Lifestyle

Reminds that Nature Starts At Your Back Door

Last week, some of our 8th-graders from Crandall ISD went on a mission to create something very unique through the creation of adorable baby hats for preemies and discovering a whole new side to themselves, thanks to the assistance of Tatiana Tyson, a Heartland Community Member, and Community in Schools, and our 8th-grade counselor, Mrs. Adams.

National Tell a Story Day is on April 27th each year in the United States. The fun of telling stories is the opportunity it gives the teller to share a piece of their own history or share a favorite part from a book or inform others about some amazing moment. The ancient practice of storytelling handed down knowledge from one generation to the next, and it is a wonderful way to pass on family traditions, histories, and long-told tales. It can also be entertaining as well as educational. Any good storyteller will tell you some of the best stories come from real-life experiences.

I brushed my teeth this morning. That’s really my only act of self care for today. I haven’t worked out. I haven’t eaten. I haven’t met my selfimposed hourly water intake goals, yet.

“I think I would have my own room and not with my brother,” says Danielle, 7.

No-dig is a gardening method that has been growing in popularity, and its practice perfectly matches its name. As a low-effort form of gardening, no-dig literally means you do not need to dig or alter the soil.

More Texans may encounter the distinct vocalizations and dramatic strutting of male turkeys seeking a mate this spring thanks to ongoing education and research collaboration by Texas A&M AgriLife and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Scholarships were recently awarded to members of the Kaufman County 4-H Club by the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo’s Calf Scramble Scholarship Committee. The scholarships were awarded as follows: $6,000 – Jessi Mae Pearson, daughter of Josey and Justin Pearson $4,000 – Lilly Morphis, daughter of Lisa and Bobby Morphis These students participated in the 2023 Fort Worth Stock Show Calf Scramble program making them eligible for the scholarship program. Sixty-eight Texas 4-H and FFA members shared in $440,000 in Calf Scramble scholarship dollars.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Inducts New Members

Although Texas crawfish farmers emerged from a challenging growing season slightly better off than producers in Louisiana, 2024 is shaping up to be a dismal crawfish season for producers and consumers alike, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Ah, the joys of spring break! I love a cool, crisp morning that advances into a sunny afternoon. I adore the permission to sleep in a little, no coffee on the front porch as I wave to the grandchildren scurrying off to school early in the morning. You know that feeling, right? Everything feels slightly discombobulated, pregnant with the possibility that nothing has to be done, yet the promise of adventure hangs in the air. Regular moments feel more meaningful, somehow. Not that a week like this doesn’t have its challenges. Every trip outside means my ears refuse to drain. My nose, on the other hand, is working overtime. We all have pollen induced scratchy coughs and sinus headaches that make nap-taking an Olympic worthy sport. With the great comes the ehh, so it seems. While the grands are bemoaning any structure to the day at all, their mother decided some chores were in order. So, every morning this week, I hear the bark of a nosy dachshund as one of the munchkins enters my bedroom door. Little footsteps make a beeline to me. A little voice says, “Hey, Didi, mom said to ask you for a chore.”

Kids’ answers fall into three categories: the smilers, the hopeful and the performers. I call the first group the smilers because Ashley, 9, says: “Yes!! You will definitely go to heaven if you are a Christian and sin!”

Welcoming a new pet into a family can be an exciting time. Pets are wonderful companions and can even be beneficial to their owners' overall health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that pets may create increased opportunities for exercise. In addition, studies have shown that relationships with pets may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce triglyceride levels, feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and other ailments.