Thursday, February 21, 2019

What I Learned from Grandma

In the past few weeks, I spent many hours preparing our Czech costumes (kroje) for an event coming up. I carefully mended, pressed, cleaned, starched and labeled each piece. One of the pieces is an elaborately embroidered white skirt with a handkerchief pinned to the waist. I unpinned the handkerchief as I carefully pressed the skirt. This particular skirt took over an hour to iron. As I finished, I pinned it to the coat hanger and hung it on a hook on the closet door so that I could attach the hankie. As I was pressing the handkerchief, I saw something that made me laugh. I hung the skirt inside/out on the hanger and didn’t even notice. 

Suddenly, I was 5 years old again and sitting on a small stool at the foot of Grandma’s rocker. 
Edna Elena Victoria Hewett Nix (1900-1972)  

Before I started school I stayed with my grandmother while my parents were at work. I learned many things from Grandma during that time. She taught me that hard work is a part of life, chores are to be done before TV, a Bible is to always be close and opened often, how to make the most of what you have and not complain, how to cut a ‘switch’ from a tree when I talked back to her or slammed the screen door and that embroidery is only as good as the inside.

I was not allowed to sit and watch television all day. We watched at least one soap opera, Johnny Watkins at lunchtime and not much else. I could be wrong but I seem to recall that her favorite was Secret Storm. If I was there on the weekend, we watched Lawrence Welk. I liked the bubbles! Though even when watching her favorite soap, she did not sit idle. She had a sewing basket on the right side of her chair under a standing lamp used for light. The Secret Storm and Johnny Watkins farm report was of no interest to a five-year-old so I would sit on a very small stool made of four coffee cans covered with padding and scrap fabric (nothing went to waste at Grandma’s house) and watch as she embroidered cup towels, pillow cases, aprons and dresser scarfs. I loved the beautiful designs of beautiful ladies in their full skirts, colorful flowers and playful kittens.

As the items she made could be seen from both sides, she kept her stitches neat and showed me how the back of the design looked (almost) as good as the front. She would let me practice but my work from those days must have looked very poor compared to her fine handiwork. I remembered getting so frustrated when my thread would knot (as it often did) and I would give up. Each time, she would pick up my discarded piece, remove the knot and hand back to me. I do not remember her getting impatient or upset but she would not let me start a new piece unless I finished what I started.

This trip down memory last weekend gave me pause to think of Grandma, but after church on Sunday I thought of something else. Grandma’s guidance mirrored God’s love for us and she taught me something else with her needle and thread. 

She taught me unconditional love, correction when needed, perseverance and that real beauty is determined by the inside.

Sunday, February 17, 2019

2019 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen is Crowned



2019 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen Lydia Pustejovsky with Little Czech Sister Allison Pustejovsky.
On February 16, 2019, the Czech Heritage Society of Texas crowned the 2019 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen. The event was hosted by the Brazos Valley Czech Heritage Society at St. Joseph's Parish Activity Center in Bryan, Texas.

The Boy Scout Troop # 383 began the day with a Color Guard and the Pledge of Allegiance. The 2013 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen, Jennifer Koll,  sang the United States and Czech national anthem. E.J. Biskup, president of the Brazos Valley CHS led opening ceremonies and the welcome was given by Mayor of Bryan, Andrew Nelson.

Master of Ceremonies, Tom Teykl, introduced current and past Czech-Slovak queens and led the on-stage interviews.

Entertainment was provided by the West High School Jr. Historians from West, Texas. The Jr. Historians is a extra-curricular club at West High and has membership that, at times, topped 150 members. The group was founded in 1976 by Milton "Poone" Morgan and current sponsors are Jacqueline Uptmore and Donna Sexton. The beautiful costumes and lively dance is always a hit. Saturday's crowd especially enjoyed the Chicken Dance with members of the audience invited to participate.

Jr. Historians of West High School

2018 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen Danielle Blattman and 2015 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen Allison Sexton.

2018 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen, Danielle Blattman, gave her farewell address and entertained the crowd with a flute solo of Czech Christmas songs that hold a special place in her heart.
2019 Miss Texas Czech-Slovak Queen Lydia Pustejovsky in her authentic kroj.

Czech-Slovak Queen contestants compete in four categories: Kroj Modeling (Authentic or Americanized); Talent Competition, Private Interview and On-Stage Interview. Contestants also provide a personal heritage display.
Little Czech Sister Grace Moravec and First Runner-Up Zoe Peterek.

The 2019 First Runner-Up is Zoe Peterek, a junior at College Station High School. Zoe is the daughter of Gabe and Christy Peterek. Zoe won the Talent and the Kroj Modeling Competition. For her talent, she provided a display of her artwork and a commentary of each piece. She modeled a handmade authentic kroj representing the Hana region of the Czech Republic made by Sharon (Middlebrook) Mena of Bryan, Texas. Zoe's Little Czech Sister is Grace Moravek, daughter of John and Amy Moravec of Bryan, Texas.
Zoe Peterek's Heritage Display

Lydia Pustejovsky was crowned the 2019 Miss Czech-Slovak Queen. Lydia is a senior of Abbott High School in Abbott, Texas. Her parents are Bob & Traci Pustejovsky. Lydia won the Private and On-State Interview portions of the Competition. Lydia's talent was a vocal solo in Czech, the Czech National Anthem. Lydia will compete for in the Miss Czech-Slovak Queen Pageant in Wilber, Nebraska the first weekend in August at the Czech Days festival. Her Little Czech Sister is Allison Pustejovsky, daughter of Andy and Joanie Pustejovsky of Abbott, Texas.

Pageant Director, Kathy Podsednik and Jana Vaculik Riley, both of West, Texas.

The 2006 Miss Czech-Slovak US Queen Sarah Middlebrook Armor of Temple, Texas.
Mildred Dokupil in her authentic kroj that she go piece by piece during the communist regime. This is a bridal kroj from Uherske Hradiste..
Back of Mildred Dokupil's authentic kroj.
Sharon Middlebrook Mena with daughter, Sarah Middlebrook Armor.