Grapevine Texas:  Festivals All Year Long

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn  t4z@aol.com

In late fall of last year, I had a delightful and fun filled December weekend in Grapevine, Texas, during their Christmas Celebration.  You know Grapevine is the Christmas Capitol of Texas, and everything seems to be bigger in Texas?  Between sips of wine, main street shopping and a couple of theatrical presentations, I discovered that Grapevine  is filled with festivals and celebrations through the year. Now is a good time to schedule your favorite Grapevine event.  With the listings below you can see how Grapevine is officially recognized as a World Festival & Events City by the International Festival & Events Association. Grapevine welcomed more than one and a half million visitors to the city’s festivals and special events in 2014.
Some of Grapevine offerings are:
• 12th Annual Day Out with Thomas™, April 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19: Take a journey with Thomas the Tank Engine™ at the 12th Annual Day Out With Thomas on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad.   The train ride is approximately 25 minutes. www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/Thomas.
• 11th Annual ChocolateFest, April 24 and 25: Sweeten up your weekend at the 11th Annual ChocolateFest, benefiting Travelers Aid D/FW. On Friday, April 24, delicious delights await at An Evening of Chocolate and Wine at the all new location of Austin Ranch, 2009 Anderson Gibson Rd. (located near Grapevine Mills), 7 p.m. Guests must be 21 and above. On Saturday, April 25, sample an array of chocolate treats paired with beautiful works of art at A Day of Chocolate & Art at Austin Ranch from 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. www.ChocolateFestGrapevine.org.
• Grapevine Farmers Market and Grapevine Market, April 9 – October 17: Experience shopping at the festive open-air European-style Grapevine Market for an eclectic array of items including handmade jewelry, distinctive home décor, quality antiques and locally-grown produce and other products at The Grapevine Farmers Market. Located behind the Town Square Gazebo, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. www.FarmersMarketofGrapevine.com or www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com.
• 23rd Annual Blessing of the Vines and New Vintage Wine & Gallery Trail, April 11: For centuries, Old World grape growers marked the beginning of the growing season with the ceremonial Blessing of the Vines and this tradition continues in Grapevine. After the Blessing of the Vines, enjoy the New Vintage Wine & Gallery Trail, featuring tastings at each participating winery, food samplings and beautiful works of art at all of Grapevine’s art galleries. www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/NewVintage.
• 14th Annual Spring Into Nash, April 18: Celebrate life on the farm like Grapevine’s earliest settlers. Held at Grapevine’s historic Nash Farm, the event features heritage toys, kitchen gardening, cotton planting, authentic heritage animal breeds, tractor-drawn wagon rides, field cultivation, wood carving demonstrations, jump rope making, cooking demonstrations on a wood burning stove and blacksmith demonstrations. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. www.NashFarm.org.
• 31st Annual Main Street Fest, May 15, 16 and 17: Tap into three full days of festival fun at Grapevine’s Main Street Fest – A Craft Brew Experience. Events include craft brew tastings, pre-festival craft brew and dining experiences, live entertainment, KidCave, Carnival and Midway, Texas Wine Terrace, artisans and vendors, festival food and much more. www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/MainStreetFest.
• 7th Annual SummerBlast, May 22 – September 4: Blast off with family-friendly summer fun in Grapevine, the perfect destination for  all ages. Some of the exciting activities include Summer Bash at Gaylord Texan Resort, Friday Night Fireworks Over Lake Grapevine, perfect poolside relaxation, shopping, wineries, dining and much more. Fireworks happen every Friday night at 9:30 p.m. over Lake Grapevine. And don’t miss the special 33rd Annual Fireworks Show on July 4th. www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/Summer.
• 29th Annual GrapeFest®, September 17, 18, 19 and 20: GrapeFest, the largest wine festival in the Southwest United States, celebrates the best of Texas wines, West Coast varietals and International offerings. This four-day family-friendly festival also features events such as the People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic, GrapeStomp, the Texas Wine Tribute, pre-event wine and food pairing dinners, the Champagne Terrace, KidsWorld, GrapeFest Golf Classic, GrapeFest Tennis Classic, ItalianCarFest, five stages of live entertainment and much more!
www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/GrapeFest.

18th Annual Butterfly Flutterby, October 17: Flap your wings with the southern migration of the Monarch butterfly at the Grapevine Botanical Gardens. Guests help release more than 600 tagged butterflies during three scheduled releases throughout the event. Children and pets are invited to participate in the colorful Butterfly Parade and in the costume contest. Free admission. Activities also include plant sales, arts and crafts and more. www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/Butterfly.

Hallo-Wine Trail, October 24 and 25: Scare up some fun along Grapevine’s Hallo-Wine Trail! This spooktacular event features three tastings and food samplings at each participating Grapevine winery tasting room, a souvenir wine glass and a bottle of premium Grapevine wine. www.GrapevineWineryTrail.com

And of course don’t miss out on the over the top Holiday celebration of the:
Christmas Capital of Texas®, November 2015 – January 2016: Unwrap the magic of the season in Grapevine, the Christmas Capital of Texas! Grapevine celebrates Christmas with more 1,400 events in 40-plus days and is the perfect place to celebrate with your family and friends this year. Millions of magical lights, enormous decorations, Christmas events and more perfectly capture the spirit of Christmas in Grapevine. Events include North Pole Express® November 27, 28 and 29; December 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23) ICE! and Lone Star Christmas at Gaylord Texan Resort (November – January), Bass Pro Shop’s Santa’s Wonderland, Light Show Spectacular, Carol of Lights (November 23), Parade of Lights (December 3), Snowland at the Great Wolf Lodge, Main Street LIVE’s Christmas Shows and classic Christmas movies at the Historic Palace Theatre, Christmas Wine Trains (December 10 and 17), after Christmas train rides and much more. www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/Christmas.

Many of Grapevine’s hotels offer special rates and packages during annual festival and events. For hotel information, tickets or more information regarding Grapevine’s festivals and events, you may contact the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-457-6338 or 817-410-3185 or visit www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com

I can personally attest that Grapevine, Texas offers big city events with small town hospitality!

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

The 4th of July lets me think of the many Washington D.C. memorials, but D.C. has so much more to offer, and that’s the problem.
Over the years I have discovered that some cities are just too large, diverse, and ever changing, to be experienced fully in just one visit. I find this true about our Nation’s Capitol, Washington D.C. That’s why I find it to be an “installment” city: one that needs to be visited over and over again, over a number of years (or decades in my experience.)
Creating a reasonable itinerary for D.C., and knowing your physical capabilities is the key. In my youth I walked and walked and walked to near exhaustion, to see some of the monuments, memorials and museums. For this brief two day trip I took it easy, knowing that in most likelihood that all would be there for another visit on down the line.
I used inexpensive taxis to go most places. I could not believe how accessible they were.
My home base was in the Beacon Hotel and Corporate Quarters, up the hill from the White House by several blocks. It was a comfortable hotel, with a doorman for taxis, offering spacious rooms, kitchenette and full size bath. While I would not try to visit their unfriendly dining establishment again, I would consider the hotel for my next installment. They do offer a rooftop bar on some nights. Go early before the music starts.
Months in advance I contacted both my Congressional representatives to see about getting a White House tour. After a prolonged attempt it did happen, and I was put on a list with a group of strangers, to this day I have not met. I showed up a little earlier than my appointed time, and went through 2 check lists before going through security. I was told on the website, no cameras, although cell phones with cameras were allowed (go figure that logic), no pencils, no pens, no back packs, no water, no nothing, or it would be taken away. Strange again, but the price you pay. The self guided tour, following a pre determined path, was reminiscent of a tour decades ago. In reflection it is fun to see the rooms and hallways on TV and know their juxtaposition to each other and such, because you were there. I’m ashamed to say, I did not get a feeling of awe, but seeing the portraits of JFK and Jacqueline was heart warming. A tour of the Capitol Building is much easier to get and very informative.
I can also recommend visiting the National Gallery, The Spy Museum and its adjacent restaurant, Zola. All three are worth a lengthy visit. Dining at Zola is definitely on my list for my next installment visit to D.C.
Other fun food and beverages were enjoyed at the iconic Old Ebbitt Grill, the Round Robin Bar at the Willard Intercontinental, and the roof top bar and dining atop the W Hotel, where extra ordinary sights can be had of the White House, Washington’s Monument, Jefferson Memorial and the Lee Mansion in Arlington The W can be a bit snooty, as they reserve several roof top bar tables for VIP’s, which are seldom used early in the evening. So as you wait for the elevator behind the velvet rope, just profess to the doorman you want to stand at the bar. It’s worth the effort.
I longed to see the National Cathedral and took a taxi there and back. Getting back was the challenge. I saw the edifice and took a Gargoyle tour, which I can not recommend.
One is shown slides of the exterior, and then taken out front on the grounds to try and see again, what you saw in slide format. My souvenir book of Gargoyles sold in the basement gift shop was worth its money; the tour was not. A quick trip to the architecturally pleasing National Museum of the American Indian was accomplished, along with a light lunch, and my two days were completed.
One of the best compliments of any travel adventure or meal is answering “Yes” to the question, “Would you have it again?” And “Yes,” Washington D.C. is already on my list for future city installments. As always these days double check web sites and times of admission etc, for the times you need.
When you go or before check out:
The Spy Museum https://www.spymuseum.org/visit
Beacon Hotel: http://www.capitalhotelswdc.com
The National Cathedral: www.nationalcathedral.org
Washington D.C. info: http://washington.org

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
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Paul McCann

(Right) 101 years old. WWII Veteran. He was in college but allowed to graduate before reporting to NYC for midshipman training & to Washington DC for ordinance training. He was then stationed in the Pacific at the Naval Ammunition Depot on the Island of Oahu where he was officer in charge of ordinance loading ships out of Pearl Harbor.

Ruby Taylor

(Left) 100 years old. Broken Arrow – She graduated in 1942, with the last graduating class from Mazie High School, where she & her twin sister Ruth played basketball. She worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 25 years. Playing cards at the senior center, reading on her I-Pad, playing solitaire & word search are her hobbies.

Robert Williamson

(Right) 100 years old. WWII Veteran. After graduating from Broken Arrow HS he served in the US Army during WWII. He was 1st Sergeant over 300 men for 3 years in North Africa. Upon being honorably discharged he worked for American Airlines for 22 years.

Oklahoma (Choate) Smoyer

(Right) 107 years old. Born in Gore, OK on June 29, 1917, one of 9 children in the Cherokee Native American farm family of William Choate & Mary (Benge) Choate. Brothers Charles lived to 101 years old & Sequoyah David lived to 102. Married to Daniel F. Smoyer, she had 3 sons, 2 daughters, 12 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren & 4 great-great grandchildren to complete this 5-generation family.

by Van Mitchell, OKNT writer

Dr. Elizabeth Diener, PhD, RN, PNP, CNE, has taught in programs of nursing for the past 30 years in New York, Missouri, and Oklahoma City University’s Kramer School of Nursing.
She said her 13-year stint at OCU has been the most rewarding of her teaching career.
“I can say without a doubt this is the best teaching job that I have ever had,” she said. “They have always encouraged me to explore my own personal research interests, in addition to fulfilling my teaching duties.”
That reciprocation was returned to Diener by her fellow staff members as she was named the 2022 recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty.
An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died (at the age of 33) from complications of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).
Barnes’s family was very touched by the remarkable compassion and clinical skill demonstrated by Patrick’s nurses during his illness, so they created DAISY to recognize exceptional nurses everywhere.  Diener said she was humbled by her award recognition.
“It would both serve as a validation of everything that I have done in my past 25 years as faculty,” she said. “It would also be quite humbling because I work with an incredible group of faculty that every day try to do their best to foster faculty and student relationships, and be experts in their field. I feel I am just a representative of all of our faculty.”
Diener currently serves as Professor of Nursing. She is trained as a Caritas Coach in Watson’s Caring Science Institute, holds a certificate as a Soul Collage Facilitator, completed a postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Arizona in Integrative Nursing Curriculum, and is a certified ANFT Nature and Forest Therapy Guide..
She is currently pursuing her teaching certification in MBSR at Brown University, School of Public Health. Her clinical practice areas have included, Pediatric AIDS Care, Neonatal Intensive Care, Pediatric Emergency Care, ECMO, Hospice and Palliative Care, and Nursing Leadership/Administration.
Diener said her parents encouraged her to pursue a career in healthcare. She said watching nurses care for some of her relatives growing up also influenced her to become a nurse.
“I was encouraged by my parents,” she said. “Women went into nursing or education. Either one would have been acceptable to my parents, but they really had a great respect for healthcare. I just have a real respect for the nurses that I saw and how they could comfort people, and assure them that things would turn out okay. It made me want to be a part of that.”
Diener said she learned early on in her clinical practice she had what it took to handle the stress and chaos that a nursing career can sometimes have.
“I got a really good look at what nursing would involve,” she said. “I knew then I had what it took to become a nurse.”
Diener said her approach to teaching has evolved as has the field of nursing with new technology, medicine, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on nursing.
“I think at the beginning I was more concerned with delivering the materials that were required or requested for a particular course, and assessing student performance,” she said. “As it has evolved, it has become not only that, but education has become much more in-depth. We have technology now that wasn’t available back in the day. Our skills have expanded greatly.”
Diener said the pandemic hit the nursing field hard with more nurses leaving the field due to burnout and fatigue.
She said nursing schools like OCU have worked hard to help recruit more nursing students, as well as hospitals and healthcare agencies helping them better transition from student to full-time nurse.
“It’s the quick turnaround from being a student to a functionally-responsible nurse,” she said. “It can be pretty overwhelming at times. Hospitals are trying to address that with internships and transitioning into practice.”
Diener said one message she tells nursing students is to always remember to take care of themselves.
“I think a thing we struggle with is how do we get everything done in the time allotted because there are so many demands,” she said. “I think the challenges will always change as they always do,” she said. “We are fortunate enough to be able to educate larger numbers of nurses. Nurses will get the job done.”
Diener said nursing and teaching is not just her career, it is her passion to help others.
“It is a career I never considered leaving, and one of the reasons is because under the umbrella of being a nurse, there are so many places that you can practice and so many roles that you can fulfill that you can be a nurse and still find your place,” she said.
For more information about Oklahoma City University’s Kramer School of Nursing visit:
https://www.okcu.edu/nursing/home

Story by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Moving from Hugo to Guymon was about as far a move as Dan Stiles could pull off and still stay in Oklahoma.
“A lot of people think Oklahoma ends at Woodward,” Stiles says with a laugh.
Guymon – a place where the wind definitely comes sweeping down the plains – is just under two hours away from Amarillo. It’s three-and-a-half hours from Denver and just 125 miles away from the end of the central standard time zone.
But Guymon itself is also a mecca for healthcare in Northwest Oklahoma and Stiles is in the middle of it all leading Heritage Community and Dunaway Manor.
Dunaway Manor is the only Skilled Nursing Facility in the Panhandle, the only Assisted Living in the Panhandle and the only licensed and locked Memory Assisted Living in the Panhandle.
The stand-alone non-profit is not owned by any governmental agency, church or other entity and has been that way since 1962.
The facility offers long term care, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Respite Care, Assisted Living, Memory Care Assisted Living and Assisted Living Respite care.
In 1960 a group of concerned citizens gathered and decided there needed to be a residence for senior citizens in Guymon.
Local veterinarian W.F. Dunaway and wife Mada donated a substantial sum which was matched by local residents for the facility to be built.
The residence was called Dunaway Manor.
Dr. Dunaway and wife also set up a foundation that is now called the Texas County Foundation.
Dunaway Manor is a 77-bed skilled nursing facility with long-term care and respite care offerings.
In the late 2000s, the fact that no assisted living properties existed became a topic of conversation.
In 2012 Heritage Community Assisted Living and Heritage Community Memory care opened.
The assisted living facility side has 25 apartments. The locked memory care unit has 15 residences.
All sit on land owned by the City of Guymon.
“We are not owned by anybody. We have a board of directors,” Stiles said, noting most board members are residents of Texas County. “Most are ranchers and farmers. I think we’re the only one set up like this.”
Stiles is actually the chief executive officer but goes by the title of campus director.
He says he was never much for titles and admits to no pretense on campus, just a focus on neighbors helping members.
“We have a ton of community support,” said Stiles.
To that end, a group known as Helping Hands for Heritage took shape a little over a year ago with the specific aim at fundraising for projects needed on campus.
“It has been a good deal,” he said.
Covid has hit the area hard. In fact, Guymon was the No. 2 site in the state in the number of Covid infections, fueled by positives at the local meat processing plant.
And while Guymon may be one of the most diverse cities in the United States – boasting 32 nationalities – the number of healthcare facilities is limited to Heritage Community and Dunaway Manor.
“The biggest problem we have out here is getting nurses,” Stiles said. “You’ve got to want to live in the panhandle and there’s a lot of different opportunities out here.”
Population growth has boosted Guymon to a Class 5A school, which means Guymon students travel around the state more than any other school.
“We are very big on culture change and patient-centered care,” Stiles said. “We call (residents) neighbors that live in our neighborhood. I feel like when you get the staff and team to buy into that it’s a whole lot different to take care of a neighbor than a resident or patient.”
One of the great advantages Stiles has to offer his staff is the sheer number of opportunities they can choose from.
There’s long term care as well as skilled nursing availability.
“But we always need people in assisted living which is a total different population to work with,” he said. “There’s also opportunities in memory care for working with patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia. We offer a huge variety.”
As healthcare reimbursement drives care out of the hospital faster, facilities like Heritage Community and Dunaway Manor are taking care of more medically complex patients.
“People are being sent to us a lot sicker than they used to be,” Stiles said. “We do a lot of IVs and wound care. We have several trachs in the building.”
Right now Stiles’ largest need is for charge nurses – LPNs or RNs – who are able to step onto the floor to take care of neighbors.
“Unlike the hospital or even a doctor’s office the majority of the people you’ll care for are going to be here long term,” said Stiles, who noted even his skilled nursing side has an average stay of 35 days. “There are people in this building who have lived here for 10 or 11 years. You develop a close relationship with them. It’s not ‘Mr. Smith came in on Tuesday, had his hip replaced Wednesday and leaves on Friday.”’
“When they come here you’re going to spend time with them so it’s a more long-term atmosphere where you’re caring for people you know. You grow very close and very attached to your people.”
And your people quickly become your neighbors.

VillagesOKC, an organization of virtual neighbors enabling mature adults to come together to learn, plan, and serve with spirit and dignity, has been selected by the Mather Institute as an honoree of the 2020 Promising Practices Awards. VillagesOKC was recognized for Bringing Brain Health Education to the Community.
Organizations working with older adults from across the country sent in submissions about how they are moving away from conventional practices through new and innovative approaches. Eight organizations with powerful ideas and practices were highlighted for continuing to move the aging services industry forward, despite an abnormally unusual year.
“The Promising Practices Awards honor true leaders in ideation and implementation,” said Cate O’Brien, PhD, assistant vice president and director of the Mather Institute. “We hope these projects will serve as a catalyst for organizations across the country and around the world to spark innovation in their own programs.”
Over the past two years, VillagesOKC has worked closely with MINDRAMP Consulting, a brain health consulting and coaching company, to develop and sustain a Brain Health Initiative, offering MINDRAMP’s unique approach through live presentations, videos, podcasts, web-based classes and workshops. The initiative presents a behavioral and risk-management approach that is specifically tailored for the mature adult population. From 2019-2020, more than 360 older adults attended brain health classes.
From Feb. to June 2021, VillagesOKC will again partner with MINDRAMP to host a weekly Brain Academy. The full semester of engaging, evidence-based sessions will be held via a secure Zoom meeting. The program is $100 for non-members and $50 for members of VillagesOKC. Programming includes:
Level 1. Strong Brains, Sharp Minds: The Art & Science of Aging Intentionally
* Feb. 10 – The Longevity Paradox & The Call to Adventure
* Feb. 24 – May the Force Be with You & Navigational Aids
Level 2. Mapping the Future of Your Mature Mind
* March 10 – Motivation & Assessments
* March 24 – Planning & Skills for Sustainability
Level 3. – Eight Behaviors That Shape Your Brain
* April 14 – Cogwheel Overview, Physical Exercise & Mental Stimulation
* April 28 – Social Engagement, Stress Management & Diet and Nutrition
* May 12 – Sleep, Medical Factors & Environmental Conditions
Practicum 1. Designing Your Brain Health Action Plan
* May 26 – Design Your Personal Action Plan
Practicum 2. Lions & Tigers & Bears: Group Coaching to Overcome Obstacles, Setbacks and Discouragement
* June 9 – Put Your Personal Action Plan into Action
* June 23 –Develop Strategies for Sustainability
“The Brain Health Initiative has expanded the range and depth of our remotely delivered services and has positioned us as a leader in the aging community,” said Marilyn Olson, executive director of VillagesOKC. “As MINDRAMP says, ‘Everyone wants a better brain.’ Offering this program has grown our membership and our place in the greater community.”
To learn more and to register for the Brain Academy, please email info@villagesokc.org or call 405.990.6637.