TAKE A WALK ON THE WILDLIFE SIDE

Fellow Villagers:

Somebody go run and fetch us a big, ten-gallon, white hat for Mr. Charles McDaniel and a sporty, more fashionable one for his beautiful wife Lana! Outstanding host and hostess for the Wildlife Conservation Committee of the Chappell Hill Chamber of Commerce meeting, "Partners, Parcels and Persistence: Keys in Restoring Quail Habitat" on Saturday at their ranch, High Meadows, in Chappell Hill, a place that can only be described as heavenly.

Nice, large turn out, close to 100 good folks with one goal in mind, to regenerate the wildlife in Washington County, particulary the the Bobwhite quail. The Committee was formed to promote responsible land stewardship with regard to complimentary agricultural and conservation practices. A core Committee goal is the retention and reintroduction of native wildlife species including Bobwhite Quail, the Eastern Turkey and species of migratory waterfowl. The Committee hopes to bring together like minded people in a collaborative effort. This seminar was one of a series of seminars that will be hosted by the Committee during 2010. Attendees were asked at registration to express their interest in a number of potential seminar topics and the Committee is very pleased to see that there indeed is interest in a number of the Committee's proposed topics for 2010. The next Committee meeting will be held on February 16th at 6:30 PM at the Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire Department.

The guest speakers did a fine job in their presentations, which included dissecting previously frozen quail with latex gloves and surgical scissors. Special mention to Dr. James C. Cathay, Biologist, Texas A&M, "Quail Biology & Management", Mr. Larry Pierce, Washington County Extension Agent, "Understanding Quail Inside and Out Necropsy,Mrs. Stephanie Damron, Texas Parks & Wildlife, "Working With Neighbors and Wildlife Associations".I admit I had to skip the necropsy part. Just bring me mine cooked, on a plate, with green beans and mashed potatoes and a large tea. I really don't need quite that level of intimate knowledge of a quail but there were plenty in the crowd who participated in the experience and now I know who to call if I ever need a quail cleaned and who not to give a pair of scissors to. For a brief moment, the place looked like a triage unit, each with their dead quail and scissoring away. In the corner, there was a cage with several live quail...they seemed kinda nervous.

Special thanks to Johnny and Carolyn Kopycinski, David and Geneva Smith, Chappell Hill Bank, Becky and Rodney Hanath, Lana and Charlie McDaniel, Barbara and Howard Schultz, Tom and Dixie Stevens and the Washington County Wildlife Association for their generous donations and sponsorship and all the volunteers for such a well organized, educational event. The Committee's one regret was the inability to trap a wild hog for "Chef Donna" to prepare for the seminar lunch. That shortcoming has been promised to be rectified for the next event! Long as we don't have to skin it!

Also a big thank-ya to Mr. David Chisholm of Rocking C Ranches for providing his out-of this-world, all natural beef from choice cuts of Black Angus; no hormones, no antibiotics, 100% native grass fed. As a former cheeseburger aficionado, I can tell you there IS a difference! Fast food burgers rapidly evaporated from my memory after one bite of Mr. Chisholms's all natural hamburger meat. What was I ever thinking, let alone putting in my body, from those drive-thru joints? Mr. Chisholm is readily available at www.RockingCRanches.com. Our own beloved Bever's Kitchenfeatures his top quality beef as well as other dining establishments. Our dear friend Alejandra Ray, head Chef and Owner of Bever's Kitchen, swears by Mr. Chisholm's beef and it is now featured in all her beef dishes. At the risk of dating myself, a while back there was a TV commercial featuring a cranky grandma complaining about a burger chain and her quote was "Where's the Beef"?

Well, to old granny and to everyone else, I can tell you exactlly where the beef is: David Chisholm's 100% natural black angus choice cuts, double ground. I urge you to contact him and place your order. Once you taste it, you will never think about beef the same way. In an attempt to lower cholesterol, my Dr. said, "Lay off the cheeseburgers!" But this beef has about as much cholesterol as chicken! I could even have one for breakfast, but I guess that's overboard.

It is so heartening to see neighbors and friends in a collective effort, and this is a really good one. That's one the best things about living in our Beautiful Village. We really can pull together for a good cause and I, for one, treasure the friends and neighbors I have out here. I strongly urge you to support this effort. You'll make some great friends and you won't be be disappointed.

Once again, big thanks to the McDaniels and the committee members and all the volunteers for a great event.

Oh, and by the way, that spectacular German Shepherd puppy at the McDaniel's....If her precious self should turn up missing; "I swear it wasn't me (bark, bark), "What dog?, Hush, puppy...(bark, bark).."oh, no, that's my parrot, he mimics German Shepherds. I'll sure keep an eye out for her, (wink, wink)". I guess I'll have to make do with the Glamour Shot I took of her! Just beautiful!

Thanks again to all involved.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT

COPYRIGHT PENDING

TOP TEN: 2010!

Fellow Villagers:

Remember when we used to belly-laugh at David Letterman's Top Ten List before we got too old to stay up that late and before his recent scoundrel escapade with sorted staff members? And how 'bout that Tiger Woods! Nine wasn't enough, so he played somewhere close to eighteen holes! (Decorum prevents me from the obvious punchline). Sponsors droppin' like flies; perhaps he can pick a new sponsor: Tiagra! Perhaps Mr. Woods could find opportunity in China, it, after all, is ,the Year of the Tiger over there. Although, I think it would be wise for him to avoid restaurants, Chinese or otherwise. Maybe we should send the soon-to-be former Mrs. Woods to DC and make her the Czar of Pig Patrol. She could speak softly and carry a driver to help eradicate pigs!

And ladies, who among us can ever erase the indelible tattoo of Bo Derek jogging near naked, in slow motion, on the beach in the movie "TEN" that sticks in our husbands' minds. What was up with those hair beads and feathers and Ravel's Bolero? Hollywood created the feeling of instant inadequacy in us regular girls with that flick!

Then there was that once famous country music star, David Allen Coe, a renegade and round-about known for very rowdy concerts, who sung to sold out crowds and lamented he once was so mad he "could eat a Ten penny nail and spit out a barbed wire fence". I remember nearly being arrested at one of his concerts in North Carolina because I needed to visit the bathroom and dared to try to walk up the aisle during the performance. My friend and I were escorted back to our seats and told to stay there until the concert ended. The badges on the sheriffs glistened in the bank of the stage lights, so we crossed our legs, tightly, and toughed it out. Our back teeth were about to float, but we made it without incident and eventually got back home to our scholastic residence in Virginia.

The TEN Commandments! Poor ol' Charlton Heston, wherever his soul resides, must be grateful that Alzheimer's claimed his memory and his life so even if he did witness all this hullabaloo over displaying the TEN Commandments, he wouldn't remember it. 'Course, if you grew up like me, you know we had the TEN Commandments memorized by First grade and occasionally abandoned one or two of them in the TENTH grade. (Yes, I went to prep school and even college(s). Just didn't get that TEN Commandments thing nailed back down until a few bumps and spills later.) At the Mount Calvary Baptist Church, where my dear departed nanny attended every Sunday with a big, loud hat, they used to say,"Now, Child, Remember, 'Moses Knowses' and he's good friends with God!". Used to scare the daylights out of us young, white kids. Oh, in case you forgot, the TENTH Commandment forbidds coveting your neighbor's house, wife, male servant, female servant, ox, donkey, new carpeting, lawn mower, BBQ pit, potholders, secret family recipes, health insurance and so forth. In short, don't leer wantingly at anything you don't have. Could be important as many are already doing with less than others.

Be glad your babies came out with all TEN toes and TEN fingers. And nevermind that awful chainsaw accident, at least they started out in tact.

The TENTH state to join the Union was Vermont. The TENTH President of The United States was William Henry Harrison. The TEN dollar bill features Alexander Hamilton. Next time you need to break a twenty, ask for two Lincolns and a Hamilton and watch the confused expression on your young, pubescent server's face.

And now today, in 2010 what's even scarier is the battle over our Constitutional rights. Of particular note, the TENTH Amendment, which declares that:

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”.

With over 30 States affirming their rights under the 10th Amendment, the original intent of which was to limit the size and power of the Federal government (AKA Feral Guvmint), a showdown is brewing between the Fed and the States and the People. While a few “Rino” scallywags debate whether it is constitutional for one State, Nebraska via Senator Nelson, to receive a disproportionate “share” of the Feral Guvmint’s “largesse”, AKA taxpayer debt, a much broader question looms large!

Does the Feral Guvmint have the authority to force sovereign citizens to buy anything but of immediate great importance, health insurance?

From the August Senator’s website biography it states:

“As a young man at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Ben Nelson spent his Sundays serving as a lay minister to rural Nebraska congregations. Foreshadowing his future in public service, Nelson chose law school over the ministry. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1963, a master’s degree in 1965 and a law degree from the University of Nebraska in 1970.

Following his time as a student, Nelson enjoyed a successful career in insurance law. He served as CEO of the Central National Insurance Group, as chief of staff and executive vice president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and as director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance.”

Now that’s where the rubber meets the road, another attorney turned “Law-Maker” representing the insurance cartel plucking the low hanging fruit of political cronyism. Maybe just another case of political “Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered”.

Any wonder why we are seeing more bumper stickers advocating Secession messages in plain view of the apparent rapid elimination of our rights? Think about it.

Honestly, I am happy to wave goodbye to 2009. It was not a good year on many levels, both personally and nationally. But I have high hopes for 2010. It may get worse before it gets better but at least we know what we're made of and can pull through. 2009 was about bad luck and mistaken ideals. Think about ol' Moses and everything he endured! He treked up the mountain for that stone tablet and then dropped it. Who knows, maybe there were thirteen Commandments and they were edited out! He survived that bizarre Burning 'Bush' thing, (so did we), His staff turned into a snake, (Hello Congress!) and he had to deal with that terrible Red Sea. Is it safe to say we can hear the waves of our own Red Sea in the not-too-distant future? Tune up your Jet-Ski friends, its gonna be a bumpy ride!

Perhaps Obama was unintentionally right. We do need CHANGE, and not the Lincoln or Hamilton kind, sadly that is becoming almost worthless as well. It is my personal view that his call for "change we can believe in" may come back to bite him, in the end, so to speak, because many folks indeed want things to change, but believe it will have to start with a deep house cleaning project/movement in Washington, DC. and a stiff drink with the backbone of our Constitutional rights.

So, here's to you all. Have a Happy New Year! Be safe and sound. Love your family and remember your neighbors, you never know when we might need each other. And if you find yourself frustrated, red-faced and angry and out of patience with the whole thing, do as my Treasured Mother says," Sit down and count to TEN". Keep your ears to the ground. The 10th Amendment is rumored to be the Big Issue in 2010 and the rumbling has already begun, particularly if that lawsuit goes foward in South Carolina.

Ugh! my Treasured Mother is right! I gotta sit down and count to 10! I inTENdto stay positive.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT.

COPYRIGHT PENDING