JNVCC Christmas Luncheon at Cedar Gap Farms

We surely do thank our outgoing officers of 2008!

Amidst the twittering of hundreds of finches, redbirds and jays, Earlene Hutto welcomed us to her National Audubon Bird sanctuary in Cedar Gap.

(oh yes... there were a couple of rascally squirrels causing a bit of a raucous outside the windows as we enjoyed our luncheon)
We attended to the end of the year business which included accepting our new board and officers for 2009. Thank you Dale for remaining another year in our presidential position.
You've done an exceptional job!
We will miss Amy as our treasurer, but hopefully we can get her to return after a sabbatical from at least this one of her many responsibilities in our community. GREAT JOB!!!

The surroundings were perfect and we got to see what one of our members offers this community daily in her haven for birds just East of 83/84 after the Cedar Gap Cemetery.
If you've not visited the Cedar Gap Farms, be sure to take your family out for an afternoon of bird watching. Chairs are set around the completely windowed cottage so that you can see birds of every color from any angle. I also noticed that there were binoculars available for those who forgot that important accoutrement in the birding world.

Fall/Winter is a wonderful time for our fine feathered friends. The leaves from the trees have fallen and their food supplies are not so readily available. This lends itself perfectly for the feeders and bird baths to be loaded with these thankful creatures.

Yes Earlene.... I do think today was a success, thank you for offering and hosting the JNVCC.

...your little tin sign says just what my heart repeats often this special time of year...

Peace On Earth...

and might I add....

GOOD WILL TO MEN!

Cookies and Santa... a perfect Match!

Santa arrived at the Buffalo Gap Gym last night!

and yes,

you'll see in the following video the proof positive that Santa advocates and supports

the Buffalo Gap Volunteer Fire Department!

Before his arrival, contestants dropped off their entries for the

cookie contest.

"decorate a cookie with the meaning of Christmas"

Many were more than willing to test the edibility of the entrants
All the cookies won... but one took the grand prize offered by
the Buffalo Gap Community and Business Association
(soon to be the newest members of the JNVCC... WELCOME)
Little brothers can be the chef's most avid supporters as is testimony below!
Thank you judges for doing the hard job of deciding!

Santa may need a bigger lap for such sweet little ladies!

This is the winning entry... the 2nd grade baker says this about her cookie

"Christmas is about Jesus, and I put a cross on one side and a star of David on the other,

That is CHRISTMAS to me"

and now for a look at the unique and

personally Jim Ned Valley Santa

Entrance....

May your HOLYdays be blessed with the PEACE of the SEASON,

brought only by the REASON for the SEASON..

JOY to all!

You might be from the Jim Ned Valley if Santa arrives in the Volunteer Fire Department Vehicle!

Only in our little Jim Ned Valley???

or maybe not???

You might know you are from the wonderful little towns of the Jim Ned Valley

IF

Santa arrives for the holidays riding on the NEW Buffalo Gap Volunteer Fire Dept vehicle!

THANKS Y'ALL!!!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

May we all know that this is a season of HOPE, JOY and PEACE!

"SCALPED"....for the PRIDE OF THE TRIBE!

Just had to include some rather memorable moments from the Pep Rally of the Playoff game. These are truly dedicated people who will allow themselves such sacrifice and humility for the PRIDE OF THE TRIBE!

what a principal???

allowing a new meaning to "taking scalps" of the ones who are your biggest fans????

(these are VIDEO... be sure to click for a 30 sec. glimpse of the shenanigans)

It was a fun run for the "golden football"... and it ended too soon

BUT

There's always next year!

GO INDIANS!

Playoffs at JNHS... the Cinderella team of the Jim Ned Indians vs. the Clyde Bulldogs! "WE READY FOR YOU!"

Jim Ned Indians certainly are the Cinderella team of the 2008 class 2A playoffs~

After last week's 21-20 victory they come to this game pumped for success!

Dads, Brand Jones and Glen Gibbs deliver an inspiring message to the warriors of the

mighty Jim Ned TRIBE!

You each have a warrior's heart!

Moms wearing feathered or glittering crowns had their own brand of entertaining encouragement with a lively skit of good overcoming evil!


... and although they pretended to the the "wicked" ones, I was assured that they were merely pretending the role of "L" for losers...

the defeated Clyde bulldogs of tonight's foray.

And last but not least...
ONLY a CONFIDENT DAD could be the "fairy God mother" who grants these young men's
greatest wish of the moment!
May all your dreams come true as you, dressed for COLD football weather, set out on this unexpected and highly anticipated
evening of fun in San Angelo Texas
under the West Texas stars.


"We are ready for you!"
Let's prove it!!!!!

Veterans Day at BG elementary ... stunning tribute.........(no camera!!)

How is it that when I REALLY need a camera, my battery is drained?

(maybe it's because the moment could NOT be captured)

Today I sat silenced by the innocent tribute of children for military veterans who laid their lives on the line for the freedom that these children and the rest of us enjoy every day.

"Mrs. Ansley.. what are all those things on your chest for?"

"These are medals for things I did in the service."

"Did you really protect the President of the United States Ms. Ansley?"

"well, yes... I did that for 2 of our Presidents.
"how about this one? and this one... and this one???"

Little fingers touched the bronze and silver with sincere appreciation for the service they each one represented and the one wearing them explained in humble yet heart felt confidence in a job well done.

... and we thought she was just good at making our kids finish their lunch and play fairly on the playground.... Little did we know.....

I don't think our young ones are in danger on her watch, do you?

You might have thought the chairs were red leather or purple velvet the way all the people in the room held these men and women in such respected eyes filled with thankful tears.

On the screen between the American and Texas flags was a screen filled with the word "AMERICA"... and the children sang......God bless America... land of the free, home of the brave.
Sometimes we get a chance to see those words with our eyes as we hear them with our ears. This was one of those times.
weathered faces, white hair and those eyes... those eyes...those eyes...
These honored ones felt the TRUTH in the tribute of these looking for nothing more than the
gift of giving!


... then,
at the end...
a silver trumpet held in the hands of one competent enough to attend this moment..
TAPS rang out above the silence
yet, another tribute to the ones who would not be attending this day... the ones who paid the ultimate price for what we have available simply by being born in this wonderful country.
PRICELESS! our freedom


And the children said it over and over....
LIBERTY
and
JUSTICE
for ALL!!!!


and lest we forget..... notice the sign that casually hung in the gymnasium this day.... quite fitting I'd say as it hung over those who truly do...."go the extra mile"...
and the sign reads:
"TODAY I WENT THE EXTRA MILE"

yes you did Veterans.......thank you!!!
sincerely, thank you!!

Jim Ned Indians are 4-0 in district play!!! way to go!

The night began in full costume with the Buffalo Gap Elementary kids singing and signing the National Anthem!

Happy faces began the evening that anticipated the 4th win of a surprising Jim Ned team.
Cowboys were welcome at this Indian campground! As long as they were cheering for the
Tepee Team's win!

Clearly Red was the color for this October 31st event!

Let the games begin... GrapeCreek... beware!!!

The Indians are on the warpath looking for another scalp on their victory list!

Done....
31 to 30... JIM NED IS 4 wins... 0 losses............ WAY TO GO INDIANS!