Didgeridoo Workshop with Phil Shiva Jones (Sun., Oct. 30)

This Sunday, Phil "Shiva" Jones will be at Thoreau Woods (144 E Mosley Lane) from 1:30 - 3p hosting a workshop on the didgeridoo. No prior music experience is required, and participants will be provided an instrument to play during the workshop.

Photo courtesy of www.philjonesmusic.com

From the event page on Facebook:

This interactive workshop explores the use of breath and sound frequencies to connect with the Divine, and create a deeply serene state of consciousness for the enhancement of healing, meditation, prayer and creativity.

The didgeridoo is an ancient mesmerizing drone instrument made from the eucalyptus tree and is traditionally played in healing ceremonies by the Aboriginal clans of Australia.

Playing the didgeridoo creates soothing and resonant harmonics that easily erase the ‘monkey chatter’ in the mind ~ enhancing mental clarity and emotional equilibrium.

The primordial vibrations of the didgeridoo, combined with the breathing techniques, help create a state of relaxation, lower blood pressure, relax the heart, improve digestion, and ~ as recently proven by the British Medical Association ~ significantly reduce sleep apnea. 

Huntsville Book Review Club Meeting (Mon., Oct. 24)

The Huntsville Book Review Club will be reviewing the book The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halpern tomorrow (Mon., Oct. 24) at 10:30a at Old Town Theater (1023 12th St.). The club is open to new members, and all are welcome. For more info, you can call Kathleen Kreiner at (936)295-4381. 

Family-Friendly Halloween Events

Hey, ghouls and boys! With Halloween being next weekend, we thought we would fill you in on all of the opportunities for free candy this weekend. Enjoy!

Friday, Oct. 28:

4p-6p: Fall festival & open house @ The Roxie Douglas Learning Institute (719 19th St.). There will be bobbing for apples, a face painting booth, a cake walk, sack races, etc. If you would like more info, you can contact Carmen Irving at (936)668-0340. 

Saturday, Oct. 29:

12:30p: The puppet show "Pumpkin Pandemonium" will be performed by Puppet Wise Productions at Old Town Theatre (1023 12th St.). The show is appropriate for kids age 3 and up. The show is FREE, and kids may come dressed in family-friendly costumes. There will be refreshments. If you would like more info, call the library at (936)291-5472. 

5:30p-8p: 8th annual Scare on the Square on University Avenue (downtown). There will be booths and activities for kids of all ages, free Pizza Hut pizza and Nesquik chocolate milk, moonwalks, games, costume contest, and Oakwood Cemetery tours. If you would like more info, you can call (936)295-2150.

Sunday, Oct. 30:

4p-7p: Community-wide children's Halloween party, hosted by Jessie Johnson and Laura Walker. This will take place at 501 Smith Hill Road. There will be food, games, and a costume contest. For more info, you can call Jessie Johnson at (936)662-9083. 

5p-7p: Fellowship of Huntsville Church (3895 Hwy 30 W) is having a "Bible Character Quest." Kids are encouraged to dress up in friendly costumes, and they will go from door to door within the church getting candy from Bible characters.  There will also be a costume contest, snacks, and games. If you would like more info, you can call (936)291-3103.

5:30p-7p: Second annual Trunk or Treat at Huntsville Church of Christ (3737 Hwy 30 W). There will be a cake walk, activities, and candy. For more info, you can call (936)295-3884. 

Monday, Oct. 31: 

5p-10p: Halloween carnival & haunted house, hosted by Walker County Fair Association & Delta Tau Alpha. There will be hay rides, games, a cupcake walk, a fortune teller, confetti eggs, and more. There is no charge at the gate. Tickets for activities will be 2 for $1.00. Admission to the haunted house will be $2 for kids and $4 for adults. 

6p-9p: Halloween Extravaganza at Family Faith Church (2407 S. Sam Houston Ave.). Admission is FREE, and there will be candy, games, booths, rides, bounce houses, food, and entertainment. 

Fall Plant Sale & 2nd Annual Butterfly Festival (Sat., Oct. 22)

The Walker County Master Gardeners will hold a fall plant sale and second annual butterfly festival from 8am to 4pm on Saturday, Oct. 22. The event includes free seminars, garden tours, face painting, children's activities and a Monarch tag and release event at 2pm. 

A barbecue lunch will be available for $5. The plant sale will include annuals, bulbs, natives, fall veggies, herbs and butterfly merchandise. 


The Master Gardeners office is at 102 Tam Road off Highway 75 North. For more information, you can view their website by clicking here or you can call (936)435-2426.

Fall Photo Session for Families, Friends, & Pets (Oct. 22-23)

Tractor Supply will host a fall picture photo session for families and their friends and pets from noon to 5pm Saturday, Oct. 22, and Sunday, Oct. 23, at Tractor Supply on 11th St. Hopefully, some of the photos will turn out like the photos on the Awkward Family Pet Photos website:

If you get your photo taken here and want the world (or most likely just Huntsville) to see, send it to us at info@heyhuntsvilletx.com and we'll post it on our Facebook page. 

Monarch Butterfly Migration Workshop (Fri., Oct. 21)

There will be a monarch butterfly migration workshop at 6:30pm on Friday, Oct. 21, at the HEARTS Veterans Museum Conference Center, which is located at 455 Highway 75 N. The speaker will be Carol Cullar from Rio Bravo Nature Center. 

Carol Cullar flying with the butterflies in 2005!

The event will cost $12 for adults. Children under 14 will be admitted free.

Book Signing with Dr. James Moore (Tues., Oct. 18)

This Tuesday, Dr. James Moore, co-author of Darwin's Sacred Cause, will present "Darwin and the Sin of Slavery." This will be followed by a book signing.

The event will take place on the SHSU campus on Tuesday, October 18 at 7:30pm in Academic Building 4, Room 220 (Olson Auditorium).

Bow Wow Band Jam 2011 (Oct. 23rd)

Bow Wow Band Jam 2011

Presented by the Rita B. Huff Humane Society

Sunday, October 23^rd from 2:00pm -7:00pm

New Shelter Location at 600 I-45

FREE EVENT! Donations for the shelter always welcome!

In celebration of the 25^th Anniversary of the Rita B. Huff Humane Society, the Rita B. Huff Shelter will be hosting the Bow Wow Band Jam. This a  FREE EVENT, and they already have a lineup of amazing bands that will be playing.

Some of the acts for the outside concert include:

MoJiller
John Slaughter
John Riley
Texas Bluz Cats
AND MORE!

I already know that I love MoJiller, and I am looking forward to seeing the other performers. Texas Bluz Cats is an awesome band name.

Bring you own lawn chair/blanket and food/drinks. Dogs are even welcome as long as they are on a leash! I guess I will be leaving my spoiled cats at home!

Please contact  (936) 295-4666 for more information about this event.

Click HERE to see the official website for the Rita B. Huff Foundation. This Foundation has done many great things for the poor homeless animals of our community. If you have ever thought about volunteering and you love animals, they are always looking for volunteers and/or donations.  Thanks, Rita B. Huff Animal Shelter! We are looking forward to celebrating with you!

Veteran’s Day Banquet (Nov.11th)

Veteran’s Day Banquet

Friday, November 11^th, 2011

Veterans Conference Center

455 State Highway 75 N

Huntsville, TX 77320

On Friday, November 11^th, the Hearts Museum will be hosting a Veteran’s Day Banquet. There are a limited number of tickets today. The cost is $20.00 per person, but there may be a reduced rate for veterans. If you are interested in purchasing a ticket, then you should call (936) 295-5959 or stop by the Museum as soon as possible.  

Corporate Sponsors: $250.00 (8 tickets)
Individual Sponsors: $200.00 (8 tickets)

Schedule of Events:

Silent Auction- 6:00pm
Dinner- 6:30pm
Program- Directly after dinner

Dress Code:

Military should wear Class A or dress uniform. Civilian men are asked to wear suits and tie, and ladies should use this as an excuse to buy a new dress. I know I am!

For more information, call (936) 295-5959.

2011 Homecoming Week

Next Monday will kick off Homecoming Week. Expect many homecoming events (as you will soon see listed) throughout the week. This year’s theme is “Peace, Love, and Bearkats.” Hearing that theme makes me want to listen to some Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan right this minute! 
 
Here is a calendar of events. If you know of any events that aren’t listed, please let us know!

October 10^th, 2011

Event: Homecoming Kick-Off
Place: Bearkat Plaza
Time: Noon
What to expect: You will see President Dana Gibson, the SHSU cheerleaders, and Orange Pride dance team “bringin’ it” with the “Bearkat spirit.” The 2011 Homecoming King and Queen nominees will also be announced. Groovy.

October 12^th, 2011

Event: Sam Jam Carnival
Place: Holleman Field Parking Lot
Time: 7pm
What to expect: There will be a Ferris wheel, free food (I’m there), and various rides, games, and other attractions. The finalists for the Homecoming King and Queen will also be announced.

October 13^th, 2011

Event: Homecoming Parade
Place: Along Sam Houston Ave.
Time: 6:30pm
What to expect: If you like parades, then this will excite you. MANY MANY people watch and participate in the parade each year. The only drawback to the parade is that it is almost impossible to get to Los Panchitos and other establishments until the parade is over. If you would like to participate in the parade, then you should click HERE to register online. The deadline is October 12^th.

October 14^th, 2011

Event: Golden Circle Reunion
Place: LSC Ballroom
Time: 11:00am
What to expect: This is a reunion for those that graduated from SHSU at least fifty years ago. I will have to wait only forty-seven years for this reunion!  

Event: Distinguished Alumni Gala

Place: LSC Ballroom
Time: 6:00pm
What to expect: This event will celebrate seven “Distinguished Alumni,” which will include the following exceptional people: Walter Anderson, James Carey, James Ferris, James Gaertner, Fredrick Pirkle, Allen Shamblin, and Lt. Morgan Luttrell, the Outstanding Young Alumnus.

October 15^th, 2011

Event: Alumni Coffee with John R. Ragsdale

Place: Visitor & Alumni Center
Time: 10:30am

Event: Bearkat Alley

Place: Bowers Stadium Parking Lot
Time: Noon

Event: SHSU vs. Nicholls State

Place: Bowers Stadium
Time: 2pm
What to expect: SHSU is in it to win it!

Please contact SHSU’s student services at (936) 294-1729 for more information.

Click HERE to see the official Homecoming Website.

Stay tune for more information about what will be happening in the night life next week.

Theatre Department Fall Productions

The Theatre Department on the SHSU is working hard prepare for their fall productions. The following is a quick schedule and basic information for what they currently have scheduled:

October 2011

October 5^th –October 8^th
Production: Comedy of Errors
Location: Erica Starr Theatre in the University Theatre Center
Time: 8:00pm on October 5^th through October 7^th and 2:00pm on October 8^th
Price: $12.00 general and $10.00 for students and senior citizens

October 19^th –October 22^nd

Production: Fuddy Meers 
Location: University Theatre Center's Showcase Theatre
Time: 8:00pm on October 19^th through October 21^st and 2:00pm on Saturday
Price: $12.00 general and $10.00 for students and senior citizens

November 2011

November 2^nd –November 5^th
Production: Bare
Location: Erica Starr Theatre in the University Theatre Center
Time: 8:00pm on November 2^nd through November 4^th and 2:00pm on November 4^th 
Price: $15:00 general and $12.00 for students and senior citizens

November 30^th –December 3^rd
Production: Playhouse Creatures  
Location: University Theatre Center's Showcase Theatre
Time: 8:00pm on October 19^th through October 21^st and 2:00pm on Saturday
Price: $10.00

For more information, Google search the play names and/or contact the Theatre Department at 936-294-1329.

Archeology Speaker Amanda Danning and the "Son of America"

Archeology Speaker: Amanda Danning

(forensic sculptress )

“Face to Face with the Son of America”

October 12th, 2011

6:30pm until 8:00pm

Auditorium, Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center

In celebration of Archeology Month (did you know that is in October?), The Sam Houston Memorial Museum will be welcoming forensic sculptor Amanda Danning.  Amanda Danning is not only a forensic sculptor, but also a very exceptional sculptor in her own right. She is also a painter. Click HERE to see her official website.  

Mrs. Danning will give a presentation to describe exactly what she does in her very interesting profession, and she will also introduce the audience to her special guest, the "Son of America"--SAM for short. According the the Sam Houston Memorial Museum website, "SAM is estimated to be about 10,000 years old and is not related to Native Americans of today," and is "one of the two most important anthropological finds in North America in the last century."

Many artifacts were also found with SAM, and Ms. Danning will also describe the significance of those items.

Continuing with the acheology theme of the month, the Museum will also have an Acheology Day on October 14th for the Huntsville Elementary students.

AFTERMATH: Fair on the Square

Last Saturday was the 37^th Annual Fair on the Square. According to unofficial reports, this was the most successful Fair on the Square to date, and I am not surprised. The first thing that I noticed while driving to the fair was the crowd. People were everywhere. Cars and trucks were parked in ditches and it wasn’t uncommon to have to park several blocks away from the fair. 
 

I went to the event with my very pregnant best friend and her two year old baby so I was only able to stay for a couple of hours, but I definitely enjoyed my time at the fair. My only regret was that I missed out on the yummy fair food because the lines were long, and I was too impatient to wait.

Highlights:

Practically every food vendor had a constant packed line. I wasn't the only one wanting fair food, but these people had the patience to wait for it and get it!

There were so many vendors selling so many items that it was practically overwhelming.

The local Livestrong organization was in attendance. This booth was filled with very nice people, and their bike riding community has a very good cause. Livestrong was founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, and this organization raises money and awareness for the fight against cancer. Visit www.livestrong.org to learn more about how you can join this wonderful organization.

I enjoyed the free samples from this vendor. Cinnamon Roasted Nuts are always a tasty treat.

We ran into one of our favorite business owners, Jason Dyches of Double Daves. Like normal, he had a big smile on his face.

The Huntsville Hornets cheerleaders were also smiling. This came to no surprise after I discovered the sweet deal they had worked out with Double Daves. They were helping Jason Dyches' booth gain customers, and in return they earned half of the money raised at the booth. Definitely not too shabby! Thanks for helping to support the cheerleaders and the local community.

One of our last stops was to the beer garden where we listened to MoJiller, which includes members from one of my favorite local bands, The Mixed Review. As expected, they were very good. I can't wait for their next local show where I will hopefully get to sit back, relax, and stay a little longer. The word on the street is that there next show will be at the New Animal Shelter Facility Benefit on October 23rd. We will keep you posted.

(Bill Hillman, Joe Miller, Scott Nutter, and Scott McCarly)

(Scott McCarly of MoJiller and The Mixed Review)

Unfortunately, I missed Wayne Williams & Thundercreek, but I have heard that they were also really good.

Overall, it was a very fun day at the fair. Hopefully, next year is an even bigger success!

2011 National Night Out Celebration

2011 National Night Out celebration

Tuesday, October 4th from 5:00pm -8:30pm

Located in the Target parking lot

Don't be surprised when you see fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars in the Target parking lot tonight. Tonight is the National Night Out, which is an event that was created by emergency service providers  to increase awareness about safety, neighborhood crime watch programs, and drug issues. Along with the safety information, there will also be free hotdogs, games, and even a moonwalk! You MAY even see some helicopters from the TXDPS and US Forest Service! Sammy and Buzzy will also be making an appearance!

If you are unable to attend the National Night Out celebration and would like more information about Neighborhood Watch, Identification Programs, and Crime Prevention Programs, please call the Crime Prevention Center at 936-291-5913.

Sam Houston Memorial Museum Photo Contest Awards/Exhibit Reception

Sam Houston Memorial Museum Photo Contest Awards/Exhibit Reception

October 3, 2011 5:30pm -7:00pm

Exhibit Gallery in the

Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center

For months people had the opportunity to enter the contest, and starting tonight and until November 25th, 2011, visitors to the museum will have the opportunity to see the exhibit gallery featuring all of the submissions.

Tonight is reception for the 2nd Annual Sam Houston Memorial Photography contest. Awards will be given to the winners of each category. Photographers do not have to be present to win an award. Good luck to everyone that entered the contest. We are looking forward to seeing the submissions!