Two Texan's Perspective

Farmers Markets – A Fantastic Community Resource

If taste doesn’t matter, don’t go to a Farmers Market for your produce. On the other hand, if rich flavor and freshness are qualities you appreciate, seek out the very best available, go to your local Farmers Market.

Fortunately, Texas is home to over 100 certified farmers markets located across the state. You can find local growers selling fruits, vegetables, pecans, honey, flowers and other Texas-grown products.  Several markets also feature meats, dairy products and specialty items. Many have organically grown or raised products.

Here are the markets located in the Houston area. And there is also a certified market in The Woodlands.

Here is a printable copy of the Texas Fresh Produce Guide, listing Farmers Markets and Pick Your Own Farms throughout the state,

Bon Appetite!

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Technorati Tags: Food,Community

Assessing STIMULUS and BAILOUT etc.

So this man jumps off of a 100 story building. Around the 50^th floor another guy sticks his head out and asks “How’s it going?” Response: “OK so far!”

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Inspiration of Randy Pausch

 

IF you don’t know who Randy Pausch was, I’d like to encourage you to put an hour or so aside and watch this extraordinary video at:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Before his death Randy participated in the “Last Lecture Series” at Carnegie Mellon University where he was a tenured computer science professor. This inspiring talk titled Really Achieve Your Childhood Dreams, is very visual and has three distinct sections; (1) Childhood Dreams, (2) Helping Others Achieve Their Dreams and (3) Lessons Learned. Please stick around for Part 3, Lessons Learned.

In the talk Randy speaks of the “Alice” project (including Storytelling Alice) which is a very innovative way to expose students, starting at middle school age up thru college, to computer programming by tapping into their story telling and artistic expression skills. Randy calls the process “a head fake”.  There is a lot of info about “Alice” at www.Alice.org and it’s FREE.

Randy is big on “head fakes” and he saves the best one for the very last line of his talk. If possible you may want to share this experience with your spouse.

Please share your thoughts about this presentation with me.

(You can also download this talk from ITunes if that works better for you. Just search ITunes for Randy Pausch.)

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Roe vs Wade -36 years

This year we past the thirty-sixth anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision by the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

We offer a silent prayer for the more than 41,000,000 children aborted in our country since that infamous decision.

We trust that as a nation we will someday come to know that love and life requires each of us to strive to give more than we receive.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Music Is...

There I was, walking along listening to my latest MP3 mix, enjoying the crispness of the day, working on my blood pressure when it hit me, smack in my consciousness ... MUSIC is absolutely essential to our physical well being.  For me it's the best way to examine and express the emotions of the day. I wanted to hurry home and share this "revelation" with everyone I could. Then I found that "others" had been there before me. Take a look at what they had to say:

Music is the shorthand of emotion.
Leo Tolstoy

Music expresses that which can not be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
Victor Hugo

Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.
Kahlil Gibran

If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. ... I get most joy in life out of music.
Albert Einstein

Music fills the infinite between two souls. This has been muffled by the mist of our daily habits.
Rabindranath Tagore

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

You are the music while the music lasts.
T.S. Eliot

Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.
Plato

Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman.
Ludwig van Beethoven

Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.
William Congreve

The earth has music for those who listen.
William Shakespeare

I for one intend to follow old Bill's advice ... and listen.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Learning

We are fortunate to own a lithograph of a work by Wooster Scott titled Friendly Encounters - Giraffe Manor, Kenya. Yes, it’s a great piece of art and we love it, but that’s not the main reason for our good fortune. You see, we have six wonderful, healthy, vibrant grandchildren and that’s why we are so fortunate.

There is something special about this painting and the way our grandkids interact with it, each of them in their own way. The colors are vivid and spectacular and all the animals are just the right size for youngsters.

With the youngest one, it’s the discovery of color that is fascinating to watch. Always curious about her surroundings, she recently “discovered” this art treasure and immediately became very excited, pointing at it and wanting to touch it. Every time we enter the room we have to stop and “visit” Giraffe Manor. There is no doubt that we are all born with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. The pure joy and satisfaction of learning is quite evident in a child’s face, if we take the time to look. It puts a great burden on us as adults to make sure children “get excited” about the right things.

We are patiently waiting a Christmas week visit from all our grandkids. And I know they all will spend a few moments visiting the giraffes, the lions, the elephants and the zebras that Wooster Scott has brought to our home. The older kids do love the animals. And if I know Uncle Jerry we’ll all be treated to the authentic sounds of elephants in the wild. There is a certain little girl that can’t wait.

Maybe as the kids grow older they will be curious to learn about Mt. Kilimanjaro  in the background (located in Tanzania) and the beautiful country of Kenya and its people. The possibilities are endless as long as we don’t lose our desire to learn and explore.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Remember Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day, a day to honor all who served the United States in wars or conflicts. There is no doubt that we owe much that is good about life in America to those who serve now or have served their country with honor in the past.

We enjoy incredible freedoms. Our ability to openly agree or disagree with the views and beliefs of others, without fear of repercussions, is unequaled. It is right to honor those who sacrificed so much to secure our freedom.

As a decorated combat veteran of Vietnam, I know first hand that war should always be the last resort for resolving conflict.

The world is a much "smaller" place today than during any prior era. Advances in technology account for this "shrinkage". We are aware of and influenced by events and attitudes observed in every corner of the earth. We have the capacity to know our friends and our enemies in greater depth than ever before. We owe it to those who went before us to find ways to build upon our modern "communication" capabilities to resolve world issues without armed conflict. Then and only then will America reach its full potential.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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New WEB Address

I almost said its finished, but I know better. We do have a new web site. It is full of interesting information. And, if you are expecting to be involved in a Houston Tx real estate transaction in the next several months, its a must see! But, its not finished.

KingwoodTxHomesForSale.com is designed to be THE source of real estate information for buyers ans sellers in Kingwood, Tx. But much of the information is useful outside the Kingwood, Tx real estate market. I actually think this site is the most comprehensive real estate site for our market. And there are no gimmicks or tricks designed to get visitors to contact us. All the information is available on the website itself, and its free.

But its not finished. There is so much we would like to share about real estate and about Kingwood, so we will be adding to the site often.

Visit KingwoodTxHomesForSale.com and let us know what you think. There is a convenient comment form for your use on the site. Who knows, maybe we will be able to take your suggestions and make the site even better.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Butkus 1990 - 2005

Our family lost a good friend this last week. His name is Butkus and he was our son Jimmy's companion since his Sophomore year in College.

Butkus didn't have a fancy pedigree. In fact he was an unlikely mix of Great Dane and Boxer. He was found at an animal shelter and, unfortunately, had been abused as a young puppy. But he had a great spirit and what turned out to be a very protective and loving heart, especially later on when Hunter and Jaqueline came on the scene.

Butkus had a lot of friends. After all he joined the fraternity of college men when he was still a young pup. And as the years passed he related very well to the seniors of the family. He would sit at my mom's feet for hours knowing she would share her "snacks" with him on a 50/50 basis. He certainly made himself part of the family. At times I think he forgot he was a dog, especially when he would back up to the couch and sit himself down.

He was definitely a big dog and could be intimidating, if you let him. The first time I met Butkus I walked into the house, he came running to me and stood on his hind legs placing his front paws squarely on my shoulders. There we were, eye to eye. We were instant friends, I had no choice.

For all his strength and size, he hated the thought of swimming. One late night while staying at our house he needed to visit the back yard. In the dark I made my way to open the door for him and then, half asleep, I went inside to read a book. Well about 15 minutes later there was quite a commotion in the back yard. We have a pool. Butkus had managed to fall in, the deep end of course. When I came out and turned the pool light on, all I could see was two wide open eyes as he frantically clawed his way to the surface, took a breath, went back down again.  At over 85 pounds it was quite a struggle for me to hook him under his front shoulders and drag him out. Was he happy to see me.

You can tell a lot about a man and a woman by how they treat their dog. Seeing how Jimmy and Elizabeth cared for Butkus, especially when he was past his prime, says volumes for them. They gave him dignity and respect and allowed their kids to share in the joy of having a great pet as a great companion. 

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Katrina Disaster Relief

While thousands flee Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi because of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, many are looking to the Houston area for shelter.

A partnership between KPRC-TV, the Houston Association of REALTORS®, the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Area Urban League, and the Houston Young Lawyers Association has been designed to make housing information available to the victims of one of the worst storms in U.S. history.

KPRC-TV is creating phone banks in an ongoing effort to place Hurricane Katrina refugees in housing provided in the Houston area. Homeowners with rooms, single or multi-family properties, condos, beach homes or any other type of shelter are being asked to post the information to the HAR.com Web site at www.HAR.COM/REALTORSHELP.

Information can be accessed by care providers or victims of the Hurricane on the site and by calling, 713-271-1905.

On the site victims can apply for shelter, residents can donate shelter, victims can find short term lease properties and people interested in volunteering can learn how to do so.

There are many efforts underway. This one addresses the basic need for shelter in the short term. Please help if you can.

Again, the site link is: www.HAR.COM/REALTORSHELP

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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"Uncle Tim"

One of the highlights of our recent family trip to  Disneyworld occurred at the most unlikely of events … LUNCH.

On this certain day we were fortunate enough to have everyone in the same place at the same time. It was our turn to visit Disneyworld’s MGM Studios in search of some hair raising adventure, roller coaster thrills and a genuine escape from reality.
 
Anyway, cousin Greg took the lead, deciding everyone should meet for lunch at a quiet little 1950’s style diner he heard was pretty good.

Good, it was great … and I don’t only mean the food.  When you walk in the place you immediately feel as if you have just stepped off a time machine and landed in Aunt Bee’s 1950 kitchen somewhere in Jersey City. The genuine linoleum floor, the chrome plated legs of the “Formica” covered table, the Dumont black & white TV, the ice box, retro pictures on the wall, plastic flower arrangement. It’s perfect, but the decor isn’t really the main attraction. So a little while after arriving, a pleasant hostess leads us to two large adjacent tables in a nice semi-private part of the establishment.

Minutes later the fun begins in earnest.  Here comes “Uncle Tim”, our waiter.  This is no ordinary waiter; this is “Uncle Tim”, a long lost relative of the family. (And I expect a long lost relative of every family “Uncle Tim” has an opportunity to serve.)

Right away he wants to know if everyone seated has washed their hands. If not it’s off to the wash room and to make sure there is a pop quiz… “What color is the soap?”   

After reviewing the menu and endorsing every selection as “just like mama made” it becomes clear to all that there will be NO DESERT ordered until EVERYONE has cleaned their plate.

It’s about at this time that “Uncle Tim” caught one of the adults with their elbows on the table.  That type of deportment was just not going to be tolerated at this meal.  Proper respect for the facilities and the people sharing the meal with you were the orders of the day.

Each person got a nickname from “Uncle Tim”.  Present were Scooter, Princess, Sport and Roscoe among others.

After the food was served; Meatloaf, Pot Roast, Fried Chicken and such, all with a generous helping of vegetables, things got a little quieter for a few moments; a testimony to how good each dish was.

About halfway through the meal “Uncle Tim” returned to see if anyone needed a refill. That’s when he noticed that one member of the group was eating much faster then the rest.  “Uncle Tim” wanted to know if Sparky thought he was at the races and wondered if he had even taken the time to taste his food. Everyone took note.

There were several other little incidents, nothing major, until it came time to order desert. It seems everyone had not finished their meal. In fact one young lady had neglected to eat her string beans. Well, “Uncle Tim” had the solution. With everyone’s help he played THE AIRPLANE GAME with the offending party; all the string beans made it into the hanger.

This was great fun for sure, but it was much more. While the adults could fondly remember scenes such as this in their own lives, all the young kids were enthralled.  Never having quite been subjected to such “caring discipline” it was tremendous to see how much they enjoyed the experience. and how positively they responded to it.

Thanks “Uncle Tim”.  You gave us all a memory that we will cherish for many years to come. And after all, isn’t that what vacations are all about, making memories.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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The people we meet

Last weekend I had the pleasure of working with two dynamic young adults as we searched for the perfect property for them in The Woodlands, TX.

Make no mistake about it, purchasing a house is serious business.  But, that doesn't mean you can't have fun in the process. It was really a kick to watch as they became familiar with this extraordinary community. Armed with their digital camera, pictures were taken of everything from the typographical map table in the Home Finding Center to the colorful wildflowers which lined the roadways.

Two things really stood out in my mind, they both have an exuberant attitude about the adventure of finding the right property and they asked a ton of questions. There is nothing I like more than a client who asks lots of questions. When you know what your client is thinking and what's important to them you have an opportunity to provide the very best service.

And they were prepared. They had done their homework about the location, market conditions and finance options. They were ready to make a decision, and they did.

It goes to show that with the proper preparation, making complicated decisions can be a rewarding experience, for all involved.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Backyard Visitor

Spring has burst in all it's glory in our neighborhood. Like so many homeowners, one of the first ritualistic stops of the season is the local garden supply.  Saturday was our turn and what a wonderful experience it was. The early morning (9:00AM?) temperature was around 70 degrees, the sun was bright and there was a gentle breeze of clean, fresh air. Made you feel good to be alive.

At the garden shop we were presented with hundreds of varieties of beautifully colored flowers, all of which would look perfect in that empty spot in the back yard.  We made our choices and returned home planning a vigorous day of outdoor pruning, trimming and planting.

We worked until about 4:00PM and, since we could hardly move any more from all the bending, squatting and lifting, decided to quit for the day and sit on the deck for a little while, admiring our accomplishments.

Then it happened. This magnificent creature of the sky came into our yard with a dramatic swooping motion and found his vantage point way up in the top of one of our oaks. He stayed for quite a while, long enough for me to snap his picture a few times. He seemed quite content to just sit and visit. Then, just as suddenly as he arrived he was of to his next adventure. Seeing his wingspan while in full flight was a grand sight. His visit was a great cap to a rewarding day out of doors.

There is no doubt after visiting with Mr. Hawk that Kingwood is still "The Livable Forest" after all these years.

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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Angel Among Us

A few nights ago we had the honor of attending a celebration of the lifetime achievements of an extraordinary lady, Anita de Luna MCDP, Ph.D.

As a member of the order of the Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence, Anita has spent the last thirty years of her life bringing love, compassion, education and minestry to thousands of people throughout the nation. She has been referred to as " a leader in religious education and pastoral formation, a community activist, a prophetic voice for Latinas and Latinos in the church and an innovative theological thinker." All I know is that when you meet her and have the opportunity to hear her speak you know you are in the presence of a very special person.

The Mask, created by Sister Anita, is an important cultural metaphor for the appreciation of beauty by the Nahua people. It also is how Sister Anite chose to express her feelings as she faced a devastating health diagnoses in 2003. As you read it you will get a sense of Sister Anita's appreciation for the beauty of life.

The Mask

Yellow: the color of life and the sun that keeps the universe going, it is the color of hope. It represents the hope that I live in.

Orange: the color of happiness and playfulness in our lives, it is bright and balances the shadows and fears in my life.

Gray: the color of ambiguity, vagueness and the unknown. It reflects my journey with the uncertainty of the cancer but even among the ambiguity there is some light in the sequins that decorate the gray.

Purple (looks black): is the color of suffering and represents the pain of mind and body that has been part of my current journey. There are two silver tears which represent the cleansing of my spirit and my soul and the washing out of the sadness and pain.

Teal green running through the middle of the face is the color of the mantle of Our Lady of Guadalupe who is representative of the indigenous culture of the Aztec and our Christian Mexican American culture. This is the experience of protection and promise of hope and healing in my life.

Royal blue thread outlines the colors and this represents the goddess, Chalchuitlicue, who was the goddess of the deep and calming waters of the Aztec. She is the mother of creativity and the birthing waters. She has great power to return the vulnerable and weak to renewed life.

The feathers, like flowers, in the Aztec culture were a sign of the mediation of humanity with the Holey, the Sacred, the Divine. Feathers were considered to be the gift of the gods to humans because they grew on animals that came from the gods. Feathers were priceless gifts as were flowers like the yellow flower that sits on the left side of the mask.

I consider the time since February 2003 after my diagnosis a gift of life, a second chance and am far more conscious of beauty and life today then I was prior to the diagnosis. The feathers speak of color, gifts, appreciation of the holy, and of the goodness of God as giver of al truly valuable gifts in my life.

Anita de Luna

Benitia Humanitarian Recipient

February 4, 2005

... blogging from Kingwood, Texas

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