0801 CLM - Country Line Magazine · that time goes by fast. Our lives are ... learn God’s will in my life with a true ... When Kenny Chesney took Keith

4 • The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine C OU N T RY L I N E M AG A Z I N E

II N T H I S I S S U E

F E A T U R E S

erwin center hosts george strait and hannah montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

riviera nyayaret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

D E P A R T M E N T S

Nashville Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Texas Music News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

on the trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14by Kendall Hemphill

Homespun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Recipe & Grandma’s Hintsby Shirley Baker

’Round About Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15by Sandra Greaney

Country news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

The Texas Outdoor Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18by Larry LeBlanc

Fishing Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19by Don Gordon

I feel drawn to the oldestgeneration. Recently, while walkingthe Trail of Lights in Austin a servicecart pushed up next to us in the crowd.The golf cart’s battery was out and thedriver was struggling to push it — withan older couple on the back.

I grabbed hold of the back andstarted to push. The older gentlemansitting on the back looked up at meand I said “hi.” I asked him if he wasenjoying the lights and he said, “ Idon’t know where I am,” then smiledat me. My heart fell to the floor.

I have always had a compassionateheart for the older generation. I havespoken about them many times in thiscolumn. I have talked about how theyare heroes in so many areas and havedone things and understand thingsthat the other generations may neverexperience. Many lived in a time of noTV or video, relying on books andsome radio. Simple things, quietthings, slower things.

I have written about the time Istopped at a garage sale and bought asmall box of old memorabilia fromWorld War One. Later that night Ifound it included a diary and medals; italso included currency from aroundthe world. The money in the boxalone was worth hundreds of dollars —I paid five. The sad part to me was shemust have never looked inside thebox. Did she just over look it? I couldnot figure out which house it waswhen I went back. Later I got mad shenever explored the things her father orgrandfather left her. I still haveeverything in a box. I don’t know if Icould ever sell it.

I never got to know mygrandparents; they died when I wasyoung. I remember small things but Inever got to talk with them in a waythat mattered. I know one of mygrandfathers owned a gas station, theother worked for the railroad. I have somany questions that will gounanswered. I wish we could havedocumented them, the life lessons, thethings they failed at and the thingsthey succeeded at.

We videotaped my mom and hadher tell me her life history so we wouldalways have it, more people should dothat. One Christmas I gave my fathera question and answer legacy book. Hegave it back to me years later and itwas complete. What a gift.

I guess what I am saying here is

that time goes by fast. Our lives aremoving fast. I want to encouragepeople to chronicle their family andtheir lives for those who will comeafter them. Take pictures, use a videocamera, maybe even write down somememories or thoughts.

My daughter’s friends weredescribing a person they saw recentlyand said, “he was old, like 50 orsomething,” I had to crack a smile.They never thought of me sittingthere and being almost 50. Not that 50is old, but when you are a young teen,it seems very old.

I am glad to be older myself. Idon’t ever wish to be younger than Iam now. I see things more clearly butmy vision is not as good as it once was.I listen more now but I don’t hear aswell. My emotions are closer to thesurface but I am more reserved in myhaste to react. I pray more and try tolearn God’s will in my life with a truedesire to understand it for Him. I strivefor gratitude and gratefulness each dayin my life and am disappointed inmyself when I miss a teaching momentor a memory opportunity with familyand friends. God knows my weaknessand forgives me daily for myshortcomings. For that I am gratefulsometimes, hour by hour, minute byminute.

This year my goal is not to loseweight or exercise more, to get out ofdebt or read more books. This year mygoal will be to be more the man Godwants me to be, and in that — all theabove will be true.

Happy New Year and God Bless,

T. J. [email protected]

C OU N T RY L I N E M AG A Z I N E The Only Texas Lifestyle Magazine • 5

P U B L I S H E R & E D I T O R | T. J. Greaney

C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R SDon Gordon, Kendall Hemphill, Larry LeBlanc, Sandra

Greaney, Sheryl Bucsanyi, Shirley Baker

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w w w. c o u n t r y l i n e m a g a z i n e . c o m5 12 - 2 9 2 - 1113

M A I L I N G A D D R E S S9 5 0 8 C H I S H O L M T R A I L • A U S T I N , T E X . 7 8 7 4 8

L E T T E R S & C O M M E N T ST J @ C O U N T R Y L I N E M A G A Z I N E . C O M

O R M A I L T O A D D R E S S A B O V E


CARRIEUNDERWOOD’SCARNIVAL RIDECERTIFIED DOUBLEPLATINUM

She is the preeminent femalecountry artist of the past two years, andnow, reigning ACM Top FemaleVocalist, double Grammy winner, andback-to-back CMA Female Vocalist ofthe Year Carrie Underwood sees her 19Recordings/Arista Records/AristaNashville album, Carnival Ride,simultaneously RIAA-certified Gold,Platinum, and Double Platinum forsales of two million units.

Released on October 23, CarnivalRide has already launched the multi-week #1 smash, “So Small,”Underwood’s fifth consecutive countrychart-topper after four #1 singles fromher 6x-Platinum debut blockbuster,Some Hearts. Carrie’s continued successis celebrated in the year-end issue of

Billboard, where she is #1 acrossmultiple categories including TopCountry Artist and Top Country Artist– Female (both based on sales andairplay), and #1 among Top CountryAlbum Artists (based on sales).Outside the country categories, Carrie’sphenomenal 2007 is clear to see in theall-genre Billboard 200 Artist Recap,which ranks the pride of Checotah,Okla., as the #1 best-selling femaleartist of the 2007 chart year.

RASCAL FLATTSMEMBER AND WIFEEXPECTING FIRSTCHILD IN 2008

Rascal Flatts guitarist and vocalistJoe Don Rooney and his wife TiffanyFallon are anticipating the birth of theirfirst child next year. The couple looksforward to welcoming the baby in May2008.

“We are so excited to be adding anew life to our home,” said Rooney.“We cannot wait to become parents andcannot believe this time next year, wewill be celebrating Christmas with achild,” expressed Tiffany.

Joe Don and Tiffany were marriedApril 23, 2006 in a beautiful ceremonyin Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

KENNY & KEITH TEAMUP FOR MORESTADIUM SHOWS Good Friends Figure Out How ToSupersize the Road

When Kenny Chesney took KeithUrban out on his Guitars, Tiki Bars &A Whole Lotta Love Tour, he got morethan a special guest — he found a verygood friend. But as careers take off anddemands mount, it becomes more andmore difficult to hang out with thepeople you like, especially at the levelChesney and Urban both exist at.

“Which is why I’m glad I have theability to play stadiums,” laughs thethree-time and current CMA and tripleand reigning Academy of CountryMusic Entertainer of the Year. “It’s theonly way that it would make sense forKeith where he is in my career to beable to come out and do some showswith us. We couldn’t do this anywhereelse … and it’s something I’ve wantedto do since he played the first stadiumsshows with us three years ago.”

Urban, a Grammy Award winnerand critically hailed performer, is to thisday the only Horizon Award winner inhistory to go on to win the CMA’sEntertainer of The Year and Male Artistof the Year, a title he’s captured threetimes. He’s had 7 #1 singles; “SomebodyLike You,” “Days Go By,” “You’ll ThinkOf Me,” “Better Life,” as well as the

record breaking single “Once In ALifetime,” from his newest album Love,Pain & the whole crazy thing. Thatmusical breadth makes him the perfectpartner for what will most likely beeight more stadiums beyond the July 26Foxboro, Massachusetts’ GilletteStadium date on the 2008 Poets &Pirates Tour, which sold out in less than15 minutes.

“If you’re committed to bringingthe fans the best show possible,”Chesney says, “who else would you call?Keith does it all — and for me, he’ssomeone I’ve spent time in the islandswith, toured the country with, laughedwith, hung with, made music with. It’sgonna be as much fun backstage whenwe’re not rocking as it is onstage — andthat’s saying something.”

“What Kenny’s stadium concertsare, is the biggest party you’ve ever beento with the loudest ghetto blaster you’veever heard and the audience stillsinging louder than us,” said Urban.“Me I’m just a kid like 65,000 othersthat are going to run away with thecircus this summer. Bring it on Kenny.”

While Kenny Chesney’s Poets &Pirates Tour will feature multi-platinumGrammy-winner LeAnn Rimes on alldates, the chance for the two friends toget out on the road together marks arare opportunity for country fans to seetwo of country’s biggest stars on thesame stage.

CRAIG MORGANLAUNCHES “TRICK MYTRACTOR” CONTEST

Craig Morgan’s latest single,“International Harvester,” is generatinghuge fan response, and fans are nowcustomizing their tractors for a newcontest on Morgan’s Web site. “Trick MyTractor” ran through Jan. 4th oncraigmorgan.com.

In just a few weeks at radio,“International Harvester,” is generatingunparalleled fan response. The song israpidly ascending the Top 20 at countryradio, reaching an audience of more than13 million listeners a week.“International Harvester” is the #15most downloaded country song oniTunes, and Craig’s weekly CD sales havemore than doubled since the single hitthe airwaves. Sung from the perspectiveof the guy driving the tractor that is

Rascall Flatt’s Joe Don Rooney andhis wife Tiffany Fallon are expecting!


holding up traffic, “InternationalHarvester,” is the third consecutive hitsingle from Craig’s current Broken BowRecords CD Little Bit of Life.

To enter Trick My Tractor, fans wereasked to submit photos of their trickedout tractors, lawn mowers, push mowers,anything and everything they use to take care of their property, tocraigmorgan.com. Whether they weresouped up with all customized features,or just tricked out with a theme,CraigMorgan.com wanted those photos!

The winning entry, as determinedby Craig and a “distinguished panel ofjudges,” will win a brand new 8 GB iPodTouch, plus a signed Craig Morgan PrizePack of Craig’s CDs. And, one runner upwill receive an autographed Copley CA-20N acoustic guitar.

Craig created this new contest afteran overwhelming number oftestimonials poured into his Web site inresponse to his recent single “Tough.”Fan enthusiasm for that song carriedover onto the Internet, and what startedout to be a small contest on Craig’s Website ended up generating huge response.craigmorgan.com

INSPIRED: ATRIBUTE TO BARBARAMANDRELL

Gospel great CeCe Winans earned aBest Gospel Performance GRAMMYnomination today for her recording of“He Set My Life to Music.” The titletrack to Barbara Mandrell’s acclaimed1982 inspirational album, “He Set MyLife to Music” is one of a dozen songsrecorded for this year’s star-studdedrelease, She Was Country When CountryWasn’t Cool: A Tribute to BarbaraMandrell, a multi-artist salute to themusic and influence of the two-timeCMA Entertainer of the Year. The discalso features Mandrell favorites fromsuch stars as Kenny Chesney & RebaMcEntire, Terri Clark, Sara Evans andGretchen Wilson.

COLE DEGGS & THELONESOME

After breaking into the countryconsciousness with the Top 30 fave, “IGot More,” Cole Deggs & TheLonesome are back with “Girl NextDoor,” the second single from their self-titled debut album’s mix of country rock& Southern soul. At radio now, “GirlNext Door” and the band drew praisefrom All Music Guide, which cheered,

“Storytelling songs like Deggs’ ‘GirlNext Door’ has [lead guitarist David]Wallace’s dirty Telecaster setting thetone. Deggs tells a simple story of younglove in memory. It roils, spits andcontains a hook-laden chorus to kill for.… Like a young John Mellencamp or aSouthern — and more innocent —version of Bob Seger, Deggs knows howto bring the archetypes so unique toAmerica right to the fore.” Catch theband’s no-holds-barred energy in concertas they wrap up the final few dates on theRaisin’ the Bar Tour with Jason MichaelCarroll and Bucky Covington.

KELLIE PICKLER TOENTERTAIN TROOPSON USO TOUR

Pickler is packing her bags for thePersian Gulf to perform for servicemembers as part of a USO/MNC-Ientertainment tour. This is Kellie’s firstUSO tour and she will show hergratitude to troops by performing songsfrom her current album, posing forpictures signing autographs and visitingwith armed forces personnel.

“I am so grateful to the USO for thisopportunity,” says Pickler. “This is myfirst ever trip overseas and to be able tosing for our troops makes it even morespecial. I have to be honest though, Ihate bugs and I saw on the internet thesepictures of Camel Spiders. They’re huge!I’m gonna be carrying around a really bigcan of bug spray with me so don’t sneakup on me or you might getexterminated,” she laughed.

In appreciation for U.S. troops andthe sacrifices made by their loved ones,Pickler joined Brad Paisley, amongothers, in early August for an impromptuconcert at Fort Campbell, Ky. Shekicked off the show and performed formore than 35,000 soldiers and theirfamily members. Following the event,Pickler, along with other music artists,were presented with a souvenir of thanksby Major General Jeffrey Schloesser ofthe U.S. Army.

Historically, few events have left amore lasting positive emotionalimpression on service members and theirfamilies than USO celebrityentertainment tours. Since the USO’sinception in 1941, thousands ofcelebrities have selflessly lent their timeand talents, and traveled to militarybases around the world to entertain thetroops. USO tours are essential tofulfilling the USO’s focus on boostingtroop morale by bringing a small piece ofhome to them.

SONGWRITERSCONFERENCE INAUSTIN JAN. 08

First there is a songwriter’sconference on Jan 4-6. There will beclasses on writing, rewriting, co-writingand every aspect of the business you canthink of. There are panels with BobCheevers on connecting with Europe, apanel of artists and publishers onpublishing, a panel on “women in thearts” with Kimmie Rhodes, BrandiWarden, Ruth Ellsworth and CashEdwards.

The event is supported by BMI andthe Nashville Songwriting Assn. thisyear and they will send publishers,pitchers, and record company exec. andartist. There will be showcases in theevening on Friday and Saturday nightand there will be places to pitch tobuyers all day Saturday and Sunday.

Don’t miss the mini concerts withthe songwriter/instructors like AllenShamblin, Sonny Throckmorton,

Monte Warden, Bill Carter, KimmieRhodes and more. There will be pickingrooms open at night that are hosted bythe instructors who will be playing andsinging along with your songs … andnetworking of all kinds.

The whole event is $150 foreverything, plus $35 if you want to havea 20-minute showcase. Please check outaustinsongwritersgroup.com for moreinformation or call 512-203-1972

TEXAS MUSICINDUSTRY DIRECTORY

As you know, the Texas MusicOffice no longer publishes the printedversion of the Texas Music IndustryDirectory (TMID). All informationfrom the TMID is available through theTexas Music Office’s Web siteEnjoyTexasMusic.com.

Each year, EnjoyTexasMusic.comattracts more than 400,000 uniquevisitors. This 3,024-page (whenprinted) Web site enjoys more than 6million hits annually. As the primary

source for information on the Texasmusic industry, our site is truly one ofthe most effective means available toreach music professionals and fans inTexas and throughout the world.

If you never received anapplication, please send us an email orcall and we’ll send one to youimmediately. Please note: expandedonline listings are only available tomusic businesses and radio stations;event and talent listings are free (only).

CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIENDMAKES ALBUM “BESTOF” YEAR END LISTS

Miranda Lambert received aGrammy nomination for Best FemaleCountry Vocal Performance for“Famous In a Small Town.” The track,which she recently performed on “GoodMorning America,” is from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, an album many critics areboasting as one of the best of 2007.Lambert’s sophomore album receivedrave reviews from virtually everypublication in the country and nowjoins the ranks of many “Year End” and“Best of” lists for 2007.

RECKLESS KELLYRoots-rock quintet Reckless Kelly

played their blend of country, rock andfolk for football fans at the “Taste ofTexas” TexFest on Friday, Dec. 28, beforethe University of Houston’s appearancein the NCAA’s Texas Bowl 2007.

The band — lead singer-songwriter-guitarist Willy Braun,brother Cody Braun on fiddle,mandolin, harmonica and vocals, lead

guitarist David Abeyta, bassist JimmyMcFeeley and drummer Jay Nazz —goes into the studio in late January tobegin recording its next album.

Reckless Kelly upcoming showsinclude Jan. 5 at MusicFest inSteamboat Springs, Colo. Jan. 16 atTexas Hall of Fame in Bryan, Tex.recklesskelly.com

DID YOU CATCH IT?BRAD PAISLEYJAMMED WITH TEXASGUITAR GREATS ATCONTINENTAL CLUB

Triple Grammy nominee BradPaisley was in Austin, Tex. recentlytaping a performance for Austin CityLimits, to air January 19. Famed ZZ Topguitarist Billy Gibbons was hanging out



with Paisley for the day and after thetaping they headed to The ContinentalClub where Red Volkert (MerleHaggard guitarist) was playing. Paisleyand Gibbons joined Volkert on stageand played ’til the club shut down.Guitar enthusiasts in the audience werethrilled with the surprise appearance.

DEAN STRICKLANDTHE HITCHHIKINGGUITARMAN

Never Die Records presents DeanStrickland’s first full length CD fromthe road Hitchhiking Guitarman set forofficial release on Jan. 1, 2008.

After hitchhiking from gig to gig inTexas, Arkansas, Tennessee andCalifornia for over the last two years,thirteen original songs will make up thehighly publicized singer-songwriter’s fulllength album written from hisexperiences while hitchhiking.

Hitchhiking Guitarman, a replicatedCD packaged in a 12 pt premium gradegloss card stock sleeve will be madeavailable online at mytexasmusic.com

29 TEXAS ARTISTSRECEIVED 34 GRAMMYNOMINATIONS

The 50th Annual Grammy Awardswill be held on Feb. 10th at StaplesCenter in Los Angeles and will bebroadcast live in high definition TVand 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 7-10:30 p.m. (CST).

Best Female Country VocalPerformance “Famous In A Small Town” MirandaLambert “Nothin’ Better To Do” LeAnn Rimes

Best Male Country VocalPerformance “Give It Away” George Strait

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals “Days Aren’t Long Enough” Steve Earle(& Allison Moorer) “Because Of You” (Reba McEntire &)Kelly Clarkson “Lost Highway” Willie Nelson & Ray Price

Best Country InstrumentalPerformance “Mucky The Duck” The Greencards

Best Country Album “It Just Comes Natural” George Strait

Best Gospel Performance “With Long Life” Israel And New BreedFeaturing T-Bone

Best Southern, Country, OrBluegrass Gospel Album “Everybody’s Brother” Billy Joe Shaver

Best Polka Album “Polka’s Revenge” Brave Combo “Polka Freak Out” Bubba Hernandez(& Alex Meixner)

For a list of all Texas Grammyrecipients, visit governor.state.tx.us/divisions/music/musicians/grammy.htm

JASON BOLAND &THE STRAGGLERSPERFORMED FORTROOPS

Jason Boland and the Stragglersbrought their classic country music tothe troops stationed in Greenland, Nov.28-Dec. 7.

Recent Post: “Thanks for those thatread this and kept track of us. This hasbeen a very moving experience. Themilitary folks here are beyond words;the hospitality and appreciation theyhave showered upon us cannot bedescribed. It is definitely a different wayof life up here and blessed be those thatlive it. It truly gives you an idea of whatpeople in our military go through forUS, you and me. We get to enjoyconcerts and family, freedom andchoices, all because a few people protectthose privileges. It is sobering to thinkwhat this world would be like withoutthese great people taking care of us.

And I hope all of you will showappreciation to any and all militarypersonnel each and every chance you get.”

Boland also has one of the best andcurrent music blogs in Texas music.Visit armedforcesentertainment.com formore information. For moreinformation on Jason Boland and theStragglers, visit thestragglers.com.


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SSINCE THE FRANK ERWIN CENTER

first opened its doors on November 29,1977 for the first public ticketed event,Texas men’s basketball vs. Oklahoma,over 24 million fans have attendedover 6000 events.

Since 1977, the Frank ErwinCenter has served Central Texans withsome of the best in live entertainment.The multi-purpose facility located onThe University of Texas at Austincampus, hosts a variety of eventsincluding concerts, theatricalperformances, family shows andsporting events. It is also serves as thehome court for the Texas men’s andwomen’s basketball teams.

It’s seen on its stage some of thebiggest bands in the world: Madonna,Bob Dylan, U2, Ray Charles and evenLiberace and Pavarotti. It’s welcomedformer President Clinton and PresidentBush and said goodbye to GovernorAnn Richards.

George StraitFor its 2008 schedule, the Frank

Erwin center welcomes Country musicking, George Strait to kick off his 2008nationwide arena tour in Austin, Tex.Jan. 10 with very special guest LittleBig Town and introducing BNARecording ArtistSarah Johns.

S t r a i tcontinues his reignover country musicwith his latestsingle “Wrapped”topping the charts.Not only does thismark Strait’s 55thnumber one, it isalso the third singleto hit number onefrom his 34th studioalbum It Just ComesNatural. The firstsingle, “Give ItAway,” went to thetop of the countrysingles chart in just13 weeks, making itthe fastest risingsingle of Strait’scareer.

Tickets for

George Strait with very special guestLittle Big Town and introducing SarahJohns at the Frank Erwin CenterThursday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. are$54.50 and $64.50. Charge-by-phoneat 512-477-6060 or 1-800-982-2386 ororder online at TexasBoxOffice.com.

Hannah Montana14 days later Miley Cyrus, star of

Disney’s hit TV Show “HannahMontana,” will be performing at theFrank Erwin Center Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.with special guest Aly and AJ.

Cyrus, the 15-year-old singer/songwriter/actress, will perform as adouble bill appearing as her DisneyChannel character, Hannah Montana,and as herself singing material from herfirst solo album, Meet Miley Cyrus.Released in June as a two-disc setfeaturing the “Hannah Montana 2”soundtrack, this collection debuted atNo. 1 on Billboard 200 and reachedplatinum status after one week.

Tickets for Hannah Montana andMiley Cyrus with special guest Aly andAJ at the Frank Erwin Center Thursday,Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. are $26, $43.50, $56and $66. For more information visituterwincenter.com.

erwin center brings instrait and montana




FFOR YEARS PUERTO VALLARTA HAS

been the must fish destination foranglers who have been drawn to theblue green waters of the pacific. Therich cultural history and old worldflavor exist to this day and thetradition of fishing is embraced.

But now the most polished anddelightful jewel along the new EmeraldCoast is Riviera Nayarit. Thiscoagulation of new construction andold world charm, new resortaccommodations and world classadventure is just north of PuertoVillarta and is one of the finest resort and adventure destinations in the world.

The water is a color blue thatseems unfair to try and describe inwords. It has a turquoise, green, deepblue color and is gin clear at the sametime. Our adventure was one for bigfish, Marlin, Sailfish or Swordfish. Wewould fill in the time between our bigcatches with Tuna or Dorado (MahiMahi) — not a bad plan for a day onthe water

Our captain was Jose ManuelQuintero, exclusive to theMiChaparrita team. The boat wetraveled in was the traditional panga— it was fiberglass and hosted aMercury 150 with a stainless andcanvas cover over us to protect fromthe midday sun. It was clean, freshlypainted and made for fishing.

Our destination that morning wasthe rock, 90 minutes from where welaunched. After leaving the confines ofthe harbor Captain Quentero stoppeda local fisherman and bought somefresh whole macrel. This would be oneof the baits we would use all day.

When we arrived at the rock thefist order of business was to catch thebait for the marlin. For this we usedsmall jigs, white and pink. We trolledthese behind the panga and it was justseconds before we had two doublehook-ups. The fish we fought in was inthe 2 to 6 pound range, they calledthem olotillo. There was no translatingit into English; it looked similar to asmall tuna.

The olotillo was set out live onlines with one outrigger to the left andone to the right. They needed to bealive and the bigger the better Capt.Quentero explained. The macrel wasset out, maybe 30 yards behind. He

took the macrel; liphooked it and used acotton kite type string andlarge needle to sew the lipsaround the hook securingit to the line.

It was not long beforewe had an explosionbehind the boat on thebiggest of the Marlin baits.The Captain began to barkorders and the boat wentforward and then stopped,then forward again as thecaptain pulled back the lineand sat me in the chair.Almost as soon as ithappened it ended. Thebite was gone. Alook ofdisappointmentrolled over thecaptain’s face. Hereeled in the baitand showed mewhere the Marlinhad bittenbehind the hook.

C a p t .Q u e n t e r oworked hard allday as well asGamaliel —they never didthe minimum –they always dide v e r y t h i n gthey could toput fish in theboat up to the lastminute. He told stories of fishingadventures of days gone by and trustedthem to be interpreted by RichardZarkin or tour guide on the trip.

I asked him if he knew of theHemmingway novel “Old Man and theSea” — he said he thought so andsmiled. I don’t know what that meant– there were a lot of things I did notunderstand in his conversations withhis assistant and my friend. But Ienjoyed the laughs they enjoyed andthe constant cooling breeze as themidday sun warmed everything.

A full day marlin and sail fishingwith tuna and mahi mahi will run youabout $700. American. This is wellworth it fishing the rock — thePromised Land. The other option is todo a four-hour trip into the bay. This is

a great buy for around $200 American.Either one gives you something tobring back to the restaurant. We had

our prepared onthe grill and freshwith picodigio.This was one ofthe finest meals Ihave everexperienced.

The trip can bepackaged and withairfare less than$1500 per person.To book youradventures go totheir web site atrivieranayarit.com— Riviera Nayarit isa place of beauty andcharm and almost thebest kept secret on

the new Emerald Coast!—TJ GREANEY

RIVIERA NYAYARETThe new blue water water sport fishing capital of the world

TTaking The EggOut Of Eggnog

Traditionally, for Christmas week, Iwrite a column about Christmas. Bigsurprise there, I know. But this year Ididn't do that, for several reasons.

For one thing, since I’ve beenwriting about Christmas for ten years,I’ve said just about everything I canthink of to say about Christmas. Andthen I’ve said it again. And then I’vesaid the opposite, or something similar.I’ve written about presents, and trees,and rude, disgusting relatives whocome and eat and stay so long it’s nowonder there are more suicides andhomicides and domestic disturbancesduring the Christmas season than anyother time of year. Not to mentionplumbing problems.

So this year I decided to just writea regular column for Christmas week. Ilooked for current news stories thatwould be heartwarming, orfootwarming, or would maybe warmsome other part of the anatomy. Ididn’t find any. But I did find a storyabout eggnog, which is almost as good.

As you are no doubt aware if you arean American Consumer who sometimesconsumes things, we have anorganization called the FDA, otherwiseknown as the Food and DrugAdmin i s t r a t ion . Th i s i s thegovernmental agency that requirespackaged food substances to be labeledproperly, with all the ingredients listed

right there on the box or can orwhatever. This is so when you buy, say, acan of cream of mushroom soup, you willknow if they put turpentine in it or not.

Of course, if a soup company wasgoing to put turpentine in their soup,which is probably illegal, they would beunlikely to advertise that on the can.But if they did put turpentine in theirsoup, the FDA probably wouldn’t care,as long as it was listed on the label. TheFDA is a great organization, but it isvery specific.

Well, according to a recent story inthe Portland Press Herald, which ispublished in Portland, or Press, ormaybe Herald (where the angels in thesong live), the FDA recently camedown on Smiling Hill Farm, inWestbrook, Maine, like a chicken on aJune bug. Smiling Hill Farm makeseggnog, and as you have probablyguessed, the FDA, alerted no doubt bya Concerned American such asyourself, discovered that Smiling HillFarm’s eggnog containers wereimproperly labeled. The gall.

Now, eggnog, according toWikipedia, is “a sweetened dairy-basedbeverage made with milk, cream, sugar,beaten eggs, and flavoured with groundcinnamon and nutmeg.” Smiling HillFarm didn’t have all those ingredientslisted on their labels. The FDAdetermined, through careful study, thatthey had failed to list the eggs. Bigmistake.

If you were so inclined you couldargue that only someone with theintelligence of a sausage ball would not

realize there are eggs in eggnog. And youwould be right. But the FDA does notcare. The FDA, like the Surgeon Generaland Hillary Clinton and your averagepersonal injury lawyer, exists to protect usfrom ourselves, even if we have LESSintelligence than a sausage ball.

And speaking of the SurgeonGeneral, our next two stories make youwonder if the Surgeon General hasbeen on vacation for the past few years,or what.

One story, from the Boston Globe,concerns fires in hospital operatingrooms, especially in Massachusetts, andmore especially in Pennsylvania, whichhas had 28 operating room fires peryear for the past three years. Makes youwonder if they’re roastingmarshmallows in there, or something.

That’s bad enough, but much worseis the Associated Press story that saidthe Rhode Island Dept. of Healthrecently fined Rhode Island Hospital$50,000 because, during 2007 alone,three doctors there have performedneurosurgery on the wrong side ofpatients’ brains.

These are not janitors, orMcDonalds employees, or U.S.congresspersons. These are people whoare supposed to be smart. They’re brainsurgeons, who spent, what, at leasttwelve years learning where all the tinylittle important parts of your brain arelocated, and which ones to tweak tocure your drooling, or make you stoptrying to put the cat in the blender.These are people with Mercedeses andPorches and houses in Aspen. We

expect them to be able to tell theirright hand from their other right hand.

But not knowing your right fromyour left is trivial compared to notbeing able to recognize your owngrandchild. A 77-year-old Jacksonville,Florida man recently rode his bicycle toLong Branch Elementary School topick up his grandson, and came backwith the wrong kid. The mother of theboy he DID take was, understandably,frantic by the time the mistake wascorrected. She was quoted on WMTWtelevision in Auburn, Maine (for somereason), as saying the two boys don’teven look alike. In the man’s defenseI’d like to point out that, at least, theywere both male.

So let these stories be a lesson toyou this holiday season. If you’re goingto sell eggnog, make sure you put allthe ingredients on the label. And ifyou're going to drink eggnog, check thelabel and make sure it doesn't containalcohol. Or turpentine …

KENDAL HEMPH I L L I S AN OUTDOORHUMOR COLUMNIST WHO HAS NEVEROPERATED ON THE WRONG PART OF APAT I ENT. WR I TE TO H IM AT PO BOX1600 , MASON, TX 76856 ORJEEP@VER IZON.NET

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b y S h i r l e y B a k e r

WHITE CHILI1 lb dried navy beans6 cups chicken stock, or frozen leftover turkey stock4 Tbsp butter (1/2 stick)1/4 cup diced onionGreen chilies, chopped (canned and drained)1 lb turkey breast, chopped11/2 Tbsp ground cumin1 Tbsp dried oregano1-2 tsp ground black pepper3/4 tsp white pepper1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)

Wash beans, cover with water, soak for at least 2 hours. Drain. Place beans inlarge pot with turkey stock. Bring to a boil. In saucepan, heat butter, saute onionand chilies for 5 minutes. Add to bean pot. Add turkey, cumin, oregano, blackpepper, white pepper and cilantro. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirringoccasionally for 11/2 hours. Serve with your favorite cornbread, with jalalpeños oronions added for the extra uumph.

GRANDMA’S HINTS

Need glue and can’t find the bottle? Use egg qhite for a great substitution.

Need to move a piece of furniture? Use a skateboard!

Need a color wood filler? Use instant coffee and spackle, mixed and applied to wood.

Need substitute for wine in cooking? Use cranberry juice cocktail.

Need a rolling pin? Use an empty wine bottle filled with cold water.

? ?

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GFGreetings and happy New Year to

you! My hope is that your holidayswere festive and fulfilling. At the startof every New Year, people are spurredon to exercise, quit smoking, looseweight, be nicer, get involved and thelist goes on and on. I thought aboutthat and wondered why the first day ofthe New Year is a time to make thosecommitments especially when wealways here that “today is the first dayof the rest of you life” or “spend eachday like it is your last.” My thought isstay in the moment and do what’s bestand healthiest thing for you to bedoing al year round! Each day is a newbeginning and we can always startsomething good and leave the not sogood behind. In January there are somewonderful opportunities to “gethealthy,” “give back” and “enjoy life”right here in Central Texas.

in townALL MONTH A U S T I N F A R M E R S

M A R K E T Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. andWednesdays, 3-7 p.m. at RepublicSquare Park (4th and Guadalupe). Buyfresh fruits, vegetables and more fromlocal growers. austinfarmersmarket.org

ALL MONTH L A D Y B I R D J O H N S O NW I L D F L O W E R C E N T E R features freeadmission the entire month of January!

JAN 17 D R A W, I R O N A R T I S T S , D R A Wat the Austin Museum of ArtDowntown. Go out and watch artistscreate comics based on audiencesuggestions. 512-495-9224

JAN 17-20 A U S T I N B O A T S H O Wat the Austin Convention Center. Theshow promises enormous variety forthe boating enthusiast and there willbe many experts on to show youaround and give you professionalinformation. austinboatshow.com or512-218-0401

J A N 2 6 TREE TALK & WINTER WALK:GET WILD & WOODY at the Lady BirdJohnson Wildflower Center. Get tipson landscape design and treemaintenance, and learn aboutindividual tree and shrub species withwalks and talks led by staff and localtree experts. Choose from bold andbeautiful trees and shrubs at the plantsale. Be a part of central Texas historyby purchasing your own tree grownfrom seeds collected from the LBJRanch. All proceeds go towardbuilding an arboretum at theWildflower Center. wildflower.org or512-232-0100

J A N 2 7 3M HALF MARATHON & RELAYA fast 13.1 mile north-to-south coursethrough an urban setting and is mostly(but not exclusively) downhill.Offering something for everyone, thereis also a two-leg relay (6.7 mile and 6.4mile legs) and a 50-yard non-competitive Kids Fun Run for children10 and under. 3mhalfmarathon.com or 512-984-RACE

JAN 21 M A R T I N L U T H E R K I N G J R .M A R C H A N D F E S T I V A L More than10,000 march to the historic campus ofHuston-Tillotson University for anoutdoor festival in honor of Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr. on this nationalholiday. Performances by some of thecity’s finest jazz, blues and gospelmusicians.

out of townJAN 12-13 S P R I N G T R A I N I N G

B A S E B A L L C A M P in San Marcos, Tex.They will be offering skill-sharpeningsessions for ballplayers ages six to 18.The sessions will be led by Texas StateUniversity baseball coaching staff.512-245-4345.

JAN 17-20 H I L L C O U N T R Y D I S T R I C TJ U N I O N L I V E S T O C K S H O W in Kerrville,Tex. FFA and 4-H members from Kerrand 31 surrounding counties compete.Hill Country Youth Exhibit Center, Hwy27 E.

JAN 19 1 3 T H A N N U A L O P R Y N I G H Tin Smithville, Tex. at the AmericanLegion Hall. A professional stage bandwill be backing local favorites as theyperform their live renditions of countryand gospel classics. This is good timefun for everyone! smithvilletx.org

JAN 20 WINTER BULL RIDING SERIESin Bandera, Tex. The event includesopen bull riding, junior bull riding,mutton busting, and hilarious ostrichraces. lightningranch.com or 830-535-4096

JAN 25-27 C O W B O Y M A R D I G R A S inBandera, Tex. Enjoy country-style MardiGras activities, complete with a paradeand Cajun-style music.banderacowboycapital.com

JAN 26 3 R D A N N U A L PA W S B O N EA P P E T I T E F U N D R A I S E R in DrippingSprings, Tex. There will be an elegantmeal, music, auctions, and more at theTerrace Club. 512-894-0756

JAN 26 I N D I A N A R T I F A C T &C O L L E C T I B L E S H O W in Fredericksburg,Tex. Includes displays of arrowheads,books, cases and collectibles for sale.Pioneer Pavilion at Lady Bird JohnsonPark. 830-626-5561

JAN 26 T E X O M A T I E - I N in Denison,Tex. at Eisenhower State Park. Join thefly-fishing and fly-typing craze andlearn from the experts. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

JAN 26-27 E A G L E Q U E S T 2 0 0 8 inGordonville, Tex. Features boat tourson Lake Texoma to sight magnficent

bald eagles, a live birds of prey exhibitand demonstration, educationalseminars, polar bear plunge, CentralMarket Place and much more.texomawestend.org and 903-523-5982

coming in februaryFEB 2 M A R D I G R A S 5 K Over the last

4 years this run has evolved into afamily event that attracts runners andtheir families from all over Austin. Geta great run in while enjoying the luxscenery of Barton Creek and then enjoyMardi Gras festivities afterwards.

E -MA I L YOUR EVENTS TOSANDRA@COUNTRY L INEMAGAZ INE .COMFOR CONS IDERAT ION. S PACE L IM I T SOPPORTUN I TY.

b y S a n d r a G r e a n e y

Support local farmers by shopping at Austin’s own Farmers Marketevery Wednesday and Saturday.


RFFire Ant ExperimentShows GoodProgress

Red imported fire ants had nonatural enemy in Red River Countyuntil this fall when phorid flies werereleased in the area to help combat theinfamous pests.

Texas Cooperative Extensionexperts said they hope a population ofthe phorid flies will establishthemselves by spring in a pasture nearClarksville, where the flies are likely toflourish and stalk fire ants.

“The flies as a biological controlhold promise for suppressing redimported fire ants,” said Extensionagent Lynn Golden, based inClarksville. “It doesn’t promise toeradicate the ants. It’s just another wayto help control them.”

The phorid flies were released on 24mounds in late October, said KimSchofield, an Extension programspecialist in Dallas who coordinated theproject. She and Golden will return tothe mounds in April and October to

measure the fly populations. “We’re hoping that the flies

establish themselves as they have atother sites in the Dallas area and aroundthe state,” Schofield said. “We want tosee fire ant numbers fall and native antsreclaim their territory.”

The Clarksville project isExtension’s latest and northernmostrelease of phorid flies in a long-runningbattle against fire ants in the state, saidDr. Bart Drees, a Texas A&MUniversity professor and Extensionentomologist.

“In the late 1990s, researchers

began to see these as potentialbiological control agents,” said Drees,who is based in College Station. “Andsince that time the flies have beenimported to the United States, mass-produced and released.”

Test releases began in 1997 todetermine whether the flies wouldpopulate designated areas and to makesure they posed no threat to anythingother than fire ants, he said.

In 2000, a governmental initiativebrought several agencies together toraise and release large quantities of

phorid flies in southern states, Dreessaid. The program involves Extension,the University of Texas at Austin, U.S.Department of Agriculture’sAgricultural Research Service, theUSDA’s Animal and Plant HealthInspection Service and the FloridaDepartment of Agriculture andConsumer Services.

Phorid fly populations have beenestablished in Bastrop, Brazoria,Burleson, Cameron, Denton, Kenedy,Kerr, Lamar, Orange, Polk, Travis,Walker and Wharton counties, he said.

“I would say several dozen releasesites have been established across Texasusing two fly species, but many attemptsfailed,” Drees said. “Over the comingyears, established flies are expected tospread throughout the entire fire antinfested portions of Texas.”

But it may take several years beforethe flies to become abundant enough toprovide measurable effectivenessagainst fire ants, he said.

Red imported fire ants are native toSouth America and arrived in the U.S.in the 1930s aboard ships in Mobile,Ala., according to the Texas ImportedFire Ant Research and ManagementProject. They spread to southern states,arriving in Texas in the 1950s.

In Texas, they cost $1.2 billionannually in agricultural losses,ecological damage and pesticideexpenses, according to Texas A&M’sfire ant economics Web site,http://fireantecon.tamu.edu. Their stingmakes them dangerous to humans,livestock, pets and wildlife.

In South America, phorid flies andother predators keep red imported fireants in check, Schofield said. Thefemale flies attack the ants and lay eggsin their bodies. Larvae eventually hatchand burrow into the ants’ heads. There,

they grow and release enzymes thatcause the heads to fall off. Mature flieseventually emerge from the decapitatedheads, and the cycle starts over.

“The flies attack and eventually killthe ants, but their real impact is thatthey stalk the fire ants when they’reforaging,” Schofield said. “That reducesforaging activity which, in turn, helpslimit food within the fire ant colony.”

Though fire ants have earned scorn,Drees cautioned, the war against themshouldn’t extend to the nearly 300 antspecies that are native to Texas.

Collectively, ants are regarded asbeneficial organisms in theenvironment, he said. They prey on flealarvae, cockroach eggs and other pests.They aerate the soil and reducecompaction.

“Many of our native ant species aremuch more polite than fire ants,” Dreessaid. “They nest in little out of the wayareas. They don’t sting. They do thegood things without bringing to thetable what fire ants do.”

For more information on fire ants inTexas, go to http://fireant.tamu.edu.—MIKE JACKSON

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THuntingrecommendationsfor next year

Today I offer for your readingenjoyment and edification an articledevoted primarily to the subject, “I toldyou so”.

What I am referring to are articles Ihave written many times in the pastrecommending three importantactivities for hunters prior to huntingseason. In case you do not rememberthey were:

q Check out their firearms to makesure everything is functioning properly,during the summer time, when there istime to get them repaired withoutloosing valuable hunting time.

q My strong recommendation thathunters shoot all year long and not justthe week before hunting season starts.

q Getting into some semblance ofadequate physical condition so you canbetter enjoy your trip to the field and notpromote a heart attack is listed last, butprobably should be first.

Any gun found to malfunction

because it has a worn or broken part thechances are the gunsmith will have toorder the parts to repair. Although mostgunsmiths will keep on hand many of thecommon parts for many of the popularhunting arms, to entertain the idea thatthey will always have every part neededat their finger tips is ludicrous. Murphy’sLaw being what it is, you can bet if yourModel 700 Remington malfunctions theweek before hunting season starts, thepart will have to be ordered. With luckit will only cost you a loss of at least twoto four weeks of hunting awaiting thepart. That is assuming the part is still inproduction.

This also dovetails right into thesubject of shooting all year long. If ahunter went out once a month andwould shot a few rounds, it would not benecessary to rush out to the range in alast minute panic to sight in a rifle. Itwould always be sighted in. The hunterthat leaves his rifle in the closet until theweek before the season opens and thenrushes out to the range to get it sightedin so he can hunt on the first weekend ofNovember, is courting problems even ifhis rifle works, the odds are slim,whether or not he can even hit anythingif the game presents itself to him.

I use the masculine here to describethe general population, and not todiscriminate against the lady hunters.The ladies can be just as remiss as themen about these details.

Let’s get to the last point, and that isphysical condition of the hunter. Thosewho did not bother to get up and get outand walk for the past few months, atleast every other day, are surly nowfinding out why I so strongly recommend

that exercise. It would be interesting toknow how many people had to stop for abreather, on their journey from the truckto the deer stand. Put on the heavyclothing, pick up 10 or 11 pounds of rifleand scope combination, extraammunition, maybe some water, and youquickly discover the real meaning ofpoor physical condition.

Shoot a deer, field dress it, and thenbecome faced with dragging it, even aquarter of a mile to the nearest road soyou can drive over to pick it up can be areal challenge for hunters in shape, muchless to a converted coach potato.

I have always heard the hardest partof solving any problem is identifying theproblem. Well I have identified threepossible problems. The solutions are notat all difficult. If you have missed a shotat a deer this year, chances are it hasnothing to do with the rifle or theammunition, but the operator. Walkeveryday, shoot every month and thesethree problems will solve themselves fornext years season.

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A virtually empty range should never occur on a weekend inSeptember.


TThe holiday season is over for

another year and I hope everyone hada good Christmas. I am lookingforward to anew year of tournamentfishing in 2008. The Fishers of MenTournament Trail is kicking off theirseason on January 26th at Lake Travis.The take-off and weigh-in site will belocated at Jones Brother Park. SkeeterBass Champs Central division willbegin their tournaments one weeklater on February 2nd also on LakeTravis. The take-off and weigh-in sitewill be at Pace Bend Park. The TexasOutdoor Zone (TOZ) fishing teamswill be fishing both tournaments trailsthis year.

In December, the austinbassfishing.com guys challenged the TOZteam to a grudge match. I did not getto fish in the event due to a death inmy family. I asked fellow team member,Brian Booker, to relay his impressionsand the results.

Texas Outdoor Zone v. Austin BassFishing Grudge Match

Ding, ding … let the bout begin!The much awaited “Grudge Match”

between the Texas Outdoor ZoneFishing Team, and the Austin BassFishing Pro Staff took place onDecember 1st. It was a dual lakecontest, with the teams fishing LakeTravis from 6-11 a.m., and Lake Austinfrom 1-6 p.m.

The rules were simple. The overallweight from the combined lakes wouldwin, and the winning team would alsoreceive the first annual TOZ vs. ABF“Smack down” winner’s plaque.

The Texas Outdoor Zone FishingTeam: Jody Jackson/Jerry Shinn; JasonPatureau/Mark Neuenschwander;Robby Crabb/Cody Ryan Greaney;Brian Booker/Keith Crabb

The Austin Bass Fishing Pro Staff:Charles Montgomery/Bryan AlanMontgomery; Yung Follis/RichMcDonell; Mark Pevey/KevinPederzani; Duke/Tommy Lordon

The weather was pretty mild, withwinds out of the south at around 10mph. Cloudy skies and temps in the 60degree range made for a fisherman’sdream day.

Lake Travis Summary: Some reallybig stringers were lugged to the scales

by Travis standards. Several stringerswere over 10 pounds, with the biggestat over 14 pounds caught by ABF’sFollis and McDonnell.

Most bass were reported caught indepth ranges from 5-15 feet in andaround mouths of major tributaries. Lotswere caught on the Grande Rattlesnakeon a Spot Remover, and many others ona spinnerbait or crankbait. However,TOZ’s Jody Jackson and GrandeBassPresident Jerry Shinn caught their bigsack on a walking topwater bait nearsteep walls where water was churned up.As Jody mentioned in his post Travisinterview on the TOZ Web site, anytime water temps are above 60˚ and youhave cloudy conditions, you should atleast give a topwater a look. We are gladyou did!

Lake Austin Summary: LeavingLake Travis and heading to LakeAustin, ABF and TOZ were really indead heat, with ABF leading by lessthan a pound! Fishing conditions weretougher on Lake Austin, as weightsoverall were significantly lower. Thebest sacks were caught on bluff wallsaround solitary boat docks with aGrandeBass Rattlesnake on a Spot

Remover. The key was to fish it reallyslllllooooooowwwwww.

The results: Lake Travis Round 1 ABF: 41.44 lbs. TOZ: 40.74 lbs.

Lake Austin Round 2 ABF: 25.16 lbs.TOZ: 39.94 lbs.

Total Weight: TOZ: 80.68 lbs. ABF: 66.60 lbs.

It came down to the wire, and agood time was had afterwards by all.Everyone is looking forward to thenext “Grudge Match” event on LakeFalcon!

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Skeeter Bass Champs 2008Feb 2, Lake Travis | March 1, Lake BeltonApril 5, Lake LBJ | May 10, Lake BeltonJune 7, Lake Choke CanyonFor more info visit basschamps.com

Fishers of Men 2008February 23, Lake Buchanan | March 29, Lake LBJApril 26, Lake Belton | May 24, Lake Stillhouse HollowFor more info, call 512-413-4178, or visit fomcentex.com

CHECK OUT THE TOZ BASS TEAM BLOG FOR

NEWS AND TIPS AT TEXASOUTDOORZONE.COM

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city tap water when you can enjoynatures pure refreshing spring water.

KEEPIN’ IT LOCAL!

Home or Office DeliveryCall Today! 512/280-4037

Official Water of The Texas Outdoor Zone

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