Hill Country Sun, January 2017

JANUARY 2017 Brenda Freed’s

Women Sing Group experiences joy of music in singing lessons

R

Hill Country Parks

by Suzy Moehring-Mallard

R Wimberley’s delightful

Kiss the Cook kitchen shop

R

Hill Country Wildlife

by CJ Wright

R The Hill Country’s most complete

Calendar of Events

Serving Austin, Bandera, Blanco, Buda, Bulverde, Burnet, Canyon Lake, Castroville, Comfort, Concan, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, Fredericksburg, Georgetown, Gruene, Henly, Hancock, Johnson City, Kerrville, Kyle, Lakeway, Llano, Leakey, Luckenbach, Marble Falls, Medina, New Braunfels, San Antonio, San Marcos, Sattler, Sisterdale, Stonewall, Wimberley, Utopia, Uvalde, Vanderpool & More

Find us on Facebook HillCountrySun

Suzy Moehring Mallard

Giant reed Arundo fought along Hill Country waterways

hill country PARKS

A

rundo donax, also known as giant reed or Carrizo cane, does not belong in Texas. But it’s here, and now a partnership of private and public conservation groups and individuals is greatly expanding efforts to stall this invasive plant that threatens to take over scenic Hill Country rivers. The Texas Legislature earmarked $6.3 million for 2016 and 2017 to control invasive aquatic species, an increase from $1.1 million in the previous two-year cycle.

You can put Arundo in the same category as fire ants, feral hogs, and Africanized bees -- this isn’t their native habitat.

Arundo’s giant canes are threatening to take over by altering the shape and flow of streams and rivers, causing erosion and flooding problems, and increasing wildfire risk. The giant reed is native to the Mediterranean area, but was introduced to the American Southwest in the 1800s as an ornamental plant.

Arundo’s dense, 30-foot tall reed thickets might look lush and green, but they choke out deep-rooted native vegeta-

tion that naturally anchors river banks. In a healthy river or stream, natural vegetation along the water’s edge absorbs water, dissipates stormwater energy, and reduces erosion. Arundo-infested areas are prone to bank undercutting and erosion, leading to reduced water quality. Arundo is also a “big drinker,” using up much more water than the diverse, native plant community it displaces.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and its partners are working with riverside landowners on the Blanco and Pedernales rivers to target Arundo infestations, and have already identified and treated more than 30 acres of Arundo.

The partnership, called Healthy Creeks Initiative, includes work by TPWD, 67 landowners along the Blanco River, 65 landowners along the Pedernales River, Hill Country Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, City of Fredericksburg, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, and Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership.

Biological monitoring by TPWD is

PAGE 2 JANUARY 2017 R HILL COUNTRY SUN

Hill Country SUN January 2017 Volume 27 • Number 7 ISSN: 1524-2315 Entire contents copyright © 2017 by TD Austin Lane, Inc. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the written consent of the publisher.

Julie Spell Harrington Publisher/Advertising 512-484-9716 julie@hillcountrysun.com Melissa Maxwell Ball Editor/Design 512-569-8212 melissa@hillcountrysun.com Colleen Brooks Suzy Moehring Mallard Laurel Robertson C.J. Wright Writers Gerry Burns Adelle Spell Distribution

“My blue eyed brother,” a winning photo at Texas State Youth Parks Art Contest.

Photo courtesy Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. also underway to study how Arundo management in the Hill Country impacts the shape of streams, streamside plant communities, aquatic life, and water quality and quantity. Hill Country riverside landowners or others who want more details on Arundo control options, including upcoming events or programs, may contact healthy.creeks@tpwd.texas.gov or call Ryan McGillicuddy (Blanco River) at 512552-3713 or Monica McGarrity (Pedernales River and tributaries) at 512-552-3465.

Blanco State Park featured in Youth Arts Contest winners Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Arts in the Parks program has announced the winners of the Texas State Parks Youth Arts Contest, and a 13-yearold from San Antonio is a winner in her age category, with her photo titled “My blue-eyed brother.” The photo shows a blue-eyed boy sitting above the waterfalls at Blanco State Park. TPWD will showcase the kids’ winning art pieces in a 2017 calendar and on the Arts in the Parks webpage, and the Blanco State Park photo will be the featured image in the calendar for the month of May. The Arts in the Parks program, which started in 2013, provides a creative outlet for kids to showcase the beauty of Texas State Parks through art, photography, writing, videography and music. The program has grown steadily over the last four years and more parks statewide are hosting art workshops year-round.

You can’t make this stuff up TPWD’s Game Warden Field Notes had some pretty rich stuff in it this month, kind of a “News of the Weird,” but with a hunting twist. None of these offenses happened in the Hill Country, but still.

Less Bragging, More Tagging

It’s just not smart when you have to mention to a game warden that the untagged deer he just found in the back of your truck is your second deer of the day.

Oh, and the guy had fraudulently gotten a free active-duty military hunting license.

Citations and warnings for two untagged deer, no hunter education certification, taking an illegal buck – and a trespassing investigation continues.

Playing Possum A game warden stopped to help when he saw a parked vehicle and a man wearing hunter orange laying face down in the woods. When the man sat up, he told the game warden he was hiding so people wouldn’t know where he was hunting.

Uh-oh, this guy was busted for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

On the Road Hunting When game wardens responded to a call about two men hunting from a vehicle on a county road, they found a couple of guys who confessed to renting a car in Tennessee and driving to Texas to hunt quail. And since they didn’t have a hunting lease – and of course no license -- they just drove around and shot quail from the road. A suitcase in the backseat of their rental car had 13 quail in it, and back at the motel game wardens found 100 quail packed in an ice chest. Lots of charges, lots of restitution.

But I Left a Deposit for the Deer When a landowner found a bloody, hairy bank deposit slip on a dirt road on their property, it didn’t take a game warden long to find the deposit slip’s owner – or the truck parked out front with blood on the tailgate. Or the bag of guts and eightpoint mule deer buck head in the bed of the truck. One of his charges was not having completed hunter education. I’ll say.

Kenzie, Julie & Luke Harrington

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

The Hill Country Sun is published monthly. For advertising rates or information, call Julie Harrington at 512-484-9716 (email julie@hillcountrysun.com).

Credit cards accepted.

• Circulation: 22,000. Distributed monthly to more than 450 popular Hill Country locations (see list of towns on front cover) and home delivered to all 5,276 Wimberley homes and 8,663 Dripping Springs homes by the US Postal Service.

• Cover: Dark eyed Junco in Burning Bush. Photo© Paul Sparks | Dreamstime.com Deadline for calendar events is the 15th of each month.

Email events/releases to melissa@hillcountrysun.com. hillcountrysun.com facebook.com/HillCountrySun

INDEX

HENLY

Texas Hill Country Locator Map

© 2017 by TD Austin Lane, Inc.

Austin J5 Bandera B10 Bergheim D9 Bertram I2 Blanco F6 Boerne D9 Buchanan Dam F2 Buda J7 Bulverde G10 Burnet G2 Camp Verde B8 Canyon Lake G9 Castroville C12 Center Point B8 Clear Springs H11 Comfort C8 Concan A11 Driftwood H7 Dripping Springs H6 Fischer G8 Fredericksburg C5 Georgetown K2 Granite Shoals G2 Gruene H10 Hancock G8 Helotes G6 Henly G6 Highland Lakes F2/3 Hondo B13 Hunt A7 Hye E6 Ingram B7 Johnson City F5 Kendalia F8 Kerrville B7 Kingsland F2 Kyle I8 Lampasas G1 Leakey A9 Llano D2 Liberty Hill I12 Luckenbach D6 Luling K10 Marble Falls G3 Martindale J9 Mason B2 Medina A9 New Braunfels H10 Oak Hill I6 Oatmeal H2 Pipe Creek C10 Round Rock K3 San Antonio F12 San Marcos I9 Sattler H9 Seguin I11 Sisterdale D8 Spring Branch F9 Startzville G9 Stonewall D6 Utopia A10 Vanderpool A9 Wimberley H8

Thinking about a Reverse Mortgage?

I’ve been working with great people just like you for over 25 years!!

Robert Wade, CPA, CEO NMLS #268922

Call (512) 288-7777

Email: RWade7777@aol.com www.ReverseFacts.org We work to obtain the highest proceeds for you at the lowest rates and margins.

• Reverse Mortgages may now be used to purchase a home in Texas.

• Tax free funds will not affect Social Security • You continue to own your home.

Texas Reverse Mortgage, Inc., NMLS 1101278 290 Trailmaster Cir, Driftwood, TX 78619

HILL COUNTRY SUN R JANUARY 2017 PAGE 3

Frio/SABINAL RIVER VALLEY

River Rim Resort

Warning...Experiencing Experiencing on the FrioFrio could become Warning... theFall beauty of the could becomehabit habitforming forming

Find Us on

at River Rim Resort on the Frio

Cabins & RV Sites • www.RiverRimResort.com

(830) 232-5758 • 1204 CR 350 • PO Box 72 • Concan, TX 78838

830-966-2320 • friolodging.com

FoxFire Cabins ON THE SABINAL RIVER

Charming go-to shop for cooks in Wimberley

WIMBERLEY

KISS THE COOK, from page 4

EAGLE MOUNTAIN FLAGS • Flags & Flagpoles • Patriotic Gifts • Knives & Cutlery

B

By Colleen Brooks

ren Isgitt and Janet Galloway opened Kiss the Cook in Wimberley in September 2001, having moved the store from Abilene, Texas. Today, Bren solely owns and operates this Wimberley treasure that offers everything you need to feel inspired to cook!

Recently celebrating its 15th year, Kiss the Cook carries high-quality products with a focus on Made in the USA brands.

Some of those brands include All-Clad, Lodge, USA Pan, Nordicware and Wellness Mat. It’s a great place to find colorful linens, cookware, bakeware, and all the tools, gadgets, and unique kitchen accessories that will have you wondering how you ever lived without them.

Also in stock are higher quality imports, like Wusthof cutlery, Swiss Diamond non-stick cookware and Polish Pottery dinnerware.

You can find teak cutting boards, storage solutions, measuring tools and whisks of all shapes and sizes, cookbooks, decorative placemats, napkins, aprons, and kitchen towels. Plus, bar accessories, drinkware, barbecue tools, pizza accessories, kitchen thermometers, bread pans and cookie sheets, in addition to gourmet coffee beans and a selection of Republic of Tea. “We try to provide high-quality products tested and endorsed by Cooks Illustrated, choosing to buy USA products as much as possible,” explains Bren.

Kiss the Cook is located on the Square in a quaint building, formerly a home built and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Egger. Mrs. Egger was the third telephone operator for Wimberley, operating a magneto switchboard for the central office from her home.

Bren credits retired architect, Arlan Conner, with transforming the beautiful old house into the open and airy space it is today. She recalls their grand opening.

“Dody Spencer was the first customer be-

333 FM 2325 • Wimberley, Texas www.EMFlag.com Mon-Thurs 9 am-5 pm • Friday 9 am-3 pm

512-847-0010 • 800-385-5605 “Best Vintage Find” Southern Accents • “Where to Buy” London Financial Times 2006

The

Bren Isgitt. Photo courtesy Lauren Clark Photography. fore the doors were even unlocked. She came in wanting to know what we were all about, because she loved to cook.”

The shop’s opening weekend fell on Market Day in October, and they could barely keep up with the customers. Bren adds, “We were totally overwhelmed with the incredible support of the community. We have so many cooking aficionados in Wimberley who came and supported us.”

Since then, Bren has expanded Kiss the Cook to include an online shop and a bridal registry. With so many Hill Country wedding venues in the area, she feels this as an invaluable resource to help get a bride outfitted with the essentials she needs to be able to cook with her husband and eventually, their family.

“Starting a kitchen from the ground See KISS THE COOK, page 5

up requires the foundation of good cookware and knives. After that, it’s a matter of accompanying tools and small appliances that fit your lifestyle,” she explains.

A suggested kitchen essentials list can be found on the web site, where you can also purchase gift cards and unique Texas gifts. If you are looking for cooking inspiration, check out the recipe blog.

Open 7 days a week, Kiss The Cook is blessed with friendly, knowledgeable employees: Marcy Boyd, Jan Harter and Janie Reynolds. Each enjoys meeting the customers and loves to share stories about cooking and to tout the great things about Wimberley.

Bren feels community support is the reason for the store’s success. She smiles,

O

Wild West Store

Kiss the Cook, located on the Square in Wimberley. Photo courtesy Lauren Clark Photography.

HUNDREDS OF VINTAGE COWBOY BOOTS •Buy! Sell! Trade!

Decorative aprons and pot holders at Kiss the Cook on the WImberley Square. Photo courtesy Lauren Clark Photography.

“Living and working in Wimberley has been the greatest blessing. The relationships that we have enjoyed with our customers mean everything.”

FYI • Kiss the Cook is located on the square and open 7 days a week. Follow them on Facebook at “Kiss The Cook Wimberley” or call 512-847-1553. To shop the Texas Shop online or to learn more about the gift registry, visit the web site at www.kissthecookwimberley.com.

“The Boot Whisperer”

as seen on BBC World News July 2013

Just off the Wimberley Square Olde Towne Plaza - 13709 RR 12

512-847-1219 www.koolboots.com

“Go for a consultation with the Boot Whisperer, who reads feet like a psychic reads palms.” Texas Monthly, August 2010 Open by appointment. Please call in advance 512-293-4890.

To Advertise, email julie@hillcountrysun.com

Get a fresh new look inside & out!

We can help! Give us a call today to schedule your free estimate.

A Distinctive collection of Fine Art in the Hill Country

Year-Round

Log Cabin & Vacation Home Rentals

Bringing out the best!

in Vanderpool

Professional, Quality Painting • Great References • Friendly Service Exterior Painting H Interior Painting H Restoration Staining H Decks H Carpentry H Drywall Repair

info@foxfirecabins.com 830-966-2200 • 877-966-8200

www.FoxFireCabins.com

PAGE 4 4 AUGUST JANUARY2016 2017RRHILL HILLCOUNTRY COUNTRYSUN SUN PAGE

34+ Years Experience

LOCAL • PROFESSIONAL

512-360-7062

Unique tools and gadgets at Kiss the Cook. Photo courtesy Lauren Clark Photography.

BallBrothersPainting.com

David Schwindt Devil’s Waterhole ‘Inks Lake’ 14” x 18,” Oil

512-847-7278

TheArtGalleryAtWimberley.net

On the Square at 100 Oak Dr, Suite 200 • Wimberley (Across from Kiss the Cook) TERRY GRISHAM, DIRECTOR

HILL COUNTRY SUN R JANUARY 2017 PAGE 5

Group shares joy of music, learns to sing hey thought they couldn’t sing.

Some had been told by a teacher to “just mouth the words” during the class performance. Some had been laughed at when they hit a wrong note.

Some had just never used their singing voices enough to feel comfortable with them.

Now they sing loudly and proudly – occasionally in front of audiences – as part of the Women Sing group. Participants come from Blanco, Johnson City, Dripping Springs, Wimberley and even farther afield.

“If you can talk, you can sing,” contends Brenda Freed, music therapist/ teacher/performer, who has been helping the members of Women Sing discover their voices for over three years now. She teaches them the breath control, body posture and mouth positions that make singing effortless and easy, she claims.

Watching people awaken to the joys of singing is a reward in itself for Brenda.

“I LOVE doing that!” she gushes. Singing, she says, especially in groups, has benefits that far exceed the simple act of raising voices together in song.

Neuroscience research shows that singing fires the right temporal lobe of the brain, releasing endorphins that makes people smarter, healthier, happier and

more creative. Singing with other people amplifies those effects, researchers say.

Brenda agrees. Her training in music therapy and a lifetime of experience has shown her that singing (especially in groups) has benefits that range from clearing the sinuses to engendering states of pure joy.

“Singing is the most uplifting and therapeutic thing we can do for ourselves,” she claims, noting that it improves posture, relaxes and balances the body, increases self-confidence and selfesteem, relieves feelings of loneliness and bonds a group together. “Singing together builds a communal feeling – the singers’ heartbeats all synchronize.,” she says with awe. “That’s such a high!”

And you don’t have to be particularly good at singing to reap the benefits, she adds. While her students’ singing abilities definitely improve, for Brenda it’s the non-musical benefits that bring the most satisfaction.

In her years of experience as a musical therapist, she’s seen miracles happen from the touch of music – from seeing a withdrawn teenager straighten her shoulders and walk with an air of self-confidence, to watching a small child wake from a coma to hear the Kermit puppet Brenda was animating with song.

When they first joined, each member

DRIPPING SPRINGS

FULL TIME in DRIPPING SPRINGS! Modern Orthodontics from Friendly People.

Mark A Thompson DDS MS Specialist in Orthodontics

512-858-2916 • dsbraces.com

Corner of Ranch Road 12 @ Highway 290 West

Brenda teaches Women Sing members the breath control, body posture and mouth positions that make singing effortless and easy, she claims. Photo courtesy Brenda Freed.

Music therapist, teacher and perfomer Brenda Freed leads a Women Sing group at her music studio in Blanco. Participants come from Blanco, Johnson City, Dripping Springs, Wimberley and even farther afield. Photo courtesy Brenda Freed. of Women Sing fit Brenda’s profile audience: those who were told they can’t sing, those who don’t think they can sing, those who want to improve their singing abilities, and those who want to feel more confident about their singing in general.

At weekly sessions in Brenda’s small

Denture

Shop

Dentures & General Dentistry for Less

Need Dentures?

No Insurance?

No Problem!

Call now to schedule a free consultation!

Carly C. Cunningham, D.D.S., M.S. 512-858-1311 • Next to Dripping Springs High School 131 Benney Lane, Suite A • Dripping Springs

www.CunninghamOrthodontics.com PAGE 6 JANUARY 2017 R HILL COUNTRY SUN

Dr. Joni Avery & Associates 290 at Bell Springs Road Dripping Springs, Texas Toll Free

855-858-2250

mydentureshop.com

music studio in Blanco, they learn to shape their mouths with a “smile lip pucker lift” and breathe deeply from their abdomens with a “belly breath.” Then Brenda encourages them to open their mouths wide, sing loudly and with joy.

She likes to come up with fun ways to convey singing techniques – like using “kitty cat” voices for high registers and simulating sirens for sliding notes changes. “We don’t accept any negativity in the group - fun is the most important ingredient!” Brenda vows.

Because singing can be a personal, self-conscious experience, the group needs to be a safe and supportive environment for all its members. Brenda’s background in music therapy and counseling provides her skills to help students work through their issues while discovering and strengthening their voice.

At one time or another, she figures, each person in the group has burst into tears during a song. The group continues with the song, offering the person support, while allowing them to fully experience their emotions.

When longtime member, Bebin Cypher, first came to Women Sing, she was convinced (like many of her fellow singers) that she had a bad voice. “I discovered that I just didn’t know how to use it,” she explains. Learning to sing changed her life, Bebin claims – she now enjoys singing with her family and friends and with other Women Sing members, who often get together outside class.

During the Christmas holiday, Women Sing performed onstage at the Redbud Café in Blanco during a concert with Him & Her — Brenda and her husband, Michael D’Eath, who sing together professionally. In addition to leading Women Sing, Brenda teaches voice and instrument (guitar, piano, ukulele, violin, etc. ) at her See WOMEN SING, page 7

studio in Blanco. Through her Effortless Music Instruction web site, Brenda sells CDs of vocal instruction courses, to bring the joy of playing music and singing to people beyond her Blanco teaching studio.

FYI • Women Sing meets Tuesday evenings (Septem-

ber through May) at 6 pm in Brenda Freed’s music studio at 808 Main Street in Blanco. New participants are welcome; a $10 donation per person is suggested. For more information about Women Sing, or Brenda Freed’s music instruction, visit the web site at www.EffortlessMusicInstruction.com or find them on Facebook (EffortlessMusicInstruction).

Art in Public Places issues call to artists for new community project AUSTIN H Artists interested in being considered for a public art commission for the City of Austin must apply through PublicArtist.org. All professional artists, with a consistent body of work in any visual art media, are eligible to apply.

Art in Public Places (AIPP) seeks to commission a professional artist, or artist team, to create artwork for a new combined Fire and EMS Station that will serve the Onion Creek area. The project has a total budget of $90,000, and is open to visual artists who live or work in Austin and neighboring Travis, Williamson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Burnet and Blanco counties. The application deadline is 5 pm, Thursday, February 16.

FYI • For more information, email Kathleen.Stimpert@austintexas.gov or call 512-974-7875. To find complete details and to apply, visit the web site at austintexas.gov/department/aipp-opportunities.

Jams, Jellies, Dips, Gourmet Foods, Gifts & Warm Friendly Smiles SAMPLE OUR

Texas Pride JalaPeno MusTard Peach salsa Peach aMareTTo & Pecan JaM JalaPeno Jelly Hwy. 290, 7 miles west of Dripping Springs Convenient to Austin, Fredericksburg & San Antonio

Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm

www.newcanaanfarms.com

800-727-5267

Windows With Style Blinds • Shutters Shades • Drapery Hardware • Bedding

FREE

Hidden Tilt on All Shutters

512-900-2354

DSBlindsAndDrapery.com Serving Dripping Springs & surrounding areas for over 13 years

Pottery • Drapery Hardware • Toys

Designer Fabrics at Discount Prices

• Fabric • Trim • Pillows • Body Care • Furniture • More Fabric

Life.Changing

DRIPPING SPRINGS

Books • Artwork • Candles • More Fabric • Sofas • Furniture •

T

By Laurel Robertson

WOMEN SING, from page 6

Tremendous Savings Off Suggested Retail Every Day! • Custom Furniture • Designer Fabrics • Decorative Trims • Unique Gifts • Accessories • Toys Let Our Design Staff Assist You with Custom Draperies, Bedding, Baby Bedding, & In-Home Design Service.

All at the best prices!

Like Us On

Trail Head Market • Hwy 290 West • Dripping Springs 512-894-0350 • 800-982-7424 Mon-Sat 10-6 • Sun 12-5

cowgirlsandlace.com

20% OFF ALL RUGS IN JANUARY! HILL COUNTRY SUN R JANUARY 2017 PAGE 7

C.J. Wright hill country Wildlife

T

he land is cool now. Summer reluctantly relinquished its hold, leaving in its wake dry leaves. Following late frosts, and for a time all too fleeting, fall colors warmed the remaining foliage As I write, it’s December and plants have gone dormant with the latest cold snap. With most trees and shrubs barren, the woods grow dark.

A large eight-point buck, his head held high, steps purposefully just within the tree line as he tracks a doe. He’s well fed, for the acorns were plentiful this year. Elsewhere, four nervous turkey hens slip into view and briefly feed on seeds before disappearing into the brush. Meanwhile, squirrels attack bird feeders, bold in their pursuit.

Wintering birds were slow to make their presence known with only a few sighted in late October. Now, having plucked all of the beautyberries, Whitethroated Sparrows scratch for dropped seeds among the leaves beneath the feeders.

A flock of Dark-eyed Juncos flies in to jockey for positions on platform feeders and ground. Among the branches of a white pine, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet flits, searching for insects and spiders, while a Red-breasted Nuthatch dives in to snatch a seed before returning to an ironwood tree.

Red-breasted Nuthatches (for there are two) are fun birds to watch, especially over a half hour or so period as they

vary their routes to feeders. It’s their broad, short wings that contribute to the impression, but rather than fly, they appear to zoom into a feeder like a rocket fired at a target—in this case, one of several feeders.

One plucks a seed and sails to a tree notch, there to hammer the sunflower shell with his long, sharp bill till he reaches the nut inside. Next he scurries quickly across the trunk, sometimes in a downward position, then disappears behind the tree, maybe searching out small insects

DRIPPING SPRINGS

Feeding, counting and watching for arrival of birds in the new year hidden in the furrows of bark. After a brief absence, he’s back in launch position, his head a striking pattern of black cap and eye stripe with a white band between.

Small at three and one-half inches, his blue-gray back contrasts nicely with his rich rusty breast.

He fires back to the platform feeder, but this time zooms in beneath, then lands atop it. Having found a seed, he zips forward to an oak tree.

After a while he’s back, this time to the birdbath and then a quick flit up to a suet feeder where he scarfs up a few mouthfuls before vanishing among the beautyberry bushes. A smart and very busy bird.

In fall the nuthatches’ long string of yank-yank calls were often heard as they busily flitted through the trees, but now they, along with most of the bird population, have grown quiet save for the sounds of soft chip notes.

Red-breasted Nuthatches live year round in northern coniferous woods and western mountains.

However, in winter some but not all expand their territory south. In years when cone production in northern forests are poor, they are irruptive, traveling south in greater than usual numbers— sometimes well into south Texas.

While observing the nuthatch, a tiny Winter Wren gifts me with a surprise visit.

Its tail erect, making it appear all the smaller, it scurries across the deck, stopping almost imperceptibly to snap up an insect before descending to the birdbath.

Though the winter population of birds grows, no Hermit Thrush has yet been seen or heard as of early December— another indication that the weather’s slow transition into fall may have delayed migration.

Not only birds but many monarch butterflies lingered in northern climes where temperatures remained warmer than normal and nectaring plants still blossomed.

Some butterflies were observed as far north as Canada in the latter part of November. (Typically, most monarchs reach their wintering grounds in Mexico in time for Dìa de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, which is observed throughout Latin America on November 1.)

While butterflies sighted in Texas in November likely survived their migration to Mexico, those lingering in Canada by all indications did not.

The catastrophic winter storm that struck the monarch sanctuaries in Mexico last March 8th froze trees; its winds ripped many from the forest floor. The unusual storm killed millions of monarch butterflies. With forest already damaged by ille-

gal logging, the storm further thinned the monarch sanctuaries of trees.

Weather also played a significant part in last year’s Christmas Bird Count (CBC).

Just as birders now gear up for the 2016 count, the results of last year’s CBC have been made public.

As storms bashed the Pacific Northwest Coast last year, they prevented CBC participants from affectively conducting their counts. Meanwhile, the opposite was true in most of the rest of the country.

There, spring-like weather made finding birds difficult because they were dispersed rather than concentrated in areas where birders expected to find them.

The mild weather also made migrating species late to arrive in the southern regions, especially those typically found in wetlands. They remained north as did winter finches.

Despite a record-setting number of observers participating in the 2015 CBC, the birds counted—just under 59 million—were about 10 million fewer birds than in an average season.

This count included 2,607 species, about one-quarter of the world’s known avifauna. Topping the list for Canada and the United States, Matagorda County— Mad Island Marsh, Texas—tallied 239 species. Yanayacu, Ecuador in the neotropics topped the entire list with 509 species.

Although the low total count number might be of concern, the report considers the mild weather the significant factor because birds were dispersed and absent from the prescribed Christmas Bird Count circles.

But also of note during the 2015 year, the Northeast enjoyed a record warm spell in March then suffered a hard freeze in April which affected production of wild food crops, possibly impacting the birds’ breeding season and perhaps count numbers.

With consideration for the impact climate change is having on bird populations (not to mention monarch butterflies and other vulnerable species), Audubon has launched a new citizen science program that will test whether species are changing their range over time.

It has evolved from Audubon’s 2014 Birds and Climate Change study. Known as January Climate Watch, this program will soon enter its second winter season.

Both the CBC and Climate Watch will be critical in tracking the future of birds in the Americas.

As we feed, count and watch for birds to arrive this new year, the words of Emily Dickinson come to mind: “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops—at all.”

To Advertise, EMAIL

julie@hillcountrysun.com PAGE 8 JANUARY 2017 R HILL COUNTRY SUN

NOTE: Dates or locations for the events listed in the Calendar may change. Some require admission fees or reservations.

Please call ahead to confirm information.

EVERY DAY GRUENE: Live music at Gruene Hall. Free music shows Monday through Thursday nights, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. gruenehall.com.

EVERY SUNDAY BEE CAVE: Thundering Paws Pet Adoption Event. Noon to 4 pm at PetSmart, 512-4029725.

SECOND SUNDAY BANDERA: Cowboy Camp. Live cowboy music at Frontier Times Museum. Free. 1 pm to 5 pm. 830-328-0321.

JOHNSON CITY: Taste Wine + Art. Kirchman Gallery. 830-868-9290.

FIFTH SUNDAY DRIFTWOOD: United Methodist Church Bluegrass Gospel Sing-along Service. 11 am.

512-944-6300.

EVERY MONDAY CANYON LAKE: Seniors Bingo. 12:30 pm at Habitat for Safe Seniors, 2174 Old Road, Startzville. 830-899-2256.

CYPRESS MILL: The Bunkhouse Gang at Wenmohs Ranch. Paint and enjoy fellowship of artists. 830-825-3465.

EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY DRIPPING SPRINGS: Vinyasa at the Vineyard. Yoga at Hawk’s Shadow Winery, 9 am to 10 am. hawksshadow.com, 832-9780162.

EVERY TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WIMBERLEY: Glass blowing demonstrations at Wimberley Glassworks. wgw.com, 512-213-2110.

EVERY TUESDAY SAN MARCOS: Community Bible Study

(Interdenominational). Tuesdays through May 9. 6:30 pm to 8 pm. “Red Sea to the Jordan River.” Classes for men, women and couples. First Christian Church, 3105 Ranch Road 12. 512-808-9156.

FIRST TUESDAYS BANDERA: Cowboy Capital Opry. Silver Sage Senior Center. 830-796-4969.

WIMBERLEY: Hill Country Community Band Rehearsal. Chapel in the Hills. 7 pm to 8:30 pm. 512-517-3111.

SECOND TUESDAYS WIMBERLEY: Art Society of Wimberley (ASW). 6:30 pm. Art Room, 100 Melody Way, Suite H. Email msalaun@austin.rr.com for information.

THIRD TUESDAYS NEW BRAUNFELS: Country Music.

Knights of Columbus. 830-629-4547.

LEANDER: Low Cost Pet Spay, Neuter, Vaccination. For more information, call 512260-3602, extension 101.

EVERY WEDNESDAY DRIPPING SPRINGS: Farmers Market. 3 pm to 7 pm at Highway 290, Ranch Road 12. cityofdrippingsprings.com.

NEW BRAUNFELS: Veteran Music Group at VFW Post 7110. 5 pm to 8 pm. Open to all veterans, all skill levels. Song writing, guitar, keyboard and more. VFW Post 7110, 600 Peace Avenue. Gary Walter at 512-4609919.

WIMBERLEY: Farmers’ Market. Senior Citizen’s Activity Center on Ranch Road 12. 512-264-1637.

WIMBERLEY: AARP Tax Preparation (February 1-April 12). Free tax prep by trained volunteers. Sign up for dates and times in person at the Wimberley Library. wimberleylibrary.org.

16th Annual

Vintner Dinner Series

HILL COUNTRY CALENDAR

Welcome to the Hill Country

Published by the Hill Country SUN

20,000 COPIES

Distributed in the Hill Country River Region to Leakey, Camp Wood, Concan, Utopia, Uvalde & Vanderpool, PLUS across the Hill Country— to Fredericksburg, Wimberley, Comfort, Bandera, Kerrville, Medina & Dripping Springs!

Delivered & restocked each month, giving your business about

YOUR GUIDE TO

Dining • Lodging • Events T hings to Do & More in Concan, Camp Wood, Leakey, Rio Frio, Utopia, Uvalde & Vanderpool

12 months of exposure all at one affordable rate!

For rates & information, contact Julie Harrington

512-484-9716

Welcome to the

Hill Country River Region

julie@hillcountrysun.com Join us for a five-course gourmet dinner prepared by our chef, Chris Huffman, and paired with wines from the Texas Hill Country.

January 14th • Stonehouse Vineyards Spicewood, Texas

January 21st • Kerrville Hills Winery Kerrville, Texas

January 28th • Texas Hills Vineyard Johnson City, Texas

February 4th • Singing Water Vineyards Comfort, Texas

February 11th • Westcave Cellars Winery Round Mountain, Texas

February 18th • Dry Comal Creek Winery New Braunfels, Texas

February 25th • Pontotoc Vineyards Fredericksburg, Texas

Blair House Inn BED & BREAKFAST

100 W Spoke Hill Dr • Wimberley, Tx 78676 (512) 847-1111 • (877) 549-5450

blairhouseinn.com HILL COUNTRY SUN R JANUARY 2017 PAGE 9

Hill country calendar

Hill country calendar SECOND WEDNESDAYS WIMBERLEY: Wimberley Garden Club meets at Lutheran Church of Resurrection.

101 West Spoke Hill. Meets September through May. Refreshments at 9:30 am; meetings and programs at 10 am.

WimberleyGardenClub.org.

THIRD WEDNESDAYS DRIPPING SPRINGS: Cook Off Club. 6:30 pm. VFW Hall. Email ryoncrew@yahoo. com for more information.

WIMBERLEY: The Herb Society of America Hill Country Unit Meeting (August through May). 9:45 am to noon at Wimberley Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, 956 Ranch Road 2325. HillCountryHerbs.org.

WIMBERLEY: Heart of Texas Genealogy Society meets at Wimberley Village Library.

6:30 pm to 7:45 pm. wimberleylibrary.org.

FOURTH WEDNESDAYS WIMBERLEY: Hill Country Neighbors.

10:30 am. Community Center. 512-847-2849.

EVERY WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY WIMBERLEY: Live music at Cypress Creek Cafe. Check the schedule at cypresscreekcafe.com.

EVERY THURSDAY DRIPPING SPRINGS: Coffee House with Light Dinners, Desserts, Open Mic. 6 pm to 9 pm. Thyme and Dough. 512-894-0001. thymeanddough.com.

WIMBERLEY: Cafe’ Susanna. Serving lunch 11 am to 1 pm. $9 for entree, two sides and decadent desserts. Wimberley United Methodist Church, wimberleyumc.org.

FIRST THURSDAY DRIPPING SPRINGS: First Thursday.

Participating businesses offer events, food and music plus special sale items. 5 pm to 9 pm. drippingspringstx.org.

FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAY CANYON LAKE: Noon Lions Meeting.

Canyon Lake Golf Club. 830-899-4406.

SECOND THURSDAY WIMBERLEY: Hill Country Bead Society.

Wimberley Community Center. 1 pm.

Marilyn Pierce, mp@smpierce.net.

SECOND AND FOURTH THURSDAY WIMBERLEY: Toastmaster Club. Learn public speaking, leadership. 7:10 pm at “old” Baptist Church, 501 Old Kyle Road. 512847-6822.

THIRD THURSDAY WIMBERLEY: Susanna’s Kitchen Coffeehouse presents some of best in Hill Country music. wimberleyumc.org.

WIMBERLEY: Third Thursdays. Shops stay open until 8 pm. WimberleyMerchants.com.

EVERY THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY WIMBERLEY: Live Music at Linda’s Fine Foods. 500 Farm Market 2325. 512-847-5464. facebook.com/LindasFineFoods.

EVERY THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY DRIPPING SPRINGS: Craft Beer Tasting and Free Tour at Twisted X Brewing Company. 23455 West Ranch Road 12. TexMexBeer.com.

EVERY FRIDAY BLANCO: Tasting Room Open and Brewery Tours at Real Ale Brewing Company. realalebrewing.com.

GRUENE: Friday Afternoon Club at Gruene Hall. Broadcast live KNBT-92.1 FM Radio. 4 pm to 7 pm. 830-629-5077.

WIMBERLEY: Bingo. VFW Hall on Jacobs Well Road. 512-847-6441.

FIRST FRIDAY FREDERICKSBURG: First Friday Art Walk.

Tour fine art galleries offering special

Books

By

exhibits, demonstrations, refreshments and extended viewing hours the first Friday of every month. ffawf.com.

SAN MARCOS: Laugh Tracks. Subtle DJ set broken up between two local comedian acts.

Texas State University’s Student Center. 8 pm to 11 pm. ktswpr@gmail.com.

SECOND FRIDAY UVALDE: Four Square Friday Shopping, food, music, art. 6 pm to 9 pm. Downtown. visituvalde.com.

WIMBERLEY: Wimberley Community Civic Club Meeting. (September - November, January - May) 11 am. Chapel in the Hills.

Milly Maxey (millymaxey@gmail.com) or Aurora LeBrun at 512-847-3595.

FOURTH FRIDAY BANDERA: Fourth Friday Jam. Enjoy music at the Silver Sage Corral begining at 6:30 pm.

830-796-4969.

EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FREDERICKSBURG: Rockbox Theater.

Variety, music, and rock ‘n roll show, great family fun. 866-349-6688.

EVERY SATURDAY AUSTIN: Austin Farmers Market. Republic Square. 512-236-0074.

AUSTIN: Sunset Valley Farmers Market.

Barton Creek Mall. 512-280-1976.

BANDERA: Flying L Ranch Chuck Wagon Dinner. Barbecue, wagon rides, roping, branding, more. flyingl.com.

BOERNE: Tejas Pro Rodeo Series Live Rodeo. Gates 5 pm, rodeo at 7:30 pm. Live music and dancing 9 pm. Adults $12, kids 6-12 $6. tejasrodeo.com.

BOERNE: Farmer’s Market at the Cibolo. 9 am to 1 pm. cibolo.org.

COMFORT: Area Farmer’s Market. 8 am to 1 pm. Comfort Park, Highway 27.

ErniE LEE New Release!

A Book of Poetry by Ernie Lee, the Bard of the Blanco

Signed copies or appearances

ernie.lee@live.com

Available at Amazon.com or & Aim-HiBooks.com PAGE 10 JANUARY 2017 R HILL COUNTRY SUN

DRIPPING SPRINGS: Texas Music and Wine. solaroestate.com.

FISCHER: Jackson Open Air Market. Hours are 9 am to 5 pm. 6341 Farm Market 32. 830935-2781.

NEW BRAUNFELS: Canyon Trail Chuckwagon Supper and Cowboy Music Show. 830-626-8200.

WIMBERLEY: Tour Jacob’s Well. Hear stories about floods, divers, and experience beauty of the spring that started the town of Wimberley. 10 am. jacobswellspring.org.

WIMBERLEY: Arnosky Family Farms Market. Find flowers, veggies, transplants, cheeses, much more. Ranch Road 2325 and Highway 165. 830-833-5428 WIMBERLEY: Saturday Evening Dinners. blairhouseinn.com.

UTOPIA: Lunch and Dinner Served at Laurel Tree. utopiagourmet.com.

FIRST SATURDAY BANDERA: Market Days. Courthouse Square. 830-796-4447.

BANDERA: First Saturday Book Sale.

Public Library. 830-796-4213.

DRIFTWOOD: Driftwood Community Club. Group meets to enhance community spirit. Dinner at 7 pm. driftwoodtx.org.

WIMBERLEY: Market Days. (First Saturday March through December). Shop more than 475-plus booths, enjoy free admission.

7 am to 4 pm. shopmarketdays.com.

SECOND SATURDAY AUSTIN: Gain Peace, NOW: A Study in ‘Divine Love Consciousness’ with Vrinda Devi. 9 am to 11:30 am. $20 (first class free). radhamadhavdham.org, 858-722-5474 or Laura@RadhaMadhavDham.org.

CASTROVILLE: Market Trail Days.

Houston Square. 830-539-2316.

WIMBERLEY: Second Saturday Gallery Trail. 15 galleries around Square open late offering art, wine, appetizers. Facebook. com/SecondSaturdayGalleryTrail.

THIRD SATURDAY MARBLE FALLS: Bluegrass, Country and Western, and Gospel. 6 pm to 10 pm. Boys and Girls Club. 830-898-1784.

EVERY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DRIPPING SPRINGS: Craft Beer Tasting and Free Tour at Twisted X Brewing Company, live music and food. 23455 West Ranch Road 12. TexMexBeer.com.

ROUND MOUNTAIN: Tours at Westcave Preserve. westcave.org.

SECOND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AUSTIN: Tours of Bright Leaf Natural Area. brightleaf.org.

FOURTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY JOHNSON CITY: Market Days.

Food, artisans, more. Information at JohnsonCityTexasChamber.com.

JANUARY 1 BANDERA: Cowgirl Round-up and “Show-Deo.” Cowgirls celebrate their history with showmanship, dressage and speed events, storytellers, singer/ songwriters. Hill Country State Natural Area, banderacowboycapital.com.

JANUARY 3 BANDERA: Cowboy Capital Opry. Grand Old Opry-style entertainment hosted by Gerry and Harriet Payne at Silver Sage Community Center. silversagecorral.org.

JANUARY 6 FREDERICKSBURG: First Friday Art Walk.

Tour fine art galleries offering special exhibits, demonstrations, refreshments and extended viewing hours. Participating fine art galleries in Fredericksburg. ffawf.com.

JANUARY 7 AUSTIN: “Symphonic Evolutions.” A full

orchestra performs new arrangements, visuals from recent and classic Pokemon video games. thelongcenter.org.

KERRVILLE:“The Very Best of Broadway.”

Symphony of the Hills performs music from “Phantom of the Opera,” “A Chorus Line,” “My Fair Lady,” more. Cailloux Theater. www.symphonyofthehills.org JANUARY 7-8 BANDERA: Bandera 100K, 50K and 25K. Hill Country State Natural Area. banderacowboycapital.com.

JANUARY 8 BANDERA: Second Sunday Music Fest.

Pickers Circle with guest Lee Haile. Bring your lawn chairs. Frontier Times Museum.

1 pm to 4 pm. frontiertimesmuseum.org.

JANUARY 12-14 BANDERA: Bandera County Junior Livestock Show Mansfield Park, 2886 Texas 16 North. bcjlsa.com.

JANUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 5 KERRVILLE: Starving Artist Sale. Local original art at Kerr Arts & Cultural Center.

830-895-2911, www.kacckerrville.com JANUARY 13-14 BOERNE: Kendall County Jr. Livestock Show and Sale. Kendall County Youth Agriculture and Equestrian Center. visitboerne.org, 830-249-9343.

JANUARY 13-15 NEW BRAUNFELS: New Braunfels Antique Show. Antiques, vintage items, primitives, jewelry, art, furniture, pottery, architectural/garden items and more.

New Braunfels Civic & Convention Center. heritageeventcompany.com, 830-221-4011.

JANUARY 14 JOHNSON CITY: 290 Texas - A Concert Series presents Donovan Keith & The Funky Feat. $30 admission. RSVP to 290Texas@

gmail.com.

KERRVILLE: The New Buddy Holly Band: Winter Sock-Hop. Cailloux Theater. www. caillouxtheater.com JANUARY 14-15 BOERNE: Market Days. Main Plaza. visitboerne.org, 210-844-8193.

JANUARY 15 AUSTIN: “Odd Squad LIVE!” Live, interactive spy adventure based on PBS KIDS program, “Odd Squad.” The Long Center. thelongcenter.org.

FREDERICKSBURG: Fredericksburg Music Club. “Miro Quartet” Concert features a violin/cello performance by the Miro Quartet. Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, 1800 North Llano. fredericksburgmusicclub.com.

JANUARY 19 WIMBERLEY: Ray Wylie Hubbard in Concert. Susanna’s Kitchen Coffeehouse at Wimberley United Methodist Church. wimberleyumc.org.

JANUARY 20-22 FREDERICKSBURG: Fredericksburg Trade Days. Shop more than 400 vendors in seven barns and acres of antiques, and enjoy the Biergarten, live music and more. fbgtradedays.com.

NEW BRAUNFELS: Liberty Gun Show.

Everything from firearms to ammo to hunting gear. Guests welcome to bring unloaded firearms to be appraised or fitted for accessories. Convention Center. libertygunshow.com.

JANUARY 21 KERRVILLE: Harpeth Rising. Ensemble features three-part harmonies, bluegrass, blues, folk music. 830-896-9393, ext. 303.

LUCKENBACH: Luckenbach Blues Festival. Features local, regional and Texas

blues artists. luckenbachtexas.com.

JANUARY 21-22 FREDERICKSBURG: Hill Country Gem and Mineral Show. The Fredericksburg Rockhounds bring artifacts, exhibits, demonstrations, jewelry, minerals, fossils and more. Pioneer Pavilion at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. fredericksburgrockhounds.org.

JANUARY 28 BULVERDE: Chamber Rodeo The Diamond Cross Rodeo Company provides bulls, steers and broncos.

Tejas Rodeo Company, 401 Obst Road. bulverdespringbranchchamber.com.

FREDERICKSBURG: Hill Country Indian Artifact Show. This show features a wide variety of Native American artifacts from Texas and the U.S., including arrowheads, pottery, beads and books. Pioneer Pavilion at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. hillcountryartifacts.com.

JANUARY 28-29 AUSTIN: City-Wide Garage Sale. Fun, vintage, collectible and antique market.

Palmer Events Center. cwgs.com.

JANUARY 29 AUSTIN: Anton Nel in Concert. Classical pianist in first solo recital in Dell Hall since 2013. thelongcenter.org.

CANYON LAKE...YEAR ROUND VACATION LIVING Come enjoy our clear lake and cool, refreshing river!

Shop • Dine • Swim • Tube • Raft • Canoe • Fish • Camp • Sail

800-528-2104 • canyonlakechamber.com

~B I N G O~ Every Friday v 4 Early Bird Games 7:15pm ~ 50/50 Split v 10 Regular Games 8pm VFW Hall Post 6441 @ Veterans Park 4 mi. no. on RR 12 to Jacobs Well Rd Non Smoking • Plenty of Parking • Air & Heat • Food Available www.texasvfw.net www.visitwimberley.com/vfw • 512-847-6441 • Lic. #1-74-6066562-7

FREE GIFT* for NEW members! * while supplies last

WHEN YOU JOIN THE Y, you’re committing to more than simply becoming healthier. You are supporting the values and programs that strengthen your community.

At the Y, children learn what they can achieve, families spend quality time together, and we all build relationships that deepen our sense of belonging.

For More than a workout. For a better us.

0

$

JANUARY! eNRollmeNt fee

SPRINGS FAMILY YMCA 27216 Ranch Rd 12 • 512.894.3309 AustinYMCA.org HILL COUNTRY SUN R JANUARY 2017 PAGE 11

Pioneer Real Estate “We hit the trail for you.”

Shirley Shandley, Owner/Broker 698 S. Highway 83 • Leakey, Texas

830-232-6422

HillCountryRealEstate.net

Huge Sale!

Clothing

Gifts H Jewelry Home Decor 337 E Main Street

Warehouse Liquidation

Fredericksburg 830-307-3083

Up to 75% off Fredericksburg Location only Bring in this ad for an additional

23223 N US Hwy 83

Concan

830-232-4402

CowgirlLoca.com PAGE 12 JANUARY 2017 R HILL COUNTRY SUN