Category: Commentary

Mean Aunt Kayleen

It was a pretty good weekend. First we got to have a cousin sleepover with Audrey and Pauliney. The kids had so much fun playing and arguing. We have two tiny trampolines and at one point Tucker agitated Audrey by jumping on her trampoline so she fixed that pretty fast. She picked up the end of it and dumped him right off. It’s okay though, Tucker landed on his feet just like a cat. Audrey is normally super sweet and patient with her hyperactive cousin, so it really cracked me up though I had to be “mean Aunt Kayleen” and correct her, for which she never forgave me that Saturday. I hardly did anything other than using a stern voice, but she cried for close to 30 minutes. She’s one of those super sweet angel children, and it makes it so hard when they actually do something wrong.
On Sunday, I had a real treat. I reconnected with my old college roommate Melissa and she came for a day at the ranch. It was the first time we’ve seen each other in 16 years, so that was a blast! It’s funny how you can go so long without seeing a good friend. When I first left for college in San Angelo I was incredibly homesick and super shy, and Melissa quickly became my best buddy in college. I’ve always loved her and thought of her over the years but our families took us to two different states. I am so glad to have her back in Texas!
After 16 years of not seeing each other, a lot has happened, but we picked up right where we left off, and I felt just like a kid again getting to see her. One of the funniest things is seeing your kids play together. I always love that.

Talk about bad luck!

The hot weather kept it slow this week; we only had 54 calls for service. Officers conducted 80 traffic stops, 72 of those resulted in a citation, and 8 were warnings.
Only two property crimes were reported last week: #1 – A home under construction on Doc Holiday had $400 worth of insulation stripped from it. #2 – John’s Small Engine Repair (Main @ Benton) reported the theft of a Husqvarna riding lawn mower.
Arrests were another story, we had seven incidents involving 9 arrested or cited persons. #1 – Ofc. A. Lopez conducted a traffic stop and determined the driver to have an active Marijuana Possession warrant out of Bexar Co. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #2 – Cpl. Robison cited a male for a theft that occurred on 6/8/2022. He had taken a saw from a residence. #3 – Sgt. Hanson conducted a traffic stop and cited two juveniles for curfew violations. They were released to guardians. #4 – Ofc. A. Lopez conducted a traffic stop on a 2004 Ford F250, he determined it to be stolen out of San Antonio. Two males were arrested and booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #5 – Ofc. L. Diaz conducted a traffic stop that resulted in a citation and release for possession of drug paraphernalia. #6 – Sgt. Hanson and Ofc. L. Diaz responded to a report of shots fired on Oak St. After a thorough investigation a male was arrested for Aggravated Robbery and Deadly Conduct. A firearm was recovered, and shots had been fired into the ground. The male was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #7 – Officers Cortez and Pena responded to a hit and run accident. One of the drivers fled on foot (the one who caused the accident), but he wasn’t located. While investigating the accident the officers discovered the driver who stayed, had three theft warrants out of Bexar Co. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. Talk about bad luck!
I wish I could take a nap and wake up and it would be October. I can’t afford to drive anywhere because of the cost of gas, and I can’t afford to sit home with the AC on, what a mess.

Making cobblers

My trip to Devine, last week, was great. I enjoyed playing bunco with my friends and we truly missed the ones that were out sick. There were several of them and I really hope y’all are beginning to feel better. I got to see my newest great-granddaughter on Wednesday and of course she is a doll. Her mama is such a sweetie; I was allowed to hold her all I wanted to!
The corn fields are ready to be harvested for livestock feed and all the fields and pastureland I saw were really dry. It didn’t look as if there was much grazing land to be used. We finally had some rain around the 23rd or 24th of June. Burn bans are back in effect for almost all of our counties down here, and in fact, before the rain, Victoria County was saying absolutely no fireworks and they wouldn’t even be sold in the county. Since they had more rain than we did, that restriction was lifted, but many of the places that usually have fireworks show cancelled them. The two inches we had helped, but we need rain as badly as it’s needed in your area.
One day at lunch time, quite a while back (you know, back in the good old days when we could go eat at the Senior Citizen center?), I asked one of the men if he thought we were ever going to get rain. His answer was different to say the least, as he replied, “Yes, just as soon as this dry spell is over!” We both had a good laugh and went to our tables to wait for our food. I have to agree with him, we have had clouds several days this week and part of last week and only immeasurable drops of rain.
Where cobblers got their name is unknown to me, but I firmly believe it was some rushed housewife who decided to ‘cobble’ some flour, sugar and milk together and add some fruit from her pantry, who made the first one. Cobblers can be found in cookbooks dating from the early parts of the 20th century and possible even before. They are simple to make and always delicious as you can use any fruit you have on hand to make them. I have made them with apple pie filling, cherry pie filling, canned peaches or almost anything. (In fact, at one point in time, my daughter promised her lunch mate teachers a peach cobbler for dessert at lunch, got ready to make it and had no peaches at home. She used a couple of cans of fruit cocktail and had a hit on her hands!).
The following cobbler is a little different than the ones we usually make, in that it uses buttermilk (or soured milk) in place of the milk that’s usually called for. For some reason, it’s called “Magic Lemon Cobbler”. Since I’ve always felt a cobbler was sort of magical, in the way you put the dough mixture in the pan and then the fruit, and the dough rises to the top, the name doesn’t make much sense! We took a pan of it to my grandson and his wife last Wednesday and they seemed to enjoy it immensely. I’ve served it to my Pokeno ladies, by placing it in 8-ounce glasses and it was a hit with them also. The lemony flavor is really awesome.
Magical Lemon Cobbler
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk (or soured milk*)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 can lemon pie filling (21-ounce)
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Place the stick of butter into a 9”X9” square baking dish and place it in the oven to melt while you mix up the batter. (Keep an eye on this, you don’t want it to get brown, just melt!).
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, (flour, baking powder, salt and sugar). Pour in the buttermilk, vanilla and lemon extracts and stir or whisk until just combined.
Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter in the pan, do not stir; spoon the lemon filling over the batter, bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the edges of the cobbler are golden brown. Cool before serving. *To sour milk, place 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a measuring cup and fill the cup to the 1-cup line. Stir to combine and allow to sit until it thickens.
The following cobbler recipes are some of my family’s favorites, with the first recipe for peach cobbler being from my mother and grandmother. It’s a truly old family one, and as you notice, it uses fresh peaches.
Peach Cobbler
1 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
¼ cup margarine
2 to 3 cups sliced fresh peaches
½ to 1 cup additional sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt the margarine in a 9×9-inch baking pan. Peel and slice peaches into a pot, adding ½ to 1 cup granulated sugar depending on the sweetness of your peaches. Heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in the extract and set aside while you mix the dough.
Mix together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add the milk to make a soft dough and pour the dough mixture into the prepared pan. Top the dough with the peach mixture, (if it has made a lot of liquid, don’t use all of it); sprinkle with some cinnamon and sugar if desired, bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until done.
Cherry or Apple Cobbler*
1 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
¼ to ½ cup margarine
1 can apple pie filling or cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Melt margarine in 9×9-inch pan. Set aside. Combine flour, sugar and baking powder, add milk and vanilla. Mix to make soft dough and pour into pan with melted margarine. Stir cinnamon into apple pie filling or stir almond flavoring into cherry pie filling. Spoon fruit onto the top of the dough, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold with whipped topping or ice cream. *I feel you could use peach pie filling for this in place of either of the others.

4th of July Fireworks Show @ John Lott Park

It was another busy week; officers managed 72 calls for service and conducted 130 traffic stops. Those traffic stops resulted in 112 citations and 18 warnings.
Officers took reports of 4 property crimes. #1 – A pawn shop employee reported that a customer took his iPhone 13 Pro Max phone valued at $1,100. The phone was sitting on the counter and our crook decided to take advantage of it. #2 – A Creek St. resident reported that their trash can was taken; it was valued at $75. #3 – A complainant reported that two gas cans were stolen out of the bed of his pickup truck. The incident occurred a week prior, the exact location of the theft is unknown. #4 – A complainant reported that their vehicle was “keyed” while parked at the H.E.B. Plus.
Officers made 5 arrests last week. #1 – While we were about to dig into lunch there was a knock at the door. A male came to talk to us, and he wasn’t aware we had a warrant for his arrest. He had violated a protective order. He was taken into custody and booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. It would be nice if everything was so easy. #2 – Ofc. A. Lopez conducted a traffic stop and determine the driver had a felony warrant out of Kendall Co. He was booked into the ACSO Jail. # 3 – Ofc. Diaz conducted a traffic stop and cited and released the driver for possession of drug paraphernalia. #4 – Sgt. Hanson conducted a traffic stop and the driver gave a fake name and date of birth. He was given numerous options to come clean, but he was firm on his date of birth and name…even though when asked his age it changed numerous times. That is a clue for us, his identity was later confirmed. He thought he had a warrant, he didn’t. So, he picked up a fail to ID charge for no good reason. He was booked into the ACSO Jail. A prime case of it’s better to tell the truth. #5 – Sgt. Hanson received a call for a reckless driver on IH-35, he located the vehicle and arrested the driver for DWI. It is very possible that Sgt. Hanson prevented a tragedy on the highway that night.
Here is information worth repeating:
Don’t forget the 4th of July Fireworks Show at John Lott Park. The fireworks start when the sun goes down. There will be food trucks and live music starting at 5 PM. Looks like lots of fun; I would bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
As a reminder, it is illegal to discharge fireworks within the city limits. If you have a fireworks complaint, please call our 24-hour dispatcher: The Atascosa Co. Sheriff’s Office in Jourdanton @ 830-769-3434 (Option #1). They have direct radio contact with all our on-duty officers. 
Stage 3 Water Restrictions are now in place for City of Lytle Water Customers. Visit the city’s website or call city hall for more details.
My wife and I taught Kinder and 1st Graders at our church’s Vacation Bible School last week. Five long, but fun, evenings. We had about 10 little kids we were watching over. I am so proud of myself, I never once said “don’t move, and let me see your hands.”

Holiday Time!!!!!

Wow! June has only one more day to go and this year will be half over. It has been a typically hot and dry month with very little rainfall. The drought seems to be reaching epic conditions. We haven’t had any measurable rain fall in several weeks, and in watching TV weather forecasts, it doesn’t seem as if we will have it any time soon.
My week has been quiet (for me!). Monday was my Pokeno day, and I really enjoyed being with the ladies, we had a great time; Tuesday was gift shop day, this was my last time to work a full day, as next week, I’ll be back working my regular afternoon shift. Wednesday and Thursday were my days this week to do laundry, errands and some housekeeping; and help that evening, at our weekly bingo, and Friday, it was back to a combination of working in the gift shop and in the lobby selling tickets, we’re almost at the deadline, with the drawing being on July 1! The beautiful wheelchairs we’re giving the hospital came in today. It seems as if there is always a shortage of them. If someone comes into the medical building, the chairs are by the front door, same thing if someone comes in needing one for ER, they’re in the medical building.
Father’s Day weekend was beautiful and very quiet for me, however, my sister invited me over for dinner that evening, and we had a good time together, as well as her usual delicious food and dessert. She and her children were actually celebrating it on Monday due to work schedules and such.
This coming Monday is 4th of July with all of it’s attendant celebrations, picnics and parades. Fireworks will probably fill the skies at least over the lake at the park in Cuero, as they usually have a nice display, I haven’t heard for sure if it will happen this year or not. At this time we are under the usual no burn ruling that seems to have been in place nearly year-round during the time I’ve live here!
The following article is from a magazine section that was a part of The Devine News during the 30’s and 40’s. It still sounds as if it is as true today as it was then, doesn’t it? And, yes, we’re under a burn ban now, in DeWitt, Lavaca and Victoria counties. The Victoria paper stated Thursday that fireworks wouldn’t even be sold in Victoria county this year due to the dangers of fire!
June – 1937 A Saner and Tamer Fourth – Newspapers have long been advocating a saner and tamer celebration of the Fourth of July. Formerly, they had much to say about deaths from fireworks; these were frequently horrible deaths of children after prolonged suffering from lockjaw, the germs of which had gained entrance into the bodies of the victims by means of slight wounds caused by toy pistols or other forms of explosives. There has been a slight diminution of deaths from this cause, but the Fourth seems to be bringing an added increase of deaths from drowning, automobile and other accidents.
We hope our patriotic day will not continue a harvest of casualties; that we will learn to celebrate it sensibly and cautiously; that boys will not be too venturesome in water; that drivers of automobiles will realize the Fourth as the most dangerous day in the year when more people are on roads, many of them without sense or discretion.
For the entire nation, there were nearly 400 killed in accidents the Fourth of July, 1936. Is it too much to hope that such number may be cut in half this year?
(Don’t we wish that we would only have as few as 400 killed in this day and time on the Fourth, alas, those days are gone forever)!
From The Devine News in a 1967 paper, this is what Dr. Glenn Smith had to say about patriotism. Flag Waving – Do not feel ‘corny’, or ‘square’, or ‘out of date’, if you felt a little stirring of patriotism in your heart last Tuesday, July 4th. That feeling is never out of date, although it would seem so in this day. It is still a good thing for Americans to be proud of being Americans. It is still noble to have a “lump in the throat” when you see “Old Glory” flying on a staff or passing in a parade.
No one is born patriotic. It is acquired through teaching and experience, like religion. Like religion, it has to have habitual practice lest it fade and wither. Patriotism is instilled in the next generation by the teaching and example of the previous generation.
What are you doing to pass on pride of homeland to your children? What kind of citizens will they be? What will be their reaction to the flag, the National Anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance?
That was in 1967, today in 2022; those words are still very apt. Since then we have had 9-11 and perhaps an awareness of freedom and pride that we didn’t have back then.
Independence Day, more commonly known as Fourth of July, is probably the most important secular holiday celebrated in the United States. It commemorates the anniversary of the adoption by the Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence, which announced the breaking of ties between the 13 American Colonies and England.
We now celebrate with fireworks, picnics and get-togethers in general and try to have a good but safe time. Don’t forget to fly your flag on this day.
If you are planning a trip over the holiday, always remember to be careful of the driver of the car, in the car behind the car in front of you! In other words, pay attention to what you are doing at all times. Keep your mind on your driving, keep your hands on the wheel, don’t talk or text on the cell phone, and keep your eyes watching your surroundings, be aware of what is taking place around you. (If you absolutely have to use the phone, pull over to the side of the road until you finish talking or texting).
If you are planning on staying at home, keep as cool as it is possible to do. Drink plenty of water, and take care not to get too overheated. You do not want to have a heat stroke or other heat related problems that could be controlled by staying indoors during the heat of the day and by replacing body fluids with liquids, other than alcoholic beverages. Do not forget to protect yourself with sunscreen. Sunburn is one of the most uncomfortable things there is. The best cure is prevention, but milk of magnesia, kept in the fridge and gently patted on the skin, is a great antidote. Also, cooled, brewed tea patted on, or even just cloths repeatedly wrung out in cold water will help ease the burning. There are some excellent commercial remedies on the market, but these three are all old timers!
Savory Seasoned Burgers
2 pounds lean ground meat
1 teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
8 hamburger buns.
Heat grill. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except buns; mix well. Shape mixture into 8 patties. To barbecue, place patties on gas grill over medium-high heat, or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium-high coals. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, turning once. (It’s time to turn the meat when you see little dribbles down the sides of the patties.) Serve on buns with lettuce, sliced tomato, onion and pickles, if desired. (These can also be either baked in the oven or cooked on top of the stove, I done both!).
Some members of my family like to add sliced jalapeños, bacon, cheese and maybe even sliced avocados to their hamburgers. Not exactly healthy, but truly delicious!
Baked Beans
2 cans pork & beans 15-oz size or 1 can 32-oz size
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced green bell pepper
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup prepared barbecue sauce
Several strips, thin-sliced bacon
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Dice bacon and fry until crisp. Drain well on paper towels and set aside. In 1½ to 2 quart round casserole dish, combine beans with remaining ingredients. Mix together. Sprinkle bacon pieces on top. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes.

We’ve Got This!

Our four days at the beach, was sure easy on the eyes. We went to a new place this year, and it turned out to be very nice. At the end of the board walk, there was a massive but beautiful little hill of sand to go over to get to the beach. Or as Tucker called it, “sand mountain”.
I braved the mountain on almost every walk to the beach, but pretty much everyone else preferred taking the golf cart on the little nice and flat side street. That sandy hill is definitely a thigh burner, but it was so picturesque at the top. It looked just like a calendar.
I love the beach, through and through. I could literally sit there and watch the waves roll in all day long (if and when I am not trying to keep up with my busy toddler Tucky man). Relaxing is not in his nature. While at the beach, he approached every pretty girl he saw, bringing an offering of beach toys to share and make friends. It was too funny.
On one of our last evenings at the beach though, my daughter went down there, just us two, and we set up our beach loungers on the second sand bar when it was real shallow in the evening. And we just sat there for hours, watching the waves crash against our feet. It was simply the best.
The day before that, Tucker and I had gone down to the beach by ourselves, and we had a different kind of good time. There wasn’t much lounging involved, but actually got to see a fisherman reel in a shark. Everyone on the beach ran and surrounded him to see it. After a few minutes, he took it back out to sea. What a feeling it was to watch him walk back out into the water and release sharkey around the second sand bar! The girls weren’t with us, which I was thanking God for, but don’t worry, Tucker made sure to tell them all!
Grandma caught a whole herd of hermit crabs for the kids to play with. They got caught and released many times before they made their way back to the sea. Tucker and Audrey loved them.
I would say that Tucker got the biggest kick of all out of the quick and shifty sand crabs running around the beach at night. We went “crabbing” after dark with our herd of kids and armory of flashlights. My little sister Pauline with a sock on her hand became the crab picker-upper. Oh how those kids screamed every time one of those crabs scurried a little too close to their toes. I’m convinced Tucker has got a lot more octaves than the rest of us in his screamer. Tucker is kind of like a puppy, he loves to chase things. It is his greatest thrill.
I even got a concert from my daddy and husband on our last night in paradise, with the sound of the waves in the background. It was too perfect.
Shortly before we left Sunday morning, something really special happened on that old “sand mountain”. Sticking up out of the sand, I found a little post it note, half buried in the sand. On it, in big bold letters were the words “We’ve got this!”
For the past year, these words have become a motto for our whole family, beginning the day our sweet little Audrey girl was diagnosed with a horrible disease called A-T. On that day, her family cried all around her, but she kept smiling, singing and dancing, letting her little light shine like she always has. Instead of crying, little Audrey looked up at her teary-eyed grandmother and said “We’ve got this!” while giving her a thumbs up. So that saying is engraved on all our bumper stickers, t-shirts, and most deeply, on our hearts. To find it coming up that big steep hill was really something else.
I couldn’t wait to hand that little piece of paper to my sister when I got back up to the house. It brought her a needed smile, and I agreed wholeheartedly when she said, “I think God is trying to tell us something.”

Half an inch rain

Last measurable rain we got was half an inch on May 26. That made the total for the year 4.9 inches…pretty bad. This time last year, we already had 19.6 inches. Some of y’all ain’t prayin hard enough or often enough.
Very short meeting last week. Guess the main topic of discussion was Corrections Officer wages. Getting someone to work with these caged misfits and paying them enough to do it has become difficult…to say the least. I realize that some are there as a result of a mistake or a bad decision but, most are there because they cannot function in society and follow its rules.
We extended the temporary employee position in the Auditor’s Office through the end of the Fiscal year, approved a grant application for bullet proof vests and all the other pomp and circumstance that goes with Commissioners Court meetings.
We are going to start on our Budget soon. There are four meetings scheduled at this time…June 23rd at 10 AM, June 28th at 10 AM, June 30th at 1 PM and July 5th at 10 AM. These meetings are open to the public and I invite those interested to attend. This year is gonna be interesting.
By now, folks should have received their appointed date to protest their ridiculously high appraisals. Be sure to take some type of justification for your protest because without some type of substantial argument, it will fall on deaf ears.
I missed the meeting where the Appraisal District voted on and passed their proposed Budget for next year. Will have more on this later.
Happy upcoming birthday to Bobbie DuBose and Johnnie Fay (Mawmaw) Evans. I think they both have reached at least 45.

Yet another trip!

Have you noticed that our year is very close to being half over? I was looking at a calendar the other day and all of a sudden it dawned on me…2022 is already half over, where has it gone…I know we can’t get it back…guess we just have to live with it! At least, it was lot’s better than two years ago!
Last week, I had yet one more road trip. My daughter, my sister, and I set out on the 11th of June for a road trip to North Texas. My brother lives in a town that is about half way between Sherman and McKinney, and he was hosting a birthday party for my precious sister-in-law who was celebrating a major milestone. It was a wonderful weekend with as many of their children and grandchildren who were able to be there with them and a couple of truly awesome surprises for her! First and foremost, one of their granddaughters slipped in wearing a banner that proclaimed her to be a “Bride to Be”. I had been asked by her mother to keep my sister-in-law occupied, this was not difficult as she was making dinner and all I had to do was ask about the casserole she was making. There were a couple of times that I wondered what was going on, but I kept her talking and cooking…sure enough, in just a little while, a couple more people came into the kitchen and got her to look at the group that had just arrived, her expression was priceless, as she realized what the banner actually said! We had lots of hugs and tears of happiness going on. The weekend progressed in this same fashion, we moved around, visited with this group, visited with that group and it was truly great. There were well over twenty there for the actual party, with a wonderful meal. Someone declared that it was time for cake and gifts and that’s when another big surprise came out, her oldest granddaughter and her husband had face timed, and announced that they were expecting…this caused more tears, laughter, hugs, and we go on and on. Our group got ourselves together about 10:00 a.m. on Monday and headed back to this part of the world, worn out, but happy. The traffic wasn’t bad and we had a good trip home, then, Tuesday morning, it was back to the grind for me! Tuesday was gift shop time, and today, I’ve been totally lazy, a little laundry, a stint at the therapy pool and then back home for a nap. Now, I just thank the good Lord for getting us through everything safely and have lots of memories.
INTERESTING STUFF
A SHOT OF WHISKEY
In the old west a .45 cartridge for a six-gun cost 12 cents, so did a glass of whiskey. If a cowhand was low on cash he would often give the bartender a cartridge in exchange for a drink. This became known as a “shot” of whiskey.
THE WHOLE NINE YARDS
American fighter planes in WW2 had machine guns that were fed by a belt of cartridges. The average plane held belts that were 27 feet (9 yards) long. If the pilot used up all his ammo he was said to have given it the whole nine yards.
BUYING THE FARM
This is synonymous with dying. During WW1 soldiers were given life insurance policies worth $5,000. This was about the price of an average farm so if you died you “bought the farm” for your survivors.
IRON CLAD CONTRACT
This came about from the ironclad ships of the Civil War. It meant something so strong it could not be broken.
PASSING THE BUCK/THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Most men in the early west carried a jack knife made by the Buck knife company. When playing poker it as common to place one of these Buck knives in front of the dealer so that everyone knew who he was. When it was time for a new dealer the deck of cards and the knife were given to the new dealer. If this person didn’t want to deal he would “pass the buck” to the next player. If that player accepted then “the buck stopped there”.
RIFF RAFF
The Mississippi River was the main way of traveling from north to south. Riverboats carried passengers and freight but they were expensive so most people used rafts. Everything had the right of way over rafts which were considered cheap. The steering oar on the rafts was called a “riff” and this transposed into riff-raff, meaning low class.
COBWEB
The Old English word for “spider” was “cob”.
SHIP STATE ROOMS
Traveling by steamboat was considered the height of comfort. Passenger cabins on the boats were not numbered. Instead they were named after states. To this day cabins on ships are called staterooms.
SLEEP TIGHT
Early beds were made with a wooden frame. Ropes were tied across the frame in a criss-cross pattern. A straw mattress was then put on top of the ropes. Over time the ropes stretched, causing the bed to sag. The owner would then tighten the ropes to get a better night’s sleep.
SHOWBOAT
These were floating theaters built on a barge that was pushed by a steamboat. These played small town along the Mississippi River. Unlike the boat shown in the movie “Showboat” these did not have an engine. They were gaudy and attention grabbing which is why we say someone who is being the life of the party is “showboating”.
OVER A BARREL
In the days before CPR a drowning victim would be placed face down over a barrel and the barrel would be rolled back and forth in an effort to empty the lungs of water. It was rarely effective. If you are over a barrel you are in deep trouble.
BARGE IN
Heavy freight was moved along the Mississippi in large barges pushed by steamboats. These were hard to control and would sometimes swing into piers or other boats. People would say they “barged in”.
HOGWASH
Steamboats carried both people and animals. Since pigs smelled so bad they would be washed before being put on board. The mud and other filth that was washed off was considered useless “hog wash”.
CURFEW
The word “curfew” comes from the French phrase “couvre-feu”, which means “cover the fire”. It was used to describe the time of blowing out all lamps and candles. It was later adopted into Middle English as “curfeu”, which later became the modern “curfew”. In the early American colonies homes had no real fireplaces so a fire was built in the center of the room. In order to make sure a fire did not get out of control during the night it was required that, by an agreed upon time, all fires would be covered with a clay pot called a “curfew”.
BARRELS OF OIL
When the first oil wells were drilled they had made no provision for storing the liquid so they used water barrels. That is why, to this day, we speak of barrels of oil rather than gallons.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
As the paper goes through the rotary printing press friction causes it to heat up. Therefore, if you grab the paper right off the press it is hot. The expression means to get immediate information.
We don’t see this anymore since the papers are all done with computers, but if you’ve been or worked in the “print shop” part of The Devine News, you can see tiny bits of lead in the walls. It took me a while to figure out what they were!
Here is a great brisket recipe that has been around in our family for quite a while, and we’ve always enjoyed it. I don’t make it very often anymore, because I don’t always have a crowd to feed, and it feeds a large group of people!
Oven Baked Brisket
1 brisket (6-8 pounds)
1 bottle liquid smoke
Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder (if desired)
Thoroughly season brisket well on both sides. Place in a roasting pan and bake at 250ºF to 300ºF, uncovered, for 4 to 5 hours. Pour one-half of the bottle of liquid smoke over the meat, turn meat over and pour the remaining liquid smoke over the meat. Cook, covered for an additional 1½ to 2 hours. Remove from oven, let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Be sure to slice across the grain of the meat to have nice slices. When the grain changes, give the brisket a one-quarter turn and continue slicing.
Here are two cakes that I’ve recently taken to bake sales or group meals, I entered the first one in a little competition that was going on at the hospital, and while it didn’t win any type of prize, they ate all of it!
The carrot cake is an old recipe and it’s a favorite with most of the men in my family! The chicken salad is a version of a salad that I got from a microwave cookin school in the 70s! I’ve served it to bunco groups, meetings, etc.
Summery Chicken Salad
Dressing:
1/2 cup bottled chili sauce (Heinz, DelMonte)
4 tablespoons picante sauce (mild, medium or hot)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
Mix above ingredients together and set aside.
Salad:
2½ to 3 cups cooked, diced chicken
4 sliced green onions (tops too)
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
Mix these ingredients together, add dressing and mix lightly until all ingredients are coated. Garnish with additional avocado, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.
Southern Pecan Praline Sheet Cake
Ingredients:
Cake
1 box Betty Crocker butter pecan cake mix
16 oz. can Betty Crocker Coconut Pecan Frosting
4 large eggs
3/4 Cup canola or coconut oil
1 Cup half-and-half for increased flavor instead of water
1/2 Cup chopped pecans
Butter Pecan Glaze
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 Tbs butter
1/2 Cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Grease or spray a 9×13-baking dish with cooking spray.
In a mixing bowl, combine all the cake ingredients except for the chopped pecans. Mix well.
Add chopped pecans and stir to combine.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Butter Pecan Glaze:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
Add condensed milk and stir.
Heat thoroughly, then add chopped pecans.
Stir again to combine and remove from heat.
Spoon sauce over individual slices of cake or spread over the entire cake (much easier).
Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
1½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1½ cups cooking oil
2 cups finely shredded carrots (use blender to grate & drain well, or shred by hand)
1 can (8½ size) crushed pineapple (undrained)
½ cup chopped toasted nuts
1 can (3½-oz) coconut (I use ¾ to 1 cup from a plastic bag, as you can’t always find coconut in a can any longer)
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add eggs and oil and mix well, stir in carrots, pineapple, nuts and coconut and mix just until combined. Pour into 9×13 baking pan or Bundt pan and bake at 350ºF for 35 to 40 minutes. If using a Bundt pan, bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool, either in the pan, or remove from pan and place on cake rack to cool completely. For Bundt pan, cool about 5 minutes in pan and them remove and cool completely.
Frost as desired, but is best with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)
1 block (8-oz) cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, beat in powdered sugar gradually beating until creamy and of spreadable consistency, if too stiff, add a few drops of milk.

I don’t make the news…I just report it

Thankfully, we dropped down to 59 calls for service this week, that’s a lot easier to manage than the 91 from the previous week. We were still busy, there always seems to be a lot going on. Officers conducted 142 traffic stops, which resulted in 123 citations and 19 warnings.
We had 4 arrests last week. #1 – Sgt. Hanson conducted a traffic stop for “no headlights” and determined the driver had a felony warrant out of Burnet Co. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. I bet that guy will run his headlights 24/7 after that little lesson. #2 – Sgt. Hanson conducted a traffic stop for speeding and determined the driver had an active warrant out of Harris Co. for Carrying a Prohibited Weapon. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. #3 – Ofc. J. Cortez conducted a traffic stop on Main St. for speeding, the driver had an active warrant out of Bexar Co. for felony theft, and he was booked into the ACSO Jail. #4 – Sgt. Hanson (assisted by Ofc. L. Diaz) conducted a traffic stop on Railroad St. for a defective headlight. He determined the driver to be an unlicensed 14 YOA male. An adult male occupant was determined to have a warrant out of Bexar Co. for Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon. He was booked into the Atascosa Co. Jail. I guess the guy figured “I got a warrant, you drive,” the plan might have worked had the headlight been working.
Reported property crimes, we had 9. #1 – A complainant reported that someone entered her unlocked vehicle and took a purse, backpack, Air pods, and a pack of smokes. The incident occurred in the 15000 Blk. of Main St. #2 – Saddle Ridge Estates reported that copper AC lines were taken from 5 homes that were under construction, the loss was valued at $5,000. #3 – John’s Small Engine Repair on Main St. reported that 2 small gas cans, both full of gas, were taken. Gas is the new gold standard, I guess. #4 – Saddle Ridge Estates reported that 78 sheets of decking material were stolen from a job site. The loss was valued at $4,400. #5 – A complainant reported that a tire was “slashed” on her vehicle while she was at work at Bill Miller BBQ. #6 – A resident in the 15000 Blk. of Main St. reported that 4 wheels and tires valued at $1,120 was taken from his yard. #8 – A Cottage St. resident reported that someone tried to forcibly enter the driver’s side door of their vehicle. #9 – A Bruce St. resident that two of their tires had been “slashed”.
We have one subdivision under construction with some residents already calling it home, there are still lots of homes to be built. We have one other subdivision that is already doing site work and another that is close to starting. For the next several years we will have a lot of residential construction and we will be challenged with keeping the crooks away. They will come from near and far to visit our “after hours” lumber yard where you pick your own product and load it yourself.
Don’t forget the 4th of July Fireworks Show at John Lott Park. Fireworks when the sun goes down. Food trucks and live music start at 5 PM. Should be a lot of fun, I would bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
As a reminder, it is illegal to discharge fireworks within the city limits. If you have a fireworks complaint, please call our 24-hour dispatcher: The Atascosa Co. Sheriff’s Office in Jourdanton @ 830-769-3434 (Option #1). They have direct radio contact with all our on-duty officers.
Stage 3 Water Restrictions are now in place for City of Lytle Water Customers. Visit the city’s website or call city hall for more details. It’s dry, and it doesn’t appear rain is in the forecast.
Sorry for the long report, I don’t make the news…. I just report it in a not very concise manner.

The Jurassic Life

Well about two weeks after our fridge and freezers failed us, our AC decided to go out too. Thankfully, my handy dandy husband was able to fix the AC himself.
I took the kids to see the new Jurassic Park movie. That was an interesting trip. Probably my most stressful trip to the movie theatre ever. My little “Tucky T-Rex” as we call him, loves dinosaurs and he has always loved Jurassic Park movies, but he was quite the little T-Rex at the theatre.
He was fine when there was lots of dinosaur fights and action, but the first part of the movie is a lot of talk, and not a lot of action, so he was really struggling to sit still or quiet. And the theatre had those new-fangled “recliner seats” too. Once Tucker discovered that up/down button, it was over. He reclined and inclined back and forth every five minutes. Then came the point when he felt he just had to try out the three empty recliners that were beside us. I knew there was a good reason I chose to sit in the back of the theatre!
I have never attempted to try to make my 4 year old sit perfectly still for a 90 minute movie before, but I thought this was the one movie he would be entertained enough to watch in the theatre.
I guess that’s what I get for thinking.
I have however, enjoyed watching Tucker act out all kinds of dinosaur scenes with his toys at home. He has grown quite the imagination, and he is in that phase where he is giving each one of his dinosaurs a different funny little voice. The other day I was watching him as his stegosaurus “talked” to his T-Rex and only God knows whata-saurus. I can’t ever remember all those dinosaur names. But soon, a pterodactyl bird came flying in and stopped right above the T-Rex’s head as Tucker deliberately made pterodactyl farting noise. He had no idea I was watching him play, but I busted out laughing at that point. I have never much enjoyed farting humor, but then again, I’ve never heard a pterodactyl fart before! It was pretty funny to hear Tucker’s version of a pterodactyl fart when he thought no one was watching him. Boys will be boys, and it’s pretty dang funny.
I won’t be going to any movie theatres for a while, but his little play acting is way more entertaining than Jurassic Park anyway! And the popcorn is cheaper at home too!