December 2017 4 pot to sit with your family along Monroe Avenue and the Cattle Drive Parade starting at 9:30a.m. There are views along Monroe starting at Bayless Park and ending at Street to watch a clown walk an imaginary dog or Shriner iature cars circling three times followed by a motorcade of per-sized green and yellow John Deere tractors. Lunch time at Buckeye Valley Museum, located at 116 East MC85 at 11a.m. or an outdoor BBQ cookout. Dr. Buck’s Wild West Show and Craft Vendor area open at 11a.m. located at 6th Street Plaza, 517 East Monroe Avenue. Expect the unexpected at this Wild West Festival with World Champion performers in the Wild West Arts, such as Trick Roping, Six Gun Spinning, Bull-Whip Cracking and Trick Horse Riding! Plus the fact that it is good old family fun entertainment with audience participation, the likes of which, some have never seen! DAYS 8 5ThingsYou Didn’t Know About the Movie “A Christmas Story” 11 News From Copper State Peruvian Paso Club 12 Ask theVet: Ear Spots andWarts 15 Desolate RanchWife: Camera Crew Meets Cowboy Family 16 AJRA Rodeo Results 17 Charlie LeSueur:When the Legend Becomes Fact ‘Film’the Legend 19 Buddy Uldrikson: Stress Management 20 Buckeye Days 25 Crossword / Sudoku / Comics & Jokes 26 Wandering Arizona: Arizona’sTop Christmas Lighting Displays 28 A Bite of Country: Farmers Markets & In Season 30 A Bite of Country: Mom’s Real Country Recipes 32 OldWest Heroes: Bill Pickett – First Famous Black Cowboy 34 96.3 Real Country Concert Page 36 Ranch & Rodeo Report 38 Advertiser Highlight: 39 Taking Care of Business: Stockman Feeds andWesternWear Special Advertiser Section 40 The Arizona Duuude: A Merry“Cowboy Christmas” 42 The Rustic Lifestyle:The Gift of Christmas 43 Classified Ads 44 TheW. Steven Martin 911 Support Program Origins 26 32 44 46 Arrow Fells 1858 Pioneer Miner 48 Arena Directory 50 Advertiser Index 52 December 2017 Event Calendar 55 4H News & Events 46 20 MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL... This time of year for many is exciting and fun filled with family, friends, gift giving and getting, lights, music, traveling and remembering the blessings of celebrating the birth of Christ. However for some Christmas is not a happy time of year. Some have lost a loved one or family member and Christmas is tough to get through. Others have a family feud going on and when you get together you barely tolerate each other. Still, others do not have the faith that Christ was born, lived and died for us. It’s always easy to give suggestions or as some call it “advice” but it is another thing to be in a situation accepting “advice” or having to make a decision. So my thought is before you get in the situation make the decision. Every year Aunt Sally annoys you, she gets under your skin and just does everything she can to make your mood a bad one. Dad, every year, tells the same stories and yes tells you how you should be living your life because his is so perfect. Mom won’t let you do the things you want to do because it’s been done this way for years and that’s how we do it. Even worse you just HATE, cousin David and wish he would not show up. Sound familiar at all? If you lost a loved one, just cherish the time you spent with them at Christmas and remember the love they showed you and you felt towards them. They will always be there. If it’s the other things like hate, being annoyed or telling you how to live, just think what it would be like without them?... Could you make that happen, Mike? NO, let’s turn that relationship around. What if you pre-plan the time and think of two nice things to say to that person when you see them. How about just sitting and listening to that story for the 50th time like it was the first time you ever heard it. If something needs to be done a certain way because it’s been done that way for years, compliment the person that started the tradition and thank someone for continuing to honor them. If you don’t have a faith in Christ, just pick up a book of Christmas songs and start singing, it’s amazing what will happen. Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin, mother, and child. Holy infant so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace. Mike Barna, Publisher mbarna@963realcountry.com