www.unitedway.org 3
Publisher: Karyn Lyn Editor: Greg Forest Design & Layout: Lonesome Dove Design Studio Contributing Writers & Columnists: Greg Forest, Kathleen Hudson, Guich Koock, Jil Utterback, Ron Knuth, Tony Griffith, Steve Staincamp, Richard Berry, Ben Taylor, Dave Kemp, Gary Lockte, Mary Schenk, Charles Torello, Genie Strickland, Jerry Phillips, & John Hallowell Web Design: The Music Office Sales Manager: Tony Griffith
Our Cover Feature
Ray Price is recognized as one of the pillars of Texas music. Ron Knuth penned a tribute song and with a bit of help from Willie Nelson and producer Bobby Flores, Curtis Potter released his tribute CD, “Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy.”
Page 6
Women in Texas Music
Texas Music - its not just a guy thing. Kathleen Hudson is starting a new series on a subject near and dear to her heart - women in Texas Music. One of Texas’ favorites, Terri Hendrix is featured in this month’s kick-off column. See why Terri & sidekick Lloyd Maines are one of Texas’ most popular acts.
Page 14
Gravel Roads
Dave Kemp shares life at the end of a gravel road. Pavement might sound good to city-folk but to find the real Texas you sometimes have to stray off the beaten path. Way off.
Page 11
4
The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country is published quarterly by Heart Beat Publishing PO Box 1204, Bandera, Texas 78003. Opinions expressed in articles may not be those of the publisher and editor of the The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country, its advertisers, writers or contributors. All content is copyrighted by The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the publisher. The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country is not liable for editorial content, typographical errors and any statements or claims by advertisers or columnists. Subscriptions are $20 per year payable to The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country at the above address. Editorial and advertising submissions must be received by the 15th of the month before publication. All ad dimensions, prices and specifications may be found at our website, http://texasheartbeat.com.
Welcome! The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country is beating loud and clear with
an exciting new quarterly entertainment, lodging and dining guide. Covering communities in the Hill Country from Medina to Wimberly, this pocket-sized magazine will be your guide and treasure map to great Central Texas locations. Distributed in Bandera, Medina, Kerr, Kendall, Gillespie, Hayes Bexar, Comal and Blanco counties, we have got the Hill Country covered. Featuring great writers, advertisers and events guides - Texas tourism has never been easier! Your Publisher Karyn Lyn studied Graphic Design and English at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas. After graduation in 2008 she continued to design and write various columns for two publications, built a design/ photography/social media assistance clientele, blessing her with the ability to open her own business, Lonesome Dove Design Studio located in Bandera Texas. Your Editor Greg Forest has been the CEO of the Music Office since 1984 and is the author of four books on the music and entertainment industry. He is also Director of the Hill Country Film Group. Greg’s books, articles and editorials have been published by some of the largest names in the business - Mix Bookshelf, Hal Leonard, Cengage and Thompson Publishing. Our Writers Over half of the Heart Beat is great content from a wide variety of Hill Country and Texas writers. Whether its the latest in Texas music news, outdoor tips and tricks or authentic Texas recipes, we try to run the gamut of everything Texas! Ya’ll take a gander!
texasheartbeat.com 5
Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy Paying Tribute to Ray Price
By Ron Knuth and Ken Garrett
Ron Knuth at Waring General Store Photo by Kevin Hall
6
Back in the late sixties I recorded my first fiddle album. On that album I did a song by Ray Price called “Soft Rain.” Johnny Bush heard the song and thought I might have the potential to play in his band the Bandoleros. I moved to Texas and became a Bandolero and have worked with Bush off and on for the last 41 years. In 1992 i went to a recording session with Ray and Willie Nelson hoping to pitch them a tune or two. It turns out they were doing old songs. Ray asked me to play on the session, Bobby Floors was already on it so we did some twin fiddles and it was great. The CD was called “Run That by Me One More Time” and they did “Soft Rain” it was a full
circle moment for me. When the CD was done David Zettner noticed they forgot to put my name on it . The recording and the paperwork where done at different times in different places so no one new I showed up at the recording. When David told Willie he said its up for a Grammy and if we get em we will make sure we don’t put his name on his ha ha. When my friend Ken Garrett approached me to help him write a song as a tribute to Ray Price I was inspired to say the least. Ray is most certainly one of my heroes . Ken said I would like the song to start out and end like “For The Good Times” with a medium shuffle. Using some of the titles of Ray’s songs, I put it together and finished the song before Ken even had a chance to participate in the actual writing. When I presented it to him he was happy with it and didn’t change a thing. We asked Curtis Potter to sing the song and he agreed. No-one could have sang it better. We went to Bobby Flores studio and recorded it. Some of the best musicians anywhere gathered we got a great recording. Randy Reinhard played steel and piano, Jim Kalson on bass, Bobby Jarzombec on drums, with Bobby Flores playing rhythm and lead. Bobby did the strings on the beginning and end, he has played with Ray for a long time and knocked it out before I could even tune my fiddle. We did the fiddles in the middle and Bobby, with his exceptional ear, mixed it perfectly. I sent an email to Willie and asked if he would consider singing on it with Curtis, he said count me in. We got his engineer Steve Shady to take his mobile equipment to Luck and record him. Tracy Pitcox from Heart of Texas Records heard the song and decided to do a whole CD with Curtis singing all Ray Price songs. He used our recording of our song and got some more great musicians to do the rest and titled it “Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy” Kenand I are very proud of our song - it is not only a tribute to Ray Price and his music but also all the great fans who come out into the night life to hear and dance to the “Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy”. Go to Ron Knuth’s Facebook page to hear the song and see the slide show. You can buy the recording at Heart of Texas Records or iTunes.
CD REVIEW
“Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy” Curtis Potter Produced by Justin Trevino Heart of Texas Records In 2013, Curtis Potter released his album: “Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy,” a special tribute to Ray Price and his music. Curtis Potter, an artist who also keeps REAL Texas Country Music alive, sings eleven great Ray Price hit songs including “Danny Boy” “If She Could See Me Now,” “I Love You So Much It Hurts Me,” “Sittin and Thinkin,” “I Won’t Mention It Again” (a duet with Ken Garrett), “Walk Me To The Door,” “I’m Still Not Over You,” “It Should Be Easier Now,” “Soft Rain,” and the “Healing Hands of Time.” The jewel of the project is “The Songs of The Cherokee Cowboy” in which the lyrics tell a story through Ray Price songs. Willie Nelson joins Curtis on the song, dazzling the essence of Texas Country music, contributing his compassion and respect to Ray Price. The album is produced by Justin Trevino, Curtis Potter “Songs of the Cherokee Cowboy” includes Jim Loessberg , Buddy Harmon and Bobby Jarzombek on drums, Randy Reinhard and Buddy Emmons on steel guitar, Ron Knuth, Bobby Flores, Johnny Gimble, Buddy Spicher and Reggie Rueffer on fiddle, Jake Hooker and Jim Kalson on bass, Charlie Walton, Pete Wade and Bobby Flores on guitar, T. Bonta, Pig Robbins and Randy Reinhard on piano, Justin Trevino on rhythm guitar and harmony vocals.
7
Now Is the Time For Next Year The nights are cooling and the days are shorter, and it is finally time to take a break from the garden until spring time, right? WRONG! Now is the most important time of the year to prepare your garden soil for next year’s production. Common sense tells us that when your garden soil is depleted of basic essential nutrients, your garden fruits and vegetables will also lack essential nutritive ingredients. Plants do not produce minerals, rather, they only transfer minerals from the soil to the edible parts of the plant. Through photosynthesis and other processes, the minerals drawn from the soil into the plants are transformed into assimilable mineral compounds which your body can utilize. When your soil is mineral-deplete, your crops will lack adequate nutrition, and will lack complex and satisfying flavors. FACT: without proper amendments, most soils are lacking in essential minerals, particularly soils worked by commercial farms. When you consume foods produced by these commercial farms and growers, your food in nutritionally lacking. This is why you must supplement with quality vitamins and minerals in order to stay healthy. Perhaps you know people who rely on the fertilizer producer’s advertising slogans which declare their formulations of Nitrogen, phosphate and potash (also referred to as N-P-K.) These ingredients truly make your garden plants beautiful and green but do not impart needed nutrition. What can you do to improve the quality of your soil and greatly improve the nutritional quality of your garden plants? First, do what Great Grand-Ma used to do……begin the re-mineralization process by dumping ashes from your outdoor cookouts and your fireplace into your garden soil. Just broadcast the ashes and rake them in. The ashes are pure mineral and are incredibly beneficial. Second, build up your soil with plant waste materials. Most municipal refuse centers will sell beneficial tree and brush grindings for a very reasonable fee. It is the natural breakdown of these organic materials which slowly and efficiently re-nutrify your soil. These processes produce great benefits over time. I also use Bloomin Minerals, a “fast start” mineral supplement which is perfectly bal anced and very effective. This product is a humate soil conditioner and plant food containing up to 76 organically bound earth elements. This product is very beneficial and cost effective. Another factor many people overlook is detoxification and stabilization of their garden soil. I recommend a specially processed charcoal substance called bio-char which once applied, enhances the soil efficacy for many years. According to a prominent college professor, application of bio-char is hypothesized to increase bio-available water, build soil organic matter, enhance nutrient cycling, and reduce leaching of pesticides. Another inherent benefit to all these processes is the natural rebalancing of soil PH. Healthy soil PH aids in a plant’s uptake of minerals which contributes to great tasting and nutritional fruits and vegetables for your enjoyment. Now is the perfect time to start revitalizing your soils. For more information including where to purchase Bloomin Minerals and/or bio-char just send me an email to gwlochte@yahoo.com. 8
9
Hassle Free Printing We Take Printing Seriously…Not Ourselves.
5,000 postcards $149 • 10,000 flyers $349 • 1,000 magazines $995 (16 pages, 60# paper)
Visit us at www.shweiki.com CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE YOUR PLANT TOUR 210-804-0390
EmAiL SAmPLES@SHwEiki fOR A fREE qUOTE OR CALL 512-480-0860
10
“I close my eyes wishing we could be, at the transported back to that very moment end of a gravel road” in time as if it were some personal time machine. When the moon is full and I’ve spent most of my life on gravel roads. bright you can drive without headlights They’re called dirt roads, county roads, cali- unencumbered by the stark light of the che roads but by any name, they’re still gravel city, and there all alone in that stillness, roads. That’s what we called them in Ten- listen and you will hear the voices of a nessee where I grew up. Some of my earliest thousand travelers, their stories too numemories are of walking down those kinds merous to tell. of roads in bare feet. A gravel road was the front most boundary of the yard at the house I guess I eventually had to end up in the where I spent my impressionable years. Cars hill country of Texas. It seems a natural flying by would leave a smothering plume of transition from my early experiences dust, so to combat this problem we spread in Tennessee. If you have the luxury of used motor oil on the road in front of the living here and not having to commute house. This was long before the EPA decid- to town for work, you are one of the fored it wasn’t prudent to do so. We reasoned, tunate few. You understand the richness oil came from the ground so what could be and value of living in a small town, maythe error in returning it? We were just simple be on a gravel road. country folks. Most of my inspiration and memories Gravel roads can speak to you and have their come from the rhythm and soul of a own rhythm and voice. If you get off the high- country road. I can still hear the sound way and let a gravel road take you, you’ll hear of my old balloon tire bicycle plodding it. They say things like “slow down, take your through the gravel in front of our house. time” or “just keep going a little farther, let Our old swimming hole was at the end of me show you what’s around the bend”. They a gravel road. My dear brother and sister often remind me of experiences kept safe in lie in a cemetery at the end of a gravel the shady, winding pathways of my mind. I road. The old church where I first felt the only have to take that lonely pathway and I’m tug of the Holy Spirit is at the end of a gravel road. I can still smell the honeysuckle vines and the sweet fragrance of the tea weeds growing along the side of those gravel roads. I love to come home at night and turn on to my gravel road and see whitetail deer jump the fence in front of my truck. I think I’ll always live on a gravel road. 11
As we approach the holiday season, I
CORNBREAD STUFFING: 2 pans cornbread (I use an iron skillet) reflect on years past and all I have to be 4 stalks celery (chopped) thankful for. Our families have dwindled 1/2 onion (chopped) down to a mere few and the miles between 2 tbs. poultry seasoning us prohibit our getting together as often salt & pepper to taste as we would like. Grandparents are gone, 1 can cream style corn in some cases, parents have passed on, as 2 cans chicken broth well. The children are grown and out on 1 stick butter or margarine their own, raising their families often states SautÊ onions and celery in butter, prepare away sharing their time between in-laws. cornbread - cool - crumble mix all ingredients in large bowl add a little water to Thus the reason for this article. Just as the moisten, if necessary. Bake at 350 degrees melody of a song, takes us back to a time for 30 minutes or until heated thru. and place. So does the aroma filling the house during the holidays. Specifically, FUDGE PIE: that wonderful smell of home made pies, 1 - 9 in. baked pie shell turkey and dressing and such. 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/4 c. butter What I want everyone to think about is 1 can Eagle Brand milk tradition. Traditions that have marked 1/2 c. Biscuit mix your memory and sensory perceptors 2 eggs throughout your life. Traditionally, the 1 tsp. vanilla women worked their fingers to the bone 1 c. chopped pecans preparing a meal for the multitudes of guests/family for 2 or more days, only to Melt chips and butter in pan, beat with have it devoured in 20 minutes or so. But, other ingredients except nuts till smooth. I believe it was worth it. What we must Add nuts and pour into pie shell. Bake at do is encourage our children to carry on 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes until center that tradition. No matter where they are. is set. Serve cooled with cool whip or ice We can do this by teaching them how to cream. prepare their favorite part of the holiday meal. It’s a little piece of home even if they have moved on and as for me, puts a smile on my face and warms my soul. The following recipes are a few that make me go back to that time when life was much simpler and I had not a care in the world. Lastly, keep tradition alive and have a safe and happy holiday season! 12
At Fine Bookstores Everywhere 13
After finishing a book of interviews with women in Texas music(2007/ UT Press), after submitting a story to new book, Her Texas: Story, Women and Song, featuring poets, artists, songwriters, and me as an historian (?), after listening to many stories of women at the 2013 American Studies Conference at Baylor, I am compelled to share a story with you about women. This month I am featuring (with the Libran difficulty of choice looming over me)……..drum roll as I make up my mind…….Terri Hendrix! Terri has been in my classroom several times, performed at my school, Schreiner University, at the annual Texas music festival and brings such joy and sweetness to everything she does. Terri and Lloyd Maines, a duo to draw to. Since you can find her history on the Internet, and her performances on YouTube, I am compelled to tell you some stories I know. My students use her book, CRY TILL YOU LAUGH, THE PART THAT AIN’T ART, as a topic for their first two essays in English 1301. The last two years they also wrote her letters that we delivered at her September concert with THMF. They told her that her courage was inspiring. They told her they loved her stories about life! One woman’s voice making a difference. Now she has started a non-profit to create a space for self-expression called OYOU, Own your own universe, a 501c3 dedicated to getting art and music to folks who need it.
14
Her songs range wide, with many styles integrated into a tapestry of a great performance each time you hear her play. I watched her beginning in class in Kerrville one day, as she visited my students, pulling out a harmonic to try on them. Now she plays solos on her instruments that stop the show. Lloyd Maines, a producer and instrumentalist par excellence, tours with Terri, and their banter reveals the great respect he has for her music and her courage. Why do I keep saying that courage word? After listening to women brave enough to tell their story here in Waco tonight, I notice my own curiosity. Do I have something to tell that I am holding back? Do I lack courage? A good question for us all. I thank Terri for leading the way down that road. She saw those lions, and they did not win. Down the road. KH
15
The Highland Lakes of Texas By John Hallowell
Adam Rankin Johnson was a just a 20-year-old surveyor from Kentucky when he first explored the Colorado River Valley in 1854, but he had big dreams for taming the wild river and harnessing its enormous power. Before 1860, he had marked boulders on either side of the river to show where a dam should be built, and in 1887 he founded a city by “the great marble falls” a few miles downstream. Buchanan Dam was eventually completed in 1938 by the newly-created Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), about 80 years after Johnson marked the spot, and a series of dams down the river created the Highland Lakes chain along the Colorado River. The wild land, with its spectacular scenery and legends of Indians, outlaws and lost treasure, has become a tourist and retirement paradise; today the “Highland Lakes,” each with its own unique character, attract thousands of visitors every year. Lake Buchanan is the first and the largest of the lakes. It is ideal for sailing and fishing, and its northern end (home of the Vanishing Texas River Cruise) is surrounded by unspoiled wilderness. Inks Lake is the smallest of the five lakes, but its eastern bank is almost completely occupied by Inks Lake State Park, so it offers a wide range of recreational activities along with its spectacular scenery. Lake LBJ is the central lake, the “crown jewel” of the Highland Lakes. It is a constant-level lake (as are Inks Lake and Lake Marble Falls), and features a whole additional arm where the Llano River joins the Colorado at Kingsland. It is surrounded by beautiful hills and upscale retirement communities, with a multitude of inlets and canals which add to the visual appeal and the length of the shoreline. Lake Marble Falls is the most accessible of the Highland Lakes; Hwy 281 crosses it at Adam Johnson’s historic town, and several quality hotels offer luxurious overnight accommodations on both sides of the lake. The legendary series of waterfalls which gave Marble Falls its name now lie quietly under the lake, but the old downtown, just one block west of the highway, still reflects the town’s Old West heritage. Although the lakes themselves are the main attraction, several state parks (including Longhorn Cavern and Enchanted Rock) and historic towns (Burnet and Llano, in particular) add to the appeal of this very special corner of the Texas Hill Country. 16
Sharity Productions
in association with Crenwelge Motors Presents
“A Tribute to Tammy Wynette”
Georgette and her mom Tammy Wynette
Georgette and her dad George Jones
Country Music Artist
Hotel Headquarters
Georgette Jones
Kerrville Fredericksburg
Casino & Vegas “e World Famous Longhorn Riding Steers” e Cross T Ranch Bandera, Texas
Daughter of Country Music Hall Of Fame Members and Country Music Legends Tammy Wynette and George Jones
Live and In Concert
Billy Mata & The Texas Tradition
Sunday, December 15, 2013 – 3:00 p.m. Guich Koock Master of Ceremonies Cailloux eater Kerrville, Texas
Betty & Gene Wolf - Producers
For Show Tickets Call (830) 896-9393 or go online to www.caillouxtheater.com or email: sharityproductions@earthlink.net
Cailloux eater Kerrville, Texas
17
HILL COUNTRY FILM GROUP Fun in High Definiton on Texas Locations by Greg Forest
You may have noticed over the past few years that Hollywood movie stars are being spotted all over the Texas Hill Country. From the bars of Austin to the wineries of Fredericksburg, film luminaries are seeming to flock to Texas. They all know that Central Texas is a great place to hang. Even better, many of them are arriving to actually work. It wasn’t that long ago that Robert Rodriquez gave Hollywood a good bitch-slapping when he released “El Mariachi” to critical acclaim. I imagine the eyes of many an L.A. accountant were opened when Rodriquez accomplished this with a few of his friends and under $5,000. That kind of money doesn’t pay a day’s catering in Hollywood. Rodriquez has stayed true to his Texas roots and is filming much of his current work at his production facility hanger at the old Robert Mueller Airport in Austin. The Texas Film Commission and the Governor’s office have done a great deal to make Texas a film-friendly state. From tax abatements on production costs to a highly skilled workforce, Texas is becoming a film production destination and film makers are taking note. We have oceans, mountains, hill country, piney woods - you name it. Central Texas is a location scout’s dream. Have a scary movie and need an old wood barn to hang your victims from the rafters? Probably a couple Over the summer I got the thousand in Texas to choose from. If a western is chance to test the waters of Texas more your taste, there are plenty of locations to be film-making first hand. I had writfound from Enchanted Springs Ranch in Boerne’s ten a script about the assassination of authentic cow-town to the Alamo Village down JFK about a year ago and decided to in Bracketville. Texas has it all. Did I mention the commemorate the anniversary of the weather? Cold rainy days are, thankfully, a rarity grievous event with a short film. most days of the year and Heaven knows we have It was incredibly easy finda lot of sunlight for good lighting. ing people who are as enthusiastic
18
The primary cast of “Memory Hole” rehearse their lines in prepartion for a shoot.
as I am about film-making and we started shooting in earnest with a modest DSLR camera. From the opening scene by the creek in Camp Verde to the final explosive scene in Kerrville, the film is all Texas. The Hill Country Film Group, a new association of film pros, hobbyists and enthusiasts have a number of other productions coming up in 2014. If you love film or the film-making process - maybe you would like to try your hand at acting, visit hillcountryfilmgroup. com and check out upcoming productions and casting calls. We will see you on the red carpet!
19
Most of the other writers featured in The Heart Beat are seasoned veterans of the Bandera, and Texas Hill Country scene. Me, I’m a tenderfoot having only lived in Bandera for a little over a year. When approached to write an article, for The Heart Beat, my first response was, “About what?” After all I’m still trying not to get lost (where do you get your driver’s license renewed?), visit all the shops (Christmas is coming soon!), who has music when (have I heard this group yet?), who serves the coldest beer, and most importantly who has the best chicken fried steak, Mexican food, and breakfast (still trying to eat my way through all of the great restaurants.). I’m still like a wide eyed little kid when I see real cowboys and cowgirls on horseback. On any given day you might come upon a chuck-wagon set up in front of a campfire or a horse drawn wagon offering rides. Then there are unforgeable characters all dressed up like Wyatt Earp or Doc Holliday and they are sitting in local restaurants like it’s no big deal! If that wasn’t enough I was strolling the sidewalks one Saturday and suddenly found myself surrounded by outlaws, lawmen, soiled doves, and others shooting it out right in the street For a young boy raised with the likes of Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger, and Gene Autry I was in Heaven on Earth. I even got deputized! What a great town full of great people I have moved into and I have the entire Texas Hill Country to explore as well. Then the idea hit me, why not write an article from the “newbie” perspective. I might even find someone, some place, or some thing that the old timers might miss. If you’ve lived in the forest long enough you sometimes miss the trees....right? With notebook, and camera, in hand I promise to faithfully always be on the lookout for an interesting character, a merchant with an unusual story, a haunted dwelling, an off the beaten track piece of God’s beauty or anything unusual visitors and locals alike might find interesting. We will discover Bandera and The Texas Hill Country together. Next issue I’m going to learn all I can about the 2nd oldest Polish community and church in the United States. I’m looking forward to visiting the church as I understand it is gorgeous inside. I just love Texas history so be on the lookout for my inaugural article. I’ve never been one to shy away from asking for help so let’s make this an interactive column we can all have fun with. I’ll entertain any suggestions for future articles. Maybe you know someone who should be recognized that our readers might find interesting. Maybe you’ve found a little slice of Heaven few others know about and you don’t mind sharing. If you want to make a suggestion just drop me a line or email with as much of the particulars as you can to: The Heart Beat | PO Box 1204 | Bandera, TX 78003 texashillcountrytony@gmail.com 20
What is a Community Bank? A community bank is an independent bank dedicated to bringing the best in services and products to its customers. Its loyalty is to the businesses and families that make up the community. Bandera Bank is a local bank that has served the Bandera communities for over a quarter-century. Our goal is to provide the financial services you need in a safe, sound, and secure manner. We do this, and our community is a better place to live and work. We’re Bandera Bank; we are Bandera’s bank.
P.O. Box 1596 Bandera, TX 78003 (830)796-3711 www.banderabank.com Corner of Cypress and Main
22
Remember the controversy created by allegations that Johnny Manziel profited from the sale of his autograph? I do. Pundits and the public alike were calling for Manziel’s head. The amount of profane comments I read describing his character made me pause and reflect. Let’s assume Johnny Football did sell his autographs. Is this really a heinous act? The Texas A&M football program, in 2012, generated million of dollars. How much profit did Heisman winner Johnny Manziel see of the millions his talent helped generate? Not much. Encouraged by the NCAA, everyone in authority positions at college football programs has the “right” to make as much money as possible exploiting the young men that play the game. But, for no moral principal, they claim it is illicit for the players to make even a cent more off their own efforts than their scholarships. A young man doing so is decried by the press as a miscreant bordering on a criminal. This is ridiculous! Your autograph is your property. How, in the land of the free, has it come to pass that we have been so trained to think that a perfectly moral act - the exchange of your property for compensation- has become so heinous? How is it that we regard colleges keeping all those millions for themselves as perfectly moral, but redistributing any of it to the players as something immoral? We must conclude that college sports may actually exist purely for profit, as does the NFL. College football is as much a big business as any other one. It is not a manifestation of pure principles any more. Money is at its core. Why should the players not get paid? Why should they be treated as indentured servants? They shouldn’t! They should get their equitable share. Period! College athletes risk their health in so many ways for the undeniable result that the billions they generate ultimately come to be controlled by an elite group: NCAA executives, university presidents, athletic directors and coaches. They employ righteous-sounding rhetoric - like “They’re amateurs!” or “They’re there to get an education” - to keep the money flowing into their pockets. Walter Byers, former CEO of the NCAA from 1951 to 1988, quit because he saw that it had become nothing but a corrupt scheme for profit. He wrote in his book Unsportsmanlike Conduct: the Exploitation of College Athletics: “...the NCAA... is preoccupied with tightening a few loose bolts in a worn machine, firmly committed to the neoplantation belief that the enormous proceeds from college games belong to the overseers (the administrators) and supervisors (coaches). The plantation workers performing in the arena may receive only those benefits authorized by the overseers. This system is so biased against human nature and simple fairness in light of today’s high dollar, commercialized college marketplaces...” Change will soon occur; it is inevitable. So, thank you Johnny Football for putting this crack in the dam by selling your autograph; after all it is your God-given talent and your property. (Charles Torello is a former college academics proctor and All-American football player at Rice University. Read his blog at www.CharlesTorello.wordpress.com)
23
COMING UP AT 11TH STREET December 6th
Bandera Shoppers Jubilee at Harley & Horses Market Place – 5pm
December 31st
9th - Annual New Years Eve Celebration
HAPPY NEW YEAR! January 1st 2014
10am The World Famous 11th St. Pajama Party
(830) 796.4849
James McGroarty
January 18th
The Reguladores, Balls to the Wall Bike Run, Corpus Christi to Bandera, Rain or shine (500 Bikes)
February 2nd
Super Bowl Sunday Party
February 14th
The 11th St. Valentine Dance
February 20th - 22nd 2014
The 9th Annual 11th St. Cowboy Mardi Gras: Parade, Gumbo cook-off, costume contest, canine costume contest, Cajun food and Country Cajun Zydeco Swamp Pop music!!!!
www.11thstreetcowboybar.com
As they are passed among family and friends, the sharing of recipes is a treasured tradition. It is easy today to go on the internet to find a recipe and read its reviews, but there is something special about pulling out that recipe with the name on it of who gave it to you. Several years ago I compiled my personal family favorites and put them together in my own cookbook. I then gave copies to my kids…leaving them many blank pages to add their own collected recipes. And of course I am still adding to mine! It is my pleasure to share some of my favorites with you. Both of these recipes are from my sister-in-law Mary Kay. Chicken Barley Chili 1cup finely chopped onion 1 clove garlic minced 1½ cup water 2—16 oz cans diced tomatoes 15 oz can black beans 15 oz can kidney beans 15 oz can tomato sauce 2 cups chicken broth 4 oz can green chiles ¾ cup medium barley 1 Tbsp chili powder ½ tsp ground cumin 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (or leftover turkey!) Simmer first 12 ingredients for 10 minutes then add the chicken and simmer 10 more minutes. A Quick & Easy Fruit Salad Great for your holiday table (any “Red” holiday such as Christmas, Valentine’s day, or any patriotic one), or something quick to take to a potluck dinner-- It is a little pricey but looks pretty—especially in a clear glass bowl and it always gets rave reviews. 1 can cherry pie filling (the secret ingredient!) 1 can (or 2) 11 oz drained mandarin oranges 1 can 20 oz drained pineapple chunks Sliced bananas 1 or 2 Throw in a few pecans if desired. Add bananas right before serving. Can’t get much easier than that! 26
After 32 years in the military, well my husband was in the military and the kids and I tagged along, I have many recipes from military friends---this being one of them. This one I have made many times over the years…it is called…Julie’s Polish Sausage... Julie’s Polish Sausage 1 cup tomato paste ½ cup catsup 1 can beer ½ small onion chopped 2 cloves garlic 3 lbs sausage sliced into nickels Put all ingredients in the crock pot and cook 3-4 hours on low or speed it up on high. A great appetizer to take to a holiday party! Just grab the crock pot and go!
27
RIVER RESORT / BANDERA Swimming, floating, fishing on the Medina River
RV SITES Pioneer River Resort/Bandera is open year round. Enjoy beautiful scenery, great location with exciting activities for all! 1,000 Ft. Frontage on Beautiful Medina River
• • • • • •
Full hook-ups Pull-thrus 30/50 AMPS Clean restrooms/showers Laundry RV supplies
• • • • • •
Beautifully shaded RV spaces
Large swimming pool
Cable TV • Tubing, Canoeing nearby Planned activities • Two 18 hole golf courses Hot tub within 2 miles Free WiFi • Near San Antonio’s Playground Fiesta Texas & Sea World Walk to town
1202 Maple Street • P.O. Box 1687 • Bandera, TX 78003 • (830) 796-3751 • 1-866-371-3751 • www.pioneerriverresort.com
28
29
Bandera has always had a special place in the memories of anyone thinking about the Texas Hill Country. The colorful history of the County includes tales of Indian raids, settlement of the Mormons and Polish families, exciting experiences at area Dude ranches, Texas Rangers, Longhorn cattle drives up the historic Western Trail, just to name a few. Actually, it was that famed Western Trail that led Bandera to its title of “The Cowboy Capital of the World”. Almost everything Bandera is known for; cowboys, horses, World Champion cowboys, western swing music, dude ranches, architecture, trick ropers, dance halls, Cowboys on Main Street, all came from that twelve year period when the over 7 million head of Longhorn cattle gathered in Bandera and made their way to Kansas City and points north. You remember that trail. The one made famous by Larry McMurtry in his book “Lonesome Dove”? Bandera does not just celebrate our history, we live it. So if you are looking for a great place to get a way and do something really different – head to Bandera. You will still see beautiful hills, pristine rivers, cowboys, longhorns, chuck wagons, rodeos, gunfights, singing cowboys, horses, lots of cowboy hats and boots and a few spurs. Most of all, you will find a lot of nice folks. You see, Bandera residents welcome visitors. Tourism is what we are all about. Folks that live here love visitors. We want you to love it too! Bandera is well known for wonderful events. We like to play hard and do stuff a little different. Like catching wild hogs at the Wild Hog Explosion in March, or if you’re here in April, check out the quick draw competition at the new Mayhem on the Medina. Join us Memorial Day weekend for some world class rodeo at the annual PRCA Rodeo. In June you can even participate in a river rodeo or enter something fun in the Anything That Floats Regatta at Bandera Riverfest. If that doesn’t do it, come on back to Bandera in July as we celebrate The National Day of the American Cowboy including a Ranch Rodeo where teams compete in competitions like penning and wild cow milking. Then hurry on back for Celebrate Bandera Labor Day Weekend featuring, Cowboy Mounted Shooters, a horseless ranch rodeo, Cow Patty Bingo, the Circle of Life Intertribal Powwow, a real longhorn cattle drive right down Main Street, a Wild West Show and the National Professional Bull Rider’s challenge. If hunting is your thing, Bandera has lots to offer and the kick off could not be better than the annual Hunter’s Bar –B-Que and Outdoor Expo the night before opening day of hunting season. We don’t stop there. Bandera has an awesome celebration and parade when Bandera Honors Veterans is hosted by the local American Legion on Veteran’s Day. We cap off the end of the year with holiday celebrations including Shopper’s Jubilee with carolers and musicians strolling Main Street while you shop and fabulous Christmas lights all over Bandera and in City Park with over 100 Christmas trees and scenes. Yep, we want you to come to Bandera. Why else would we throw so many parties? 30
31
The Taurus .410 “Judge” “I got my “Judge” for Texas rattlers; it also makes a great ladies’ home defense weapon.”
32
You’re looking down a cavernous muzzle and you think, “I’m in a heap o’ trouble. This ain’t no dumb city slicker on the other end of that shiny Taurus revolver. If he’s packing ‘ 00’ buckshot or Colt Longs, I’m dead meat.” Then the homeowner speaks, slow and clear, so there’s no mistakin’ his intent. “Do you really need my TV, or do you figure you’re the Cable guy?” Your lips are dry yet you manage a feeble grin, “Is this your thin-screen?” The homeowner’s enjoying this a whole lot. He could hold point with his Taurus .45/.410 all day long. He’s already given you more breathing space than a bungling idiot and thief deserves. He cuts you a ton of slack. “Okay, put the TV down, real slow.” You do it. “Now, back up. Hands up!” You follow his commands like a whipped puppy. The homeowner dials 911 and waits. “Yes, ma’am,” the homeowner drawls, savoring the moment. “Got me a burglar here in my home. Yes ma’am, that’s right, standing right here in front of me. Yup, better send a patrol car over pronto to 104 Willow.” He hangs up and watches you sweat some more. Snarling, he asks, “You think you can jes’ break into my house?” “No, sir,” you moan. “Please don’t shoot me,” you beg. A puddle forms on the floor, spreading out from ‘round your tennis shoes, stained yellow, soiling the man’s swept carpet. “Aw, shucks,” the homeowner groans. “Look what you’ve gone and done!” You say, “Mister, I’m real sorry. I’ll clean it up…” You begin to lower your trembling hands. By now, your knees are knocking so hard, it sounds like someone’s at the front door. “No, you don’t,” the homeowner growls.” He motions with the business end of the pistol, “Put ‘em up!” Dutifully, you reach for the sky. You hear the sirens, and you’re glad to still be alive. The sheriff leads you handcuffed to the squad car, and you stare at the gun in the old man’s wrinkled hand. You jes’ gotta know. “What you got in that thing, mister—.410 three-inch magnums or .45 Colt Longs?” “Does it really matter?” The homeowner grins. “No, sir, but I just got to know.” Where you’re headed, you’ll have lots of time—years—to think about the contents of that Taurus, the ammo, in that danged pistol.
The old man winks. “Three-inch magnums. You didn’t have a snowball’s chance, kid.” And you head off to jail, back to the Big House—mad you got busted—glad to be alive. *** Taurus makes one of the better self-defense and ‘snake-charmer’ pocket guns available. The Taurus 4510 Judge would be my choice of gifts beneath the tree this Holiday Season—the 3-inch, double-action, five-shot, stainless-steel version, with fiber-optic front sight and patented “Ribber” grips. But there’s a ton of choices to be had in Taurus revolvers—in caliber, barrel length and grips. What makes the Taurus .410 Revolver so cool is that it handles .410 buckshot (00 or 000), .45 Colt Longs and the new, devastatingly lethal Winchester SUPREME Elite round, with its plated BB’s and cylinder projectiles—take your pick, depending on the mission. I used my Taurus on west Texas rattlers with No. 7 bird shot—to lethal effect. I got my “Judge” for Texas rattlers; it also makes a great ladies’ home defense gun. Either way, bad guys watch out—the Judge is back in town, slimmer, lighter, deadlier. Hunting from a ground blind, The Judge can make the difference between a great deer hunting experience—or a night in the Emergency Room, after an encounter with a rattler or copperhead. Introducing: the Taurus Model 4510, The Judge, coming soon to a home near you! Bad guys BEWARE. Welcome new Banderian Steve Stainkamp and his faithful sidekick, Bubba, a 5-yearold Blue Heeler. Steve has lived in Texas since 1972, when he was stationed at Fort Hood. He was awarded his BA degree in English from the University of California at Fullerton and has published more than 1,000 outdoor hunting & fishing articles; books (“Glory Days: Life with the Dallas Cowboys, 1973-1998”); and hunting journals. He has been a guest at ranches from Costa Rica to Canada, to include world-famous Crocodile Bay Resort in Costa Rica and Rancho Caracol in Mexico. Steve has served as editor on several magazines and worked as a freelance contributor to 40 more. For the past several years, he managed a ranch in west Texas and a farm in Kansas. He moved to the heart of the Texas Hill Country to “get back to God’s Country.”
33
My grandparents’ house had the most marvelous attic. It was on the same level as the upstairs bedrooms, on the left just beyond the staircase. My grandfather was a master carpenter-turned building contractor and that house was a testament to his workmanship. The attic could have become a bedroom with very little modification. It was finished off with hardwood floors and the most wonderful little round window in the center of the front wall. But it was what was in the attic that made it magical. There were trunks with old fashioned clothes - really old clothes like high button shoes and dresses that swept the floor. There were hats with feathers and men’s suits made of heavy wool fabrics. My grandmother and I would rummage around in the trunks and try things on and play make-believe and discuss and laugh and I have vague memories of old letters and papers and photographs. It was a neat attic, so there was none of the clutter you might expect to find and I’m not completely sure what it held besides the trunks. There were dark corners, as there are in most attics, and I don’t remember going into them. Sadly, most of it went with the house when my grandparents died. The pictures must have been saved because I have lots of old photos - and I have the memories. The attic is now in my mind which is nowhere near as neat and tidy a place as the one in my grandparents’ house. Like most attics, it’s messy, filled with all sorts of “stuff ”, some of it interesting, some of it funny, some of it mundane, some of it tucked into dark corners. Bandera’s also a bit like an attic. Interesting, old fashioned, funny, sometimes dark and a great place to play make-believe, a great place to write about. At risk of wringing the metaphor dry, this column will be like an attic, too. A little of this and a little of that and sometimes it’ll be funny and sometimes not. Hopefully, it’ll be interesting and you’ll want to come back and visit. We might even take a peek into a few dark corners. 34
2900 E. Main Uvalde, TX 78801 830-278-4000
www.oasisoutback.com
Gunshop
In-house Gun Shop Limited Gunsmithing Cleaning FFL Transfer Special Orders
Bar-B-Q & Grill located inside the store
35
When I tell people I am in the deer breeding business, or if they see TexasDeerVet.com on the side of my truck, most commonly they ask something like, “What do you do with the deer and where do they go?” Actually, the deer breeding industry is the 5th largest agricultural business in Texas, based on gross sales. Hunting revenues in Texas run a close second to livestock revenues, so the demand is great. This, coupled with the ever-dwindling amount of land available for hunting, has created a huge demand for more deer off less land. Even the most modern management techniques coupled with supplemental feeding cannot keep up with the demand. We game managers were taught in school that we could address a deer’s antler size by letting them get older (age) and feeding them better (nutrition), but there was not much that could be done to address genetics. Well, we deer breeders have sure proven that teaching is unfounded. In the span of less than 20 years, antler development has exploded in pen-raised deer. I am fully aware that not everyone thinks that is a good thing, but I would like to give people something to mull over: through strict selection we have had a huge impact on antler development, but we cannot do anything through selection that was not already within the inherent genetic variability of that created kind. Whether your worldview includes a Creator, as mine does, or you believe everything, including deer, just happened through chance and time; man cannot, through selection, go beyond the limits of genetic variability. I believe that the result of mankind’s selection through hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years of hunting has inadvertently selected deer for smaller and smaller antler size. We breeders are attempting to swing the pendulum back to the large antler size found in many fossilized cervids of the past. So, to answer the question of what we do with the deer, there are three main markets for our product. We can sell to other breeders; either those just starting out or those looking to upgrade their stock. We can sell to ranch owners who want to improve the antler quality on their ranch through improved genetics. Or we can sell to hunting ranches to increase the number of harvestable animals per acre increasing profits. These beautiful animals have always held my fascination. In my capacity as a veterinarian, I do my best to assure these majestic creatures are healthy and happy. You are always welcome to visit. See me on my website: TexasDeerVet.com! 37
Texas Hill Country Ice Houses were the precursors of Convenience Stores but they were more than places to purchase milk or beer and ice or a few groceries. They were alternative community centers (alternative to churches). Ice Houses were social gathering places. They were places to relax after a long day of riding a tractor or working in the orchard or doctoring cattle and sheep. The Ice House was the place to catch up on local news and gossip, exchange recipes, brag about children, gardens and hunting prowess. The customers were usually local and arrived as regally as the sun. Newcomers were infrequent but welcome while being viewed with cautionary suspicion. That suspicion barrier easily broke however, if the new comer bought a round of beer for the house. If you are looking for a good ice house, keep an eye for an out of the way spot with several pick-up trucks parked around it. In season, it is a plus if there are dead deer in the beds of the trucks with the antlers exposed. If the Ice House has a wood stove well, that’s a big plus. These are all good signs that there will likely be a tale or two told within. My favorite was Luckenbach. Luckenbach was an iconic Texas Hill Country ice house. When my partner and I first purchased it in 1969, German was still the favored language followed by Spanish with English coming in a poor third. When we bought it, the ad in the classified section of the Fredericksburg paper read, “ Town for sale, Egg route will make payments.” Whether or not Luckenbach constituted a full town is still debated. The main building is divided into 3 sections. It had a Post Office in the front part of the store that connected to the general store area, where customers would give us their shopping lists and we selected the items from the shelves or vegetable baskets. The rear of the building was the bar area, the real heart of the town and the main gathering center. During warm weather we kept the doors on each side of the bar open. Sometimes chickens wandered through. On cold days, we heated the bar area with a wood stove which stood in a sand filled box to keep the floor from catching fire. There is something about a wood stove or an open fire that cannot be matched with central heat, gas or electric. Maybe it’s just the delicious anticipation of the cold side of the body waiting for its certain turn to be warmed. Occasionally, when business was slow, we would build an open fire in a circle of rocks under the oaks behind the store. An open fire outside on a cold night is pure magic, especially as the guitars and the conversations grow silent and the fiery logs morph into glowing embers that begin to crumble into quiet explosions like miniature showers of falling stars. The great Western artist, Charlie Russell wrote, “We sat with the world’s greatest philosopher, the fire”
38
During the early days of Luckenbach we received a lot of publicity from a Dallas friend and reporter named Frank X Tolbert. Consequently, we had a lot of deer hunters from Dallas stop by during deer season. One cold fall evening a lone hunter from Dallas came wandering in and stood at the bar. He seemed like a nice fellow. I could tell he was a hunter by his outfit. He looked just like Elmer Fudd in “A Hunting We Will Go,” same outfit, hat and all. He bought a round of beer for the small crowd gathered and pontificated on several subjects then announced,” I like to hunt deer but, I don’t like the taste of veni-
son. It’s too gamey”. Elmer continued, “now, I am told there are two solutions. One solution is to cut off the antlers as soon as you kill a deer and that will help prevent the gamey flavor. The other solution is to cut off the scent glands on the inside part of the legs and that will help.” He turned to Benny, a local farmer, who was putting another stick of oak in the stove. “I imagine you’ve killed a lot of deer in your time, old timer. When you shoot a deer, what’s the first thing you cut off?” Benny shut the door of the stove with his shoe, picked up his beer, took a swallow and said, “the first thing I cut off is my headlight”. Keep yer trigger happy! - Guich
Explore the Texas Hill Country’s
HIGHLAND LAKES
Constant-level
LAKE LBJ, as seen from Sandy Mountain
Sparkling lakes surrounded by beautiful hills and historic towns with “Wild West” roots. Visit www.hill-country-visitor.com for tourist info and lodgings or www.highlandlakesweekly.com to see what’s happening today! 39
40
There are two basic models of what is referred to as “healthcare”, but in reality only one is actually healthcare. Real healthcare is simply a matter of getting the proper nutrition, exercise, and rest/sleep in order to maintain an optimal level of good health in your mind, body, and spirit. Doing these things can not only prevent serious illness, but will cure most diseases, even in advanced stages. The other so-called “healthcare” model is not healthcare at all; it is simply “symptom management” using drugs. These drugs are often accompanied by dangerous side effects for which another level of drugs must be taken. Sometimes even 3rd and 4th levels are prescribed to counter the effects of prior levels. This is well beyond being unscientific and foolish; it is insidious. Mainstream medicine and its education system has for many decades been funded and controlled by money from the drug cartel with government acting to enforce this healthcare model. Except for emergency medicine, this drug cartel influence taints anything associated with mainstream medical care. Disease is never a deficiency of drugs, but is almost always a deficiency of nutrition caused by a bad diet and mineral depleted soils. Plants cannot provide adequate nutrition if they are grown in soils that have been over-used for generations without broad spectrum mineral replacement. Most farming models use fertilizers that replenish only nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Although these elements are essential to healthy plants, they are not all that is needed for good health in people or animals. All minerals work in harmony with other minerals, but there is specific health issues associated with certain mineral deficiencies. For example, low magnesium levels can cause serious health issues such as insomnia, anxiety, symptoms of mental psychosis, and muscle issues. Calcium enables muscles to contract; magnesium enables them to relax. A magnesium deficiency results in muscle cramps. The heart is a muscle and such conditions can be life threatening. It’s not unusual for severe magnesium deficiency to result in heart angina or arrhythmia, and even heart attacks when heart muscle cannot relax after a contraction. All can often be cured by magnesium supplementation. One of the most intriguing of all minerals is silver. Silver not only has intrinsic monetary value, but it also has natural healing properties above and beyond any other mineral when dealing with disease causing germs, such as bacteria and viruses. Silver can be safely taken orally to aid in the healing of such things as Hepatitis, influenza, colds, digestive issues and urinary tract infections. It can also be used topically to fight such things as infections from cuts and even burns. The history of silver use in healing and preventing disease may be long as mankind’s history. Remember, the best healthcare doesn’t come from spending a fortune on drugs and insurance, but in utilizing natural God-given means to prevent and heal disease by getting optimal nutrition with a healthy diet, avoiding environmental toxins, and staying active. Good health is almost always a choice of lifestyle. Contact info: www.utopiasilver. com & (888) 213-4338 41
“Drive Friendly” is a slogan used by the Texas Highway Department. You see it on the back of folded weather warning signs along Texas Highways. You have probably heard it. Years ago, there was even a series of public service ads on television urging Texas drivers to Drive Friendly. Most people in Texas are just naturally friendly and it is usually reflected in their driving habits. (At least, once you get away from the big city.) But, there are some drivers who do not understand that Texas driving laws are also geared to allow people to Drive Friendly. Here is a classic example: I have a friend, (okay, I like to think I have more than one friend), that is always friendly and cheerful. But I overheard him talking about an incident on the highway between Bandera and Kerrville, and it made me realize that many people do not understand some simple traffic laws. My friend said, “I was driving to Kerrville yesterday with my pickup truck loaded and I was pulling a trailer. Traffic was backed up behind me, but I’m not going to get a ticket for driving on the shoulder of the road just because somebody is in a hurry.” What my friend didn’t know was that he could have gotten a ticket for NOT driving on the shoulder of the road. It is called “impeding traffic” when you obstruct the normal flow of traffic without allowing others to pass. So, is it a “damned if you do, or damned if you don’t” situation for my friend? Either a ticket for driving on the shoulder, or a ticket for impeding traffic? Not at all. In Texas, it is perfectly legal to drive on the shoulder of the road to allow faster moving vehicles to pass, and in fact you are required to do so if you are holding up traffic. This is the applicable section from the Texas Transportation Code: § 545.058. DRIVING ON IMPROVED SHOULDER. (a) An operator may drive on an improved shoulder to the right of the main traveled portion of a roadway if that operation is necessary and may be done safely, but only:
(1) to stop, stand, or park; (2) to accelerate before entering the main traveled lane of traffic; (3) to decelerate before making a right turn; (4) to pass another vehicle that is slowing or stopped on the main traveled portion of the highway, disabled, or preparing to make a left turn; (5) to allow another vehicle traveling faster to pass; (6) as permitted or required by an official traffic-control device; or (7) to avoid a collision.
42
Now, with all that said, there are other important things that should be noted about this section of the transportation code: “but only” means that you can’t drive on the shoulder just because you feel like it, there must one of the listed reasons for doing so. And, “may be done safely” is the most important limitation. If you pull over and drive on the shoulder of the road, even for a listed valid reason, and your driving there causes you to hit somebody or something sitting on the shoulder of the road, you are at fault. It must be done safely. Hey, Texas is a friendly place and we all want to keep it that way. I can understand someone wanting to drive slowly through our beautiful hill country to fully appreciate the natural beauty, but let’s all drive friendly and show others the courtesy of letting them pass if they seem to be in a hurry. (Jerry can be reached at the contact information in the ad in this magazine.)
43
DECEMBER December 1-31 - Marble Falls HOLIDAY WALKWAY OF LIGHTS
Arrive early to dine, shop and visit the Walkway of lights in Lakeside Park. Enjoy the Walkway nightly from 6pm-10pm through January 1. Admission is FREE! www.marblefalls.org. (830) 693-4449 or (877) MF-TEXAS. www.walkwayoflightsmftx.com.
December 4–7 - San Marcos 27th SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS
Get the entire family into the Christmas spirit by joining in on the fun-filled activities at Sights & Sounds. Start your Christmas shopping early at the arts & crafts marketplace, visit Santa’s village, ride the carousel, view a live nativity & enjoy holiday foods. Admission: free for kids 12 & under; adults $5 nightly. For info: (512) 393-8400 or www.toursanmarcos.com.
December 5 - Kerrville SYMPHONY OF THE HILLS - Christmas Gift
7:30pm Featuring seasonal favorites. Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater, 910 Main St., 830-792-7469. www.symphonyofthehills.org
December 6 - Bandera BANDERA SHOPPERS JUBILEE
Live Nativity, Caroling, Christmas Program at the Bandera County Court House. Shoppers Jubilee is a city wide Christmas open house for shoppers. 210-215-1995
December 6-21 - Kerrville
PLAYHOUSE 2000 - A CHRISTMAS CAROL FR-SA 7:30pm 2nd SU 2:30pm No Christmas Season is complete Without a visit from old skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts Of Christmas Past, Present and Future who bring about the most famous transformation in literary history. 305 Washington at Main St. 830-896-9393. www.caillouxtheater.com
December 7–8 - Austin VIOLET CROWN ARTS FESTIVAL
44
Heralding the holiday season, this Arts Fest is a popular neighborhood event held in Triangle Park, 722 W. 46th Street. Featuring 100 artists and artisans, plus local musicians performing live 10am-5pm. Free admission. Proceeds help support Violet Crown Community Works. www.violetcrownartsfestival.com.
December 7–8 -New Braunfels GRUENE CHRISTMAS MARKET & FESTIVAL
Enjoy 100 fine artist & craft vendors, 25 specialty shops & restaurants in Gruene’s Historic District. Photos with Cow-boy Kringle, live music, entertainment & the Town Lighting Ceremony at 6pm Saturday. www.gruenemarketdays.com. (830) 832-1721.
Dec 12–14 & Dec 19–21 - Canyon Lake NORTH POLE VILLAGE
Discover the magic of Christmas where children can write a letter to Santa, pet puppies, adopt a toy, go “fishing”, select library books, make a craft, decorate cookies, get their face painted, go on a hayride, see a nativity and sit on Santa’s lap! 6pm-9pm. CRRC Recreation Center, 125 Mabel Jones Dr., Canyon Lake, TX. www.crrcofcanyonlake.org. (830) 9642324.
December 14 - Boerne 2nd SATURDAY ART & WINE
5pm-8pm. On Second Saturdays the galleries and “Other Walls” of Boerne host joint openings. Come out and enjoy a glass of wine and the latest offerings on the Boerne Art Scene. Park your car and take the free trolley to see the “Best Art East of Santa Fe.”
JANUARY January 12, 2014 – Johnson City SECOND SUNDAY ART, WINE & LIVE MUSIC
Second Sunday gallery reception. 1:30pm-4pm. 213 N Nugent Ave., Johnson City, TX 830-868-9290 tastewineart.com
FEBRUARY February 13 – March 2 - Brenham UNITY THEATRE PRESENTS “ALMOST, MAINE”
All is not what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. Residents are falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Hearts are broken, but all heal—almost—in this delightful midwinter night’s dream. Downtown’s Unity Theatre. Thur 7:30pm, Fri/Sat 8pm, Sun 4pm. Tickets: (979) 830-8358. www.unitybrenham.org.
If you would like to add your community event to our calendar, please send the details to greg@texashearbeat.com
Sam & Lou Miller, Proprietors