ReadLarryPowell.com

Wine, worms and potpourri

It's a winter day around here, so there's no chance that I'll be out on a lake fishing. Heck, on any other day there's virtually no chance I'll be fishing anywhere. But, you might catch me watching a TV fishing show. Those hosts are the "wine connoisseurs" of the wet set.

For example, one weekend morning as I was about to drop off into a vital nap, I heard the host of a show, holding a 4-inch long plastic worm through which he was about to run a hook, announce that the “presentation of the worm” is critical.

The “presentation of the worm.” I’m 56 years old and that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that phrase. I guess the bouquet just doesn’t mean anything to a bigmouth bass.

CAT NEWS: We get this info from our Maine Coon cat buddy Karen Crooke who knows all about cat shows in Texas. She says there’s a Cat Fanciers Association show scheduled March 12 in Temple at the Mayborn Convention Center -- might even be the first ever CFA show in Temple...she‘s checking. And on April 16, the North Texas Cat Club has scheduled a show in the Food & Fiber Building at Fair Park. That’s not the first cat show in Dallas -- I’ve been to a few of them and they’re always entertaining. Not just the cats. Cat people are, well, wonderfully eccentric. My eccentricspouse Martha walks among them without looking like a stranger -- she is a cat nut, er, fan.

Be sure to mark this one on your May calendar -- it’s in Mesquite at the Resistol Rodeo Exhibition Hall. It’s the National Maine Coon Cat Club Show, May-7-8, says Karen, who has Terrificats Maine Coon Cats. We had a wonderful Maine Coon, the lovely Lucy, who, in all her fluffiness, was standoffish around most people, but absolutely adored my brother, Garry, from the moment they met. When he walked into the room, there was no other being on the planet as far as Lucy was concerned.

ASSORTED NOTES: Toby, a big orange girl cat, needs a home. She wandered up and sort of moved in, but there’s an allergy problem and Toby needs to move on. E-mail [email protected] or call 214-763-9468. ... Ellie, the cat who needed a home (scroll down to the Jan. 26 entry) has one, reports Jennifer McClain. “A very nice family has adopted her and assured me that she’ll be the queen of the household and the only indoor animal. I have faith that she’ll adjust just fine.” ... Regular reader/contributor Diane Combs reports that Bubba, a lab-mix who’d belonged to an SPCA of Texas volunteer who recently died, has found some potential homes. She reports that the e-mail sent out by SPCA spokeswoman Anita Edson turned up nine potential homes -- folks will be interviewed, their homes visited. And Bubba will have a new family to remind him daily of how special he is.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT HO HO HO: Look, it’s the last day of January and I feel compelled to help you with something that’ll come up later this year. You might want to pick up this link and just keep it as a “favorite.” Call it the Ho-Ho-Ho Tickler File. You can’t start shopping too early -- and most of you guys have already blown whatever chance you had to meet the Feb. 14 Valentine's Day deadline.. Here’s a countdown clock that may help you rebound:

www.emailsanta.com/clock.html. Maybe one of your friendly family anglers would like an entire set of Wacky Worms.

A big change at the State Fair

Oh, my goodness, readers and Fairfans, there's a big change coming Monday at the State Fair of Texas: The Fair's longtime, legendary, omniscient and downright nice spokeswoman, Nancy Wiley, is retiring.

For three decades, probably the most common editor-to-reporter newsroom instruction in the Southwest has been "Call Nancy Wiley." I'm not kidding you. Remember all those "routine" State Fair stories you saw, heard or read? Here's why they appeared routine: Nancy made gathering the stories "routine." She helped dazed reporters and columnists, stand-up pretty TV people and mike-bearing people with "a face for radio" get the facts with such grace and ease.

Editors knew she was dependable, reporters knew she was invaluable. Without Nancy, most of us would have wandered into the path of the Tilt-o-Whirl or fallen into a vat of corny dog batter and never been heard from again.

Nancy recalls, "I was so excited when I was hired for a part time position at the great State Fair in January 1972. It sounded like a dream job and it turned out to be exactly that."

What will she do in “retirement?” Well, she’ll help out at the Fair when needed. And, she told me, “Since I don’t knit, tat, crochet, can or cook without a microwave, I probably won’t be entering anything in the Creative Arts competitions!”

Big Tex needs to tip his big hat in her direction. She held his hand through lots of changes -- not just helping reporters find out his pants size or helping them craft the annual story about how he used to be Santa Claus in Kerens. But she also dealt with the periodic naming-a-new-"Voice of Big Tex"-crisis and assorted other things associated with the biggest show in Dallas and the nation's largest State Fair. It wasn't all cotton candy -- there were some rough spots, but she was there helping no matter what was going on.

How much does she know about the fair? The answer is in a book. Her book: The Great State Fair of Texas -- An Illustrated History. I've got two or three copies of it. It's not just a great history -- it's a wonderful reference book and a treasure for anyone who loves going to the Fair. You can find copies in bookstores around town and at on-line sites such as amazon.com.

(And, in case you wondered, a visit to www.bigtex.com will reveal that the 2005 fair is Sept. 30-Oct. 23 and that the official theme will be revealed in the spring.)

Does Nancy have a most memorable moment at the Fair? Yes, and it reveals that she is a “cat person.” She says, "There are lots of happy Fair stories, but I can't think of a bigger thrill than the last day of the '96 Fair when the staff was allowed to walk quietly into the tiger cage (in the middle of the Esplanade) where the majestic Rakhan was lying on his side on an elevated platform.

"We circled around behind him to pose for a group photo. I was in the front row near the south (tail) end and wondered if you rubbed that sweet spot on his lower back would his rear quarters rise up? I'm not really that brave or foolish, but I did pet him gently, and that was probably the coolest experience of my 33-year State Fair career."

Lots of people would rather be in a cage with a tiger than in an office with a reporter. Nancy managed to handle both beasts without mishap. That, folks, is a professional.

Great Danes in need

At some point one of us is going to have to buy a big ol' evangelical tent and start a traveling revival on behalf of fostering Great Danes. Can I get a rousing "Amen" from the deacons and sisters at the First Church of the Great Dane Devotees! 

These adorable dogs seem to be in constant need. I guess the thing is people get them as puppies and are stunned to learn they may actually grow out of the puppy stage. When they grow, they really grow!

But, they're so darned fetching and some are so gentle and polite -- just like kids. Some kids, anyway.

So what possesses people to surrender them? Funding, lack of interest, divorce, etc. Same thing that can happen to any other dog or cat. Today we’ll focus on the needs of Great Dane Rescue of North Texas (www.danerescue.net).

The group needs foster homes. Now. Right now. Quicker than a Great Dane’s tail can clear off a coffee table.

Rescue spokeswoman Sara Craven writes, "I feel like a broken record, but would like to put out a plea again for foster homes. Great Dane Rescue of North Texas is once again waaaay overloaded with Danes."

Many are in "emergency boarding" situations which means expenses are draining the rescue group's bank account -- I haven’t heard, but I’m pretty sure nobody in the group won the lotto lately.

(The dog in this picture is Elmo -- he's undergoing evaluation before being placed on the "adopt me" list. I used this photo because, having been around Great Danes and having a Dane/Lab mix in our home -- the legendary Hambone -- I know that this is a traditional view of the dogs. They can be up close and personal. Oh, come on, you’re a human. It’s a tribute to a human that a dog would want to get that close.)

Sara says, "We never turn away a Dane in a shelter, so as a result we have over 50 Danes in our program (with more incoming), and not near that number of foster homes. Unlike some other breed rescues, it is hard with Danes to just squeeze 'one more' in your house. You can't really hide a Dane from a husband that has set a 4 dog limit on your house! So, if there are any big dog lovers out there, please visit www.danerescue.net and look around. If you want to foster, e-mail [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 817-651-2336. We will provide you with a Dane sized crate, food, and a pre-evaluated dog. You just need to provide the love. Nothing beats seeing a thin, scared, timid dog FLOURISH in a home environment. Fostering does save lives, as it allows the rescue to continue to pull dogs from kill shelters."

When you visit www.danerescue.net, you'll see a photo gallery of some of the greatest dog faces in the world. Some dog faces melt your heart -- Great Danes capture your heart. One look into the eyes of a Great Dane and you may just be mesmerized.

You've got to be kidding

Well, I just don't know what to think about this. There's a state senator in Oklahoma who has introduced a bill to put little boxing gloves on fighting roosters. Oklahoma's voters made cockfighting illegal in 2002 and now this bird wants to bring it back with boxing gloves on roosters.

I just hope to high heaven somebody in the Texas Legislature doesn't try to top Oklahoma for official stupidity. You can read about Oklahoma's Sen. Frank Shurden at his website: www.oksenate.gov/Senators/contact/shurden.htm. That's where you'll find his mailing address: Sen. Frank Shurden, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 412, Oklahoma City, Ok. 73105 and his e-mail [email protected].

I don't care if they wrap these roosters in marshmallow suits and make 'em wear helmets with foam rubber beakguards, it's still a cruel sport. This guy ought to be ashamed. I'm posting his photo just in case he comes across the Red River into Texas scouting for talent.

He's a rancher from Henryetta, a Democrat who is also vice chairman of the Oklahoma Senate's Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. I don't know how he stands on any other issues -- heck, we may all agree with him on some things. Probably not, but all the other issues can't be this idiotic.

Pardon me if I just shake my head and wonder where this idea came from -- perhaps he once dreamed he saw a duck in waders or a goose in water wings at the Olympic synchronized swimming trials. Maybe he's under the impression racing pigeons wear track shoes.

Lord knows what animal he thinks "buffalo wings" come from.

Manners and big dogs

Today I am writing on behalf of Debbie the Darlin' Dog. More on her later. Here's something about the exciting new program she's in at Operation Kindness.

I spent a little time Wednesday at Operation Kindness, the no-kill shelter in Carrollton (www.operationkindness.org). Naturally, I discovered some extremely loveable cats and dogs, including slick, white terrieresque Happy, who lives up to his name. And roaming the lobby was Toby, perhaps the friendliest cat in the nation with three-quarters of a tail. The guy loves to be held and petted. But, don't we all! I'm surprised he's not the spokescat for a political campaign -- except cats usually have too much sense to get involved in politics.

And I found some new excitement about a new program within the shelter walls. I'd been invited there to speak to a staff luncheon -- I gave them the "How to Tell If You're An Animal Nut" test and they passed with flying colors. It was a true privilege to be there because those people are hard workers dedicated to saving dogs, cats and any other critters that show up.

You know, little dogs blessed with an abundance of “cute” and puppies find homes pretty easily. It’s the big dogs that wind up staying in shelters for painfully long periods of time.

The shelter's new Open Paws program may end that situation. It has the potential to save even more dogs. It's fascinating. Operation Kindness mainstays Jonnie England and Sandi Laird led me into the big dog room at the shelter and immediately I saw the difference this program has made.

The kennels in the room are back to back, divided by a solid head-high wall. Each kennel has solid walls and a gated front..

We walked into the room. The dogs can't see anyone come through the door, though they can, obviously, hear the door open. The dogs on the right side began barking their heads off. The dogs on the left side were mostly silent. In the past, when I've walked into the room, dogs on both sides barked like crazy.

The dogs on the left side are in the Open Paws program. They're learning how to behave.

One of the things that keeps big dogs from being adopted is their shelter demeanor. A family is unlikely to adopt a big dog that appears to be barking its head off, just mindless barking that will not end. Nobody wants a dog that won't be quiet. Nobody wants a dog that looks as if it could turn on you and your loved ones at the slightest unfamiliar sound.

The Open Paws program, imported from California after a couple of OK volunteers saw it working out there, is working to change that sad reality.

The way it works is the selected dogs -- and these are big dogs and dogs that are hard to place though they really wouldn't be if given half a chance -- don't just sit lonely in the cages. These dogs get hands-on treatment from shelter workers. They are fed by hand and mannerly behavior is enforced in a positive fashion. To get a handful of food and a thank you, the dogs must sit -- heck you may have taught your own dog to sit using that method. The dogs are walked at specific times -- just like dogs in your home. They never do anything without being in the loving hands of a human. It is time-consuming, but it is tender.

The shelter workers carefully, firmly, lovingly persuade these dogs that there is no need to go ape when a human approaches, that it is perfectly OK to not bark. They are taught to make a good first impression and to behave even after that! (Shelter workers keep a daily diary for each dog, so the dogs get precisely the same treatment each day.)

Now, it's not always a perfect program. There's this big, beautiful dog -- he's kind of a giant whose family tree has longhaired something-or-other.

He doesn't like men. Pardon my completely accurate French, but some stupid SOB must have been mean to him and scarred him for life. But, he's trying hard to be a better dog. Bless his big ol' heart.

And now we come to Debbie the Darlin' Dog, an obvious pit bull mix of some kind. She's sturdily built, tan and white and a perfect lady as far as I'm concerned. She's a young dog I picked up beside a convenience store at Kiest and Polk in Oak Cliff. Some kids were playing with her but she wasn't wearing collar or tags and wasn't on a leash. Mindful that no unleashed dog is safe in Dallas' traffic, I asked the kids if she belong to them. They said "no" and moved on. Debbie stayed. I opened the door of my pickup and she jumped right in. We've been friends ever since.

But we already have a houseful of dogs and the best I could do for Debbie was get her into a no-kill shelter. That day, Operation Kindness had a spot for her. She rode all the way from Oak Cliff to the shelter as if she were born to be a sidekick. (The Debbie photos are from Operation Kindness' website.)

She loved being petted and hugged that day and she hasn't changed.

Her appearance is her biggest drawback -- but only to those who don't see past her breeding. So, she's in the Open Paws program. Maybe someone who needs a sidekick will look at her and say, "This is a great dog!"

When Sandi told her to sit, she sat. When Sandi put her walking collar on her, she sat and patiently waited to be properly leashed. And, she appeared to remember me -- we had a bit of a reunion -- a little petting, some baby talk (on my part) and some genuine affection. She will adore anyone who shows her some love.

So, if you have an opportunity to visit Operation Kindness, be sure to ask about the Open Paws dogs -- you may find one you like. If you're a rescue group with a hard-to-help dog, ask about the program and see if it'll help you with your dog.

This is a program that increases the chances that a dog will find a home. The odds are always against dogs in this world, yet, as a species, they remain optimistic that the human element isn't all bad. We owe them the best we can give.

I see dead people -- on commercials

I was watching the cable Fox News channel just minutes ago when suddenly between live segments, an ad for CDs by country gospel singer Cristy "One Day at a Time" Lane was introduced by "Ballad of the Green Beret" singer Sgt. Barry Sadler.

Some trick. Sgt. Barry Sadler has been dead since 1989.  He couldn't possibly have heard the CD collection -- well, except, of course, if there's a Tower Records in the hereafter.

And I thought that NBC show "Medium" had a new twist on communicating with the dead.

Of course, one day a few years ago John Wayne came back from the dead to endorse beer and, late last year, Steve McQueen showed up in a cornfield to promote a hot car.

Life -- in advertising, it's just not required.

Opportunities to help

I have something to do around noon today and the pressure to nap in this house is intense. It has already stricken all the dogs and all but one of the cats. Our solid black cat, Annabelle Bob (she's named in honor of my sentimentalspouse Martha's original Bob The Cat) and I are fighting off a nap.

We've got the TV news on and, believe me, today that'll keep a human awake. So far, this is a tough day for Americans. Perhaps we can find something to help turn the day's direction, a chance to help, an opportunity to triumph over great odds.

A CAT IN NEED: Here's the quick version of this tale. Ellie, a 9 year old cat, was having trouble coping with a new dog and new baby in the household. Hoping to find a happier place for the cat, her people took her to a local shelter. The family inadvertently discovered that the cat was declared "unadoptable" and was scheduled to be "put to sleep." They loyally reacquired Ellie rather than let her be killed for being "unadoptable." To do this, they had to re-adopt Ellie.

It has been a tough time, but Jennifer McClain says she is determined to find a happy home for her long-time cat. "Ellie is a wonderful kitty, but she's been through a lot of change since my husband's dog and our new baby were added to the household. She's unhappy and longs for the days when it was just the two of us. She would be an excellent companion for an older individual and would do fine in any home where she would be the only pet and would receive lots of attention."

Ellie is spayed and declawed. She got along fine with the family's blue heeler, but the new Yorkie was "the final straw," Jennifer says. To help find a good home for this deserving cat, e-mail [email protected] or call 972-345-0767.

A DOG IN NEED: A few nights ago, Sean and Amy Wright, a Companion Animal Network foster couple, saw a female Cairn mix hit by a car and left to die on a local street. Network spokeswoman Gil Whelan says the couple got the dog and contacted Kimberly Jenkins, a veteran rescuer, who was "up all night at the ER with this dog," then spent the next day trying to find a vet to work with the rescue group regarding the whopping bills this little dog would face. (This photo was taken by George Bowmer, Gail says.)

Gail says, "The consensus is that this little girl has every chance to recuperate but will need the hip surgery. Our foster family, Sean and Amy Wright, who originally saw the accident, will foster her if we cannot find a foster who can be home all day. For the dog's sake, we really do need to find someone who works from home or is retired that can foster her. We are accepting tax deductible donations and will send a tax receipt to anyone donating." Checks should be made to Companion Animal Network, 11529 Glen Cross Drive, Dallas, Texas 75228. Note on the check that the donation is for "injured Cairn."

Ah, Dallas. City of small dogs and big hearts. And big dogs and big hearts. And cats and big hearts. If only the folks with big hearts had big bank accounts!

Oscars, dogs & happy ending

Oscar nominations are out today.

It occurs to me that this year will be different. It's the first time in nearly three decades that I haven't participated in an office Academy Award pool. Why? Got no office! And neither does the guy who diligently organized our office pool.

We both got the heave-ho from good ol' Belo (rhymes syllable for syllable with heave-ho) in October. Ah, the quality of life diminishes ever so slightly thanks to the corporate cleaver. Maybe next year there'll be an Oscar nomination for the slasher film "Jason & Freddy: Corporate Cut-ups."

On the other hand, I usually invested $5 in the pool and never won the pool so there's a five spot that'll stay in my pocket this year. So, thanks for that, fellas.

Best of luck to all the nominees and to all the people who are investing in office pools across the country. Oscar info is at www.oscars.org. Now, on with our show:

ROAMING DOG: Legendary gardener John Hunt has a dog situation. John, as you may recall, is among the naked gardeners on the best-selling calendar published by the First Men's Garden Club of Dallas. And he's part of the 8-10 a.m. garden show Saturday mornings on 990 AM radio. But he's also an animal-friendly gardener and he's trying to figure out a way to get this dog, informally known as "Shadow," off the streets. She's been living in his neighborhood, but isn't keen on being caught. He says she may be about 3 years old and is a large dog. "The problem now is that she barks at strangers, especially if they are walking their dogs. I think she has become territorial." He wants to find her a home before she falls into a worse spot. Perhaps, he suggests, someone who lives "outside the city" and has two or three acres of land that might be the right home for this dog. E-mail suggestions for saving this dog to [email protected].

BONES GETS SOME HELP: Elisabeth Rutledge, who has been working to save a dog that wandered up to an adult assisted living complex in Dallas, has good news. The dog had gone into a municipal shelter and we all know what that means -- the clock was ticking.

Elisabeth writes, "With so many people working on behalf of this special guy, I believe he’ll find his forever home soon. The good news is that Lexee’s Legacy [www.lexeeslegacy.com] has room for him, so he’ll be heading to their shelter on Wednesday. Although he’s saved, he still needs a forever home where he can be part of a family. ... He is adorable. When I called the shelter to check on him, they told me that he is quite the talker – he’s quiet, but as soon as anyone walks by, he starts doing that Charlie Brown talking/whining thing to let them know that he’s ready to get out of there!"

GREAT GOLDEN NEWS: You may recall that N-Trust-Ur-Pet petsitter Jeneva O'Connor pulled a freezing, shivering golden retriever off a North Dallas street during a particularly unpleasant spot of weather a few weeks ago. What has happened? Jeneva reports, "The fantastic foster family, Stacee and Eric Hirschorn and their son Cole, have fallen in love with 'Bear' and he is with them in his new home. They have already had him neutered and are currently receiving 'Positive training' with Diane Arrington [of PetPerfect Academy at www.petperfect.com] to help Bear adjust to life as an 'indoor' dog.

"They have been fantastic through all of this since it became apparent that Bear really had no idea how to behave inside. In what I thought was a funny episode, not funny to them at the time, they were trying to get him outside and apparently fearing he would be out there permanently, he climbed up onto the back of the couch. He now goes into his crate, in the living room, very easily."

So, there you have it. A happy ending even if you didn't get an Oscar nomination.

Bones needs a rescuer

Remember Bones, the loveable pit bull mix who wandered onto the property of an adults with disabilities living center in Dallas? (See Jan. 22 entry.)

Here's the bad news: Because all other shelters and potential foster homes were full, he's in Richardson Animal Shelter and has until Wednesday, according to his protector, Elisabeth Rutledge. He's a black-and-white spotted fellow, 55 pounds and about a year old. Surely someone can save this dog from the common fate in this kill-happy metropolitan area. To help Bones, call 214-697-9414 or 972-409-6205.

The Donald, Dogs and Show Biz

We were busy over the weekend so my laughingspouse Martha and I couldn’t make it to the latest Donald Trump wedding. But we do have a polite link to The Donald.

When Martha and I were about to marry back in December 1991, Mr. Trump and Marla Maples were in an extraordinarily public on-again, off-again relationship.

So, when we had the “Larry & Martha” napkins printed for our wedding reception, we also had some printed that read “Donald & Marla. ” If asked, we’d tell people we got a good deal on some second-hand napkins. At our reception, we’d catch people reading the napkins and looking puzzled.

Heck, there’s always something puzzling at a wedding. We’ve just always been happy the puzzlement was over napkins instead of the nuptials. We hoped that was the case, anyway.

DOG NEEDED: The Kaufman County Civic Theater will present the musical “Annie” in March, so what character is the most difficult to cast? Yep, Sandy the dog. Director Amy Thurmond-Bush says she needs a Sandy and since www.readlarrypowell.com has an audience of dog folks, I’m betting someone has a Sandy. The theater’s plea reads that “the ideal doggie for the part should be very well trained, sandy in color (sort of dishwater blonde) and a fairly large dog. No particular breed is desired -- just a sweet, big sandy-colored doggie who loves children!”

Yep, even now you stagemothers and stagedaddies are thinking, “I could color the dog’s hair....” But, seriously, there are probably a dozen dogs in shelters right now that would fit the role. And think of how much good publicity it would be for your rescue group if you were able to tell people, “We sometimes have dogs that become stars.”

To help the theater cast Sandy, e-mail Amy at [email protected] or call 214-274-3726. (Visit www.kcct.org)

Daddy Warbucks has already been cast -- I asked. I wasn’t willing to shave either my beard or my head. I did tell Amy that if she can’t find a dog, I’ll do my best to squeeze into a Sandy costume. Arf.

DOG HOME NEEDED: The suffering yellow lab mentioned in the January 17 item (scroll down), still needs help. Someone has agreed to do the corrective surgery on the big boy, but the family still can’t handle the bill, so the dog needs a new home and a bit of help on the expenses. (Call 817-903-1990 to help.) This dog needs a break.

FIRE UP THE KITCHEN: Remember that old rock lyric “Get out in that kitchen and rattle them pots and pans?” Ah, the rattle has been elevated to an art form in a show called “Cookin’” -- it’s a show in which “chefs” turn kitchen tools into percussion instruments and prepare for a big wedding. Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Just mix comedy, percussion and a kitchen, then serve. (See it March 1-6 at The Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas. Tickets are at 214-631-ARTS or at www.ticketmaster.com. If you’ve got a group of 20 or more who want to see this show together, call 214-426-GROUP.)

I’m working on a show called “Buffet: The Sad Dance When The Shrimp Bin Is Empty.” I’m also planning the sequel: “Rap ’n’ Relish: Stompin’ on the Salad Bar.”