8 Roland & Stephanie Bostick: Coles Crossing Couple Shares Life and Long Time Dreams
12 Best of Cy-Fair: Season’s Harvest Café
14 Mary Anne Heckman: Cypress Photographer Travels to France for 80th Anniversary of D-Day
Roland & Stephanie Bostick
Coles Crossing Couple
Shares Life and Long Time Dreams
By Patricia Hudson
Meet Roland and Stephanie Bostick, your Coles Crossing neighbors. The couple grew up in the Spring Branch area. “We initially met at Northbrook High School in Spring Branch ISD, but then had separate paths,” recalls Stephanie. “Through an odd series of events, we ran into each other at Sam’s in Katy in January of 2004. Roland asked me out on the spot. We were in engaged in March of 2006 and got married in May of 2007.”
Roland chose to enter the military and was an optician in the Army for 10 years. This career path led him to work for various companies and doctors in the Houston area. In 2019, Roland became an eyewear frame sales representative, and now sells eyeglass frames to optical retail stores.
“I have worked in IT, Marketing, and adult learning for a variety of companies around Houston.For 10 years, I’ve worked for Ecolab, the last three as an Engagement Manager, owning the engagement survey and program to ensure associates are engaged in their work and feel positively about the company, as well as creating initiatives to improve these sentiments,” explains Stephanie.
In addition to her work, Stephanie plays a key role in the community “While work and social li fe keep me pretty busy, I do enjoy volunteering, as well. Currently, I am a member of the Houston Metro Go Texan – Cy Fair Committee for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Our committee raises money for scholarships for students in the Cy-Fair school district. We have four annual events: a golf tournament, game night, dance, and a BBQ cookoff to raise money,” states Stephanie. “We are always looking for people to come have fun while raising money for a good cause.”
Roland and Stephanie have a son and an adult daughter. Ryan is 15
Roland and Stephanie with daughter, Merrin
With Ryan at an ROTC event
years old and will be a sophomore at Cypress Woods High School. “I joined ROTC because I was interested in the military since my dad was in the Army. The ROTC program at CyWoods is Air Force JROTC, which is the closest I could get to Army. I feel like I’ve gained a lot of friendships, met new people I otherwise would have avoided and interacted with them in ways I otherwise would not have. I have learned things about aircraft and leadership, and plan to try out for the ROTC marksmanship team this year. I enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons and airsoft, (similar to paintball), with friends,” explains Ryan.
asked about how their relationship has evolved as she entered adulthood, Stephanie was candid. “My daughter and I have had a bit of a rocky relationship over the years. In the last 10 years, however, we have grown closer than we’ve ever been before. She is basically my clone. We have so much fun together, whether it’s just hanging out at her home or mine, shopping, or grabbing dinner together.”
Daughter Merrin, 26, lives in Houston. “Merrin is an extremely skilled veterinary technician,” shares mom proudly. “She is single, but I do have four ‘grandcats,’ Ayla, Bean, Cole and Dexter.” When
The family has two four-footed family members. “We have two pets, both rescues. Vader is our cat, found in the bushes at an office where I worked. She was only about 4 weeks old. I saved her life, but she definitely prefers my husband and son over me,” admits Stephanie ruefully. “Daisy is our dog. Merrin called me one day and said someone had brought Daisy in to be put down because they couldn’t handle her. We decided to take her and haven’t regretted a moment since. She is the sweetest dog and loves her toys.”
Stephanie at the CC Turkey Trot Photo Credit: Mary Anne Heckman MAH Design LLC
The Bosticks maintain an active lifestyle. “We both work out of our home and consider ourselves very lucky to be able to do that. We do like socializing with friends, listening to live music, visiting nearby wineries and playing games. Vacation time finds us heading to anywhere I can get my husband to agree to go!” says Stephanie. “He travels quite a bit for work, so sometimes vacation means staying home. We like going to the beach just as much as we like going to the mountains. There is so much to see and do in this world that I try to travel somewhere I haven’t been before. If I have a few moments of free time, I read. I love to read and play with our dog, Daisy.”
When asked if there was something that they’ve always wanted to do, Stephanie was quick to respond. “There are SO many things, from owning a rescue animal farm to traveling on the Orient Express train across Europe. We have always wanted to participate on The Amazing Race tv show. Starting from when Roland and I were long distance dating, we would have phone dates where we watched this show together. We would talk about which challenges we would do and how we would work together throughout the trips,” divulges Stephanie.
If you know of an exceptional Greater Fairfield, Bridgeland/Blackhorse Ranch, Towne Lake, Coles Crossing, or Cypress Creek Lakes individual or family that needs to be featured in an upcoming issue of PinPointe Magazine, please email: texasteacher024@outlook.com.
Season’s Harvest Café
The Farmer’s Table
The Farmer’s Counter in the Heart of Cypress
Story & Photos by Metta Archilla-Ishida
The Season’s Harvest Café, also known as The Farmer’s Table, is now opening up a second location, The Farmer’s Counter, at 17110 House and Hahl.
The Best of Cy-Fair
PLACES T O EAT
Owners, Joanne Griffith, Executive Chef, and her husband Beket Griffith, Front of the House Manager, grew up in the Bear Creek area and remained close to Cypress even after they got married. Both loved the Cypress community they grew up in and wanted to make an impact on it in a holistic way. Joanne, a stay-at-home mom of five since 1999, aided her husband in ministry, as Beket was a church pastor and biblical counselor in prison ministry. Their journey to the restaurant life is an interesting and God-lead one.
Joanne credits her great grandparents and grandparents for her success in homesteading, farming, and organic living. She remembers tagging along as her great grandfather picked produce on his ranch in San Diego, Texas, then sold the freshly harvested goods to the locals.
Joanne has fond recollections of spending time at the ranch hunting rabbit with a bb gun, swimming in the windmill water tank, picking peaches, and learning how to preserve foods though canning. These fond memories paved the way to the future success of the Cafe.
The main factor that led this dynamic couple to holistic eating and healing was when Joanne endured a variety of health issues and at the time, there was not much available by way of natural remedies. This is when Joanne began her own
personal health journey and her discovery of clean eating/living.
By attending health seminars, visiting health food stores, and spending time at libraries, Joanne learned how best to heal the body through good fats and superfoods and by engaging in trial and error and hands-on research in the kitchen. Joanne and Beket’s newfound perspective embodied the wholesomeness of nuts, legumes, dried herbs, local honey, and seeds.
Joanne says, “Because we were on a very tight budget, I learned to take the kids for drives out in the countryside and found farms that would let us pick our own fruits, where I could also buy vegetables and eggs. I was baking bread and making butter, almond milk, jams, and nut butters. It was fun learning the ins and outs of a healthier lifestyle coupled with homesteading.”
The heart of Season’s Harvest Café is personal, says Joanne; “In reality, the Café isn’t my own concept at all, but God’s. ‘Eat as close to the way the Lord made it, live as close to the way that He intended.’”
The original Farmer’s Table location at 17303 Shaw Rd, Cypress, TX 77429 is now offering gardening classes so that others can benefit from the healing of having their hands in
the dirt, experiencing the morning sunshine, growing their own food, and building community. The Café offers a sanctuary where they serve whole, real food, a little bit of country to experience nature and farm life, and a farm store where clean local foods, products, and meats can be purchased.
The journey from the original Café to a second location was cultivated from more of an educational experience and wanting to reach more of the community with classes, events, and resources. Joanne says, “We needed a prep kitchen to help in the expansion of these efforts so instead of adding a building onto our farm, we chose to build out a new kitchen at a close location.”
The Griffiths continue building the new location, to reach a large customer base that comes from the Cypress area of Blackhorse Ranch and Bridgeland. The Farmer’s Counter will offer an expedited counter service with a full espresso and juice bar, hot teas, smoothies, and chef-curated family style dinner
meals that can be pre-ordered for pick up. This location will also include a bakery; all baked goods will be offered fresh out of the oven, including their own homemade breads.
Season’s Harvest Café / The Farmer’s Table 17303 Shaw Rd. Cypress, TX 77429
Phone: 832-534-8686
seasonsharvest.farm
Days/Hours of Operation: Sunday & Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Thursday: 8am – 3pm Friday: 8am – 3pm, 5pm – 9pm Saturday 8am – 3pm
Metta Archilla-Ishida is a Contributing Writer, Founder of Metta’s Local Eats FB Group, #onmettasfork
Mary Anne Heckman
Cypress Photographer Travels to France for 80th Anniversary of D-Day
By Patricia Hudson, as Shared by Mary Anne Heckman
All photos copyright MAH Design LLC
Local photographer and graphic designer, Mary Anne Heckman, traveled to France to see the Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach and the celebration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy. Traveling with her camera in hand, this photographer had anticipated visiting Normandy for years. Mary Anne and her companions joined a Trafalgar Tour, Treasures of Paris, which included Normandy on the itinerary. A “Bucket List” item, their vacation began with a stay in Paris and dinner from inside the Eiffel Tower. An after-dinner stroll included some incredible views of the grounds where the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremonies will be held beginning July 26, 2024.
Mary Anne animatedly described some of the most memorable events of her trip. “The main highlight of the trip were the stops in Arromanches and Omaha Beach. Arromanches is where the Invasion of Normandy happened immediately after D-Day. The Allies established an artificial temporary harbour to allow the unloading of heavy equipment without waiting for the conquest of deepwater ports such as Le Havre or Cherbourg. The town was filled with tourists and also reenactors of World War II. The French were so appreciative of everything the Americans did on D-Day and remain so to this day. Next, it was on to Omaha Beach where the preparations were in place for the D-Day ceremonies for the following three days. The beach area was closed due to a high level of security in place. While at the American Cemetery, I got to photograph four WWII veterans visiting from the Boston area and were being honored in commemoration of DDay: Frank Simon, Bill Soule, Christy Fier and Marvin Gilmore. They visited the
graves of Joe Thibodeau, Malcom Carlson, Ralph Cunningham, and Theodore Postenbaum. I had always wanted to visit and photograph Omaha Beach; being able to be there to witness it with the four veterans was very moving. As I thanked Frank Simon for his service, he quipped, ‘I love all these pretty girls here!’ He was celebrating his 100th birthday that day. This was a very moving experience that I will never forget.”
As a college art major, Mary Anne studied the works of Leonardo da Vinci. “Visiting the Manor House of Leonardo da Vinci was an artist’s and a photographer’s paradise! The gardens were magnificent with beautiful flowers and a peacock as the manor pet. Seeing da Vinci’s house and works of art meant a lot to me,” reflected Heckman.
Mary Anne Heckman Photographer and Graphic Designer mahdesigninc.com
With the visit to Normandy, another set of bucket list items have been checked off of Mary Anne’s travel and photography agenda. With camera in hand, this adventurous woman has plans for a trip to the Oregon Coast, and then on to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons!
Cathedral of Notre Dame de Bayeux in Normandy, France.
Eiffel Tower with the Olympic rings, Strolling after dinner.
(top) Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach (bottomReenactors in Arromanches
(from top) Leonardo da Vinci's Manor House in Ambroise, France, Dinner with friends from the Eiffel Tower, Peacock at the Manor House
