Bosque River Run

natural wonders

An artist returns to the Cross Timbers, infusing color and vitality into every corner of Bosque County.

Ronnie Rawls Owner, President Casey Rawls Moore Vice President, Licensed Agent Perla Perea McMullen Licensed Agent

Freedom To Chill

It’s summer! Vacation time! [hiking somewhere in Bosque County, Texas]

[stops and looks around] So why isn’t everyone happy?

Oh, [gestures around] it’s the heat, isn’t it?

Yeah, these record-breaking temps caused by air pollution negatively effect folks of all ages, backgrounds, and skin tones, doesn’t it?

Well, I refuse to let the “wet-bulb temperature” boil my body! [dabs white zinc oxide paste over nose]

I refuse to let a little ultraviolet light lay me out flat! [sits in kiddie pool full of ice cubes]

I refuse to let [snaps fingers summoning Sammy the Sasquatch (aka “Big Foot”) to hold a big patio umbrella over his head] God’s creation and all His holy creatures fry and die!

And I refuse to change out my “winter” mugshot for my “Letter from the Editor” here because the way we beat the heat is to think cool thoughts!

[Sammy steps into icy kiddie pool with the patio umbrella]

Okay, so maybe we need to do more than to think cool thoughts...

In their own way, the subjects of the summer issue of the Bosque River Run magazine protect our freedom to chill.

Shannon Birchum shows us we can beautify our shade. Kathy Cash reminds us we can have fun with less energy. Charles and Judy Ellis prove we can rebuild a-new from yesterday’s ashes. Caleb French and Neil Muxworthy demonstrate we can soar with less energy. And Althea and Toney Rogers encourage us to seek cool opportunities together.

Thank you to Melanie Rhyne for designing our magazine, Amy Perry for penning our stories, Katie Britain for inviting our advertisers to the party, our advertisers for chilling with us, and Rita Hamilton for flipping the bill to fly-in Sammy the Sasquatch from Washington state for the weekend!

We couldn’t have done it without all y’all!

When y’all have any story ideas, cooking tips, or music suggestions, drop me a line at editor@cliftonrecord.com.

I look forward to hearing from you. I’ll chat with you later! [Sammy throws ice cube at Nathan]

-- Nathan Diebenow

5:00 pm

5:00 pm

5:00 pm

Come Early & Feed the Texas Safari Giraffes

Come Early & Feed the Texas Safari Giraffes

Come Early & Feed the Texas Safari Giraffes

Texas Safari is home to both endangered species and species that are extinct in the wild. In 2020, we welcomed two reticulated giraffes, JM and Anabelle, who was pregnant at the time. She gave birth to Betty in June of 2021. A special giraffe house was built for the family and has made it possible for visitors to engage with these gentle animals and enjoy their majestic beauty!

Texas Safari is home to both endangered species and species that are extinct in the wild. In 2020, we welcomed two reticulated giraffes, JM and Anabelle, who was pregnant at the time. She gave birth to Betty in June of 2021. A special giraffe house was built for the family and has made it possible for visitors to engage with these gentle animals and enjoy their majestic beauty!

Texas Safari is home to both endangered species and species that are extinct in the wild. In 2020, we welcomed two reticulated giraffes, JM and Anabelle, who was pregnant at the time. She gave birth to Betty in June of 2021. A special giraffe house was built for the family and has made it possible for visitors to engage with these gentle animals and enjoy their majestic beauty!

3rd Annual

FABULOUS FANDANGO

Bosque Spay Neuter (BSN)

Join us in support of Bosque Spay Neuter (BSN)

$90 per person

$90 per person

$90 per person

Catered Dinner Open Bar

Catered Dinner

Open Bar

Live Entertainment

Live Entertainment

Live Entertainment

Silent Auction and Live Auction

Silent Auction and Live Auction

Silent Auction and Live Auction

Cats, Canines, & Cocktails at Texas Safari Ranch

192 Private Road 4293, Clifton

Saturday, September 23 at 5:30pm

Saturday, September 23 at 5:30pm

FMI: 254-253-6124 bosquespayneuter.org

FMI: 254-253-6124 bosquespayneuter.org

FMI: 254-253-6124 bosquespayneuter.org

CASH, CHECKS AND CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

CASH, CHECKS AND CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

CASH, CHECKS AND CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

Top Bluegrass Artists

Saturday, Aug. 26 • 7PM Concessions Available

BOOKS ON THE BOSQUE

Saturday, Oct. 28, 9AM–5:30PM

(Deadline for writing contest, Monday, Sept. 18)

See details on bosqueartscenter.org

Aug. 8, 7PM

Photo by Texas Safari Ranch

Photo by Texas Safari Ranch

Photo by Texas Safari Ranch

Museums

Bosque County Collection (Meridian) – www.bosquechc.org

Bosque Museum (Clifton) – bosquemuseum.org

Clifton Classic Chassis – cliftonclassicchassis.org

Ringness House Museum (Norse) – ringnesshouse.org

Walnut Springs Historical Museum – 4128 3rd Street (next to Walnut Springs City Hall)

Public Libraries

Laguna Park Library – Facebook @lagunaparklibrary

Meridian Public Library – meridian.biblionix.com/catalog

Nellie Pederson Civic Library (Clifton) – cliftonlib.com

Valley Mills Public Library – valleymillslibrary.org

Community Meetings

Bosque County Genealogical Society – bosque-heritage.org

Bosque County Commissioners Court – Mondays weekly. bosquecounty.us

Bosque County Rotary Club – Thursdays weekly. Facebook @BosqueRotary

City of Clifton Main Street Board – 4th Monday monthly. Facebook @cliftonmainstreet

Clifton Chamber of Commerce Board – 1st Tuesday monthly. cliftontexas.org

Clifton City Council – 2nd Tuesday monthly. cityofclifton.org

Clifton Civic Improvement Society – 1st Wednesday monthly, September – May.

Clifton Economic Development Corporation – 3rd Monday monthly. cliftonedc.org

Clifton Lions Club – 2nd Thursday monthly. Facebook @cliftonlionsclub

Cranfills Gap Chamber of Commerce – 2nd Wednesday monthly. gapchamber.org

Cranfills Gap City Council – 2nd Monday monthly. cranfillsgaptexas.com

Iredell City Council – 2nd Tuesday monthly. 254-364-2436

Meridian City Council – 2nd Monday monthly. meridiantexas.us

Meridian Chamber of Commerce – 2nd Thursday monthly. meridiantexas.us

Meridian EDC – 3rd Thursday monthly. meridiantexas.us

Meridian Lions Club – 1st and 2nd Tuesdays monthly. meridiantexas.us

Meridian Parks & Recreation – 4th Wednesdays monthly. meridiantexas.us

Meridian Planning & Zoning – meridiantexas.us

Valley Mills Chamber of Commerce – 4th Tuesday monthly. Facebook @valleymillschamber

Valley Mills City Council – 2nd Tuesday monthly. vmtx.us

Walnut Springs City Council – 3rd Thursday monthly. cityofwalnutsprings.org

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Curves Ahead

By Amy Perry | Photos by Nathan Diebenow

Rome has the Pantheon.

Istanbul has the Hagia Sophia.

Houston has the self-proclaimed eighth wonder of the world.

And a wooded stretch of Morgan has the spherical homes of Judy and Charles Ellis.

Energy-efficient, strong against the elements, and fast to construct, the Ellis’ his and her domes may appear futuristic at first glance. But curved architecture is, in fact, one of humanity’s oldest structures, with dome dwellings dating back to 19,280 BC. More recently, Judy and Charles worked with construction company Monolithic Airforms of Italy, Texas, on their own 21st-century version.

Now if you’ve ever raced up IH-35 between Waco and Dallas, you’ll know the manufacturing firm by its roadside factory — a 250-foot caterpillar composed of seven interconnected domes, complete with painted-on eyes, smile, and innumerable pairs of multi-color cowboy boots that glow in the dark.

The complex even has a name — Bruco, which is aptly, Italian for caterpillar.

As America’s expert in curved architecture for decades, Monolithic Airforms has crafted fertilizer storage and school domes, business and church domes, gymnasium and residential domes, so it was the natural partner for Charles Ellis and his domed ambitions. As an environmental engineer at Texas Industries in

Dallas, he’d long wanted to construct an eco-friendly abode, but the building style doesn’t meet most urban building codes, Charles says.

So in 1975 he purchased 20 acres in Bosque County to craft his dream, mostly alone and by hand. For five years,“I’d leave my Dallas office on a Friday, get to Morgan at dark, then work on the house all weekend,” including adding a second story within the arch.

In the late 1980s Charles was introduced by a mutual friend to Judy, then a graphic designer for Fort Dearborn, a major Fort Worth packaging and labeling company, and they married in 1999. In 2004, they decided to expand their Morgan compound beyond Charles’s globular bachelor pad.

“Oh well, why not? We’ll have a pair of domes,” Judy says. So they returned to Monolithic Airforms to engineer a second nearby space and moved to Morgan together full-time in 2007.

Now the Ellises live fluidly between the dome duo with their Welsh Corgi mix Sedi and cat Sal.

It’s not your average country house, but it is a love nest all their own.

Take a tour.

FROM DAWN TO DOME

Eight steps to the Ellis orbs

Step 1: Pour a concrete slab foundation.

Step 2: Design and construct an air form — a giant canvas balloon. Step 3: Inflate the balloon above the foundation.

Step 4: Spray the interior of the balloon with polyurethane foam insulation

Step 5: Add an interior layer of steel rebar and then 4-inchthick concrete, leaving space for windows, doors, chimneys, and HVAC systems. “Think about it like building an upside-down swimming pool,” Judy describes.

Step 6: Let materials cure for two weeks

Step 7: Thread with plumbing and electrical and install doors and windows.

Step 8: Move in and make it your own!

Learn more about how ancient architecture is made modern at MonolithicDome.com.

Tucked away on a country road, these his and her domes are an unconventional love nest for a creative Morgan couple.

WELCOME COMMITTEE

PERSONAL EFFECTS

In 2021, Charles’ original, bi-level dome caught fire due to a chimney accident. The spherical frame survived, but all of the interior walls, second-story floor, and staircase did not. This framed catalog cover is one of Charles’ few belongings salvaged from the flames, but its soot-tinged edges serve as a remembrance.

FLOWER POWER

OFFICE MATES

Judy’s dome is complete with a covered porch that leads to a glass-block-framed door; this ensures the sturdy exterior lets in plentiful sunlight.

Judy poses in the sunflower patch between their domes with a painting from her art school days at the University of Texas at Austin.

In Charles’ dome, the couple work at a mid-century desk made for two, discovered at Clifton’s Pot o’Gold thrift shop.

Short Snippets on Life A Dead Book . . . Really?

By Rita Hamilton

In our American culture, it’s not really politically correct to have in-depth discussions centered around death. We, as a society, just don’t like to talk about it although I’m confident that we all will make that journey one day. Although we have our own belief systems when it comes to what happens at the moment of death, the purpose of this column is more lighthearted in an odd way. Some may find it a bit macabre. My family has found it amusing but with purpose.

I think it’s safe to say that most of us have experienced first-hand or know someone who has found themselves in a period of high drama when trying to divide the personal and financial assets of a loved one that has passed. Some stories are just horrific, filled with greed, jealousy, and so many other things that do not make the process any easier.

In April of 1999, both my parents passed away within a week of one another. They were both in their mid-60s. There are four siblings, with me being the oldest. All of us were equal beneficiaries of everything that involved their finances. However, about 10 years prior to their passing, my mother, in her simplistic wisdom, had created what she had called the “Dead Book.” Her instructions to each of us were listed in the dead book, under our individual names, those personal items we wanted from their home. It gave us all a good laugh at the time. If one of us simply complimented something new in her home she would always respond back with “If you want it, put it in the Dead Book under your name.”

Let me tell you that when dividing up all their material possessions, there was not one argument between us as to who got what. It was all right there in her prized “Dead Book.” The only area where we didn’t have completely lined out was my mother’s Christmas decorations. We had a few things in the book but nothing that would cover the massive amount she had collected throughout the years. My mother was a creative artist and her home at Christmastime was a winter wonderland. From her beautiful Christmas scenes she would paint on the over-sized dining room mirror, to her Creche comprised of ceramic figurines, she had painted herself to her incredible toy lands that mesmerized her grandchildren for hours on end.

At that time, there were no smart phones, no FaceTime, no Zoom calls. I had to make my Christmas selections without seeing anything and tried hard to draw on my memory to remember those things that meant something to me. I made out as I now have in my possession three gold nuns, all playing instruments, two candlestick porcelain snow angels that she had purchased when I was born, a porcelain Santa that sits on my Christmas tree with shattered legs inside his Santa suit and a Snoopy reindeer from the 1960s that only has one antler left and her miniature red wooden harp and violin. Some may find these items of little consequence, but to me they contain precious memories from my childhood. I’m not so sure my children will appreciate any of these items when I pass.

As much as we laughed at my mother for her utilization of a dead book, my sisters and I have carried on the tradition for our own children. Whether they actually refer to it is yet to be seen. Hopefully, it will be a long time before my passing comes to fruition. But at least for some things, there will be no arguing because “It’s spelled out in the dead book.”

Things that make you go hmmmmmm!

natural wonders

An artist returns to the Cross Timbers, infusing color and vitality into every corner of Bosque County.

LARGER THAN LIFE:

Clifton-based artist Shannon Birchum poses in front of a commissioned garden wall mural in Cranfills Gap.

By Amy Perry | Photos by Nathan Diebenow

There’s a quote in artist Shannon Birchum’s Instagram feed that reads:

“Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better.”

The quote is attributed to the early 20th-century, Nobel--winning French author André Gide, but it also summarizes the ethos of Birchum, a 21st-century painter who’s recently brought her brushes and palette to Clifton to capture Mother Earth and all her charms.

This move marks the latest stage of Birchum’s artistic journey, having been schooled in commercial art and advertising at Waco’s Texas State Technical Institute, then working in Waco for many years as a signage painter, illustrator, logo designer, and children’s art instructor.

“Art has always been in my life,” Birchum attests. With skills that range from ethereal watercolors reminiscent of Monet to saturated collages that nod to Matisse, “I’m always creating with my hands.”

And that urge couldn’t be contained.

After honeymooning in Fredericksburg in 2004, Shannon and her husband Don left Waco for the Hill Country hamlet in 2009. “Fredericksburg was a delightful place of beauty and artistic avenues,” Birchum says, “such a creative environment.”

But a decade later, both Fredericksburg and Waco grew busier with bachelorette parties and wine tour buses and the ever-growing #shiplap crowd.

“We have family in nearby McGregor and dear friends in Bosque Country, plus Clfton has a similar landscape as Fredericksburg — rolling hills and rock outcroppings, beautiful sunsets and bluffs. We decided it was time for a change, and Clifton was to be our new home.”

And since that 2019 move, her aesthetic instincts have proven correct.

In the past four or so years, Birchum has brought both her teaching and making talents to public and private canvases across Bosque County. A floral wall at Mazie Grace boutique and a giant tree at Tolstoy & Co. bookshop, hand-lettering at Middle Bosque River Camp and an upcoming succulent mural at The 5th Street Market & Nursery, plus the occasional class at Riverplace Studio and Workshop 219.

You may have even spotted Birchum and her mother on Highway 6, towing a 1958 Siesta trailer emblazoned with a whole flock of painted pink flamingos. “Mom gets honks, thumbs-up, and waves whenever it’s on the road,” Birchum says.

Her handiwork doesn’t end in two dimensions though. Under the brand Sunshine & Honey, Birchum sells her handmade jewelry and bags in a mix of leather and lace alongside vintage apparel in linen and cotton at a booth within Clifton’s Mazie Grace. “Here I’m able to express myself in another way besides painting.”

But there’s one more Bosque County address where Birchum’s imagination soars: her at-home art studio, especially when her three Waco grandkids come over.

“They love to visit Honey and Papa in Clifton, and my studio is especially of interest; it’s where we can enjoy being creative and getting messy together!”

“Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better.”

THE ARTIST’S WAY

Where to find Birchum’s work in and around Bosque County

Interior murals at Tolstoy & Co. bookshop and Mazie Grace boutique in Clifton

Exterior wallscape on Waco’s Antioch Community Church youth building, Middle Bosque River Camp in McGregor, and soon The 5th Street Market & Nursery in Clifton

Her Sunshine & Honey booth at Mazie Grace

Seasonal shopping events hosted by Clifton’s Market at the Mill and Feather Glen Farmhouse

Paint and sip courses at Riverplace Studio in Laguna Park

Collage and stamp-carving classes at Workshop 219 in Clifton

TREE OF KNOWLEDGE:

Birchum’s book nook painting enlivens Clifton’s Tolstoy & Co. bookshop.

GOLDEN HOUR:

A summer sunset in Bosque County brings out the beauty of Birchum’s flora and fauna, a new project for an area resident.

Vend at the Bend

The Armadillo market offers shoppers’ paradise

By Nathan Diebenow

Highway 6 is a stretch of roadway running from the Texas Gulf Coast to the Red River.

But what most people don’t realize about this 476-mile-long state road is that Bosque County sits smack dab in the middle of it.

After a few years getting the lay of the land as new residents, Althea Rogers and her husband Toney thought Clifton would be the perfect place for an indoor/outdoor market.

“Clifton has made us feel like one of their own. Plus, as the old adage goes, ‘Location! Location! Location!’” Althea said.

With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the Rogers named the market “The Armadillo” because there isn’t a more perfect animal mascot* to be in the middle of all in Texas.

You will find that the market’s vibe is by no means “middle of the road.” It’s inspired by the “World’s Largest Flea Market” in Canton, Texas, where vendors and shoppers descend on the first Monday of the month.

The Rogers have long loved chasing (and making) deals at live auctions and conventions for sports collectibles, pop culture paraphernalia, and metal antiques and yard art.

“We’d get off work. Drive down there. Do the card show during the day, and the rest of the weekend was beach time,” Althea said of their treasure hunting trips for baseball cards in Corpus Christi.

She continued, “We would go to Canton and Fredericksburg –to the markets– and it got to be where it was too hot.”

Now, joining forces with 22 other area vendors, they’re bringing their joy for modern, vintage, and homemade gifts to their air conditioned building at 910 North Avenue G.

The “Location! Location! Location!” is great because folks driving vehicles must slow down at this section where Highway 6 curves in Clifton.

“Being on Highway 6 helps spur both local people and highway traffic to stop and shop,” Althea explained.

Spread across seven different rooms, the store’s vendors and their inventory come from all over the world. For instance, cow hide rugs are from Columbia and Brazil; coffee, from Louisiana; and fine art as well as vegetables, from Bosque County.

The floor space inside the variety store is easy to get around for customers and open enough for most people using wheelchairs and walkers to scoot from room to

room.

Since officially opening the store this past winter, Althea and her fellow vendors have organized booth spaces outside the venue once a month on Saturdays.

The special monthly outdoor market events –which host live music artists and a food truck or two– turn the shop into a community hub.

Speaking of community, Althea has welcomed a few folks to set up fundraiser space for local student groups and veterans. For instance, local girl scouts came out to sell cookies in January. More recently Meridian’s “Not So Jazz Band –Jazz Band” has performed at an outdoor market event.

Currently the Bosque County Veterans Memorial group is selling t-shirts and memorial bricks to raise awareness and money for its project in Meridian.

In the future, Althea foresees developing the outdoor market space to feature a permanent stage for live music shows.

The Armadillo’s hours of operation are from 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday.

For more information, contact Althea via email at thearmadillo121@gmail.com or visit the Armadillo on Facebook.

SALES, SERVICE, PARTS, AND RENTALS

Track Loader and Dozer

Rentals Available

(254) 826-8381

10110 HWY 6 MERIDIAN, TX 76665

centraltexastractor.com

D1 Dozer

289D3 Cab & Air Track Loader

299D3 Cab & Air Track Loader

299D3 Cab & Air Track Loader

HighFlow

Mini Skid Steer

3 Point Stump Grinder

Hay Accumulator

Teleclipper

Danuser T3 Post and Pipe Driver

Hammer Post Driver

Tree Intimidator

Trencher

Pallet Forks

Multi-Purpose Scaffolding

Box Blade

Pasture Renovator

72 in Grapple

3 Point Seeder/Fertilizer

Spreader

Wire/Fence Stretcher

Belltec 9 in Auger with Rock

Bit Available

THE WING

Hamilton Soaring Club

lifts young, new pilots

A small engine plane tows a glider into the air for a spin across the sky above Central Texas. Photo courtesy of Hamilton Soaring Club

By Nathan Diebenow

Imagine flying high in the air, traveling great distances with no fuel, no engine, and no worries, and then returning home unscathed all according to plan.

Sounds like science fiction, right? It’s not. It’s called “soaring,” and the Hamilton Soaring Club invites you to expand your horizons with them.

In 2017, the late Jim Calloway founded the club originally as a non-profit organization that trains young people to fly gliders, so they hopefully go on to obtain their commercial pilot’s license.

Now the club is open to folks of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels interested in this novel mode of transportation gaining in popularity nationwide.

Calloway and his wingmen picked Hamilton as the club’s home base because air traffic above Hamilton Municipal Airport is much lower compared to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or the Waco-Temple-Killeen area. Plus, the 5,000-foot long runway supports the wide-winged aircraft.

Truth be told, getting a glider airborne still takes energy, and a conventional small engine aircraft is typically used to pull the glider

into service with a bungie-type rope. “We primarily do ‘air tows’ because it’s the most convenient for sure. It’s the most expensive as well, but it’s the most convenient,” club member Neil Muxworthy told the Bosque County Rotary Club recently. Alternatives to an air tow involve treating a glider like a kite but with a motorized vehicle or a winch pulling the light aircraft along a runway. You can also launch a glider by dropping it from a cliff top.

Muxworthy knows much about soaring because in a glider at age 13, he started what would eventually become his career as a commercial airline pilot. Now a retired captain, he’s one of two glider instructors in the club.

Overall, gliders have great safety records, he said. You can still get your private glider license at 16 years old.

“If they let a 14-year-old kid fly solo with a glider like this, it has to say something for safety,” Muxworthy said. “I would not think twice about letting my child to solo in a glider at 14 years old.”

Under Muxworthy’s wing is Caleb French, a 2022 graduate of Hamilton High School who received his private glider license in April 2023. He explained that glider pilot training stresses safety and situational awareness, especially over long-distance flights and in landings.

“Sometimes when you’re landing out, you end up being in a dirt or plowed field,” he said.

A brown field is a nicer place to land than a green field because it’s easier to disassemble and haul a glider from an empty field (with a friendly farmer’s tractor) than one in crop production.

In certain flight plans, a ground vehicle will accompany a glider during its flight. A glider also comes with a special tracking device connected to the Online Glider Network (live.glidernet.org).

“Say they land out and their phone’s dead, we’ll see them not moving and go look for them,” French said.

Tim Talley, manager of the Clifton Municipal Airport, said that Isenhower Field has a glider tracking receiver because gliders from Hamilton and Midlothian travel to

Clifton before turning back home.

While French trained on a glider, he was a winter-season employee at Clifton Aero located at the Clifton Airport. French recently earned his private pilot’s license, so now this summer, he is flying planes for a fishing lodge in Alaska.

“If you know of any kids that want to come over, we’d love to have them,” Muxworthy said.

A few young people from Bosque County have already taken the HSC up on the offer. Griffin Phillips, a recent graduate of Clifton High School, participated in the club, and is now in the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.

“Soaring doesn’t have to be expensive,” Muxworthy added.

To join the club, there’s a one-time membership fee of $400, and dues are $40 a month. To rent the trainer is $15 an hour. Tows are $40 each. The instructors are free of charge.

For more information, visit the Hamilton Soaring Club on social media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ groups/SoaringTX/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/ hamilton_soaring

Twitter: www.twitter.com/club soaring

Members of the Hamilton Soaring Club Neil Muxworthy and Caleb French (from left) cover the ins-and-outs of gliding at a recent meeting of the Bosque County Rotary Club. Photo by Nathan Diebenow

The wingspan of gliders as much as 80

Photo courtesy of Hamilton Soaring

gliders can reach 80 feet long.

Bluebonnets greet the glider pilots before their lift into the sky above Hamilton Municipal Airport.

Soaring Club

Gretchen Sauer | Robert Hook | Kelli Lawson Jones Hunter Brooks | Sean Boiles

Members of the Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club get their parade faces on before a recent parade in Clifton. Courtesy photo by Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club

Have Stick Horse, Will Rodeo

Riding club dreams modest dreams

By Nathan Diebenow

Most folks have modest dreams about what they want to accomplish in their short, humdrum lives.

They aim to finish reading that book. (You know the one!) They hope to spell “Congratulations” without a dictionary. (“Auto correct” is not your friend.) They even try watching TV. (What’s a podcast?)

Kathy Cash has been there, done that –bought the t-shirt, in fact– and now she’s raising her modest expectations at tad more. Now she wishes to throw a rodeo featuring stick horses. Yes, stick horses! And she’s already well on her way. Yeehaw!

Three years ago, Cash and her friends –“a group of like-minded, ageless, cowgirls and cowboys”– formed the Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club in Cranfills Gap. Their goal was to boost community spirits during parades across Bosque County in our post-pandemic reality.

“Who doesn’t love a good parade entry?” she said. “Think Sweet Potato Queens. Lawn Chair Steppers. Elvis impersonators. Clowns on tricycles. Old tractors. Giant Harvesters, and Viking Ships!”

Cash said that while brainstorming the club’s existence, she flashed back to a diary entry she made in the 5th grade in which she recorded her feelings for the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo parade “THE best day of my life ever!” she wrote For spreading joy, the stick horses are the perfect vehicle, she said, not apologizing for the pun.

One: Stick horses are fun. You can make them yourself with very few resources. Two: They’re fun. You can ride and stable them within a moment’s notice. Three: They’re fun. You can hold them steady in your bare hands without exhausting yourself.

There’s a place for humans across ages, saddle-riding preferences, and skill levels in the stick horse riding club. Creatures on the stick, however, are another matter;

they must remain horses. No brooms either.

“Different kinds of riders and horses are represented from liberty riders, to bareback, English and Western saddle riders, mustangs, quarter horses, Arabians, and Appaloosa’s are all welcome in our club (no llamas, please),” Cash said.

She continued, “Some riders dress their horse in diamonds; other ribbons and bows. Spirit Keeper, a mustang medicine pony, has indigenous symbols painted on her and feathers in her mane. Triggersz, the iconic movie and television star, and Doc, retired tap dancing BAC Stage Performance horse, are also a members of the club.”

Each rider decorates, trains, and cares for their own stick horse. Some members have more than one stick horse.

With much thought and serious practice, the club members have choreographed special quadrille moves for their parade schtick. They’ve got “The Tandem March,” “The Figure 8,” and their most popular – “The Texas Star!” (aka Wagon Wheel).

“We practice at the Gap Chamber on Wednesday’s at 4:30 p.m., but our horses and riders are such natural professional performers that we just show up 15 minutes before the event and do a quick run through for the horses,” Cash said.

Right now the club has 15 active members. Between 10 -12 stick horse riders are needed to perform at parades, Cash said. Still, room exists for non-riding members.

“You can own a stick horse or not, come to practice or not, ride in the parade, carry the official Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club banner and/or ride in the Ole Mare’s Uber. It’s up to members to find their niche,” Cash said.

Carrying the official banner is serious business, but the rewards are numerous! While they must march and keep pace for the stick horse riders’ slick moves, the banner holders see the wonderful facial expressions in the audience.

Equally as important are the OLE Mares’ Uber (aka Stick Horse Sag Wagon). In addition to throwing candy to the crowd and watch their faces light up, they assist riders and stick horses in case of a possible mishap.

The Club’s resume is growing. Just recently, they began performing at private events, such as the “Ride the Red Carpet” at the Bosque Film Society’s Cowboy Crossings Film Festival at The CLIFTEX in Clifton.

“We would like to double our parade performances to include Homecoming, Christmas, and 4th of July Parades in and around Bosque County,” Cash said. “Our ultimate goal is to be invited to the Rose Bowl or some other highly televised parade on national TV ”

To join, contact Kathy Cash via email cash.kathy@icloud.com or by phone at (817) 454-7510 You will be put on a contact list and sent performance information, practice and parade times before the events

Stick horses await their riders in the stables. Courtesy photo by Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club

Karen Cornett and Jan Kieta (from left) prepare to assist fellow members of the Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club at a recent parade in Cranfills Gap. Courtesy photo by Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club

The official banner carriers make way for riders in the Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club through historic downtown Cranfills Gap.

Members of the Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club get ready for a parade in Cranfills Gap. Courtesy photo by Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club

Courtesy photo by Bosque County Stick Horse Riding Club

ADVERTISING

The Clifton Record & The Meridian Tribune 310 W 5th St • Clifton, TX 254-675-3336 • bosquecountytoday.com

ANTIQUES

Bosque County Emporium

121 N Ave D • Clifton, TX 76634 254-675-8133

bosquecountyemporium@gmail.com

ARTISTS/ART GALLERIES

Bosque Arts Center

215 S College Hill Dr • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-3724 • Bosqueartscenter.org

Bosque Museum

301 S. Avenue Q • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-3845

George Boutwell

3083 Hwy 6 • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-6676 • Gboutwell.com

L.A. Thompson Gallery of Fine Arts An Thompson

N Ave D • Clifton, TX 76634

• FB@lathomsonart

Douglass Ford

business directory

First National Bank of Bosque County

1203 N Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-6570 • fnbbosque.com

First Security State Bank

1115 W 5th St • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-2265 • fssbtexas.com

J Phillips Mortgage Inc.

Kevin King • 214-549-8839 • www.myjpmortgage.com

Mattson Financial Services

5400 Bosque Blvd 4th Floor • Waco, TX 76710

254-772-6383 • Mattsonfinancialservices.com

CONSTRUCTION & HOME REPAIR

B&C Exteriors 101 Scurlock St • Grandview, TX 76050

817-866-4897 • Bandcexteriors.com

JBS Heating & Air Conditioning 911 W.5th Street • Clifton, TX 76634

254-978-2510

Keith’s Ace Hardware 927 N. Avenue G • Clifton, TX 254-675-6513

Loftin Dirt Works 307 N Ave C • Clifton, TX 76634 254-640-1104 • jldirtworks18@gmail.com

Leon’s Floor Covering

W 5th St • Clifton, TX 76634

Leonsfloorsclifton.com

R&M Fencing

Co Rd 182

Purmela, TX 76566

business directory

Meridian ISD

310 D St • Meridian, TX 76665

254-435-2326

Meridianisd.org

FARM

& RANCH

Coryell County Commission Company

400 Cattle Drive, N. Loop Highway 36

Gatesville, TX 76528

254-865-9121 • coryellcommission.com

Central Texas Tractor & Implement

10110 Highway 6 • Meridian, TX 76665

254-826-8381 • centraltexastractor.com

Lawson Implement Co.

1130 S.Hwy 281 • Hamilton, TX 76531

800-658-6807 • Lawson-implement.com

Waco Livestock Auction

2316 Marlin Hwy • Waco, TX 76704

254-753-3191 • wacolivestock.com

GOVERNMENT

Bosque County Central

Appraisal District

9293 Hwy 6 • Meridian, TX 76665

254-435-2304 • Bosquecad.com

Bosque County Judge’s Office

110 S Main, Room 100 • P.O. Box 647

Meridian, TX 76665 • 254-435-2382 ext 6

City of Iredell

225 Eastland St • Iredell, TX • 254-364-2436

City of Meridian

111 Main St • Meridian TX 76665

254-435-2381 • meridiantexas.us

Clifton Chamber of Commerce

Paige Key

115 N Ave D • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-3720 • cliftontexas.org

Clifton Main Street

403 W 3rd St • P.O. Box 231 • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-8337 • FB@CliftonMainStreet

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Albrecht’s Pharmacy

506 W 5th St • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-8398 • Albrechtspharmacy.com

Brookhaven Youth Ranch

5467 Rogers Hill Rd • West, TX 76691

254-829-1893 • brookhavenyouthranch.org

Come see us for all your trees, shrubs, flowers, local honey, jellies, jams, pickles, salsas, variety of nuts & more!

Local meat from Pederson’s and vegetables & gifts.

On-site bakery, we have salads, wraps, sandwiches, dips, fruit cups, cookies, bread, etc made fresh daily.

Volleman Milk from local Volleman Dairy

Follow us on FACEBOOK to keep up with all the happenings.

822 E Main St Hamilton, TX

M-F 9-5:30 Sat 9-3

254-386-5004

business directory

Careflite

4458 FM Rd 933 • Whitney, TX 76692 • 800-442-6260 • careflite.org

Dynamic Family Dentistry

302 S Ave Q • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-3518 • bosquecountydentist.com

Goodall-Witcher Healthcare/ Bosque County Health District

101 Posey Ave • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-8322 • gwhealthcare.org

Hamilton Healthcare System

400 N Brown St • Hamilton, TX 76531

254-386-1600 • hamiltonhospital.org

Lutheran Sunset Ministries

413 Sunset Ave • P.O. Box 71 • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-8637 • Lutheransunset.org

Waco Cardiology Associates

7125 New Sanger Rd A • Waco, TX 76712

254-399-5400 • Wacocardiology.com

LODGING

Velkommen Inn

1215 N. Avenue G • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-8999

Texas Safari Ranch

192 Private Road 4293 • Clifton, TX 76634 • 214-384-3000

Screen Door Inn

110 N Ave D • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-7829 • Screendoorinn.com

PET SERVICES

BARK

Bosque Animal Rescue Kennels 4340 Highway 6 • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-1954

Bosque Spay Neuter

254-253-6124 • bosquespayneuter.org

The River’s Bend Doggie Drop Inn

P.O. Box 228 • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-4936 • Doggiedropinn.com

PRAISE & WORSHIP

Bosque County Cowboy Church

7023 Hwy 6 • Meridian, TX 76665

254-396-1032 • bosquecountycowboychurch.com

Clifton Bible Church 414 W 5th St • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-707-1076 cliftonbiblechurch.org

First Baptist Church Meridian 207 N Hill St • Meridian, TX 76665 • 254-435-6007 fbcmeridiantx.org

leons1948@gmail

business directory

First Presbyterian Church

211 S Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-8105 • Fpcclifton.com

First United Methodist Church 303 S Ave E • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-3984 • Fumcclifton.com

PRAISE & WORSHIP, CONTINUED

Peace Lutheran Church

330 W 5th St• P.O. Box 112 • Clifton, TX 76634 214-213-3838• Peacelutheranclifton.org

Zion United Church of Womack

1411 FM 219 • Clifton, TX 76634 254-675-3599 • zionunitedchurchwomack.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Lhoist 2861 FM 2602 • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-8668 • Lhoist.com

REAL ESTATE SERVICES

Bosque Real Estate, Inc.

100 N Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634 800-344-8092 • bosquerealestate.com

Carlisle Real Estate

305 E Morgan St • Meridian, TX 76665 254-435-3001 • carlisletexas.com

Fit For a King

(254) 675-4500

Clayton Waggoner Properties 325 North St. Paul Street • Dallas, TX 75201 972-897-9000 • claytonwaggoner.com

Cobb Properties 300 3rd St • Cranfills Gap, TX 76637 254-253-0157 • Cobbranchproperties.com

Sauer & Associates Real Estate 600 S Bosque St • Whitney, TX 76692 254-694-0123 • Sauerrealestate.com

RESTAURANTS

Burger King/Clifton Fast Stop 102 S Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-6111

Corner Drug Cafe 102 N Ave D • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-265-7737 • cornerdrugcafe.com

Dairy Queen 311 N Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634 254-675-3003 • dairyqueen.com

Horny Toad Bar & Grill 319 3rd St • Cranfills Gap, TX 76637• 254-597-1100 • Hornytoadbar.com

Johnny’s Place 502 S. Avenue G • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-2001

602 S Ave G • HWY 6 • Clifton, TX 76634

254-824-1234

|

76692

(254) 675-4500

HOURS: MON-THUR 11AM-9PM

HOURS: M-TH 11AM-9PM; FR & SA 11AM-10PM

FRI & SAT 11AM-10PM

Sheldon “Skeeter” Ivie, Owner/GM

602 S Ave G • HWY 6 • Clifton, TX 76634

Pizza • Calzones • Pasta Subs • Desserts

Ask Us About Catering!

HOURS: MON-THUR 11AM-9PM FRI & SAT 11AM-10PM

HHH NOW DELIVERING ALL DAY HHH ($2 in Town, $5 VM & Meridian)

*** NOW DELIVERING ALL DAY ***

$2 In Town • $5 VM & Meridian

Pizza • Calzones • Pasta

Ask Us About Catering

Subs • Desserts

*** NOW DELIVERING ALL DAY ***

$2 In Town • $5 VM & Meridian

Ask Us About Catering

business directory

Olaf’s Restaurant and Bar

121 N Ave D • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-268-8880 • olafs-olafstoo.com

Rattlesnake Ballroom 4173 3rd Street • Walnut Springs, TX 76690 • 817-269-0554

Robbins Nest Cafe 301 Morgan Street • Meridian, TX 76665

254-301-4117 • robbinsnestcafe.com

Royal Pizza 602 S Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634 • 254-675-4500 • Royalpizzatx.com

RETAIL & GROCERY

C-Town Liquor 810 N. Avenue G • Clifton, TX 76634 • 469-328-0201

Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy

900 FM 3220 • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-3111 • brookshires.com

Buckshot Rustic Furniture & Gifts

1432 E State Hwy 22 • Whitney, TX 76692 • 254-694-4100

Cheerful Heart Gifts & Boutique

9311 Hwy 6 • Meridian, TX 76665

254-314-8999 • cheerfulheartgifts.com

David’s/Brookshire Brothers 614 S Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634

254-675-6345 • Brookshirebrothers.com

Double B Foods, Inc.

113 Morgan St • Meridian, TX 76665

254-435-6187 • doubleb.com

Hamilton Farmers Market

822 E Main St • Hamilton, TX 76531

254-386-5004 • FB@farmersmarkethamilton

Meridian Frozen Food & Locker LLC 106 Morgan St • Meridian, TX 76665 • 254-435-2803

UTILITIES

Heart of Texas Electric Cooperative 1111 Johnson Dr • P.O. Box 357 McGregor, TX 76657

800-840-2957 • Hotec.coop

Hilco United Services

4581 FM Rd 933 • Whitney, TX 76692

254-694-5237 • Hilcounitedservices.com

Texas New Mexico Power 1304 N Ave G • Clifton, TX 76634

888-866-7456 • Tnmp.com

list of advertisers

Meridian Tribune

It’s been 130 years since

the Meridian Tribune first began as the chronicler of history and everyday life here in Bosque County, Texas. A newspaper who has survived that long and continues to hold true to the journalistic standards it was founded on is truly a treasure of our county.

Beginning in 1893, numerous publishers, editors, as well as advertising, accounting and production staff, have worked together to bring the citizens of Bosque County news and information that is important to their lives. It was an important endeavor in 1893 and it is just as important today in 2023.

Newspapers have traditionally been an important part of civil society, providing information to citizens, convening groups around events and issues, and serving as a watchdog against abuses by those in power.

OUR PURPOSE HAS NOT CHANGED IN 130 YEARS

Introduces

Introduces

Self-Scheduling

Self-Scheduling

Schedule your appointment today!

Schedule your appointment today!

Goodall-Witcher has created an online platform designed to streamline the process of scheduling medical appointments. With a user-friendly interface, the innovative system allows for individuals to browse through a comprehensive directory of healthcare providers, filtering by specialty, location, and availability. To learn more, visit gwhealthcare.org

Goodall-Witcher has created an online platform designed to streamline the process of scheduling medical appointments. With a user-friendly interface, the innovative system allows for individuals to browse through a comprehensive directory of healthcare providers, filtering by specialty, location, and availability. To learn more, visit gwhealthcare.org

Scan to visit our website

Scan to visit our website