Category Archives: Texas Blogging

Stock Show More Important than School???

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Though most of the northerners in the US are out of school for weather-related reasons — our girls are out because of the county stock show.  uh huh. 

<shaking head>

<shrugging shoulders>

<picking mouth up off of floor>

I am, once again, beside myself.  This makes as much sense as closing the school because the football team actually made a touchdown!

When my academically-enriched children participate in an ACADEMIC event – such as UIL, they are released for the day with an excused absense.  It doesn’t release them from homework, but it means we don’t have to take them to the doctor to get a “get out of jail free” card!

So, why-oh-why can’t the same ring true for the local stock show?  Yes, we’re in Texas, where a lot of credence is given to those who raise and show animals.  Yes, we live in a rural community where folks have ranches and ranchitas – heck, we even raise chickens (though not for show – we like the eggs)!  But, remember, half of our school population lives at the local children’s home – where they don’t raise and show animals at the stock show!

Just looking at the calendar, perhaps the kids wouldn’t have to go to school for TWO days in June, if they’d have just given the stock show kids an excused absence for today and tomorrow and let the other 80% – 90% get an education within the confines of their SCHOOL.  Wow, there’s a novel idea!!!

Grand Finale to the Library’s Summer Reading Program

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You may remember that our three youngest kids participated in the Medina Community Library’s summer reading program last year, and received medals for their accomplishments.

This year, they also signed up to participate.  But, oh, the grand finale was MUCH better than the ice cream social they attended last year!

On Tuesday, they were treated to a puppet show, lunch and then a magic show.

On Wednesday, they saw a re-enactment of William B. Travis, had lunch and then saw a re-enactment of Charles Goodnight (both Texas heroes).

Yesterday was Lucas Miller, the Singing Zoologist – who had the kids entertained, enthralled and excited about animals!  Then, an early dinner was served (our kids thought it was a snack, since we normally eat dinner much later) and those who participated in the summer reading program were gifted with certificates and tshirts:

Then, we were ushered back into the library for a fabulous performance by the Texas Storybook Theatre of an Amelia Bedelia book – what a HOOT!  Son-man even got invited up to help sort out what the idiom of “watch your tongue” meant (literal vs. non-literal meanings).

The kids said they enjoyed Mr. Miller’s performance much more…but, I could tell from the giggles and guffaws that the adults got their funny bones tickled by the Storybook Theatre performance!

Thank you, Medina Community Library.  What a GREAT thing to do for our kids, encouraging them to read and giving them a bit of a reward for their efforts!

Quilted Wine Glass Coasters

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Ever since I saw this coaster pattern during the “Cotton Spice Last Minute Gift Countdown,” I’ve been wanting to make them.  My husband loves wine, and although we’re not much for having company and folks milling around our home with wine glasses in-hand, I thought the concept a novel idea!  Of course, I couldn’t just follow Gudrun’s instructions, I had to put a little Texas twist on them and make them to match the table runner that you see on my header right now, as it was for a gift basket our Girl Scout Service Unit was putting together for a fundraiser.  But, in the end, I was VERY pleased with the results, and hopefully our little gift basket will be auctioned off for big bucks, half of which will go to our service unit!

Texas-Themed Table Runner Fun

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I volunteered to make a table runner for our Girl Scout Service Unit, to go into a basket that is auctioned off by the GS council in San Antionio.  Each Service Unit in the council puts together a basket, based on a theme of their area.  Since we are in the Bandera Service Unit and Bandera is known as the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” our theme is none other than Cowboys.  But, I’m going to put in a vote that we change that to Cowgirls or at least Cowboygirls.  Comeon – we’re Girl Scouts!  Let’s promote our girls!

Anyways, this is the table runner I whipped up this weekend – now, I just have to make something else (undecided on what that’ll be yet) and see if a local business will donate some product to go in our basket:

Tammy’s Song

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My husband is SUCH a romantic Texican!  He was selling popcorn in town with the manly-man for their Cub Scout pack, and along came a smoothe-talkin’ guitar picker & musician … ready, willing and able to whip up a song for JD’s wife. 

Can you stand the romance? 

What til’ you hear the song, though.  It’s surely a Hill Country Lament!

This is a LARGE file, so please be patient while it loads.  It’s a .wmv file, so it should automatically open with your Windows Media Player:

Tammy’s Song

btw:  you’ll see the manly-man about halfway through, giving everyone the PEACE!