Lifestyle

While the summer sun beats down on Far West Texas, pounding the horny toads into submission, Alpine High School student-athletes are rising early, not for leisure or video games, but for sled pushes, plyometric drills, and weight training. It’s all part of a focused effort to sharpen their bodies and minds ahead of another demanding year of playoff-caliber competition.

.

We belong to God. Jesus tells us we belong to Him, and so we also belong to the Father who sent Him. So what is so special about that? All of creation belongs to God. Every tree, every flower, every bird, every flying creature, every fish and creature of the water, every animal, everything belongs to God. All these creations glorify God with their beauty and majesty. But God was not satisfied with the wonder and amusement of his creations. He wanted more. He wanted to be loved and worshiped. But no God wanted more than worship and love; he wanted a relationship with his creation, so He created humans, us. And He made us a little lower than the angels and set us over the rest of His creation. He did not want humanity to worship and love Him because they had no choice. He gave us free will so that we could choose to follow Him and love, and worship Him. He gave us a choice to either walk with Him or do it our way. He did not want us to blindly follow Him. He wanted us to choose to walk with Him, to have a relationship with Him.

What is more quintessential than Summertime in Texas and Fredericksburg Peaches? Not much, if you ask me. Growing up in Texas, a trip during the summer always meant a trip to the Hill Country to pick the peaches right off the tree. Nowadays, multiple orchards supply these sweet fruits. Most will agree Fredericksburg Peaches stand above and beyond the less favored Georgia Peach, unless, I guess, you are a Bulldog Fan. My favorite stand is Studebaker Farms right outside of town, headed to Stonewall.

.

The Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University has been nominated for the second straight year in USA Today’s 2025 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards. The museum won the award in 2024. An expert panel selected the Museum of the Big Bend as a contender for Best Smalltown Museum, a new category, according to a press release from USA Today. The contest allows four weeks to vote for the museum of your choice at https://10best. usatoday.com/awards/ travel/best-small-townmuseum2025/ museumof- the-big-bend-alpinetexas/. You can vote once a day for the run of the contest by visiting the SRSU and Museum of the Big Bend Facebook and Instagram pages, or by going directly to the link above. Voting ends Monday, February 10, and the winner will be announced on 10Best on Wednesday, February 19. The museum has previously received a “Top Western Museum” award from True West magazine. For more information, email Director John Klingemann at john.klingemann@sulross.edu.

Send your community events to kara.gerbert@alpineavalanche. com Upcoming events January at Davis Mountains State Park Mondays 7 p.m.

Former Alpine High School and Fightin’ Buck Tony Pallenez received the Raising Canes Texas High School Coaches Association’s Coach of the Week for Defensive Coordinator at Saginaw High School at the end of November.

Exhibitor / Association / Place ROASTERS Ryli Vasquez / Alpine FFA / 1 Carlee Madaleno / Marathon 4H / 2 Collin Sledge / Alpine FFA / 3 Cayden Madaleno / Marathon 4H / 4 Carlee Madaleno / Marathon 4H / 5 Mia Jimenez / Alpine FFA / 6 Hezekai Maxim / Fort Davis 4H / 7 Jacob Valenzuela / Marathon 4H / 8 Rhyder Vasquez / Alpine FFA / 9 Jacob Valenzuela / Marathon 4H / 10 Keagan Sledge / Alpine FFA / 11 STEWERS Cayden Madaleno / Marathon 4H / 1 Rhyder Vasquez / Alpine FFA / 2 Jacob Valenzuela / Marathon 4H / 3 Keagan Sledge / Alpine FFA / 4 Ryli Vasquez / Alpine FFA / 5 Mia Jimenez / Alpine FFA / 6 Emillia Maxim / Fort Davis 4H / 7 Alma Ruth Moreland / Fort Davis 4H / 8.

GRAND CHAMPION STEER: Chelsea Hernandez RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION STEER: Izabella Briones SHOWMANSHIP JUNIOR CATTLE: Gracie Dabbs SHOWMANSHIP SENIOR STEER: Chelsea Hernandez GRAND CHAMPION LAMB: Wyatt Renfroe RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION LAMB: Wyatt Renfroe SHOWMANSHIP JUNIOR LAMB: Wyatt Renfroe SHOWMANSHIP SENIOR LAMB: Gracie Boultinghouse GRAND CHAMPION SWINE: Alexi Hernandez RESERVE CHAMPION SWINE: Evelyn Smith SHOWMANSHIP JUNIOR SWINE: Landyn Temple SHOWMANSHIP SENIOR SWINE: Evelyn Smith GRAND CHAMPION MARKET GOAT: Ruby Matthews RESERVE CHAMPION MARKET GOAT: Kylie Maroney SHOWMANSHIP JUNIOR GOAT: Hallie Wood SHOWMANSHIP SENIOR GOAT: Gracie Boultinghouse GRAND CHAMPION RABBIT: Cayden Madaleno RESERVE CHAMPION RABBIT: Rylie Vasquez SHOWMANSHIP RABBIT JUNIOR: Collin Sledge SHOWMANSHIP RABBIT SENIOR: Ryli Vasquez GRAND MARE: Alexandra Williams RESERVE MARE: Grace McCarthy GRAND GELDING: Lauren Aragon RESERVE GELDING : Carolyn Newman GRAND CHAMPION JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP: Lauren Aragon GRAND CHAMPION SENIOR SHOWMANSHIP: Reese Coleman.