If you haven’t made any New Year’s resolutions yet, or you need some ideas, Colleen Hook from Quinta Mazatlan offers some advice on how to unplug and renew in 2024.
She offers five ideas for making nature-minded resolutions that help your well-being.
Written by Katherine Cook, TAMU
While you may not associate lush greenery with the winter months, incorporating plants into your home can beautify your space and help combat the winter blues. A variety of indoor plants thrive during the winter months and can provide color in your home during an otherwise dreary time of year.
Charlie Hall, Ph.D., professor and Ellison Chair in International Floriculture in the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, has conducted research on the health benefits of plants and nature. Hall said plants can improve your quality of life and should be perceived as a necessity due to the range of positive physical and mental impacts plants have on humans.
Read more: Liven up your indoor space and spirit with greenery
The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce the Winter Texan Appreciation Night, taking place at the Bert Ogden Arena during the RGV Vipers basketball game on Wednesday, February 14. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for an evening filled with excitement.
Free limited tickets will be available for Winter Texans to pick up starting the week of February 5th at the Edinburg Chamber office located at 602 W. University Dr., Edinburg. Attendees are encouraged to secure their tickets early to guarantee entry.
The Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio, a department of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, is honored to bring a traveling Holocaust education exhibit, Hate Ends Now: The Cattle Car Exhibit, to McAllen’s International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS), 1900 W. Nolana Ave., on February 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entrance to this powerful exhibit is free, but registration by time slot is strictly required as space is limited.
“It is a privilege to be invited by Temple Emmanuel and the City of McAllen to host this traveling exhibition for our community," said IMAS Executive Director Ann Fortescue. “We are delighted to work with our museum colleagues from the Holocaust Memorial Museum to provide a safe space for immersive museum learning. Museums are at their best when they enable us to reflect and apply what we learn to our everyday actions.”
The Mission Historical Museum gladly presents a special screening of the 1979 western film: She Came to the Valley. The film is based on the novel written by local author, Cleo Dawson.
Who is Cleo Dawson? Cleo Dawson was born in 1902. Her family was one of the first pioneer families who helped transform the frontier town of Mission into an incorporated city. They were the owners of one of the first convenience stores, Caballo Blanco. Her novel is inspired by the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mission, Texas during its pioneer days. It is said to be based on Dawson’s mother’s experiences. The film was shot in South Texas's Rio Grande Valley and Oklahoma. In its first run it broke weekend attendance records at Rio Grande theatres.
Read more: Tickets still available for She Came to the Valley
As I entered the hall at Dream Valley Ranch located off of US Route 83 at the western edge of Mission on Abram Road on January 11, I was greeted by residents and musicians of the park plus musicians and jammers from other parks who were already enjoying the dinner that is prepared and served prior to the country jam by chefs living at the park. The Activity Director, Aileen Martin, is responsible for every detail of this jam, including finding the volunteers required to run this jam taking place each Thursday evening during December through March.
The on-site leader of the jam, and manager of the stage band, is Frank Rinchiuso who also performs on stage with his guitar and voice. Accompanying Frank on stage are several musicians who provide the musical support for each jammer and musician. They are Fred Davidson, bass guitar/vocalist; Jess Elrick, lead guitar/vocalist; Leon Hampton, lead guitar/vocalist; Bill Knight, lead guitar/vocalist; Larry Robertson, harmonica/vocalist; and Richard St. Germaine, drummer.
The master of ceremonies is John Mosqueda. The jammers sang/performed country/gospel music during the jam. Those jammers included Delbert Allen, guitar; Richard and Karen Anderson, guitars; Kathy Baehr; Erven Bertrand, guitar; Dee Bethel; Ron Brehm, guitar soloist; Ketih Churchill, piano; Sue Craig; Verna Funk; Ray Glenn; Judy Goosley; Arlie Heisterberg’ Patrick Kent, guitar; Janie La Point; Beverly and Emmet Moore, guitars; Tony Ozark; Cathi Robertson; Dave Reavis; Al Schulz; Susie Q Schutz; Dave Swanson; Banjo Bill Swartz, guitar; Beverly Tokensgard; and Anna Weins, harp.
Good day to y’all. Please accept my apologies if I have confused you with two different King Ranch Tours. They are similar, but they are different – let me explain. First of all, let’s talk about what is the same in both of the tours.
You will be met at your departure point by a Go … With Jo! Guide who will stay with you from the beginning to the end of the day when you are returned to your departure point. That guide will share a lot of history of the Rio Grande Valley and will ask you to help watch for the native wildlife. You might see Rio Grande Turkey, or the elusive Nilgai and possibly some White Tail Deer or a wild hog or a javelina as you travel along in your charter coach.
Once you arrive at the King Ranch, another well versed guide will board the bus – one who is especially schooled in the history of the life of the King Ranch founder, Richard King and his wife, Henrietta. This guide might have even grown up on the ranch. Travel over a twelve-mile loop road through the ranch as you learn all about its founding. A Texas style barbecue lunch is included on both tours.
Now the tours begin to differ a bit. On the King Ranch Tour, you will visit the Henrietta Memorial Museum located in an old icehouse which was very important to the vegetable farmers of the Rio Grande Valley. Still to this day, vegetable farmers ship their produce to northern points, but now the vegetables are generally shipped in modern refrigerated trucks. The first stop to ice down the vegetables was in Kingsville at what is now the museum. If you look carefully at the brick walls of the museum, you can see remnants of salt that was used in producing the ice.
While we have been gearing up for the Valley Star Awards, we have also been busy trying to get out to some events. Last week I was able to attend a couple of events and had a great time visiting with you and enjoying your entertainment.
We first went to Pastor Pudge’s Gospel Music Extravaganza last Tuesday. The Winter Ranch rec hall was practically full of Winter Texans listening and singing along to some great gospel music. It was a lovely afternoon.
Tuesday evening, I went out to Fun and Sun to see Brett Marshall and his group perform. I had never heard them before and was pleasantly surprised. I loved the sound that was a mix of big band and jazz. He covered a lot of familiar tunes. Fun N Sun’s hall was full as well.
I also had the opportunity to eat out at Victoria Palms. I had their hamburger steak with mushrooms and gravy, some mashed potatoes, and sauteed veggies. It was nicely done and was the perfect thing for the beautiful day it was outside.
Hidalgo Watercolor Society presents "Water Works" with an opening reception Saturday, February 3, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Upper Valley Art League Gallery, 921 E. 12th St, Mission.
The annual HWS watercolor exhibit runs February 3 to February 24. Come vote for the People’s Choice award.
UVAL Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The UVAL Gallery is free and open to the public. (956) 591-0282.
By Amanda A. Taylor-Uchoa, UTRGV
The UTRGV Ballet Folklorico is inviting the community to Alegría 2024 with shows starting in early February.
Led by Miguel Angel Peña Caballero, director of the UTRGV Ballet Folklórico, Alegría is an annual folklórico performance that brings life to Mexico’s art of folk dance. The fast-paced show has a cast of 40 dancers and 15 musicians dressed in colorful costumes, performing lively choreographies supported by theatrical lighting and music.
Read more: UTRGV Ballet Folklorico set to kick off Alegria 2024
