art Day, a cultural educational experience for school children. For more on all the happenings at the Depot Museum, visit their website at www. depotmuseum.com. To learn more about what Henderson offers eager travelers, visit their website at visithendersontx.com. This year’s Heritage Syrup Festival is set for Saturday, Nov. 11.
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Fall Festivals
San Augustine Sassafras
Enjoy a festival worthy of one of Texas’ oldest towns.
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et amidst the stately forests of deep East Texas, San Augustine occupies a special place in the life of Texas. It’s the oldest Anglo town in Texas, founded in the years before Texas sought its independence from Mexico. It can trace its origins back even further than the 1820s, as 300 years ago Spanish missionaries established Mission Dolores to help protect Spain’s interests in the area and also to bring Christianity to the indigenous people of the area. Ultimately neither was successful, but San Augustine grew out of the old mission and became a prominent city in Texas. It sported a customs house and other official offices a major border town can claim when it’s a major entry point into a country. Sam Houston once had a law office in San Augustine.
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Shop & Explore Downtown San Augustine
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TRAVEL + LEISURE
Fall Festivals
Every autumn, when the fall foliage is at its brightest San Augustine celebrates a tree that grows along the Ayish Bayou – the Sassafras Festival. This year’s festival is set for Saturday Oct. 28, around the San Augustine Courthouse Square in downtown San Augustine. “We have a lot of vendors, live music throughout the day, a car show, a rock wall for kids – lots of family fun,” noted Brandi Emanis with the San Augustine Chamber of Commerce. “We’ve fun things for the kids scattered throughout the festival.” One of Brandi’s favorite parts of the festival is the kids and pet costume contest as it adds a whole other layer of cuteness to the festivities and gets visitors ready for some Halloween fun. To add to the atmosphere there’s also a pumpkin patch and a barrel train to ferry the kids around the town.
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One of the big events, according to Brandi, is the San Augustine High School reunion. “If you ever went to school in San Augustine you have to come back for the reunion,” Ms. Emanis said. “The reunion is held on the square across from the jail museum.” As for the jail museum, it’s been undergoing renovations for the past year and now serves as a San Augustine Law Enforcement Museum. The jail was built in 1919. For those who get a little hungry walking around a festival, then don’t miss the Barbecue Cook Off, where some of the vendors may even sell a bit of their contest-worthy barbecue. For those in town the night before, take part in the Bingo-Supper, where visitors can buy three bingo cards and get supper thrown in. “The festival is always a lot of fun,” Ms. Emanis assured. “So come out and look around and have some fun.” To learn more about all the happening at the 27th annual Sassafras Festival, visit the San Augustine Chamber of Commerce website at www.sanaugustinetx. com; .
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TRAVEL + LEISURE
Fall Festivals
Peppers & Railroads Cabooses across city celebrate city’s railroad heritage
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he history of the railroad in Texas, and the history of Palestine cannot be told separately, as they are as intertwined William Travis and the Alamo. While Palestine may have been around before the railroads arrived, for a time the rails made this East Texas town one of the most important inland cities in Texas. The Union Pacific Railroad still plays a significant role in the life of Palestine. Downtown Palestine owes itself to the railroad. As most county seat cities center around the county courthouse, not Palestine, the life of its town centered around the railroad. Not everything revolves around the passing of the trains through Palestine these days, but it doesn’t mean the city has forgotten its roots. Located throughout the town are concrete cabooses, situated in front of many of the city’s businesses. It began as a project of the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce and it really caught
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Museum for East Texas Culture
Museum for East Texas Culture
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TRAVEL + LEISURE
Fall Festivals
on in the community according to Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marc Mitchell. “Everybody’s loved it,” Mr. Mitchell said. “We’ve even had some individuals buy them, decorate them and put them in their yards.” The businesses decorate the cabooses to reflect the business and many depict the history of Palestine as well. The caboose in front of Palestine City Hall features dogwood blooms, for which the city also is known. The caboose in front of Duncan Depot, a quality antique store in town, features a nod to the city’s historic past; and the caboose in front of the historic Redlands Hotel honors the different railroad companies that once used the building for its general headquarters; and also the historic hotel. Many of the cabooses tell the story of Palestine and its connec
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Fall Festivals
tion to railroads. Want to learn a bit more about Palestine’s connections to the rails, then head to the Museum for East Texas Culture, located in Reagan Park. There, visitors can see the role the railroad played in the town. See an old ticket booth, explore the different railroad that once ran through the region. Historic pictures help tell the story of this important hub for not just Texas, but the entire South. Going during the Hot Pepper Festival is a great time to see some of this history and enjoy a festival full of family-friendly fun, considered the “Hottest little Festival in Texas.” This annual festival features a pepper eating contest, an arts and crafts fair, tasty food vendors, a kid’s zone, beer gardens and live music throughout all the day of the festival. Palestine’s Hot Pepper Festival is set for Saturday, Oct. 21. It begins with a parade at 10 a.m. followed by the festival events, and the cabooses visit the Palestine Area Chamber of Commerce website at www.palestinechamber.org.
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TRAVEL + LEISURE
Fall Festivals
Czhilispiel 45
Famous Flatonia festival set for October 27-29 What happens when Czech culture and Texas flavor meets — you get Czhilispiel. That’s right, the famous Flatonia festival honoring the best of Texas where chili, or “Czhili” in this case, is celebrated. It all began in 1973 to celebrate Flatonia’s centennial and as a fund-raiser, it’s still going 44 years later celebrating Czech heritage and Texas cooking. It still benefits local students and community groups — and it’s a bowl full of fun. The festival takes place during the fourth full weekend in October and features a “Czhili” cook-off, live music, a beard contest, parade, car and truck show, pie baking contest and much more. Musical entertainment this year includes The Bret Mullins Band, Grupo Emocion, Los Kolaches, JD Clark, Jon Wolfe and headlining is Roger Creager. Sunday’s musical performers include D’Vine Testament, The Czechaholics, and The Velvets. There will be a carnival and games to provide fun for the kids along with an arts and crafts market available to do some Christmas shopping, a biergarten and several contests throughout the event. The annual parade is held the Sunday of the Czhilispiel and begins at noon. Czhilispiel takes place from Oct. 27-29. To learn more about everything happening, visit the website www. czhilispiel.com.
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Fall Festivals
Photography courtesy of The Heritage Society of Washington County
Christmas at the Mansion E
Brenham’s annual event held in historic Giddings Stone Mansion
xperience Christmas in a special way at Brenham’s annual Christmas at the Mansion, held Nov. 4-5 at Brenham’s own Giddings-Stone Mansion. This special event is a partnership between the Heritage Society of Washington County and Hermann Furniture. The building and its eight rooms are exquisitely decorated by Jennifer Hermann of Hermann Furniture. This special event features a tour of the mansion, built by J.D. Giddings in 1869-70. The house, built in the 19th Century Greek Revival architectural style with 11 rooms and two broad galleries running the length of the house both upstairs and downstairs, adding a bit of grandeur to the beautiful home. Each room in the mansion features a different Christmas theme, with the main theme of the event being “Home for the Holidays.” Guests can tour the mansion for a $5 donation, or tour two other historic homes in Brenham for $15. For those wanting to have their lunch at the Giddings-Stone Mansion, served at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., reservations are required and can be made by calling (888) 836-7237. Lunch costs $25 per person. Proceeds go to benefit the Heritage Society of Washington County. After touring the mansion, then head to downtown Brenham
and visit Hermann Furniture and sip some wine and eat some hors d’oeuvres and so some shopping and learn how you can decorate your home like the gamed Giddings-Stone Mansion. To learn more about all the happenings at the mansion and about the Heritage Society of Washington County, visit their website at giddingsstonemansion.com.
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TEXAS EVENTS
October/November Happenings
Car shows, music and more this fall KERENS
Cotton Harvest Festival
The 13th Annual Kerens Cotton Harvest Festival will be October 21. Featuring a Classic Car Show, harvest pageant, photo contest, street dance. Each autumn the cotton crop was gathered and culminated months of work and worry for area farmers and their employees. Until recently, the cotton crop was the main source of income for Kerens folks. Fall meant cotton picking time; the three gins were running, people had a job and they had money in their pockets. After a week of hard hot work, Saturday was the day to come to town, see your friends, sample some special treats and have some fun. Well, those days are gone. Cotton is harvested mechanically. There is only one nearby operating gin. People earn their living at jobs in town rather than picking cotton in the country. The Kerens Cotton Harvest Festival relives the excitement of those long ago Saturdays. The red brick main street once again comes alive with some of the old folks, some new folks, some city folks, but all folks looking to have a good time.
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Taylor’s Main Street Car Show www.kerenscottonfestival. com
TAYLOR
5th Annual Main Street Car Show
October 28 — Taylor hosts the 5th Annual Main Street Car Show in Historic Downtown Taylor on October 28. The MCS features classic and exotic cars, motorcycles, and custom vans from around the world as well as live bands, food trucks and entertainment for the whole
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family. The event is one day in historic Downtown Taylor and is free for everyone. For details visit www.ci.taylor.tx.us/800/Main-Street-CarShow
EDOM
The Old Firehouse in Edom Acoustic Concert Series
Saturday, October 21: Dana Cooper Saturday, November 11: Pierce Pettis Saturday, December 2: Tom
Prasada-Rao Doors open for all concerts at 6:30pm with “Schmooze Hour,” and the music begins at 7:30. Admission typically is $15 at the door and $12 in advance. For more information, a schedule for the entire season, or to purchase advance tickets for any concert or a season ticket, visit www. theoldfirehouse.net or call 903-852-ART1 (2781). More information and links to sample music can also be found on the website. The Old Firehouse is an
i “ a a p
intimate, smoke-free and alcohol-free “Coffeehouse” music room that has made a name for itself by bringing national acoustic folk musicians to their stage performing all original music.
BUFFALO
Bison Belle Drill Team reunion
The Bison Belle Drill Team Organization will be celebration 60 years of performances at pre-game on Friday, Oct. 20 at Bison Field in Buffalo starting at 6:30. The reunion will be Saturday, Oct. 21st at Buffalo High School cafeteria, auditorium and gym beginning at 11:00. The Belle Scholarship Committee extends an invitation to you and your magazine to join us in our celebration.
BRENHAM
Texas Arts and Music Festival
Join the folks in downtown Brenham on October 20 - 22 for the Texas Arts and Music Festival. Free admission with live music, mural artists, food trucks, art village and more. Visit TEXASARTSANDMUSICFESTIVAL.COM
HALLESTVILLE Fall Events
Hallet Oak Gallery Calendar 2017 Fall/Winter: Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan. 2018 Annual Events: Open-House Free to Public Oct 20: Friday Pumpkin Drop off 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Oct 21: Spooktacular Afternoon Party and Pumpkin Contest 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Oct 31: Halloween Tunnel Tuesday open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 3rd Annual Christkindlmarkt Down
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TEXAS EVENTS town Hallettsville: Live Music 1 p.m to 5 p.m, Doors Open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m Nov 25: The TubaMeisters, Traditional German Christmas Music Dec 2: Das ist Lustig, Authentic German music Dec 9: Lindsay Ruppert, Original Music Dec 16: Ruth Rouse & Denise Drozd, German, Czech, and Polish For more information contact Mieko Mahi, Executive Director; Hallet Oak Gallery, Historic Kahn & Stanzel Bldg., 115 N. Main St., Halletsville, TX 77964. 361-217-7030
CROCKETT
Crockett Garden Club Fall Plant Sale
November 3 — The Crockett
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Garden Club will have its Fall Plant Sale on Friday, November 3, from 9 am to 4 pm, in the old filling station across from First United Methodist Church of Crockett (at the corner of Goliad and 7th Street). Offered for sale will be flats of pansies, snapdragons, alyssums, and Sweet Williams, plus daffodil bulbs and beautiful hanging baskets. And as always lots of surprises! Proceeds from the sale are used for area beautification projects.
WIMBERLEY Herbfest 2017
NOVEMBER 3 - The Hill Country Unit of the Herb Society of America is “Going Green” with HerbFest 2017. Ticket includes lunch, tastings, Herb Shoppe, silent
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auction, and herb speakers. Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 101 Spoke Hill Drive at Ranch Road 12, Wimberley, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information: www. hillcountryherbs.org or 512557-7143.
JOHNSON CITY Lights Spectacular
The last weekend of November (Thanksgiving weekend) Johnson City turns on the lights for Lights Spectacular. The courthouse, the town and PEC (they put up 1,000,000 led lights) and they stay on until New Years. They have fireworks on Friday, the lights go on and usually they have a street dance in the town square. Saturday their “Lighted Hooves & Wheels Parade” and Art Walk. There is tractor drawn hayrides plus
horse drawn carriage rides for the visitors. The LBJ Boyhood Home also has a special event which is open to the public.
NEW BADEN Jamboree
New Baden Jamboree, 1st Saturday of every month. Believed to be the oldest country music venue in Texas. Started in 1954, sometime in the 80’s the Lion’s Club became the sponsor, all proceeds go back into the community. Usually 3 or 4 different groups volunteer to sing and play from 6 p.m. to about 9 p.m. Hamburgers, fries, onion rings and local made desserts for sale. The event is free but they do pass the bucket and have a cake auction half way through.
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HOME
Texas Artist Spotlight
LEFT: John with Dillon Enjoying the serene small-town life; seen here with his buddy, Dillon. RIGHT: Beland continues to produce and record from his loft in Chappell Hill. Photographs by Mary Chavoustie
JOHN BELAND A Truly Amazing Life
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Story by CONNIE STRONG Photography by MARY CHAVOUSTIE AND COURTESY OF JOHN BELAND
A tiny town, whose locals’ only concern on any given day is the possibility of having to wait for the ducks to waddle across the road, might not be the first place you’d expect to find a legendary session guitarist. Nevertheless, nestled in the rolling fields on the outskirts of Chappell Hill is where singer/songwriter John Beland hangs his hat when he’s not on the road. TFH was lucky enough to catch up with the jet set Beland long enough to have him share intimate stories of the life he’s led— a fascinating history that’s included music icons like Dolly, Kris Kristofferson, Ricky Nelson, Linda Ronstadt and many more.
Chasing the dream Growing up in Hometown, Illinois, Beland had a profound interest in music by the age of six. The multi-instrumentalist says, “I listened to music differently from the way other people did. When I used to listen to records, I would picture myself thinking about the recording session, with no knowledge of how a recording session
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really worked, aside from what I had seen on TV or read in a magazine.” By the tender age of 15, Beland’s life took a major turn when, in 1967, his dad, Clarence, took a job offer from a relative. The family of eight would be moving to California, a drastic change away from his band and his girlfriend that the budding musician could not see himself making. “Ditching school” and running away to Chicago seemed to be the only option for the determined Beland. Each daring attempt was only met by disappointment; he was constantly caught and brought back home. Beland recalls, “One day instead of trying to run away to Chicago, I ran away to Hollywood. I saw the 101 freeway sign and said, ‘Well, I’m just gonna take it.’” He began hitching rides to Hollywood, sneaking in the gate at Paramount Studios to spend the day in the shadows of the sound stage, watching actors like Barbara Streisand shoot movies the caliber of “Funny Girl.” At five o’clock, he’d hitchhike
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home, hoping his folks would believe he had spent the day in school—which only worked for about two weeks. A desperate Clarence decided his unruly son would be put in a “continuation” (reform) school until the age of 17 when he would be signed into the Navy. Beland recalls, “After Dad pulled away from the school, I looked through the fence and I could see these tough kids with no shirts, tattoos, just like a prison! I said, ‘I’m outta here and I’m not coming back.’ I hitchhiked to Hollywood and spent my first night in the parking lot behind Capitol records by the BFI can.” Beland woke up to find a bus arriving— Buck Owens and The Buckaroos— and his excitement let him know he was exactly where he was meant to be. Buck and the homeless teenager exchanged brief greetings and later, in 1999, John’s recount of the unlikely story shocked Owens during his recording session. The young kid Owens was so kind to 30 years prior was now producing his record.
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Against all odds While still at home, Beland made a 12song, homemade demo on a tape recorder he had taken from the high school. After stealing away to Hollywood, the tenacious kid from Hometown— in his now-dirty clothes— snuck into Capitol Records, tape in hand, and caught the attention of top record producer Abe Hoch. Hoch agreed to listen to the “moldy” tape and suggested he check out the open mic sessions at L.A.’s famed Troubadour, where he could sing for one dollar per Monday night. Using a borrowed guitar, Beland gave it his best shot but soon found it was going to be a long road to stardom. Living on the streets was no fun. He recalls, “I had no money and had one more Monday night. I played my songs— hardly anybody was out there. I didn’t know where I was going to sleep and I had no idea what I was going to eat. I had absolutely hit the wall.” It was at his lowest point that he met music producers Dan and Lois Dalton. The couple took the weary musician in, with his parents’ blessing, after hearing him play at the Troubadour. Recognizing his talent, they bought Beland his first guitar— “a beautiful Guild 50”— gave him a small salary and taught him the ropes of the music industry; all the while, strongly fostering his Irish-Catholic faith. Under their tutelage, within a year, Engelbert Humperdinck and Lawrence Welk had recorded one of Beland’s songs; he was working on “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour;” had a record deal with Ranwood Records and a summertime
hit, “Baby, You Come Rollin’ ‘Cross My Mind.” In addition, he and Lois recorded the theme song for the hit series, “The Brady Bunch.” “A couple of years later, I’m doing the Hollywood Bowl with Joan Baez and I’m on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry with many, many opportunities,” says Beland. “The Daltons were an incredible blessing.”
Working with the best From that point forward, Beland found himself in the company of music’s most well-known icons. In L.A., he hung out with future Eagles Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon, and with JD Souther, who wrote some the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt’s biggest hits. His first really big break came when he joined Linda Ronstadt’s “Swampwater” band in 1970 as lead guitarist. But after a year, Beland left the group when he became disillusioned with the creative direction of the band. He befriended Kris Kristofferson long before anyone had heard of the legendary songwriter. Beland saw him through the “Why Me” phase, but quit after a gig in Cumming, Georgia turned out to be nearly identical to scenes from the movie the drunken Kristofferson was about to make, “A Star is Born.” Beland was never afraid to follow his instincts, and had no problem leaving when he felt it was necessary. “I quit acts because of the integrity Dan and Lois instilled in me. When I left Kristofferson, people around me couldn’t believe it because he was at his peak.”
Beland never had a problem finding work because his guitar skills were in high demand. He played/toured with Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Tillotson, Johnny Cash, The Bellamy Brothers, Mac Davis, and Dolly Parton. He was signed by the Beatles to Apple Records in 1973 and, later, was an intricate part of Ricky Nelson’s return to fame in the late ’70s. For over 20 years, Beland was the driving creative force behind The Flying Burrito Brothers, with partner Gib Guilbeau. He produced nine hit country singles from three highly acclaimed albums for the group. After parting ways with Guilbeau, he continued his career, mainly as a session guitarist, but also continued to write and perform. Beland picked up a GMA Dove nomination in 1989 for Gospel Record of the Year with his song, “Isn’t It Amazing,” written for former Grand Funk Railroad lead singer Mark Farner. Beland has toured the world, written, arranged and produced, and has won several recognitions, but one accomplishment stands above the rest— his 1971 performance in New York’s Carnegie Hall. Beland tells TFH, “I put my parents through horrible stuff when I ran away. I’d call them from a pay phone on Hollywood and Vine to tell them I was alive and well, while I was sleeping in parks and sneaking into record companies. My mom and dad begged me to come home. But when I got to New York with Arlo [Guthrie], I called my mom from backstage. I said, ‘Mom, I made it. I’m at Carnegie Hall.’ They cried. I cried. I had come a long way from running away. That was the best gig I ever had.”
Through the years, John has remained friends with Dolly Parton, who is the first guest on John’s upcoming radio program, “Best Seat In The House.” (RIGHT) Photograph by Karen Wells Verlander
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BELAND
small town in t every major city and We covered just abou mmed together cra rs, ca ling in rental America, all of us trave , speaking of ge, including Linda. JB with our gear and lugga book, “Best nstadt; excerpt from his his tour with Linda Ro Seat In The House”
Time moves on Beland never wanted to be a star, but rather knew all along that his interest was in being the best session guitarist he could possibly be. His 40-plus years in the music business are the focus of his upcoming memoir, “Best Seat In The House.” In the revealing book, he shares intimate behind-the-scenes accounts of his experience with some of the most iconic entertainers of our time. From Joan Baez and Peter Fonda to Quincy Jones and Kris Kristofferson, he discloses (and exposes) the private side of the fickle music industry as seen through his eyes. As a companion effort, he has an upcoming radio program by the same name, to be aired in conjunction with the book release, 2018. Beland’s pilot for “Best Seat In The House” features an in-depth interview with his longtime friend, Dolly Parton. In addition, he plans to record with his son, Chris Beland, who he had no knowledge of until a call came in 2010 from a woman named Barbara. She stated she thought he might be the father of her son, based on time spent following John and Ricky Nelson’s Santa Barbara fair concert three decades earlier. DNA tests confirmed that Chris was John’s son. Ironically, Chris and John had connected randomly on Facebook, before either had any idea of the blood-connection. After introductory phone calls were made, finding their bond was immediate and mutual, Beland flew down in a snow
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with Arlo Playing Carnegie Hall mory of me te ori Guthrie is a fav n.” ma “the session
storm to meet his son in Oregon for the first time later that year. The emotional meeting had caught the attention of the media, to John’s surprise, and he stepped off the plane to find a host of paparazzi. That day began a rewarding relationship for both. Chris, like his father, is a musician and the two have become very close. Chris is Beland’s fifth child, joining siblings Tyler, Jennifer, Sarah and Jessie.
Home is where the heart is In Beland’s awarding-nominated lyrics penned for Farner, he writes, Isn’t it amazing what a prayer can do When it all seems hopeless it’ll pull you through And isn’t it amazing how a broken heart grows strong When every now and then that special someone comes along When asked what brings him back to the small town of Chappell Hill, he becomes silent, then says with much sincerity, “Pauline.” After all the years of worldly travel, the predictable temptations of drugs and alcohol that he rejected and the ugly ups and downs of the business, he has found that “home” is where his English love resides. He still produces, many times internationally, but always finds his way back to the winding Washington County road that leads him to his country home. He may be found playing classical guitar at an area eatery or winery, just as comfortable in front of a handful of locals as he is in front of crowds of thousands.
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Beland was slated to rejoin Ricky Nelson’s band when Nelson met his untimely death in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve, 1985.
When asked what makes rural living so special, he says it’s the people— “folks who aren’t affected by fame, but rather by what kind of person you are. I like the simplicity and the down-to-‘earthness’ of it. It’s truly the ‘heart land.’” In his quiet moments, he looks back with respect for his parents, as well as the Daltons. His parents are gone, as is Dan Dalton. Lois (Dalton) Fletcher remains one of John’s dearest friends. From his quaint Chappell Hill back porch with the panoramic view, he can reminisce, with much sadness, the New Year’s Eve that Ricky Nelson’s plane crashed, just days before he was to rejoin his band. He can privately recall the time that a last minute change of Elvis’ mind kept him away from touring with The King. And he can look forward to the productive days that lie ahead, filled to the brim with projects. Beland says that his epitaph should read, “Things happen for a reason.” And that, at the end of it all, he’d like to be remembered simply “as a nice guy.” From Hometown, Illinois to “Hometown,” Texas, John Beland has come full circle. He’s seen it all and he’s done most of it. Yet, he remains humble. People in the quaint little community he now calls home would most likely say, “Yes. He achieved his main goal in life: he is, in fact, a nice guy.” And he’s living a life that proves it really is amazing what a prayer can do. For more information, visit johnbeland. com
LEFT: John and son Chris, a joyous recent discovery BELOW LEFT: Beland, jamming with future Eagles’ member Glenn Frey BOTTOM LEFT: Picker, a fitting name for a legendary session guitarist’s cat Photograph by Mary Chavoustie
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RELICS OF YESTERDAY SEARCHING FOR ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES & VINTAGE FINDS WITH LINDA
Fall is a great time for antique shopping Antiquing, Junking and Collecting are always fun past times! Texas Farm and Home takes you to many towns across Texas each month and in these towns you are sure to find some wonderful bargains, valuables and cherished items. Be sure to check out some of these special treasures like the ones shown below from some of our areas featured this month. LINDA MOFFETT
A great piece
“You’ve Got Mail”
GOTKOOL
5 Coffee Grinder: Check this antique coffee
5 A unique decoration: This antique mailbox can
5 One cool piece: You can find this vintage water
grinder out while visiting Bogard’s Emporium in San Augustine. Owners of this piece are Charles and Sharon Bradberry and it can be found at 106 S. Broadway St., San Augustine, TX 75972. 817-6761941.
be found at Medlin Creek Mercantile, 207 W. Tyler St, Gilmer, TX 75644. They are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. 903-235-9183, Joe Newsom Sr., owner.
cooler as well as many other collectibles and relics at Armadillo Emporium 101 W. Commerce, Fairfield; FB or Instagram @armadilloemporium or call 903389-3336.
Decorative Metal 4 Three wheels: This antique decorative tricycle complements most any decor, and is sure to start a conversation with its rustic appeal and charm Find it at Bogard’s Emporium, 106 S. Broadway St., San Augustine, TX. 817-676-1941. Marshall McMillan is the owner of Bogard’s.
Beautifully Green 3 Glassware: Vintage Anchor Hocking forest green sandwich depression glassware was made from 1939 to 1960s. Find the complete set or a replacement piece at Martha’s Market, owner Martha Butts, located in Bogard’s Emporium, 106 S. Broadway St., San Augustine, TX. 817-676-1941.
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Necchi 5 Beautiful and Functional: Antique Necchi Sewing Machine with cabinet. This machine works and is from the 1950’s... it belonged to the mother of Linda Goller. You can find this and much more such as vintage, antique and lots of whimsical items, as well as books and cookbooks at: Whimsey & More, Owner: Linda Goller, Inside Bogards at 106 S Broadway St. San Augustine. 817-6761941
Unique Wood 5 Wagon Wheel Chair: It doesn’t get more unique than this... an antique wagon wheel, fence post chair from Poland. To purchase it visit Texas Star Retail Store and Boutique, 106 W. Columbia, San Augustine, TX 75972. 936288-5002. Owners are Johnny and Tammy Shofner.
Silent Butler 3 Silverplate: Silent butlers were to catch table crumbs or as an ash tray. This silent butler is silverplate. This classic, functional fireplace bellows is the perfect accessory for your fireplace. These items can be found at BestWitch Decorative Arts, inside Bogard’s, 106 S. Broadway, San Augustine, TX 75972
“English Scenic” 3 Transferware: These beautiful transferware dishes are “English Scenic” from Staffordshire of Adams, England. You can find them along with other antiques, dolls and gifts at Curious Wren, 123 S. Main, Henderson, TX. 903-655-1234. Owners are Bill and Billie Brookshire.
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GARDENING BASICS
lets get growing
PLANTS BEHAVING BADLY ... MURDER, MAYHEM, AND DECEIT IN THE PLANT WORLD Story by Jolene Renfro Crockett Garden Club and Davy Crockett Master Gardeners
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emember the movie “Little Shop of Horrors” where the plant, who was the star of the show, had to be fed a person to be kept alive? There are really are plants out there that fit that description ---sort of. Venus Fly Traps, Pitcher Plants and Sundew Plants make their living as carnivores because they live in areas such as bog swamps that have very poor soil with inadequate nutritional components. Each type of plant has a different strategy to enable it to catch its prey (mostly insects) and extract the nitrogen and other chemicals that are needed for growth. When he was a little boy our son Jimmy loved Venus Fly Traps because he could feed them flies and watch them close up. I did not think I was raising a serial killer, just a normal little boy who was fascinated by the oddity of a plant that eats animals. Sure enough, he did go on to other interests (bats, snakes, sharks, Star Wars, girls) as he grew older. Venus Fly Traps can be found growing naturally in North and South Carolina and are cultivated to be sold as an interesting indoor plant. The plants, that are 3 to7 centimeters in size, are composed of a rosette of 4 to 7 leaves; each leaf has a green flattened part capable of photosynthesis and a terminal lobe that is hinged in the middle. This hinged lobe places these plants in the cate-
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gory of snap-traps. It is this hinged part that makes the plant so interesting. It contains 3 fine hairs on the inside, two of which have to be touched within 20 seconds for the trap to shut. It typically takes only 1/10 of a second to close. The bars on the enclosure are wide enough to allow small insects to escape (presumably not worth the plant’s effort to go through the digestive process). The plant takes about 12 hours to reopen if the small prey does escape. If the
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prey wiggles around a lot, the trap tightens, digestion begins, and 10 days later, the plant reopens the trap ready to catch another dinner. With a different method, but the same end results, Pitcher Plants are beautiful, but deadly. They are in the category of pitfall plants, having a tubular structure filled with nectar to lure foraging flying or crawling insects to go down into the depths where the liquid is contained. Once in, the slippery sides, or down pointing hairs, keep the insect from escaping, and then bacteria in the liquid digest the prey. Pitcher Plants also grow naturally in boggy places on the
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East Coast and in the Midwest. Combining the techniques of both the Venus Fly Trap and the Pitcher Plant, Sundew Plants have tentacle-like leaves that secrete drops of thick nectar. When an insect comes into contact with the sticky substance, the leaf curls up, enveloping the prey within 30 minutes. Then the plant begins to secrete digestive juices. Sundews are more widely distributed worldwide, compared to the other two types of carnivorous plants, and can be found in the wetlands of Coastal Texas as well as other swampy sites in the United States.
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It is more difficult to grow than the other two types, so is rarely found for sale. The mucilage in the “dew” is being studied for its usefulness as an adhesive in biomedical applications. Amazingly, it can stretch to nearly 1 million times its original size and can enhance recovery and minimize rejection in all kinds of surgeries including hip replacements. So next time you write about “Man, eating plants”, remember that a simple shift in punctuation produces “Man-eating plants”!
RECIPES
Recipes by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART
Hearty Autumn Dishes Add a bit of Oktoberfest to the fall table
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utumn is in full swing, the air is cool and fresh and the kitchen is open for business. The calendar says it’s Thanksgiving next month, so it’s time to get in there and do a little practicing. Practice making hearty dishes sure to please the entire family. Incorporate delicious vegetables into the mix full of their earthy flavor. Delicious roast, cooked until it falls apart, served with potato balls and sweet and sour red cabbage, all adding a bit of Oktoberfest to the fall table. For dessert, try a delicious apple crisp served hot with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Be sure and explore the Sourdough Journal for our desserts from this edition as they feature some wonderful fall favorites with a little twist.
Sauerbraten Stew 2 pound beef roast, cut into cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup apple cider vinegar 4 cups water 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 packet brown gravy mix
1 tablespoon corn starch Heat oil in Dutch oven, add chopped roast and brown, add in all the ingredients except for the gravy mix and corn starch. Bring liquid to boil then reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally for about an hour, or until roast is tender. Then stir in brown gravy mix and corn starch and continue to stir until sauce thickens.
Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage 1 head red cabbage, coarsely shredded 2 tablespoon bacon grease (vegetable OCTOBER 2017
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oil will do, but not as much flavor) 1/4 cup vinegar 1/2 cup sugar Salt and pepper to taste Heat oil in skillet, add cabbage, stir to coat and simmer until wilted, add in the vinegar and sugar, adjusting to desired taste. Simmer cabbage until tender, add in salt and pepper and serve.
Potato Balls 2 to 3 pounds potatoes 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Salt and pepper to taste Peel potatoes and boil until tender. Drain potatoes and mash, add in bacon, cheese and salt and pepper. Mix well then form into balls of about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place balls in a pot of boiling water, about four to six at a time. Boil until balls float to the top, then remove. Serve hot.
Apple Crisp 5 Granny Smith apples, finely chopped 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/4 cup flour 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice Topping: 3/4 cup flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup chopped pecans Grease a large 6-muffin tin, or a
small 12-muffin tin. Mix the apple crisp ingredients together and spoon into muffin tins. Mix the topping, cutting the butter in with a pastry cutter, or two knives until it turns into coarse crumbles. Spoon topping on top of the apple crisp mixture. Bake in 350-degree oven about 35 to 40 minutes, serve with vanilla ice cream.
Upshur County Pioneer Yam Pie
Makes two pies 1 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 sticks butter 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1/8 teaspoon each of nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla Mix all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake at 325 degrees until pie is set. Approximately 50 to 60 minutes.
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Photograph by Ruel Felipe
Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (from Ruth Bowie Cook and the 1947 20th Century Club cookbook)
Sourdough Journal Explore the possibilities with a sourdough carrot cake, sourdough apple strudel muffins, and sourdough pumpkin bread
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RECIPES
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e took last month off from the sourdough journal, but hopefully everybody kept their starters fed and thriving during this time, cooking a lot of delicious things. We cook up a batch of biscuits and pancakes on a weekly basis, plus other things here and there. I’ve discovered something along the way with all the sourdough experiments, sourdough can act as a replacement for buttermilk in recipes. So if you have a starter, but don’t have any buttermilk on hand, then don’t fear, sourdough can save the day. Knowing that opens a load of possibilities, and we explore those possibilities this month with a Sourdough carrot cake, sourdough apple strudel muffins, and sourdough pumpkin bread.
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Sourdough Apple Strudel Muffins 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup sourdough starter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cup chopped apples 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon butter Grease 12 muffin tins, or line with paper cups. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients to-
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gether except for the last four. Spoon equally into the muffin tins. Mix the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter. Sprinkle over the muffins. Bake in oven about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Sourdough Carrot Cake 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sourdough starter 3 eggs 3 cups shredded carrots 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup shredded coconut 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups flour
the shredded carrots and pecans. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Add in the flour mixture to the carrot mixture a little at a time until completely moistened. Turn cake batter into a pair of prepared (greased and floured) 8-inch or 9-inch round pans. Cook in 350-degree oven about 45 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 10
minutes, then turn onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely before frosting, at least an hour. Place pecans and shredded coconut and place on baking pan, bake in 350-degree oven until pecans and coconut are toasted, but not burned. Meanwhile, take one of the sticks of butter and place in small saucepan and melt, continue to cook just until the butter starts to turn brown. Place
2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting 2 sticks butter, softened 2 packages cream cheese (16 ounces total) 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup pecans 1/2 cup shredded coconut For the cake, mix the oil, butter and sugar, add in the vanilla, eggs and sourdough starter, then fold in
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butter in the refrigerator and allow to cool about 15 to 20 minutes. Take the other stick of butter and mix with creamed cheese, add in vanilla, the browned butter and salt and continue to mix until smooth, add in the powdered sugar, a cup at a time until smooth. Spread over cake rounds and garnish with toasted coconut and pecans.
Sourdough Pumpkin Bread 1 cup sugar 3/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 can 100-percent pumpkin 1 cup sourdough starter 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 cup pecans Blend together the sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, sourdough starter and canned pumpkin along with the vanilla. In a separate bowl blend together the flour, salt and baking soda, gently add into the pumpkin mixture and mix until blended, fold in the pecans. Place in greased 9-inch bread pan and bake in 350-degree oven until done, about 45 to 55 minutes. Serve hot with butter.
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Cafés Across Texas
Story By Wayne Stewart
IMOGENE’S FULL OF FRIENDLY SERVICE AND DOWN-HOME COOKING
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mogene’s Cafe, a friendly restaurant just off the square in downtown San Augustine, has a menu tailor made for this East Texas town — full of friendly service and downhome cooking. “Everything we make is homemade,” explained the Imogene’s owner, Imogene Newman. “We make our own bread, hand bread our chicken fried steaks to homemade pies and cakes. It’s just good home cooking, it’s what you would fix if you stayed home and cooked — I think that’s what people love about us.” Imogene’s opened about 7 years ago when Mrs. Newman moved from Wisconsin to help take care of her mother. She owned two restaurants in Wisconsin and sold those before she came back to Texas. “I guess I was a glutton for punishment, so I decided to open a restaurant here,” Mrs. Newman joked. Her cooking ability was learned from her mother and her grandmother and she passes those lessons on to her customers who flock to Imogene’s Café & Homemade Baked Goods, located at 129 E. Columbia St, a block east of the San Augustine County Courthouse. Imogene’s Café offers a broad menu and serves three meals every day. It opens at 7 a.m., forcing Mrs. Newman to get up at 4 a.m. to get to her café and prepare the day’s food. “I was there already so I thought I would offer breakfast for people,” Mrs. Newman explained. “I do a breakfast special with eggs, hashbrowns, bacon or sausage, toast or a biscuit for $3.79.”
TOP: Imogene Newman, owner of Imogene’s and her granddaughter who is the breakfast cook, Savannah Bruner pose in front of the restaurant.
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Cafés Across Texas
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Tracy and Jeff Cox The lunch and dinner menu features such items chicken fried steak, chicken fried chicken, liver and onions, many sandwiches like a club and a BLT. Then there are the desserts, the pies, the cakes — and they are delicious. “I like giving people the best food and the best deal I can,” Mrs. Newman said. “I love cooking, and I love coming into work every day. I enjoy visiting with the customers.” One of the best things about Imogene’s is its location. It truly is at home in San Augustine. The customers speak to each other as they enjoy a piece of pie with a glass of sweet tea. Pies and cakes are available for sale, along with jams and jellies. They can be shipped, and for a full list of the their offerings, give
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Imogene’s Café a call at (936)275-2004, or visit their Facebook page to see what they are cooking up. The menu changes with the seasons, so don’t think you’ve tried it all, because they always have something new for customers to try. Imogene’s Café is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Fridays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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THE DIRECTORY Support Texas, Shop with Texans
HOME IMPROVEMENT & SERVICES BI-STONE BUILDING SUPPLY For all your home improvement needs visit Bi-Stone Building Supply for hardware, paint, lumber, floor covering, plumbing, window treatments, storm doors, storm windows, screens and sun screens, electric, building materials, bathroom accessories and fencing materials. Plus they do new construction and remodeling and have guns and ammo. 910 E. Milam, Mexia, TX 76667 254-562-9341
HOUSEWARES & GIFTS NETTLES COUNTRY One-of-a-kind home décor, home accessories, Christian gifts, wall art, nettles famous stirrups and other exceptional gifts can be found at Nettles. 3 miles west of Madisonville Square on Hwy 21 West 936-348-6541 or 800-729-2234
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FAMILY FINGERPRINTS
What not to do at Thanksgiving I have an extended family that can be quite interesting. As Thanksgiving approaches I am currently waiting to see what’s in store for us this year. They seem a restless brood, unsatisfied with lazy Thanksgiving afternoons sprawled on familiar couches. You won’t find them shaking fists at athletes paid more than their worth. You won’t find them nodding in agreement at halftime shows where former athletes, paid more than their worth, analyze their own kind. What you will find in them is the art of activity, with varied physical exertions, year after year. I wouldn’t mind if at least one year we allowed the activity of napping. Three Thanksgivings ago it was an afternoon volleyball tournament. The next year, one of the teenagers talked us into a soccer match. We lasted five minutes. No one would come right out and say that we were getting too old for all this. We knew our foods weren’t digesting as easily anymore. We knew we displayed some mighty pitiful running for so called, soccer players. Two of my aunts quickly dismissed themselves, one feigning the need to turn off the stove, the other to go wash her hair. So then came last year. The discussion was made for all of us to go to the family cabin, which we fondly call The Pond, and spend a few nights together. (Luckily, it’s quite wooded and there is no room for outdoor sports.) There are too many of us to all fit inside the cabin, so two of the families pitched tents. The eldest Aunt and Uncle hauled their high dollar fifth wheel through the cow pasture and into the woods for set up. My daughter and I, since
my husband was out of town, were invited to stay with them. For some reason we accepted. I should have said, “No thank you, I have to wash my hair.” And so there we were, all twenty-two of us, scattered about the area, like inhabitants of a commune, a fire pit crackling in the center of it all. The fire pit was our meeting place. If a stranger had been looking from behind a tree, he would have been awaiting some communalistic fire dance from the brethren. But there was no dancing, just plenty of eating that drifted from inside the cabin onto its porches, down to the fire pit, then back again to the kitchen. Consumption of fried turkey, dressings and hams, sweet potatoes and pies was the game plan for a good part of the day. This was much better than soccer. But finally came bedtime. By midnight, everyone claimed sleeping spots, some in the cabin and others in tents. It was time for my daughter and I to climb into our bed, inside my aunt and uncles fifth wheel. My dear sweet aunt had already pulled out the couch bed and put on sheets. My uncle switched off the lights, and then quiet set in. We heard them fall onto their pillow top queen bed, just as I winced from a spring piercing my back. It felt like a gnawed on turkey leg had been shoved in alongside my spine. “Did you feel the same thing I just felt?” I whispered to my daughter. “If it felt like a gnawed on turkey leg just pierced your back, then yes,” she whispered in return. And so we lay there on a mattress that should not be called one. Following the
brief quiet, came the snoring. Space does not allow for description of sounds coming from the “upstairs” room of the fifth wheel. Without saying a word, the two of us rolled off the bed of bones, slipped quietly out the door, hurried to the car and went home to our own beds back across town. I didn’t even get my purse. The next morning we returned to The Pond. The brethren were gathered around the fire pit. They were discussing our previous early morning departure. My aunt assumed we left due to the big stain she discovered by the light of day on our bed sheets. My uncle thought we left because of his wife’s snoring. The tent people thought someone was spotlighting on family property when it in fact it was our headlights that hit them. One of the husbands jumped up at the lights, landed firmly on his wife’s uninvolved leg, to which she expelled an agonizing scream, which made him fall into the side of their tent. He of course, continued into the neighboring tent, landing firmly on his cousins brand new Apple lap top, snapping the open lid off its base like it was a crispy pickle. The cabin folks popped up in their cots believing they’d just heard a panther scream, and caught a glimpse of our tail lights through the shadowy trees. They quickly deduced strangers had been in the area and called out local police. No one has yet said anything about The Pond for a Thanksgiving camp out. Come to think of it, no one has said anything to me since last Thanksgiving. I may get in some football and a nap this year.
T.J. Foster is a native East Texan, business owner, writer and community volunteer.
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