is for Texas, and the - Country Line Magazine
Transcription
is for Texas, and the - Country Line Magazine
in this issue Features texas songwriters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 “t” is for texas, and the “t chromosome” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 one stop for cleaning product ingredients . . . . . . . . . 14 great castell kayak race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 pbr finds inconsistencies with judges’ scores . . . . . . 18 cowboy josh peek flies in a f-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 The wheelbarrow is beginning to tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 o.h. ivie back in toyota sharelunker fold . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 departm ents Nashville Music News by Jennifer Asbury-Hughes . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Texas Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 ’Round About Texas by Sandra Greaney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 on the air by Eric Raines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 coffee shop moments by D. “Bing” Bingham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 on the trail by Kendall Hemphill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 counting your chickens by Mike Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The Texas Outdoor Zone by Larry LeBlanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 fishing report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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, TEX. 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] S A L E S D I R E C T O R | Jennifer Asbury-Hughes [email protected] C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S | Don Gordon, Cody Ryan, Mike Young, Larry LeBlanc, Shirley Baker, Chris Mosser, Sandra Greaney, Kendall Hemphill, Jennifer Asbury-Hughes, Christian Hughes, Dallas Seely I Love and Money, the Oldest Profession The oldest profession in the world is held by women. They have been in the business since early on. The trade is not necessarily lucrative, and I am amazed at how many women choose it as a career path. I love that they do; I am a big fan. My wife loves it, and if she could, it is all she would do. What — you thought I was talking about … oh, no way. I mean a mom, a wife, the keeper of the home. Eve was the first mom, wife and the grandmother to us all if you go all the way back. In society today, the mom is the rock. She is the one the guys yell to when they win the Super Bowl or World Series. It is always the wife or mom whom even the biggest ol’ boy wants around when he is sick. The wife or mom is also the one in control of certain things most guys won’t touch. Take the grocery store, for instance. I am almost, just short of, evil-eyed close to not allowed to go. I will get a list or a call for a loaf of bread or gallon of milk. I will get the occasional call to pick up a few big steaks or diet soda. Beyond that, it is no use. I am not wanted in the grocery store aisles shopping for our home. I tried going with her a time or two over the last 16 years; not gonna make that mistake again. When she goes, it is a slow process where she compares, experiments, works up and down the aisles in a very deliberate fashion. I say let’s rock this out and get home — wrong. She knows what the kids need, what the house needs and what I might need. Coupons are a big deal. If she does not get back $10 or $15 in coupon savings, she feels like she did not do well. Another very interesting sniglet is if she has, say, $200 to spend that day, you can bet it will be almost to the dollar, after coupons, without a calculator. I don’t know how she does it; she just does. When anyone is sick around our house, it is always mom who gets the call. Medication is strictly controlled by her, and she knows who reacts and how. She knows the substitute drugs and homeopathic cures as well. Chicken soup, cold wash clothes, heating pad, oatmeal bath, stay home from school — all the doctorin’ is from mom. I am for that in a big way, especially when I am not feeling well. Most guys I know just slam some painkillers or cold meds and hammer on down the road. That is what I do. However, when I am really sick, she steps in and takes care of me. I have noticed, though, that after all these years, some of the glamour of taking care of the old man has worn off and she has been known to cut corners. I have even had her tell me she was leaving to run errands and was not sure when she would be back while I laid on the couch sick. How could she be so 4 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine cold? It could not possibly be that I am being a total un-nice sick person? Home decorations are another thing moms are in charge of that most guys don’t have a say over. My wife has an affinity for rugs. Seems every other week she has a new rug replacing the old rug from the week before. Candleholders, picture frames, towels, tablecloths, drinking glasses. Things. I don’t know how much they cost. I don’t ask how much they cost. I know better than to go there. She spends money on things I see as frivolous and silly, but they make our home a home and that is what moms do. They nest. They create a home inside the cave, the teepee, the wood frame box with sheetrock on the walls. Moms are the ones who love things that don’t make sense to anyone. They take the scribbled-on construction paper and put it on the refrigerator door. My wife kisses every card our kids have ever given her, paper, note or whatever before she disposes of them, if she ever does, that is. Now, it has to be said that moms love to be cared for as well. I have talked about scrubbing the big pots in the kitchen before. When we have large pans or pots dirty in our kitchen, I jump in and clean them. Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar talks about how he will take his wife’s car out early Saturday morning and fill it with gas, run it through the car wash, change the oil. These are things she could do, but he does them as part of the care he shows for her. Moms need to hear they are appreciated and feel they are appreciated. Kids don’t always understand it until later, but, usually, they figure out that mom was a pretty big help when they were young and dumb. I know I did. The Bible talks a lot about moms and wives. It tells us just how much of a blessing they are. Any real man worth his weight knows that his wife, the kids’ mom, is a machine and deserves a Golden Globe, a Heisman, a Red Cross Safety and Medic award, a Purple Heart and a slew of precious stones in her crown when she gets to heaven. Tell your mom you love her; hug your wife. Teach your boys to honor their moms and future wife. Happy Valentine’s Day, T. J. Greaney Country Line Magazine Publisher Kids Outdoor Zone [email protected] by Jennifer Asbury-Hughes June Carter Cash Makes History The state of Virginia will be honoring one of country music’s biggest legends this year when they dedicate a historical marker to June Carter Cash. The memorial is one of eleven markers the state will be dedicating to honor notable people and places. It will be located in Scott County, home of the First Family of Country Music, the Carter Family. Valerie June Carter was born in Maces Spring, Virginia, in 1929. Before marrying Johnny Cash in 1968 she was a member of the Carter Family and Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters. Among the family she was known for her comedic manner and her songwriting abilities. In 1967 Cash and Carter won a Grammy for best Duet with the song “Jackson.” A year later The Man in Black proposed to June live on stage in London, Ontario. The couple was married for 35 years. June Carter Cash died in May, 2003. Johnny died only four months later. It is easy to see why Virginia, a state already rich in history, is honoring such an important figure on American Music. Taylor Swift is a Super Girl Taylor Swift is will be embracing her inner-cartoon as part of a new comic book series from Bluewater Productions called Fame. The comic is to be based on popular celebrity icons also including pop-star Lady Gaga, rapper 50 cent, Twilight actor Robert Pattinson and soccer icon David Beckham. Bluewater president, Darren G. Davis said of the comic, “Fame gives us the ability to tell more interesting stories about a wider variety of notable personalities,” and hopes it will help broaden their reader base. Bluewater Productions is also behind the biographical series, Female Force that has featured women such as Michelle Obama, Princess Diane, and J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series. The first issue is due out May 5. Shania Twain Lights the Olympic Torch Shania Twain returned to her home in Timmins, Ontario in early January to participate in the traditional passing of the Olympic flame. Amongst a mass of cheering fans, she reportedly carried the torch 400 meters to Hollinger Park, where she paused momentarily to wave to those who braved the cold to be there with her, before she lit the Olympic cauldron in honor of the 2010 Winter Olympics. She described the moment as a highlight of her life. 6 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine The People Choose Keith Urban Heartthrob, Keith Urban isn’t just top pick for wife, Nicole Kidman. He is also the winner of the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Artist, beating out Tim McGraw, John Mayer, Jason Mraz and Eminem for the trophy. “Thank you very much,” Keith said to his shrieking flock. “Thank you to everybody that voted for this and everybody watching at home ... this means everything to me.” He even made a somewhat astonishing statement in which he welcomed his fans to download his music, even if illegally! “I really don’t care,” he said. “I love the people here and the music.” “Uncle Sam” capturing the public’s growing frustration Fed up with political corruption and so-called leaders who refuse to play by the rules? You’re not the only one. Driven by the same fiery spirit as Toby Keith’s classic “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” and with infectious country-bluegrass flare to spare, a Cleveland based singer-songwriter’s biting, socially conscious song is quickly becoming the anthem of American frustration. Months after its initial release, John Chaffee’s high-definition YouTube video Texas Songwriters acclaimed for putting State’s heritage to music the momentous and heroic deeds of early Texans and those who impacted this land prior to statehood are passed from generation to generation through historical documents and other artifacts found on library shelves and in museums. But the motivations and passions of Texans — those characteristics which have always made make Texans unique — are more accurately articulated through the lyrics and music that resonate around campfires, in dance halls and across radio airwaves throughout the state. To pay tribute to those craftsmen responsible for the music that reflects and inspires our rich cultural background, the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association (TxHSA) annually honors composers who have played an important role in defining and interpreting Texas’ distinctive traditions. Honorees to be inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame this year are Clint Black (“Killin’ Time,” “Put Yourself in My Shoes”), Mac Davis (“In The Ghetto,” “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me”) and Whitey Shafer (“That’s The Way Loves Goes, All My Ex’s Live In Texas”). The Awards Show and Concert will be held March 7 in the intimate setting of Austin’s Paramount Theatre. for “Play by the Rules” is still a major online sensation, and the track has received substantial airplay across the country. It also won “Best Country Song” at the recent Hollywood Music In Media Awards, and earned Chaffee a spot on Fox’s Live Webcast The Strategy Room. Chaffee, who is a dead ringer for America’s iconic “Uncle Sam,” gives voice to millions of his fellow frustrated Americans with a concept that grew out of his growing anger over a daily dose of stories of corruption and scandal, not only in our nation’s capital but also in communities across the country. A year after it was written and recorded, its pointed lyrics seem more prophetic than ever — bad behavior clearly has no expiration date. A few reallife examples, as observed by Chaffee: “Everybody’s layin’ off, government’s hirin’ more” — As unemployment rises and stays in double digits, more companies are laying off employees every day, while Uncle Sam is hiring new workers at a rate of nearly 10,000 a month, and at higher salaries than in the private sector. Government must shrink, not grow. Families know how to do that. “Devil’s in the details, which you and I won’t see” — How many of our 535 representatives have actually read the details of the now infamous Health Care Bill? And how many special interests contributed to its language? It should be mandatory that everyone who has a vote, not only reads, but comprehends what is in The atmosphere at the event, which is always a sellout, is more reminiscent of a “pickin’ on the porch” get-together than a glitzy concert extravaganza. The experience is down home and genuine; not downtown and glamorized. The event is the highlight of Texas Independence Homecoming Weekend activities in Austin. Black, Davis and Shafer will be join a star-studded fraternity of industry icons including initial honorees Kris Kristofferson, Freddy Powers, Sonny Throckmorton and Sammy Allred to last year’s quartet of Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Michael Martin Murphey and Allen Shamblin. Many will be on hand for this year’s show. While most honorees are known best in country music circles, songwriting talents have impacted diverse genres of music including gospel, pop, rock and roll and blues. That diversity is reflected in this year’s inductees. Mac Davis has written songs recorded by artists ranging from Elvis to Lou Rawls in addition to his own numerous hits. Clint Black has written, recorded and released more than 100 songs, a benchmark in any artist’s career. That makes Whitey Shafer’s record of having written more than 500 songs for artists like legends Merle Haggard and Johnny Rodriguez to contemporary headliners like Lee Ann Womack, and Kenny Chesney even more remarkable. “Clint Black, Mac Davis and Whitey Shafer are visionaries who understand and appreciate our past and translate it into music that has withstood the test of time,” said Terry Boothe, founder of TxHSA. “They reflect in rhythm and rhyme the essence of our state’s musical heritage and their composing talents have been apparent for decades to performing artists and audiences across the country.” The Texas Heritage Songwriters Association is a non-profit organization founded in 2003. TxHSA named its first honorees in 2006 and works closely with the Center for Music History at Texas State University. For more info about the association or how to get tickets for the March 7 show, visit texasheritagesongwriters.com. any piece of legislation, especially one as mammoth as this. That’s called playing by the rules. “Superstars on steroids, docs dispensing drugs” — Three newly announced names come to mind: Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, and at long last, Mark McGuire. “How much longer will we sit and never make a sound?” — Voters in Massachusetts made a very loud sound, which, hopefully, can help alter the ugly, barren political landscape. Perhaps, in our nation’s capital, those long hidden human traits of common sense, honesty, and public interest may be revived. “Is there anybody out there, who’ll just play by the rules?” asks Chaffee. cookbook is said to include 27 of Zac Brown and his buddies’ favorite recipes including (of course) Southern Fried Chicken, Farmer’s Fried Green Tomatoes and Revival Peach Cobbler, all on removable index cards with poems, songs, stories and photographs to go with them. The Southern Ground cookbook is currently available for $24.99, but only at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores or through the store’s Web site. Zac Brown is Really Cookin’ If you have turned on a radio in the last year, you are probably familiar with Zac Brown Band’s feel good song, “Chicken Fried,” but not everyone knows that the front man, Zac Brown was a former chef and knows his way around a kitchen. So it shouldn’t be so surprising that he is teaming up with Cracker Barrel and Americana musician John Brown to put together a new cookbook called Southern Ground. The Gary Allan to perform for PBR fans in Arlington The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is bringing a little bit more country sizzle to its fans. The PBR announced today a partnership with multi-platinum country artist Gary Allan that will give PBR fans more access to his music than ever before. Allan attended the New York City Invitational recently to make the announcement in person that he will kick off the biggest one day event in PBR history, the 2010 Dickies Iron Cowboy Invitational presented by WinStar World Casino, on February 20th, with a onetime-only concert. At the 2010 Dickies Iron Cowboy Invitational, Allan will be performing exclusive and never before released music from his upcoming album Get Off On The Pain, in stores and online March 9. Fans can pre-order the album at garyallan.com. In addition to this special performance in Arlington, Texas, there will also be an increased Gary Allan presence at all PBR events leading up to the March 9 album release, including music from the new album playing during PBR events and various prize giveaways (VIP tickets to an upcoming PBR event, Gary Allan VIP prize packs, CDs and much more!). PBR and Gary Allan fans will also have the opportunity to enter to win the trip of a lifetime to the 2010 PBR World Finals in Las Vegas. For more information about the PBR, Gary Allan, and the 2010 Dickies Iron Cowboy Invitational presented by WinStar World Casino, visitpbr.com or garyallan. com. The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 7 Reckless Kelly to release Somewhere in Time Live performances and listening parties are scheduled around the anticipated release by Austin roots-rock band Reckless Kelly of its latest album for Yep Roc Records, the rustic, rowdy and romantic Somewhere in Time (Feb. 9), a collection of songs written and co-written by cowboy song legend Pinto Bennett and given the RK touch — events that start in Austin. The day before the Somewhere in Time release, Feb. 8, Reckless Kelly will host listening parties at two Maudie’s Tex-Mex locations in Austin: at 5 p.m. at the Maudie’s Café at 2608 West 7th Street (Lake Austin Boulevard) and 6:30 p.m. at Maudie’s Too (1212 South Lamar Boulevard). Free and open to the public, meet-and-greets and taco bar and drink specials (including a Reckless Rita) are planned; Waterloo Records will be onsite for pre-sale of new albums. On the day of the release, at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, the band will make an in-store appearance at Waterloo Records & Video (600A North Lamar Boulevard) to preview cuts from the new album. And on Friday, Feb. 12, Reckless Kelly will play a CD release party at 9 p.m. at Antone’s (213 West 5th Street, 512-320- Somewhere in Time has the look of an old-time unreturned library book with an Old West cover straight off a Zane Grey novel. Inside, songs and song lyrics are organized like chapters — a feast of fourteen love songs (like the first single, “Best Forever Yet”), ballads and sweet, funny cautionary tales about steering wheels, whiskey bottles and learning your manners. Bennett’s words (and vocals on two tracks) combine with Reckless Kelly’s guitars, fiddle, keyboards, harmonies and roots-rock beat to make an unprecedented recording. Says Cody Braun: “This is a record we have been talking about making for over ten years and are so excited to have finally gotten it done. These ‘hardcore cowboy’ songs are what Willy and I grew up listening to and were some of the first tunes we learned as Reckless Kelly. This record truly took us back to our roots and reminded us how cool ‘true country music’ can be. Every one of the songs on this record have a true story behind them, and that is what makes Pinto Bennett songs so powerful and timeless. This record is a tip of our hats to Pinto Bennett and The Famous Motel Cowboys for teaching us to be true to our music and ourselves.” Reckless Kelly has CD release parties also planned for Bryan, Helotes, Dallas, Corpus Christi and Houston. For more info, visit recklesskelly.com. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo announces a stellar line-up, again Twenty-two star entertainers are scheduled to perform at the 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Tickets went on sale Saturday, Jan. 16, at 10 a.m., at all Ticketmaster locations including the Reliant Park Box office. The 22 different star entertainers The Eli Young Band is one of the few Texas-based bands to be featured at the 2010 Houston 8424). Cover willand be $18 and doors will Livestock Show Rodeo. open at 8 p.m. The Trishas start the show. scheduled to perform at the 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo represent a 8 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine wide variety of musical genres. Together, these superstars have garnered numerous music industry honors, including 24 GRAMMY® awards, 78 Country Music Association awards and 59 Academy of Country Music awards. Tuesday, March 2: Alan Jackson; Wednesday, March 3: Dierks Bentley; Thursday, March 4: Kenny Chesney; Friday, March 5: Black Heritage Day sponsored by Kroger Food Stores with Mary J. Blige; Saturday, March 6: Jason Aldean; Sunday, March 7: Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato; Monday, March 8: Tim McGraw; Tuesday, March 9: Darius Rucker; Wednesday, March 10: Rascal Flatts; Thursday, March 11: Brad Paisley; Friday, March 12: Ford presents Toby Keith; Saturday, March 13: Blake Shelton; Sunday, March 14: Go Tejano Day sponsored by State Farm® with Pesado, El Trono De Mexico; Monday, March 15: Lady Antebellum; Tuesday, March 16: Keith Urban; Wednesday, March 17: Gary Allan; Thursday, March 18: Black Eyed Peas; Friday, March 19: Eli Young Band; Saturday, March 20: RodeoHouston BP Super Series Championship with Brooks & Dunn — The Last Rodeo Tour; Sunday, March 21: RodeoHouston Xtreme Bulls with Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber. rodeohouston.com, 1-800-726-1313. Texas Sapphires to release new CD The Texas Sapphires prepare to launch their newest CD with performances all over Austin. The Texas Sapphires will celebrate the Feb. 2 release of its latest CD, the steel-, fiddle-filled and vocally commanding As He Wanders with two Austin appearances. The band will play an in-store show of cuts from the new album at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Waterloo Records & Video (600A North Lamar Boulevard, Charlie Robison takes a swing at the 2009 Celebrity Softball Jam at The Dell Diamond. This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, April 25. 512-474-2500). The next night, at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, the band plays a release party at The Continental Club (1315 S. Congress Avenue, 512-441-0202), during the neighborhood’s First Thursday monthly street fest. Cover will be $8. The Coveters (featuring Suzanna Choffel, Dan Dyer, Warren Hood and others) play at 10 p.m. Texas Sapphires songwriters and lead vocalists Billy Brent Malkus and Rebecca Lucille Cannon have pulled together a collection of songs for As He Wanders that tell of life’s highs and lows and that highlight band members’ singular and collective talents for a wondrous country sound known, loved and well-respected. In addition to the release shows in Austin, the band will also celebrate Feb. 12 at Floore’s Country Store in Helotes and Feb. 26 at Dan’s Silver Leaf in Denton. To listen to samples visit their Web site at thetexassapphires.com. Dixie Chicks are One Chick Short Sad, but true. The Dixie Chicks have been in the studio, recording a new album, but this time without lead vocalist Natalie Maines. CMT reported that sisters (and founders of the group), Emily Robison and Martie McGuire are planning to release that album through Columbia Records. All three of the girls reportedly spent the holiday with Lloyd Maines (Natalie’s father), who co-produced Home in 2002. According to him, Emily and Martie have been cutting demos with and without Natalie throughout 2009. “[Natalie recorded] a little something with them about a year ago,” he said. “I know that Martie’s doing a fiddle record on her own, and that Emily has been demoing some of her (own) songs. I played on some of those.” —Jennifer Asbury-Hughes held Sunday, April 25, and will benefit the Miracle League at Town and Country, Little League of Austin and the Miracle League of San Antonio. The softball game will feature several performing artists, including Reckless Kelly, and stars from the sports world, including NASCAR’s Kyle Petty and former boxing champion Jesse James Leija. Following the softball game, the audience will be invited onto the field to enjoy a concert featuring Reckless Kelly and Cross Canadian Ragweed along with several other acts. Festivities will conclude with a fireworks display. “We wanted to create an event in our hometown that combines our love of music and baseball all while giving back to the community in a positive way,” Reckless Kelly frontman Willy Braun said. “We’re thrilled how this has come together. We expect this to be a fun, family-oriented event that can grow over the years and help out some great chartities in Austin and beyond.” Last year’s event attracted more than 6,000 fans and raised more than $35,000. Express Owner and C.E.O. Reid Ryan said he expects this year’s event to be an even bigger success. “For many fans, the idea of watching a softball game and a concert together was a foreign idea,” Ryan said. “But once fans got to the event and saw how much fun there was to be had, it was a great experience. All season long, we heard so many comments from fans and people in the community about how much of a great time they had. We feel certain this year’s event will be even better and raise even more funds for the local charities.” Country Line Magazine will again be a sponsor for this wonderful event, so to get more information on tickets and more, visit countrylinemagazine.com. Reckless Kelly and the Round Rock Express For the second straight year, the Round Rock Express will team with Reckless Kelly for a Celebrity Softball Jam at The Dell Diamond. The 2010 event will be The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 9 “T ” is for Texas, and the “T Chromosome” i h a d a f r i e n d r e c e n tly w ho sp e n t three weeks in California. He told me as we sat drinking coffee that Sunday morning that he enjoyed the visit out west but he was oh so glad to be home in Texas. This is not the first time I, as a fourth-generation Texan, agreed to that statement. Even if you were not born in Texas anyone who has spent any time here begins to absorb the Lone Star state of mind. Tweed Scott, author of Texas in Her Own Words, crisscrossed the state interviewing all types of folks, famous and not so famous to try and explain why even transplanted Texans develop such intense affection for the Lone State State, resulting in what Scott coined, the “T-Chromosome.” There were no clear defining answers — it just is what it is. Anywhere you go around the world, the word “Texas” is recognized! There is no way to get everything in one list but here are a few of my personal favorite destinations. A few participants in Bandera’s annual Cowboy Mardi Gras. Being located along a major flyway for several species of birds, including all types of waterfowl, white pelicans, hawks and hummingbirds, makes Fulton gumbo, plus enter the Mardi Gras costume contest. Another fun Bandera outing is their Sweetheart Dance, which will be held February 13. The dinner and dance are sponsored by the Silver Sage Corral. Almost Patsy Cline Band will perform from 6:30 to 11 p.m. at the Farm Country Club. For reservations, call 830-796-4969. And you can’t miss Old Bandera Downs Trade Days, February 19-21, at where else, the former Bandera Downs Race Track. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. And booth spaces are available. Call 817832-9936 for more information. Mason Fulton’s annual Oysterfest is a fun time for everyone in the family. Rockport/Fulton Surrounded by the sparkling waters of Copano and Aransas Bays and bathed year-round by soothing Gulf breezes, nestled among ancient, windswept oaks and steeped in a colorful community of cultures, Rockport is in a class of its own. Rockport and Fulton are two communities in Aransas County; one of the smallest counties, in terms of land, in Texas. Vacation time is a year-round affair. My favorite hotel located in the RockportFulton area is the The Lighthouse Inn at Aransas Bay. A Victorian-style boutique hotel where you’ll find old-world charm, modern amenities and a level of luxury you might not expect at a laid-back, Texas resort. One of many fun events in Fulton is their Annual Oysterfest at Fulton Festival Grounds. This year, the Fulton Volunteer Fire Department and the town of Fulton pull out all stops to bring you a festival even larger than 2009, the most successful in the festival’s history. and Rockport popular birdwatching destinations as well. In addition to the migrant species above, the area is a year-round home to several species of shorebirds, wading birds, gulls and brown pelicans. For more info, visit. rockport-fulton.org Mason is a community with lots of history. Settled from the south by German immigrants, from the north and east by English, Irish and Americans and from the west, the Mexicans, the cultural influences from all those groups are still visible today. Agriculture was the lifeblood of the community in the early days, and for many, it still remains vital. Deer hunting and viticulture (wine grape production) have joined the landscape of cattle, peanuts, watermelons, sheep and goats today. Beautiful old buildings spread around a charming town square that now plays host to tourists who have made Mason a destination, no matter what the season. Mason is a place where time slows down a bit and people still wave when they make eye contact. One must-see Mason spot is re-opening this month on February 7 — Katemcy Rocks. Katemcy is taking four wheeling to a new level with over 400 acres of granite rock providing an off-road experience like no other in the state. Called the “Moab of Texas,” Katemcy Rocks presents diverse terrain for all levels of four wheelers, from stock vehicles to extreme rock crawlers. Visit katemcyrocks.com for more info. Many of you know that topaz is the state gem of Texas, but did you know that Mason County is the only Texas county the stone is found in? It occurs in granite outcroppings principally in the Streeter, Grit and Katemcy areas. It is usually found in streambeds and ravines but occasionally can be located atop the ground. You can enjoy topaz hunting throughout the year except during the months of November, December and early January, when the ranches are closed for the deer season. Currently, only a handful of Mason County ranches offer the public the opportunity to go topaz hunting. They charge by the day; you keep what you find. In fact, since there is no commercial mining of Mason County topaz, hunting it yourself is one of the main ways of finding it. You may hunt topaz at either Garner Seaquist Ranch (325-347-5413) or Lindsay Ranch (325-347-4052). Be sure to call before you had to either location. No matter where you’re from, once you have stepped across the line into Texas, everything changes. If you get infected with the “T-Chromosome,” you’re done — might as well get to looking for a burial plot under the Lone Star skies. Check out traveltex.com for a neverending list of Texas adventure ideas. You may not see it all, but you’ll have a ball trying! —TJ Greaney Bandera The “Cowboy Capital of Texas” is a bustling little town with everything you need to immerse yourself in the Texas wrangler culture. Horseback riding, shopping, eating, bed and breakfasts, river activities and more will fill your days in this awesome Texas town. Plan a stay around one of their festivals or activities. There are also a ton of very kid-friendly opportunities available. This month, February 5-6, Bandera features its Cowboy Mardi Gras Weekend. Friday night you can find Cajun, zydeco and western music at honky tonks. Then check out the Cowboy Mardi Gras Parade at noon on Saturday. Enjoy jambalaya and 10 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Mason’s charming and decidedly western downtown. ADVERTI S I NG “There’s no place like this place, anywhere near this place, so this must be the place,” reads a sign on the porch at Texas Hatters. Just one of the many Manny Gammage-isms you’ll find there. Texas Hatters is one of only a handful of true custom hat makers in the United States. They started over seventy years ago under the founder’s name, Marvin Gammage, the hat making tradition remains in the family into the third and fourth generation. Now officially named after the second generation, Manny Gammage’s Texas Hatters, Inc. is lead by Manny’s daughter, Joella Gammage Torres and her husband, David A. Torres, with Manny’s widow, Norma and Joella’s son Joel Aaron Gammage working right alongside them. At Texas Hatters, they don’t just make hats that fit better than store bought, they fit them to your face, your style or even the personality you want to have: A Dallas doctor once walked in and asked for a hat to wear with his buddies on the weekends. This mild-mannered doctor/professor emeritus had a secret life as an ax throwing, trick riding, 1900s style cowboy. He rode off into the sunset with a hat that was a cross between a John Wayne and a Tom Mix. An Austin lady wanted something like the high fashion runway models were wearing, but that would last more than a season. She sashayed back to Austin with a wide brimmed version of the Mad Hatter’s hat, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. A lady attorney from San Antonio, who loved wearing hats to protect her fair skin, wanted a better fit in a classic feminine style. She now greets the court in a hat like Bergman or Bacall might have worn. Whether it’s for wearing on the ranch or out dancing, Texas Hatters can suit your style, even if you’re hard to fit. A long, tall cowboy walked in one day, complaining of his brand-name hat biting his forehead and gaping over his ears. Not only was his old hat re-blocked to a perfect long-oval for his head, he bought a custom made 100% beaver fur felt hat as well. A businessman from Houston with several hats he’d been gifted over the years had a different complaint all together. Seems his hats were so tight over his ears that they bobbed up and down when he talked or chewed. A wide-oval was what he needed; long-oval was what he had. A couple of re-blocks and a custom made fedora put a smile on his face a mile wide. Using their unique talents for hat making, watchful eyes for picking complimenting colors and styles for each customer and listening ears for hearing what the customers want and need from their hats; the folks at Texas Hatters can top almost any choosy customer. They really are, “As modern as yesterday, with tomorrow’s ideas,” as Manny once said. Check them out at texashatters.com or in person at 911 South Commerce Street in Lockhart, Texas. Official Hatter ADVERTISE HERE and access our loyal readers! 15 years, over 2 million copies … a Texas tradition 512-292-1113 [email protected] countrylinemagazine.com of Texas Hey, Moms: One stop for cleaning product ingredients the soap and detergent association (SDA) has launched Ingredient Central, an online gateway to where consumers can find specific cleaning product companies' ingredient information. Ingredient Central is available at cleaning101.com/IngredientCentral. The page describes where and how companies will provide information about the specific ingredients in their cleaning products. “Checking out Ingredient Central is an easy way for consumers to find out how SDA member companies are sharing information about cleaning product ingredients,” said Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education. “This outreach effort is part of our industry’s ongoing efforts to provide consumers with more information than ever before about the cleaning products they use safely and effectively every single day.” Ingredient Central launched January 1 and provides consumers with information about the ingredients in products in four major categories: air care, automotive care, cleaning, polishes and floor maintenance products. Consumers will notice that the Initiative allows companies to use a variety of formats to help them learn about the ingredients in the products they are using. Companies will be sharing ingredient information on the product label; on the company website; through a toll-free telephone number; or through some other non-electronic means. The site will continue to evolve in the coming year as companies provide additional information about cleaning product ingredients. Chemo-Sabe.org is planned for June 5, starting at 9:30 p.m. in Mason and ends in Castell with a live music festival. Our outreach is helping people during chemotherapy right here in the Texas Hill Country. We focus on helping those in our communities that face cancer and it’s impact on family and quality of life through music and patient navigation. Please come help in this unique effort to make a difference. The put-in is at the bridge next to the Llano River RV Park at the Hwy 87 Llano RE C I P E Saturday Morning Blueberry Pancakes SE R VES 2 Take time one Saturday and make pancakes for your family. The blueberries can be substituted for raisins, apples, bananas or other fruits. The early morning before the rush of the day can be a memory maker your kids or grandkids will enjoy. — Shirley Baker FILLING 1 lb. ground beef ¼ cup chopped onion ½ tsp. oregano ¼ cup chopped green pepper ½ cup fine dry bread crumbs 1 tsp. salt ¾ cup flour ¼ tsp. pepper 1 tbsp. sugar 1 9-inch ready-made piecrust 1 tsp. baking powder River overpass. We have special guests again from the Expedition School who will give a brief training prior to the race and provide rescue and EMT support as well as count heads! Last year we had 160 boats in the water. Proceeds go to our 501(c)(3) charity and tax-deductible receipts are available for your gift. You may register the day of the race at 8 a.m. Please note, we cannot provide refunds on pre-paid registrations. Friendly with Affordable Rates Residential & Commercial We honor His excellency in dependability & trustworthiness. S ERVES 4-6 4 oz. tomato sauce H&S (High Spirited) Cleaning Service JoAnn 512-658-2908 Carrie 512-294-9263 Cheeseburger Pie Take time one Saturday and make pancakes for your family. The blueberries can be substituted for raisins, apples, bananas or other fruits. The early morning before the rush of the day can be a memory maker your kids or grandkids will enjoy. Great Castell Kayak Race in memory of Judith Lynn Curtis a fundraising event to benefit RE C I P E Green Cleaning Household Special Just $69.95 Call for details. Hurry! Offer expires feb. 15, 2010. cannot be combined with any other offers. ½ tsp. salt CHEESE TOPPING 1 tbsp. margarine 8 oz. sharp cheese, grated 1 egg ½ tsp. salt, dry mustard, ¾ cup milk Worcestershire sauce ½ cup blueberries, 1 egg washed and drained ¼ cup milk extra margarine for the pan 1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set the bowl aside. 2. Melt margarine in a small saucepan. Crack the egg into a medium-size bowl, then add the milk and melted margarine. Whisk egg mixture until it is well mixed. 3. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk again until both mixtures are blended together. 4. Put extra margarine in the saucepan and heat it on the stovetop on medium heat. It is hot enough when the margarine starts to bubble. 5. Use a measuring cup or a small ladle to spoon the batter into the pan to make 4 pancakes, then put some blueberries on top of each pancake. 1. Heat oven to 425˚F. Brown beef in small amount of fat and drain. Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well. 2. Put filling in prepared pie crust and prepare cheese topping. 3. Cheese topping: Beat egg and milk together. Then add seasonings and grated cheese; mix well. 4. Spread cheese topping evenly over filling. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with sauce made of remaining tomato sauce and equal amount of chili sauce. SHIRLEY’S HINTS Stubborn stain in casserole dish? Add boiling water and 3 tablespoons salt to dish. Let stand ’til cool, then wash as usual. 6. Cook your pancakes on medium heat until small bubbles appear on the top. Use a spatula to lift the edge of the pancakes to see whether they’re light brown on the bottom. When they are, flip them over with the spatula. Getting rid of excesss grease in roasting pan? Sprinkle first with salt. Wipe with damp sponge or paper towel, wash as usual. 7. Cook for another few minutes until the pancakes are light brown on the other side. Serve and enjoy! No time to wash dishes with egg on them? Sprinkle with salt ’til ready to wash. Copper bottom pans need cleaning? Sprinkle salt on wet surface dampened with vinegar. Rub with cloth or paper towel. Rinse and wash as usual. —SHIRLEY BAKER 14 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine O Opinions vary as to who was the original Valentine, but the most popular theory is that he was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying couples in ancient Rome in spite of Emperor Claudius II, who felt that marriage weakened his soldiers. Whatever the full truth is, Feb. 14 was officially declared Valentine’s Day way back in A.D. 496, by Pope Gelasius. Through the centuries, the Christian holiday became a time to exchange love messages, and St. Valentine also became the patron saint of lovers. The spirit of love continues today as valentines, candies and flowers are sent to and from all ages of hopeless romantics. My recommendations for Valentine’s Day vary from gift ideas to events and other activities planned for this month in the hill country I so dearly love. Gift Ideas Take a picture of yourself holding a large paper heart and send it to your Valentine on their phone, via e-mail or print it out and make a homemade card with it! Download your favorite songs and make a customized CD for the one you love. Create a scrapbook with photos, tickets stubs from concerts and events you’ve attended together or maybe even a wine labels from a bottle you’ve shared. Plan a time to head out for a romantic drive and park somewhere! Maybe even pop in that ol’ love song CD you just made. Hand write your Valentine a love letter (no cheating by typing or e-mailing it). Then burn the edges with a match for added effect and role it up in a scroll and tie with a beautiful ribbon. Don’t forget to put a squirt of your favorite perfume or cologne on for an added touch. If all that sounds too mushy for you, come out to the Austin Marathon together or any one of the following events listed! around austin feb 6 Parent-Child Valentine Dance at Twin Lakes Family YMCA is open to families with children 5-15 and besides dancing and having loads of fun, you will also be served a spaghetti/lasagna dinner, receive a 5x7 photo keepsake, have a chance to win raffle prizes and more! 512250-9622, ymcagwc.org C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters” at Paramount Theater. This funny, provocative and wickedly witty theatrical adaptation is known to be one of the “most successful shows in the history of Chicago’s Mercury Theater.” 866-977-6849, austintheatre.org feb 13 Changing Faces of McKinney Falls Nature Hike Join in for a one-mile, one-and-a-half-hour adventure through the park and discover how volcanoes, ancient seas, Native Americans, Texas revolutionists, and even you, have changed the landscape of the park! 512-243-1643, tpwd.state.tx.us feb 14 AT&T Austin Marathon Take part in one of the largest marathon in by Sandra Greaney the United States right here in Austin. youraustinmarathon.com Feb 24 Lemonade Day Kickoff Event at Austin Children’s Museum. Lemonade Day is a free community-wide program designed to teach kids entrepreneurship through the power and simplicity of a lemonade stand. Kids get to keep and make their own money! Presented by The Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas and sponsored by the Trilogy Employees Foundation. 512-472-2499, austinkids.org feb 28 Groovaloo at Long Center for the Performing Arts. See them live — the hip-hop-influenced winners of NBC’s recent Superstars of Dance competition. An eclectic group of the world’s most renowned freestyle and hip-hop dancers, combines the authenticity of A Chorus Line and the energy of STOMP. 512-474LONG (5664), thelongcenter.com a little bit farther feb 14 Central Texas Renaissance Faire in Dale. This family friendly event will have merchants selling their wares to food along with all sorts of entertainment like medieval singing, belly dancing, and even jousting! centraltexasrenaissancefaire.com feb 27 4th Annual Run for the Bluebonnets in Bastrop. Get your running shoes on for the 4th annual “Run for the Bluebonnets” 5K and kids’ 1K is slated to be held in Fisherman’s Park in Bastrop. signmeup.com EVERY SAT. | Sunset Valley Farmers Market offers local fruits and vegetables at the Tony Burger Center. sunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org, 280-1976 next month march 5 Cowboy Breakfast and the official kickoff of the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo. Presented by Farm Credit, the Cowboy Breakfast serves up a hot breakfast with live music, all free to the public. austinrodeo.com March 7 Zilker Park Kite Festival Kites of all kinds — gigantic kites, homemade kites, crazy kites! You will see hundreds of them in the air and maybe a few in the trees. Take your own, or just hang out and watch. zilkerkitefestival.com March 12-21 SXSW The music and film industries, plus other movers and shakers, come to our city to discover the next hot musical act or independent filmmaker. sxsw.com March 19-20 La Pasadita at Rodeo Austin The biggest party at Rodeo Austin’s BBQ Cook-Off is celebrating its 21st year with cold beer, great BBQ and live music! It’s all to help send Texas kids to college, so bring some cash for their tip jars and join in the fun! More info at lapasadita.org, or on their Facebook page. chec k m y c a len d a r e a ch m onth fo r new a n d u pco m ing e v ents ! if y o u h av e a n e v ent listing y o u ’ d li k e u s to m ention , gi v e m e a sho u t at s a n d r a @ co u nt r y line m a g a z ine . co m all month ANYTIME | Donate blood! Give the gift of life — with just a single donation you can save lives. Go by 4300 N. Lamar in Austin or 2132 N. Mays in Round Rock to donate. 206-1266, inyourhands.org every SAT & wed | Austin Farmers Market Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and Wednesdays, 3-7 p.m. at Republic Square Park (4th and Guadalupe). austinfarmersmarket.org The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 15 Enjoy the Ride — Rose Bowl 2010 m My 2010 started with preparations for the National Championship trip to Pasadena. I proudly hold the titles dad, husband, musician, Bucky and Bob Show producer, and radio host, but over the past eight years, the title “Dish Boy” has given me the most education about how to live life. My “Dish Boy” job requires me to stand on the sideline and capture all the sounds of the game … hits, claps, yelling, trash talk … I hear it ALL, amplified a million times through a huge microphone that looks like a giant salad bowl, hence the name “Dish Boy.” This title includes locker room, post game and interview privileges. Over the years, I’ve tried to transform myself from the biggest wide-eyed Longhorn fan into more of a professional, while still enjoying the game. This was my planned approach for the California trip. My last-minute travel arrangements resulted in the longest travel day of my life. Bob Cole and I decided to broadcast to Austin from Fox Sports Studio outside Pasadena. Bob was traveling with his family so we decided to meet up. In theory it was a great idea … until we realized that we’d have to get up at 2 a.m. to actually make it on time to our destination. With two hours of shut-eye, Bob and I were exhausted, but who needs sleep? This is the National Championship! By our third cup of coffee, we were on-air from California, broadcasting to Austin people who wished they were the ones experiencing our sleep deprivation. After four hours on the air it was actually time to get ready for the “Granddaddy of Them All.” Upon arrival, I made my way onto the field as Bob prepared to give his deep, distinguishable introduction of “The Showband of the Southwest.” After what seemed like an eternity, the season was bearing down on this electric evening and the “Dish Boy” was ecstatic. The stars would align, as they had in 2005, and I would be swimming in a field of orange confetti in four short quarters. As the people started jockeying for their overpriced seats, I started to persuade myself to not get caught up in my duties and actually let some of the experience “soak in.” At a game of this caliber, it’s important to just stop for a moment and trap a few images for later reflection … the mountains outlining the Rose Bowl … Ricky and Vince within arm’s reach … Josh Groban and Flea playing the National Anthem … fireworks … flyover … then the “thump.” Texas kicks off THE game of college football. After four minutes, the excited confusion of being at the National Championship game quickly evolved into confusion as to why Colt McCoy was on the sideline surrounded by trainers? For four quarters, the pride of the Texas Longhorns never faltered as the team fought the impossible with shoulder pads and grit. In the post-game Texas locker room, tears inevitably fell as a season, an era, and — in some cases — a career had come to an end. All that remained now were the images of the ride that got them there. It was in that locker room that I thought about the years these guys had devoted to football. Friday night lights laced with dreams of burnt orange jerseys, two-a-days that seemed to last forever in that thick Texas heat … now just tidbits in their minds. Colt had probably started his ride with a game of backyard catch with his dad … sadly, on this night he would end his college career in the Texas locker room the exact same way. As I finished packing up my gear, I heard a player’s voice say, “Well, it was a good ride.” The comment stunned me; these guys had obtained so much more than any crystal trophy could possibly offer. This team had been part of a ride … full of potholes and glory, team failures and phenomena. Truthfully, aren’t we all on a ride … trying to get somewhere that at times seems unattainable? This championship game had just exemplified how we can strive for goals and dreams beyond ourselves and, equally important, enjoy the journey that takes us there. —eric raines 16 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Starbucks isn’t a rodeo bull T Traveling from a small town to the big city can be exhausting. For my wife and I, it takes preparation and that begins with our personal space. Personal space in a rural community ranges from about a quarter mile to across the street. For big city dwellers, it extends from six to eighteen inches — less on the crowded East Coast. Without this mental adjustment, walking on a city sidewalk, nose to toes with everyone else, is like having too many pigs in a pen. In extreme cases, ears and tails get nipped. Arriving in the city, communication differences are an issue. At home, people stop and talk when they meet. Chatting is almost a requirement in ranch country. This is how far-flung neighbors stay in touch with each other’s lives. It’s the glue that holds a spread-out community together. City folks will have no doubt you’re a stranger. Communication, if it happens, is terse, direct and “in-your-face.” Shouting occurs in direct relationship to the number of sirens and amount of bus traffic. In the city, friendships are based on mutual interest, rather than geographic proximity. Neighbors are something you don’t acknowledge. If a city dweller doesn’t know the name of the person living next door—they look it up in the phonebook. Assisting someone in trouble isn’t being neighborly. It’s called a fund-raiser and may end up on TV news. When my wife and I travel, we often take our dogs. City dogs leave behind the same sort of presents as ours do on the ranch. However, their owners are required to deal with the end result differently than we do. City people carry little plastic bags in their pocket when they walk their dog. This makes it easier to remove the little treasures their dog leaves behind. They turn the bag inside out, recover the misplaced item and seal the bag. Then they toss everything in the nearest garbage can. This is where I get in trouble. What does a big city visitor do if there are no waste receptacles nearby? The thought of putting a bag of digested dog dinner in my coat pocket leaves me luke warm — to say the least. After all, I have a good idea of where my dog has been hanging out. At home, we scoop the leavings up with a shovel and pitch it into a field over the yard fence. However, I don’t recommend this in the city. You may end up in a fistfight if someone’s standing on the other side. In the city, coffee is stronger and more expensive than at home. Flavors like Almond Roca and Hazelnut have nothing to do with a farm crop at this end of the consumer cycle. Here Starbucks is a coffee shop — not a line of high-dollar rodeo bulls. Nor is Biscotti an Italian sports car. It is a piece of dry bread that city people eat with their coffee. At home, we give our dry bread to the chickens. If you’re traveling to the big city — I’ll bet you’re going to appreciate home when you return — we sure do. — D. “Bing” Bingham B ing B ingh a m is a w r ite r , r a nche r a n d sto r y telle r . H e ’ s the one with a d a z e d loo k in the big cit y. I f y o u h av e a n y big cit y t r av el tips to pa ss a long , conta ct hi m at bing @ bingbingh a m . co m . The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 17 by Kendall Hemphill A The Dash A friend once told me about a funeral he’d attended, where the minister delivering the eulogy talked about the deceased’s dash. He said, “Our friend here has died. And he’s going to be buried. And he’s going to have a tombstone. And on that tombstone there are going to be two dates — the date when he was born, and the date when he died. And in between those two dates there’s going to be a little dash. That little dash represents an entire lifetime. All any of us gets is that one little dash. “What you do with your dash is up to you.” When Lee Coffman retired from the U.S. Army, after twenty years of service, in 1989, he figured he’d done just about everything with his dash he was going to do. He planned to spend the rest of his life fishing (Lee had never married). He bought a bass boat and got started. But that didn’t last long, because Lee’s dash wasn’t anywhere near done yet. After a few weeks he was bored, and on a visit to see his sister at the school where she taught, he decided to embark on another career. He decided to become a teacher. So he did. I met Lee not long after that, because he had started dating Suzanne Machen, of Brady. The Machen family had already had a huge influence on my life, and I was glad Suzanne had found someone she seemed to be happy with. And the more I got to know Lee, the more impressed I was with him. Lee was one of those people you couldn’t look at without smiling, probably because he was always smiling himself. He was outgoing, friendly, loud and gregarious. He didn’t just say hello, he was like Dolby Surround Sound on a stereo system. He boomed HELLO. It would have been impossible to ignore him if you’d wanted to. Once, when the subject came up, Lee told me he’d been in the army. That was all he said. “I was in the army.” But when I attended Lee’s funeral recently, I learned that Lee was in the army like Alvin York was in the army. Like Audie Murphy was in the army. Lee wasn’t just in the army. He was a hero. Lee dropped out of 11th grade to enlist in 1969, on his seventeenth birthday. By the time he turned eighteen he was leading a platoon of forty eight men. He became a Ranger and a Green Beret, and eventually retired as a First Sergeant. He served three tours in Vietnam, and earned twenty one medals. Not just the ‘I Was There’ medals.’ Lee was awarded the Silver Star, the Cross of Gallantry, the French Croix de Guerre, PBR finds inconsistencies with judges’ scores The Professional Bull Riders Rules and Regulations Committee determined in an emergency meeting Jan. 16 that there was a significant inconsistency in judges’ scores at the Sacramento Classic Jan. 15-17, and that disciplinary action was required. Longtime judge Jeff Shearer, one of four judges at the ARCO Arena on Saturday night Jan.16, will be suspended for five events. “We saw a problem, so we met and rectified it,” said Jay Daugherty, Senior Vice President of Competition. “Jeff has been one of our best judges for years, but we have a zero-tolerance policy on something like this.” In the second to last ride of the event, Shearer gave Elliott Jacoby an 18 (out of a possible 25) for his ride on Necessary Evil. The score was well below the other judges’ range of scores (21.5, 22 and 21), and resulted in Jacoby losing out on the event title by half a point. The Rules and Regulations committee determined that the inconsistency was unreasonable. As a result, Shearer will be suspended for five events. Once he returns, he will be subject to indefinite probation, with zero tolerance for error going forward. “In any judged sport, there will be differences of opinion,” Daugherty said. “But a major inconsistency like this can go to the heart of our credibility. This incident is a small blemish on Jeff’s otherwise stellar career as a PBR judge, and I’m confident it won’t happen again.” Shearer will be eligible to return on Feb. 26 at the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Invitational in St. Louis, Missouri. “… a major inconsistency like this can go to the heart of our credibility. ” 18 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine and the Bronze Star with four oak leaf clusters. And five Purple Hearts. Now, I have no idea what Lee did to earn those medals. But I know the Silver Star is the third highest award a member of the U.S. Army can receive from the military, and it is only earned through conspicuous gallantry in combat. And I know that, when commendations for medals are submitted to the upper echelon, they are usually bumped down a notch, which means Lee was likely put up for a Distinguished Service Cross. And if so, he probably deserved it. The Bronze Star is right behind the Silver Star, and Lee earned five of those. Which means he probably deserved five more Silver Stars. Besides, of course, being wounded five times while serving his country. If Lee Coffman wasn’t a hero, neither was Jimmy Doolittle. And then there was Grenada. Lee’s unit served there during the political coup in October 1983. His unit, at one point, got pinned down in an old building. Their radio had been shot up, so they patched together an old telephone line they found, and managed to get hold of an operator. They used a credit card one of the guys had with him, and called their base in Tennessee. When they finally got someone there to believe who they were, and where they were, air support was finally sent to help them out. When the movie Heartbreak Ridge was made, that incident was depicted using a squad of Recon Marines. And the role of the unit CO, Lee’s part, was played by Clint Eastwood. And he never mentioned it. I ran into Lee, just a couple of weeks before he died of a heart attack at age 57. He was just as loud, just as friendly, just as happy, and just as full of life as he’d ever been. I can almost still feel his handshake, and hear his HELLO. I can definitely still feel his warmth. Lee left his wife, Suzanne, to raise their two sons, Bradley and Ryan, without their father. That won’t be easy, but there were never a couple of boys who had a greater role model to follow in a dad. Any way you look at it, Lee Coffman was a hero and a Great American, and he did more with his dash than just about anyone else I’ve known … Ken d a l H e m phill is a n o u t d oo r h u m o r col u m nist a n d p u blic spe a k e r . W r ite to hi m at P O B o x 1 6 0 0 , M a son , T x 7 6 8 5 6 o r j eep @ v e r i z on . net All-Around Cowboy Josh Peek flies in a F-16 the 140th wing, colorado air National Guard, took all-around cowboy Josh Peek for a ride in an F-16 in January. The tie-down roper and steer wrestler, from Pueblo, Colo., had the opportunity to spend the day at Buckley and learn about the increasing importance of the Air National Guard and their role in national defense. “I had a thrilling and exhilarating experience,” Peek said. The Colorado National Guard is marked its 150th anniversary on Jan. 23, and in an effort to educate the Denver community about the Guard’s missions and heritage. Along with being a Colorado native, Peek won the all-around and tie-down roping titles at the National Western last year, making him a natural choice to promote the Guard and the Denver rodeo which ran through Jan. 24, is in its 104th year. The F-16 orientation flight program Peek took part in is part of a comprehensive outreach program, through the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Public Affairs. As part of the Air Force’s community outreach efforts, orientation flights provide Americans who, because of their position and contact with various public organizations, can make positive contributions to public’s understanding of the roles and missions of the Department of Defense. An F-16 flight provides firsthand opportunities to view the quality and capability of our people and weapons systems. Top: Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association rider Josh 'Jack Daniels' Peek gives the 'thumbs-up' that he is buckled in and ready just prior to his F-16 orientation flight at Buckley Air Force Base, Jan 8, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. John Nimmo, Sr.); Bottom: U.S. Air Force Major Marc ‘Kidd’ Garceau, F-16 fighter pilot, 120th Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, and Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association rider Josh Peek pause for a photo prior to his orientation flight, Jan 8, 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. John Nimmo, Sr.) The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 19 TEXAS SERVICES AND PROFESSIONALS Home of the best little meat market in South Austin JOHNNY G’S MEAT MARKET Wild Game ProcessinG sPecialists OFFICIAL IB DISTR UTIO SPONSOR INT N PO Fresh-Choice Beef, Pork, Sausage Wholesale/Retail Wild Game Processing Tanglewood Biz Park • 11600 Manchaca Rd, Ste H • Austin, TX • 512/280-6514 True Texas spring water bottled right here in Austin. Don’t buy bottled city tap water when you can enjoy natures pure refreshing spring water. Keepin’ It Local! Home or Office Delivery Call Today! 512/280-4037 Official Water of The Texas Outdoor Zone Texas Proud! GET YOUR BUSINESS IN FRONT OF OUR READERS! JOIN OUR SERVICES DIRECTORY CALL FOR DETAILS 512-292-1113 by Mike Young i’ve got some thoughts for the City Council of Austin and wanted to share them with all of you, so here’s my open letter to them, dated Jan. 20, 2010. To Whom It May Concern: It has come to my attention in the past two weeks that the Austin Planning Commission is considering the adoption of an ordinance that will prohibit its citizens from owning roosters. I have also been led to believe that this action was precipitated by complaints about the excessive noise created by these birds. Now while I will agree that it is the nature of a rooster to crow and, in larger numbers, the sound can certainly be irritating, I submit that the noise ordinance already in effect should be more than enough to handle the problem. Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World, sets acceptable decibel levels for bands, shuts down parties that are too loud and even tickets unattended barking dogs. So why not impose penalties for the nuisance caused by noisy roosters? In my capacity as Manager of Callahan’s General Store here in Austin, I have seen the interest in all things chicken virtually explode over the last two years. We are not doing anything differently than we have in the last 28 years that I have been associated with Callahan’s. People tell me that it is the economy. Eggs, milk, and groceries have sky-rocketed in price, not to mention the gas it takes to get to the store. Chickens lay eggs, and that’s a start. Roosters allow for the perpetuation of the species, and they will also protect the hens from some predators, like cats. And if your rooster is not big enough to frighten away a would-be predator, the noise it makes will certainly alert the owner. Another strong consideration that I personally hear voiced quite a bit is that a lot of folks want to know where their food is coming from! If one feeds the chickens, helps hatch the chicks, or gathers the eggs, then that person is basically in charge of the process from start to finish. Couple this with free range chickens eating the bad bugs out of your yards and supplementing them with USDAcertified organic feed, and you are about as “green” as you can get. This gives a lot of people a certain peace of mind, one of which is me. Not only are we providing an ecologically sound service to the community, but our sales in the area have been significantly higher over the past two years. Roosters, as a part of the flock, allow for the continuation of the species. Many times, I have found it very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a certain breed of rooster from a commercial hatchery. However, given time, one can be found in a backyard flock. One last thing — about half of the three to four hundred large birds we sell every week are roosters, and probably 95% of those are eaten. They come to us around five months old, and are typically bigger than hens the same age: thus a better bargain. During the last cold snap, the numbers of birds sold increased dramatically. These are not wealthy people buying these birds. For the most part, they are newly arrived immigrants, and I have come to believe that this is an important part of their diet. So, in closing, I would like to ask that the committee not ban the sale and the ownership of roosters in Austin. Thank you for your consideration, and if more information would help, please call. Sincerely, Mike Young 512-385-3452 If you have any input, for or against, please contact the City Council. Adios! The wheelbarrow is beginning to tip one of the top stories of 2009 concerning agriculture was how much negative press the industry received. Documentaries like Food, Inc. and Dirt! The Movie and writers like Bryan Walsh, who delivered a broadside against modern food production practices in Time magazine, have always given those in agriculture indigestion. But how many farmers and ranchers have really taken them seriously? Few, I believe. We might want to start thinking in that direction. When it comes to food, activists are taking the moral high ground farmers and ranchers have held for so many years. The safe, affordable and abundant food supply mantra we have chanted for so long, although true, has been turned against us. We are accused of producing an overabundance of empty calories with no concern for promoting healthy eating habits. Industrial agriculture is turning America into a nation of obese slobs. Cheap food is killing us, so their arguments go. Six months ago, I thought the only people listening to these trains of thoughts were so far out in left field and so few in number that they didn’t make any difference. I think differently today. A couple of weeks ago, I received a personal e-mail from a lady concerning a recent Texas Agriculture Talks blog entry, “Five Reasons You Will Pay More For Food,” which we also ran in the pages of Texas Agriculture, a publication of the Texas Farm Bureau (Nov. 6, 2009). Here’s, in part, what she had to say: “The food industry is funded, owned by a handful of corporations who are ultimately concerned with one thing — profit. And in the name of that, they truly do not care about the local farmer, they do not care about the quality and safety of our food and do not care about the health of our nation’s people. And right now, they are dictating what we eat and the way we eat.” She continued: “Food, Inc. did a very good job of following local farmers who now work for these large corporations, the pittance of a compensation they receive for their hard labor, the terrible living conditions of the animals we are eating, the hefty penalties applied to these farmers if they do not follow the sometimes ridiculous rules the corporations pass down to them. And the threat of losing a contract, and a livelihood is such that farmers who know better are going along with it, even though many of them are up to their ears in debt.” Still more: “Obesity is on the rise, cancer is on the rise. Girls are now starting their menstrual cycles at younger ages than ever before. Why is this? I would argue that our nation’s reliance on bad food (fast food) which has helped fuel the current direction of the food industry and the huge reliance on hormones in our food chain and the pesticides used may have something to do with our sick nation.” Rants from some ultra-liberal activist pushing an anti-modern agriculture agenda? Hardly. The thoughts come straight out of Food, Inc. But they are being repeated by a lady who said she loves “Texas Farm Bureau, love[s] the stance they have taken on eminent domain and, for the most part, agree[s] with the political opinions offered” in the organization’s publications. Worse still, it wasn’t a public answer “… the huge reliance on hormones in our food chain and the pesticides used may have something to do with our sick nation.” to a blog or editorial. It was a personal response to me. Why? Because she is concerned. You know how one too many bricks can topple the entire wheelbarrow? That’s what’s happening in agriculture today. Consumers are hearing too many negatives about the food they eat and the way it is produced. Those who oppose the methods we use to produce safe, abundant and affordable food have taken us to task. What they are saying is neither ethical nor true, but that wheelbarrow is starting to tip. They are pushing the right buttons to gain consumers’ attention. They are effectively using food safety and health concerns in an attempt to dismantle the modern agriculture miracle that feeds America and much of the world. It’s time agriculture pushed back — before that last brick brings the whole stack crashing down. The lady who e-mailed me said she yearned to hear from the farmers and ranchers who produce her food. Why aren’t you talking to her? —Mike Barnett The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 21 by Larry LeBlanc T The weather last month was something, I guess it was a prime example of the global warming that a dying minority is still hangs on to. I was forced to go outside once during that bitter cold and take care of some business and if this is the weather pattern continues I have a bad feeling that I may be delving into the fine art of ice fishing. Well I had the pleasure this past week to speak to Bobby Goforth of Conroe who is one of the foremost crappie anglers in our county and he participates in many crappie competitions all over the country and he was telling how he caught a two pound crappie on the lake last week. You see the fish are still there you just have to know how to catch them. Oh, it also helps if you have the clothing and the guts to get on the water in that weather, which cuts me out of the equation. Bobby is such a dedicated crappie man that he makes his own jigs. He was telling me how he finds the underwater structure where crappie will be hanging out and what to try once they stop biting on a brush pile. One thing that was brought up was if © hi d d enl a k e r v r a nch . co m Crappie is a game fish that draws serious anglers A big crappie caught at Hidden Lake RV Ranch in Jacksboro a large predator shows up, like a garfish, the crappie will stop biting and will go into hiding. At that point unless you wish to move on you have to get rid of the predator if you plan on having a chance at catching more crappie at that one spot. In the case of a marauding gar one way to get rid of it is to catch it so you change your tactics and fish for gar for a while. If you 22 • Country Line Magazine The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine catch it you can then go back to crappie fishing. Another thing that Bobby mentioned about brush piles is you normally fish over the top of the brush as most agree that a crappie will rise up to take a bait and not dive for one. If they stop biting Goforth said he will drop is jig down beside his trolling motor where the transponder for his fish finder is so he can see his jig on the screen. He will then lower the jig to a limb and tap the limb with the jig and he proclaims that will sometime bring a strike from a nice sized crappie. When into serious crappie fishing Bobby said he always brings along some minnows just in case the crappie does not like his jig offerings. He said he know some serious competitive crappie men that will even insist on seining for minnows in the lake in which they plan to fish. I did not think about how devoted some folks can get to the art of catching crappie, but I guess that was lack of thought on my part. When the angling population of our country will spend more money on fishing for bass than golfers do on their sport it is only normal that those devote to other fish species like crappie can really become devoted to the sport. We folks here in Texas have the best of the best when it comes to fishing as we can either become devoted to any one species of fresh or salt water fish or we can fish the entire scope of fish available to us. It does not get much better than that. Red numerals etch the darkness, illuminating the room — it’s 12:28 a.m. Anticipation of the day has made sleep a shallow doze; I awake two more times and finally get up just before the alarm chimes at 3 a.m. I turn it off quickly, hoping not to disturb my wife anymore than I already have. The smell of coffee is still fragrant in the kitchen from brewing it only hours before. I sit with a cup preparing the mental game plan: map study, pre-fishing, talking to other anglers, watching the weather countless times, and rigging my baits with what I feel is the best approach for the existing conditions. I dress in so many layers that I never know what to tuck into what. Hoping the weather will not be as severe as predicted, but knowing that it will be much worse on the water. I hook up the boat and wait for my partner to arrive. We put his gear in the boat and we’re off! Seeing other people towing their boats in the dark always makes me feel like maybe I’m not as crazy as I thought. As we arrive at the launch area, a long trail of taillights greets us. We prep the boat for launch with the gusto of a Nascar pit crew. After launching and jockeying for a parking spot, you must then find your partner on the dark shoreline covered with boats. Then we idle over to the lights where we draw our take-off number from the always-smiling Joy. Floating in the vast sea of boats, we wait. The sun is starting rise and still people keep coming. Chad Potts crackles on the microphone asking if we can hear him with 200 outboards running and spewing two-stroke smoke. We recognize a few faces and exchange well wishes — good luck, guys! At the start of the tournament, Chad asks everyone to remove their hats and stand. He then delivers a prayer of thanks and for the safety of all participants. The Star Spangled Banner plays next — it’s a solemn moment as all competitors stand with their caps on their hearts. But, as soon as the anthem is over someone yells, “Play ball,” and the first boat takes off! We weave through all of the boats to make sure that we are in line when our number is called. Jeff Welsch checks live wells as we drive by and makes sure that you know your weigh-in time. We idle past the buoy and then we’re off! —d on gord on Skeeter Bass Champs Lake Belton Feb. 6 Weigh-in at Temple Lake Park Results next month New Grande Bass Products Available soon at Cabela’s, Academy and Gander Mountain: 8-inch Mega Tail-Worm, Mega Claws-Craw (grandebass.com) Take care of her … your boat, that is I It’s that time again for most to start adding a “to do” list on their boat… With the recent warmer weathers, many are taking off the covers to reveal what winter has left them to maintain for a future outing. For the avid angler, it is just routine maintenance. Whether the boat is new or old, some good ‘ol TLC should keep “her” running smooth. First and foremost is getting “her” feeling good with a clean coat. Best overall cleaner for a boat is distilled water and vinegar. This will not hurt the gel coat. Next would be applying sun block (or wax) preventing future damage to the top coat. While cleaning check for any and O.H. Ivie back in Toyota ShareLunker Fold O.H. IVIE RESERVOIR AND OTHER WEST Texas lakes suffered from drought from the late 1990s until 2004, when rains came again. The drought took two forms: low water and few big bass caught. The fish drought ended January 16, when Ben Blaine of Merkel landed a 14.02-pound largemouth bass from O.H. Ivie. It became Toyota ShareLunker No. 475. “We’ve been expecting it,” said Bobby Farquhar, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) inland fisheries regional director from San Angelo. “About six to seven years after the end of a drought you usually see the big fish start to come out.” Blaine caught his fish at 5 p.m. in 12 to 15 feet of 48-degree water on a DD-22. The fish was 25.5 inches long and 21.25 inches in girth. Five ShareLunkers have come from the lake previously: three in 2000 and two in 2002. “All those fish were from the original stockings in 1990 and 1991,” Farquhar said. “When the lake went down, we had too many bass, and they didn’t grow. We changed the regulation to let anglers keep two fish under 18 inches, and that plus the rise provided better conditions. There were lots of adult fish in the lake, and they produced strong year classes in 2004 and 2005. I would not be surprised to see more ShareLunkers. We’ve had several reports of 12-pounders being caught in the last year.” Another West Texas reservoir rebounding from the drought of the late 1990s is starting to pump out monster largemouth bass. On Jan. 19 Falcon International Reservoir produced a 14.4-pound Toyota ShareLunker for Bryan Aubin of Zapata. No catch details were available other all plastic and rubber fittings, tube, and such that might have dried or cracked over winter or the previous year. Next would be an overall check of fluids and battery levels. Make sure the batteries are fully charges, and have the proper levels of water (yes, water in your batteries). If you used a winterization product, maintain as directed. With the raising of Ethanol in fuel at the gas stations, it is suggested in newer motors to run a stabilization product, marine grade treatment with each and every tank of fuel. Factor this in to your fuel bill. With out hesitation, take care of any outdated insurance, registration and trailer tags. This will keep you out of trouble come time to hit the water. Make sure all of the proper emergency devices and extra maintenance tools are stocked, working, and on board. Replace spark plugs, check for wear on plug wires, assure there are no nicks on the prop, change/fill gear lube, inspect fuel lines, lubricate and clean all necessary. All this and it doesn’t assure you will make it than the time of catch, 9 a.m. The fish was cared for until pickup at Robert’s Fish ’n’ Tackle, an official ShareLunker weigh and holding station. Proper handling and care are important factors in survival of big fish, as shown by Toyota ShareLunker 474, caught from Falcon on Dec. 20 by Debbie Baker. “That fish came in very stressed and in poor overall condition,” said Jim Matthews, hatchery manager at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, where ShareLunkers are kept. “The intensive crew has been treating her continuously for stress-related infections, and she has made a very good recovery. She has eaten several rainbow trout, which is a big step to recovery. DNA testing shows she is a pure Florida bass, so if things continue to improve, we hope to spawn her this season.” Official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding stations are certified by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) inland fisheries biologists to have the proper facilities and equipment for keeping to the water without a proper trailer…Air pressure, dry rot of trailer tires, and secure cranks before hooking up to your truck. It is often said “a boat is a whole in the water, you throw money into.” Also, “the best days of owning a boat is the one you buy it and the day you sell it.” True, many times I have felt both of these, but then again, what about the memories I would be lacking without one! Hunt Hard, Fish Harder, Fish ON! —C ody Ryan G r eaney T O Z T eam, C ody@ texasoutdoorzone. com B e one the fi r st th r ee people to sen d m e a n e m a il a n d ta k e y o u r pic k of so m e f r ee Vicio u s ™ F ishing L ine a n d ge a r , o r $ 1 0 0 off of a f u ll - d ay g u i d e d fishing t r ip ! C o d y @ T e x a s O u t d oo r Zone . co m F o r m o r e info on pl a nning y o u r ne x t fishing a d v ent u r e , conta ct C o d y R ya n at co d y @ T e x a s O u t d oo r Zone . co m o r 512-576-2200. © r obe r ts ’ fish ’ n ’ ta c k le R Skeeter Bass Champs Bryan Aubin caught this 14.4-pound largemouth bass from Falcon International Reservoir on January 19. Toyota ShareLunker 476 is 25 inches long and 21.5 inches in girth. big bass alive. Station personnel receive training in how to care for the fish and are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to receive fish. A list of the official holding stations is at tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/ tffc/sharelunker/holding/. The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine Country Line Magazine • 23