Lifestyle

Two Texas Game Wardens were recognized this week for their outstanding efforts and contributions toward supporting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) mission.

The tradition of having wild game on the table for the Holidays is a long standing one with my family. When I was a youngster, I can remember my Mom requesting my older brother to, “Take your shotgun down to Pecan Bayou and bring me back four fat mallards. It’s time for some Christmas baked duck, rice and gravy.” She would slow-roast those mallards with plenty of fresh garlic, salt and pepper. There was always a pot of rice awaiting the natural duck gravy. Mother demanded the ducks be ‘picked’ rather than the popular method today of removing only the breast halves. The fat on a wild duck is where the flavor is, she would say and she was right.

After our water break, the “old lady” with even more cotton in her bag stopped to ask how I was doing with the cotton. I replied that I didn’t seem to be making much progress, so she looked into my bag and laughed and leaned closer and said, “Boy, you ain’t ‘pullin’ cotton; you’re ‘pickin’ it! Look into my bag!” I did and saw that her cotton had “hulls” from the bolls still attached to the cotton. My bag had pure, smooth cotton with no “hulls.” She then said, “Boy, we’re being paid by the pound, and you ain’t gonna have much pounds the way you’re doin’ it!” She gave a little chuckle and muttered “picking, oh my” and trudged on back to her area of the field. I went to mine and started “pulling” instead of “picking.” I did not ask the others of our crew how they were doing it for fear that they were doing it right and would laugh at me.

Although I liked the “Rolling Stones” and the “Kinks,” my taste in music in the 1960s leaned a little more to the “mellow” side—Peter, Paul, and Mary—Simon and Garfunkel—Everly Brothers—Herman’s Hermits. I especially liked a British duo that never reached high fame but did have some large and popular hits here in the States—CHAD & JEREMY, who wrote and sang love songs and songs that tended to be melancholic, nostalgic, and maybe “maudlin,” as my favorite college English Professor (Dr. Barrus) liked to say!

Midwestern State University recognized 1,104 honor students for the Spring 2020 semester. The President’s Honor Roll included 343 students, the Provost’s Honor Roll included 341 students and the Dean’s Honor Roll included 420 students.

As some of you “Facebook Folks” already know, my wife, Vivian, recently enjoyed a “Birthday Trip” to Disney World with Will, Holley, and Kherington, and I went to pick her up from Frisco as one of my busy days was “winding down.”

Jennifer McElroy of Forney, graduated from Eastern New Mexico University. A virtual commencement ceremony was held on Dec. 12.

I bet you recognize one or more of these songs, even if you are young or old or a non-country music fan! And, you can probably sing some of the words, and also many of you probably know that these all correspond to a “singing star” by the name of DOLLY PARTON.

Sunday, December 27, and I almost did not watch the Dallas Mavericks after their first two performances, when, to say the least, they did not live up to “expectations”—against the Phoenix Suns, losing by 4 points in a winnable game on 12/23/20, and especially when they lost by about six times that many points to the “King Lebron Lakers” about two days later…..and on the same court…..and without seeming to put up much of a “fight.”

Walmart will be offering free COVID-19 testing at the Forney location on Hwy 80. Testing will be available Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7am to 9am. First priority is health care workers, first responders, and those over 65. Then others who have symptoms as determined by the CDC may be tested. Check eligibility and schedule an appointment through, eTrueNorth, at www.doineedacovid19test.com or 800-635-8611.

Keep in mind that this article is being written by a man of 100% German heritage (ethnicity), whose forefathers and foremothers came to the United States to get away from the rules of the two Kaiser Wilhelms and to support the Democracy of our great country, which also immediately became theirs. Therefore, my knowledge of tamales has been all “American” fostered!

At the beginning of a year, it is a good time to look toward the future. Forney Education Foundation awarded the teacher-requested grants in mid-December giving strong employment prospects to students at both high schools. After a year of uncertainty, we can all look forward to the great things our students will be doing.

My longtime friend Bill Carey with Striper Express has a saying, “Remember December” that he often mentions. He’s referring to the awesome striper fishing that occurs during the winter months at Lake Texoma. Lat month, my good friend Jeff Rice and I joined Bill for an awesome day on the water.