Making decisions about what to wear this spring

Image
  • Enola Gay Mathews
    Enola Gay Mathews
Body

I like mornings. Around 5 a.m., it’s a cup of strong black tea for me.

Early is also my best thinking time. And, how to dress for the day?

March winds, April showers and the offhand summertime spell have demanded a variety of things to wear, and all need to be in easy reach. Long sleeves or short sleeves today?

A jacket, coat, or raincoat? Today's forecast may demand boots this morning and flip-flops this afternoon. Springtime in Northeast Texas has its charms but, personally, I’ll be glad to put the winter wardrobe away for good.

A friend stopped in at the newspaper office Wednesday on his way to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Day observance downtown. Doug McCool has retired, after a long career at FlowServe. The company was previously Nordstrom Valves, then, Rockwell International, and a couple of other names over its history. It must be a great place to work, with Doug onboard for 57 years, and some of his co-workers exceeding the 50-year mark. Doug is also a longtime hay producer, so, he will have plenty to do in the hay field this summer — hopefully, a better year for hay than 2022 was.

March was Women's History Month. A local champion for truth and equality was remembered during the Third Annual Gyeula Watson Women of Distinction program, held in memory and honor of women whose patience, faith, and good examples have made our community a better place. Women's History Month is to be a celebration of “women's contributions to history, culture, and society at a national level.”

Here's how sports for females plays into that: It was 1972 when President Nixon signed the Education Amendments to the federal civil rights law of the United States. Title IX was the part of that law which “banned sex-based discrimination in schools or educational programs that receive funds from the federal government.”

High school and collegiate sports opportunities for girls could then open up, and in the 50 years since then, women's sports programs have flourished. And, though not federally funded, associations nationwide offer sports for girls in organized leagues alongside the boys’ leagues.

I saw online last week that sponsors were needed for the Hopkins County Girls Softball Association 2023 season. Not surprisingly, our community came through with willingness. After that Facebook post, all the sponsorships were filled in just two days. It does my heart good to know that Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County folks are still the same, reaching out to say, ‘Here, I'll help,” when a need arises, especially for our youth. And yes, we are definitely the 'village' they say it takes!

Catch the Down Home Today Podcast # 49 on our website and hear Brooke Bailey talk about horse and arena events for all ages during April, and the local Junior Bulls, Broncs, and Barrels events during the UPRA Rodeo April 14-15 at the Civic Center!