In this 11th in the series on Brushes with Celebrities, I wanted to present one of my heroes that I was fortunate enough to meet, Don Garlits, otherwise known as Big Daddy, one of the most famous, innovative, and winningestdragracersinthe sport. If you’re a fan of cars and racing, you know who Don Garlits is. Even if you’re not a fan of drag racing, you may have heard the name “Big Daddy Don Garlits”, or remember his Top Fuel race cars named “Swamp Rat.” I saw photos of him a few weeks ago when he turned 92 years old in January, and he’s still active and involved in the sport of drag racing. Considered the “Father of dragracing”,heisknownas “Big Daddy” to drag racing fans around the world.

“Books are something social – a writer speaking to a reader – so I think making the reading of a book the center of a social event, the meeting of a book club, is a brilliant idea.”- Yann Martel

BEST CLASS ATTENDANCE Mrs. Clark’s 3rd grade class had the best attendance at 95.83%.

“Uncomplicated” nutritious bowl I make many types of grain bowls and enjoy the ease and flexibility. I can make them with whatever is left in my fridge at any given time. Or, I plan a themed grain bowl, such as an Asian style packed with brown or white rice and veggies one might find in a stir fry. Indianthemed, curry-based grain bowls are an option, as well. And of course, my favorite is a Mexican-style grain bowl.

II InCelebrateChineseNew Year – Part I, I wrote about the traditions ofspecial foods during the Lunar New Year. These special foods are as important to the Chinese New Year celebra tions as the traditional foods we enjoy on American holidays are important to us, such as turkey and dressing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, or black eyed peas on New Year’s Day.

KNOX CITY– Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States experiences a heart attack. For those fortunate enough to survive their first heart attack, lifestyle changes and a specialized rehabilitation program are important ways to recover cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of a second episode.

Hellebores are beautiful evergreen perennials that bloom in early spring. There are at least 15 species of Hellebores and numerous hybrids that are often misidentified in the horticulture trade.

In today’s column is the second of a two-part pruning guide for trees and shrubs. In last week’s column was the ‘what to’ prune; this week discusses the ‘how to’ prune, providing some techniques in proper pruning.

WICHITA FALLS-Hospice of Wichita Falls (HOWF) has received a generous multi-milliondollar gift from the Perkins-Prothro Foundation, Dianne and Mark Prothro, and Dale Prothro to name its new Inpatient Care Center on Cypress Avenue.

KNOX CITY – There continues to be a blood shortage around the nation, including here in the Big Country, because there is no substitute for human blood. Noting the shortage in the region, Knox County Hospital District (KCHD) is partnering with Hendrick Regional Blood Center to host a mobile blood drive at Knox County Hospital on Feb. 19.