Columns

We ‘Boomers’ remember the ole Walter Lanz Saturday cartoons featuring that raucous (and annoying) red-headed woodpecker. AND I saw Woody earlier in the week pecking on the big ole downed virgin pine that the intrepid Donny Averitt felled for me last Summer. Actually this bird was a Pileated Woodpecker that dwells in our North American forests and exclusively eats insects in & under tree bark. They especially like to de-bark a dead or dying tree and eat the bugs they find. In fact, this one that I saw was de-barking the big pine log that Donny had felled and I watched him for about an hour on and off as he chipped and hammered away at the bark on about half of that log. Drive by my house on Laura St. in Mansfield, La. and you can see that for yourself. It was an inspiring site because he was so big and I sure hope he comes back to finish the job so I can see him again!

One of the most important non-federal projects in the United State is in our own backyard and is known as the Toledo Bend Reservoir. Historically the Rio de Sabinas (Sabine River) separated Spanish Texas from French Louisiana. Since rivers were early boundaries between countries it was natural for this river that runs north and south down to the Gulf of Mexico serve as the separation line.

In 1795 Crow’s Ferry was established at a narrow point on the Sabine where present day Hwy 6 crosses the river. James Gaines operated the ferry for 24 years when approximately 55,000 people migrated into Spanish Texas. After the Battle of the Alamo many left Texas by way of the ferry but after the victory at San Jacinto they returned by the same route.

We lost a very good and very funny sports writer and novelist last weekend when Dan Jenkins died at 89 (or 90 – he would have loved that ambiguity!) in his “favorite” hometown of Fort Worth, Tx. He kinda invented the one-liner back-handed sports reporting we know now.

Tip 6 – Financial Balance

Get into the habit of paying the bills on time. Those late fees will stretch your budget until it looks like a squiggly river with no end, and can easily make you feel like you are drowning in debt. I work hard to pay each one as it comes in the mail, but there are days when I have no choice but to pay them on payday.

One thing I have learned is to be careful with the ‘pay by phone’ convenience. Our electric company charges $1.85 each time I pay by phone, which equals $44.88 a year, with two electric bills. Instead, I mail it, and apply that money towards another bill, or on something I really need. Also take this into consideration – just because you have a coupon, doesn’t mean you have saved any money. Do the math. There may still be another brand cheaper.

This really really ISN’T your Mama’s oatmeal but is my ‘funny’ way to get your attention so that I can trick you into reading my column. Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck both thought that the title of a book was one of the most important pieces that make a masterpiece (think “For Whom the Bell Tolls” or “Grapes of Wrath” or Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” – all great titles!) and if they are right you are already consumed with curiosity about just what ‘Switchblade Oatmeal’ is – soooo read on.

If you haven’t moved on to Mr. Powell’s column or Allison Davidson Carpenter’s excellent column by now then I can tell you that I’m actually talking about Steelcut Oatmeal. Now you’re saying, “Dang it, I knew it’d be something dumb!” But wait there’s more! I’ve actually tried it awhile back and didn’t like the ultra-chewy texture and haven’t thought about messing with it again at all until I saw a couple of interesting sounding recipes for “Steelies”.

Since my arrival in Mansfield on Jan. 1, 1948 it has been my pleasure to meet many interesting people, and good people, who need to be remembered. The history of our parish and town has been made by many of these people and their relatives and acquaintances. The person in this article is Hall Peyton – a person I admired and respected.

He was born in Keatchie in the 1800’s and as a young man came here to work in the First National Bank. In one of our early religious revivals here he felt the call to the Baptist Ministry. He served for many years and after retiring from the Pastor ship at Lake Arthur Baptist Church in southwest Louisiana he and Mrs. Peyton returned to Mansfield in the early 1960’s. His wife soon thereafter died and several years later he married Mrs. Lightfoot who was a wonderful Christian lady.

By Van Reech

As a Baby Boomer growing up in the Fifties I was subject to all those Saturday morning ads on TV for sugar packed cereals. Back then we only had three channels 3, 6, and 12. That meant you were kinda trapped into what you watched. Back then and even today I like those Looney Tunes cartoons like The Roadrunner, Sylvester the Cat, Bugs Bunny and others – I know you remember the Saturday morning lineup. AND they all advertised Frosted Flakes, Cocoa Krispies (or Count Chockula!), Fruit Loops, Sugar Smacks, Captain Crunch and other sugar laden cereals. I even remember sprinkling more sugar on top of Frosted Flakes! The best part of a bowl of cereal was the sugar sludge mixed with a little milk and debris at the bottom of the bowl. – It makes my heart rate race now to even think about it.

By Raymond Powell

As this writer has stated many times in the past – History can take many forms. Today’s article primarily concerns a man that few in DeSoto Parish know or remember, Travis Spears. He and his wife were born here in the early 1900’s and he went to work in the oil fields in the 1930’s for the Standard Oil Co. After working in the drilling or production end for 15 years he was sent to Standard Oil’s South American Division in Venezuela. There he worked his way up to management in production. He and Mrs. Spears moved back to Mansfield with their 5th grade son, Travis, Jr. and they built a nice home on Hwy. 84 West near where Jeff and Jill Heard presently live. Travis, Jr. later became an M.D.