October 5, 2016 Issue

   Welcome, October.    Welcome.    Or make that Oktober...with a k.    If you’re speaking German.    Swedish.    Danish.    Norwegian.    Or Indonesian.    No matter how you say it, it’s here.    Good ol’ Autumn-leaves-falling-crisp-morning-air-October.    Welcome, Fall.    Worthy of capitalizing (though grammar authorities think differently).    No matter whe ...

   Viola Elizabeth “Sandy” Miller    Viola Elizabeth “Sandy” Miller, age 93 of Mason, Texas, passed away on Saturday, October 1, 2016.    She was born December 10, 1922, to Isaac and Beaulah Mae (Mason) Dorsett. Sandy attended school until the sixth grade. At that time, she went to work with her mother and grandmother cleaning homes and working in the cotton fields.    She married Prince Jefferson in 1936.

   It is almost time for the Mason County Habitat for Humanity Warehouse Sale! Do you have materials left over from a building or remodeling project? We’ll take them! We accept furniture, ceiling fans, or working appliances. Tools, cabinetry, tiles and grout are also examples of items we will sell.

   The first Mason County Fall Market featured many of our regular vendors and some new faces. We had several different kinds of vegetables including okra and a few early fall tomatoes. The selection of baked goods was incredible! There were also lots of pickles, jams and salsa. Several vendors had fresh eggs for sale.

   Local officials from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Mason County AgriLife Extension and Soil Water Conservation District (SWCD) office jointly held a Fall Range Supper on Thursday, September 29 at the Eckert Community Center.    Sponsors for the event were First State Bank, Commercial Bank and Mason Bank as well as Capital Farm Credit.

   Fall Arts Fest 2016, Sandstone Cellars 2016 Hallowine Festival and Willow Creek Costume Party    Halloween is on its way, so why not spend it with us in Mason? Join in the fun on October 29th with a plethora of artists from the Hill Country, and beyond, at Mason Fall Arts Fest from 11am-4pm.

   The Library 42 Group will meet on Wednesday, October 12th, 1:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome.    Bring a friend and enjoy the fun.

   Quick French Bread    courtesy: Keep Home Simple    Over the years, I have probably accumulated 8 or 10 recipes for French Bread. Most of them resulted in a pretty good end product, but most of them were/are a bit “fussy” and time-consuming. Ever on the look-out for the ideal French Bread recipe, I happened across this one.

   The Mason Lions Club met Tuesday, September 27th, for it’s weekly luncheon meeting. There were 35 members and 3 visitors in attendance. Among the visitors were 3 Mason High School Seniors, Evelia Lopez, who has applied to A.S.U. and is interested in Oncology, Kim Danz, who wants to attend Howard University and eventually become a nurse, and Alexandria Baltierra who is currently applying to 4 different colleges.    “Boss” Lion Jess Irwin read ex Secretary of Defense ...

   In conjunction with World Space Week, the library is sponsoring a free showing of two space documentaries: Chasing Pluto: A Historic Journey to the Edge of our Solar System, and Invisible Universe Revealed. We hope you’ll take time out this Saturday to come to the Odeon at 1:00 P.M.

   A tale of two guys    “Where you from?”    Since I try to be sociable, at least when my phone isn’t getting good reception, I posed the question to a fellow in a clothing store in Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, USVI. Tourists in the islands rarely ask one another’s name, since they’ll just forget it anyway, and there’s no use asking how anyone is doing.

   Housework and a dog chasing it’s tail is very much alike. Pick it up, clean it up, put it up. It has to be constantly done. I use to think that it all had to get done. However, the older I get the less important housework becomes.    The world isn’t going to stop, just because you didn’t get it all done.

   A Ranger Named ‘Joaquin’....    Had his life been a song, it would have been Big John. If a folk tale, Paul Bunyan. If a military hero, pick your favorite, and he’d have a lot of Joaquin Jackson in him.    And this veteran lawman charged with peace-keeping over a vast West Texas expanse bigger than some states was perhaps as colorful as Judge Roy Bean.

   With the calendar change to October it seems that fall is truly here. Friday night football is keeping the town excited, the temperature is pleasant and it is more comfortable to keep the windows open, and there are plenty of activities to fill the weekends. The Farmer’s Market on the Square was a great success this past weekend and will be repeated on Saturdays, there are special activities and concerts around town, fund raisers for the Education Foundation and others, and a Sat ...

   It’s been a very busy month! The Board of Directors and I have been working very hard on our largest fundraiser of the year, Wild Game Dinner. Tickets are available for sale at the Chamber office as well as Mason Feed Store on Saturday mornings. Proceeds from this event help maintain Chamber office expenses and promote tourism to Mason.

   John and I have been traveling. It was bucket list time. For years, I have wanted to see the aspens turn gold in the fall. We have planned this trip tentatively several times but plans always fell through. The trip was worth the drive. We rode the narrow gauge train from Durango, Colorado, to Silverton, Colorado.

   Baby Boomers to Millenials... The Generations    I, like half of the graduating class of 1978, was born in 1959. The other half was born in 1960. Technically, all of us are too young to be considered Baby Boomers and too old to be considered Children of the 60s. Later generations would be tagged as Generation X, or as Millineals.    My generation falls between the cracks.

   Our Meeting will be hosted by the Kerr County members, and will be held in Kerrville, TX. All ladies that are interested in joining are welcome to attend!    WHEN: October 18, 2016    TIME: Social 10:00 am with meal to follow    WHERE: Billy Gene’s    1489 Junction Hwy    Kerrville, TX 78028    (830-895-7377    COST: $18.00 per person  

   YOU ARE INVITED!    St. John Lutheran Church in Castell - founded in 1893 - will hold its annual Reunion Sunday on Oct. 9.    The worship service begins at 10 a.m. All former members and/or their descendants, friends and neighbors are cordially invited to stay, visit and share a BBQ lunch.    On this special day, we are also celebrating Norman Grenwelge’s 95th birthday.

   Do you have a “burning desire” for the Mason Punchers to beat Harper at next week’s football games?    Well, come join the Mason Punchers and help celebrate Homecoming Week at the bonfire!    The bonfire will take place Wednesday October 12th at 7:30 p.m. outside of the Puncherdome.    For safety reasons, we ask that prior to the burning of the bonfire there be NO DUMPIMG of any kind at the bonfire site.

   This last Saturday, the Mighty Mason Puncher Band attended the Vista Ridge Marching Festival in Cedar Park. They came away with 1st place in the 3A division as well as awards for best music and best auxiliary.    “We went to this contest so early because this is the same stadium that we will be performing at for our UIL contest this year.

   Thousands of 4-H’ers will be involved in hundreds of community service projects    COLLEGE STATION – On Oct. 8, thousands of youth and adults throughout the state involved in Texas 4-H will participate in hundreds of community service projects statewide as part of National 4-H Week activities, said Dr. Chris Boleman, Texas 4-H Youth Development director, College Station.    “One Day 4-H is a statewide community service initiative of Texas ...

   Riata Service Organization held its first meeting for the fall on September 27, 2016, with Alberta Birk and Nan Larrimore as hostesses.    Thirty one members enjoyed a delicious salad luncheon served by the first half of the membership. The tables were decorated with festive fall decorations.    Laura Tallent passed out the yearbooks and talked about upcoming projects.

   Fall is in the air (hope that doesn’t jinx it!), and hopefully soon the frost will be on the pumpkin. Everything Pumpkin Spice is flooding the marketplace, and the Mason Punchers are on a roll. So how could life in Mason get any better than this? For Mason’s Scarlet Punchers, the answer is simple: grab your brooms (okay, we’re carpooling from the Methodist Church parking lot) and fly out to Joan Lindley’s for our usual “best Halloween ever.”    On Monday, Octo ...

   We had a good sized group of golfers show up for the weekly Scramble: 19 in all! Formed up into 5 teams, they headed out to begin play promptly at 5:30.    A couple of hours later, as the groups began to return to the club house, the really great score of -7, posted by Brent’s team of Hank, Bob D., and Will, looked to be a winner.

   StoneLeaf Companies was successful in its application to build a senior apartment community in the City of Mason! The application was submitted to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) in March of 2016 and the governing agency awarded the project to StoneLeaf Development, LLC on July 28, 2016.

   The Mason Study Club began the 2016-2017 year with a delicious luncheon hosted by this year’s officers and a fascinating presentation by local artist Laura Lewis at the Mason Library. Ms. Lewis, a High Plains regionalist, is known for her ability to capture the expansive landscapes, skyscapes, and agricultural imagery of that part of Texas which is forever imprinted on her soul.    Her artistic process began as a teen when she had the good fortune to study portraiture w ...

   Mason ISD 3rd graders will begin a unit of garden study called Learn, Grow, Eat & Go! this week in Mrs. Edward’s science class. Over the next 10 weeks, the students will use this Jr. Master Gardener program to learn about plants—why they are important to us, how to give plants what they need, and how to grow a vegetable garden!

   Bee Cave – The Wild and Scenic Film Festival, the nation’s premier environmental film festival, is coming to the Texas Hill Country this fall with three screening events the whole family will enjoy. The theme of the festivals will be “Celebrating Hill Country Rivers,” and the featured films will celebrate individuals and communities coming together and taking action for the protection and restoration of our natural resources.    October 19th at the Odeon T ...

   Fredericksburg, TX - September 8, 2016 - Auditions for FTC’s production, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 8th and 9th at 2pm at the Steve W. Shepherd Theater. The theater is located at 1668 South U.S Highway 87 in Fredericksburg.

   Mason ISD 3rd graders will begin a unit of garden study called Learn, Grow, Eat & Go! this week in Mrs. Edward’s science class. Over the next 10 weeks, the students will use this Jr. Master Gardener program to learn about plants—why they are important to us, how to give plants what they need, and how to grow a vegetable garden!

   Thousands of 4-H’ers will be involved in hundreds of community service projects    COLLEGE STATION – On Oct. 8, thousands of youth and adults throughout the state involved in Texas 4-H will participate in hundreds of community service projects statewide as part of National 4-H Week activities, said Dr. Chris Boleman, Texas 4-H Youth Development director, College Station.    “One Day 4-H is a statewide community service initiative of Texas ...

   This last Saturday, the Mighty Mason Puncher Band attended the Vista Ridge Marching Festival in Cedar Park. They came away with 1st place in the 3A division as well as awards for best music and best auxiliary.    “We went to this contest so early because this is the same stadium that we will be performing at for our UIL contest this year.

   Do you have a “burning desire” for the Mason Punchers to beat Harper at next week’s football games?    Well, come join the Mason Punchers and help celebrate Homecoming Week at the bonfire!    The bonfire will take place Wednesday October 12th at 7:30 p.m. outside of the Puncherdome.    For safety reasons, we ask that prior to the burning of the bonfire there be NO DUMPIMG of any kind at the bonfire site.

   The Mason Lions Club met Tuesday, September 27th, for it’s weekly luncheon meeting. There were 35 members and 3 visitors in attendance. Among the visitors were 3 Mason High School Seniors, Evelia Lopez, who has applied to A.S.U. and is interested in Oncology, Kim Danz, who wants to attend Howard University and eventually become a nurse, and Alexandria Baltierra who is currently applying to 4 different colleges.    “Boss” Lion Jess Irwin read ex Secretary of Defense ...

   The high school cross country teams traveled to Round Rock this past weekend to compete at Old Settlers Park where the State Meet will be held. The runners competed against teams in divisions 1A-4A with over 400 runners per division and approximately 45 teams in each event.    The Varsity Cowgirls placed 18th as a team with Angelica Ramirez leading the way and setting a NEW SCHOOL RECORD of 12:14 on the state course!

   7th vs. Ballinger    The 7th grade suffered a tough loss against Ballinger as they fell Thursday, 14-0. We played solid defense but just couldn’t get anything going on offense and our side of the scoreboard remained blank as time ran out. With a good week of practice we should have a better outcome when we play Menard on Thursday.    8th vs.

   The Mason Punchers will start district play next Friday, October 14th. Last Friday, they ended their non-conference schedule when they welcomed the Ballinger Bearcats to town.    The Punchers were in great form for this matchup; and, at the end of the night, they walked away with a 62-14 victory.    The night began with Mason scoring midway through the first quarter on a 29-yard rushing play by Emanuel Martinez.

   What? No football this Friday? The Mason High School theatre class has an option to offer! On Friday, have a lovely meal out at one of our wonderful Mason restaurants, then head to the Mason High School auditorium for the dessert theatre, “Modern Love” at 7 p.m. After two scenes have been performed, an intermission with delectable desserts and coffee will be served, followed by the final scene of the evening.    “Modern Love” was written by Eric Geyer.

   Our Meeting will be hosted by the Kerr County members, and will be held in Kerrville, TX. All ladies that are interested in joining are welcome to attend!    WHEN: October 18, 2016    TIME: Social 10:00 am with meal to follow    WHERE: Billy Gene’s    1489 Junction Hwy    Kerrville, TX 78028    (830-895-7377    COST: $18.00 per person  

   The Texas Department of Public Safety will make available free Voter Identification certificates at mobile stations in Mason and Eden in October.    The Voter ID certificate is one form of identification that can be used for voting purposes in the November 8th election.    An Elecetion Identification certificate mobile station will be open in Mason on October 10-12 at the Mason County Museum, located in the Historical Building at 505 Moody St.

   Being the new kid on the block, graciously accepting hand-me-downs from across the state, we have worked tirelessly to build a volunteer fire department that covers 318 square miles of south Mason County. Only 5 years old we are having to play catch up with all the other volunteer fire departments to which we give and receive mutual aid.

   FREE ADMISSION!    Invisible Universe Revealed & Chasing Pluto: A Historic Journey to the Edge of Our Solar System    1:00 P.M. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8TH at the Odeon    FREE POPCORN & DRINKS    SPONSORED BY THE MASON CO. M. BEVEN ECKERT MEMORIAL LIBRARY

   The Hilda Cemetery Assocition will meet on Sunday, October 9, 2016 in the Hilda Fellowship Hall at 3:00 p.m.    For more info, you can contact Stephen Stengel at 830-669-2496 or [email protected].

   It is almost time for the Mason County Habitat for Humanity Warehouse Sale! Do you have materials left over from a building or remodeling project? We’ll take them! We accept furniture, ceiling fans, or working appliances. Tools, cabinetry, tiles and grout are also examples of items we will sell.

   Local officials from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Mason County AgriLife Extension and Soil Water Conservation District (SWCD) office jointly held a Fall Range Supper on Thursday, September 29 at the Eckert Community Center.    Sponsors for the event were First State Bank, Commercial Bank and Mason Bank as well as Capital Farm Credit.

   Fall Arts Fest 2016, Sandstone Cellars 2016 Hallowine Festival and Willow Creek Costume Party    Halloween is on its way, so why not spend it with us in Mason? Join in the fun on October 29th with a plethora of artists from the Hill Country, and beyond, at Mason Fall Arts Fest from 11am-4pm.

   The Library 42 Group will meet on Wednesday, October 12th, 1:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome.    Bring a friend and enjoy the fun.

   Young Life Mason would like to thank everyone who attended this year’s fundraising banquet and a big thank you to all of those who support Young Life financially throughout the year!    On the evening of Tuesday, September 27th, Young Life Mason held its 5th Annual Celebration and Fundraising Dinner at the Mason Community Building.

   YOU ARE INVITED!    St. John Lutheran Church in Castell - founded in 1893 - will hold its annual Reunion Sunday on Oct. 9.    The worship service begins at 10 a.m. All former members and/or their descendants, friends and neighbors are cordially invited to stay, visit and share a BBQ lunch.    On this special day, we are also celebrating Norman Grenwelge’s 95th birthday.

   Do you have a “burning desire” for the Mason Punchers to beat Harper at next week’s football games?    Well, come join the Mason Punchers and help celebrate Homecoming Week at the bonfire!    The bonfire will take place Wednesday October 12th at 7:30 p.m. outside of the Puncherdome.    For safety reasons, we ask that prior to the burning of the bonfire there be NO DUMPIMG of any kind at the bonfire site.

   Thousands of 4-H’ers will be involved in hundreds of community service projects    COLLEGE STATION – On Oct. 8, thousands of youth and adults throughout the state involved in Texas 4-H will participate in hundreds of community service projects statewide as part of National 4-H Week activities, said Dr. Chris Boleman, Texas 4-H Youth Development director, College Station.    “One Day 4-H is a statewide community service initiative of Texas ...

   Fall is in the air (hope that doesn’t jinx it!), and hopefully soon the frost will be on the pumpkin. Everything Pumpkin Spice is flooding the marketplace, and the Mason Punchers are on a roll. So how could life in Mason get any better than this? For Mason’s Scarlet Punchers, the answer is simple: grab your brooms (okay, we’re carpooling from the Methodist Church parking lot) and fly out to Joan Lindley’s for our usual “best Halloween ever.”    On Monday, Octo ...

   StoneLeaf Companies was successful in its application to build a senior apartment community in the City of Mason! The application was submitted to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) in March of 2016 and the governing agency awarded the project to StoneLeaf Development, LLC on July 28, 2016.

   Bee Cave – The Wild and Scenic Film Festival, the nation’s premier environmental film festival, is coming to the Texas Hill Country this fall with three screening events the whole family will enjoy. The theme of the festivals will be “Celebrating Hill Country Rivers,” and the featured films will celebrate individuals and communities coming together and taking action for the protection and restoration of our natural resources.    October 19th at the Odeon T ...

   Fredericksburg, TX - September 8, 2016 - Auditions for FTC’s production, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 8th and 9th at 2pm at the Steve W. Shepherd Theater. The theater is located at 1668 South U.S Highway 87 in Fredericksburg.

   Mary Lou Neeb    Mary Lou Neeb, 89, passed away on Saturday, September 10, 2016, at home in Gilmer, TX with her family by her side.    Services were held Tuesday, September 13, 2016, at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home in Abilene, TX with graveside services at Elmwood Memorial Park Cemetery.    She was born January 8, 1927, in Ft.

   Viola Elizabeth “Sandy” Miller    Viola Elizabeth “Sandy” Miller, age 93 of Mason, Texas, passed away on Saturday, October 1, 2016.    She was born December 10, 1922, to Isaac and Beaulah Mae (Mason) Dorsett. Sandy attended school until the sixth grade. At that time, she went to work with her mother and grandmother cleaning homes and working in the cotton fields.    She married Prince Jefferson in 1936.

   YOU ARE INVITED!    St. John Lutheran Church in Castell - founded in 1893 - will hold its annual Reunion Sunday on Oct. 9.    The worship service begins at 10 a.m. All former members and/or their descendants, friends and neighbors are cordially invited to stay, visit and share a BBQ lunch.    On this special day, we are also celebrating Norman Grenwelge’s 95th birthday.

   Baby Boomers to Millenials... The Generations    I, like half of the graduating class of 1978, was born in 1959. The other half was born in 1960. Technically, all of us are too young to be considered Baby Boomers and too old to be considered Children of the 60s. Later generations would be tagged as Generation X, or as Millineals.    My generation falls between the cracks.

   Welcome, October.    Welcome.    Or make that Oktober...with a k.    If you’re speaking German.    Swedish.    Danish.    Norwegian.    Or Indonesian.    No matter how you say it, it’s here.    Good ol’ Autumn-leaves-falling-crisp-morning-air-October.    Welcome, Fall.    Worthy of capitalizing (though grammar authorities think differently).    No matter whe ...

   John and I have been traveling. It was bucket list time. For years, I have wanted to see the aspens turn gold in the fall. We have planned this trip tentatively several times but plans always fell through. The trip was worth the drive. We rode the narrow gauge train from Durango, Colorado, to Silverton, Colorado.

   A Ranger Named ‘Joaquin’....    Had his life been a song, it would have been Big John. If a folk tale, Paul Bunyan. If a military hero, pick your favorite, and he’d have a lot of Joaquin Jackson in him.    And this veteran lawman charged with peace-keeping over a vast West Texas expanse bigger than some states was perhaps as colorful as Judge Roy Bean.

   Housework and a dog chasing it’s tail is very much alike. Pick it up, clean it up, put it up. It has to be constantly done. I use to think that it all had to get done. However, the older I get the less important housework becomes.    The world isn’t going to stop, just because you didn’t get it all done.

   A tale of two guys    “Where you from?”    Since I try to be sociable, at least when my phone isn’t getting good reception, I posed the question to a fellow in a clothing store in Charlotte Amalie, on St. Thomas, USVI. Tourists in the islands rarely ask one another’s name, since they’ll just forget it anyway, and there’s no use asking how anyone is doing.

   In conjunction with World Space Week, the library is sponsoring a free showing of two space documentaries: Chasing Pluto: A Historic Journey to the Edge of our Solar System, and Invisible Universe Revealed. We hope you’ll take time out this Saturday to come to the Odeon at 1:00 P.M.

   Quick French Bread    courtesy: Keep Home Simple    Over the years, I have probably accumulated 8 or 10 recipes for French Bread. Most of them resulted in a pretty good end product, but most of them were/are a bit “fussy” and time-consuming. Ever on the look-out for the ideal French Bread recipe, I happened across this one.