February 22, 2016

 
Rich and Sarah Wallace planned a Valentine’s Day golfing trip to the beautiful gulf coast of Pensacola, Florida. They again invited Gary and Melba Gores to join them as they have for 8 years celebrating Valentine’s Day. My thanks to Sarah and Gary for this news about their trip. This year the Wallaces decided to stay in his dad’s golf course home and meet up with some close high school friends. Golf was the key activity planned around seafood feasts. We played golf at Marcus Point Golf Course in Pensacola, FL, Tiger Point Golf Course, on Santa Rosa Island, A. C. Read Golf Course on Pensacola Naval Air Station, and Perdido Bay Golf Course at Perdido Bay, FL.

Rich and Sarah met in high school and married after college. Their close friend, Hugh Fones, was a key ingredient in the trip. His constant coaching on the best golf courses (with the best green fees) was invaluable. He also provided recommended eateries for the best area seafood. Some of those included Atlas Oyster House in downtown Pensacola, Chet’s Seafood Restaurant in Pace, FL, Sunset Grille at Peridido Key, Seville Quarter, Grand Marlin and Peg Leg Pete’s on Pensacola Beach. No friend could have been more supportive of the itinerary than Hugh. He would show up on the golf course, at the restaurant, and Rich Wallace’s dad’s home in time to add information and recommendations. Hugh also is a great golfer with awards from his college days to the present. Besides several meals with classmates each evening Hugh also arranged a seafood luncheon on the water with 5 classmates to discuss old times and antics of their days together. Sarah was the only female classmate attending and had many stories aimed at her. The trip was made more comfortable as Rich drove his new Ram Eco Diesel 4 door pickup with plenty of room for the golf clubs and required wardrobe. With 1500 round trip miles logged, it was a great experience made even better by a sunset on the way home that was a most spectacular colorful event.

Andrea was pleased to visit with a real “Reality” celebrity from the Catfish Kings TV show which appeared on the Animal Planet channel. The object is get into the water and catch catfish with their hands. Ronald Murdock from Martinsville was the star of this TV show and is the nephew of Judy Poe whose husband, Larry, taught Ag at Diboll ISD for several years. Andrea asked Ronald if he ever worried about snakes in the water, he replied, “No, not snakes just BIG turtles.” When Ronald is not living dangerously catching catfish, he works as a logger.

We also had another TV celebrity that comes by on a regular basis, Kevin Carter, who works at The Campbell Group located catty-cornered across Hwy 59 from Pouland’s. Kevin is a well-known “fiddle” player and has played with some great country-western bands including Gene Watson. Almost every weekend he is “fiddling” with some group on some stage. Last week he performed with singer, Landon Dodd, at the Western Kountry Klub near Midlothian. The movie Pure Country was filmed on this location with George Strait playing the part of “Dusty”. Kevin said they ate at a haunted restaurant in Waxahachie and said it was disturbing that a certain door would not stay closed. Kevin will be playing this weekend, February 27th, at Ogden’s Country Jubliee in the Polk County Commerce Center in Livingston. Tickets are $15. For more information call 936-933-5852.

If you are interested in this restaurant in Waxahachie, the name is “The Catfish Plantation” which specializes in catfish, Cajun and Down Home Cookin’. It is located in an 1895 “gingerbread” Victorian house with a big front porch and yard that is enclosed by a white picket fence. It was bought by the Bakers in 1984 to be used as a home and restaurant, having no idea that the place had ghosts.

Betty Hendrick, along with neighbors Judy Hughes and Donna Enlow, took advantage of a sunny February day last week to drive to Timpson. They made a shopping stop at Miller’s Country Market to pick up freshly baked cinnamon-raisin bread and other specialty items such as F. R.O.G. jam. The store is operated by Mennonite families living in the Timpson area and has a wonderful bakery and deli as well a good assortment of jellies, various kinds of mixes, and other items shipped in from Amish groups in Ohio and other states. While the website mentions more operating store days, the market is open only Thursday-Saturday from 9-4.30. The best day to pick up bakery items is Thursday. The market is located just off Highway 59 at the corner of 1st Street. The gracious employees, in typical Mennonite dress and manners, were delightful and shared more information. Following the shopping tour, the three travelers circled through old downtown for lunch at The Frontier Café, which is operated by relatives of those folks who own the café on Appleby-Sands Road out from Nacogdoches. If you can keep from getting rattled going through the 59 construction, the visit to Timpson is well worth the travel!

Congratulations to Hunter Linton, son of Melvin and Sandy Linton, Jr. who live in Beulah. Hunter participated in the San Antonio Rodeo Calf Scramble. 24 kids scrambled around the arena chasing 12 calves. Hunter was the first to cross the line with a calf. He won a $1,000 certificate, a plaque and an additional $200 for being the first. Hunter will scramble again at the Houston Livestock Show on March 8th. Good Luck!! Andrea (Swor) is a member of The Angelina County Go Texan Committee and wants to encourage everyone to mark their calendars for April 2nd when this group will be having a $5,000 Steak Dinner. Actually, it’s an opportunity to win $5,000 in cash when you purchase a $100 ticket for two that includes the steak dinner. There will also be live and silent auctions and remember, the proceeds will benefit the local scholarship fund. April 2nd, 6:30 PM at Shelton’s Place on FM 2108. Andrea will have tickets available here at Pouland’s.

Come by and see us…’round the table.