Postcards Magazine Eastex December 2023

Eastex Edition

Serving the Greater Cleveland/Tarkington Area

POSTCARDS Magazine

December 2023 Postal Customer

HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS PERMIT NO. 51 PAID U.S. POSTAGE PRSRT STD

Postcards Annual Cover Photo Contest • Martin Powersports

December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 1

Merry Christmas FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS

Where beautiful holiday homes begin! www.wardfurniture.com 180 I-45 • Huntsville Mon. - Fri. 8-5:30 • Sat. 9-4 2 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | December 2023

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Visit us at: PerriDermatology.com December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 3

FEATURES

December 2023 | Volume 1, Issue 7

10 Postcards Annual Cover Photo Contest And the Winners Are...

Cover Photo by Pam Johnson

18 Business Focus

Postcards 2022 Photo Contest Submission

Martin Powersports

FAVORITES Community Calendar -22 Dear Gabby -6 Mustard Seed Moments - 23 Pet Pals -7 Publisher’s Post -5

Puzzle Solutions -23 Sudoku Marketplace -21 Things My Granddaddy Said -9 What’s Cookin’ -8

HAMM'S FLOORING • Hardwood Floors • Tile • Luxury Vinyl Plank • Installation

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4 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | December 2023

HAMMSFLOORING.COM 2751 E. Davis • Conroe

3 miles from downtown Conroe on 105 E

Publishers Post publisher@postcardslive.com

Your Local Community Magazine! @PostcardsMag

PostcardsLive.com

MAILED to select postal routes in the Greater Cleveland/Tarkington area.

If you would like to receive our magazine and are not currently on our mailing list, subscriptions are available.

FREE rack copies at advertisers and businesses in towns listed above.

Published Monthly by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc. Publisher Karen Altom Associate Publisher Kent Holder

Karen Altom Family Matters. This magazine is a family venture. I had the God-given idea, and my sweet husband backed me up and signed on as our editor, working nights and weekends around his other full-time job. Our children, Abby and Marshall, were in high school, and also part of our team as we started. They began by helping with rack deliveries, photography, and writing.

As we enter this season of family togetherness, Wes and I are excited to announce we have hired Marshall back full-time as our Operations Manager. With three magazines, our advertising agency, and a new digital advertising arm of our company, we saw the need for the help!

In addition to those of us who are blood-related, there are a lot of people who work hard together every month to bring you this magazine. They are truly our Postcards family, and we love each and every one.

To you, our loyal readers, advertisers, friends, and colleagues, our family wishes you a Merry Christmas and all the joys of the season! .

Until next time ~

Karen

Editor Wes Altom Operations Manager Marshall Altom Advertising Team Kent Holder Nancy Jolly Leah Lamp Marshall Altom Design Team Mary Partida April Key Online: www.PostcardsLive.com Address: PO Box 690 • Huntsville, TX 77342 Call our Office: 936.293.1188 We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited material. No material from Postcards Magazine™ can be copied, faxed, electronically, or otherwise used without express written permission. Publication of articles, advertisements or product information does not constitute endorsement or approval by Postcards Magazine™ and/or its publisher.

Business Focus stories printed in Postcards Magazine™ are drawn at random from contract advertisers. © 2023 by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc., All rights reserved.

Christmas with Slash, my hefty 70-pound staffy, always came with its own brand of chaos and laughter. He was part of the family, right down to “reading” the mail with me. His favorite? Ripping into junk mail (and later conquering empty Amazon boxes).

One time before Christmas, we found torn wrapping paper Kent Holder and scattered gifts. He’d found his present, but not without some casualties along the way. Lesson learned: gifts were safer on the dining room table, which he knew was a “no-go” zone.

Fast forward to a recent Christmas with my grandkids—the eldest seven and the twins five. Slash, ever the athlete, snatched a few gifts in one fell swoop off the table. The girls were right behind him, with yells of, “That’s mine!”

The chaos unfolded like a comedy show: a twin body checked into the grandfather clock, a second twin tail-grab gone wrong, and a merry chase around the living room. The dog, with goofy innocence, halted when the eldest declared, “That package is sister’s.” He seemed to understand, pausing the anarchy for a moment of peace while we handed out the remaining gifts. But once we said go, it was back to the delightful bedlam—ripping paper, squeals of joy, and my Slash proudly showing off his unwrapped treasures before diligently removing stuffing and squeakers.

Sadly, on August 1st this year, after 13 ½ years, Slash passed away. He gave us not just memories, but stories that will last a lifetime.

As the holidays unfold, let’s cherish the legacy of loved ones past, savor present moments with those around us, and embrace new memories yet to be made.

Kent

Merry Christmas, y’all. See you around town! ~

December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 5

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No sense of humor, that bunch! I’m praying Christmas blessings for you and your family and hoping all your problems are silly little ones.

Count your blessings and remember the real reason for the season. Send your questions to me by clicking on Dear Gabby at www.

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DEAR GABBY New Year’s Eve is creeping up, and I despise the obligatory parties people my age are expected to attend. I don’t drink, so usually wind up driving my friends home. Fortunately, they don’t remember how they got home, so they don’t call me on New Year’s Day to take them to their cars. Why do people who don’t normally drink decide to start a new year pedestrian and sick?

TEETOTALER DEAR TEE You’ve got me on this one! The good news is: when you get too old to drive, the invitations stop coming. Another upside is: you’ve got great stories about what your friends did that night (and, nowadays, you have pictures). My favorite story is the year (100 years ago or so) that the party emcee, two minutes before midnight, announced that every husband was to find the person who made their life worth living and kiss them at midnight. The bartender was nearly crushed to death.

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December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 7

What’s Cookin’

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8 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | December 2023

Directions Step 1: Combine sugar, yeast, salt, and 4 cups of the flour in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until just combined, about 15 seconds. With mixer running on low speed, add eggnog, sour cream, butter, and egg. Continue beating until dough forms, 1-2 minutes. Switch to a dough hook attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic, 6-9 minutes; gradually add

remaining 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary.

Step 2: Place dough in a large bowl greased with cooking spray and turn to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm draft-free place until dough has doubled in size, 2-3 hours.

Step 3: Spray a 13- x 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Lightly punch down dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 18- x 10-inch rectangle.

Step 4: For the filling, spread 1/2 cup of butter over the dough. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle evenly over butter.

Step 5: Starting with one long side, roll dough into a log; pinch seam to seal. Slice into 12 rolls. Place rolls in the prepared pan. Cover, and let rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, 60-75 minutes.

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.

Let cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes.

Step 7: Add cream cheese and 4 tablespoons butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

Add powdered sugar, eggnog, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

Step 8: Drizzle glaze over warm rolls.

Serve with freshly grated nutmeg sprinkled on top and any extra glaze, if desired.

1

,

,

Things My Granddaddy Said Time is something you can take from someone that you can NEVER repay when you tell another person you will be there at a certain time, BE there on time.

The weather can make a farmer look mighty smart, or mighty dumb.

Nothin’ on earth is finer than a good, slow, two-inch rain.

“Mount a horse from the left, milk a cow from the right, approach a mule from the front, and a billy goat from the rear.”

Life is like juggling pitchforks: everyone knows when you mess up.

.

.

we are

thankful

for you!

We are grateful to be surrounded by your Love.

Little pigs make big hogs.

May you be Blessed this holiday season!

A wrinkled brow doesn’t mean a wrinkled heart.

NEAL

FUNERAL HOME

.

Publisher Karen Altom and her Granddaddy J.C. Farris

As I grow older, more and more often I find myself saying, “Like my Granddaddy used to say…” In an effort to keep some of these old sayings alive, we are sharing them here.

Please feel free to share yours with us!

NealFH.net 200 South Washington Avenue • Cleveland, Texas December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition 9

And the winners are...

2023 Postcards Cover Photo Contest 1ST PLACE IN EACH CATEGORY WINS:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER RECEIVES: • Photo featured on a Postcards Magazine Cover • 2 Nights at Margaritaville Lake Conroe Resort • 6 Tickets to Lone Star Lights at Carolina Creek • Specially Customized Postcards Award Gift • Recognition in Postcards Magazine

• Photo on a Postcards Magazine Cover • 1 Night at Margaritaville Lake Conroe Resort • 4 Tickets to Lone Star Lights at Carolina Creek • Specially Customized Postcards Award Gift • Recognition in Postcards Magazine

2ND & 3RD PLACE IN EACH CATEGORY WINS: • 2 Tickets to Lone Star Lights at Carolina Creek • Recognition in Postcards Magazine

WOW! You blew us away again in the third year of our contest with over 600 entries, and we are excited to share the results!

The contest categories were Animals, Nature, People, Local Living, and Seasons.

We thought you might appreciate knowing how the winners were selected.

• First, we removed any names or identifying marks from submissions.

• Our Postcards team then narrowed the field to multiple finalists in each category before the photos were submitted to our panel of judges. Photo contest judges consisted of several individuals (some local, some not) with photography experience and expertise.

• Each judge independently selected and ranked their top five photos in each category.

• From this information, we calculated numerical scores for the photos, which determined our winners.

Thank you to our sponsor!

10 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | December 2023

Grand Prize Winner Raymond W. Carroll

December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

11

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Animals

1st Place Winner Roberta Cowan

2nd Place Winner Justin Humphrey

3rd Place Winner Cade Crippin

Nature

1st Place Winner Janice West

2nd Place Winner Michele Miller

3rd Place Winner Angela Valis

This holy season is so much more than Christmas parties and gift giving.

May the miracle of Christmas fill your heart with wonder and joy!

“Oh come, let us adore Him!”

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Conroe 936.494.1292 1020 Riverwood Ct., Suite 120

14 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | December 2023

Huntsville 936.294.0283 127 Medical Park Lane 227 Hwy 75 N • Suite 245

People

2nd Place Winner Amanda Chambers

1st Place Winner Judy Stovall

3rd Place Winner Christopher Ammons

Local Living

1st Place Winner Stacy Adams-Roberts

2nd Place Winner Cade Crippin

3rd Place Winner Teresa Smith

December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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Seasons

1st Place Winner Cade Crippin

2nd Place Winner Ricky Link

3rd Place Winner Trisher Ford

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The Business Focus is chosen each month by random drawing from among Postcards contract advertisers.

Business Focus Story by Kelly Thomas Photos by Cara Williams

Revving Up Adventure: Martin Powersports Thrives at the Intersection of Country Living and City Convenience

516 S. Washington Ave Cleveland, TX 77327 18 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | December 2023

2530 US Hwy 96 S. Jasper, TX 75951

Martin’s confidence in their products, every vehicle comes with a warranty, and extended service plans are available for added peace of mind. Plus, you can keep an eye on the website for monthly special promotions and deals that could rev up your excitement.

Martin Powersports is not a newcomer; it’s an extension of the longstanding Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC family in Cleveland, an establishment that has been familyowned and operated since 1941. With over 82 years of combined experience, the Martin team embodies the values of intelligence, thoughtfulness, hard work, and honesty, always striving to exceed your expectations.

Customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal, and the dedicated Martin team takes pride in ensuring you receive an unmatched experience.

When you step into the showroom, you’ll find familiar faces like Leah, Jim, Mike, Trevor, Aaron, and skilled mechanics who’ve been with them since they opened. At Martin Powersports, the

General Manager, Tom Broadway

In June of 2017, Martin Powersports opened in the heart of Cleveland. Tom Broadway, the General Manager and Operating Partner of the Martin family for ten years, felt like this would be a great area to start a powersports business, bridging the gap between country living and city convenience.

Martin Powersports is a single-point Polaris dealership, exclusively offering Polaris Ranger, RZR, and ATV units. However, their commitment to serving the community goes

beyond brand loyalty. They provide topnotch parts and service for all makes and models, ensuring every customer can trust them with their powersports needs.

Offerings at Martin cater to a diverse range of enthusiasts, whether it’s hunting, recreation, farming, ranching, or taking on the muddiest terrains at the nearby Creekside Mud Park.

In the showroom, you’ll discover a range of new and pre-owned vehicles, with financing options readily available. As a testament to business is run like a family, and that’s the type of treatment you can expect. “Jim Sutton took care of us while shopping for our new ATV. He gave me great advice and recommended a better model that was better suited for my needs while keeping me safe.

I genuinely appreciated his time, patience, and hard work! I only spent an hour with him, but it feels like he’s family now! We will definitely be back to Martin Powersports for all our future toys!” said Tabitha Tindle of Houston.

Commitment at Martin Powersports extends to providing competitive pricing, highly trained staff and technicians, the largest stock of parts, service for every make and model, swift service turnaround, and convenient service hours. They understand your time is precious and aim to make every December 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

»

19

visit worthwhile. “After dealing with unprofessional service centers for the majority of my adult life, it was nice to experience an organized and truly customer-oriented repair facility. I had a repair to my buggy that was made very timely, and later when I had a similar issue, Mark and the group at Martin were quick to follow up and perform warranty work without the standard hassle it requires for this type of service. I had an exceptional experience with these guys and would recommend their shop to anyone in need of repairs. They stock lots of parts on hand, so minimal down time is also a tremendous benefit to get back on the trails,” said Jason Porter of Cleveland.

Beyond business, Martin Powersports cherishes their roots in the Cleveland community. They allocate a portion of the budget every month for community advertising and actively engage with the local community. Martin donates to the Cleveland School District annually through the FFA program--purchasing animals, processing them, and donating the meat back to the community. They actively participate with the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce and support local youth leagues in football and softball. They also make valuable contributions to our local police, sheriff, and fire departments, recognizing the importance of a safe and secure community. Martin Powersports is dedicated to the community that has embraced them for over eight decades. Tom Broadway sums it up succinctly, “We have been in the community for 82 years. Everybody knows who the Martin family is and who we strive to continue to be, and we’re going to continue to be in this community forever.”

Family owned and operated since 1977 Full Service Meat Case • Custom Deer Processing Gift Baskets • Home Cooked BBQ • And More

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tallentsausage.com 20 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | December 2023

Martin Powersports doesn’t just want your business; they want to help you make informed decisions. Team members pride themselves in taking the time to understand your needs, ensuring you leave with the perfect match for your adventures. You can visit the showroom anytime for an educational journey through available products at two convenient locations–516 S. Washington Ave, Cleveland, TX 77327, and 2530 US Hwy 96 S., Jasper, TX 75951. You can also explore their offerings, specials and promotions online at martinpowersportscleveland.com.

Martin Powersports is your one-stop destination for all things powersports, community-oriented, and committed to making your experience exceptional. Drop by today and become a part of their ever-growing family.

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Madisonville The Pathway of Light

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Journey Through Bethlehem

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Community Band Christmas Concert

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Mustard Seed Sudoku #1Moments

Sudoku #2 5 9 2 6 7 3 1 8 5 8 2 7 3 4 1 6 9

by Linda W. Perkins 7 4 1 8 5 2 3 9 6 9 7 5 2 1 4 3 8 4 3 1 6 8 9 5 2 7 6 8 3 4 1 9 7 2 Blooms 3 5 4 7 8 1 2 6 1 5 in 6 the 9 2 7 8 3 4 Desert 8 2 3 1 6 7 9 5 4 8 6 9 2 3 5 4 7 This year, the intense summer heat scorched many delicate plants, 3 5 ones.

7 4 the 9 flowering 8 2You1can6imagine my surprise when I 1 2 7 9 6 4 8 5 especially noticed the Spanish 4 6 plant 3 in7my 5backyard had a big, beautiful 2 1 8 5 4 6 9 3 2 1 8 9 dagger bloom on it!

3 7 4 8 1 5 6 9 2 9 3 6 1 2 7 5 4 Out of curiosity, I began researching desert plants. What makes 4 7 5 3 9 8 6 1 9 6 5 2 7 3 8 4 1 them able to survive – and even bloom – in an environment that

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God gives us the strength to keep going under any circumstance, would kill many others? I learned some plants have shallow roots because we find our soul’s nourishment in Him. We can stand strong, that are spread out wide, so they catch even the smallest amount of not only surviving, but thriving in even the harshest climate. #4 Sudoku moisture from #3 dew or occasional rainfall. Others, like mesquite trees, Sudoku have 7 healthy 1 3is your 6 root 9 system 2 5today?

8 Is it up to the task of supporting 6 roots 8 that 5 down 2 deep, 7 are not as vulnerable to 4How 4 go 3 9where 1 they changing surface temperatures and evaporation. you in what you may be facing in life?

3 8 6 7 2 5 4 1 9 9 7 2 6 4 1 5 3 8 Our lives can sometimes feel like a desert. How do we become “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, 5 1 3 8 9 7 4 6 2 9 5 2 4 8 1 7 3 6 refreshed so that we can bloom again? you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” – John 6 3 2 9 8 2 5 4 1 7 3 5 4 6 8 1 7 9 15:5 The answer is found in the secrets of the desert plants. When we reach others, that will carry us through 1“The 3 desert 6 to 8 1 we3 find9a support 2 5 system 4 9and7the8parched 5 6land2will be glad; the wilderness will 7 out 4 the hard times and give us more opportunities to experience joy. And and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will 5rejoice 2 7 6 1 3 9 8 4 1 4 9 7 5 2 6 8 3 when we are rooted in God’s word and our relationship with Jesus, rejoice greatly and shout for joy.” – Isaiah 35:1-2a 2 5 6 3 8 4 7 9 1 7 6 3 5 9 2 8 4 1

3 7 9 1 6 8 2 5 Puzzle 2 7 5 3 4 6 8 9 1 Solutions

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Sudoku #5

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Sudoku #8 1 6 9 7 4 3 8 5 2 2 7 4 5 8 9 6 1 3 5 8 3 1 6 2 9 7 4 4 9 6 3 1 7 2 8 5 7 5 8 9 2 6 3 4 1 Magazine: Eastex Edition 23 8 720239| Postcards 3 2 1 4 5December 6 9 1 7 6 3 4 5 2 8

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