Celebrating 126 Years of Serving the communities of Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot, and Moore in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties
Tucker uncovered a not-so-well-hidden Christmas gift at grandma’s house, a laser tag set. So I’ve been re-living my youth, running the halls of my house in the dark playing a lot of laser tag recently. Me and my cousins and siblings used to do this a lot, and Tucker loves it just as much. This morning, he turned the beeping laser guns to the floor and was using them as bomb detectors. The boys got creativity, that’s for sure.
I spoke today with the son in law of one of the finest men I have been blessed to know. His name is not of significance in this Tale, but his legacy is. Knowing OF him for many years, and then Knowing HIM personally for a pretty long spell as well was a true gift. This fellow Aggie created things that will impact the lives of others in positive ways for a very long time, and it is an honor to call him my Friend.
We know two of his children, and while of different personalities, are likewise exceptional individuals, no doubt in part to the role model of their dad. Thus, part of him is still active and contributing in life.
In visiting with his son in law, a person I likewise greatly admire, we discussed how the entire family was at peace with the soon to occur passing. I commented that we had lost all 4 of our parents and letting go was a hard thing to do.
This week wasn’t particularly busy for me…I didn’t get a lot of personal stuff done, but I attended/helped with a funeral, and a friend came by and helped me get some yard decoration up and running. Several years ago, my daughter gave me one of the “Star Shower” light displays, and we set that up and it’s looking great…great enough, in fact that I decided that two of the families on my Christmas gift list would be getting one as a gift. I managed to get to Cuero Saturday and shopped at HEB and WalMart and got quite a bit done, and then Sunday I went the other direction to a Walmart and got a little more finished. Monday, I will head to the bank and get cash for gift cards for a few more on my list. Meanwhile, I got to talk to one of my daughters and we settled what I would be doing on Christmas Day! She and her husband will be here with me. Since we no longer have Midnight Mass at our little country church, I will be able to go to early Mass and we will have the whole day together. It has been quite a while since we’ve been able to do this, and I am really looking forward to our visit.
The weather has been depressing, at least for me. I could never live in the Pacific Northwest that is for sure. Lytle PD stuff…. We handled 55 calls for service and conducted 61 traffic stops. Officers issued 44 citations and 17 warnings last week.
Officers made 2 arrests last week, both were for DWI. #1 – Intoxicated driver in the Pirate Express Drive-Thru. #2 – A traffic stop on Main St. Nothing too exciting here, but those are the kind of arrests that may have saved the life of the arrested person or an innocent person. Good job officers L. Diaz and S. Pena
Two reports of property crimes were taken. #1 – A complainant reported that household items were taken from her storage unit on FM 2790 E. There were no signs of forced entry. #2 – Criminal mischief was reported at John Lott Park, a trail sign was taken and damaged.
Good news! Both the NB entrance ramp to IH-35 and the NB exit ramp to Lytle are now open! There will still be construction in the area but at least the ramps are functioning.
Last Friday, we had our first employee Christmas dinner. In the past, we had a luncheon for the employees and elected officials, but this year immediate family members were invited as well, and we held it in the evening. It was nice to get to see the families of other employees and get to know them. I think it was a smashing success! I guess that is why office parties have been around for years, I just never have been to one. I am normally reserved and keep to myself, but the Italian food made me feel comfortable and let down my guard. I still think I may have done more eating than talking. Special thanks to Paola Rios, our City Secretary, for setting it up.
Congratulations are in order for Ofc. David D. Lopez. He is now Sergeant David D. Lopez. A promotion for him was approved on Dec. 1st. He will help fill the supervisor void left by Lt. Dear moving to City Administrator and Captain Frank Reyes’ retirement. David has been with us for almost 10 years and holds an Advanced Texas Peace Officer license. If my records are correct, this is the first promotion for a full-time officer in over 10 years. This is not something we just hand out on a regular basis.
I ended the week by opening my home and hosting a Christmas party for our church’s youth group. We had a good time; it would have been nice if the weather had been better, and we could have had some outside activities. Nobody got hurt, nobody got TASED, and nobody got pepper sprayed… I have learned my lesson. The last thing I need is to get kicked out of another church.
This Saturday, Dec. 10th, is the annual Christmas Hayride/Holiday Lighting event. Meet us at the Lytle Community Center on Priest Blvd. at 6 pm, I suggest you get there early. The admission cost to the hayride is $1 or one canned good per person. Now before all this inflation the “one canned good” was probably the better value. I am not so sure now! I also want to clarify that I have never gone through the canned goods, picked out the ravioli, and replaced it with a dollar. Those are rumors started by people to discredit my good name and highlight my love of ravioli.
The last two weeks were quite eventful…we got a little over 2.3 inches of rain out t’wards the Black Creek metroplex, bringing our total to 18.4 inches for the year…so far. Zackly what we had for 2020. We need more years like 2018 when we got 46.8 inches.
Did some contract renewals and vacating and re-platting of lots and such. Good reports from the Treasurer and Auditor are always good to get too. Debbie Southwell and Eduardo Lopez keep us on our toes when it comes to spending money…correctly.
We kept our usual contribution to the San Antonio Food Bank Distribution Program at the $12,000 mark. Was told that once we get the funding from Federal sources, the construction of the new Nutrition Center can begin.
Evidently, Mandi Wilcox is doing such a good job with the WIC Program that Atascosa County wants to join our group. This was tabled until the next meeting.
We did cancel the December 29th Commissioners Court meeting so, I only gotta go to one more meeting. We also cancelled the Burn Ban effective midnight today (Monday) so, burn it if you need to, but call the Sheriff’s Office and let them know.
We have gotten our trailer in the yard for old tires and will be accepting them from 8-4:30 Monday through Thursday. Call ahead (830-665-8015) and let us know when you are coming so we can have someone there to direct you to where they need to go. No tractor tires….
Thanksgiving is come and gone and it is now legal to put up Christmas decorations. After our Thanksgiving Day meal, I aint gotta eat until December 15th. Only leftover I look forward to is the ham…
Got a lot to look forward to come January…gonna finally get to trim ALL my trees, fix my tank so that I can go get wet whenever I wanna, and Willie Jo and I are planning a motorcycle ride to Michigan…and I aint gotta get up early no more. Woo Hoo!
Been axed a lot about whether or not I am gonna keep writing columns….told them that is totally up to KK. She may be open to saving space for more pertinent information (I never mentioned Brandon even once). Told Ron Outlaw that if I’m cancelled, I’d write him a letter every two weeks and Jimmy Wilkinson will have to find another way to keep up on the Devine happenings.
This, my first column of the last month of this year, is actually going to be in the paper on the 81st anniversary of one of the worst days of infamy our country has known, and like the day of airplanes being flown into the twin towers, it will never be forgotten. This day, of course is December 7, 1941, when Japanese bombers began strafing Pearl Harbor and destroying so many of our war ships and the base where these planes were stationed. It also took an almost uncountable number of lives. The battleship Arizona is one of the most awesome places that I have ever visited. When I went to Hawaii several years ago, each time we went off or onto the Island we passed that museum. We did a tour of it one afternoon and I still get chills when I think of the horror of what went on at that time.
It is time to start thinking about making cookies for Christmas. If you have the time, it is really fun to make cookies with your children and grandchildren! The simplest way to do that, I have found is to make up the dough one day and then have them over the next to cut out and bake cookies. Most of these recipes can be rolled into balls the size of unshelled walnuts before putting them on the cookie sheets; they then will come out pretty much all the same size. When I want to make cookies, I usually will make up three or four batches of dough on one evening and then bake cookies the next evening. This seems to work really well, at least for me. In fact, you can then bake as many or as few as you want, you don’t have to bake up the entire batch of each dough, and then, you have fresh baked cookies when you have company coming over for coffee!
My son and daughters remember very well when my grandmother would come over and “spend” with us a few days, especially at Christmas. She would help me make ‘anise’ cookies and we would always have a very good time!
Applesauce Spice Cookies
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3½ cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup thick, unsweetened applesauce
1 or more cups of mixed candied fruit
¼ cup flour
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cream shortening and sugar together. Beat egg, add to creamed mixture and blend well. Sift flour, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together and add alternately with the applesauce to creamed mixture, with flour being added first and last. Dredge the candied fruit in the ¼ cup flour and stir into the dough. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto well greased cookie sheets. Bake 375ºF for 12 to 15 minutes.
This recipe goes by many names, including Ranger Cookies and a couple of other ones as well. They are always delicious, and this recipe is from my Mother’s aunt. It is written out just as she had it in a small cookbook that a group put together for one of our family reunions.
Good Cookies
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
2 cups crisp rice cereal (i.e. Rice Crispies)
1 cup coconut
Preheat oven to325ºF. Cream shortening and sugar very well, add eggs, salt and vanilla. Beat well until blended. Add flour sifted with soda and baking powder. Fold in oatmeal Rice Crispies and coconut. Make a ball about the size of a large marble. Place on greased cookie sheet and flatten with glass dipped in sugar*. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. *Lightly spray glass with nonstick spray or rub a light coat of cooking oil on it, then dip in sugar, flatten a couple of cookies, dip in sugar, repeat until all cookies on baking sheet are flattened.
Delicious Oatmeal Cookies
¾ cup butter or margarine
½ cup granulated sugar
1½ cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2½ cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup pecans
1 cup coconut (optional)
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cream butter and sugars thoroughly; add eggs and vanilla. Sift together the dry ingredients and stir in until well mixed. Add the oatmeal, pecans and coconut (if used). Drop dough by spoonfuls on lightly greased or sprayed baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool thoroughly, store in tightly covered container.
Snickerdoodles
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Mix together and set aside
2 cups shortening (I use 1 cup shortening and 1 cup margarine)
.3 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
5½ cups flour
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Thoroughly cream together the shortening, sugar and eggs. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Mix into the shortening mixture. Mix well and chill dough overnight. Shape into walnut sized balls; roll each one in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350ºF until lightly browned, but still soft. They will puff up and then flatten out.
The following sugar cookie recipe is really great as it does not have to be refrigerated before cutting and baking. To decorate, use the cookie paint recipe and paint the cut out cookies before baking. If desired, sprinkle colored sugar to match the paint.
Sugar Cookies
1 1/3 cups shortening
2½ cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Thoroughly cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla. Add combined dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll out 1/8 to ¼-inch thick on lightly floured* board and cut with cookie cutters into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, sprinkle with granulated sugar (if you did not previously paint them,) and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cookie Paint
Evaporated milk
Liquid or paste food coloring
Plastic egg carton
Small, inexpensive craft paint brushes
Decorative sugars, nonpareils, etc.
Pour about 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the milk into each of several of the cups in the egg carton. Add a few drops of coloring or paste to each on until desired color is reached. Paint unbaked cookies, decorate as desired and bake in preheated oven. Remove from sheets and cool thoroughly.
Molasses Crinkles
3/4 cups soft shortening or margarine (our grandmothers used lard for this recipe)
1 cups brown sugar
1 eggs
1/4 cup molasses (Grandma’s brand, Steens brand, unsulphured)
2¼ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ to 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Cream together the shortening, sugar, eggs and molasses. Mix dry ingredients and stir into shortening mixture. Stir together until well mixed. Chill overnight. Shape into balls the size of small walnuts. Dip tops in sugar. Place sugared side up on lightly greased baking sheet. Dip your finger into some water and press down lightly on each cookie. Bake at 375ºF until cookies are just set. Remove from pan immediately. They will be puffed up and then will flatten out. The pressing down with the wet finger will give them a crinkled top.
My son’s discovered some old 90s flicks that he’s become obsessed with. Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Honey We Shrunk Ourselves, and Honey I Blew Up the Kids, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, repeat, repeat, repeat. If I didn’t know any better, I would think Tucker plans on shrinking us.
My sister always said he was like a “mad scientist” the way he explores. So who knows. He says if he was “shrunk” he would climb the Christmas tree. His main clever plan is to “shrink his sister though”, he says.
When we aren’t re-watching the “honey I shrunk” videos, we are playing with his beloved and very patient kitten which has been re-named many times. Currently he calls it “Butter the kitten”. It is certainly the loving and patient kind. Tucker is a tad bit hyper and rough for most kittens’ taste, but this one is awfully forgiving. Most cats don’t enjoy playing “hide and kitten go seek” as he calls it, but this one seems to tolerate it, for a while anyways.
The other night I found he had fallen fast asleep with the kitten in his lap, which was also asleep. It was the cutest sight.
We are enjoying having the Christmas tree up, and Tucker made the customary hand-print antlered reindeer ornament. Every year, it’s fun to see the dozens of handmade ornaments we’ve collected over the years and who made what. So far most of them are my daughters and a few surviving ornaments from my husband and my childhood. But I’m sure there will be many more from Tucker. No telling what kind of ornaments my little wild man will make.
Maybe he’ll shrink us and put us on the tree as an ornament!
Hallylouya the Elections are finally over! Congratulations to Danny Lawler, Larry Sittre and Phillip Lange. Medina County remains a conservative Republican stronghold….and the Tax Freeze Proposition passed with 97% of the vote!
Our Medina County Sheriff’s Office received a Federal Grant called “The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program Grant” in the amount of $6,850. Woo Hoo…oughta call it “The Drop in the Bucket Grant”. Least it’s something…
Cara Thomas gave us a report on the Chapter 59 Asset Forfeiture fund and the Equitable Sharing fund that is managed by the Sheriff’s Office. In the Seizure fund, there is $80,659 for use by the SO and there is $12,318 in the Forfeiture fund. Good to use crooks money against them.
We also adopted a Resolution creating the Adult Sexual Assault Team to better investigate these types of cases and to make reporting them easier once it is seen that cases are tried and crooks are sent to prison.
Whole lotta vacating and replatting also…seems we always have a little bit of this every meeting, making it quite evident that Medina County is growing.
Governor Abbot has declared an invasion at our Southern Border. We’ll see if there is any effect on the flood of drugs and the criminal element or not…
Good to see that he is shipping some of them to Zombieland (Philadelphia).
We had a workshop dealing with the Castroville Airport after the meeting having to do with zoning restrictions around the airport. Biggest thing that I noticed was an air of contention in the room. Sposed to have a meeting that night (Thursday) and work on the restrictions.
Been working with the Lytle Mayor to eliminate one of the biggest dumping sites in the Twin Lakes area. We will start working on it on the 21st. Amazing how some people can be so inconsiderate and down-right trashy.
Getting cooler finally. Still need rain. We have only gotten 16.1 inches so far this year out in the Black Creek metroplex. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Only 31 days till Christmas! No decorations until after Thanksgiving and I one-upped Lewis Stroud this week.
Our daughter and her family have been under the weather for a while, courtesy of two kids in Elementary School. In our earliest days of marriage, the Boss Lady began her 26 year career as a public school employee, starting as a First Grade Teacher.
She would spend several weeks to a month on some form of medication from an illness she caught at school and once recovered, become victim of another “bug” of some sort or another. The Germ Scene was alive and well in the elementary grade levels at The Leming School north of Pleasanton, and still is today in Northside ISD in San Antonio.
When I stopped by their house recently to deliver some new meat from the annual ½ a steer we buy from a longtime neighbor and real estate partner, the girls, ages 6 and 8, asked me for an update on what was going on out at our Family Ranch in Miguel. I began my recount and was just getting started when the youngest, Ms. Oakley, turned to her sister, Stevie and asked is Poppi Rumbling again?
Let me give a brief overview of these beloved young ladies personalities. Stevie is a carbon copy, looks and personality of her Mom. Most days are full of rainbows and butterflies. But the occasionally Dark Day hits and it is the End of the World as we know it. Oakley is either going to grow up to become a wonderful health care provider for people or animals OR go on tour as in the Professional Women’s Wrestling Association. Get on her wrong side and it is Katie, Bar the Door!
So, when she asked that question, I admit to being confused. Rumbling is something my Unhappy Tummy does on occasion. Or it is a brawl, or maybe can describe how my old truck sounds on a rough dirt road. But I did not get the use of the word within the aforementioned context.
Stevie giggled that crooked little killer smile of hers and quickly explained that Oakley meant Ramblings. You see Poppi, she said with a grin, Mimi tells us sometimes you get to thinking you are still back in a lecture at your college and forget we are just little kids.
Upon reflection, both her and Mimi are 100% on target with their comments. I can get pretty wordy, either verbally, or with a keyboard. I will TRY to Rumble/Ramble less. But don’t bet the family farm that I will be successful at it!
Our month of November is well over half finished, as is our year. We are at the point where there is only around forty days until we begin a new year. This year has definitely been better than 2020 and 2021. We are still having outbreaks of the virus here and there, but not too much where I am. In fact the last few times I’ve delivered papers to the patients, I’ve been told I could go to all rooms. While the pandemic was going on, the papers were delivered to the nurses’ station and they took care of it for us. Last year, there were several times that I could go to the rooms on one hall, but not the other. Thanks to the Lord for taking care of all of us, and sympathy and prayers to the families of those who were not so lucky.
Let us give thanks…for our families; our friends; our homes; our schools and their teachers; our churches and synagogues where we worship freely; for the service men and women who are so far away from home this Thanksgiving, trying to keep our country free for us; for the fact that we live in a country that is still free; and last but by no means least; that we have lived to celebrate another Thanksgiving. For many of us, there will be faces missing around the table this year due to the Lord calling them home, or because they are serving our country in another lands. We are thankful that He gives us the strength to go on with our lives even though it is difficult.
Just as He is the “reason for the season,” at Christmas, THANKS is the first word in the name of the feast we are celebrating today.
For some of you, Thanksgiving is a fond memory, for many of you, who were able to get your paper on Wednesday; you still have to face it! I have a certain amount of my stuff done due to the fact that I will be heading to Devine early on Wednesday to be with my family. The cornbread is made for the dressing and the bread is torn up and drying a bit. All the ingredients are gathered together for my sweet potatoes and apple casserole, as are the ingredients for the pies I will be making.
Here are a few more recipes that can even be prepared on Thursday morning if necessary.
Broccoli Casserole
2 or 3 bunches fresh broccoli
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
½ of a small bell pepper, diced
¼ to ½ cup butter or margarine
1 can cream of mushroom soup*
1 can cheddar cheese soup
2 cups cooked rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Clean broccoli, cut into flowerets, peel and slice stems thinly. Parboil broccoli, drain and rinse with cold water to help retain the color. Sauté onion, celery and bell pepper in butter or margarine until onion is transparent. Mix together the two soups, add the broccoli and rice and mix together. Pour into 9×12 pan, top with grated cheese if desired. Bake at 350ºF for 35 to 45 minutes.
Jo’s Cherry Delight
1 can lite cherry pie filling
1 can (8-oz) crushed pineapple in juice
1 can low-fat condensed milk (not evaporated!)
12-oz carton whipped topping, thawed
Mix all ingredients together and chill before serving. Weight watchers – 2 points per 1/2 cup.
Mrs. Haass’ Pink Stuff (This recipe is in memory of Mrs. August Haass. She used to bring it to our Christian Mother’s Christmas Luncheon)
1 can (20-oz) cherry pie filling
1 can (20-oz) crushed pineapple in juice
1 can Angel Flake coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 can condensed milk (not evaporated!)
1 carton (8-oz) whipped topping, thawed
Mix all together and chill before serving.
Cornbread
1½ cups cornmeal
½ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
¼ cup oil or melted shortening
Mix dry ingredients together in bowl. Mix together egg, milk and shortening, add to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into lightly greased 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan and bake until golden brown. Cool before using.
You can make this several days ahead of time, and when it is cook break it up and store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Cornbread Dressing
4½ cups crumbled corn bread
2½ cups day old French bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 medium chopped onion
1½ cups chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped parsley
½ cup butter or margarine
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 to 3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 cups broth or milk*
(Turkey giblets and neck, or 1 pack chicken giblets and hearts, or ½ pound ground meat or pan sausage optional)
Boil giblets, etc., until done. Chop or grind and set aside. If using ground meat or pan sausage, cook well in skillet until nicely browned, drain well and set aside.
Make corn bread (if desired) to your favorite recipe, (or use one or two of the packages that need milk and eggs added to them) and bake according to directions in an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan. This can be done several days ahead of time. When cool, crumble and place in bowl in fridge.
Allow bread to dry out slightly, crumble and add to cornbread. Add giblets or meat (if used) Sauté onions and celery in margarine until tender. Add to cornbread mixture. Add parsley and seasonings. Add beaten eggs and broth and mix well. If it does not seem moist enough, add more broth or milk. Place in baking pan and bake at 350ºF until golden brown and set. If it looks dry while baking, add more broth or milk. Canned chicken or vegetable broth can be used if you want to save the broth from cooking the giblets for your gravy. *If you use canned broth, be careful not to use too much salt in the dressing as the broth is already salted.