EDITION OF MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2017 [PetPowellPress] We arrive at Monday and surely this is a genuine “Hello, autumn!” After, all, the tourists are flocking to Dallas to follow the “Big D Foliage Trails” and admire the aspens. What? Sorry, I may have misread a report on American Fall Foliage Attractions.
Let’s help some critters before we get to cookies.
IN DALLAS, EARFUL EXPRESSIONS
Hello. Hello. HOWDY!!!! -- an interpretation.
Yes, two sedate “Hello” sets of ears followed by a vibrant and excited “HOWDY!” That’s what I saw when I spotted these three photos lined 
up on the adoptables page at Dallas Animal Services. I also spotted this cat, Chrissy, who has an “Oh, brother, those dogs” expression among there stripeful coating. They’re all ready for homes.
MEANWHLE IN MESQUITE
I know it’s National Pit Bull Awareness Month and October 28 is National Pit Bull Awareness Day, but I can’t wait until then to 
mention this young, 55-pound fellow Harley (36220043). Judi Brown, our volunteer tipster who monitors the Mesquite Animal Shelter, sent photos of Harley who she described as “a handsome bluish gray one-year-old terrier pit mix. His sleek bluish coat is shiny, giving him a special glow. He’s very alert with a sense of adventure. He made sure to check out everything in his surroundings. He is affectionate and gives hugs.”
Judi also forwarded Baby Girl’s photo as she took it easy on a bench. She’s 36807422.
She’s a 6-month-ol Retriever mix “who is extremely submissive. She is very very scared, but at the same time is crying out for love. She was surrendered and her owner said she was an inside/outside dog. She needed to be carried out into the yard and she freaks out on a leash. She wants human attention in the worst way! She slinks to you. When she came to me she enjoyed being held and gave kisses.”
To ask about helpng these animals or any other animals in the Mesquite shelter, call 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. Be sure to inclue the animal ID number in correspondence and conversations.
AND, IN BURNS FLAT
[LARRY NOTE: Shortly after we posted this around 9:20 p.m. Sunday, we got a note from Terry Lynn explaining that the little guy didn't make it. It's a bad story, but it is important to remind people to make sure their dogs are safe and secure. Nature can be ugly and humans are the key to blocking disastrous events.]
On Saturday, the determined Burns Flat, Okla., rescuer Terry 
Lynn Fisher encountered another all-too-common moment in animal rescue. She writes, “As I pulled up at home after spending the day transporting, I received a call from a man here in town. He said his kids came in and said a big dog was attacking a small Yorkie. They ran out and the big dog was gone, but this little guy was laying in the yard. They thought he was dead, but noticed his eyes moving.
"I’ve rushed him to my wonderful vet where they started him on meds and a heating pad. He lay motionless and labored breathing. Before I left, about a hour later, he was moving his head a little. This little one has a road ahead of him. As always we need help... If anyone can help with him please let me know.” Email Terry Lynn at [email protected] or call 580-330-1459. (
CONTEMPLATIONS: We’re must focus on the sweet side of life in this edition of Contemplations. Why? Because 
we’re sick of the sour side of life. Here are photos of some of the nearly 200 entries in the State Fair of Texas Creative Arts Division Cookie Baking Contest on Sunday. The Best of Show went to a “Chocolate Almond Cookie Brittle” and it was fantastic. Don’t discount the raspberry cookies and the raspberry key lime cookie -- every cookie would make a fat man happy, confessed your hefty correspondent.
In all the years we’ve helped judge these contest, we’ve never run into a cookie that would make anyone take one bite and leave the room. The State Fair of Texas draws confident, gifted bakers.
I recall a challenge in the Texas Sesquicentennial Year of 1986. I drew Rum Cakes that year and it was the greatest cake experience of my life, except, of course, for the wedding cake at our nuptials. (I’m required by The Code of the Groom to include that wedding cake disclaimer in this pararaph.)
The deal was, our wedding cake wasn’t soaked with rum. But some of those State Fair entries were. They were great.
Back to our Sunday cookie contest: It is always a pleasure to 
participate in this event because all of the Fair’s people work so hard to make things go smoothly and correctly. All a judge has to worry about is taste, texture and appearance of the cookies.
Is it a spectator sport? You bet your frosting. The contestants sit on bleachers or stand around the area where judges sit at assigned tables and sample cookies that have been assigned a number. Nobody knows whose cookie is being tasted.
After the tasting, and after the scores are tabulated, you can look out into the bleachers and around the big showroom and pick out the nervous bakers. Some of the local bakers ares have won before, but they still let out a whoop or a scream of joy when they win again. And so do the people who win for the first time.
And, for those of you who stereotype bakers, they’re not all Momma cooking her family’s favorite snack. There are males among the cookie bakers and they win, too.
Best cookie I’ve ever tasted? Why, Martha’s peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies, of course -- for explanation see the disclaimer in the paragraph about my greatest cake experience.
FYI: That was Big Tex against the sky Sunday afternoon. In the words of Rodgers & Hammerstein, .... oh, go ahead and click HERE. And this photo below is from the 1962 State Fair movie and that is the Dallas Skyline in 1961 when the film was made. Yep, as the doctor might say to a hefty fellow after judging the cookie contest, "You've grown a bit." (FYI: No buildings obscured the view of the Flying Red Horse back then!)
--- TO COMMENT, GRIP YOUR BIGTEXMOUSE AND CLICK HAPPILY BELOW. ---
