December-January Seguin Magazine by Seguin Gazette

A u t h e n t i c

T e x a s

l i v i n g

December 2017 | January 2018

13625 US Highway 87 W La Vernia, Texas 78121 (830) 779-2600

Mention this ad for 25% oďŹ&#x20AC; one in-store item

Outfi t Yo

Big City Class, Small Town Sass

Feed Store, Western wear, Livestock, stock show & pet supplies, Grooming, gifts, accessories, and clothing boutique.

ur W

hole

Her d

SPA SEGUIN FAMILY MEDICINE MEDISPA WITH DR. NICOLE TALBOT

MICROBLADING

EYELASH EXTENSIONS

SEGUIN FAMILY MEDICINE MEDISPA

830-372-5200 515 N. KING STREET SUITE 103 SEGUIN, TX 78155

WWW.SEGUINFAMILYMEDICINE.COM Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin

nd there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men.” -Luke 2:8

Vol. 4, No. 4 Seguin magazine is published six times a year by the Seguin Gazette. PUBLISHER

Jeff Fowler CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Hannah Ruiz EDITOR

Travis Webb

As we head towards Christmas and the promise of a new year, let’s all focus on what is truly important in our lives. From all of us here at Seguin Magazine, may the gifts of love, peace, and happiness be yours this holiday season, and throughout the New Year. Now join us by the fire with friends and family, and something in your cup to warm you up. Turn the page and come on in.

Jeff Fowler

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Becca Harrison WRITERS

Felicia Frazar Valerie Bustamante Stephanie Agnew Priscilla Aguirre CONTRIBUTORS

Efrem McKnight Kaitlin R. Waxler ADVERTISING

Elizabeth Engelhardt Gay Lynn Olsovsky Rebekkah Grimm TO ADVERTISE IN SEGUIN MAGAZINE CALL

hot tip

An inside look from our WRITERS... “I thoroughly enjoyed my (all too brief) time out at Salvage Texas. Darby and the rest of the team not only create beautiful, one-of-a-kind homes, they also are obviously passionate about what they do. It’s readily apparent that, for them, it’s not just about the houses, it’s about sustainability, inspiration and education.” — Travis Webb “I enjoyed writing the article about how to lose weight during the holidays because that is something I defiantly struggle with. I learned how to stay away from giving those extra pounds and how to lose them!. I actually started the workout plan that is offered and it’s working so far. I’ve lost two pounds.” — Priscilla Aguirre “Watching a 1922 American LaFrance Fire Truck drive in a parade is a sight to see, but getting to get a look under the hood of a 95-year-old piece of Seguin’s history and see how well it still runs is amazing. It’s awesome to not only see a community that cherish’s its history, but the fire department that serves it do the same.” — Felicia Frazar

SILENCE IS GOLDEN, BUT DUCT TAPE IS SILVER.

SEARCH SEGUIN GAZETTE

“Rescue dogs have always been near and dear to my heart. So having the opportunity to speak to Colleen from the Animal Rescue Foundation and fellow dog rescuer Karin Widner about foster pets was wonderful. I learned so much! I hope when others read the story it will open up their hearts and homes for a shelter dog or cat.” — Valerie Bustamante

SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

THE

COVER

Photo by Felicia Frazar There is no better way to ring in the new year than with tamales, bunuelos and a bowl full of black-eyed peas. Two of which are said to bring you luck and the other, well it’s just yummy and many area families continue the tradition of getting together and having their own tamalada (tamale making party).

TOP 5% IN THE NATION

for Patient Safety in 2017

10 Years in a Row

4 Years in a Row

3 Years in a Row

WE’RE SEEING STARS! Rest assured, GRMC is the local choice for superior healthcare. Everyone at GRMC is dedicated to taking care of this community — and it shows.

2 Years in a Row

3 Years in a Row

1215 E. Court St. • Seguin, TX 78155 • 830.379.2411 • grmedcenter.com

THE HOTTEST SPOT

22 Features

Around Town

In Each Issue

32 Kitty Keller

10 Imbibe

8 Sizzlin’ Five

38 Tiny Homes

14 Culinary Creations

12 Favorite Finds

44 Youth Livestock

18 Closet Close-up

26 Fashion

48 Foster Pets

22 Under the Hood

54 Faces of Seguin

24 Be you – be well

Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

Proudly serving Seguin, New Braunfels, Lake McQueeney and the surrounding lake and river communities

Debbie Freeman Brown

SEGUIN

Ken Kiel SEGUIN

Celina Ross SEGUIN

Jay Crowell SEGUIN

Tamandra Elliott SEGUIN

Karen McMillan SEGUIN

Cynthia Leos SEGUIN

Carol Sewell SEGUIN

Don Ennis NEW BRAUNFELS

Matt Skinner SEGUIN

Julie Ennis NEW BRAUNFELS

Brannon Monkerud NEW BRAUNFELS

Mike Stevens SEGUIN

Susan Schmidt Office Manager

Fanny Harkins SEGUIN

Cynde Parker SEGUIN

Trey Thompson SEGUIN

Lea Phelps SEGUIN

Willie Velรกsquez SEGUIN

Kenneth Holder SEGUIN

Eve Hiner SEGUIN

Kelley Rose SEGUIN

Jordan Lippe Walker NEW BRAUNFELS

Lynn Zarr, Sr. NEW BRAUNFELS

Stephanie Besett Ryan Sales Manager

Not pictured from Seguin: Cindy Olvera

SEGUIN NEW BRAUNFELS

808 E. Court St.

Seguin, TX 78155

251 S. Seguin Ave., Suite 110

830.303.SOLD

New Braunfels, TX 78130

heritagetexas.com

830.214.0043

SIZZLINFIVE

Five events you don’t want to miss

th - th December 8 9 COUnTry CHrisTMas

The Texas Agricultural Education and Heritage Center embraces the Christmas Spirit at the Big Red Barn with decorations, carolers, hot wassail, roasted marshmallows, a live Nativity, Santa Claus and more with Country Christmas. This year’s event also will include a 5K Country Christmas Dash. The event is Dec. 8 and Dec. 9 at the Big Red Barn, 390 Cordova Rd. For more information, visit www. texagedu.org or call 830-379-0933.

December 10th

COnCerT nO. 3

The Mid-Texas Symphony will delve into the the story of “Hansel and Gretel” as told through Engelbert Humperdink’s musical stylings during Concert Three: Angles and Anthems. The group will perform Maestro David Mairs’ “Carol Medley for Strings and Chorus”, excerpts from Handel’s “Water Music Suite”, John Finnegan’s Christmas SingAlong and Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride.” Additionally, the symphony will share the stage with the Seguin High School Chorus for a number of selected A Capella pieces.The Mid-Texas Symphony will take the stage on Dec. 10. For more information, visit www.mtsymphony.org.

th December 14 CarOlinG in THe ParK

Community members are invited to join the Seguin Gazette staff at the band stand in Central Park for an evening of singing Christmas Carols at 7pm on Dec. 14.

January 15th

MarTin lUTHer KinG MarCH

Seguin and Guadalupe County residents pack Central Park and then make their way to TLU’s Jackson Auditorium as part of the march that highlights the of area’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities. The events unfold the weekend before and ends on Monday, January 15.

Januray17th - 20th

yOUTH livesTOCK sHOW

One of January’s biggest events is the Guadalupe County Youth Livestock and Homemaker’s Show which brings youth from all around the area together to put on their best on display. It all wraps up with a Saturday auction where the grand champions collect big prizes for the students scholarship purses. You can learn more at www.gcys.org 8

SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

HUGE SELECTION

OF GENUINE RECLINERS

349

F RO M TO

1199

In Stock & Ready for FAST - FREE DELIVERY

www.starckefurniture.com

300 S. Austin St. • 379-4622

La-Z-Boy Recliners | Broyhill Furniture | Sealy Posturepedic

the Shop &

design associates

Wishes you a blessed Christmas and New Year!

Boutique Hotel Private events Outside Catering

110 West Nolte Street in Downtown Seguin

Grand Ballroom Wedding or Celebration Day ⏟

@designassociatesseguin @theshopSeguin

experience real

family fun!

the

Chop House b a r a n d grille ★

park plaza hotel

s eguin

217 S. River St. • Seguin, Tx 78155- 830-584-4400

So much to see and do, so plan your weekends in Seguin.

VisitSeguin.com

Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin

By Travis Webb

ack in February, a great, family-owned local establishment got even better. That’s when the King Ranger Movie Theater added adult beverages to its list of current features. Since then, the Gas Light Saloon has proven to be far more than a mere supporting role. A quiet little watering hole, overseen by the rugged faces of Western heroes and tucked into an intimate space off the theater’s lobby, the Gas Light is the perfect way to enjoy a cold drink before a film or wrap up an evening after the show. “We always toyed with ideas of bringing different things to the theater,” Assistant General Manager Sarah Uhlhorn said at the time. “The biggest thing was to think of new ways to of course cater to our customers, and to try something new. (Bar manager David Lindsay) brought up the idea to the general manager, and then myself and we talked it over a lot and stewed on it. We had a meeting with the King family and they loved the idea.” The Gas Light Saloon is a nod to the King family’s history and roots in Seguin, as well as the decor, Uhlhorn said. “We tried to stick with the western theme,” she said. “The King family has a lot of ties to Seguin, so they wanted to carry it over into the bar area, so we ran with it.” King Ranger employee Elizabeth Raderstorf has worked at Seguin’s movie house for 2 years, the past 5 months of which have largely been spent behind the Gas Light’s bar. “I really enjoy it,” she said. “Working the taps, watching the beer fill up.” While it’s not all that uncommon for movie theaters to offer alcohol

or even dining options, Elizabeth said King Ranger does things their own way. “We’re a lot cheaper. We’re not trying to be them and we aren’t overpriced,” she said. The Gas Light serves wine and beer and boasts 10 different taps behind the bar — but the real stars of the show are their refreshing, fruity mixed drinks. The Wine-A-Rita and Strawberry Daquiri are their most popular options. The latter is a tart, crisp concoction with the perfect hint of lime — and packs a surprising punch. It features Minute Maid lime and orange juice and the Gas Light’s preferred house Chardonnay. Their ever-popular daquiris use a mix from H-E-B and a Red Moscato with 3 to 4 freshly blended strawberries. It’s a berry-lover’s dream and just sweet enough without going overboard. The Gas Light also offers a blend of the two for anyone who, quite understandably, can’t choose between these two tasty options. But that’s just the first act: The Gas Light has a whole range of wine-based mixed drinks to offer. And don’t forget to check their specials, the bar often offers up some great deals on house favorites. A variety of snacks are also available; the pretzels come highly recommended (for a real treat, don’t skip out on a side of their nacho cheese). The Gas Light Saloon is open from 12:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., but if you’re coming on a weekend you might want to show up early — the Gas Light’s been getting some rave reviews from Seguin residents and tends to get busy most weekends. “Friday nights it’s really busy when it’s not football season,” Elizabeth said. “Saturdays are generally busier, too. And Sundays during the afternoon.” The Gas Light Saloon is located at 1373 E. Walnut Street. Call 830-3798425 or visit www.kingranger.com/ for more information. Alternatively, you can find the Gas Light Saloon on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ KingRangerGasLightSaloon/.

favorite finds Just some cool foodie items from trader Joe’s … the ghost Pepper Potato chips are a personal favorite for $2.29 … the dark chocolate covered espresso beans are a great pick-meup for $4.79 … the spicy Peanut vinaigrette is a nice change of pace for slaws and green vegetable salads for $2.99.

awesome dog toy from ruﬀdawg, $6.99 at tractor supply. 12 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

this issue’s Favorite Finds are presented by Jeﬀ Fowler, seguin magazine Publisher.

Portable power source from winplus you can even jump start your car without another car! available at costco for $49.99.

luminade solar lantern, available for $19.99 from shoulders of giants at shouldersofgiants.com this is a cool little deal. it’s a collapsible/ inflatable solar powered camping lantern. it weighs next to nothing, and you can just strap it to the outside of your pack to charge up while you hike.

Honey Pecan cream ale #5 from seguin brewing company.

ELIMINATE STUBBORN FAT SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY Cool Advantage is here! CoolAdvantage is a highly advanced applicator for CoolSculpting, and Hill Country Vein & Aesthetics is the first to offer this treatment in New Braunfels. Recent clinical studies found that with CoolAdvantage, patient comfort increased by 45%. Yes, CoolSculpting does eliminate stubborn fat safely and effectively, without surgery or downtime. It’s the only FDA-cleared procedure to use controlled cooling to safely target and eliminate diet- and exercise-resistant fat. CoolSculpting results are proven, noticeable, and lasting, so you’ll look and feel great from every angle.

Treat that special someone to a treatment. Gift cards are available for holiday gift giving.

CoolAdvantage is a CoolSculpting procedure that takes only 35 minutes to complete. The key benefits to you are: • Shorter treatment time • Greater comfort • More tissue treated

1929 W. Hwy 46, Suite 105 • New Braunfels www.hillcountryveincenter.com

Mark F. Kneuper, MD

1/8” TRIM

You’re Invited!

3/8” TRIM ZONE

th Annual Ernesto’s 27th

Holiday Party

A N N U A L

& Sale

Holiday rty PaSale

Saturday, December 9 • 10am-7pm

15 - 55% SAVINGS

Enjoy wine, hors d’oeuvres, & complimentary gift wrap, + register to & win one of four $250 gift certificates!

SATURDAY DECEMBER

9th

You’re 10AM ! d e t i 7PM Inv

A Fine Jewelry Store • Since 1981

830-625-3203 • www.ernestos.com New Braunfels MarketPlace • 651 N. Business 35, Ste 240 Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 13

By sTeFFanie aGneW

s a new year rolls around, friends and family will gather to celebrate the close of one chapter and the start of a new beginning. There is also the hope the new year will be filled with good experiences and good health. To help ensure those things are possible, many people take to the kitchen and cook up some good luck with old family traditions and hopefully start the year off right. Some local traditions include shucking shells and devouring tamales or spooning up a big bowl of black-eyed peas.

Tamales For Seguin resident Mary Adame, the annual event of cooking up tamales is something that was started many years ago by her grandmother. It’s a tradition that she’s preserved, saying its a great way to end the year and start fresh with family and friends. “My grandmother, she would make them every year,” she said. “And that’s when it started. Then my mother took it over, and my aunts and my mother would get together to make them. I’ve kept it going, and have been doing tamales for about 15 to 20 years by myself.” Beginning in the fall, Mary said she starts lining about 200 to 300 corn husks with masa and filling them for her family and friends during the holidays. “I started here in October, and I’ve already finished about 30 dozen, and those are all gone,” she said. “I make pork, and pork with some jalapeño or chilies with beans. I make bean and cheese for my children because they love the bean and cheese and jalapeño.” Mary recommended taking a spin in the kitchen and crafting a few tamales for those looking to start new traditions. “I think tamales would be a great way a family could gather, and making them would be a great tradition to carry on from generation to generation,” she said.

Pork Tamales Recipe Ingredients (makes 50 tamales): 3 1⁄2 lbs pork shoulder, or 3 1⁄2 pounds pork butt 10 cups water 1 medium onion, quartered 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 1⁄2 teaspoons salt 4 cups red chili sauce 3⁄4 cup shortening 6 cups masa harina 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder 50 dried corn husks (about 8 inches long) Tamales Recipe: 1. In a large, 5 quart cooking pot, add water, onion, garlic and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. 2. Allow to boil, and simmer covered for 2 ½ hours or until meat is tender. 3. Once meat is ready, remove the meat from the both and allow both to cool. 4. Once cooled, shred the meat and discard the fat. 5. Strain the broth and reserve 6 cups. 6. In a large sauce pan, heat the red chili sauce and add the meat. Allow to simmer covered for 10 minutes. 7. Make your masa. Add shortening to a large bowl, and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Then, in a separate bowl, add masa harina, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons of salt, and stir together. 8. While your making your masa, soak corn husks in warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse the husks if they have corn silk to remove it, and drain them. 9. Make your tamales. Spread 2 tablespoons of masa on the center of the corn husk, place 1 tablespoon of meat and sauce mixture in the middle of the masa. Fold the sides of the husk, and fold up from the bottom. 10. Place a mound of extra husks or a foil ball in the center of a steamer basket, and placed in a large, 5 quart cooking pot. Lean the tamales in the basket, open side up. 11. Add water to pot below the basket. Allow the water to boil, and then reduce the heat. 12. Cover and steam for 40 minutes. Add water when necessary. 13. Freeze for future: If you wish to freeze them for a future meal, leave them in the husks and place them in freezer bags. To reheat, thaw and wrap in a wet paper towel and reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes for one or two tamales. www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/traditional-tamales-pork-15286

Black-eyed peas Tammy Harborth from Grain Bin celebrates the New Year with her family by eating black-eyed peas, a good luck tradition rooted deep in American history. “Black-eyed peas are a southern tradition beginning at the time of the American Civil War,” she said. “They were believed to bring prosperity and good luck. They were commonly served with collard greens, and corn bread.” The green color of collard greens represented money, while the golden color of corn bread represented gold, as people hoped for good wealth and fortune in the upcoming year. “My family’s favorite recipe is made with salt pork and onions,” she said. “We traditionally serve them on New Year’s Day, but I’m willing to enjoy them throughout the year.”

Black Eyed Peas Recipe Ingredients: 2 cans of black eyed peas 1 small onion chopped 1/2 lb salt pork cut in small cubes 1. Sauté pork and onions until onions are translucent 2. Open cans and add to pot 3. Add a half a can of water and simmer until salt pork is tender. 4. If you wish to get a spicier taste, add black pepper or your favorite hot sauce. 5. Enjoy! Recipe by Tammy Harborth

Leslie Lammers, CFA (830) 715–9300

LLammers@RiverstoneAdvisors.com

Investments 

Your needs are foremost – we are fiduciaries



We do not take commissions



25 years of investing experience This painting is by Herman C. Lammers, grandfather of Leslie Lammers of Riverstone Advisors

www.RiverstoneAdvisors.com

480 W. Mill Street, New Braunfels, TX 78130

Happy Holidays Tier One D E N T A L Healthy smiles enhancing lives

New Patients Accepted Payment plans with approved credit Sedation Dentistry

Samuel Henry, DDS Brett McCown, DDS Jacob Johnson, DDS

General and Cosmetic Dentistry

279 State Highway 46 South, Seguin, Tx 78155

830-372-2852 • tieronedental.com

Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 17

CLOSET CLOSE - UP Tres Hewell By valerie BUsTaManTe

hether he is sporting a classic grey suit during the week or a brightly colored Tommy Bahama polo on the weekend, Tres Hewell enjoys dressing up. When getting ready for work everyday, the owner and funeral director of Tres Hewell Morturary said he always goes for a conservative look. “Just about everyday I wear a tie and a sport coat,” Tres said. “If it’s an actual funeral then I’m in a suit.” A major part of Tres’ workweek wordrobe includes a collection of Fossil watches and a plethora of neckties. “I have quite a few watches that I like to switch in and out except I usually just wear a silver watch for business wear,” he said. From a simple maroon tie to a pale yellow one with polka dots — Tres’ tie collection includes more than 40 different choices. “Whatever shirt I’m going to wear that day … I have specific ties that I like to wear with certain shirts,” he said. “I do wear most of the ties I have though. I have two grey suits, so I interchange the ties and I love purple, so I wear a lot of purple ties. People tell me ‘I love your purple ties,’ so that makes me believe that I need more purple. This 18 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING ~ SEGUIN 19

year it seemed like orange was a popular color, so I bought some orange ties.” While Tres works in a serious industry, he doesn’t let it stop him from wearing colorful ties, he said. “I think you outta brighten up people’s day,” he said. “I try to brighten up a dark situation and I get a lot of compliments on my colorful ties.” Tres attributes his inspiration for fashion to his early days of working in a retail shop. “When I was a young man I worked in a men’s retail store with my uncle over in Nixon … he had a store, so that’s where I sort of started and grew up trying to put clothes together,” Tres said. “He sold everything from shorts to blue jeans and boots.” On the days Tres doesn’t have to dress up for work, he opts for something much more comfortable, he said. “Most days it’s jeans or different colored shorts depending on the weather,” Tres said. “I like wearing all different colored shirts as well. I also try to buy a lot of t-shirts. We pick up t-shirts. whenever we go somewhere. We travel about once a year for when I have funeral meetings. They’re always in interesting cities. Like this year we went to Chicago, so I got a Wrigley Field shirt.” Somedays Tres will pair his outfits with a baseball cap, he said. “I have a whole bunch of caps, but no more than anybody else,” he said. “I probably have like 10 or 15 different caps. I belong to the Rotary (Club of Seguin), so I have a rotary cap. A lot of our family members went to Baylor University, so I have a lot of Baylor caps or someone went to Lifegate, so I have one of those. My son is now at Louisiana State University, so I now have an LSU cap too. Some of the businesses in town also have given me their company hats, so I wear those around.” When shopping for clothes Tres enjoys visiting Dillard’s, D&D and Belk, but he said he is known to do a lot of online shopping. “The only thing is when I am shopping for my suits I do usually go to department stores because those are hard to fit and order online,” Tres said. Tommy Bahama, Gold Label by Roundtree and Yorke, Vineyard Vines and Orvis are a few of his favorite brands, Tres said. Tres added that while he does all the shopping, his wife approves everything. 20 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

Guadalupe county

Table Sponsors & Sponsorships available

Bras

s afor rBras B a rofforaa ECaUsE sUaCaUsE C

for more information

e! save the Dat Thursday, March 1, 2018 Seguin Events Complex 950 S. Austin Street

Call

830-305-5858 or 830-560-6122 Proceeds Benefit the Guadalupe Regional Medical Foundation Cancer Assistance Fund

sms rm or red t Bce’  r  C y  Fe Mr Music of the Spheres – Marshall Home & Garden Regal Gifts & Home - Toland - Moksha

All of your favorite brands and lots more! Reasonably priced for gift giving!

BECKER’S

Feed & Fertilizer, Inc. Local Ful-O-Pep Dealer

2433 N. Austin Street Seguin, TX. 78155 830-379-5679

Dec 8th & 9th 5pm-8pm

$5 Adults, $3 Children The Big Red Barn - 390 Cordova Rd, Seguin, TX Santa, Choirs, Country Village, Pecan Museum, Krueger Snow Village Tour, www.texagedu.org Country Christmas Kids and 5K Dash 12/9 - 9am at Starcke Park

Bridal & Quince Expo 2018 Jan 28th, Noon to 4pm

$5 Admission Come out to the Big Red Barn to book local vendors for your events! www.texagedu.org The Big Red Barn, 390 Cordova Rd, Seguin, TX Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 21

Under the Hood 1922 American LaFrance Fire Truck

By FeliCia FraZar

eguin’s fire department is one of the oldest in the state. A copy of the original charter shows that the department was established in the late 1800s. With such a long history of battling blazes, the Seguin Fire Department has seen its fair share of fire trucks. While some have come and gone as they became out-dated and no longer of use to the firefighters, the department’s fire museum, located on Kingsbury Street in front of Fire Station No. 3, still houses a running relic of days past. Inside the museum is a 1922 American LaFrance Fire Truck. “It is all original,” Seguin Fire Chief Dale Skinner said. “I have to brag a little bit on us. We still have the original motor, the original transmission.” The city is the sole title holder of this piece of history, Skinner said. “It was purchased new for Seguin, and we have had it ever since 1922,” he said. The engine has a dual ignition system. “Not only does it have regular spark plugs, but it also has a magneto system and you can switch it from magneto to spark plugs,” he said. “You can go back and forth with that.” Skinner said the truck doesn’t hold much water, but most likely was able to pump out about 500 gallons per minute. “That’s pretty good considering a typical modern day fire truck is 1,500 gallons per minute,” he said. While the truck was decommissioned some years back, the department restored it and was able to get it up and running. It is mostly used for parades and photo opportunities, including pictures with Santa and photos in front of the Heritage Museum during Pecan Fest in celebration of Fire Prevention Month. “It is very challenging to drive because the gas pedal is in the middle and it does not have power steering,” he said, admitting it is worth it to see the smiles on people’s faces as it drives to its destination.

BE YOU • BE WELL

y h t l a e H g n Stayi s y a d i l o H e During th

By PrisCilla aGUirre

hristmas cookies, eggnog and more are all delicious examples of holiday treats you might encounter during this the tasty season. It’s easy to eat that extra slice of pumpkin pie or to fill your tummy with another plate of grandma’s famous tamales, but afterward, that guilty feeling starts to creep in. We’ve all been there. Even if you have superhuman willpower, the holiday season is challenging for everyone. Staying on track can seem so daunting, you feel like diving into the holiday goodies and sending your sensible routine into hibernation until the New Year. But, as we all know, excess pounds don’t disappear along with the decorations. So if you’re stressing about packing on a few pounds during the many work luncheons, family get-togethers and parties you plan on going to this year, don’t. We got you covered. Travis Korn, manager and trainer at Anytime Fitness Gym, 1425 N. Highway 123 Bypass, and Mikala Guillaume, RD, LD, a regional dietitian for H-E-B, offered some advice and tips to consider as the merry season approaches, that way the holidays won’t seem so stressful after all. First, know your nutrition plan: An average woman should eat around 1,800 calories per day and a man can have 2,200 calories but it varies per person. If you don’t have an idea of what your nutrition plan is, call your local H-E-B dietitian and schedule an appointment for a consultation. Mikala invites everyone to visit www.heb.com/static-page/Nutrition-Services to learn more about the services H-E-B offers. “Typically we eat more than we think,” Mikala said. “We eat about 300 more calories more than we realize. Going into the holiday season, it’s important to be healthy minded and to be mindful in what you eat. Food is definitely very flexible and you can enjoy holiday parties if you balance out your eating and be mindful of how many cookies (you eat) or alcohol you drink.” Go in with a game plan: Whether you’re dealing with Christmas or New Years, people tend to go to multiple family and friend functions

24 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

that have a variety of tasty food. Travis believes that if you go in with a game plan and eat before the dinner party then you have a better chance of not packing on those extra calories or carbs. “You don’t want to go in hungry,” Travis said. “Go ahead and eat before because whenever you get there, more than likely it’s not going to have what your nutrition plan is set up for. You’re going to have finger foods and all types of desserts just laid out everywhere. If you eat before, you’re able to kind of set a limit before you get there.” For example: Say you’re at a party and they have cheese on a toothpick. Limit yourself to five. When you start eating them, hold onto those toothpicks so you know what you have had already. “The other thing if you go in having already eaten, you aren’t treating the holiday party as if it’s your only meal of the day. Then you won’t be as likely to binge eat on whatever is there,” Travis said. Being Mindful / Healthy Choices: Before that holiday get-together, be on your best behavior for breakfast and lunch. It’s important to have well-balanced meals prior to heading to a celebration where cake and brownies are readily available. Mikala recommends having 20 to 30 portions of protein for breakfast and having an adequate nutrition for lunch so you can enjoy those extra treats at the party. “The nutrition recommendation is different for everybody,” she says. “We have several screenings at H-E-B to help manage your health, time and budget. Once you find out more about yourself, it’s better to maintain your weight and live a healthy lifestyle.” Also, talk to your family or friends to convince them to lay out healthy options instead of the usual junk food you might have. Instead of the pigs-in-blanket or chips and dip, go for a veggie or fruit tray. Mikala pointed out that H-E-B sells several fiber-rich crackers and vegetable trays with greek yogurt and dry-ranch seasoning. The free app called My Fitness Pal allows people to log any type of food, fast food and alcohol they consume. This helps them know what they are eating along as well as will

Here is a beginner’s guide to a weight loss and strength training program: 1) Cardio, Treadmill or Recumbent Bike - 1 set of 5-10 minutes 2) Leg Press - 3 sets of 10-15 reps 3) Seated Leg Curls - 3 sets of 15 reps 4) Wide Grip Lat Pulldown - 4 sets of 10 reps 5) Incline Bench Press, Dumbbell - 3 sets of 15 reps 6) Cable Triceps Pushdown, Rope Cable Attachment - 3 sets of 15 reps 7) Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl - 3 sets of 15 reps 8) Abdominal Crunch Machine - 5 sets of 10 reps 9) Lying Bicycle Crunches - 5 sets of 10 reps 10) Cardo, Treadmill, Stair Master, or Recumbent Bike - 1 sets of 15-20 minutes *Provided by Anytime Fitness Seguin *Know that this workout is just a guide. Not a plan that will apply to everybody.

keeping count of the calories, carbs, sodium they eat or drink and how much more they can have. If you pack on the pounds: If you couldn’t stay away from those sugar cookies and your weight went up, don’t panic. Travis encourages you to go to the gym and get a fitness consultation. Even if you can’t afford a gym membership, go outside and take a nice walk. Any type of exercise or activity works, like riding a bike or swimming. “Every single person is different,” Travis explains. “There isn’t a cookie-cutter workout plan that works for every individual. Here at Anytime Fitness, we do a sit-down fitness consultation and we go through the different goals you might have for yourself. After we do a fitness assessment, we are able to create a workout plan that works for you.” Exercising may be one part of losing weight, but healthy eating is just as important. To lose weight, understand your nutrition needs, understand what you doing and how you can be better and be careful of sad dieting, Mikala said. “Approach nutrition and health from a sustainable standpoint,” she said. “The biggest mistake is some people believe that if they work out they don’t need to have a healthy mindset. But a healthy lifestyle is just as important. So really focus on eating habits and on mastering what you eat.” Did you know: Most people believe the holidays leave you a lot heavier than you were before. However, Travis wants to set the record straight and let the people know that most studies show it’s really to about two or three pounds. One pound is 3,500 calories, so normally you have to eat around 5,000 calories to really pack on a full-pound. A normal cookie is around 100 calories. The size of your fist is roughly the measure of alcohol you should have. The government recommends females have one cup of alcohol a day and two for men. Drinking alcohol doesn’t necessarily cause weight gain, but it’s what you eat afterward. Alcohol slows down your metabolism for the next 10 hours so everything you eat after consuming is more likely to be stored in your body. That is where you see that weight gain come in, loading around the mid-section. People have a higher likelihood of sticking to an exercise routine if they go to the gym before Jan. 1. Travis says 85 percent of people will use a gym membership at least six times a year. The average is maybe two times a week. Overall: These tips and advice Travis and Mikala shared by are great to pass along to family and friends. Both said it’s not about denying the cravings, but it’s more about taking things into consideration and moderation as the holidays come and go. If you can be accountable for what you eat and exercise then you should end the season very merry. Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 25

Location: Abbott House in Seguin Photographer: McKight Photography Clothes: Bealls Department Store Models: Joe Lucas Camacho, Francesca Guerrero Victoria Ortiz, Brandee Velasquez, Lauren Gonzalez, Jonah Gil, CJ Bouthot and Calen.

CJ is wearing Levi’s 505 regular fit charcoal jeans black $39.99 and Signature Studio cross neck hoodie in black $60.00 and Stacy Adams men’s cade shoe in black $69.99.

Francesca is wearing Ronni Nicole black illusion lace dress in black $63.99 and Madden Girl women’s beella ankle strap sandal in Blush $34.99.

Jonah is wearing Levi’s 502 regular taper jeans dark wash $39.99, Marc Ecko textured shirt in black $50.00 and Guess sleeveless black jacket in black $58.00 and Stacy Adams men’s lex slip in black $59.99.

Lauren is wearing Signature Studio tiered lace top in white $29.99, Signature Studio snake print cropped pants in black $24.99, Valerie Stevens ruched jacket in black $29.98 and Bare Traps rhapsody heeled boots in black $69.99

Brandee is wearing Valerie Stevens velvet top in rose $32.20, Valerie Stevens Velvet trim compression pants in black $37.50 and Nine West graduated kitten heel in black $29.99.

Calen is wearing his Abbott House uniform.

Joe Lucas is wearing Ivy Crew modern fit black vest $40.00, Axist pinstriped woven shirt in wine $55.00, Axist solid color micro melange flat front pants in black $29.99 and Dockers Endow comfort oxford â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mens in black $74.99.

Victoria is wearing Signature Studio Velvet Ithaca dress in maroon $34.99 and Bebe Berdine metallic heels in nude $49.99.

Holiday Hours

Monday-Friday: 212 S. Austin St. 10am-6pm -------------Saturdays in 830-379-1242 December: 10am-5pm December 23rd: 8am-8pm

Events Portraits Real Estate Aerial/Drone Seguin, Texas Âˇ 830-832-1509 For more of our work, visit Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 31

Kitty Keller

Handmade Ornaments for a personal touch on Christmas

By sTeFFanie aGneW

very year around the holidays, millions of families bring a Christmas tree into their living room and decorate it with bright lights and beautiful ornaments. There’s a chance your family’s tree might have a bit of a Seguin touch as well. Seguin has its own ornament queen, who produces thousands of ornaments each year that can be seen in homes across the state, country and world. Local resident Kitty Keller is the founder and creative mind behind Kitty Keller Designs. Her ornaments are custom designed and handcrafted in the art of cloisonné. She also creates handcrafted glass ornaments. This year alone, Kitty Keller Designs has sold 50,000 ornaments 32 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

across the globe. “I have the United States, pretty much coast to coast, and I have Alaska,” she said. “We have Hawaii. I sell to Puerto Rico and Dubai. We sell in Europe a little bit, Ireland and Norway.” Kitty has worked with many well-known businesses and brands, including the Kentucky Derby, Dr. Pepper, the PGA Championship, Ryder Cup, the Texas State Fair and Blue Bell Creameries. Her ornaments also can be seen being sold by many colleges and universities around Texas and the country. Cloisonné ornaments Kitty’s ornaments are the only one of their kind in the

world that uses the ancient art of cloisonné. This involves strips of metal carefully placed on objects to form shapes and small pieces of material such as gold or mineral embedded in enamel. The enamel is a layer of glass that is melted onto the surface and results in colorful, gorgeous objects. For Kitty, the process produces beautiful, vibrant ornaments that are unlike any other ornament on display. “There are people doing cloisonné, but we’re the only ones doing custom cloisonné in the whole world,” Kitty said. She personally designs the ornaments on her computer and using her tablet. To date, she’s created almost 12,000 unique ornament designs. After they’re created, she works with seven factories in China to produce them. “We have a lot of factories and we’re getting ready to have more,” she said. “I’m their exclusive customer.” The workers creating the ornaments are hard-working artisans that value their craft, she said. “When I went over there to visit the factories, I was surprised because they really value their work, they’re arti-

sans,” she said. “They’re valued artisans, so that made me feel good. I was also relieved there weren’t any kids. I worried about that too at first. ‘Don’t let it be a kid sweatshop, please! I remember thinking.’ Kitty described cloisonné as an authentic Chinese art that has gone back a millennium. “It’d be much easier if I could go to somewhere in Texas and have it done, but it can’t be done here,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons why we have it done there.” Creating cloisonné ornaments also helps to preserve the art form. “It’s not a dying art form, but there’s less demand for it internationally,” she said. “What we’re actually doing is taking the cloisonné medium to a new audience, which is really great for them, because that way we will help extend the life of this art form in China.” Kitty Keller Designs is the only company in the world creating art like this, she said. They’re in a deep niche market with infinite possibilities. “There’s other people doing cloisonné, there’s other people doing ornaments, but not the kind we do,” she said. Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 33

“We do custom cloisonné ornaments.” The start of Seguin’s ornament queen So, who is Kitty Keller? How did she get started in the ornament business that led her to be one of Seguin’s most unique, savvy businesswomen? Kitty Keller Designs began in 1987, but it didn’t start with ornaments, she said. It all began with t-shirts. “I wanted to start a business and buy a new house,” she said. “My husband had told me, ‘Well, you have to make $135 a month for us to do that.’ I thought, ‘well, I can do that.’” Kitty, who had studied art at the University of Texas at Austin and has crafted many paintings, decided to use her art skills to make her dream a reality. A friend had mentioned painting t-shirts, and she thought, “well I can do that.” “The first ones I ever did, I sold to this place called Something Different in Fredericksburg,” she said. “And my mother and I delivered it by hand. By the time we got home they were all sold.” She made $1,000 off her first batch of t-shirts, and it was 34 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

something she continued to do. “I made wildflower hand-painted t-shirts, they were popular,” she said. “I even used to go to market with those in Dallas, at the big market.” However, painting t-shirts was a competitive business and there were other artists selling t-shirts as well. Another friend who worked as an airline stewardess had flown to China and introduced Kitty to this unique kind of art. “I had already been in business for a long time … doing t-shirts and other things, like wooden pieces, but a lot of it was hand created by me or by other people,” she said. “I did a lot of t-shirts and at that time I was doing t-shirts for practically all the state parks. But my friend introduced me to what could be done over there, and I was just blown away by the ornaments.” She had an idea to try to create cloisonné ornaments and, eventually, become licensed by universities to use their logos on her works of art and sell them. Kitty Keller Designs has made ornaments for between 50 to 60 universities over the years. Some of these include

Hiring Financial Customer Service Reps • Help consumers find financial resolution • 90% of calls are inbound • No sales

Perks of the Job • Be a part of a new department and growing team • Competitive pay and benefits package • Fun and fast paced environment

Apply at CBEjobs.com or call 830.730.4282 EOE/AA M/F/VET/DISABILITY. Background checks and drug screening required.

Texas Lutheran University, Texas State University, the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Sam Houston State University and many others across the nation. “That was kind of my first thing we did, was being licensed,” she said. “Today, it’s really hard to be licensed. I still have these licenses, which I am very proud of because they are very difficult licenses to obtain now, so it’s very exciting to have it.” To create her ornaments, Kitty sought out suppliers in China and continues to do so to this day. “As we grow — which we are doing all the time — I’m continuously needing to get new suppliers,” she said. “We can’t just push a button like you could in the paper business to say, ‘I want 100,000 more copies,’ because everything is handmade. So, it just can’t be done.” Kitty said there were two secrets to her success. The first is “don’t be afraid.” “Let’s say I was going to go to Blue Bell. I would go in with a boatload of ideas. From the beginning, even before I went in there, I would have all these ideas,” she said. “I would have already researched what they already had. That’s what separated me from a lot of the competitors. My work was different, and I didn’t let that bother me that I was different. I was okay with that.” She also wasn’t afraid to let her business evolve, allowing it grow and change, which she believes is the key to her success.

Insuring your future today.

wki

WESTERHOLM K O E H L E R INSURANCE

HOME. AUTO. LIFE. COMMERCIAL.

830-379-7352 533 E. Court St. • Seguin www.wkitexas.com Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 35

Kitty’s second secret is to create something unique. “I wanted to create something that people didn’t already have,” she said. “Blue Bell, for example, I’ve done T-shirts for them, posters, artwork, jewelry, ornaments and our whole bag of tricks. I would go in and I would see what they had, and then I would create something they never had before.” Kitty Keller Designs, a growing business. Kitty Keller Designs continues to thrive and is currently on track to grow 10 percent more in sales than the previous year. Her current office space downtown is stacked with boxes of ornaments and is busting at the seams, which has prompted Kitty to relocated her business to support her any additional growth her company may see in the future. Kitty Keller Designs is a family-run business as Kitty’s daughters, Maggie Passmore and Katie Patrick, are part of a larger team that helps to make her business a success. “I hope those that buy one of my ornaments take away something that they will treasure for a long time, and that it will become part of their tradition,” she said. “Something 36 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

they can show off at Christmas, or that they might just leave it out all year.” Each day, Kitty’s ornaments are reaching more people, especially around the happiest time of the year. “That is one thing that is really great about what I do,” she said. “Maybe I’m not doing a painting, maybe I’m not in the Metropolitan Museum. I’m not a famous painter like I might have envisioned myself as in school, but this way I’m touching people with my art, which is a really great gift that I receive.” The ornaments are high quality, and sturdy, in addition to being unique, handcrafted, and beautifully designed, Kitty said. “They don’t break easily,” she said. “They can bend, but they don’t break. In order to break you’d practically have to run it over with your car. If you were to drop them on your carpeting or rug they would be fine. That’s one reason they last longer.” This holiday season, if you want to add a special touch to your Christmas tree, you can order a Kitty Keller ornament from www.kittykeller.com.

eguin miles PLLC

“Caring for Smiles from Ages 1 To 100” Professional dental services we provide: Cosmetic dentistry | Implant restoration | Sedation dentistry Veneers | Oral cancer screenings We accept Visa, American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Care Credit.

NOW ACCEPTING

Same Day CROWNS Our Mission is to bring health & beauty to the patients that entrust their SMILES to our TEAM! INTROD

UCING

NEW PATIENTS 830-372-2949

www.SeguinSmiles.com

Mon. Weds. 7am-6pm, Tues. Thurs. 8am-6pm

Fri. 7am-4pm

Janice Weinman, D.D.S. Stephanie Jones, D.D.S.

INTRODUCING ELECTRICIAN SERVICES! We are proud to announce we now have on-staff electricians to handle your electrical repair and upgrade needs.

Our in-house staff of professional electricians are licensed, background-checked and understand respect for people, property and quality work.

We stand behind our facts, quotes, employees and work.

A thorough job is important. We never sacrifice quality for time.

AC/HEATING SOLAR ELECTRICIANS SALES

MAINTENANCE

REPAIR

WWW.GVECHOME.COM

800.328.0630

TACLB18344E TECL32802

Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 37

38 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

Small houses,

big heart

M By Travis Webb

Texas Houses doing graphics and web Since its inception in 2006, Tiny ore than three design. Entranced by the opportuniTexas Houses has sold more than 80 decades ago, houses at prices ranging from $75,000 ties of sustainable living and Darby’s Brad “Darby” DIY ethos, Heath grew more and to more than $200,000. Their success Kittel drove has put Darby in the national spotlight more involved and now serves as both into Austin in Chief Operating Officer and Chief a beaten up old on more than one occasion — his Technology Officer for the business. homes have been featured in myriad school bus with about $600 dollars in From a map of the grounds publications and broadcasts all over his pocket. he created (look closely to find a the country, from Dirty Jobs and Today, he’s not only one of the Gandalf-esque, cartoon Darby) HGTV to the New York Times. Not nation’s premier builders of tiny to guided tours and social media one to rest on his laurels, Darby is homes, he’s the visionary behind management, he’s Darby’s right-hand the plan to create an entire village now looking to rebrand the business man. as he and his small team begin focusof unique houses and attractions — “We’re transitioning really, from ing on “Salvage Texas” as a destinadubbed Salvage Texas — across 43 tion, all while teaching others not only ‘Tiny Texas Homes’ to ‘Salvage Texas,’” acres of land just off Interstate 10. how to build their own homes but the Heath said. “And we want to train and In the process, he’s hoping to help teach our fanbase how to do this, too.” teach young people — or anyone for ins-and- outs of the salvage business A large part of that transition lies in as well. that matter — some valuable lessons One man’s trash their teaching efforts. Salvage Texas about self-reliance and sustainability. Amid the sprawling acreage of offers internships and workshops on For more than a decade now, Darby acquiring and working with salvaged has been producing one-of-a-kind “Salvage Texas” sits a 25,000 square materials. foot warehouse that’s literally overhomes for his clients. Constructed flowing with salvaged materials. Those efforts began in 2012 almost entirely of salvaged materials with an online membership platand typically less than 600 square feet, Off-site, there’s another warehouse form, complete with video tutorials Darby’s homes are a far cry from the three times that size. on “salvage mining” and “salvage sort of prefabricated jobs common in “We’ve got 100,000 square feet of construction.” space full of salvaged materials,” said the growing “tiny house” market. “We want to get students in here and His homes are original works of art, Tiny Texas Houses’ Heath Redding. Heath, 28, starting working for Tiny then they can bring this back to their each one designed from scratch. Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 39

communities,” he said. Heath explained that Tiny Texas Homes is currently wrapping up production on some of their last homes to be shipped out. “We’re going to continue building homes on the property,” he said. “And those are available as investment opportunities.” The homes are available to rent as well, whether for a weekend getaway, company event or anything else, Heath said they are especially popular with artists and musicians. Salvage Texas also is home to sustainable living examples, salvage art installations, and an outdoor salvage market. More modest affairs than the custom built homes they’ve created in the past, the homes intended for Salvage Texas are nonetheless unique and artistic creations — as distinct and unreproducible as anything they’ve built before. Heath attributes the artistry largely to Darby himself. “Darby’s role is very much the visionary artist,” he said. For Darby, building with salvage isn’t just a business, it’s about “using our desire to live the lives we want to change

things for the better.” Of course, the unique possibilities of working with salvaged materials play a role as well, ensuring each cottage is truly one-of-a-kind. Most of their homes are built primarily with reclaimed materials dating from the 1880s to the 1910s. Their warehouses hold a staggering array of everything from stained glass to hundreds of antique door knobs. “It’s so wild, all the things we find,” Heath said. “We got two yachts for free, just for hauling them off.” ‘Off to see the wizard’ Sporting an impressive hat adorned with feathers and an equally impressive beard, it’s easy to see why Darby is characterized as a wizard by some who know him. He’s Gandalf the Hip — his whiskers might be gray, but nothing else about him is. Lean, tan and physically fit at 62, he switches from subject to subject rapidly as he talks, displaying an in-depth understanding of tax laws, construction, the salvage business and more — all while climbing several flights of stairs with an ease that would make men 20 years

“We want to teach kids to be creative, to be ingenious to not be drones.” Darby said.

40 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

YOUR LOCALLY OWNED COMMUNITY BANK, AS INDEPENDENT AS TEXAS

First Commercial Bank, N.A.

First Commercial Bank has grown and now has 7 locations to better serve you. We now offer you the best of both worlds - the convenience and stability that comes with a large financial institution, and the personalized service of people who care. It’s our way of making things convenient for you while still offering the personal touch. We are also here to serve your commercial and small business needs. Our loan officers are ready to work with you as your commercial and small business partner. We’ve developed a number of commercial banking solutions, so you can receive what you need while never missing a beat.

Personal Loans

Business Loans

• Auto • Recreational Vehicle • Unsecured

• Equipment Financing • Real Estate Purchase or Reﬁnance • Line of Credit

830.221.3900

New Braunfels • Seguin • San Antonio Pearsall • Jourdanton To Learn more visit our Website:

1CB.COM

Member FDIC

Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 41

younger envious. He sees salvage-based construction and sustainability as “We want to teach kids to be creative, to be ingenious to a way to combat rising housing costs, overflowing landfills not be drones. We’ve got machines that can be drones,” and an increasing proliferation of modern, toxic materials. Darby said. “We have to instill in them not how to be a “This is all I’m here to do,” he said. “To open the door to machine, but how to be a human. get people to imagine how trash can become a home and “How to use this spiritual energy that we have within to treasure and a career.” be able to create and manifest things that no machine can It takes a village do.” With cottages and campsites spread out across the Darby’s road to salvage stardom has been a long one — wooded expanse of their 43 acres, Salvage Texas feels like and rarely easy. some sort of combination hippie commune and classy “I’ve eaten out of dumpsters in my path,” he said. resort. Billed on their website as “a tiny house village built Not long after arriving in Austin, Darby got into the real entirely with up-cycled and reclaimed materials,” it’s an estate business, focusing primarily on East Austin. entire Air BnB village of their one-of-a-kind homes. “I bought my first house for $10,500,” he said. “Thank “Salvage Texas” takes the construction methods and God for the old days.” artistry Tiny Texas Homes became famous for, and adds A veteran of the Vietnam War, Darby had gone to school sustainability and community into the mix. on the G.I. Bill, While there’s still studying English a long way to go and American literin constructing all ature. He’d come the attractions and to Austin to ride amenities planned the wave of creative for the site, much energy Texas’ capital of it is still a work city was experiencin progress as they ing in hopes of writtransition from “tiny ing the next Great house contractor” American Novel. to “sustainable tiny Instead, he helped house resort,” the revitalize what is vision is already today one of the taking shape. most culturally The village boasts dynamic and artsy six unique tiny parts of the Lone houses available Star State’s weirdfor overnight lodgest city. During his ing with at least time in real estate, two more under roughly 1984 to construction now. 1996, Darby won There’s the outdoor several revitalization salvage market, a awards, building block awards and, in 1994, the Entreprecommunity bathhouse and gardens, a mud bath cave, neur of the Year award in the Socially Responsible category. nature trails, art displays, campsites and more. Unfortunately, his success came with an all-too hefty price They’re also moving into the community events side of tag. things, having recently hosted a haunted house and Hallow“I was working 80 to110 hours a week. All of a sudden een festival, complete with tunnels, a shooting range, overmy son was 11 years old,” he said. “I looked around and night camping and a trick-or-treat trail. thought, ‘What happened to that decade?’” “This is 10 years in the making,” Heath said. “Even longer Leaving real estate, he went into the “architectural for Darby.” antique” business — salvaging and restoring old wood, “Salvage Texas” is located at 20501 East Interstate 10 original fixtures, stained glass and more. in Luling. Access is by reservation or appointment only. That, of course, lead rather naturally into Tiny Texas Guided tours are available every Wednesday and Saturday Houses. at 11 a.m., with registration available online. “This is all I’m trying to teach people, that hey, as a kid, Call 830-875-2500 for more information or visit salvag‘carpenter’ is not really a bad occupation,” Darby said. “There’s been some carpenters in history that made a pretty etx.com. Alternatively, you can find more them on Facegood impression on the world.” book at www.facebook.com/tinytexashouses/. 42 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

Buy your Tickets Today!

Concert Three: Angels & Anthems

Sunday, December 10 at 4pm

Jackson Auditorium/Weston Center

Featuring: Seguin High School Chorus and Seguin Children's Chorus Sponsored in part by GRMC, City of Seguin, and Texas Commission of the Arts www.mtsymphony.org

BIG BAND BLOWOUT PART II SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018 · 6-10 PM A SWINGING NIGHT OF 1940S BIG BAND FAVORITES, DRINKS, HORS D’OEUVRES, AND DANCE LESSONS.

NEW BRAUNFELS CONVENTION AND CIVIC CENTER

830-463-5353 · www.mtsymphony.org Buy a table of 10 by January 31 and save $100!

Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 43

Head, Heart, Hands, and Health: local youth come together for Guadalupe County Youth Show 44 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

By Kaitlin R. Waxler

eep in the roots of Seguin’s collective heritage is a love of agriculture. For many young of this community, the Guadalupe County Youth Livestock and Homemakers Show is an opportunity to display that love, by presenting the animals and projects they have put tireless effort into for the past year. The Guadalupe County 4-H has many members that have projects to show off. Based on personal development, it’s obvious from the work that 4-H members put in that they take their hobbies seriously. The four H’s stand for head, heart, hands and health. Participants or participating students learn life-long skills that they are able to carry with them throughout all aspects of their lives. One large cornerstone is community service. During the Oct. 2 meeting, members discussed how they could assist in relief for victims of Hurricane Harvey in Rockport, and scheduled times to drive to the coast and volunteer directly with cleanup operations. They also organized donation pick-ups and drop-offs. While club members work on achieving personal goals, many have their sights set on the upcoming Guadalupe County show. From January 17-19, the GCYS will showcase steer and dairy cattle, goats, rabbits, homemaking projects, and industrial arts. Participants are allowed to show up to two of each animal, which makes for some difficult

choices at times. “Well, I show five lambs, five goats, three horses, and two steers,” Ashlee Carley, a senior at Marion High School and Guadalupe County 4-H Ambassador said. “For this show, I’ll pick two weather goats (which are the males), two lambs and the two steers. I’ll also show in the doe goat because she is shown in the breeding division.” Ashlee has been involved in 4-H since her sixth-grade year, but some of the participants are newer to the game. Megan Bray, a student at Briesemeister Middle School, is preparing for her first show. “My goat’s name is Dottie, and she’s 10 months old,” Megan said. “My family has a couple of other animals, but this will be my first time showing one.” Like most of the students involved with the livestock show, these young ladies have learned to take on the balancing act that comes with raising animals. “I get up really early so I can feed my goat before school,” Megan said. “And then I spend at least an hour with her as soon as I get home. I’m balancing that with school, choir, and basketball.” “It’s not a simple job. But if 4-H has taught me anything, it’s how to balance priorities,” Ashlee said. “Some nights I have to stay up late just to finish homework after everything else I do.” Fortunately, they both have the support of their family and leadership within the 4-H organization. “Many parents get to work (with the show animals) as well,” Matthew Miranda, Guadalupe County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development. “Whether it’s feeding during a football game or staying up with sick animals all night, it’s a family affair.” “We do everything 4-H together as a family,” Megan said. “It’s fun and educational for all of us.” Megan said she took an interest in 4-H after seeing how involved her stepfather’s family is in the El Paso chapter. “They’ve played a huge role in my involvement,” Megan said of her family. “It really helps to have their support.” The GCYS isn’t only for showcasing livestock. There also is a portion of the show for homemaking and industrial arts. “I believe it’s the most misunderstood thing about what we do,” Ashlee said. “4-H has many more things to do than just show animals. I’m also on a Leaders 4 Life team, which does parliamentary procedure. My team is heading to nationals in January!” “4-Hers participate in projects that range from preparing foods and clothing to STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics], shooting sports, public speaking, and much more,” Matt said. “I also work Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 45

“It’s not a simple job. But if 4-H has taught me anything, it’s how to balance priorities,” Ashlee said.

46 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

closely with the homemaking division, including the baked goods and handicrafts.” Matt’s involvement with the organization goes farther than just this one show. He says he has been in 4-H since 1998, where he began as a student in San Antonio. “My grandmother had seen it advertised in the paper,” Matthew said. “My parents thought it would be a good organization to add to our homeschooling.” Citing nearly 21 years involvement, it’s easy to say they made a good call. When asked why he has continued, his answer is simple. “After doing pretty much all you can as a member of 4-H, I decided I wanted kids to have the same experiences – or better – than I did,” Matt said. “So I decided to become a county 4-H agent.” He’s not the only one looking at a life-long interest. Ashlee is looking to pursue a career in the field and is taking her lessons with her. “I’ve been accepted at Tarleton and Sul Ross University for Animal Science,” she says. “Appearing in shows and being in 4-H has prepared me for a lot of things. Without this organization, I wouldn’t be able to apply for some of my scholarships, and I wouldn’t get to meet the people I have. I’m thankful for the opportunities 4-H has given me.” In the countdown to the GYCS, the youth are working hard to make sure they are prepared. “My goal is to give the youth of Guadalupe County, whether they are 4-H or FFA, a chance to exhibit their projects that they have worked hard on over the year,” Matt said. “Whether that is showing livestock, exhibiting photography or a cake, or creating a welding project, these kids work hard for what they do.” To support the Guadalupe County Youth Show, go to GCYS.org and

Bling & Company Giftique

A gift store and a boutique all in one Come Visit us! Monday-Friday 10-6 Saturday 10-5

In beautiful downtown Seguin. Candles, home decor, trendy fashion items, boots, chocolates, specialty soaps, Texas made items, We offer unique gifts for everyone. 115 W Court Street 830-379-1609

If you’re looking for quality Antiques & gently used furniture, Vintage to Shabby Chic to Mantiques at a reasonable price. You’ve come to the right place. At Traveling Gypsy Antique Mall we’ll give you the attention and personal service you’ll come to expect and enjoy!

Check out our facebook page for our Daily lunch specials!

Traveling Gypsy Antique Mall 114 S. Austin Corner of Donegan and Camp St. Next door to the Warehouse Bar & Grill

Mon - Sat 10am-5pm | www.travelinggypsy.org | atravelinggypsy1@yahoo.com

Home Decor • Art • Rugs • Mirrors • Accessories • Fine Furniture • Blinds • Shades • Shutters • Draperies • Gifts • Jewelry • Lampe Berger • Candles •Frames Specialty Window Fashions • Cornice Boards • Custom Upholstery • Custom Bedding •Delivery and Installation • Design Consultation

830-379-9995 keepersinteriors.com 615 N Austin St, Seguin, TX 78155

Keepers Interiors

Helping you from business start up to sale! PK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

"We want to be your resource if you are starting your business, expanding, downsizing or selling."

pkbusiness@ymail.com WWW.PKBUSINESSSOLUTIONS.COM Cell: (512) 705-2626 Fax: (830) 372-3670

Ask us about our Accounting and Bookkeeping Services! Moblie: (512) 705-2626 - Office: (830) 372-3670 - Fax: (830) 221-4404

Pamela K. Tillman Realtor®

200 S. Austin St Seguin Tx 78155 Email: pkpropertieskw@yahoo.com

Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 47

FOSTER

PETS By valerie BUsTaManTe

48 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

very morning Karin Widner walks a mile with four dogs trailing in front of her — three of her own and one brown-eyed 6 month old pup that goes by the name Samantha. After Samantha, a blood hound mix, was found as a stray she was taken to the Guadalupe County Animal Services Shelter, posted on lost and found Facebook pages, but her owners never claimed her. That’s when Karin stepped in and become the pup’s foster through the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF). “She is totally awesome and a very chill puppy,” Karin said. “A lot of puppies are really shy, but not her. She does really good with my dogs.” Since 2015, Karin has fostered more than 20 dogs like Samantha, she said. “I started volunteering at the shelter in New Braunfels and then I went to work with the New Braunfels shelter,” she said. “They had a mama with babies and by working there I saw that puppies don’t usually survive because of the germs. So, I decided to take her home and foster her and her babies … then I was hooked. Pretty much all I do now is with ARF.” ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation), a 501(c)3 nonprofit, helps with the animal welfare within Guadalupe County by adopting, fostering and rescuing animals from the euthanasia list, ARF President Colleen Supulver said. The organization has rescued and adopted more than 550 animals since 2012, the website said. ARF’s primary means of operation come from its foster

program, Colleen said. “This rescue could not operate if we didn’t have fosters, we’d be done because it’s who we are,” she said. Through the program, dogs and cats are taken out of area shelters and sent directly to a veterinary office where they are given their shots, spayed or neutered and heartworm tested before being placed in a home, Colleen said. “ARF is just fantastic to work with and they actually have a page for fosters, so everybody can talk to each other and answer questions,” Karin said. “It makes it a lot easier … if a dog doesn’t work out than we can talk to each other about it.” Before animals are placed in foster homes, all families are evaluated, Colleen said. “You must own your own home, have a fenced in yard … We do home checks to make sure that we’re not putting a dog in danger because that’s what we’re trying to get them out of,” she said. One of Karin’s first dogs when she started with ARF in early 2016 was an older dog named Railox, who had an embedded collar. “I just do it for whoever needs it,” she said. “If it’s crowded and someone isn’t going to live I’ve got to take them. I love taking the scared, shy ones. The ones that people are leery of taking. I love doing that. I once had a 7-month-old female puppy and she was terrified for people to touch her. So I worked with her until I could take her home. I had her for about threeand-a-half weeks till we could get her adopted. When she got adopted she was totally socialized.” Another case included a female dog who was found full of milk, but with no puppies/pups and had mastitis, Karin said. Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 49

Having her own pets has made fostering much easier, she said. “If you have other dogs it’s easy because they see what your dogs are doing and it’s just easier to understand them,” Karin said. “It’s really easy if you’re firm, but gentle. You treat them like your own dog and what you’d like them to do. You setup your own rules because they don’t have any expectations. I also believe in kenneling … the first day I like to kennel them and let them decompress … let my dogs smell them and vice-versa.” One of Karin’s dogs, Cody, who she adopted, plays a large role when there are fosters in the house, she said. “He is awesome with the scared little guys,” Karin said. “For some reason he gives them confidence. I had a little puppy that I couldn’t touch with out her peeing and pooping, so I didn’t touch her for two weeks. What I would do is send Cody out to the yard and when I’d call him inside she’d follow him.” Some animals stay in their foster homes for two weeks for others takes up to several months, depending on their situation, she said. Between the time a foster is in Karin’s home and they are adopted, she ensures they are house broken, can walk on a leash and know the basic commands, Karin said. For Samantha, she learned the use of the doggie door quickly, she said. “She also walks great … I walk all four dogs at once,” she said. “I usually go for a mile walk a day … that’s the 50 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

requirement. They have to learn to walk in a pack because it settles them down and it helps them get along better too. The only thing Samantha does is she’ll stop and put her nose to the ground. I have to redirect her that we’re walking, but she’s great. She kennels at night. At first she didn’t like being kenneled like a lot do, but I work with them. I feed them in their kennel and they get their goodies in their kennel.” Once it’s time for the fosters to leave, Karin said she works on finding prospective pet owners. “I network them on Facebook … ARF is awesome about networking them,” she said. “They have adoption events that I take them to, so it doesn’t take long at all for the fosters to be adopted.” Karin added that, when the time comes for the fosters to be adopted, she has the opportunity to see the applicants. “That makes it really nice because than you feel good about where they are going to go,” she said. “One of the female dogs I had I wasn’t comfortable with one of her applicants. The people were awesome, but it just wasn’t a good fit for her because I knew her personality and what her needs were. So they let me say ‘no’. I wanted a successful adoption and then finally the right one came for her. It felt so good even though I

cried. I also write out everything I know about the dog, so it makes it easier for that dog to adjust.” While at it can be difficult to see them go, Karin said she does receive updates from time-to-time from families who have adopted her fosters. “I always ask for updates and I’ve been really blessed that they’ve given me them,” she said. Colleen added that she cries every time one of her fosters is adopted, but it’s worth it. “I love animals and I just think they deserve better. People are just very irresponsible and don’t take care of their animals. So’s all worth it when they are adopted because than I see the pictures and they’re so happy. It’s something they’ve never had.” Fostering pets first before putting them straight up for adoption makes things a lot easier for the animals, Colleen said. “If you see a shelter dog they are brought in and put into a cage and it stays there,” she said. “It has no human interaction. They’re in a frightening situation and they usually come from homes where they were neglected, most times even abused. So when they’re put into a home setting they get to decompress where they actually learn how to be a pet and that’s very important. When you adopt a dog from AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING ~ SEGUIN 51

the shelter right to your home the chances are you’re going to have a lot more issues. We have the time to potty train them and take care of their medical needs. It makes for a much easier transition.” Karin agrees that it is better for dogs or cats if they are fostered first. “People don’t understand that some of these (animals) have never ever been in a house,” she said. “Your heart becomes so full when you foster. It is so rewarding and I could never stop now. I was really leery with the first ones I did, but then I remembered that there are other ones waiting.” In the United States, 6.5 million animals enter shelters and each year; 1.5 million of those are eventually euthanized. According to the ASPCA, the numbers have decreased for the amount of dogs and cats euthanized in “U.S. shelters annually from approximately 2.6 million in 2011” because of the increase of adoption and animals returned to their owners. However, Karin believes in Guadalupe County it’s harder for owners to find their pets because of the confusion between the county’s shelter and the Guadalupe Humane Society. “The biggest problem in Guadalupe County and in these shelters is for instance if you live in the county and you’re going to contact them to try to find your dog, people contact the Humane Society of Guadalupe, which is a separate organization,” Karin said. Unlike the Guadalupe County Humane Society, the Guadalupe County Animal Shelter is not an open intake, but a three-day holding facility, she said. “People don’t go to look at dogs there let alone go find their missing pets,” Karin said. “So owners don’t know where to look. I live in Guadalupe County and across the street is Comal County. So if my dogs go to Klein Road it’s Guadalupe County, so they’ll end up in that holding facility. Yet I live in the city of New Braunfels, so you’d think they would be in New Braunfels, but not necessarily. It’s really hard because people don’t know that.” Karin added that when someone fosters an animal it makes room for another one that enters the shelter. “Fostering saves a life … it saves many lives,” Colleen said. “These animals are here through no fault of their own.. If you have a home you can save a life. ARF takes care of all the veterinary needs and we provide them with anything you need. We’re here for constant support. It’s just very important. If you love animals, this is the greatest thing you can do.” 52 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

"Look To Seguin Assisted Living For A Carefree Future.”

Family Owned And Operated

• Large Apartments / 3 Floorplans to Choose From • Selective Menu at All Meals • Daily Activities Call us today for information or to arrange your personal visit. We look forward to meeting you!

226 Preston Drive, Seguin, Tx 830.379.8882 www.SeguinAssistedLiving.com

Lic# 050604

54 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

send tHem to us at seguinmagazine@seguingazette.com

WANT TO SEE YOUR PICTURES ON THIS PAGE?

c e n t i A u t h

s T e x a

SEGUIN A u t h e gn t i c l i v i n

Octobe r | Novemb

T e x a s

l i v i n g

er 2017

Decemb er 2016|J

anuary 2017

in’s Stories of Segu ts favorite haun

The place to go

Meet your friends son’s tales Rebecca Harri rking of leather-wo

to From Muscle Mystiqsicue Cars uin’s Clas Seg Life

coac h | texa s snow boar ding

| DIY Esse ntia l Oils

To advertise in the next issue of Seguin, PLEASE call

830.379.5441

Elizabeth engelhardt ext. 207 elizabeth.engelhardt@seguingazette.com GAY LYNN OLSOVSKY ext. 210 gaylynn@seguingazette.com Lorinda Spaulding ext. 227 lorinda.spaulding@seguingazette.com

When holiday shopping gives identity thieves more opportunities, First United Secure Checking helps protect your money, your family’s identities, your credit score, your personal information, and more.

Family includes spouse; persons qualifying as a domestic partner under the provisions of any applicable federal, state or local law; children under 25 years of age; and parents of such natural persons who are residents of the same household. Member FDIC.

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL Providing over 20 years of Comfort to our Customers

VOTED BEST HEATING/AC COMPANY IN SEGUIN

TACLA010612C

Change your life with

WIFI T-STAT

(830) 303-8624

510 N. Austin • Seguin www.TriCountyAC.com Authentic Texas living ~ Seguin 55

GROOMING

Professionally Trained Stylists Offering the Full Spa Experience Member NDGAA

TRAINING

CCPDT Certiﬁed Training Member APDT

BOUTIQUE

Featuring the Finest, Healthiest, Hippest & Fanciest Dog Stuff in Seguin 206 S. Austin St. • Seguin 830-379-7000

www.thunderpawsdogs.com

Call (830)372-2237

to schedule your appointment today! 122 S. Moss • Seguin, TX 78155 www.AdvanceHearingSeguin.com

Serving Seguin and the surrounding areas for 29 Years LIC # 50540

Family, Cosmetic & Sedation Dentistry All Insurances Accepted

Taking New Patients

Come Visit Us

BrightStarDentist.com · 830.379.6545

Feb 22 & 23, 2018 in Booths 24 & 39 At Seguin Chamber of Commerce’s

2018 Business Showcase in the Coliseum Proud Chamber of Commerce member since 2016 · 2017 Business Showcase “Best Use of Booth”

luvvitsgarden@yahoo.com www.luvvitsgarden.com Luvvits-Garden

830-401-9262

M-F 9:00 - 5:00 • Sat 9:00 -1:00 6772 N State HWY 123, Geronimo, TX 78155

Pre-Order Valentine’s today for a discount!

Flower Shop, Gifts and More

Specializing in Large Events! Fresh/Silk floral arrangements for all occasions Weddings, Quinceañeras, Corporate Events Plants · Gifts · Rustic Furniture · Balloons Schedule a meeting · Reserve us NOW!

56 Seguin ~ Authentic Texas living

WANT TO SEE YOUR PICTURES ON THIS PAGE? send tHem to us at seguinmagazine@seguingazette.com

AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING ~ SEGUIN 57

GET A FULL YEAR delivered to your mailbox! A u t h e n t i c

T e x a s

l i v i n g

October | November 2017

Stories of Seguin’s favorite haunts

Only $24.95

Call 830.379.5441

Rebecca Harrison’s tales of leather-working

From Muscle to Mystique Seguin’s Classic Cars

or clip and mail this order form to: 1012 Schriewer Rd., Seguin, TX 78155 along with a check or money order made payable to The Seguin Gazette

Name _________________________________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Phone ________________________________________________________________________ Email _________________________________________________________________________ Credit Card # ___________________________________________________________________ Expiration Date _________________________________________________________________ Name on Card __________________________________________________________________

58 SEGUIN ~ AUTHENTIC TEXAS LIVING

What started off as an unfortunate series of events for Eddie Yaklin, turned out to be one of his very purposes of life… After purchasing his “Afordable Fantasea” in mid 2009, Eddie’s luxury yacht overheated en route from Florida to Texas. “There was no reason for the transmission to overheat; it was a brand new boat.” Nonetheless, a 3-week pit stop in Louisiana proved Eddie’s misfortune to be fortunate for 3 shipwrecked men on a doomed fishing trip. After setting a course for himself and his 3 mates to embark, Eddie decided to take the yacht 50 miles off path, to an under fished rig. “Gunnison is the best spot for fishing; there is a shelf that drops off, but people don’t go out there because they ain’t ever got enough gas to get there and back!” Eddie said excitedly. After circling the rig, Eddie claims something about two miles from where they were parked kept catching his eye; so he directed the captain to explore. “I saw something, just for a moment. Then it went. Then a few minutes later, I saw it again. So, I told the captain to head that way.” As the yacht and the four men neared the area, Eddie saw what looked like a white shirt being waved by a man, accompanied by 2 other men on a capsized boat. “At first sight, it looked like they were literally standing on water. The first thing we thought, pirates. We didn’t know who these guys were – we had been on the boat and didn’t even know there was anyone missing. So, we got the Coast Guard on the SAT phone and were trying to get their names, but they kept all shouting at once and finally had to tell ‘em to shut up and give me their names one by one. My buddy looked at me and said ‘Oh my god, these guys have been missing for 8 days – thought to be dead.’ I couldn’t believe it.” Eddie said the men were incredibly sunburnt, exhausted, and hungry. Eddie also said that even though there were only 4 of them originally on the yacht, they had marinated 7 steaks. “That was God’s doing. Everything that was bad for me…wasn’t so bad. The first thing I did was offer the men my phone, so they could call their families. The stories they shared with us are even more unbelievable.” Eddie said nostalgically. Eddie’s and the survivors story was featured all over; in almost all the local papers, the UK, and they were even featured on “I Shouldn’t Have Survived” and several others. The 3 men recovered and still keep in contact with their hero, Eddie, to this day. A little die b a out Ed

Born and raised in Kingsville, Texas – Eddie Yaklin began his car-selling endeavor in 1977 while attending Del Mar College, by working for a local used car lot. After marinating for several years, Eddie ventured off on his own; he began buying used vehicles directly from car lots and at auctions – Eddie’s Autoworld (where all the magic began). In 2000, Eddie purchased an established, 3-generation family-owned car lot in Kingsville. Formerly known as “KA Childs” – Eddie Yaklin Ford, Lincoln and Mercury and Eddie Yaklin Nissan, picked up its inventory and moved directly off of major highway 77. After testing the waters throughout Texas; Corpus Christi, Dallas – Eddie decided to move to New Braunfels, Texas to bask in retirement – instead Eddie purchased Wyatt Arp in September 2016, just 5 months after selling his beloved dealership in Kingsville. Not only did Eddie acquire Seguin’s hometown dealership, Eddie also purchased a dealership in Houston for his son. Eddie Yaklin, a God-fearing, community loving, family man; who stretches as long as wide to help those in need. (Paid Advertisement)

Seguin's Choice For Low Prices & Great Service

Serving Seguin and Surrounding Areas 1880 IH 10 W, Seguin, TX 78155 | 830-303-FORD (3673) www.griffithfordseguin.com