George Strait - Country Line Magazine

Since 1995
It's not just music ...
it's a lifestyle
Personal Carry
Firearms ARE
Allowed While
Reading This
Magazine
march 2013
George
Strait
A Call to FARMS, Arms
& Fishing Poles!
Battling BaSS
pg. 22
Country’s Covered
at SXSW
RODEO SCHEDULE
Cover photo credit: Kelley Mae
The Cowboy
Rides AwAy
Texas evenTs Calendar • Hunting and Fishing • Texas Living • Lifestyle & More ...
From The Live music capiTaL oF The WorLd, ausTin, Texas • counTrYLinemaGaZine.com
SAVE THE DATES
for Live Music and Wine at Becker Vineyards
BECKERVINEYARDS.COM
(830) 644-2681
BECKER FARMS RD.
STONEWALL, TX 78671
April 6 & 7 Blues, Bluebonnets & BBQ
April 7 (New) TX Wild Hog Cook Off
April 11 "Lavender Luxuries" @ Intercontinental Stephen F Austin
April 27 & 28 15th Annual Becker Vineyards Lavender Festival
Expand your horizons...
Est. 1987
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Prompt and courteous service
State of the art computer system
Over 20 years of experience
Residential and Commercial
Professionally trained installation crews
10-acre Facility and Warehouse
2011 Team Roping Sponsor – Star of Texas Rodeo
Family-Owned and Operated
512-835-7575
www.morrisglasstx.com
3575 Rocking J Road | Round Rock, TX 78665
2013 Team Roping Sponsor
Rodeo Austin
Sponsor Round Rock Express
2 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
Rural Land Loans
Country Home Loans
Farm & Ranch Loans
Livestock &
Equipment Loans
Operating Capital
We’re the answer.
Real Estate
Appraisal Services
C
apital Farm Credit has made agricultural
production, real estate and agribusiness
loans for 95 years. As a cooperative, we
are proud to return almost 100 percent of
our net earnings back to our customers
through our patronage program.
Austin Credit Office 512.892.4425
Toll free 1.866.886.4425
T E X A S ’
L A R G E S T
Agribusiness Financing
Leasing
CapitalFarmCredit.com
R U R A L
L E N D E R
O
Our street dead ends into a small
grassy easement that leads to the back
of a schoolyard. Crossing alongside the
school property you end up in a nice city
park. The whole time our kids were in
middle school we walked them to the end
of the street, followed the trail and then
to school. To this day, we walk that route
to relax, exercise the dogs and enjoy the
time outdoors. There is also a nice pasture
property across the street from our house.
From all that green space we get some
pretty amazing wildlife activity.
Hearing coyotes at sunset is common
from our house. Seeing fox, deer, skunks,
raccoons and possum is not a big deal.
A few years ago, I heard the coyotes
going crazy, and I knew they had taken
something down. The next morning I went
to explore the end of the street, the pasture
and green space. There was a big old deer
almost completely eaten. I knew this guy;
one of his legs was messed up. There was a
blood and fur trail from the fence out into
the middle of the field. He didn’t make it
over to get away this time…
My wife is a city girl, the baby of three
girls, and never knew hunting or guns
until she married into our family. I could
not be more proud of her and how she
has accepted the lifestyle. Almost all the
meat we eat in our home is from game
we harvested. She acquired her personal
carry licenses and is proficient with most
firearms. She still loves to shop and do
all the things a city girl loves, but she is
not afraid to take care of business like a
country girl.
Not long ago as she and our youngest
son walked the dogs down the street
toward the park they saw a cat lying in
the tall grass off the side of the worn trail.
They recognized it as one of the feral
cats that lives in the woods down there,
nameless but recognized. It was moving
slightly, erratic.
“Oh my, he must be hurt or sick.
Quick, son, go get the gun. We have to put
him out of his misery,” she said with care
and concern in her voice. Our son looked
at her in disbelief – who is this lady? They
kept walking, and she repeated her request
to him and to hurry; she did not want this
kitty to suffer. Whatever its fate had been
she would end the pain and misery.
They moved closer to assess the
wounds when the cat sprung up, looking
at the humans and dogs. It evaluated its
exit strategy and raced unscathed into the
woods and its safe haven. My son laughed
so hard his sides hurt.
A couple days ago as I sat in a coffee
shop working, my phone rang.
“Honey, I think Rudy (our son’s Border
Collie) has killed one of the chickens,”
were the desperate and sad words my wife
used. On occasion, as he does what Border
Collies do, round up livestock or chickens
in our case, one gets roughed up a bit.
“She is lying there, and I think she is
by TJ Greaney
hurt bad. You have to come home right
away and shoot it. I don’t want her to
suffer.”
I told her I had to complete the tasks
at hand, and she was going to have to
muster up the strength to pick up the poor
wounded chicken and put it into the coop
until I got home.
She was not happy with the idea of
touching it, but agreed.
“OK, I will,” was the stressed and sad
tone I heard from her.
Hours passed, and I called her to see
how she was. She started right in telling
me about the current project she was
working on and other family news and
information. I stopped her and asked
how the chicken was and how bad it was
moving her broken and bloody corpse into
the coop.
“Oh, she is fine. She is with the rest
of them and doing fine. I guess she wasn’t
hurt – just stunned or something.”
I laughed so hard I almost wrecked my
truck.
My oldest son Cody Ryan has a fishing
partner, David. David has struggled
with a life-threatening illness for years.
He has actually undergone hundreds of
surgeries and continues to fight. One
of the things that keeps David going is
tournament bass fishing. He loves it and
is quite accomplished at the national
collegiate level. Just a few months ago,
though, he was the sickest we had seen
him experience. The doctors had little
to no hope he would come out of a long
coma that consumed him. Everyone
prepared for the worst, but hundreds of
people prayed for healing. He came back,
and it was nothing short of a miracle.
In February, just a few months after his
near-death experience, they fished their
first tournament of the year and took third
place. David also caught the second biggest
bass of the event, the kicker that put them
in the money. It was incredible. I cried as I
read the tournament press release.
I have seen God heal the sick. I have
seen myself, people, He has given the gift
of healing. Use that gift to heal others.
Does He always heal the sick? Does
He always remove the cancer or bring
someone out of a coma? No. Does He
love on us, stand with us, care for us as we
mourn the loss of someone? Yes. I cannot
answer why some are healed and some are
not. He knows. I don’t. I do know that
through the process, through pain, I learn
my most intimate lessons about Him and
me.
I found myself a little uneasy as of
recent around the house. I have kept quiet
about the sniffles and headache I had a few
days ago. I used to be able to take a pretty
good nap on the couch, but I am not sure
about laying around our house these days. I
can just hear it now, “Oh geez, Dad is sick.
He looks out of it. This is it, the end. I
guess we need to get the gun.”
AKINS ANNUAL PLANT SALE
$1 PER PLANT
Vegetables
Various Peppers
Herbs
Flowers
AKINS HS GREENHOUSE
Now until supplies last • www.akinsffa.org
Monday thru Friday 5:30PM-7PM
Saturday and Sunday 8AM-4PM
Akins High School • 10701 South 1st St. • Austin, TX 78748
Located in the Greenhouse in back of school off
Old San Antonio Rd.
All proceeds go to support the FFA livestock program.
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 3
in this issue
FEATURES
king george - the cowboy rides away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo Concerts ALL STAR series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
“A word from from The Herd” –
The Return of Travis’ Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
sxsw has “country” covered: Check out
CLM’s Top Picks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fancy Feathers 6th Annual Open Chicken Show . . . .20
Waste Less Food: A Call to Farms, Arms
and Fishing Poles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
DEpARTMENTS
Texas roadhouse by Dale Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
coffee shop moments by D. “Bing” Bingham . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
recipe by Shirley Baker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
grandma’s hints by Shirley Baker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Texas tales by Mike Cox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
TEXAS SERVICES AND PROFESSIONALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
following the way by Jeff Gore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
counting your chickens by Mike Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
on the trail by Kendall Hemphill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
the outdoor classroom by Larry LeBlanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
texas outdoor zone by Cody Ryan Greaney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
w w w. c o u n t r y l i n e m a g a z i n e . c o m
512-292-1113
MAILING ADDRESS
9508 CHISHOLM TR • AUSTIN, TX. 78748
LETTERS & COMMENTS
[email protected] or mailing address
E D I T O R | T. J. Greaney
P U B L I S H E R | G&G International
M A R K E T I N G D I R E C T O R | Sandra L. Greaney
[email protected]
Scan with your smart phone
& join us on Facebook!
C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S | Cody Ryan Greaney,
Mike Young, Larry LeBlanc, Shirley Baker, Sandra Greaney, D. “Bing” Bingham
Kendall Hemphill, Jeff Gore, paul pryor
Cover Photo Credit: Kelley May
B U L L O C K
M U S E U M
The biggest screen in Texas!
DISCLAIMER:
1800 N. CONGRESS AVE.  (512) 936-4649
™
Shows subject to sell out, change, or cancellation without notice.
4 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in Country Line Magazine do
not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the editor, publisher or owners. No part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without
prior written permission from the publisher and is only deemed valid if approval is in writing.
Kids Outdoor Zone,
“No Kid Left Inside”©
Austin, Texas – Upcoming Banquet
helps answer the question, what do we
do to get kids outside? The average time
a kid today spends outside is a whopping
40 minutes a week. On the other side, or
should I say inside, a kid spends 70 hours
a week staring at some form of electronic
screen. Does that shock you? There is also
an “epidemic” in this country of fatherless
children. Boys in particular are in need
of male role models and finding them is
scarce.
“I asked a bunch of boys in my Sunday
School class once if they wanted to go
fishing; next thing I know the boys, their
brothers and all their friends show up at
my door,” laughs TJ Greaney, founder of
Kids Outdoor Zone (KOZ). “Since then we
have developed an outdoor program that
trains men to mentor boys through outdoor
adventure. We have regular meetings every
month and camps almost year-round.”
The program has garnered the
attention of state parks and wildlife
departments across the country, the biggest
manufacturers in the outdoor industry and
pastors from churches everywhere. pastor
Jody Mayes of Fellowship Southwest in
Austin, Texas is thrilled that the program
reaches the men in his church and the
kids in the community. “In my 30 years
of ministry, this is one of the few and
rare programs that infiltrates the church
and turns lives around in enormous and
remarkable ways. It is incredible.”
Steve Hall, former director of
education at Texas parks and Wildlife
believes it supplies the missing links.
“There are a few pieces to the puzzle the
outdoor industry struggles with; the ability
to find a place for youth to socialize and
recruiting adult mentors, KOZ does both.
KOZ is doing something we struggled
with.”
“Kids today need mentors that care
about them, they need to disconnect
from the electronics and they need to be
outside. They long for it, they are hardwired for it, and we love sharing it with
them,” explains Greaney.
KOZ will be holding their annual
Dinner and Fundraiser on March 30, 2013
at the Texas Disposal Systems Exotic
Game Ranch and pavilion. Get more
information about KOZ, starting a group
in your church, buy a ticket, sponsor a
table or donate auction items or monies at
kidsoutdoorzone.org, or call 512-292-1113.
KOZ, “No Kid Left Inside” ©
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 5
King George-the Cowboy Rides away
After performing for 30+
years, George Strait began his
final two-year U.S. tour in Jan.
of this year. City after city he
has been pleasing crowds and
the party continues even closer
to home in San Antonio and
Houston. Also joining The
Cowboy Rides Away Tour, is
a longtime friend and fan of
Strait’s, Martina McBride.
The excitement
surrounding this tour was
evident when tickets in most
markets sold out within
mere minutes of going on
sale. Sharing in the fans’
enthusiasm, Strait reveals,
“I’ve got over 30 years of great
memories out on that road. I’m
sure these last two are going
to be just as good or better. It’s
going to be fun but at the same
time sad. I can’t wait!”
With 59 No. 1 hit songs
under his belt, concert-goers
can expect to hear many of
their Strait favorites plus
new music including his
latest single, “Give It All
We Got Tonight,” one of
the first releases from Strait’s
h x 5wπ
forthcoming album due out later this year.
“Give It All We Got Tonight” is currently
available on iTunes.com
For more information more of King
George visit www.GeorgeStriat.com
www.Facebook.com/GeorgeStrait
Strait on Twitter @GeorgeStrait
The Cowboy Rides Away –
2013 Tour Dates
Thompson-Boling Arena
Knoxville, Tenn.
Mar 2 Rupp Arena
Lexington, Ky.
Mar 17 Reliant Stadium
Houston, Texas
Mar 1
Upcoming Gigs!!
3/2 Gruene Hall
3/6 Sun City
3/8 Rileyʼs Tavern
3/10 Drippinʼ Dancinʼ
3/16 Bell Springs Winery
3/18 Samʼs Burger Joint
Friday, Mar. 8
Casey Donahew BanD
Rockin’ a Ranch - 8:00 PM
all staR seRies & Josh
aBBott BanD
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
Sunday, Mar. 10
all staR seRies &
ChaRlie Daniels BanD
Rodeo arena - 3:00 PM
Academy of Western Artists
Has named Hot Texas Swing Band
Finalists in Western Swing Group,
Album and Song of the Year; and
Alex Dormont
Western Swing Male Vocalist 2012
www.HotTexasSwingBand.com
Monday, Mar. 11
all staR seRies &
eli young BanD
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
tueSday, Mar. 12
all staR seRies &
saRa evans
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
WedneSday, Mar. 13
all staR seRies &
alaBaMa shakes
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
thurSday, Mar. 14
all staR seRies &
Megan & liz
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
Friday, Mar. 15
all staR seRies &
easton CoRBin
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
6 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
* On sale date March 9, 2013
StaR Of tEXaS faiR
anD RODEO COnCERtS aLL StaR SERiES
Saturday, Mar. 9
Hot Texas
Swing Band
Mar 22 Bi-Lo Center
Greenville, S.C.
Mar 23 Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, N.C.
Apr 5 The pit
Albuquerque, N.M.
Apr 6 pan American Center
Las Cruces, N.M.
Apr 12 Verizon Arena
N. Little Rock, Ark.
Apr 13 New Orleans Arena
New Orleans, La.
Jun 1 Alamodome
San Antonio, Texas*
Saturday, Mar. 16
all staR seRies &
kiP MooRe
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
Sunday, Mar. 17
all staR seRies &
MeRle haggaRD
Rodeo arena - 3:00 PM
Monday, Mar. 18
all staR seRies &
Restless heaRt
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
tueSday, Mar. 19
all staR seRies &
thRee Dog night
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
WedneSday, Mar. 20
all staR seRies &
Josh tuRneR
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
thurSday, Mar. 21
all staR seRies Finals
& kevin FowleR
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
Friday, Mar. 22
XtReMe Bulls & kyle PaRk /
CoDy Johnson
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
Saturday, Mar. 23
suPeR shootout &
gaRy allan
Rodeo arena - 7:00 PM
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 7
Texas roadhouse
by Dale Martin
Even though they aren’t from Texas, we love them
anyway. The Zac Brown Band have risen to the top of
the music scene the hard way, by playing every venue that
had electricity for over a decade before finally hitting it
big with the song “Chicken Fried” from their album The
Foundation. After that, the hits just kept coming. There
was “Toes,” “Free,” “Highway 20 Ride” and “Sic’em On
A Chicken.” You catch Zac Brown and the boys when
they come to Austin on April 18 for a show at Tower
Amphitheater at Circuit of the America’s. Tickets are on
sale now at all area ticket outlets.
They are single-handedly keeping Texas swing music
alive and well. Yes, I’m talking about Asleep at the Wheel,
but you probably already knew that. Born in philadelphia,
Ray Benson grew to be a towering musician, standing at
6' 7" tall without his boots. He wasn’t born in Texas but
he got here as quick as he could. After moving around
America as a young musician, he settled in Austin in the
early 70’s. It was the home of Willie Nelson and he’ll be
8 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
the first to tell you, Bob Wills is still the king. Many have
tried to emulate Wills; George Strait was one of the most
successful. Few can deny that Asleep at the Wheel have
done a fantastic job of keeping the tradition of Texas swing
alive and well. They have even gone as far as producing
a play titled A Ride With Bob, that documents the life of
Bob Wills. See their website at asleepatthewheel.com for
a complete schedule of the performances of this fantastic
play. If you want to see the band in concert, check them
out on March 30 at the historic Anhalt Hall in Spring
Branch. Go to anhalthall.com for more info on this
show and more. They are a proud member of the Texas
Dancehall preservation Society, with the motto of “Saving
Texas Dance Halls, one two-step at a time.”
It’s been a decade since Chris Wall has given fans a
new album but that drought has ended when he released
El Western Motel in January. It’s a collection of intimate,
mostly acoustic songs inspired by the American West,
a period Wall dearly loves. His other influences can be
heard as well, like Hemingway, Faulker, James Dickey and
Richard Hugo. The new CD captures Wall reflecting on
the peaks and valleys of his life. Though he’s best known
for his humorous tunes like “Trashy Women,” he has
an uncanny depth in his songwriting that really shines
through on the new album. He digs deep on tracks like
“Six Tiny Strings” and “Silver Hair and Silver Wings”
and addresses some personal issues in “I Should Have
Called.” Co-produced by Wall, Lloyd Maines and Merel
Bregante, he released the CD on his own Cold Springs
Records label. Dale Watson helped write “Hello, I’m an
Old Country Song,” an answer song of sorts to the George
Kent hit “Hello, I’m a Jukebox.” It also features fiddle,
mandolin and harmony vocals by Reckless Kelly’s Cody
Braun, who credits Wall as a mentor and major influence.
Wall admits this wasn’t the easiest record to make.
“playing guitar sitting right across from Lloyd Maines is
a challenge of the first order,” he explains. “Even though
Lloyd is a very easygoing, humble guy, his sheer talent is
intimidating. Also, with just a few guitars as background
there is no place to hide. It’s my songs, my voice and it’s
hanging out there for all to hear.”
A-Blake Entertainment announces that the Crawfish
& Cowboys Music Festival will take place March 22-23,
2013 at The Waterfront Lodge, Marina & RV park in
Onalaska, Texas. A favorite time of year in Texas, the
festival will certainly liven up the tradition of a crawfish
boil by bringing in two days of live music to spice things
up. Kicking off the festivities on Friday night in style is
Cajun artist Wayne Toups, while Saturday will feature
an all-star lineup featuring Stoney LaRue, Jason Cassidy,
Ashley Ray and Backseat Molly. Situated on scenic Lake
Livingston, a water wonderland for residents and visitors
who enjoy a variety of activities such as swimming, fishing
and boating, the festival is a kid-friendly music event
that provides the opportunity to gather and enjoy friends,
family and crawfish at The Waterfront Lodge. An icon
on the Red Dirt scene, Stoney LaRue will headline the
festival on Saturday night, March 23. Sharing the bill with
LaRue will be Jason Cassidy, who just released Blame It
On Waylon, the first single from his upcoming album Keep
It Country. The festival runs from 4pm to 10pm on Friday,
March 22 and from noon to 10pm on Saturday March 23.
Individual General Admission tickets for Friday are $10
for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12; Saturday ticket prices
are $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 5-12. Tickets
are available at OuthouseTickets.com.
“Aword from from The Herd” –
The Return of Travis’ Letter
Howdy Texans,
It is my Favorite time of the year as
March is Texas History Month. We have
the best history in the world right here in
the Lone Star State.
The Alamo story is one of the most
compelling stories in the world about
men who were willing to give it all in
the name of FREEDOM. They sacrificed
their precious lives to buy time. Time
for 59 delegates at Washington on The
Brazos to draft the Texas Declaration of
Independence, time for Sam Houston to
raise an Army and time for a new nation
Texas born.
They held Santa Anna’s Army at bay
for 13 thirteen days at a crumbling Old
Adobe Mission we have all learned to
Love – The Alamo. The vanguard of Santa
Anna’s army arrived on February 23rd,
1836, a blood red flag was raised on top of
the San Fernando Cathedral signifying no
quarter. Travis answered the demand for
surrender with a cannon shot and the 13
day siege of the Alamo began.
February 24th with James Bowie
gravely ill, command on the garrison fell
into the hands of the 26-year-old Colonel
William Barrett Travis. He writes the
letter that is acclaimed to be one of the
most historical and moving documents in
American history. The most important
letter in Texas history. Captain Albert
Martin of Gonzales leaves the Alamo to
deliver the letter which reads:
Lancelot Smithers reached San Felipe
with the letter on February 27th 1836.
facilitating this display and the return
of the Travis Letter. I highly encourage
everyone in Texas and the rest of the USA
and world to come and check it out. Hats
off to the Men of the Alamo and GLO and
DRT for making this happen. The display
will end on March 7th, the day after the
177 Anniversary of the Fall of The Alamo.
please come join us at the Texas
State Capitol on Saturday March 2nd to
Celebrate Texas Independence Day, then
take a trip to San Antonio to view the
wonderful Travis Letter display.
NOTE:
I had the privilege of viewing the
1836 Travis Letter at the Alamo on Friday
night February 22, 2013 as it arrived for
its return to the Alamo after 177 years. I
also had the honor of playing music from
my “Father of Texas” CD Series for the
reception. The Travis Letter display is an
incredible display of Texana letters and a
wonderful tribute to the life of William B.
Travis and the rest of the Defenders of The
Alamo. The GLO (General Land Office)
and DRT (Daughters of the Republic
of Texas) have done an outstanding job
God Bless TEXAS and
Remember The Alamo,
K.R. Wood a.k.a. Camp Cookie
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 9
SXSW Has “Country” Covered
CheCk out CLM’s top piCks
ShowS for
TueSday, March 12
The carper family
10PM @ The Parish
Underground
ruby Jane
11PM @ The Parish
Underground
Turnpike Troubadours
11PM @ The White Horse
Jason eady
1AM @ The White Horse
ShowS for
wedneSday, March 13
Butch hancock and
rory hancock
8PM @ Saxon Pub
ronnie fauss
8PM @ The Velveeta Room
Jimmie dale Gilmore and
colin Gilmore
9PM @ Saxon Pub
The dirty river Boys
10pm @ The White Horse
Jason Isbell
10PM @ Blackheart
corb Lund
9PM @ Blackheart
cody canada and
The departed
11PM @ Saxon Pub
warren hood and The Goods
11PM @ Victorian Room
at The Driskill
The dirty river Boys
12 Midnight @ Blackheart
wheeler Brothers
11PM @ Blackheart
rob Baird
1AM @ The White Horse
ShowS for
ThurSday, March 14
ray wylie hubbard
10PM @ The Stage On Sixth
The Black Lillies
11PM @ The Stage On Sixth
Jason Isbell
12 Midnight @ St David’s
Historic Sanctuary
Jason Boland
1AM @ St David’s Historic
Sanctuary
The Mavericks
1AM @ Antone’s
dale watson
1AM @ Hilton Garden Inn
ShowS for
frIday, March 15
Jonny fritz
8:15PM @ Mohawk Outdoor
ashley Monroe
9PM @ Vice Bar
horse opera
9PM @ The White Horse
hudson Moore
1AM @ Rebels Honky Tonk
Mike and the Moonpies
1AM @ The White Horse
rodney crowell
9PM @ The Stage On Sixth
The whiskey Sisters
8PM @ Continental Club
emmylou harris and
rodney crowell
11PM @ Antone’s
ShowS for SaTurday,
March 16
Billy Joe Shaver
12 Midnight @
The Stage On Sixth
nicki Bluhm and the
Gramblers
1:30PM @ Auditorium Shores
for a full schedule visit www.sxsw.com
10 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
A State-of-the-Art Facility
REHEARSAL ROOMS
RECORDING STUDIOS
STORAGE EQUIPMENT RENTAL
www.spaceatx.com
512.448.9518
7915 Manchaca Road
Austin, TX 78745
4 miles South of Ben White Blvd.
Austin’s Rock ‘n Roll Dentist
AUTHENTIC SMILES DENTAL STUDIO
Downtown Austin’s most technologically advanced dental
office. We offer the latest treatments in reconstructive
and aesthetic dentistry including same-day crowns and
veneers, dental implants, teeth whitening and a full range
of neuromuscular treatments to correct TMJ problems.
Contact us today for an appointment!
Shane Matt, DDS
211 San Antonio Street | Austin, TX 78701
512.330.9403
Book Your Appointment Online!
www.authenticsmiles.com
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 11
:::: NORTH ::::
FINANCING & ON THE SPOT DELIVERY
GREG CHAPMAN MOTORS
gregchapmanmotors.com
950 S. Bell at 183 | Cedar Park
512-401-2555
:::: CENTRAL ::::
POWER SEARCH 500+ AUTOS ... CHAPMANMOTORSALES.COM
DOYLE CHAPMAN MOTORS
doylechapmanmotors.com
6000 Cameron Road
512-454-3763
BILL CHAPMAN AUTO SALES
billchapmanautos.com
5324 Airport Blvd
512-459-1141
:::: SOUTH ::::
CHAPMAN
MOTOR SALES
You can trust a Chapman Family Dealer
A TEXAS TRADITION
STEVE CHAPMAN MOTORS
stevechapmanmotors.com
5919 E. Ben White Blvd
512-385-8807
&
4712 S. Congress Ave
512-444-6800
KYLE CHAPMAN MOTORS
kylechapmanmotors.com
2301 S. Lamar Blvd
512-476-5304
&
1503 River Road | San Marcos
512-396-9966
CHAPMAN ONE AUTO SALES
chapmanone.com
905 E. Cesar Chavez
512-431-6775
KYLE CHAPMAN IN BUDA
18300 South IH-35
Exit 217
Buda, TX 78610
512-782-0111
12 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
YOUR TRUCK SOURCE
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 13
\

On the Historic Square
Cowgirls & Cowboys
Cowgirls
Jeans& *Cowboys
Boots
Lockhart
* Hats * Jewelry
& Ice Cream Parlour
TX
JeansHome
* Boots *Décor
Hats * Jewelry
Home Décor & Ice Cream Parlour
Like us on Facebook
On the Historic Square

114
South Commerce Street
Lockhart, TX 78644
(512) 398-4466
Like us on Facebook
www.ranchstylegeneralstore.com
14 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
D. “Bing” Bingham
D
For a Dog, The Right Spot
Diesel the dog quietly tiptoes to the back of the
classroom. Quickly, he climbs into an empty desk and sits
facing the teacher with the rest of the students – that’s a
good thing, it means he’s no longer in a tough spot.
Years before, as a puppy, from the first moment in his
new home he was in his element. His new owners were a
grief-stricken young couple who’d lost their much beloved
American Eskimo dog. Diesel stepped into the gap and
bonded with the people. Together, they formed a family
and made a new life.
As an adolescent, this Australian Shepherd traveled
to work with the wife at the dog groomers. He was the
one happily riding behind her bicycle in the baby trailer.
There, he spent his day sleeping, eating and playing with
the others in doggie-daycare.
He was the center of attention and that was OK with
him.
As Diesel got older, he graduated from his baby trailer
to behind-the-bicycle jogger and newspaper delivery
dog. His speciality was retrieving thrown papers that had
missed their mark for a second toss.
He was growing into an intelligent and personable dog.
In his canine mind, there was no doubt the world was his
friend.
“He was about the best dog I’ve ever had,” the wife
said.
That’s when the threads of Diesel’s life unraveled.
The husband got a job in remote Montana. For him, it
was an excellent career move. However, housing options
were minimal and job demands immediate.
They located one rental house. Diesel’s owners were
thrilled and they jumped at their new life. All too soon,
RECIPE
Cheeseburger Pie
Filling
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 can tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pie shell
heat oven to 425 degrees. Brown beefin
small amount of fat. add remaining
ingredients; mix well. Place in prepared
crust. spread cheese topping evenly over
filling. Bake about 30 minutes. serve with
sauce made of remaining tomato sauce,
equal amount of chili sauce.
Cheese topping
8 oz. sharp cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dry
mustard, 1 teaspoon wjorcestershire
sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
Beat egg, milk; add seasonings. mix well
with grated cheese.
they found the reason for the opening – it came with
attached irreconcilable landlord issues.
“I think you better find another place to live,” the
landlord said with no notice.
A tiny apartment was the next landing spot for Diesel
and family. There was no yard and no welcome for a young
and active dog. The rental agreement specifically stated,
“No Dogs Allowed.” Mediation, dog damage deposits and
pleas were no help: the dog had to go.
Diesel was in a tough spot. His owners had a choice
between a home for themselves or getting rid of their
buddy. Excuses wouldn’t be tolerated.
The owners frantically searched for an option.
It seemed as if there was no room for a dog that was
“everybody’s friend.” Diesel had a deadline that would
change the rest of his life.
On the day before the reckoning, Diesel’s owners heard
about a university professor who was in a tough spot. Her
husband had died just before the holidays – within days of
putting down one of her two beloved dogs. In the space of
a couple weeks, the professor’s life had been shattered.
“I thought about adopting from the pound to help me
and my remaining old dog with our grief,” the professor
said.
Two young dogs had applied for the empty spot in
the professor’s life. However, the old female– the canine
Queen Mum – had rejected the youngsters. For the
professor, the oldster’s acceptance was paramount.
On Diesel’s big day, within 24 hours of homelessness,
the young couple gave him a tearful goodbye and sent him
across the state to the professor. For them, he traveled on a
hope and a wish.
“The first thing I noticed about Diesel,” the professor
said, “was that my old dog backed away less rapidly than
she had the previous two dogs.”
She goes on, “Then I realized he was well trained, had good
manners and loved people ... these were important to me.”
Once again, Diesel stepped into the gap. He turned
up the volume full-force on his winning personality and
aimed it directly at the professor – it worked.
These days, Diesel slips into the classroom whenever
he can – snowing students with his charisma. At the
university, any circle of cooing and admiring students
is likely to have Diesel at ground zero in the center of
attention.
In class, whenever he’s in their midst, attendence
is better and the students relaxed – a plus for everyone
during the days preceding a difficult test. Should attention
wander, he’ll crawl back into an empty desk and oversee
the proceedings from there.
For Diesel, he’s in his element and has made a new life.
That’s a good place for a dog to be.
Bing Bingham is a writer, rancher and storyteller.
t h e r e ’ s n o w o r d y e t a B o u t d i e s e l ta k i n g n o t e s i n
class. For Further stories, check BingBingham.com/
Blog
Grandma’s hinTs
To remove old wax from a glass
candle holder, put it in the freezer
for a few hours. Then take the
candle out of the freezer and the
wax will fall out.
•
Permanent marker on appliances
or counter tops come off with
rubbing alcohol.
•
Place fabric softener sheets in
dresser drawers to make clothes
smell fresh.
•
Remove burned food from skillet,
add drop of dish soap and spoon
of baking soda to water, bring to
boil. Let sit after turning off for a
few minutes, wash as usual.
•
Wrap celery in aluminum foil
when putting in the refrigerator to
keep for weeks.
—shirLeY BaKer
Pride and Groom
Pet Salon
Dog & Cat Grooming Pet Taxi
prideandgroompetsalon.com
Now open on Mondays For Baths,
Nails & Furminating only
No Grooming or Haircuts so your
Pet(s) will be in and out faster.
512-413-3835
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 15
THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE
BEGINS HERE!
Feb. 22-24
Boys Quail Hunt and Shooting Camp
April 5-7
Girls Quail Hunt and Shooting Camp
May 3-5
Boys & Girls Ultimate Hog Hunt and
Outdoor Skills Challenge
June 23-29
Boys Hunting & Fishing Camp
June 30-July 6
Girls Hunting & Fishing Camp
July 13-17
KOZ Mission Trip - Mexico Ministry
July 23-31
Boys Mountain Leadership Training –
Wyoming-New Mexico
July 27-31
ALL NEW
KOZ Family Gathering,
In Sipapu, New Mexico
BOOK YOUR KID NOW
The Ultimate Summer Camp Experience
Kidsoutdoorzone.com - 512-292-1113
Sponsor a Kid too!
Please donate to help a
child afford to experience
the adventure of a lifetime.
Donate online or call
512-292-1113 to
donate land or
outdoor items.
The Kids Outdoor Zone (KOZ) is a youth hunting, fishing and outdoor
adventure ministry designed to teach boys Christian-based values
through cutting edge outdoor programs. We believe the key to this
program’s success is mentorship.
KIDSOUTDOORZONE.COM
16 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
Texas Tales
E
Early spring is dewberry time across
much of Texas.
So named because dew often covers
them in the morning, dewberries bloom
in late February and early March and can
stay around until May. The berries go from
green to red to a purplish blue, which
means they’re ripe. Savvy pickers usually
let the berries be for about a week after
they’ve ripened before harvesting them.
Rubus trivialis, or southern dewberry,
are trailing, low-growing thorn-covered
plants that grow best in disturbed soil. part
of the rose family and common all over the
usually wetter South, dewberries like loamy
or sandy soil. The plant grows along rural
roads, railroad right of way, fence lines, in
draws and old fields.
Full of vitamin C, dewberries also
have lesser amounts of vitamins A and B,
along with minerals. And they taste good;
sweeter than their relative, the blackberry.
While a gift of nature, dewberries
don’t always come cost-free. Since spring
is also when snakes are most active, a
dewberry picker has to keep an eye out for
rattlesnakes and copperheads in addition
to looking for ripe berries.
“I always pick with a stick in my hand
to scare off snakes,” one Bastrop County
oldtimer told me years ago. “They raise up
looking for insects and rodents and if they
see your hand, their liable to strike.”
In fact, this man’s father had been
bitten by a copperhead while collecting
dewberries and while he recovered from
the venom, he got plenty sick.
Dewberry pickers should also wear
gloves, unless you want lacerated hands
stained purple. Bramble-like, dewberry
plants can scratch legs and tear clothing if
you’re note careful.
Archeologists and botanists know that
humans have been willing to poke around
snaky, prickly vegetation for the sweet
berries for a long time. Texas Indians not
Dewberry Cobbler
Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
To make the crust, combine ingredients
and mix until crumbly.
by Mike Cox
only gathered and ate the berries, they
used them for medicinal purposes.
Cherokees, for instance, ingested a
concoction of dewberry roots and leaves to
treat diarrhea and rheumatism. They used a
similar preparation as an external wash for
hemorrhoids. For sore throats, the Indians
mixed dewberry roots and leaves with honey
as a remedy. Finally, a dewberry leaf-based
preparation was used for urinary problems.
That early settlers had a taste for
dewberries is scientifically proven.
According to one online overview of Texas
dewberries, an archeologist analyzing soil
samples from 19th century outhouse sites
in Houston unearthed ample evidence of
the fruit’s popularity.
“I found thousands of dewberry seeds
in samples collected from the privies,”
he wrote. “The dewberry brambles had
not yet given way to urban sprawl, and
Houstonians were picking their own
and enjoying that springtime delight.
They obviously enjoyed preparing and
consuming dewberries, and they left
abundant deposits in their outhouses.”
Dewberries can be eaten raw, folded
into cream (from low-calorie to ice
cream), cooked in cobblers or transformed
into jam. The berries also can be used to
make wine, and young dewberry leaves
supposedly make a good tea.
However they may be prepared, don’t
go looking for dewberries at your local
grocery store. Some farmer markets sell
them, but since they don’t store for long if
not frozen, the majority of Texas’s annual
crop is harvested individually.
Homemade dewberry cobbler is a
classic Texas dish. While not for dieters, it
ranks right up there with peach cobbler.
Here, collected in my interview
with a long-time rural Bastrop County
family in 1976, is their recipe (with some
modifications) for this tasty treat:
Filling:
1 pint dewberries fresh or frozen
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Rinse the berries, mix with the
ingredients and let filling sit for 20
minutes. Place the filling in an eight-inch
pan and pat crust down on top. Bake at
350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until
the crust is brown.
For a topping, the family cook I
interviewed suggested a mix of a
quarter-cup of butter with two
tablespoons of flour, sugar and cinnamon
spread over the cobbler before baking.
(A caveat: I’ve not tried this recipe, but it should work. However, comments are welcome.)
Dewberry cobbler is not for the diet minded, but at least you get some exercise,
sunshine and fresh air when you pick them.
Texas services and professionals
MICHAEL’S GARAGE DOOR SERVICE
Over 20 years experience.
Locally owned and operated.
512-905-9928
WHY PAY HUGE CREATIVE
& HOSTING FEES?
Simple. Clever. Effective.
Quality service you can afford!
Web hosting starting at $1.95 per month
www.faminehosting.com
PROFESSIONAL
ASSOCIATION
MANAGEMENT
SERVICES
Specializing in Nonprofit Management
Since 2001
512.358.8000
www.ProfessionalAMS.com
Staff
Accounting
Member
Services
Marketing
Clerical &
Administrative
Support &
Services
Nonprofit
Bookkeeping
Government
Regulatory
Compliance
512.945.6842
Long-Range &
Strategic
Planning
Communications
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
Facebook
Myspace
Twitter
True Texas spring
water bottled right
here in Austin.
Don’t buy bottled
city tap water
when you can
enjoy nature’s
pure refreshing
spring water.
Home or Office Delivery
Call Today! 512/280-4037
KEEPIN’ IT LOCAL!
L.B.S.
Taking Care of Your Property Today, Not Tomorrow
Kyle, Buda, Manchaca, Austin
(512) 576-2200
Complete Professional Residential & Commercial Lawn Care
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 17
H
Hello friends,
This month I want to talk to you about
something that may be a little touchy to
some of you and though I don’t want to
offend anyone, I must speak the truth in
love.
I have always been intrigued by the
time span between the Old and New
Testaments. It covers 400 years. Over that
time God did not speak to the children of
Israel at all. That was especially weird to
them because, as you know, He spoke to
them audibly and moved amongst them
often in the form of great miracles.
Because of Israel’s rebellion, God left
them without His guidance for a while.
A long while, in fact. But in spite of that,
and though several generations had passed
since He spoke, Zacharias and his wife
Elizabeth were chosen by God to have a
child named John who would announce
the coming of the messiah, Jesus. They
were chosen because it said they were
“righteous” in the eyes of the Lord.
When my horses are ridden every day
and I handle them and use them and they
hear my voice every day, they are gentle
and do what I want them to do.
When I’ve been gone a while, a couple
of months or so, they get lazy, apathetic,
and ornery. It takes a lot of work to get
them straightened out.
Just imagine how hard it must have
been for a man and his wife to continue in
the way of the Lord and do His will when
they didn’t have Him speaking to them or
showing them what to do but only what
they knew in their hearts to be good and
right in His eyes. America, in my opinion,
may very well be entering a time when
God stops speaking to us because of our
by Jeff Gore
rebellion against Him and His
word.
We know what His word says
and yet we have gone against it at every
turn since we took prayer out of schools in
the early 60’s up until now when the moral
values and lifestyle of our modern society
has completely thumbed our nose at God.
God is moving in mighty ways
everywhere in the world except the USA.
What can you do today to be sure you
are in the center of God’s will for your life?
Stop listening to the sinful, ungodly,
immoral world and start doing what it says
in God’s word.
God means what He says and says what
He means. And for now He is saying it to
us loud and clear, “Repent, and come back
to me!”
But there may be a time in the near
future when He won’t be talking to us
anymore at all. Will you quit listening and
following? Or will you be like Zacharias
and Elizabeth and keep doing what you
know us right anyway?
For now He is speaking. But, I fear, not
for much longer!
ThanKs For readinG,
JeFF Gore
p.s. QuesTions? LeT me KnoW WhaT
You ThinK.
WWW.JeFFGore.orG
austin’s 5th annual Funky
chicken coup Tour & Bicycle
Tour de Funky chickens rides
into town on sat. march 30th
Grab your Bike & Coop Ride with a Friend!
March 30, 2013 marks the date of the
Fifth Annual Funky Chicken Coop Tour.
This also marks the first bike tour of the
coops. So grab your bike and ride to your
neighbors’ coops and invite them to be
on the Fifth Annual FCCT with you.
Each year the FCCT strives to showcase
an array of coops that display a variety
of construction designs and materials,
from recycled to custom designed coops,
including production hens to exotic
chickens and roosters.
You’ll also be able to meet Rob Ludlow,
owner of BackyardChickens.com and coauthor of Raising Chickens for Dummies and
Building Chicken Coops for Dummies
will be at the Funky Chicken Coop Tour
Information Center on tour day from
Howdy!
Today is the 21st – so I am right on
time for this article that was due at the
publisher’s two days ago. Whatever! If
I am not in the mood to compose or if
nothing really moves the spirit, then I
have to wait until someone asks the right
question. Luckily for me, that happened
around 3 p.m. this afternoon. A customer
being troubled by cannibalism in her flock
activated my curious self.
I said simple! Just cull the offending
party and consign it to the stew pot. She
did not respond very well to my suggestion
so I covered it up by claiming that I
was merely joking. I wasn’t, by the way.
Sometimes, that’s the only permanent
solution. In her case, more than half of the
flock had begun to peck so I shared with
her, the “Super Salt Remedy.”
Chickens peck and can develop a
fondness for the salty taste of blood. Once
this behavior gets started, it’s “game on” in
the brutality department. Remember those
velociraptors in Jurassic park? Their great
grandchildren 3 million years removed are
living amongst us today. Anyway, back to
the salt.
Years ago, I had been told by an old
timer that chickens should not be given
too much salt. The operative part of
that sentence is “too much salt.” What
is “too much salt?” At the time, I was
told that salt would create excessive
thirst in chickens, followed by excessive
consumption of water which would
be followed by excessive dehydration
and electrolytic shock resulting from
excessive diarrhea, then death. Sounded
real to me. Anyway, I never questioned
the theory and, consequently, never
recommend supplemental salt except in
the aforementioned type cases.
Today when the topic came up, I first
advised using anti-pick lotion but because
of the larger numbers of birds involved,
that was not going to work. So, a pinch
of salt could be used on the ration for the
next few days. I explained the dangers of
that treatment and she, having nothing to
lose, agreed to call me in a few days with
the results.
TURNKEY HORSE PROPERTY
9:00 am to 11:00 am to meet visitors and
introduce his new book – Chicken Health
for Dummies. Stop by the BYC table to
meet Rob. A few of his books will be
available for purchase and signing.
AustinCoopTour.org
18 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
After we said goodbye, I felt a little
uneasy with the “old wives’ tale” and
determined to research it more thoroughly.
One of my favorite sources for chicken
husbandry and science is Gail Damerow
who writes books for Storey publishing of
Massachusetts. I have been reading her
stuff for at least the last twenty years and
have never found her to be wrong.
In her book, Storey’s Guide To Raising
Chickens, she totally debunks my long held
belief about too much supplemental salt. It
seems that the problem does not lie with
the salt but rather, with the availability of
water. “Salt is needed by all chickens but
only in a minute amount.” says Damerow.
Commercially prepared rations contain all
the salt a flock needs. Range fed chickens
that eat primarily plants and grain may
need a salt supplement. Deficiency causes
hens to lay fewer eggs and can cause
chickens to become cannibalistic.” Loose
salt” says Damerow, “should be available
at all times to range fed birds in a separate
hopper on a free choice basis.” She also
adds a word of caution: “A normal amount
of salt can cause poisoning if chickens
do not have access to water at all times.
plenty in the hot summer and making sure
to prevent freezing in the winter. If these
conditions arise, simply remove the salt.”
Thank you, Gail Damerow. If everyone
read your books, chickens would live better
lives.
ADIoS,
m i K e Y o u nG
• WithCustomBuiltRanchStyleHome
• 6StallBarnplus4stallLoafingBarn
• 6Paddocks-11.25Acres
204BridgesLaneinBuda
Contact:JimHollisat512-296-5730
[email protected]
by Kendall Hemphill
Hard Heads
Sometimes the hardest thing about doing this column
is not finding something to write about, but deciding
among all the strange, ridiculous, or pretty-muchunbelievable stories sent in by readers. picking which offthe-wall event to showcase is often like taking a sip from a
firehose. This week is kinda like that.
For example, my friend, John Gammill, sent me a
Fox News story about a seven-year-old boy named Alex
Watkins who lives in Loveland, Colorado. Alex was
recently playing a game called “Rescue the World,”
at recess on the playground of his school, Mary Blair
Elementary. In this game, see, there are these bad guys,
and they want to destroy the world, and Alex was trying
to stop them. And he was suspended from school for
pretending to throw a hand grenade at these imaginary
bad guys.
Alex didn’t throw anything, he just went through
the motions. And he didn’t even pretend to throw this
nothing at other kids. He pretended to throw it at bad
guys who weren’t even there. No one was there. And he
got suspended for that.
I can’t even think of anything to say about this story.
There are no words to convey how ridiculous this is. I
just hope someone like Alex is around when the bad guys
actually come and attack for real, because whoever made
up the rules for Colorado schools will be useless.
Another story in the ridiculous category is the one
that was in the Outdoor Hub newsletter last week about a
benefit squirrel hunt held every year in Holly, New York,
to raise money for the volunteer fire department there.
The total population of Holly is about 1,800, and although
pretty much all fire departments are perpetually short on
funds, the ones in small towns usually hear crickets when
they check their bank accounts.
Hence the annual fundraiser which, in Holly’s case, is
a squirrel hunt. They charge folks $10 to enter, and since
there’s a six-squirrel limit, the $200 prize goes to whoever
kills the heaviest squirrel. Only this year the “Friends of
Animals” group decided to organize a protest of the hunt,
on the grounds that they don’t expect their houses to ever
catch fire. And if they do, I guess they can always go live
with the squirrels.
The strangest story I’ve seen lately came from
Guns.com, with the title “Bullet kills motorist after ‘freak
ricochet’ off boar.” So, of course, the question is whether
the bullet ricocheted off the hog, or the car did, or maybe
just the motorist bounced off a pig, and ran into a bullet.
Or maybe a freak ricocheted off the boar, hit the motorist,
and the pig shot him. I hate it when you have to read a
whole story to find out what happened.
Turns out, some fellows were out hunting hogs in
France (I didn’t even know they HAD hogs in France),
and this one guy shot a boar, and the bullet bounced off
his (the boar’s) head and zinged away at almost a right
angle. It (the bullet) traveled two kilometers (which is
either several hundred yards or a quart and a half) and hit
a fellow driving along a highway in his car. It was, to say
the very least, a remarkably unlucky shot. Unless that was
what the hunter was trying to do, in which case it was a
remarkably lucky shot.
The shooter was described in the article as an
“experienced and level-headed 68-year-old hunter.”
The president of the local hunters’ federation, a guy
named Guy Harle d’Ophove, was quoted as saying, “It’s
unheard of.” I’d say what’s unheard of is anyone who can
pronounce “Guy Harle d’Ophove.”
Now, a lot of people commented on this story, and
most of them evinced skepticism, understandably. No
one seems to believe a bullet could travel that far after a
ricochet and still be going fast enough to kill someone.
And it does sound a little windy, like the Frenchies may be
stretching the blanket a little, but I think it’s within the
realm of possibility.
The story didn’t mention the caliber involved,
which would be a major factor, and it didn’t say where
in the head the driver was hit, which would be another,
but different, major factor. It doesn’t take much of a
shot to the temple to do somebody in, under the right
circumstances. Besides, if I was just driving along, minding
my own business, and a bullet whacked me in the noggin,
I’d probably die of a heart attack.
There is also the possibility that someone shot the
fellow on purpose, and blamed it on the “experienced and
level-headed hunter.” Which is unlikely, so forget that
idea.
All I know is that once, when I was about a dozen years
old, I shot a feral hog, a big boar, nine times between the
eyes with a .22 rifle, from less than ten feet, over the course
of about ten minutes, and none of the bullets penetrated
his skull. The last time I saw that hog was over my right
shoulder, after he finally had enough and came after me. I
ran for a while, and when I looked again he was gone.
So strange things happen, and consequences are often
unintended. One day you might throw an imaginary hand
grenade at some squirrel hunters, and the next day your
house might burn down . . .
kendal hemPhill is an outdoor humor columnist and
P u B l i c s P e a k e r w h o o n c e s av e d t h e w o r l d B y t h r o w i n g
a n i m a g i n a r y F r e n c h m a n . w r i t e t o h i m at P o B o x 1 6 0 0 ,
mason, tx 76856 or [email protected]
ALL THE
COMFORTS
OF HOME
MINUS
THE BILLS!
Most models include: A/C, microwaves,
flatscreen tv’s, stereo systems and MORE!
“Create travel memories with family &
friends today to last a lifetime.”
CURL’S RV RENTAL & HAULING, LLC
2415 HWY 71 East, Del Valle, TX. 78617
M-F 8:00AM-5:00PM
SAT 8:00AM-3:00PM SUN CLOSED
512-614-2262
Fax 512-614-2263
curlsrvrental.com
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 19
McBride’s Guns, Inc.
Guns
Optics
Fishing
Clothing
Knives
Gunsmith
2915 San Gabriel (30th at North Lamar)
Austin, TX 78705 | 512.472.3532
Fancy Feathers 6th annual
open chicken show
Saturday, April 13, 2013 - 9:30 am –
Approximately 2:00 pm
Hays County Civic Center
1249 Civic Center Loop, San Marcos
Texas 78666
The Fancy Feathers chicken show is a
professionally judged poultry show set up
and run by Fancy Feathers 4-H members.
There will be adult and youth classes
as well as a backyard class for both bantam
and standard sized birds. You will be
able to see over 40 varieties of chickens
originating from all parts of the world,
including the classics, such as Rhode
Waste Less Food: A Call to
Farms, Arms and Fishing Poles
It’s just easier to spend money with a
credit card. That slide, beep, and sign here
(or don’t) distract us from the outsourced
transaction. They protect us from the
math of our money. Someone else is
forking over our cash, so it doesn’t hurt in
that moment. But, hand over a stack of
bills and feel the burn. More than once,
I’ve reached for my wallet for an oh-soimportant Cabela’s impulse-buy and, when
I saw the cash escaping, I turned around
and left the store. It’s hard to waste bills.
There’s nothing standing between them
and you but the recollection of all it took
to earn them.
Food is similar. It also has math.
The other day, I threw out about half
a spoiled roast. “Boy,” my grandmother’s
voice came from the freezer or somewhere.
And, I was a little ashamed that I’d let
myself get so disconnected from the simple
arithmetic of food. The math of meat is
this: Someone has to kill an animal, clean
it, and cook it. Vegetables, fruit, and other
foodstuffs require a similar investment of
time and resources. The more of that we
outsource, the less connection we have to
our food; and when our only investment in
our food comes through a detached slide,
beep, sign here, we haven’t really invested
at all. Waste comes easy.
What do we do? We simplify things.
Cut out the middleman. We reclaim our
rightful place in the farm-fur-fin-andfeather-to-fork-food-chain. participation
therein is a prophylaxis to wastefulness.
Now, we can’t all feed ourselves by
20 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
Island Reds to the more exotics, such as
Seramas.
In addition to seeing the birds you
will be able to participate in a cluck-off,
where the contestants perform their best
imitation of a chicken, participate in our
raffle/silent auction, view or enter an egg
show, or have fun at the Home Depot Kid’s
Corner.
Information and entry forms
are available on our web site
www.fancyfeatherstx.org. Enter your birds
or eggs or just come and join in the fun.
Admission is free.
farming, gardening, hunting, fishing, and
so on. And, of course, some folks dislike
gardening as much as others disdain
hunting. Fair enough. But we can all try to
find our own preferred way of reconnecting
with the food we eat.
After the spoiled roast debacle, I
decided to do just that by hunting invasive
feral hogs with a couple of friends, one of
whom had never before hunted. We drove
four hours; hunted for four more; shot,
skinned, and quartered three feral hogs
(thereby turning them into meat); drove
four hours back home; cured the pigs for
three days; wrapped them in freezer paper
and froze them. I saved one shoulder that I
brined and prepared for the grill and then
spent 14 mindful hours cooking it in a
smoker.
It seems like a hell of an investment
for a piece of meat. It is. And, it was
a blast. I spent good times with good
friends. I learned some things. And, most
importantly, I was reminded of the hard
work that goes into every piece of meat,
every vegetable, every shrimp we eat.
Someone is doing the hard work for us.
They’re feeding us. Every once in a while,
we should tip our hats to them and just
feed ourselves.
In the end, the hogs filled the better
part of three freezers. Cooking entertained
us for a day. The delicious meat fed us
for several more. The bones are in the
freezer too, awaiting their chance to make
crockpot beans. And, one thing’s for sure:
There will be no wasting any of it.
The unseasonable warm weather
we have been having now and then has
brought out the boaters, even though
the water is still on the cool side of
comfortable for me. Of course me being a
Gulf Coast born and raised son of Texas, I
could possibly succumb to hypothermia in
water below the temperature of 80 degrees.
The warm spells we have had brought
to my mind the preparation a boater
must make before the first outing of the
year. I know to a long-time boater these
may seem simplistic, but it never hurts to
rethink what you are doing in the name of
economy and safety.
I think most people are aware that the
gasoline we have to use nowadays is only
a shadow of the gasoline of the past. The
alcohol in the present regular gas soaks
up water like a sponge and has a shelf life
of about 30 minutes (Uh oh, there I go
exaggerating again).
Actually the shelf life is measured in
weeks and not minutes, but the bottom
line is one should use fuel stabilizer in their
fuel to keep the gasoline from turning to
a shellac-type coating in your carburetors
and fuel injection systems of your engines.
Something else one should have is a
water filter in the fuel line to keep the
water absorbed by the alcohol from making
your engine run poorly as it tries to make
the water burn. And don’t forget to check
by Larry LeBlanc
PHOTOGRAPHy By LARRy J. LEBLANC
the outdoor classroom
While launching your boat is not the time to find out you have a problem, so plan ahead.
the fuel filter periodically and dump the
water so it can continue to do the job you
want it to do.
If you happen to be inclined to write
your congressman, there is and has been
a movement afoot to increase the alcohol
content in gasoline to 15 percent. Those
interested can check this out with the
makers of any outboard motors, on line at
BoatUS, or the shop that maintains your
boat engine, and learn how such an action
can affect you and your marine engines as
well as any other small engines you may
use.
Another important step to take prior
to the first trip out is to make sure the life
jackets are rated properly for each person
you are going to have on the boat. This
can really sneak up on you when you see
how kids can put on a growing spurt, and
you suddenly find the shorts they now
wear were a few months ago long pants.
So make sure the life jacket they wore last
year is still size appropriate for them now.
Also make sure all straps and fasteners on
the flotation devices in your boat are in
good shape and not rusted or rotten.
Another very important item that
should be on every pleasure boat, in my
opinion, is a ladder that will allow an
individual to climb out of the water and
into a boat. Unless you have a very low
gunwale on a very stable boat, the average
person cannot pull themselves out of the
water into a boat without a lot of help or
a ladder. Also if a person is boating alone
and falls overboard they will need a ladder
to climb back aboard.
I speak from experience about trying
to get back into a boat from the water as
I was thrown out of a boat one time while
out fishing alone in Sabine Lake, over by
port Arthur. I was in a 14.5 foot boat with
a 5 foot beam and V hull, and I was able
to climb up the motor and transom from
the stern, but I was much younger and in
better shape.
So friends have a great boating year,
and make sure your boat and accessories
are in good shape before you leave the
house.
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 21
Texas outdoor zone
Battling More
Than Bass
A few years ago, I was looking for a
fishing partner good enough to catch fish,
humble enough to let me boast, yet strong
enough to tell me how it really is. This is
hard to find. A man to travel with, stand
beside through the long hours of extreme
heat or frigid cold weather, raining, wind,
all in hopes of catching a few fish that
will lead to a payday. Not many take into
consideration all that fishing partners
endure together, from laughs, snores,
agony, defeat and triumph. pure emotions.
Bass Champs tournament season was just
ahead.
Season one with my new partner
was rough in more ways than one. He
had experienced some health issues and
literally within a week of every tournament
that year he was in the hospital. It became
routine. Almost to a point of it being
a joke that we knew a tournament was
nearing because he would be prepping for
a surgery. When most people think about
surgery, fear of the unknown comes to
mind but not with him. We knew that he
would be out in a few days and we would
be on the water just as planned. And we
were. He always managed to get released
by Cody Ryan Greaney
just in time. I remember one tournament
that season where he was released within
a day of us having to fish and a guy on the
bank making a comment about him sitting
down while he fished, “If your partner
would stand up and give you a hand, y’all
might catch something.” We both looked
at each other and smiled, if he only knew.
That year we didn’t do much as far as
winnings.
Season two was much better as we
experienced far less hospital scares of
missed tournaments and the disease was
much more under control. We fished
hard. We caught fish and we had a very
respectable finish with two Top Ten
finishes and a 13th place finish in the
championship. This is not easy as there
are at least 150-200 other teams of very
good anglers fishing every event. We got
into a rhythm and our decision making was
executed. We were confident and excited
for the next year, knowing that we had
room to grow our finishes, yet we were
within striking distance of a win. It’s only a
matter of time.
Just a few weeks following the
championship, I read on Facebook that
he was heading to the hospital. Later
that day, his status said he was going in
for surgery. Knowing that he has endured
this many times, I said a small prayer and
knew we would be talking about fishing in
just a few days. I was wrong. The surgery
was not enough and he was put in ICU;
then in a chemically-induced coma; then
given just a 20% chance of ever waking up.
My buddy Andrew and I made a decision
after a couple days of talking to make a
trek to the hospital. His father was there
meeting with a pastor for information on
the next steps of arrangements should
things go south. Seeing a lifeless body of
a fishing partner whom I had just shared
a week of fishing highs and lows, much
less coming off of a great season where we
really were starting to mesh, made me ask
the question, “Why?” We prayed silently
and both my buddy Andrew and I left the
hospital in total shock. We had no words.
What do you say and what can you offer a
family at this point?
A couple days later, with ups and
downs and a picture appeared of David
Cosner awake. He had done it. He had
beaten the war. His will to live was more
than the darkness. Losing over 50 pounds,
Cosner could not walk and had to relearn
the simplest things we too often take for
granted. He told me his doctor said it
wouldn’t be until March that he could be
on the water again, if he worked hard in
rehab.
For some reason, our regular
tournament started a month late this year.
Cosner didn’t realize this and told me that
he would have to miss the first tournament
but he would be ready by the second
tournament. After checking the dates, I
asked if his doctor would mind adjusting
that early March date to maybe the end of
February because our season was scheduled
for a late start.
An Excerpt from the February 23, 2013
Bass Champs press Release:
The 3rd place winners overcame more
obstacles than most. “My partner David
(Cosner) was in a nine day coma just two
months ago, and is just now getting back
in action,” Cody Ryan Greaney began.
The awe, respect and pride for his partner’s
strength and tenacity was resounding in
his voice. “Our day started out alright,
but we didn’t have anything in the live well
until nearly 10am. At that point we started
catching small keepers, and had a small limit
by 11:30.” Fishing what they describe as
‘typical Travis style,’ their lures of choice
were jigs and creature baits. “We decided to
go back to a spot where we have caught some
good ones in the past.” That’s when David
landed their kicker. “I was using a watermelon
Jewel ½ ounce finesse football jig with a craw
trailer. It was the only keeper I caught all
day,” David laughed. “We had a great day.”
Their total weight for the day was 12.60 lbs
winning 3rd place overall for $3,000. They
nearly won Big Bass with their 7.36 lb kicker,
only missing it by a margin of 0.04 on the
scales. Cody would like to thank Champion
Toyota of Austin, Renewal by Anderson,
Temple Fork Outfitters, Fins Braid, TTI
Blakemore, Stanley Jigs and the Kids Outdoor
Zone. David would like to thank Ducket
Fishing, Jewel Jigs, Get Five Lures, the Tackle
Warehouse, Hags Tornado Baits “and the
Good Lord for letting us have a great day on
the lake. It’s a good day to be alive.”
Cos, I think we are off to a pretty good
start…
Fish Texas, Texas
Outdoor Zone
and Cody Ryan Greaney
provide full day and
half day guided fishing
trips to some of
Texas' hottest areas.
Call and book today.
Now accepting Credit Cards
on-line at
TexasOudoorZone.com.
(512) 576-2200
[email protected]
22 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine
Champion Toyota of Austin
has been Tuned In...
to Central Texas Car Buyers
Since 1999
Come in and let us treat
YOU like a Champion!
Champion Toyota
4800 South IH 35
Austin, Texas
512-518-6900
championtoyotaofaustin.com
The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 23
EST. 1978
GENERAL
STORE Savings are SPRINGing
Up at Callahan's!
REVITALIZER COMPOST
11.2gal/1.5cft reg $7.95 sale $6.88
blend of humus & manure composts
LADYBUG : VORTEX
POTTING SOIL
11.2/1.5cft reg
$8.49 sale $6.88
Multi-Purpose for
all Containers
Rain Barrels
“Save Your Rain!” 1 inch of rain on a
1,000 square ft. roof equals to
600+ gallons of water!
HILL COUNTRY
GARDEN SOIL
7.5gal/1cft reg $6.49
sale $5.88
ideal for all vegetables,
flowers,trees, shrubs &
great for roses
While Supplies Last!
Onion Sets, Potatoes, Garlic, Rhubarb,
Horseradish, Shallots, Berry Plants.
Conventional
Conventional+Heirloom & +
Organic Vegetable & Flower Seeds
NAME OUR
GIANT ROOSTER
You Could WIN A $50.00
CALLAHAN'S GIFT CARD
Rooster name and Winner
will be announced April 1
SCOTT’S EASY Hand-Held Spreader
reg $14.95 sale $10.88
be more accurate on spreading
fertilizers and seeds
CHAPIN 1gal LAWN & GARDEN SPRAYER
reg $11.95 sale $7.88
great price to have 1 each for
fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides
Go to our Facebook page Callahan's
General Store or come in the store
to fill out your entry to WIN!
CHICKEN COOP TOUR TICKETS AND T-SHIRTS WILL BE FOR SALE
Saturday, March 23 (week before the coop tour of March 30)
From 1:00-3:00 PM Callahan’s will be hosting a book signing
for authors Matt Wolpe and Kevin McElroy “Reinventing the
Chicken Coop”
Open: Monday - Saturday 8AM - 6PM
501 bastrop highway/183 S., austin, TX 78741
512-385-3452
callahansgeneralstore.com
Gift Card
Available