EXPLORE Magazine September 2016

SEPTEMBER 2016

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SEPTEMBER Explore what's inside this issue!

Publisher Benjamin D. Schooley ben@hillcountryexplore.com

10 From the Publisher

Operations Manager Michelle Hans michelle@smvtexas.vom

12 Calendar 18 TROUBADOUR

Creative Director Benjamin N. Weber ben.weber@smvtexas.com

Black Ribbons Part 3

Assistant Creative Director Kayla Davisson kayla@smvtexas.com

32 ART

40 Charity

36 HEALTH

46 Spiritual

JAY HESTER

24 History

Adding fuel to the fire

The B Wellness Shoppe

Prayers for Parker

ADVERTISING SALES 210-507-5250 sales@hillcountryexplore.com

I have questions

50 OLD 54 OLd TIMER Nuggets in a bunch

EXPLORE magazine is published by Schooley Media Ventures in Boerne, TX. EXPLORE Magazine and Schooley Media Ventures are not responsible for any inaccuracies, erroneous information, or typographical errors contained in this publication submitted by advertisers. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EXPLORE and/or Schooley Media Ventures. Copyright 2015 Schooley Media Ventures, 930 E. Blanco, Ste. 200, Boerne, TX 78006

Contributing Writers

Marjorie Hagy History

Rene Villanueva Music

Kendall D. Aaron Spiritual

Old Timer Just Old Timer

MARJORIE is a bibliophile, a history nut and an insomniac, among several other conditions, both diagnosed and otherwise. When she's not working tirelessly to avoid getting a real job, she nurses an obsession with her grandson and is involved in passing legislation restricting the wearing of socks with sandals. She is an aspiring pet hoarder who enjoys vicious games of Scrabble, reading Agatha Christie, and sitting around doing nothing while claiming to be thinking deeply.

Marjorie has five grown children, a poodle to whom she is inordinately devoted in spite of his breath, and holds an Explore record for never having submitted an article on time. She's been writing for us for five years now.

Rene Villanueva is the lead singer/bass player for the band Hacienda. Having toured worldwide, hacienda has also been featured on several late night shows, including Late Show with David Letterman.

Rene and his wife Rachel live in Boerne, TX and just welcomed thier first child.

I’m just a normal guy. I’m not a theology student, I don’t preach in church, and I’ve never written a book. I’m just a normal guy that thinks, and feels, and is on a never-ending journey attempting to be the best person I can be. I fail frequently at this quest, yet each day, the quest continues.

I’ve lived in Boerne since the late ‘80s, I’ve got a most beautiful wife, three wonderful children, and just really, really love God. Thanks for going on my spiritual journey with me.

The Old Timer tells us he's been a resident of Boerne since about 1965. He enjoys telling people what he doesn't like. When not bust'n punks he can be found feeding the ducks just off Main St. or wandering aimlessly in the newly expanded HEB. Despite his rough and sometimes brash persona, Old Timer is really a wise and thoughtful individual. If you can sort through the BS.

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

PUBLISHER

DEAREST EXPLORE READER, As I often do, I review old Publisher letters in the hopes of finding some inspiration.

I flip back through them, am either pleased or embarrassed at the quality of my essay, but invariably, I am just looking for something to click in my brain and get me thinking about a new topic to address or unpack. Today is no different as I scroll through some of my past ramblings.

What I have found this evening is that the more I review these essays, I’m finding a common theme that is interwoven through many of them. The more I read, the more I can hear the inner workings of my own mind as I bounce around with a topic, and sometimes I can see that I keep touching on the same topic, whether I was aware of it or not. Tonight I’m finding that the theme of late is one of THANKFULNESS. And boy, I’m laying it on thick with these essays. I explain over and over how we should all just be thankful, regardless of circumstances, and find reasons for happiness in spite of the storm. It’s sort of like reviewing audio tapes from therapy sessions, but sure enough, I repeat the same mantra again and again.

And as much as I would like to say that I meant every single word I have written, the sad reality is that I don’t think I am very thankful. I hate typing that out, because boy did I spend a lot of time talking about how thankful I am. What a crock.

The problem is that I have a ton of reasons to be thankful. I have a great job, some great kids, a house, a car, and I’m not living paycheck to paycheck. I have green grass, lights that work, and a warm bed. God has blessed me with a lot, but I think that in the depths of my heart, I’m pretty freaking angry and I have spent a considerable amount of time figuring out WHY. So much time trying to figure it out that perhaps I just gave up and began screaming at myself to simply be thankful.

But maybe “angry” is the wrong word, because I don’t think that accurately reflects where my heart is. Perhaps “frustrated” is a better word. And maybe that word isn’t the best one, but it’s the only one that I can come up with right now.

Yeah, I’m FRUSTRATED. Do you ever have a day that starts with stubbing your toe while stumbling to the bathroom, involves a speeding ticket on the way to work, a boss that pisses you off throughout the day, a call about your kid acting up at school, and ends with a fight with your spouse? Think you might feel a little frustrated? Well, that level of frustration is where I think I’ve been since 2012. Literally.

I will spare you recounting the struggles that the last 4 years (going on 5) have brought me, but be rest assured, they have been substantial. Divorce. Sickness. Massive life changes.

Near-death injuries. The death of my brother. Betrayal. Hell, my damn dog died. And those are just the big ones. The little ones of daily kid stresses, self-employment insanity, my own health struggles, money stuff…it has just been a lot and I think that every month I told myself that if I would just stop and raise my hands in THANKFULNESS, perhaps my lot would be changed.

Somebody told me once, “Experience is a hard teacher. She presents the test first, and the lesson second.” I always liked this saying because I think it reminded me that failing the test is oftentimes the expectation, even though you might like to believe you’ll pass them all. You won’t. You’ll fail many and make a mess of things and then write about how frustrated you are in a Publisher’s Letter someday.

So if I have a problem, I’m not sure how to fix it. Oh, you thought I was going to bring this little letter home with some jaw-dropping wisdom? You give me far too much credit.

I don’t know what I’m doing any more than you do. I have often said that my Publisher Letters are little more than reminders that we are all the same. I love to find those ties that make us all the same, and yet different, and I’d have to believe that just being down-inthe-dumps-frustrated about life is a pretty universal emotion. But maybe there’s someone out there, like me, that has spent 4 years laughing and high-fiving their way through a lot of days when they’d rather be riding a one-way Amtrak to Alaska. But no, I have no idea how to snap yourself out of the frustration or to find the silver lining in it all. Hell, I’ve gone so far as to stand at this pulpit and rattle on about how we should all be thankful so many times it makes me want to puke. Thankful? THANKFUL? Sigh. I’m just alive some days, and that’s the best I can do.

I suppose that I’ll just share this letter in the hopes that sharing it eases the burden. Again, maybe there’s someone out there that reads this and says “Yeah man, me TOO!” I’d like that. So if that’s you, send me a note and let me know that I’m not the only broken soul out there just picking up their tired bones some days and just trudging through it all. Tell me that you also have searched airline prices to Panama, and that you, too, would like to get off the crazy train of your life that you’ve been riding for far too long. I think that the knowledge that I’m not alone in the struggle would make that very struggle a little easier to bear.

I’m frustrated, but I AM thankful, too. I’m not dense enough to not see the many blessings in my life, and they are not ignored. My children, my family, the important people to me…they make the frustration tolerable and remind me that there IS another side. And I’m determined to find that side…with or without a Panamanian airline ticket.

Welcome to September. The temps probably aren’t any cooler yet, but it’s a new season.

A changing of the colors, the weather, and perhaps your heart. EXPLORE your life, even the frustrations, and share the burdens you carry. Remember my quote above? The “lesson” from experience is that this is life, and you can make it whatever you want. No matter how frustrated you might be. It’s still your life, and since you have one, I suppose you have much to be thankful.

Smiling,

And it just hasn’t happened.

Each season I have encountered with a renewed exhalation of “This is going to be a great Spring” or “This is my year – I can feel it”…but nope – it’s just been more bullshit than the last season. And I keep trudging along, but as I feared it might, I think it’s taking its toll on me. To the point where I catch myself ranting and raving about thankfulness when I know damn well that all I really want to do is pack my bags and split for Panama.

ben@hillcountryexplore.com

It bums me out to write this letter. I think that I put on a happy face better than most, and I’ve become pretty adept at not allowing myself to wallow in a pit of self pity. I can show up to work every day, stare at my laptop for 10 hours, laugh with a client, pack up and head home, and do it all by basically holding my breath and hoping that the next email doesn’t bring me more frustrating news. Some days it works, but far too often, that email I was dreading comes through.

So here I sit at 10:47pm on a Tuesday night, and just like the disheveled guy at a late night AA meeting, I’m standing up and admitting that I have a problem. I’ve learned a lot in these past 4 years, and I’m not sure what all of the lessons are to all of it yet, but I can tell you one of those lessons I have learned without question: you are NEVER in control. Even when you THINK you are, you aren’t. This blue marble we all inhabit is full of people, and nothing is more unpredictable than people. We do some of the stupidest shit and hurt each other in the most unbelievable ways and then go home and say our prayers. We destroy each other with smiles on our faces and then blame the other person. We are also watched over by God, and that God has plans that you don’t understand. Even when you think you do, you don’t. Things will happen to you that make no sense to you, but all you can do is understand that it is part of a plan that is unfolding…one that you don’t know the conclusion to. So hang on tight, friend.

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

SEPTEMBER

Get out and enjoy the great Texas Hill Country!

The most comprehensive events calendar. Send submissions to info@hillcountryexplore.com BANDERA September 2-4 Celebrate Bandera This is the time of the cowboy—and music, horses and a longhorn cattle drive down Main Street. The event includes arts and crafts, gunfights, an Inter-tribal powwow on the banks of the Medina River, and living history camps.

500 Main Street. www.MayhemOnTheMedina.com September 3 Bandera Market Days Arts and crafts vendors on the square. Bandera County courthouse lawn, 500 Main Street. www. banderatexasbusiness.com September 11 Frontier Times Museum Cowboy Camp Enjoy traditional cowboy music. Bring your guitar and join in the song circle. Bring your own refreshments and chair. Frontier Times Museum, 510 13th Street. www. frontiertimesmuseum.org September 16-18 Rumble on the River Biker Rally Three-day event consisting of tent camping, poker run, vendors, food, field events, music, bike show, tattoo contest and Sunday morning church service. Mansfield Park, 2886 Texas 16 N. www.bikerralliesoftexas.com

BOERNE September 2-4 Kendall County Fair and Rodeo Enjoy home-grown fun with a carnival, rodeo and livestock show as well as homestead heritage exhibits. Also includes food booths, craft booths, live music, clowns, children’s activities and more. Each evening is capped with a dance featuring a variety of bands and dance music. Don’t miss the parade starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Kendall County Fair Grounds, 1307 River Road. www.visitboerne.org September 10-11 Boerne Market Days Currently on the second weekend of every month, Main Plaza features an outdoor market that blends the traditions of the Texas Hill Country with the creations of today’s culture. Also includes food. Main Plaza, 100 N. Main. www. visitboerne.org September 10 Second Saturday Art and Wine The Second Saturday participating galleries go all out each month with complimentary beverages and a variety of hors d’oeuvres along with fantastic art. Travel to each gallery in the downtown area on foot or on the Shabby Bus. Galleries in Boerne. www.visitboerne.or September 17 Moondance Come enjoy the outdoor concert series under the oaks and evening stars at Cibolo Nature Center and Farm.

Cibolo Nature Center. 140 City Park Road. www.cibolo.org September 17 Pints For Polio Second annual Rotary Club fundraiser at RANDOM. Event begins at 7:00 pm. No cover. Live music. Donations are matched 2-for-1 by the Bill Gates foundation.

September 24 Oktoberfest Celebrate Oktoberfest at this special one day event at RANDOM. Family fun, live music, and food trucks.

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KERRVILLE

COMFORT September 13 Music in the Park Enjoy outdoor music, performed in the gazebo at Comfort Park. 423 Main Street. www.comfort-texas.com September 17 Art Festival and Barbecue Daylong festival features original artwork by local artists throughout the downtown area, followed by a barbecue dinner and country store in the park. Historic Downtown and Comfort Park, 423 Main Street. www.comfort-texas. com

FREDERICKSBURG

September 2 First Friday Wine Share A fun way to discover new or different wines, encounter people and places of business or art. Bring your own wine glass. This could be a conversation starter in itself. www. storkcountry.com September 2-4 Kerrville Fall Music Festival Songwriters, wineries, concerts, food and camping along with songs around the campfires. Quiet Valley Ranch, 3876 Medina Highway. www.kerrville-music.com September 3 Kerr County Market Days An indoor marketplace for vendors of original handcrafted goods, artwork and home-grown plants and produce.

Food and drinks available and well-behaved pets on a leash are welcome. Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Texas 27 E. www.kerrmarketdays.org

September 2 First Friday Art Walk Fredericksburg Tour fine art galleries offering special exhibits, demonstrations, refreshments and extended viewing hours the first Friday of every month. Participating fine art galleries in Fredericksburg. www.ffawf.com

September 24-25 Kerrville Traders Fest and Open Car and Bike Show Event features more than 150 vendors, food trucks, live entertainment, kid activities, and plenty of parking. River Star Arts and Event Park, 4000 Riverside Drive. www. kerrvilletradersfest.com

September 3 USO Style Hangar Dance Enjoy this 1940’s style dance with swing-dance lessons, big band live music, costume contest, photo booth and concessions. Pacific Showroom at the Hangar Hotel, 155 Airport Road. www.hangarhotel.com

September 30 Texas Heritage Music Day Celebrate the music of Jimmie Rodgers with music, living history, storytelling, western heritage exhibits, chuck wagons, teepees and hands-on learning about Texas culture. Schreiner University, 2100 Memorial Blvd. www. texasheritagemusic.org

September 16-18 Fredericksburg Trade Days Find more than 400 vendors in seven barns, acres of antiques, biergarten, live music and more. 7 miles east on U.S 290 across from Wildseed Farms. www.fbgtradedays. com September 17 Nimitz Foundation Symposium “We Served Too: The Evolution of Women’s Role in National Security.”

Features internationally recognized scholars, authors, historians and veterans. Steve W. Shepherd Theater, 1668 S. U.S. 87. www.pacificwarmuseum.org

UVALDE September 1-4 PalominoFest and Pro Rodeo Labor Day Weekend Celebration Enjoy a carnival, food booths, petting zoo, pro rodeo, live music and much more. Uvalde County Fairplex, 215 Veterans Lane. uvaldecountyfairplex.com September 9 Four Square Friday Enjoy late night shopping, food, live music and art. Hours are 6-9 p.m. Historic Downtown Uvalde. visituvalde.com

September 30-October 3 Oktoberfest Celebrate the fun and flavor of Fredericksburg’s German heritage with three days of music, food, drink, dancing, arts and crafts, children’s entertainment and more. Marktplatz, 100 block of W. Main. www.oktoberfestinfbg.com

September 24 Dove Expo Includes a fishing tank for kids, vendors and a shotgun raffle. Hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oasis Outback, 2900 E. Main Street. visituvalde.com

GRUENE

WIMBERLEY

September 17-18 Old Gruene Market Days Nearly 100 vendors offer uniquely crafted items and packaged Texas foods. Gruene Historic District.

GrueneMarketDays.com

September 2-25 “Measure for Measure” Often called one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays,” it was, and continues to be, classified as comedy, though its tone and setting defy those expectations. An indoor studio show. EmilyAnn Theatre and Gardens, 1101 R.M. 2325. www.emilyann.org

HONDO September 17-November 20 South Texas Maize People of all ages can find their way in and out of the 7-acre maze, and enjoy other family friendly activities during the fall season. South Texas Maize, 911 U.S. 90 E. southtexasmaize.com

September 3 Market Days More than 475 booths along a shady path featuring treasures of all sorts, live music and great food. Lions Field, 601 F.M. 2325. www.shopmarketdays.com

EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

Authentic

WE ARE

518 River Road | Boerne, TX | www.littlegretel.com | 830-331-1368

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E T A D Y A L P E T A M I T L U OPEN WEEKENDS THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER - BOOK NOW! BIRTHDAY PARTIES & EVENTS

BEE Water Park is the perfect place to bring your group for a celebration. Along with birthday parties, we regularly welcome school groups, camps, non-profits, family reunions, corporate team building events and more. Private Events Available! w w w. b e e w a t e r p a r k . c o m | 2 1 0 . 8 1 6 . 2 F U N | b e e w a t e r p a r k @ g m a i l . c o m | f i n d u s o n

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

Coffee I Tea I Smoothies Bubble Tea I Pastries I BAGELS Organic & Gluten Free Snacks Meetings I Parties I Live Music

215 W. Bandera, Suite 115 Boerne, TX 78006

830.331.2272

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

TROUBADOUR

BLACK RIBBONS: PART 3

By Rene Villanueva

There are distances we make for others.

Spaces.

Between looks.

They are hard to cross.

Hidden miles between drinks and conversations. I was lost out there as tea table lights faded into darker hours.

My eyes - glassed. Not from exhaustion, or beer - this is still the first can half-drunk and warm from my inattention. Not from the haze of smoke. Or the music.

Distance.

- Do you know how far we are?

“You are being quiet,” she nudged my shoulder.

“A Silent Texan right, Rene?” the table is looking at me, “Pistols at dawn? Cowboys?”

The girl from the alley laughed. Brushed the black ribbons on her wrist, watching for my answer. She’d brought me here to meet friends.

One of which was a wispy-blonde, art student in a red tank top asking me questions about Texas. And conservatives. And cowboys.

“Y’all love your guns.”

- How far we are.

He was wanting to argue.

“No man we don’t all have guns.” And that’s true.

Mostly. We don’t all carry. I wasn’t going to tell him that I didn’t know a lot of people who did. That they made me uncomfortable. Just that we all don’t.

“Ride your pony to school?” he laughed.

“No man.”

“I just can’t understand it cowboy...” He leaned over his drink.

Coming just into the light of the candle so the fine blonde hair on his chin glimmered faintly.

He was ready to for a show. He was mad. And needed a way to express it. So he doesn’t the night looking for an argument. To make a stand for a hero agains his anger. But he needed a straw dog. An emblem for everything he thought was wrong in the world. For him, it was a gun owner. A Texan. And though I don’t own one I was a Texan and that is close enough sometimes.

His speech ran. I waited. Feeling my Lone Star getting warmer. And wondering if this would have gone a different way had I not ordered it. If I had ordered a Guinness instead. Or a craft micro-brew... would I be having a direct night then?

He wanted me to argue back, but I only nodded and gave several sighs that ranged from “I know,” to “I know right?”

Cause for the most part I agreed with him.

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

Distances. It’s always hard to see how far we are...

“See cowboy,” he showed me his wrist.

I wanted to tell him, I’m just not that person. Not that cowboy. I think he’s right. But I listened.

Black Ribbons Him and her. All their friends too. Made them into bracelets or armbands or on a necklace.

Black Ribbons.

Each one a student lost in the last year. Each one a gun shot fired in some school.

They broke my heart. And I loved them for making a statement for trying to say something. And I loved them for having so much love in their hearts that they would give me a lecture on guns.

Cause they were angry. Cause they believed change is possible. And something should be done. But the young can only do so much. And they didn’t want to forget, and they don’t want to sit by, so they wore black ribbons and talk.

And argue. And participate.

- Maybe the distance grew a little smaller.

The waitress came around and everyone ordered again, I did too.

Even though I knew I wasn’t going to drink the next. Like I didn’t drink the first.

Cause some people need to talk. People need to tell their story. Not about politics. Or policies. But people. Hurt people. Angry people. Scared people. Tired people. They all have stories. Even when we agree. We need to listen.

I don’t pretend to have answers.

This took place well before the Orlando Shooting or Dallas. They were talking about campus shootings. But this happened right as I was revisiting this memory. And it hurts worse now. That distance. One I didn’t want to cross... shrank again.

And I still feel the same, but I think I need to clarify something about my thoughts.

We need to do something. Action should be taken. But our dialogue devolves so quickly that it becomes near impossible to discuss how to change. There is anger and name calling, and politicizing and all the worst things that stop us until we quit and move on, waiting for another attack to stir everything up again.

Listen. Sympathize. Love. It is not easy to close distance. No matter how small. It is not easy to open ourselves to our own faults. Cause that’s what it will take. Not proving what we feel is right but admitting what learn is wrong.

-rene

A son of South-Texas, and two of the most beautiful souls I’ll ever know. Writer, dreamer, singer of songs, bass player, and professional observer. Toured the world with my band of “real-bloodtied” brothers, and friends as Hacienda/Fast-five. Recorded three albums, written countless songs, played countless shows, including two national tv late-night extravaganzas, festivals, throwdowns, parties, and hoot-nights. Lover of books, vinyl, dancing, people who laugh loud, walking, vintage craftsmanship, and my home in Boerne.

SEPTEMBER 2016

www.hillcountryexplore.com

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ALL COUNTY HOME CARE and HOSPICE All County Home Care and Hospice a Boerne – based provider of home health and hospice services, is proud to announce that they are the recipient of Pinnacle Quality Insight’s 2016 Customer Experience AwardTM. Qualifying for the award in the categories of Care of Patients, Communication, Specific Care Issues, and Caring Staff. All County Home Care and Hospice displays a continued dedication to providing Best in Class senior healthcare services.

The Hill Country’s Most Caring Professionals

Contact Us At: 37131 Interstate 10 West, Bldg. 400 Boerne, Texas 78006 Office 830-331-1291 :: Fax 830-331-1295

Allison Smoot, RN, BSN, DON, Owner of All County Home Care and Hospice describes receiving the awards as an honor, stating that “we all work so hard to give the best care possible. We are so grateful to be distinguished by this honor.”

Throughout its 9-year history of serving the community, All County Home Care and Hospice has placed a strong emphasis on ensuring that the individual needs of every patient are met. Over the course of 2015, a sampling of All County Home Care and Hospice customers and their families have participated in monthly telephone interviews that include open-ended questions, as well the opportunity to rate All County in specific categories.

Every month, All County Home Care and Hospice has gathered its real-time survey results in order to gain a better understanding of the patient’s needs and make improvements when necessary.

By qualifying for the Pinnacle Customer Experience Award™, All County Home Care and Hospice has satisfied the rigorous demand of scoring in the top 15% of the nation across a 12-month average. Clients have the opportunity to achieve this Best in Class distinction on a monthly basis in many categories designed to accurately reflect each patient’s experience.

Proudly serving those in need in and around the Hill Country

CINCO PESO Cinco Peso Security & Investigations is the Texas Hill Country’s premier professional investigations and private security firm offering a full suite of investigative, protection, and legal services.

SURVEILLANCE & COUNTER SURVEILLANCE O&G ROYALTY FORENSICS EXECUTIVE PROTECTION

Contact Us At: www.cincopeso.com info@cincopeso.com

We are veteran owned and staffed by licensed professionals and experts such as former law enforcement, CPA’s, attorney’s, oil and gas experts, financial compliance officers, bank examiners, and fraud examiners. Our team has decades of combined experience, domestically and internationally and is dedicated to providing our clients with the most prompt, cost effective, and discrete services.

Whether you are looking for a long lost friend, wanting to verify your well production, needing to “know your customer”, detect and prevent corporate espionage, locate assets, vett potential candidates or future business associates, or need armed personal protection, Cinco Peso Security and Investigations is your only option.

The Hill Country’s Premier Professional Investigations Firm

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

MY TOWN 2 GO Not enough time to cook lunch or dinner?

School is about to start and if you are like us, feeding the family is just another item on a never ending to-do list. We can help! My Town 2 Go offers meal delivery straight to your door from your favorite restaurant. It is quick and simple.

How does it work?

Order online at mytown2go.com or download the app (mytown2go) and order from your phone. Just enter your address and the restaurants available in your area will appear.

HOME OFFICE HOTEL CATERING AVAILABLE Contact Us At: www.mytown2go.com michelle@mytowntx.com

What is the delivery cost?

When you put in your address, an estimated delivery fee will appear. The standard delivery fee is $4.99.

How quickly will my food arrive?

We are quick! You should have your meal delivered in no more than 45 minutes. Depending on your location, you could have your delivery in about 30 minutes.

We are continually adding more restaurants so if you don’t see your favorite on our list, check back. As residents right here in Boerne, the Hill Country community is near and dear to our hearts. A portion of our proceeds go to Hill Country Daily Bread to help those less fortunate in our local area.

Check back - we’re adding more restaurants every day!

TRIO Rehabilitation & Wellness Solutions Trio Rehabilitation & Wellness Solutions focuses on you! We provided Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy in one convenient location. All treatment sessions are private and tai-

Locally Owned & Operated

lored to your needs!

We offer specialized services to help people with: • Risk For Falling • Vertigo/Dizziness • Difficulty Walking • Parkinson’s Disease

Contact Us At: 830.331.2083 • info@triorws.com www.triorws.com

• Painful Arthritis/Joint Pain • Chronic Voice Hoarseness • Confusion Or Difficulty With Memory …and much more

217 E Bandera Rd. Ste #2 Boerne, TX 78006

At Trio, we recognize life can be hard. You are not alone on y(our) journey!

THE ONLY OUTPATIENT FACILITY IN A 20-MILE RADIUS OFFERING PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY & SPEECH THERAPY

Investing in people. Changing perspectives.

SEPTEMBER 2016

www.hillcountryexplore.com

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Rehabilitate in Boerne, One Step Closer to Home

Cibolo Creek provides accommodations

in the heart of Boerne, with individualized therapy programs that enable one to return home quickly. By receiving rehabilitation services close to home, family and friends are able to visit often and with ease.

Cibolo Creek stands apart by:

• Being the most contemporary rehabilitation facility in Boerne • Providing physical, occupational, speech, and vital stim therapy in a modern and innovative setting under the guidance of highly trained and experienced therapists • Offering both inpatient and outpatient therapy services to improve one’s overall strength and mobility • Facilitating admissions 24/7

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Join us for a free educational dinner held weekly at Bob’s, Ruth’s Chris, or Maggianos. RSVP at 210-255-3040 Texas License Number 1490984

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Boerne, TX

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210-255-3040

HISTORY

ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE

By Marjorie Hagy

Have you ever argued with someone on the internet? On social media? Oh, you really should try it, it’s a really rewarding and satisfying pastime and you make so many friends that way, people from all over the world whom you might otherwise never have met and called a filthy name! So many minds and hearts have been changed through the simple experience of being bawled out by a stranger who holds a differing opinion from one’s own, preferably a stranger who firmly believes that ‘should’ve’ is a contraction of ‘should’ and ‘of’ and cannot distinguish between their, there and they’re, yet insists that you are the ignorant party in the discussion. Let me see, what can I compare it to? Oh, I know- you know how enjoyable it is to have a contentious political debate with someone who holds the exact opposite views of literally everything that you believe to be true? But then there’s that feeling, you know, how you feel held back from the really heinous, soul-destroying, libellous jibes you’d like to deliver because the prudish rules of societal discourse demand some sense of decorum? Well not on the internet! Here you can destroy people’s self esteem with a barbed reference to just about anything, from their parentage to their appearance to their race, nationality and religious beliefs to gender and job and what neighborhood they live in! What a wonderland!

I wonder, right now as I’m sitting here trying to write a history article, what effect social media would’ve (that’s would have) had on history had it been around a long time ago.

Would George Washington have had a different reputation altogether if he was on Facebook all the time bitching about his wooden teeth? What about this tweet from Sam Houston: “Just kicked some Santa Anna a** at San Jacinto! Think I earned this drink!” And randy old Ben Franklin, posing for a selfie with a busty serving girl and calling her ‘bae’.

You Boerne peeps who don’t know the joys and sorrows of social media are missing The Big Controversy right now, at least over on a facebook page called Boerne Area Informed Citizens. It’s trending right now- we expect Kanye to weigh in presently, but until that time, we’re forced to battle it out on our own. It is, of course, the Great Buccee’s War of 2016, and if you haven’t heard it, well, just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a town that shipwrecked on the shoals of progress. Progress.

If George Wilkins Kendall or Adam Vogt, a couple of forefathers of this town, could somehow be transported- well, resurrected and transported, since they’re very deadanyway, if they could be brought back to life and shown what goes by the name of “Boerne” these days, I feel very strongly that they would almost immediately ask to be allowed to drop dead again. But before they re-shuffled off this mortal coil, if in their final moments they demanded to know what the hell had happened, the correct answer would have to be “progress”. And if this damnable Buccee’s is eventually built out on I10 at the old Jennings Anderson, they can erect a tombstone out in the parking lot, for the five thousand tourists, rushing inside to pee and to buy an all-day sucker and a beaver cap, to pass and possibly to reflect on, everyday: “Here lies Boerne”, it could say. “Progress killed it.”

Here’s what’s up: In an August 10, 2016 mySA.com article by Zeke MacCormack entitled ‘Tax incentives approved for a Buc-ee’s Boerne location’, we are informed that “Boerne is in line for a Buc-ee’s Family Travel Center, a highway retailer best known for its phalanx of gas pumps, abundant and clean restrooms and that grinning, bucktoothed beaver logo.” Aren’t we lucky?! “...the reception was generally positive to this week’s announcement,” the article continu-Wait, what?? What did I just say?? When in the hell did THIS become a thing?!

I never heard a word about this! Tax incentives-? What in the actual... Yeah, we heard

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it all too, we said all of that, and all of the people commenting on this facebook page want to know the answers to those very same questions.

Well, most of those facebook commenters. I mean, it is the internet.

Well it seems like the powers-that-be who run this city and the county have all been meeting SECRETLY with the Buccee’s people, and you may have noticed that I underlined that one word and emphasized it with my bold and italics features, which is pretty much everything I’m capable of doing to a word at this point of word processing technology, because I want that to stick in your mind and hopefully your craw. Check this out, from the mySA article again: “The economic development initiative, codenamed “Project Saturn,” was devised in part by BKEDC President Misty Mayo, who called it the largest single capital development in Boerne’s history.” BKEDC, for you rubes who don’t know any better and which I just looked up so that I could appear much more informed than I actually am, stands for the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation, but that’s not really the compelling thing in that sentencethe most interesting and curious item in there HAS to be the part where it says that the whole Buccee’s deal had a code name and that it stands to be the “largest single capital development in Boerne’s history”- so why in the hell was it kept secret? That’s what THIS reporter wants to know- and that’s what a whole lot of other old and new Boerneites demand to know too! Could it possibly be because they know that in at least one other Texas city- Denton, up by Dallas- citizens concerned about “lighting, traffic and other harmful effects in their neighborhood” are banding together in order to keep Buccee’s out of their town altogether and that they- the powers in Boernedidn’t want to have to deal with that kind of opposition here? Oddly enough, the people in Denton have the same kind of issues that Boerneites have with their own officials handling this in such a sneaky, hole-in-the-corner fashion. As word began to leak about the Denton location only very recently, weeks after Buccee’s negotiations had begun with Denton County officials, the concerned citizens themselves called a meeting in order to get at the truth of the situation. Said one Denton resident to his city officials, angry at the secrecy that they had maintained: “What you forget is, you all work for us.”

Boerne city officials, Kendall County commissioners, and whoever else works on the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corporation with Misty Mayo, seem also to have forgotten exactly whom they work for, and whose interests they were elected or hired to serve. And to the argument that they are serving the interests of the city of Boerne with this Buccee’s thing, then I must ask, Why, then, did you do it all secretly? The approval of the site AND the incentives, tax and otherwise, are surely of interest and importance to the people of Boerne- why, then, were those people not consulted over the desirability of having the thing here, or their willingness to extend these tax breaks and other services? In reading up on Buccee’s, it seems that they rather prefer to do business in this kind of clandestine manner, and our own city council has indulged in a little of that lately themselves- remember, we recently saw another instance of the city trying to do a bit of business on the down low when they tried to throw one past with that city hall deal- and in that case, the Old Timer, of all people, was the unlikely hero who blew the whistle and let the people know what was afoot. How many of us remember, too, that time some developer clear-cut all those grandfather oaks on that plat of land across School Street from the Baptist Church- it took place on a Sunday night, remember? And when everybody woke up Monday morning and were horrified about the devastation, the developer haughtily informed us that they’d had the Sunday evening, handshake approval of a lone city councilman who showed up out at the site to give the go ahead- and the councilman, reached later, sheepishly admitted well, yes, that was true. What the people of Boerne want is

EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

transparency, not the city council and the county commissioners meeting in some smoke-filled room and giving code names to secret projects- this town belongs to her citizens, not just you guys, and the citizens deserve to be informed!

Oh, and those incentives mentioned? Here’s what it says about that: “The city and county each agreed to rebate, for 20 years, half their respective shares of sales taxes generated by the Buc-ee’s — an estimated $5 million — and from four yet-to-be-named retailers also planned at the site.” The city also agreed to build the road to the Buc-ee’s site and to build city sewer services out to meet them- a bonus package worth $1.75 million, now back to you Bob! Do you think that the people who live in a city should have a say in whether or not they feel that the business proposing to come to town should be afforded an enormous incentives package? ‘Cuz I sure do, and I feel it especially strongly when the proposed business is one many of us don’t want here in the first place. The payoff here is that BISD is supposed to rake in the tax dollars as soon as Buccee’s starts paying them, something in the neighborhood of $180,000 per year, so we can expect to see that windfall making an enormous difference in the educational system here, just like the spike we observed when WalMart and Home Depot came to town. Oh, you didn’t notice those? Isn’t it funny that when these things want to come to town, and the citizens don’t want them here but the officials are all gung-ho to have them, we’re promised these tax windfalls but never, ever see our taxes decrease? Presumably the bond issues will keep rolling along, like Old Man River, every time a new school needs to be built, and nobody will be encouraged to ask whatever happened to those big Buccee’s bucks.

“The city,” continues the article, “projects the store will be its sixth-largest utility customer.” Which raises another interesting topic: what about the

SEPTEMBER 2016

water usage of an enormous gas station-tourist trap whose claim to fame is their squeaky-clean bathrooms- around ninety toilets, in fact? Boerne city officials themselves predict that the proposed Boerne Buccee’s will use half a million gallons per month- “an amount”, states the author of the article at mySA.com, “roughly equivalent to what an average family of four would use in three years.” And you can be sure that if that’s the estimate city officials are throwing around, then it’s on the very small end of projected usage. Article author Zeke MacCormack points out that “[m]ajor new developments [in Boerne] often are greeted with local grousing — about traffic congestion, overtapped groundwater supplies and the continued erosion of the small-town atmosphere that attracts new residents in the first place,” but I’m not at all sure that very real concerns about water usage in a town that is already forced to pay for water from elsewhere can be dismissed as mere “grousing” instead of very valid misgivings about the environmental impact of such a venture.

Traffic- that’s another thing we Boerneites “grouse” about. Buccee’s founder Arch “Beaver” Alpin III estimates that 2,500 vehicles will be stopping by this location on any given day- forget the fact that 2,500 vehicles translates to somewhere waaaay over five thousand actual real-life human beings, and just concentrate on all those cars. Now that’s something to grouse about, especially right outside of town. Oh sure, TxDOT is scrambling to make the needed improvements to the Business 87 exit just so that we can realize this Utopian dream of an enormous, tacky, 100-pump gas station, but that’s still a lot of traffic. And it’s going to be, like all Buccee’s, a huge, concretecovered, brilliantly-lighted extravaganza of a place, which ought to be nice for all those neighbors who were never consulted for their opinion on codename Project Saturn. Huh- now I wonder if anyone on the city council or the county commissioners lives out thataway? Think that’s likely?

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But the jobs, they say- think of all those jobs! All of these folks who want to sell you Buccee’s as the next best thing since sliced bread are singing the praises of the one hundred and seventy jobs that’ll be coming to Boerne along with it, and jobs are always a good thing, right? I mean... right? There are those who wax enthusiastic on the kinds of jobs that will be available and the high rate of pay lucky employees will be enjoying, but Arvelene Amari, local celebrity and authority on all things old-Boerne, quotes the Buccee’s career website as listing starting wages as $11-12 an hour with the requirement that the employee must be able to stand eight to twelve hours. And beside all that, there is still the persistent question of how Buccee’s is planning to fill all these positions in a town where local merchants have been complaining for years about the shortage of available workers. As the median income has shot way, way up in Boerne, it means fewer teenagers and twenty-somethings who need to work, which means entry-level, minimum-wage jobs go begging. You don’t have to take my word for it- ask around. Someone pointed out that when WalMart opened their larger store, the question of who was to fill the positions was also raised, and then pointed out that people showed up from San Antonio, from Comfort and Bandera and etc, and the jobs were filled, no worry therebut...but that doesn’t benefit Boerne at all, does it? If jobs are one of the big selling points of this thing happening here, shouldn’t the community need those jobs?

Boerne doesn’t need a Buccee’s at all- all of the points that were put forward in defense of this whole damn thing have been how wonderful the tax revenue will be. The same people who will be stopping at Buccee’s aren’t going to be so enchanted by the delightful parking lot or the delicious fudge that they’ll feel compelled to wander into town and have a look around and end up spending their dough at the local merchants- these are people who are never going to see Boerne, who are never even going to realize that technically, anyway, they’ve stopped at Boerne. Have you ever travelled I35 from Austin, say, to Round Rock and onto Georgetown? Do you know where Austin ends and Round Rock begins? Have you ever left the Georgetown Ikea and said, “You know what? Let’s go on into Georgetown and see what that’s all about, let’s have lunch there and discover it”? Is that our vision for Boerne, our sacred trust to preserve this hometown of ours and to pass it down to our children better, even, than we found it- to turn it into one more faceless, nameless, paved-over and glaringly-lit exit-ramp stop on a highway lined with sprawl?

The guy who wrote that article said that “an informal survey of folks downtown showed support for the center”, an attitude certainly not shared by most of us who identify as “old Boerne”. An 18 year-old waitress...well, she almost gushed that she loves the “family environment”, adding, “It’s just really nice.” Another guy who lives in San Antonio but works here, felt like Boerne is a perfect location, “noting his relatives no longer will have to

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drive to New Braunfels, the closest of the chain’s 30 [sic] Texas locations, to get their fill of Beaver Nuggets.”

“It’s got everything you could possibly need, from novelties to clothes and food,” he said. “Everything.” Deputy City Manager Jeff Thompson had even sunnier visions of the future, and of Buccee’s itself: responding to talk about a proposed truck stop that was voted down hard in 2013, Thompson made a clear distinction between Buccee’s and some truck stop: “Buc-ee’s is almost like a Disneyland. People go there as a destination,” he said. “I don’t think people say that about truck stops.”

I don’t think I’d say that about Buccee’s either, but there seems to be a ginormous, yawning disconnect between what the various participants feel about the advent of this thing, Project Saturn. But what is the best thing for this town, for our Boerne? I just can NOT see that a 53,000, hundred toilet, hundred gas pump emporium and tourist trap like this is the next right thing as we friends of Bill say. Some people, in this facebook war, have made the point that Boerne has been fighting- and losing- this particular war for close to thirty years now, and that even though all these things keep on getting built, Boerne’s still here. Well, but- there’s a place called Boerne, a town out on the interstate with a Taco Bell and a Wendy’s, a WalMart and coming soon, a Buccee’s, but there are fewer and fewer places that only exist here, that are unique to Boerne- and how many fewer will there be when people don’t even have to pull all the way off the highway anymore to get lunch, when they can just get a feedbag full of Beaver nuggets and be on their way? What is Boerne, this mythical core of Boerne that we’re supposed to be preserving anymore, that makes Boerne Boerne? Is it the one square mile of Main Street with the old buildings? Is it the people- because our old town has lost so many of her old citizens, and stands to lose many more of the few that remain as the Buccee’s comes and the loop gets built and everything changes and becomes a completely different place than anything we ever called Boerne before. And when they can’t afford to live here anymore. When do things- the WalMarts and the Buccee’s and the Home Depots and the Taco Bells- when do they reach a critical mass, a tipping point, at which Boerne is just another generic, over-sprawled exit ramp where you pee, grab a bag of chips and some fudge, maybe a t-shirt with a clever beaver double entendre, and then get back on the road as fast as you can- and not Boerne at all anymore? If someone asked you what it is that makes Boerne special, what would you say? Would you reference Buccee’s? When is it not a town anymore at all but just another crappy little suburb of San Antonio?

And can the facebook war ever be won, and if so, how? That part’s easy- get yourself a magazine column. Lots more people read it than the comments section.

EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

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www.boernept.com 1002 E. Blanco Rd., Suite B | Boerne, TX 78006 | 830.331.8420 Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/spectrumphysicaltherapy

EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

Sample delicious cuisine and beverages from some of Boerne’s finest!

Advance Purchase tickets $30 ($35 at the door) All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association

To purchase tickets, visit www.theflavorofboerne.eventbrite.com

For more information or Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Brooke 210.822.6449 or bcraig@alz.org

SEPTEMBER 2016

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ART

HISTORY TOLD THROUGH THE ARTISTIC LENS

By Gabriel Diego Delgado

“There is history that is based on hard, documented fact; history that is colored with rumor, speculation, or falsehood; and history that exists in what might be termed the hinterlands of the imagination.” - S.C. Gwynne In S.C. Gwynne’s Empire of the Summer Moon, a book on the rise and fall of the Comanche tribe, the nonfiction writer pens a simplistic sentence that encapsulates a complementing narrative to the preceding introduction of the upcoming solo exhibition by Boerne artist, Jay Hester, at J.R. Mooney Galleries. The statement addresses the chronological irregularities of scholarly history in which we draw historical conclusions based on writers, historians, and deemed academics’ biased or unbiased judgement of events that shaped these great lands.

In Jay Hester: “TEXAS – Stories of the Land,” a solo art exhibition at the J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne, opening October 8, 2016, the artist visually pieces together a multitude of historic ‘stories’: encounters between the Texas Rangers and the Comanche and Apache tribes; raids and battles in Linnville and Plum Creek, Texas; stoic pioneering personas; and monumental peace treaty signings.

Historians have spent years, decades and centuries putting together accounts of famous and not so famous encounters, battles, raids, and ambushes of the Native American tribes on western migratory settlers and European immigrants as they built homesteads, colonies and compounds to fulfill their need for a place to call home. As an artist, Jay Hester deeply commits himself to preserving the historical value of these narratives of heartache and triumph. In the new artworks, Hester is influenced by the early era of Texas

independence, its seceding mentalities, the Texas Rangers, Native American tribes, cultural skirmishes, pioneering visions, religious and political freedoms, harsh realities and the people that lived and died in the frontier lines of Comancheria. “This show gives me a perfect opportunity to retell these stories and other historical events in the only way I know...through my art,” he says.

By sharing their ‘stories’ through his artistic talent and signature western genre of painting, Hester strives to be true to the city he calls home, the families he respects, and the heroes and antiheroes he holds in high esteem. In an article in the September/October, 2016 edition of Cowboys & Indians Magazine, writer Dana Joseph quotes Hester as stating, “I developed Texas stories through the colorful characters of the times.” This is an accurate description of his newest visual selections that give remembrance, credence, and reverence to an era wrought with swift justice, vigilante mobs, vast armies and the unforgiving principles of manifest destiny. Not always culturally sensitive, empathy driven or politically correct, these ‘stories’ are, however, important to remember and Hester dives deep to accomplish summarized compositional renditions for the gallery.

The largest artwork in the exhibition is a masterful piece titled The Healer. This 48” x 60” oil on canvas painting has Hester elegantly leading the audience through Dr. Herff’s pioneering cataract surgery in the 1800’s that saved a Comanche Chief’s eyesight. Derived from online research, published accounts, passages from Early Texas Physicians, 1830-1915: Innovative, Intrepid, Independent by the Texas Surgical Society, as well as a rewarding conversation with Juanita Herff Chipman, a direct descendant of Dr. Herff, Hester was able to piece together a panoramic view of how the surgery actually occurred.

He alludes to the fact that the surgery laid the groundwork for a mutual understanding between some of the Native Americans and the early settlers of Boerne. “Dr. Herff became a larger than life figure in our area with all he accomplished as a young doctor in this uncertain country. His fair treatment of all people gained him respect by many tribes of Indians, as well as the rugged settlers of this part of Texas,” says Hester.

Hester also references this medical driven truce in other paintings in the “Stories of the Land” exhibition, as he walks through the days, months, and years that followed that memorable operation. We learn of the Mexican girl that was gifted to the Herff family as a sign of gratitude for the doctor’s care, her rise within the Herff family and her fairytale-like marriage into an astute and reputable German family. In another painting we see the white feathered arrow that was shot into the fence post of the Herff family ranch (currently the Cibolo Nature Center and Farm) years later by raiding Native Americans, a visual indication of “peace” to this

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

property, a signal that spared the Herff homestead during their pillaging, looting and attacks on settlers in the Boerne area. Through Hester we can witness the discovery of Edge Falls by the Comanche Nation. This mystical waterfall and swimming hole on the border of Boerne and Bergheim, Texas later became a sacred watering ground for several of the tribes that roamed these southern lands.

Balancing the narrative between Native American portrayals and the “white man’s” western expansion, Hester relies on his formulaic teeter tottering of serene imagery. For Hester, Texas Ranger John “Jack Coffee” Hays plays an intrinsic role in Texas history and is present in several of his new artworks. With his trusted scout Flacco, Hays and their horses trot through Joshua Creek, creating a picturesque landscape painting complete with the majestic limestone quarries, cliffs, and bends of the riverbed that runs perpendicular to Interstate 10 West outside Comfort, Texas. In another, Hester places the audience in a tense shoot-out with Hays and a Comanche party in a crevice at Enchanted Rock. In this painting the artist visually references the role that the new five-shooter Paterson Colt played in Hays’s survival; an often-deliberated fact trundled in Texas folklore.

Sometimes history is too jumbled to be believed, where ‘truth is stranger than fiction.’

Case in point, Hester indulges us with his unique perspective of the Linnville raiding war party on their way to Plum Creek (now Lockhart, Texas). We see the incoming party silhouetted with their looted bounty of stovepipe hats, parasols, long pigeon-tailed coats and ribbons. Tonkawa Indians served as Hays’s scouts, outfitted with white armbands and headbands to serve as visual indicators to separate them from the incoming aggressors.

Hester delivers a composition that sets the audience behind the front line of Tonkawa scouts; we are, in essence, Hays’s Ranger outfit, poised for battle.

Rounding out the exhibition is a painting titled “Lasting Friendship” with a subject matter more familiar to Hester, the Meusebach Peace Treaty of Fredericksburg, Texas. In 1996, Hester created a monumental bronze sculpture of John O. Meusebach and Chief Buffalo Hump sharing a tobacco peace pipe; a visual depiction of the treaty signing between the Comanche Indians and the German settlers that was unveiled on the 150th anniversary of the city of Fredericksburg, and is currently installed at Fredericksburg’s Markt Platz.

When asked about the “Lasting Friendship” painting, Hester states, “Once again, learning about the German influence and the relationship with the Comanche tribes that roamed the Hill Country…gave me inspiration for my artistic creations” Jay Hester: “TEXAS – Stories of the Land” runs through November 5, 2016 at J. R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art in Boerne. More information for this exhibition can be found on the gallery’s website at www.jrmooneygalleries.com and the artist’s website at www. jhestergallery.com.

J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art is a full service fine art retail gallery, specializing in Texas vintage, local & regional, and contemporary art and is coupled with a world-renowned custom frame shop. Locations are 305 S. Main St. in Boerne, Texas (830-816-5106) and 8302 Broadway in San Antonio, Texas (210-828-8214). Gallery Hours: San Antonio – Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Boerne – Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.

Disclosure: Gabriel Diego Delgado is the Gallery Director of J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art- Boerne and the acting curator of Jay Hester: “TEXAS – Stories of the Land”

SEPTEMBER 2016

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HEALTH

The B Well Shoppe

By Misty McElhannon

B Well Shoppe: Health & Fitness opened its doors in June and has already grown to be a local favorite! The B Well Shoppe offers fresh raw juices, paleo meals to go, infrared sauna, health and nutrition coaching, fitness classes, personal training… and so much more.

The B Well Shoppe is far more than just a new local business, this is a passion created from the hearts of two local women that desire to make healthy living convenient and achievable to our community. Leslie Matt and CJ Musik are the dynamic duo behind this new venture. These two moms were instant friends when they met at a church event in 2013. As they sat together making small talk they realized they had much more in common than they could have ever imagined.

In 2007 Leslie’s health journey began right after the birth of her first child. She knew she just did not feel right and wanted to get to the bottom of it. She entered what she refers to as a “medical vortex” – bouncing around to different doctors, leaving each appointment without specific answers. After some time, she was diagnosed by a Metabolic Specialist with Celiac Disease. This led her to the decision of taking control of her body by researching holistic options. She began to retrain herself on not only what to eliminate from her diet, but also which options were actually healthy for her. All this research spurred her desire to educate others on transforming to a healthy lifestyle.

CJ’s health journey began when her body went into crisis in 2011. She too knew that she wanted to take a holistic approach and was relentless in her researching efforts. She enrolled herself at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and then furthered her learning by accepting an Internship with a Nutritionist and Integrative Medical Doctor. Her eyes were opened wide and she knew right away that she would stop at nothing to educate and advocate for others along their personal health journeys. CJ uses Mineral Nutrient testing and an in depth investigation into her clients health history to begin the individualized program for each person. She does not believe in a one size fits all health program and as a Communications Professor she uses both skill sets to work as a “life coach meets health coach.” She reveals underlying issues, educates, provides accountability and encourages clients to achieve attainable goals.

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Leslie and CJ bonded over their own health journeys and dreamt of a place where families could come to not only educate themselves, but to engage in other elements of a healthy lifestyle. They believe our overall health is complex and “takes a village” to manage. B Well Shoppe is intended to be a part of that village!

Leslie and CJ encourage you to stop by and see what all they have to offer. They are innovative in creating ways to come alongside you including monthly cooking classes, a wide variety of healthy food options and fitness classes for all skill levels.

Find them on Facebook/Instagram or visit their website for more information on current specials and upcoming events!

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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

CHARITY

PRAYERS FOR PARKER

Many of you just recently sent your kids off to the start of a brand new school year. You dug out backpacks and lunch boxes and spent too much on new shoes and jeans. The start of a new school year is a rite of passage whether it is in a new classroom, a new year of homeschool, or a brand new campus in a brand new town. In August of 2015, Parker Robertson got to put on his brand new Ninja Turtle backpack and head to his first day of Kindergarten. A brave, smart, imaginative, super hero loving boy was SO excited to take on the world of (in his very own words) “big boy curington elementary.” He had big dreams of the day his mommy (Kammie) would let him ride the bus to school and told me personally on the second day of school that when he grew up he was going to be a robot! This 5 year old boy who had spent his summer closing down the lake tubing with his daddy (David), doing bike tricks in the yard for his mommy, and making his big brother Tanner laugh had his whole life ahead of him. By no simple chance, Parker was placed in Mrs. Tipton’s classroom. In my very biased opinion, Mrs. Tipton is the very best Kindergarten teacher there is. She is the Gold Medal winner in my eyes for the way she nurtures, loves, teaches and INVESTS in her students. In October, both Parker’s parents and Mrs. Tipton noticed that it may be a good idea for him to visit an Ophthalmologist. The Doctor said his eyes were healthy, but that they should make an appointment with a Neuro- Ophthalmologist. Within two weeks of this initial appointment, which mind you his parents made because they simply thought he may need glasses, Parker was diagnosed with ALD (Adrenoleukodystrophy). ALD is a rare genetic disease that destroys myelin, which is the protective sheath that surrounds the brains neurons, which are the nerve cells that allow us to think and to control our muscles. The most devastating form of this disease, which most severely affects boys, appears in childhood between the ages of four and ten. Nor-

By Misty McElhannon :: Photos by Jason Abbott

mal, healthy boys suddenly begin to regress and then gradually the disease ravages their brain, their symptom grow worse and this relentless downward spiral leads to blindness, deafness, seizures, complete loss of muscle control, dementia, permanent disability and ultimately death. The typical span of this disease evolves to completion within two to five years. For more information on the disease please visit stopald.org.

If you are a regular in reading my articles you know that I often mention that “it takes a village…” The Robertson’s have a beautiful village. Their extended family visits often, sometimes daily to provide relief so that Kammie and David can work. A woman after Parker’s heart, his beloved Aunt Becky, who knew how to bring on his belly laughs with fart humor.

Mrs.Tipton (told yall she was amazing) and Parker’s Aide, Mrs. Cecily, that joined him in the classroom so he could finish his kindergarten year, rallied from the moment this all began. If you need any refreshing on how incredible our school system is in Boerne, chat with these ladies and they can give you a LONG list of BISD staff that stopped at nothing to exhaust every resource possible for this sweet student. It has been an incredible honor to link arms with this family. To be invited into their home weekly to witness their village in action and to love them like family has been enriching to all involved.

David, Kammie and Tanner have watched Parker fulfill much of what this disease promises over a very quick span of 10 months. Can you imagine the emotions you may feel in knowing that this unstoppable disease had taken over your perfectly wonderful 5 year old son? As parents we are equipped to protect our children, help them, guide them, hold them when they are scared and shelter them from the scary things of the world just as long as they will let us. But, David and Kammie are left helpless in protecting their precious son from this scary reality. They have used what strength they can muster to not only pray for the divine healing of their son, but to advocate for the newborn screening and overall awareness of ALD. Kammie longs to hear Parker speak one of his favorite sayings “We are so loved” or “God loves us all.” Even just to hear him whisper or respond to her loving hug. Big brother Tanner would give anything to play super heroes with his spirited and creative little Parker. Tanner was a true super hero in Parkers eyes, and during many challenging days through this fight, Tanner was the only one who could calm him down.

Tanner will enter his senior year carrying that very same Ninja Turtles backpack that Parker proudly wore to his first day of Kindergarten last fall. And last but certainly not least is Parkers Daddy, David. A man who had many dreams for his youngest boy. Big dreams for the future had already been pondererd…What sport will he play? What college will he attend? What kind of woman will he marry? But, also some pretty incredible short term goals of summers spent on the lake or at the beach. Last minute trips with the boat being pulled behind them and their love for adventure leading the way. These two were thick as thieves. Partners in crime. But, instead of creating new memories the family is caring for Parker alongside hospice care in their home.

There is no cure for this disease. There is current research taking place and HOPE for future treatments, but nothing at this time that can reverse what has happened to Parker.

There are so many unknowns, different characteristics from case to case, and a wide range in the typical progression. What researchers DO KNOW, is that the treatment possibilities become far greater if they can detect the disease BEFORE symptoms arise. But, how would you know? How can a parent possibly predict future symptoms of a perfectly healthy little boy? No need to pull out your crystal ball, instead get online and sign the petition for mandatory newborn ALD screening in all 50 states. Sign it now, please! Visit change.org and search for VOTE YES on Aidan’s Law. Every child born deserves a shot at a full life. Every single child, ya’ll. Until every child has a chance, the Roberton’s will love Parker unconditionally, continue to advocate for awareness of ALD and Parker will be his “moms baby forever.”

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SPIRITUAL

I HAVE QUESTIONS

By Kendall D. Aaron

I have questions. LOTS of questions.

In thinking about some of these questions, I put them in a list for your perusal. If you don’t have questions, but rather, have answers…

I’d like to hear ‘em.

Doesn’t He just get ticked off randomly and want to show Himself for the all the world to see Him? Wars would end, violence would end, we’d all know and see God for truly what He is. Seems like a simple solution to a lot of things, but I’m also not God.

If God can write on the wall (as He did in Daniel 5:5) then why didn’t He write the Bible? It says in Daniel that the hand of God appeared and wrote on the wall. If this is the case, why not just send Moses (or Adam) up onto a mountain and hand-deliver the original copy of the Bible, written directly by Him?

If God can create the heavens and the earth, why take 6 days to do it? Why not just snap His fingers and cross it off the to-do list?

If heaven has no sadness or pain, how can I go to heaven and watch countless millions of people die horrible deaths and NOT be sad?

This terrifies me about heaven. If I am really “watching over my loved ones” as so many say, I fear I would just go nuts trying to watch over my kids. And if their lives take bad turns, it would be excruciating not being able to help.

If God is Jesus, and Jesus is God…why did He pray to Himself for safety before his crucifixion? Some of “The Trinity” stuff is confusing and I struggle with it. I get how God can become Jesus, but the Holy Ghost is not something I understand completely.

Who made God? I know that you’re going to tell me that He has no beginning and no end, but the human mind can’t comprehend that, so I’m left imagining something even bigger than God…and that makes my head swim.

If God can see the future, why make us at all? I mean, He knew that we were going to sin, screw up the entire Eden thing, and ultimately kill His son. I suppose it means He loves us, but I might have said “To heck with this” and gone back to whatever God did before we came along.

This one really troubles me and seems contradictory. If He knew we would be a failure, why not correct the failure so that He doesn’t have to endure millennia of frustration?

I wonder what God thinks of our modern churches with laser lights, smoke, and amazing video introduction pieces. It’s wearing me out.

A thoughtful intelligent discussion about God is fast-becoming my go-to source of “church”.

The lights and whatnot is getting tiresome.

God talks about how difficult it is for the rich to enter heaven, but then adorns heaven with gold and pearls and mansions. Seems odd. It also seems like many of the kings from the Bible grew to be very wealthy and yet were God’s greatest warriors.

God is merciful. Yet He has created the most nightmarish, cruel, eternal place of damnation. What gives? If He loves us so much, how could He ever imagine putting us in such a place? And not for a day or a year, but for all time. I don’t know any enemies in my life (that I really don’t like) that I could justify such a punishment, but God can do it to me. Ouch.

These are just off the top of my head, but they are legitimate points of confusion that I’m sure many of us experience from time to time. I share just so you know that it’s not just YOU. God is a complex topic, and not easily understood. Hang in there, learn as much as you can, and trust that you’ll never learn it all. A lot of times I just shake my head when I can’t grasp a concept about God and just think to myself “God loves me, and I just trust that it’s all going to be ok.” No, that’s not an answer to a question, but it’s also a truth, and sometimes that’s more important.

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I have been sitting here in the sun thinking about old. I am thinking about it because I am old and though kind people are always faking surprise when I tell them my age, by almost any standard except that of Noahic flood patriarchs, I am old. The Bible says that man has three score and ten and in some cases he may get ten more but it is not too specific about what you have to do to get them.

All I know is that I have used up all those years and am pushing into unknown territory as far as what God says about it. Sometimes I think he has let me live this long so that I may fully understand how miserably I have failed to live up to the standards he has set for us, but I cannot really say that is true. I believe in His grace; in fact, I desperately rely on it. For a long time I thought that I needed to be doing something, and that is alright for those who think that and actually go out and do something positive in a missionary sort of way. But I think you have to make up your mind that good is better than bad and set your sights on doing your best to prove it. Like Patsy Yoakum used to say, “Good is better than bad because it is nicer”. But maybe I’ll have more to say about that later because when you get old you think about such things a lot.

I think, though, that old has been oversold. A lot of people act as if it is some sort of accomplishment, like getting rich, or having a fantastic set of wheels. As if, maybe, a lot of people have died off from lack of trying. There might be a trifle of truth in that if you consider too much eating and drinking and riding of a motorcycle without benefit of helmet are evidence that a person has let his mind wander off the goal a tad.

Every time I turn around I find somebody pushing some product or lifestyle that, if carried to the implied conclusion, would have you living forever. There are plenty of advertisements for products that will cure everything imaginable, and some that will not. There are literally thousands of products out there from green Japanese pond scum to the latest products from Swiss scientists, all of which, if used long enough and in sufficient quantities will cure everything. Drug companies are regularly on TV and in magazines, advertising prescription medicines. They want you to go down to your doctor and ask him to put you on their junk. I suppose some federal law is involved here, but there are pages and pages of fine print advising you about the wonder drug and how the side effects, however dire, can be monitored by a regular blood test to see if your liver is being wiped out. And all these medicines which will solve all, bear the cost of all high class advertising. If the FDA had a lick of integrity it would ban all such advertising.

Whoever thought up the phrase “golden years” to describe these latter days ought to be taken out back and shot. There is nothing golden about levering yourself out of bed in the morning, every muscle in your body crying out for mercy, wondering

50

if you can even make it to the bathroom without collapsing, checking your body parts one by one to see if they will hold together another day. And when you look in the mirror it is no golden boy you see, but rather you mutter, “Can that actually be ME?” One of my earliest memories goes back into the great depression years. There is this color advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post, or was it Colliers, or maybe Liberty? Who knows. There is this fine looking gray haired couple standing by the fence in front of a brand new looking house, smiling like jack eating briers and saying “We retired on thirty dollars a month because we bought Pie-in-the-Sky Insurance.”

They were probably growing their own pond scum, too. I am glad to still be here and to be able to assemble my old parts in the morning, but do not give me this golden boy malarkey. You do not see any adds like that now. Insurance companies are into low key financial planning and stuff like that. The gray haired couple leaning on the fence has been replaced by an old geezer and youngish looking female. He is the one smiling and muttering something about Viagra. Old is NOT Viagra. Old is lonely and tired, drinking coffee and reading the obits.

Old is neither a place nor a state of mind, as some think. Old is an anticipation.

Old is a waiting game in which one goes through a period of assessment. There is nostalgia. There are regrets. There are moments of joy and moments of depression.

And there is anticipation. No one really knows what happens after death. Those who believe in God have what might be a generalization, but they know no more than that it is a place which Christ prepared for them. It is difficult for us with our limited minds to get much past an idealized earth and an anthropomorphic God. We look with various degrees of anticipation. Some of us long for it. Some look forward to what it will really be like, but want to wait awhile more to find out. There is a bit of trepidation, too. There are a lot of what if’s.

When I was in the Navy during WWII, I was sent to Camp Shoemaker in California to await orders. It was called an ‘outgoing unit’. Most of us were going out into the Pacific, but it was a big place and there were a lot of places we could be sent. While most of us wanted to get going, there was some trepidation too. We had been told a lot, but we did not know what it was really going to be like. Just so are we in the ‘outgoing’ unit of life. Awaiting orders. Waiting and wondering when our name will come up. If we think about it, we will say when we get up, “Could it be today?” Or when we go to bed, “Could this be the night?”

Old is about health. It is about pills, pills, pills. Doctor’s waiting rooms, procedures, regimens, paperwork, insurance, and doctor’s waiting rooms. Interminable waiting.

Old is counting up the time spent going to friend’s funerals, funeral home visitations, taking medicine, waiting in waiting rooms, doing tests and finding that to be the near

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sum of your social life. Old is not easy. Values change. Goals change. Some of our false faces are eaten away and we find we are not always who we think we were and we find other people suddenly appear stripped down to the essential personality.

Old, for most people seems to be a fight to hang on as long as possible. For some people this is okay. Some people have no hope for an eternal home. There is no belief in a spiritual body which transcends death. This life is all there is. It may be ending miserably but it is all they have. Sometimes I feel that Christians who make these last ditch stands are somehow denying the hope they have in Christ. Just last week we got a note from the wife of a friend who had recently died. She said “Oh, he is so much better off.” Of course he is, but I do not know if he went willingly, joyfully. A physical body wracked with pain and without hope for recovery is better off, whether for heaven or hell, or nothing at all. Let me go when it is time. Do not hold on to me when I am no longer able to make such decisions. I am old, yes, old, but let me die young.

Sometimes I think about how many years I have left and wonder how I may best use them. Of course, it would help if I knew how many they were, but I can make an educated guess. My father lived to be 87, my mother to 102. I have a brother who is 88 and still functioning pretty well, another brother 80, and a kid brother 71. Insurance companies will give me until about 90. So I should have a few years yet. But what to do? I think the answer is to keep doing what I am doing. When you get right down to it, it is not too important what you do, but rather what you are, or maybe how you do what you do. I have known many people who are into some helping job, a minister perhaps, or a social worker, counselor, that sort of thing, and are doing a terrible job. Selfish, arrogant, irritating – doing more harm than good and giving the profession a bad name. So I think I will just play it one day at a time and try to be more caring, helpful, and compassionate. These are areas where I have not always done too well, so I think I will work on that.

When you get old you cast back over your life and try to see what things you have done, your successes and failures, and find that they come back to you in a series of picture postcards. The really meaningful times are not really that many. Most of ones life has been spent in downtime or in maintenance. When you add up the time you have spent sleeping, eating, grooming, going to work, waiting for the light to change, sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, etc, there is not a lot of time left to do something really meaningful. So who you are has been demonstrated by how you treated the people you did deal with. I don’t think God gives a hoot if you find a cure for cancer but treat your wife with disrespect, your co-workers with condescension, and your bank account as the end game.

I am interested in almost everything, but do not know too much about anything.

While it gives me a lot to think about it is very frustrating. I may know enough about physics to envision a new invention, but don’t have the detailed knowledge to put it together. I may like to write, but do not have the willingness to put in the time and effort to do what is necessary to publish. I may love golf better than I do pie but have not the athleticism to do it well. I may be fascinated with archaeology, but do not have the time to properly study and practice it.

There is no good way to end this for every person is born alone and dies alone. I can speak for no one else. I will not seek out that good and final moment, but I shall not go with the reluctance that would signify my disbelief in that house with many mansions that God has prepared for me.

SEPTEMBER 2016

Vain dreams move on ‘til time has flown And life has lost its vigor The horn has blown its final tone to call the lonely digger

So stack some stones upon my bones to mark my trysting place But let no groans in grievous tones Mistake the fate I face

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From Oh,so far the gates ajar I see through joyous tears Across the bar I ken that star I’ve sought these sullen years

No mournful sigh, no keening cry don’t waste a one on me for when I die no tearful cry Must rue my reveille’

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OLD TIMER

OLD TIMER As we all know, Buc-ee’s is going to come to town, with construction beginning probably late 2018.

RIGHT.

overwhelmingly hate the Buc-ee’s (they do), they might warm to it if you came out at a press conference and said “We’re going to get $250k/year from this deal. Because we’re surviving without this money today, we’re going to LOWER taxes across the board for all residents.” Oh, you’re warming up to the idea now? Or perhaps….”We’re going to take this money and we’re going to get started on the park land we have next to the Skate Park. Then we’re going to put a kick-ass splash pad in Town Square. We’re going to fix some roads. We’re going to give our police officers a pay raise.” If you knew what the money was going to, you might not be so opposed to it. It would be a necessary evil for an improvement in YOUR life, and people tend to like those proposals.

So I’m going to put on my Mayor hat and play this out as an example of how things COULD have been handled.

Let people come to Council and talk. Let them go on the record and have their say. This isn’t hard and should be a no-brainer. Why is this so difficult?

And as expected, the town has their pitchforks out and are looking for blood. Meanwhile, the City Council is completely confused at the response from the citizenry and is hiding behind the explanation of “The negotiations were confidential with the EDC, so you knew about it when we knew about it.”

ISSUE 1: Issues like this are handled via a confidential agreement with the EDC. This means that a major company (like Buc-ee’s) comes to town and everyone signs Non-Disclosure Agreements while they scout out their options and needs for moving a business to town. The EDC assists with site selection and whatnot, and eventually brokers the negotiations with the City regarding taxes, fees, and permits in an attempt to secure the best tax deal for the new business. Here’s the rub: the guidelines for who the City gives these tax breaks to has nothing to do with what they actually bring to the community. It has to do with the value of what they’re building. In the case of Buc-ee’s, he’s getting a kick ass tax deal because his building is expensive. They’re going to tell you that it’s because of the jobs that he’s bringing, but I could bring a business that was going to offer 1000 jobs to town, but unless my investment was north of $4m, then no soup for you. So it’s ALL about the money that they bring, and I just find this ridiculous.

IF I WERE MAYOR: As Mayor, I would step up and set different parameters for any tax breaks that involve actual community IMPROVEMENT in the form of jobs, donations, and other infrastructure that they bring. I assure you that Mr. Buc-ee doesn’t need a tax break.

ISSUE 2: Once the deal has been negotiated with the new business, it gets sent to Council for a vote. This is what happened this past month. Within the span of a few days, the citizens became aware of the proposed Buc-ee’s, and then it was quickly voted on by Council and approved. DONE DEAL. Then the Council did what they do, which is to run around trying to educate people about why it’s such a great deal for them and that they shouldn’t be so freaked out. This is, of course, after the fact. The Mayor, on the other hand, does what he does which is to go dark and let the Council deal with the mud-slinging. It’s like the famous Nancy Pelosi line: “We have to vote for the bill in order to know what’s in the bill.” In this case, it’s just “Trust us. This deal is good for you. I’ll explain it all to you after I approve it without any input from you.”

SO WITH MY MAYOR HAT BACK ON, HERE’S HOW THIS COULD HAVE LOOKED: First of all, tap the freaking brakes on such a large, community-changing proposal. So when the #s are agreed between Buc-ee’s and the EDC, hit the pause button. Announce the proposal via the local media, the City website, FB, everything. Let everyone freak out.

Invite them to several presentations about the proposal. Let them send off hate-filled emails to the City Council. Let them come to your office and climb across your desk. But for crying out loud, give them a few weeks to be HEARD. Answer their questions. Basically, QUIT HIDING THINGS. The City is going to get a substantial tax boost from this Buc-ee’s, which is why they want it. The City loves to feed the City. So they’re going to get a mountain of cash from this thing. What are they going to do with it? Oh, you don’t know? That’s ok – because nobody does. So as Mayor, why not outline what’s going to happen with it? If people

54

From there, you’ve educated the public, you didn’t cram it down their throats, and you’ve given them a chance to be involved in the process. Kinda like how government was designed to be.

ISSUE 3: Overall transparency of City Council. They’re lacking in it. That said, I know them all and they’re good people. They truly are. However, they’re busy, and busy people tend to miss details.

They go to lunch at the same places as we do, and they hear the same things. They KNOW that people want limited, controlled growth but they continually vote against it. I believe that this philosophy is pushed from the Mayor’s office, but that’s just my gut talking. Regardless, they had to know that people wouldn’t be thrilled with a Buc-ee’s, and they should know better than to vote on something of this size without ANY citizen input.

They bitch and moan because lots of people don’t come to Council meetings, but this is such a tired excuse.

IF I WERE MAYOR: Put briefings in the mail with our Utility bills. Tell us what’s coming up for vote and when. $0 cost.

Capture emails from citizens and send out eblasts. Ask for feedback. Summarize issues before the Council, ask for citizen participation, establish roundtable discussions. $0 cost.

Use City website for Q/A area. Why not establish a simple system for people to ask questions of the Council from the comfort of home and then to have the response posted on the site? $0 cost.

These are just off the top of my head, but in this day and age, the archaic procedures of Council should be stopped. They have the tools and the staff to enact some better communication and they should use them. They’re going to tell you that they spend 23 hours a day talking to citizens about issues, and I believe them. I really do. However, there are 12k people in this town and just as evidenced by Buc-ee’s, the vast majority of us have no clue what’s going on City Council, and that’s BOTH of our faults.

Boerne’s location makes it too ideal for growth. We’re fast becoming a bedroom suburb, which is something NOBODY wants. Unless the leaders of the City step up and begin finding a way for Boerne to maintain some sort of its character, it will be completely lost.

I’ve long said that we would someday transition into becoming Stone Oak, and I’m afraid that day is getting closer and closer. If we continue the current trajectory, it is assured.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Schultz when interviewed about the Buc-ee’s: “For some, yes, Boerne may be gone forever. For the majority, though, there is not only the old Boerne here, but there is the new Boerne here and we’ve put them together to form what we have.”Do you like what has now been “formed”?

Nor do I.

EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.

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706 E. BLANCO, SUITE 200 | BOERNE, TEXAS 78006 | O: (830) 249-3559 | F: (830) 214-2181