Mailbag - July 2021

About those diving dogs 

Your recent story on dogs who dive [Dock Diving: Leaping, wet, happy dogs, by Karen Vine Fuller, May 2021] caught my attention. Our Lab, Trigger, learned to retrieve presents from the bottom of our pool. Thought you guys would enjoy this image [pictured above]. 

When Trigger was a pup, I would put his favorite toy, a 2-pound rubber weight, on the first step down of our pool, a few inches underwater. When he got used to retrieving his toy, I moved the weight down to the next step, which required that he put his entire head underwater to get it. And finally, to the bottom of the shallow end of the pool. After that, he would dive to the bottom of the deep end, about 10 feet, swimming in a corkscrew manner to grab his toy. When nobody was around, he would toss the weight into the deep end by himself and dive down to get it.

Bob Gomel 

Editor’s note: When photojournalist Bob Gomel showed us this picture, we just had to share it. Bob is a judge for the 2021 Buzz Photo Contest, featured in this issue. 

Full-circle story

Your current issue of The Buzz includes an article that’s deeply personal to me. “As The Churches Turn” [A tale of coming full circle, by Cindy Gabriel, June 2021] is a complex story of numerous events and numerous personalities woven into a legacy project that my brother conceived. Cindy Gabriel has extracted the essential facts and emotions, and she’s scripted it into a beautiful story. Cindy has found such a beautiful voice in her writing! Repeatedly she nails it: personally and emotionally, with carefully chosen words. I deeply appreciate Cindy and The Buzz honoring my brother Harry with this poignant story. We’re richly blessed. Yes, this story is just getting started.

John Gabriel

Many compliments

Cindy Gabriel is a talented writer. I read her stuff regularly. I have just read her article, “As the Churches Turn” about her former husband, John Gabriel, and his brother Harry. From my view, I’m not sure who this article compliments more: Harry, John, or Cindy. We should all seek to live life such that a former spouse could write such prose that is almost poetry about us. “This story is just getting started.”

John Rhem

Another Cindy fan 

I always turn to the article written by Cindy Gabriel first when I receive my Bellaire Buzz each month. She always piques my interest, and her style of writing and choosing subjects make me eager to see what she has written each month.

When I read her recent article, "As The Churches Turn," I literally cried tears of joy! I met Harry Gabriel when he was a patient at M.D. Anderson, and we became fast friends. I visited him in his hometown of Ponchatoula and actually saw the churches that were to become his vision. I had to share that beautifully written article with all my friends!

Keep up the good work, and please know that there are many who treasure Cindy Gabriel's talent for finding just the right words to make our hearts sing.

Gay McCoy

Timbales recipe correction 

I think it should be two onions, not 2 tbsp [in June 2021 Cooking Buzz, “Goat Cheese and Potatoes Timbales”]. The photo is clearly showing way more than 2 tbsp. It's a great-looking dish, and my 86-year-old neighbor asked me to make it for her. 

Catherine Walsh 

Editor’s note: Thank you, Catherine. That was an unfortunate typo. In Peace Meals, the recipe calls for 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced. We’ve updated this online, and we hope you and your neighbor enjoy the timbales. 

Send letters to [email protected]. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and space. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.