Brackettville

It’s hard to imagine an early Texas Spring without Fort Clark Days. This beloved event has taken place in March for over 15 years. Our annual event re-creates Texas history at Fort Clark which is located in Brackettville, TX.  Fort Clark was an active military fort from 1852 to 1946.  Fort Clark Days is an excellent opportunity to learn about and live Texas history for a day.  This event is an interactive learning experience for both young and old as you visit and interact with Texas Living Historians as well as stroll through our historic buildings, many of which are registered as Texas Historic Landmarks.  You will have the opportunity to mingle with Buffalo Soldiers, Texas Camel Corps, and view early pioneer lifestyles.  Living Historians are dressed in period costumes while re-creating their daily activities whether it’s household skills such as cooking in the historic village kitchen or sighting in their rifles for hunting.  The Festival Committee strives every year to grow and expand living historian participation thereby maximizing your experience.  Friday (March 1, 2013) is School Day. Local area ISD’s are encouraged to send their students to visit with our living historians and our Texas Historic Property. Each year the festival hosts 700-1200 students for a day of living history. Schools interested in sending students are encouraged to make arrangements through the festival’s School Day Coordinator (Sue Martin 713-202-4999). We have ample bus parking and food vendors are available to sell lunches, or you can bring you own and picnic on our grounds. March 1 at 4:p.m. the festival opens its grounds to the general public. All beverage booths, food vendors, arts and crafts buildings open. A Kick-Off Dinner Scheduled from 5 p.m. till 7 p.m. starts the festivities. The band kicks off at 7 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m. Tickets are available at the time of the event until sold-out March 2 0800 Reveille and Flag Raising start a full day of activities. As in past festivals, there will be live cannon demonstrations and gatling gun demos. Sahawa Idians and Lipan Dance Demos, and of course our featured Living Historians all taking place throughout the day. Be sure to catch SW Texas’ hottest new group featured at this year’s event – The Young Guns. They will be performing twice on Saturday. We also have arts and crafts, food vendors, camels, wagon tours and lots more! Our festival closes at 4 p.m. with the announcement of our Pick-Your-Price Raffle winners. And, yes, tickets will be available at the event up until the drawing. Visit www.fortclarkdays.weebly.com, or www.fortclark.com for more information and pictures of past events.  If you are a vendor and would like to participate in our festival, please fill out the application that can be found on the weebly site.

(StatePoint)

The nutritional choices you make for your children are crucial, setting the stage for good health and good habits for years to come. So if you’ve heard about the benefits of organic food, you may be wondering if it’s worth the extra expense, especially if you’re on a budget. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recently weighed in on the subject of organic food for the first time, what’s most important is that children eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, whether those are conventionally or organically grown. Organic foods do have lower levels of pesticides and drug-resistant bacteria, says Dr. Thomas K. McInerny, president of the AAP. “That may be important for kids because young children are more vulnerable to chemicals, but we simply don’t have the scientific evidence to know if the difference will affect a person’s health over a lifetime,” says McInerny. Both organic and conventionally grown foods have the same vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, lipids and other nutrients that are important for children’s health.  “If you’re on a budget, don’t buy the more expensive organic option if it’s going to reduce your family’s overall intake of healthy foods like fresh produce,” advises McInerny. “It’s better for kids to eat five servings of conventionally grown produce a day than for them to eat one serving of organic vegetables.” Families can also be selective in choosing particular organic foods to stretch their budget.  The Environmental Working Group has created a Shopper’s Guide that rates the level of pesticides in produce. Their guide indicates that conventionally grown onions, sweet corn and pineapples have relatively low pesticide rates, making them safer to purchase. If you can budget a few extra dollars to spend on groceries, opt for organic apples and celery, which are among the most pesticide-laden crops. According to the AAP, organic milk is not healthier for kids than conventional milk, but parents should make sure all milk they purchase is pasteurized. The jury is still out on the long-term health benefits of organic produce, but in the meantime keep your eyes and ears open for new information as it becomes available -- so you can make the best possible choices in the future. You can find nutrition tips for kids on the AAP website for parents, www.healthychildren.org. No matter the size of your budget, you can do your kids a world of good by ensuring they get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

(SPM Wire)

Got a case of the blahs? Winter may be at fault, when Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression, is most common. But don’t spend the season sad. Try these techniques to boost your mood. The best part?

They work any time of year:

• Get the right amount of sleep. Too much or too little shut-eye can contribute to depression.

• Eat right for mental health. Studies have linked diets low in selenium and omega-3 fatty acids with poorer moods and depression. Eat plenty of fish, beans, lean meats, low-fat dairy and nuts.

• Take a daily walk for exercise and fresh air. Both are important for good mental health. More tips to combat seasonal blues are available at www.nmha.org.