May 2015 Hays County Echo

HAYS COUNTY

ECHO MAY 2015

IN THIS ISSUE:

Meet Mom

of Moms Tattoos

Blanco DAY TRIP

A publication of the News-Dispatch and the Hays Free Press

SEEKING SPIRITUALITY A series on finding a path to God photo by Kim Hilsenbeck

page 1

HAYS COUNTY

ECHO

is published monthly by Barton Publications, Inc 113 W. Center St., Kyle, TX Contents © 2015.

Publisher Cyndy Slovak-Barton Editor Kim Hilsenbeck Graphics Director David White Graphics Assistant Christine Thorpe Contributing Writers Chris Reid Kim Hilsenbeck Distribution Suzanne Hallam Marketing Tracy Mack Michael Weeks Debbie Hall Suzanne Hallam Paula Pulley

EDITOR’S NOTE

A

suburban dwelling grandma tattoo artist? A Hindu monk? An interpretive park ranger in Blanco? Yep, it’s all in this issue of Hays County Echo.

This magazine is dedicated to sharing the stories of where you live and beyond.

Each month we bring you interesting stories from in and around Hays County.

With our Day Tripping series, we take you to towns throughout the Hill Country, showcasing fun activities, family-friendly events and local sights. We also share ideas for eating and shopping while you visit. This month it’s Blanco, with all its history and heritage.

In our ‘You do what?’ series, we bring you the story of an interesting person who lives and/or works in Hays County. We’ve covered everything from a special effects make-up artist to this month’s featured

Inside

person: Manchaca resident Debbie Obregon, owner of Mom’s Tattoos in Austin.

In our new series, Seeking Spirituality, we discover how people make the journey to religion - or to no religion at all. This month, we begin with Hinduism.

Want to be part of the conversation? Contact Echo editor Kim Hilsenbeck at the email below to share your journey.

Our monthly gardening feature offers sound advice from Christine Reid of Reid’s Nursery. She brings you timely tips for effective gardening.

We hope you enjoy this, and every issue of Hays County Echo. And if you have ideas for feature stories, drop us a line at news@haysfreepress.com.

As always, thanks for reading!

Kim Hilsenbeck Editor

Blanco Day Trip...............................................................................4-8 Finding hidden treasures in the Hill Country

Office Manager Connie Brewer For advertising information, please contact our sales department at 512-268-7862.

Zach Bono sets up tents for fellow campers at Blanco State Park. See other fun things to do in Blanco on pages 4-8. (photo

by Moses Leos III)

Seeking Spirituality....................................................................10-13 A series on finding a path to God

Say Hi to Mom.............................................................................14-16 This tattoo artist is a real mother

Seeking Spirituality A series on finding a path to God pgs. 10-13

What’s Bugging Your Garden?....................................................17-18 Recognizing the beneficial and detrimental insects in your garden

Central Texas Events..................................................................19-20 Top picks for things to do

Service Directory........................................................................22-23 Find a service professional in your area

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Blanco DAY TRIP

D

riving through Blanco on Highway 281, you might miss downtown if you blink. But if you have to stop for the red light, you’ll have time to blink a couple of hundred times. I guess the crosswalk was made for a population with a slower pace of life.

Blanco has a lot in com-

mon with its neighboring hill country towns: antique and art stores, folksy/eclectic boutiques, home-grown eateries and such, but there are a handful of iconic stops that make Blanco worth turning off 281 and visiting a while.

This past April, a car full of Echo staffers set out on an overcast morning turned

sunny afternoon to visit these worthwhile destinations. On the list were Dennis Moore’s Buggy Barn and Museum, Redbud Cafe for lunch, Blanco State Park, a jaunt through the Blanco Bowling Alley Cafe, and topping off the visit with a sampling of beers at Real Ale Brewery.

photo by David White

Blanco Buggy Barn and Museum

photo by Moses Leos III

page 4 u april | 2015

Just one mile north of the town square on Highway 281, you’ll find Dennis Moore’s Buggy Barn and Museum. It’s filled with 18th- and 19th- century carriages and western memorabilia, which are are recognizable in many television shows and movies involving horse-drawn carriages.

You’ll see his buggies in movies such as “True Grit”, “Lonesome Dove”, “Gone With the Wind,” “There Will Be Blood”, “Hidalgo”, television show “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman”, and more recently the move“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer.”

Moore restored and maintains his more-than 60 buggy collection with the

help of his brother Kenneth and fellow buggy man Jack Rogers. Moore also does buggy and carriage rides for individuals and events.

He is currently expanding/evolving the museum to include a small town setting, complete with a church and buildings with old town facades. Moore’s small town has been home to three annual Western Showcase events, scheduled every year in November, which includes trick roping, a knifethrowing act, music and mock gun fight. The smalltown can also be rented out for western-themed events.

Moore also added a World War II museum, filled with artifacts and memorabilia donated from local Blanco families.

Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

photos by Moses Leos III

Tour guide Jack Rogers (above) has many stories to tell about almost every buggy, including the “haunted” 1860s European hearse (top right) that was used to carry royalty to their final resting places. A few photographers have ended up with photos that have ghostly images inside the hearse.

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page 5

Where to dine in Blanco?

photo by Moses Leos III

You can’t go wrong with the Western Dip at Redbud Cafe – sure to satisfy the carnivore in you.

Tommy Weir’s Blanco Bowling Club & Cafe is a nine-pin bowling alley that hosts tournaments for members throughout the week and is open to the public for bowling on Saturday nights.

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When asking locals where the best restaurants in town are, they all said the same thing – “Just about anywhere on the square.”

And the four restaurants that were mentioned the most were: Redbud Cafe for sandwiches, salads and sides with a gourmet touch.; Oak Creek Cafe – the number one place to go for a burger, traditionally served with a side of pinto beans; The Blanco Bowling Club & Cafe – a local favorite, where everything’s better with a side of gravy; and Old 300 BBQ – named after the first three hundred Blanco settlers, home of Li’l Abner, and rumor has it they have some good barbecue as well.

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Blanco State Park The park is located four blocks south of the town square where one can enjoy camping, swimming, picnicking, hiking, nature study, boating (no motors) and fishing. Tube and canoe rentals are also available at the park.

One of the newest additions to the park is Interpretive Ranger Katy Boysen, who has put together a wide range of family activities that include themed nature walks like Vulture Culture, Blanco Bat Count, Creature Clues and Ribbit, Croak and Roar, among others. A calender of events can be found on their website at http://tpwd.texas.gov/stateparks/blanco.

Above, Ranger Kate Boysen points out the Bat Box which is home to an estimated 400 Mexican freetail bats. (Bat Box photo

by Kate Boysen)

photos by Moses Leos III

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photo by Tasha Brieger, owner of Hill Country Lavender

Lots-o-Lavender Then there’s what Blanco is famous for – Lavender.

There are two designated lavender farms in Blanco – Hill Country Lavender and Imagine Lavender Farm, both on Highway 281 north of town. The farms are open seasonally, when the lavender is blooming which is mid-May to mid-July. Visit their respective websites for opening dates and times.

The best time to visit is during the Blanco Lavender Festival from June 12-14 at the Blanco County Courthouse. There will be a Lavender Market; Speaker’s Pavilion, featuring lavender information and cooking demonstrations in the courthouse.

Prost, y’all!

And Beer What better way to end

How

Can

photo by Moses Leos III

a day of lavender watching than to visit the Real Ale Brewery for a sampling of its nine year-round brews while getting to try some experimental and seasonal beers as well.

Real Ale expanded the brewery with a new taproom in March, where visitors can get a bird’s eye view of the whole operation at work. And it also expanded the hours to 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.

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page 9

Seeking spirituality by

Kim Hilsenbeck

W

hat does it mean to be spiritual? Why do many people turn to one kind of religion or another? Or none? In our new occasional series, Seeking Spirituality, Hays County Echo explores these and other questions.

We want to talk to people in greater Hays County area about what they believe and why, how they arrived at their current viewpoint and the journey they took to get there.

Want to be part of the conversation? We’re reaching out to people of all faiths and those who don’t practice any religion. Whether you are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Wiccan, Buddhist, atheist or something else, let’s talk.

Contact Hays County Echo at 512-268-7862 or email kim@haysfreepress.com, subject heading Spirituality.

This month, we kick off the series with Hinduism. photos courtesy of Radha Madhav Dham

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long FM 1826 just north of the Salt Lick in Driftwood, the top of a temple spire peaks out from above the trees. If someone driving by didn’t know it was there, they might miss it.

But then they might also miss the chance to experience a Hindu worship service if they don’t take advantage of Radha Madhav Dham, the sprawling 200-acre ashram located just over the Hays County Line.

The facility is open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is the largest Hindu ashram in North America.

On a drizzly day in March, more than 100 visitors to the ashram attended worship, or satsang, in the temple, then shared a traditional Indian dinner where everyone is welcome and the meal is free.

Satsang begins at 11 a.m. on Sundays. People of all ages and backgrounds sit on the floor, chanting and clapping together. On the porch outside were dozens of shoes, which cannot be worn in any of the buildings lie on the porch.

A Hindu monk who lives at the ashram — he calls it home even as he travels about 10 months out of the year — sat down to talk about his journey to Hinduism. Sitting with him was Carla, who has lived at the ashram since it opened in 1990.

Nikhilanand, the name his

spiritual teacher gave him, came to live at the ashram in 1996. He is white with a long reddish beard.

Some at the Hindu facility call him Swami. Others who know him better call him Bhaiya, which means brother.

“People put “Swami” in front of Nikhilanand, but it’s an honorific title,” he said.

He grew up in Canada to spiritual but not religious parents.

“They were not attracted to organized religion,” Nikhilanand said.

But as a child, Nikhilanand considered himself Catholic, since he attended Catholic school and prayed the way he was taught. He was never baptized, though.

Nikhilanand had a regular old name but didn’t say what it was. He prefers his Hindu name. This writer imagined it was Scott. He laughed.

“It’s a thing with monks,” he said. “It’s your new identity.”

How did a white Canadian guy with a beard end up as a Hindu monk in Texas?

He explained.

“As a teenager, my mind started branching out with questions, looking for God,” he said.

He explored other religions including Taoism and Shamanism.

“I was interested in Native American spirituality,” he said.

He also became interested in meditation.

Then someone introduced him to Hinduism.

“Initially it was just a friend at first, who said, ‘I do this, come try this. I know you like meditation,’ Nikhilanand recalled.

So he explored Hinduism at a meeting in San Diego.

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SEEKING SPIRITUALITY, from pg. 11 “I had a lot of questions about Hinduism,” Nikhilanand said. “But Hindu philosophy is so extensive and detailed it answers every single spiritual question.”

Such as?

“Basically a question I thought was a joke until I came [to Hinduism]: what is the aim of life? I thought, ‘No one is actually going to have the answer, so why bother asking.’

But Hinduism lays it out plain and simple,” he said.

As he explained it, “You’re a divine soul eternally related to God. Your physical body is related to this world. If you want perfect happiness you have to attain God.” Nikhilanand said the goal is to meet God face to face.

In this life? Not after death?

“Hinduism teaches that you can. That God is a fact,” he said.

This monk believes the only reason humans don’t have perceptual evidence of God’s existence, is because most people think if they can’t experience God then they don’t believe he exists. It’s kind of about seeing is believing.

“Hinduism teaches the reason why we can’t have that perceptual evidence of God’s existence is that God is divine and senses are material. Divine is by definition beyond material. So if you get divine senses you can perceive God,” he said.

That perception is the point at which one becomes God-realized.

How does one go about getting divine senses?

“It’s through a process and we call it the path to God,” Nikhilanand said. “By meditating on God, you purify your mind. And once the mind is 100 percent pure, through God’s grace, your mind and senses become divine and then you can perceive God.” “He added, “Who was here all along.”

Nikhilanand said once you surrender to God where you have perfect faith in God’s existence, you will meet him face to face. He is still on that path and as of yet is not God-realized.

Do people have misconceptions about Hinduism?

“Yes,” he said. “The biggest is that there are many Gods.

The truth is that one God has many forms. Just like we have different aspects of our person-

page 12 u april | 2015

ality, God does the same things.

God is one, eternal, omnipresent. Because of God’s unlimited absolute nature, God can be simultaneously omnipresent in many different unlimited forms.”

Carla, who was born into a Jewish family, grew up in Connecticut and New York.

She moved to the west coast as an adult. She said her journey was similar to Nikhilanand’s, at least in terms of exploring religion.

“We have something in common,” she said. “Whatever we were brought up with didn’t resonate and we were searching.”

She said she attended temple, but never felt as though the religion made sense. Carla considers that she grew up culturally Jewish as opposed to a strict orthodox sense of the religion.

Her search led her first to transcendental meditation, then to Hinduism.

“I never embraced [Judaism],” she said. “It never made sense to me. Hinduism was the only thing that made sense to me.”

She and her husband, a Protestant who also converted

Eagle Mountain

Whenever dharma declines and the purpose of life is forgotten, I manifest myself on earth. I am born in every age to protect the good, to destroy evil, and to reestablish dharma.

–Krishna (from the Bhagavad Gita – a 700-verse Hindu scripture which, translated from Sanskrit, means “Song of the Lord”)

to Hinduism, moved to the ashram in 1996. They’ve lived there ever since.

Specifically she said the idea of reincarnation was appealing.

“That sounds right, that sounds logical,” she said. “It clicked.”

Does Nikhilanand ever find that being white causes Hindus who are from India to not accept him as a teacher of the religion?

“Hindus are very accepting,” he said. “They believe Hinduism is for everyone.”

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Aum, also written “Om” and called pranava, is the most important Hindu symbol.

Its prolonged intonation is associated with the primeval sound through which the universe was created. It is thought to contain all things.

It consists of three syllables – a-u-m – which are sounded progressively from the throat to the lips. The three sounds are considered to symbolise many items, but perhaps most importantly the three states of consciousness – waking, dreaming and deep sleep.

The entire symbol represents the fourth state, which is the awareness of one’s own spiritual identity. Aum is the most important mula (root) mantra and is thus chanted at the beginning of many prayers, mantras, and rituals.

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Y O U D O W H AT ?

Say hi to Mom This tatto artist is a real mother photos by Kim Hilsenbeck

by Kim Hilsenbeck

T

ucked in a little plot off South Lamar Blvd. in Austin sits an unassuming storefront. It’s in a little yellow building with two neon hearts in either front window.

A minivan sits in the parking lot; it’s not the vehicle you’d expect at a tattoo parlour.

Debi Obregon of Manchaca is Mom, of Mom’s Tattoos.

This 55-year-old mother of one is now raising her pre-teen granddaughter. She works from about 3-11 p.m. most Thursdays through Saturdays at her tattoo parlor.

After talking with a woman and her daughter about tattoo ideas – the mom making plans for tattoos and the daughter

page 14 u april | 2015

making plans to become a tattoo artist – Obregon calls out as they leave, “You girls be safe.”

With a big grin, Obregon turns back to this reporter.

“Hi! Come and sit down in my special chair,” she said.

When forewarned this was just an interview, not a tattoo session, Obregon chuckled.

“Oh, dang,” she said. “I thought I’d try to get you to change your mind.”

Obregon is a canvass, showing her tattoos on nearly every inch of her exposed skin, and more on areas covered by clothing. A sliver of color on her forehead peeks out from under her bangs.

She got into tattooing about 35 years ago.

“There were very few women

tattoo artists at that time,” she said.

Always creative and artistic, Obregon wanted her own tattoos. But she also wanted to design and create them for clients. While living in California, she tried to work with a tattoo artist recommended to her to learn the craft. He wasn’t the mentor she had expected, but she learned the business.

But, soon, the novelty of being a female tattoo artist wore off for Obregon. She branched out into other jobs and artistic endeavors and stayed away from tattooing for years.

But when she moved to Austin – in a circuitous route through Pittsburg and Detroit – she met a couple who owned a tattoo shop in San Antonio and got back into the business.

Obregon’s childhood was rough. She left home at 15 and never looked back, saying that her mother had “some psychological challenges.”

This suburban dwelling tattoo artist grandma does not mince words.

“She’s crazy,” Obregon said.

Obregon tells it like it is. She’s also prone to cussing. Yet her animated manner of speaking,

infectious smile and hearty laugh draw people to her.

It was Texas where she met her husband of more than 20 years, Rick. Sixteen years ago she opened her tattoo shop.

The couple used to live just around the corner from Mom’s, but her granddaughter was afraid that her birth mom, Obregon’s daughter from a previous relationship, might try to take her away.

Obregon’s daughter has had addiction issues since she was 15 years old. She wasn’t able to raise a child, so Obregon and her husband now have legal custody of their granddaughter.

To allay their granddaughter’s fears, the couple decided to pack up and move to the country. She’s lived in Hays County for four years this summer and doesn’t miss living in Austin.

“I love living out there [in Hays],” she said.

Obregon purchased her space and found the location because of a tattoo. The man who met her about her current property had a sister with a tattoo and it turned out she was one of Obregon’s former clients.

Was it fate? Kismet?

“I happen to think it was God,” she said.

Obregon has faced a lot of problems in her life – from leaving home at age 15 and finding in 2012 that she had uterine cancer. At first she thought she was just going through the beginning stages of menopause.

She also doesn’t like going to the doctor, so she didn’t make any appointments.

But finally, seeing a doctor, she found that she had an 8 cm tumor in her uterus, which as the doctor described it, is almost the size of a newborn baby’s head.

Cancer.

“I will talk to someone, look through their portfolio. And if I have any doubts, I have them tattoo somebody. Bring in somebody, do a tattoo and I’ll take a look. And then watch them like a f--king hawk. I watch everything they do, I listen to how they treat people. And then I make corrections.”

–Mom (Debbie Obregon)

Her doctor asked her at the beginning of the appointment, “How are you doing?”

“I’m pretty good for somebody who has cancer,” Obregon said.

She went through chemotherapy and radiation and later doctors found a large lump in her right breast. A mammogram confirmed it was advanced stage three HER2 positive cancer.

I told my doctor, ‘Just take both [breasts] out,’” she said.

A double mastectomy and radiation treatment later, she is now back in chemotherapy for her breast cancer.

Obregon said she’s tired from the cancer and the treatments.

Yet Obregon’s outlook on life, combined with her sunny optimism, sarcasm and sharp wit, is decidedly positive. She doesn’t want to spend her time worrying about what ifs. She’s just trying to enjoy the here and now.

And enjoy her customers, most of whom are repeat clients.

“Yes, almost all my business is repeat business,” she said.

“We tattoo whole families.”

Obregon has four other tattoo artists working at the shop under a contract labor arrangement.

She is very strict about these artists because their work reflects on her business.

“My whole thing is no one remembers, when they get a tattoo, they don’t remember necessarily who did it,” she said.

“So they don’t go out there and say, ‘Oh I got a real shitty tattoo

by Sarah.’ Or ‘I got a really awesome tattoo by Jordan.’ They say, ‘I got a shitty tattoo at Mom’s’ or ‘I got a great tattoo at Mom’s’. ...

You should be able to go to some place and know you’ll be taken care of. So I’ve always been on top of who I have work for me.”

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page 15

We know how it works!

Mom’s brightly decorated tattoo shop is located off South Lamar in Austin.

Obregon investigates tattoo artists to find out if they are good.

“I will talk to someone, look through their portfolio. And if I have any doubts, I have them tattoo somebody. Bring in somebody, do a tattoo and I’ll take a look. And then watch them like a f--king hawk. I watch everything they do, I listen to how they treat people.

And then I make corrections,” she said.

She said she’s just not into micromanaging everyone.

“I really used to mentor people and I just don’t anymore,” she said, because of what is going on in her life.

Obregon said she is tired these days.

“I’ve been in this business 25 years and I’m grumpy. If you don’t want to hear what I’ve got to tell you, f--k you.”

She said apprentices have to be tattooing for a while before they appreciate a good spot [to work].

“Nowadays tattooing is a lot different,” she said.

There isn’t a tattoo degree or schooling anywhere.

“It’s all apprenticeship,” she said.

But she keeps the business going – and continues to work with clients.

“I’m satisfied with my life right now and I’m happy to be alive. The second go round with cancer has put the biggest perspective on, you know, every day is a gift. Even though you may have a ton of crap going on in your life, to do something about it, you have to be alive.

What I’m worried about is what’s happening right now,”

page 16 u april | 2015

• 24-hour Jail Release • Financial Arrangements • Warrant Walk-through • Accepting Visa, MasterCard & Discover • Serving all of Hays County

Located in the

“Let your dreams San Marcos Square be bigger than your fears, your actions louder www.sanmarcosbailbonds.com than your words and your faith stronger than your Your community. feelings.”

512-392-8999

–Mom’s latest tattoo

she said.

The tattoo artist and shop owner is a work of art herself.

Obregon said she’s had tattoo artists from all over put ink on her. She has tattoos on her arms, legs, back and even her head.

“Some I’ve gotten planned out, some spur of the moment.”

Her most recent tattoo is on the inside of her left forearm.

She got it about two months ago.

What does it say?

“Let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than your words and your faith stronger than your feelings.”

Appropriate for this mother, grandmother, tattoo artist and business owner whose actions show her conviction.

Your newspaper.

Hays Free Press

Serving Kyle, Buda and surrounding communities since 1903

News-Dispatch

SERVING WESTERN HAYS COUNTY SINCE 1982

Subscribe today! 512.268.7862

by Christine Reid

T The detrimental leaf-footed bug sucks the juices from leaves, shoots, fruits, buds and seeds of many different plants.

It gets its name from its leaf-like hind legs. (photos by Christine Reid)

What’s ‘bugging’ your garden?

GOOD BUG

BAD BUG

While the cucumber beetle (on the right) may look like an unripened version of the beneficial ladybug, it is detrimental to your garden.

HELPFUL GARDEN INSECTS

GARDEN PESTS

green lacewings ladybugs assassin bugs praying mantids minute pirate bugs ground beetles syrphid flies predatory stink bugs big-eyed bugs damsel bugs

aphids Colorado potato beetle cabbage looper cucumber beetle cutworm flea beetle leaf-footed bug squash bug squash vine borer tomato hornworm

ake note, gardeners: we need insects but insects don’t need us.

While it may sometimes feel as if all insects are out to get us and our plants, most are beneficial or harmless. A few pests can drive gardeners to thoughts of taking a blowtorch to them or drenching them in pesticides, but luckily there are a number of less violent, more earth-friendly ways to control them.

Since many of our food crops depend on pollinators, we shouldn’t take the chance of poisoning honey bees, butterflies, wasps, beetles, flies and native bees like bumblebees and mason bees that perform this critical function. So, it’s never a good idea to go out in the garden and randomly spray toxic chemicals around in hopes of getting rid of pests like the dratted cucumber beetle once and for all. This will almost certainly kill more helpful insects than the ‘enemy’ and it’s also bad for you, your garden and the earth.

When it comes to dealing with troublesome insects in the garden, preparation is key. First of all, know the enemy, or friend, in most cases.

Identify and learn about the insects that you see in the garden: the way they look at different stages in their life, what their eggs look like, food sources, behavior, etc. It’s important to know the difference between the insects that help us and the ones we want to discourage... or banish from the garden altogether!

When thinking about insects in the garden, it also helps to look at the big picture. Nature has a well-functioning system of checks and balances when it comes to insects and other wildlife.

When a plant is stressed or weak, insects like aphids are attracted to it. That’s one example of nature culling out the plants that shouldn’t be there, like vegetables that are still hanging around way past their season.

BUGS IN THE GARDEN, 18 page 17

How to Identify an Insect • After taking down some details, go to insectidentification.org, bugguide. net, bugfacts.net or check insect guides • How many legs does it have? If it has six, it’s most likely an insect. If it has eight, it’s most likely a spider • Does it have wings and if so, how many does it have and what do they look like?

• What is its primary color and secondary color?

• Does it have noticeable antennae?

• What kind of mouth part does it have?

• What time of day is it usually most active?

• What is its main food source?

BUGS IN THE GARDEN, from pg. 17 If aphids are on a plant you want to keep, figure out what’s stressing it, fix that issue and then focus on removing the aphids in the most natural way.

Good news: there are plenty of beneficial insects that just love consuming aphids, such as ladybugs, green lacewings, hover flies, praying mantids and braconid wasps. If you’d like them to take care of the aphids, just let the aphid population build up. Your helpers will find them.

You can also wash the aphids off with a strong stream of water or spray them with garlic, pepper tea or seaweed.

Another common garden pest is the leaf-footed bug, which looks like an elongated stink bug. One distinguishing characteristic is the hind legs that are flattened like a leaf, inspiring the name. Adults and nymphs suck the juices from leaves, shoots, fruits, buds and seeds of many different plants. Not picky eaters, are they? Some good natural controls are birds, snakes, lizards, parasitic flies, assassin bugs, wolf spiders and frogs.

Encourage beneficial critters

One of the very best books for learning more about Texas insects is the “Texas Bug Book” by Howard Garrett and Malcolm Beck.

It has photographs of insects in different life stages and lists organic methods of dealing with harmful insects. There are other resources that offer earth-friendly ways of handling garden pests as well, such as online sites, garden clubs, extension offices and nurseries.

Don’t let a few bad guys take all the joy out of gardening. Get out in the garden and find out what’s ‘bugging’ you!’

like those in your yard and garden by using organic products and practices and also installing plants that attract them, such as wildflowers, herbs, native trees and shrubs.

Then there’s the ‘dratted’ cucumber beetle. It almost looks like a ladybug but it most definitely isn’t one. It’s a small, greenish yellow beetle with black spots or stripes on its back. Unfortunately, cucumber beetles love all the plants we love: beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peas, squash, tomatoes and more. While it’s annoying enough that they

chew holes in leaves and flowers, they also transmit diseases like bacterial wilt and cucumber mosaic to plants. Tachinid flies, soldier beetles, toads and assassin bugs are their natural predators. Since its larval form is the southern corn rootworm, beneficial nematodes are helpful. Using row cover to protect plants, sticky traps, delayed planting and garlic, pepper, seaweed spray has also yielded good results.

Any questions? Send an email to reidsnursery@gmail. com or call us at (512) 3986011. Enjoy your garden!

The vision of the Downtown Buda Farmers Market is to provide local residents and businesses of the community with the freshest, highest quality, most nutritious, and most reasonably priced local produce and goods.

Farmers Market is Saturdays, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in downtown Buda across from Garcia’s restaurant and Tuesdays, 4-7 p.m. at Gray Gardens, 767 Main Street

WWW.

BUDAFARMERSMARKET.COM

page 18 u april | 2015

Central Texas Festivals & Events February 9-July 3 San Marcos - Armadillo Rising: Austin’s Music Scene in the 1970s

Showcasing the vibrant and eclectic Texas Music archives at the Wittliff Collections, this exhibition presents handwritten lyrics, photographs and memorabilia from musical icons such as Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, the Armadillo World Headquarters and Austin City Limits. The Wittliff Collections, Alkek Library, 601 University Drive. www. thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu 512-245-2313

May 2 Boerne - Hauptstrasse Quiltfest

Enjoy a great spring Saturday in Boerne with colorful quilts on display, live music, special exhibits, presentations and more.

May 2 Hays County Foodstock

May 2 Kyle - Concerts for a Cause

Down South Railhouse in Kyle will host this season’s Concerts for a Cause. May’s concert will feature music by Floodgage and Heather Bishop and benefit ECI Homespun. Concerts for a Cause is a way to raise awareness of and raise money for some of the Hays County local charities that work to make this “simply charming” county an even better place to live.

January 12-July 3 San Marcos - Homegrown: Austin Music Posters, 1967 to 1982 Poster artists in the late 1960s, ’70s and ’80s visually evoked the sound and defined the culture of Austin just as the city was establishing itself as one of the most vital music scenes in the country. More than 125 vintage pieces from the Wittliff Collections’ poster archives document this history and testify to Texas artists’ mastery of the poster form using hand drawings and creative print techniques. The Wittliff Collections at Alkek Library. www. thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu, 512-245-2313

CALENDAR, 20

May 2 Wimberley Market Days

Stroll along a shaded path to more than 475 booths filled with a wide variety of arts, crafts, antiques, gift items, clothing and more. Also enjoy barbecue and treats with live music under the pavilion. Lions Field, 601 F.M. 2325. www.shopmarketdays. com 512-847-2201

May 2 Martindale - Viva! Cinco de Mayo

This Cinco de Mayo celebration and state menudo cook-off will be held in downtown Martindale.

Enjoy music, food, baile folklorico performances and more.

A SUMMER

WELL SPENT Spend LESS to get MORE college credits this summer.

Take classes for 74% less than other area colleges!

January 12-May 5 San Marcos - The Face of Texas

Michael O’Brien celebrates the individuality and independent spirit of Texans in this series of 48 portraits. Each is accompanied by a narrative about the person by writer and former Life reporter Elizabeth O’Brien. The Wittliff Collections, Alkek Library. www. thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu 512-245-2313

FOODSTOCK is a celebration of Hays County and all that makes it great: music, art, food, the river, and coming together as a community to help our neighbors in need. This free show and event happens two times a year on the San Marcos courthouse lawn on the first Saturdays in May and October. The event will run from 1-6 p.m. at the courthouse lawn in San Marcos.

May 2 Kyle - Hays Fiesta

Mariachi, ballet folklorico, live music and more at the Kyle City Square.

GET STARTED. austincc.edu/summer page 19

ACC_FY15_SumReg_HCEcho.indd 1

4/9/15 11:13 AM

May 2 Fredericksburg Art Auction

Galleries in Fredericksburg and Wyoming join forces for this annual fine art auction. Takes place at St. Mary’s Family Event Center in Fredericksburg.

May 9 Stone Valley Music Festival

May 15-16 Kerrville - Kerrfest

Features performances by Johnny Bush, Jake Penrod, Jesse Raub Jr., Genevieve Allen, Mary Sarah and the Melissa Brooke Band. Gates open at 10 a.m., and live music and dancing last until midnight.

Also enjoy food and games. Takes place at Stone Valley Music Park in Johnson City.

Includes pro-rodeo action, barbecue and chili cook-offs, live music, a street dance, children’s activities and vendors. Hours are 6 p.m.-midnight Friday and 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturday at the Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville.

May 9 Cibolo - Art in the Park

May 2-3 Stonewall - Lavender Festival

Celebrate everything lavender with vendors, cooking demonstrations, live music, guest speakers, wine tastings and tours, vintner luncheons and a dinner. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. At Becker Vineyard in Stonewall.

School-aged children and their grownups take part in an actionpacked program of creative expression inspired by nature. This annual event encourages kids to team up with adults to be creative in the performing and visual arts with make-and-take projects and hands-on activities. Professionals and students lead participants in music, painting, sculpture, and other arts and crafts. These experts also present live performances in theater, dance and storytelling at the Cibolo Nature Center and Farm.

May 9 Fredericksburg - Texas Flower Country Women’s 5K and 10K Run

Head to Niederwald for live bluegrass music and support your local farmers. Farmgrass is an official 501(c)3 nonprofit with the mission of promoting the mental and physical well-being of local, independent farmers. The event takes place at the Simmons Family Farm.

May 3 Fredericksburg - Maifest German Chorale Concert

Enjoy an evening of German song and Fredericksburg gemutlichkeit (hospitality). Takes place at St. Joseph’s Halle in Fredericksburg.

May 9 Kyle Market Days

This month Kyle Market Days will have a “Keeping it Kyle” theme.

Local vendors, arts & crafts, farm to market items, live music and more!

Takes place from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Historic City Square Park.

page 20 u april | 2015

Shop with more than 350 vendors or relax in the biergarten while listening to live music. Seven miles east of town off U.S. 290, 355 Sunday Farms Lane. www. fbgtradedays.com 210-846-4094

Run through fields of beautiful wildflowers and enjoy a post-race champagne brunch. Takes place at Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg.

Visit www.runintexas.com/flower for information.

May 9 Fredericksburg - Founders Day Celebration A wreath laying at the Marktplatz and special activities celebrate the founding of Fredericksburg.

May 9 Boerne - Second Saturday Art and Wine Enjoy complimentary beverages and hors d’oeuvres with fantastic art in local galleries throughout downtown Boerne.

May 9-10 Boerne - Market Days Hundreds of festive booths display everything from collectibles and nostalgia to modern innovations.

Also enjoy food and live entertainment. Downtown plaza, Boerne

The inaugural Saxfest will be held at the Performing Arts Center at Texas State University in San Marcos. The festival provides a unique learning opportunity for serious saxophonists to engage with masters in the field, including combo clinics, master classes, and concerts.

May 21 Gruene - Come and Taste It Meet Texas’ best winemakers the third Thursday of each month.

Enjoy complimentary wine and beer tastings, and learn directly from the craftsman. Live music and food samples complement the wines on Gruene Historic District’s Grapevine patio. Also live entertainment nightly at Texas’ Oldest Dancehall. 830-606-0093. www.GrapevineinGruene.com.

May 21-June 7 Kerrville Folk Festival

May 9 Cibolo - Art Waddle Neighborhood Art Walk Stroll, ride bikes and picnic along Cibolo Creek while browsing paintings, illustrations, jewelry, pottery, sculpture and more, hosted by neighbors in their yards in The Flats of Boerne. Works by more than 30 artists are for sale.

May 3 Farmgrass Fest

May 15-17 Fredericksburg Trade Days

May 18-21 San Marcos - Saxfest

May 15-17 San Marcos - Swing on the Square Formerly the Texas Natural and Western Swing Festival, this annual event features Western Swing acts and a variety of other styles of music that are the roots of western swing: including blues, 1940s jazz, big band and country. On the courthouse square in San Marcos.

May 16 San Marcos - Dick’s Classic Garage Car Show Bring your classic car to compete for prizes or just bring your friends and family to enjoy a good time.

Live music and food keep the party going. Dick’s Classic Car Garage, 120 Stagecoach Trail. www.dicksclassicgarage.com 512-878-2406

May 16-17 Old Gruene Market Days

This Texas Hill Country-based international music festival features more than 100 songwriters and their bands. Includes concerts, music workshops, arts and crafts, kids’ concerts, food and camping.

Visit www.kerrville-music.com for information.

May 22-24 Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival This festival dedicated to music, entertainment, food, beverages and fun is inspired by all things Cajun.

May 22-23 Johnson City Market Days Enjoy food, artisans and other vendors in the heart of Texas Wine Country on the fourth weekend of each month. Memorial Park, 109 E. Main St. www.johnsoncity-texas. com 830-868-7684

May 23-24 Fredericksburg - Pacific Combat Living History Program

Nearly 100 vendors offer uniquely crafted items and packaged Texas foods. Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Gruene Historic District, 1724 Hunter Road. www. gruenemarketdays.com 830-8321721

History comes to life with a World War II battle re-enactment including uniformed actors, guns, tanks and a flamethrower. Takes place at the National Museum of the Pacific War Pacific Combat Zone in Fredericksburg.

May 16-17 San Marcos - Dirt Dauber Festival

May 23-24 Kerrville Festival of the Arts

Features clay art demonstrations, refreshments, a kids’ clay play table and live music. At Eye of the Dog Art Center in San Marcos.

This juried fine arts show and sale features 100 artists in a variety of media, plus food, wine and music in historic downtown Kerrville.

Hearing Centers of Austin Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic, LLC

Hearing Aid & Audiological Services • Programming • Fittings • Cleaning & Repairs • Tubing Changes • Earmolds • Custom Ear Plugs • Hearing Protection • Assistive Listening Devices • Recasing • ‘Dry and Store’ Kits • Immittance Testing • Comprehensive Hearing Evaluations

• Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA) • Otoacoustic Emission Testing (OAE) • Video Nystagmography (VNG)

Two locations to serve you

Pediatric and adult care

Ear & Hearing

Location

512.268.5282

Thyroid and Parathyroid

Kyle

1180 Seton Parkway Suite 420 Kyle, TX 78660

Location

1005 W. San Antonio Suite A Lockhart, TX 78644

512.444.7944

KYLE (512) 268-5282 1180 Seton Parkway, Suite 420, Kyle, TX 78640

Ear, Nose and Throat Services • Chronic Ear Infectons • Ruptured Ear Drum • Hearing and Balance Evaluation • Tinnitus (Ringing in Ears) • Dizziness & Vertigo

Lockhart Amber Bass, Au.D, CCC-A

Austin Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic

Enjoy the Sounds of Life Again

• Ultrasound and Needle Biopsy • Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery

Allergy

• Testing for Pollen, Mold, Dust & Pet Allergens • Allergy Shots/Drops

Children’s ENT

• Ear Tube Placement • Tonsil & Adenoid Surgery • Minimally Invasive Sinus Surgery • Allergy Testing • Sublingual Therapy

Michael Yium, MD

Nose & Sinus

• Endoscopic Sinus Surgery • In-office Balloon Sinuplasty

Thomas Nowlin, MD

Throat, Head & Neck

• Sleep Apnea • Tonsil/Adenoid Surgery • Hoarseness Mark Dammert, MD

Visit us online at www.AustinENT.com

Your community.

Your newspaper.

Hays Free Press

Serving Kyle, Buda and surrounding communities since 1903

News-Dispatch

SERVING WESTERN HAYS COUNTY SINCE 1982

Subscribe today! 512.268.7862 page 21

Hays County Echo Service Directory AIR CONDITIONING A&E Air Conditioning & Heating $500 off complete system Free furnace special. Call for details.

512-312-9535 www.ae4cool.com

AIM A/C and Heating Service

Hays Technical Services

Who Does Your Lawn

Want help selecting the best value?

Office systems not maintained?

Did your kids or employees leave your computer useless? mike@haystech.com

Taking care of your lawn so you can play. Offering competitive pricing and superior service in Manchaca, Buda and Kyle areas since 2010. Mowing, trimming, edging, debris removal, flower bed maintenance. Call Jesse Reyna at (512) 788-2180 or email apa6207@sbcglobal.net.

CONCRETE WORK

Free estimates for replacements.

Service, sales, installs, duct cleaning.

Locally owned and operated.

Licensed, bonded, insured and registered 512-312-9080 www.AIM4AC.com

XEVEX Concrete Services

APC Service, LLC

ELECTRICAL SERVICE

Electrical, A/C, heating Commercial and residential.

Free service call with repair.

512-295-4023 www.APCServicePros.com tricoconst@austin.rr.com

NEMEC Heating and Air Proudly serving Central Texas Residential, commercial and after hours available. chris@nemecheatingandair.com 512-312-9081 512-789-5132

AUTOMOTIVE AMM Collision Center Three great locations!

Kyle: 21681 IH-35, 262-1013 Austin: 11740 Manchaca Rd., 292-1060 Dripping Springs: 3990 Hwy 290, 512-894-3888

Buda Automotive You know us... by our reputation!

Full service car & truck repair 601 S. Loop 4 in Buda 512-295-2832

Kyle Automotive

Free estimates! Bonded & insured.

Foundations, driveways, patios, repairs, staining, removal, Bobcat services.

512-312-4214 www.xevexllc.com

Keen Electrical Service Commercial, industrial, residential.

Licensed/insured, TECL #26308. J..

Craig Keen, owner/master electrician. keenzone7@att.net.

512-653-1125

GLASS SERVICE Berry Glass Company Commercial and Residential Contract glazing, storefronts, insulated glass, furniture tops, tempered glass and mirrors. Framed & frameless tub & shower enclosure.

5360 Industrial Way Dr., Buda, Tx 78610 512-312-2767

HOME REPAIR The Handyman Can No job too small - all your home improvement needs. Painting, pressure washing, fencing, electrical, flooring, landscaping, roofing, decks, tile and more. Call Jon at 512-496-1243.

Steel Horse Constructors

Serving Kyle and Hays County for nearly 20 years! Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

107 N. Main Street, Kyle, Tx 78640 512-268-1173 www.KyleAutomotive.com

Serving Hays County and surrounding areas. Painting, remodels, carpentry, trim work, special design and more.

Free estimate. References available.

Call Jim ‘Blu’ Cooke at 512-7812911 or steelhorseconstructors@ gmail.com.

COMPUTER SERVICE

LAWN SERVICES/LANDSCAPING

A Computer Werks

Ray & Sons Landscaping

Business, residential or commercial Adware, spyware, malware, installations. Service, software, hardware and custom builds. 512694-1746 www.acomputerwerks.com

page 22 u april | 2015

Residential and commercial landscaping and tree service including ball moss removal, cabling and professional tree pruning.

Insured. Call for free estimate, 512216-1455 or 512-400-8243.

LEGAL SERVICES John A. Hall

Attorney and Counselors At Law Business law, wills, trust, probate, family law, divorce, custody, consumer law, deceptive trade, property law, landlord-tenant law, personal, injury, DWI, criminal defense, debt defense, general civil litigation 130 Hall Professional Center Kyle, Texas. 512-268-6425

LOCKSMITH Buda Lock & Key

30 years service experience Automotive, residential and commercial. Serving Travis, Hays and Caldwell counties. 512-2952883. Toll Free 888-216-5625

Petunia’s Pets House Sitting

Dripping Springs & surrounding areas. Veterinary technician trained.

Multi-species. Honest, dependable & bilingual. Call or text 512-68-4058.

PLUMBING Prince Plumbing Company Residential repair, remodeling, water heaters, sewer maintenance, slab & gas leak repair. 20 years experience, family owned and operated.

512-312-0710

POOL SERVICE Splash Swimming Pool Service

Serving Hays County. Monthly pool contracts. Delivery of chemical & parts. Pool inspections. Repairs and more. 512-212-0440.

G&S Pool and Spa Service Serving South Austin, Dripping Springs, Driftwood, Kyle and Buda since 1994.

512-326-4695 www.gspoolspa.com

MASSAGE

REMODELING

Massage Therapy

Fox Tile Inc. and Remodel Servics

Professional Therapeutic Massage by Leslie Navarro in Driftwood near the Salt Lick. Chair or table (20 minute minimums). Great rates. Call for an appointment 512-468-4058.

PAINTING

Flooring and remodel business since 1992. Kitchen and bathrooms, full renovation. 829 Arroyo Ranch Rd., Kyle, TX 78640. www.FoxTileInc.com, 512-844-0199

Chuck’s Painting and Remodeling

Tri-County Construction

Interior/exterior painting and repairs.

References and reasonable rates.

512-944-2910

Let us make your dreams a reality!

Specializing in custom remodeling and insurance repairs since 1984.

Fully insured. 512-282-6224

PET SITTING

Wild West Remodeling

Carver’s Critter Sitter

In-home pet sitting for small and large critters. Experience with many, will work with any. Insured, will also do house sitting. Call Suzanne at 512773-5592, www.ccsittertx.com

A Purrfect Fit House and Pet Sitting

Pets cared for, plants watered and sang to, mail and packages brought in, lights rotated so house appears occupied. Overnight or drop-in visits (includes walks). Call Mary at 512420-3243, pups_cats@hotmail.com

No job too small or too big!

Kitchen/bath remodels, painting, tile, siding, decks, trim, door & window replacements, drywall repair, electrical and plumbing.

Curtis Dorsett, 512-402-4704

ROOFING Area Roofing Company Serving Hays County Residential & Commercial Free estimates. Insurance claims welcome.

Ron Johnson, owner 512-312-5050

ROOFING Cont.

Sellman Enterprises, Inc.

Krueger Roofing Company

Septic plumbing, cleaning, repairs Commercial & Residential Serving the Hays Metro area, including Travis, Blanco, Bastrop, Williamson & surrounding counties.

512-312-0002 www.SellmanSepticServices.com

Serving Central Texas for over 35 years. References available upon request. (512) 658-7177

SEPTIC SERVICES All American Wastewater Solutions, LLC

TREE SERVICES

Septic problems... Let us help!

Locally serving our community since 1982. Septic repair and installation specialist, septic tank pumping and servicing, aerobic system servicing and more. Commercial and residential. www.allsepticcheck.com, 512-282-3889.

Residential and commercial.

Professional tree pruning, cabling, cavity filling, landscaping, ball moss removal, construction, repair. Member of National Arbonist Association, International Society of Arboriculture. Call for a free estimate, 512-221-6716

Gil’s Tree Service

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

FARMERS® Debbie Thames Insurance Agency AUTO • HOME • LIFE BOAT • HEALTH 251 N. FM 1626 #2C • Buda, TX 78610 Office: (512) 312-1917 • Fax: 312-0688 Email: dvthames@austin.rr.com Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm Your Business & Referrals Are Appreciated

4 FREE Bottles & First Month Cooler Rental FREE! • 5 & 3 Gal. Bottles • Coolers • .5 Liter Bottles • R/O Filtration • Private Label Avail.

• Drinking • Spring Water • Purified Water • Hot & Cold • Room Temp & Cold

Every Drop of Hill Country Springs water comes from a protected Spring Source, NOT filtered municipal Water!

CALL NOW FOR YOUR HOME AND OFFICE DELIVERY NEEDS (Present this ad to your routeman for special.)

866-691-2369 Sudoku solution, from pg. 12

Family Owned and Operated.

Friendly Hometown Service, Serving Texans!

Share local events with us on the News-Dispatch Events Calendar.

It’s free to non-profit organizations. We reserve the right to edit or limit calendar entries. www.HaysNewsDispatch.com

No Job Too Small

all your home improvement needs fully insured • complete home renovations

flooring, painting, pressure washing, tile, landscaping decks, carpentry and more

jonathon_micky@yahoo.com

Jonathon Greenberg, Owner member of the Chamber of Commerce

jonthehandyman.com page 23

E

Canyon Lake with breathtaking views of the hill country. Lots of great building sites with big shady trees and THOSE VIEWS! Approximately 9 acres.

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HOT HOT HOT South Austin.

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 dining areas single story on cul-de-sac lot.

Granite Kitchens, hard tile and wood laminate flooring.

Dripping Springs, large home with 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms on FIVE acres! Rainwater collection, RV hookups and A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. views!

West Kyle. Super clean large floor plan with TONS OF STORAGE! Master bedroom downstairs and giant game room PLUS three bedrooms upstairs.

Visit our website for more information and a complete list of homes for sale.

CALL MARC GOEBLER TODAY!

PROSPER (512) 587-1404 PROPERTIES

REALTY SERVICES

Coming Soon West Buda on ½ acre lot! 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, remodeled and updated!

Buda Elementary, Dahlstrom Middle, Jack C. Hays High School. $200,000.

Custom home in West Buda on 1/3 acre lot. Wood floors, very nice deck in back yard with big shady trees in front and back. 3/2 custom home.

Elm Grove Elm, Dahlstrom Middle, Hays High.

23 + acres in East Buda. Adjacent to Shadow Creek Subdivision.

Custom home in West Buda, over 1/3 acre, huge shady oak trees.

Approximately 2400sqft single story with detached garage apartment.

Gorgeous home and GREAT area.

Elm Grove Elm, Dahlstrom Middle, Hays High.

204 S Main St. • Buda, TX 78610

www.ProsperProps.com Located in Downtown Buda

Southeast Austin, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, completely remodeled home close to downtown!

West Buda on HALF ACRE LOT with SPARKLING POOL. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms custom home.

Remodeled and updated. Buda Elm, Dahlstrom Middle & Hays High.

West Kyle, 3300 sq ft single story home on nearly an acre with an amazing salt water swimming pool. Ultra upgraded and such a beautiful home!

page 24 u april | 2015

“Marc helped us build our first home and went above and beyond to help my family. Marc has since helped us locate a new home in our new neighborhood and will always be the first person I call when we are ready to move again. We love Marc! Thank you for all you have done for our family!!!” ~Candace

West Buda, 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with 3 living, 2 dining and a study! Masterfully landscaped back yard!

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