April 2014
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APRIL
Explore what's inside this issue! 28 Must Do
36 Wine
10 Calendar
32 Spring Break Memories
38 Gardening
14 Music
34 Outdoors
40 Spiritual
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From the Publisher
46 Old Timer
18 Fitness Challenge 20 Parade of Artists 24 History
EXPLORE magazine is published by Schooley Media Ventures in Boerne, TX. EXPLORE Magazine and Schooley Media Ventures are not responsible for any inaccuracies, erroneous information, or typographical errors contained in this publication submitted by advertisers. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EXPLORE and/or Schooley Media Ventures. Copyright 2012 Schooley Media Ventures, 265 N. Main, Suite C, Boerne, TX 78006
Contributing Writers
Marjorie Hagy (History) MARJORIE is a bibliophile, a history nut and an insomniac, among several other conditions, both diagnosed and otherwise. When she's not working tirelessly to avoid getting a real job, she nurses an obsession with her grandson and is involved in passing legislation restricting the wearing of socks with sandals. She is an aspiring pet hoarder who enjoys vicious games of Scrabble, reading Agatha Christie, and sitting around doing nothing while claiming to be thinking deeply. Marjorie has five grown children, a poodle to whom she is inordinately devoted in spite of his breath, and holds an Explore record for never having submitted an article on time. She's been writing for us for five years now.
Rene Villanueva (Music)
Rene Villanueva is the lead singer/bass player for the band Hacienda. Having toured worldwide, hacienda has also been featured on several late night shows, including Late Show with David Letterman. Rene and his wife Rachel live in Boerne, TX and just welcomed thier first child.
Publisher Benjamin D. Schooley ben@hillcountryexplore.com Creative Director Benjamin N. Weber ben.weber@smvtexas.com OPERATIONS MANAGER Kate Kent kate@smvtexas.com ADVERTISING SALES 210-507-5250 sales@hillcountryexplore.com
Kendall D. Aaron (Spiritual)
I’m just a normal guy. I’m not a theology student, I don’t preach in church, and I’ve never written a book. I’m just a normal guy that thinks, and feels, and is on a never-ending journey attempting to be the best person I can be. I fail frequently at this quest, yet each day, the quest continues. I’ve lived in Boerne since the late ‘80s, I’ve got a most beautiful wife, three wonderful children, and just really, really love God. Thanks for going on my spiritual journey with me.
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Old Timer (Ramblings)
The Old Timer tells us he's been a resident of Boerne since about 1965. He enjoys telling people what he doesn't like. When not bust'n punks he can be found feeding the ducks just off Main St. or wandering aimlessly in the newly expanded HEB. Despite his rough and sometimes brash persona, Old Timer is really a wise and thoughtful individual. If you can sort through the BS.
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Surprise Visit!
M A R K Y O U R C A L E N D A R T O D AY
Czech Chefs Honza Cerny and his wife Chef Jarka will be joining our team for two weeks starting April 1st. Their specialty is pig grilling and steak tartare. A dish rarely served in the US. Call today to make your reservations for this special event!
Pig & Lamb Grilling
5 1 8 R I V E R R O A D , B O E R N E , T X : : W W W. L I T T L E G R E T E L . C O M : : 8 3 0 - 3 3 1 - 1 3 6 8
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim FREEDOM for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoner Isaiah 61:1
Locally owned and operated, serving coffee, smoothies, sandwiches, and home made baked goods... including gluten free options! 118 Old San Antonio Rd. • 830-331-2337 • Mon - Fri: 6:30 am - 5:00 pm • Sat: 7:30 am - 2:00 pm
April 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
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From the Publisher Dearest EXPLORE reader, My son has my old childhood dresser in his room. It’s a fairly normal, heavy, antique wooden dresser. Somebody told me once that it’s from the early 1900s, but I’ve never confirmed that. It’s a nice dresser, with a large mirror, and well, it does a good job of holding a young boy’s clothes and so I think it’s a keeper. On top of it is a large ring in the wood. I put that ring there when I was a kid. My mom religiously fussed about using coasters around our wood furniture, and I most certainly ignored her, as I did about most things. Sure enough, I took a large glass of ice water, set it on the fine wood top, and then left for a weekend of fun. By Sunday, I had left a beautifully large circle in the top that has remained there to this day. Last fall my kids were irritating me. Yes, I love my kids, but I’ll be damned if one afternoon there wasn’t just a constant onslaught of screaming, whining, and crying. I was in my bedroom that has wooden shutters on the windows, and while adjusting the slats to allow more light in, I got frustrated and yelled “Will you guys PLEASE stop all the screaming?!” As I yelled, I slammed the slats shut, and broke one. It now hangs crooked amongst a nice clean column of unbroken slats. I smirk when I see it because it reminds of one stupid moment of frustration. I’m sure I could fix it, but I’m also sure it would be a serious pain in the butt. There it sits, broken. As I sit here and look around my house, I can see a variety of things left with “marks”. There’s the massive scratch down the dining room table. There’s a big chip of paint on a hallway corner. There’s even a picture frame with one corner that is coming loose. The thing that I find interesting about all of these things is that I can tell you the story behind every one of these blemishes. Some of the stories are funny (the time I tripped over a toy in the hallway and managed to break a lampshade) and some of the stories are not so funny (a scratch in a window screen that my dog made. That dog died in August). Some are sweet, like a stain in the carpet where the kids and I were wrestling and spilled a Coke, and some are darker, such as a mark on the door frame during a door-slamming session. But regardless of the story, sure enough, they are all stories and memories and recollections and moments in time. They are memories formed from a mark. Some good. Some bad. Some noticeable. Some little more than the tiniest scratch. I’m not sure why, but that just seems proper for some reason. It seems that it would be hard to truly live if we did not leave a mark on things around us. It’s some sort of timeless testament that will now live
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on forever to commemorate our existence. In 100 years, some future descendant of mine will get that old dresser, see the huge ring in the top and wonder about me. A future craftsman will own my home and think “What kind of a doofus breaks a wood slat in the shutters and doesn’t fix it?” I look around my town and my family and see other places that we all leave marks. I see them on me and you and each person I see as I walk through HEB. Some are good, and some are bad, but we have all been marked by others. I think that one of the questions we should perhaps all be asking ourselves is a quite obvious one: What kind of mark do you want to leave on people? You’ve got the opportunity to impact every single person that you come into contact with. Every single person you meet is an opportunity to leave them “changed”. The mark you leave could be kindness or compassion or strength or wisdom. That person could witness your profound strength and be changed forever. Or you could help someone during a dark time in their life and fundamentally alter the direction of their existence. You’ve marked them. And they are now seeking someone that they may mark as well. Welcome to April. Historically one of the more beautiful months in the Hill Country, I hope that you are able to get out there and breathe deep. May you have a moment to look around you at those whom have “marked you”, and EXPLORE to find those that you may return the favor. Smiling,
Benjamin D. Schooley
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
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Take The Time To look ouT on an amazing ciTy vieW! siTTing on an oveRsized loT. peRFecT FoR a pool, gaRden, oR Room FoR kids To play. This Well caRed FoR home has had many upgRades: ReFinished cabineTs in The kiTchen, neW sTove Top/sink FauceT, sTone mosaic FRaming The FiReplace, TWo neW WaTeR heaTeRs, caliFoRnia closeTs. The home
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MLS#1038352 $389,000 ContaCt Sara Baird 210-317-9996
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MLS#1045629 $368,000 ContaCt LaCi SeCor 830-370-1335
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8623 TeRRa dale
is youR chaRming liTTle bungaloW on 1/3ac in The heaRT oF boeRne WheRe Walking & biking To ResTauRanTs & shops is The Way oF liFe. living Room & bdRms aRe updaTed W/neW caRpeT. all Wall & ceiling Finishes have been modeRnized. single baTh is updaTed W/designeR Tile, pedesTal single vaniTy & Walk-in shoWeR. combo Roomy kiTchen/dining aRea is Ready FoR youR special Touch. meTal RooF, FResh painT inside & ouT, ciRculaR dRive. laRge loT oFFeRs The oppoRTuniTy FoR unique ouTdooR living space oR home addiTion.
beauTiFul pRemieR hill counTRy loT FoR ThaT luxuRy home WiTh bReaThTaking vieWs! hoa sWimming pool has cascading WaTeRFalls and is suRRounded by a pavilion WiTh a Family oRienTed bbq aRea, Tennis couRTs, spoRTs couRT and 44 acRes oF a naTuRe Filled paRk and paved Walking TRails. TeRRamonT is gaTed and guaRd conTRolled FoR exTRa secuRiTy. neaRby aRe The shops aT la canTeRa, The Rim, uTsa, usaa, FiesTa Texas, beauTiFul golF couRses and ResTauRanTs galoRe! MLS#1040126 $160,000 ContaCt Sandra WiSe 210-268-7144
307 oak Ridge dR. hoRse pRopeRTy
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heRe
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Ranch sTyle 2-sToRy ThaT has & ouT. 9’ in gRound diving pool W/RecenTly insTalled deck. oRiginal Wood FlooRs, 2 bR doWn & 2 up. laRge WoRkshop. laRge 3-sTall baRn W/individual TuRn ouTs and aRena FoR hoRses plus 4 addiTional pole baRns. gReaT TRees and a WondeRFul open pasTuRe aRea. includes Windmill & WaTeR sToRage Tank. MLS# 1037618 $315,000 ContaCt Sara Baird 210-317-9996 been RecenTly painTed in
MLS#1041311 $180,000 ContaCt CaroL SChuLtz 210-268-3691
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222 s. main sTReeT boeRne, Texas 78006 830.249.9339 oFFice 210.579.1900 Fax
APRIL
Get out and enjoy the great Texas Hill Country! The most comprehensive events calendar. Send submissions to info@hillcountryexplore.com
April 1-27 KERRVILLE Southern Watercolor Society Annual Juried Show
Features works by watercolor artists from 18 states. Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, 228 Earl Garrett. www.kacckerrville.com 830/895-2911
April 4 FREDERICKSBURG First Friday Art Walk
Tour fine art galleries offering special events, refreshments and extended viewing hours. www. ffawf.com 830-997-6523
April 4-13 FREDERICKSBURG Wine and Wildflower Trail
On this self-guided tour, enjoy the season’s wildflowers along with visits to 36 wineries in the region offering special events, tastings, tours, food and entertainment. www.texaswinetrail.com 512914-5561
April 5 Boerne/Centerpoint Toucan Jim’s Pirate Fest and Shabby Shuttle Ride
The Shabby Bus is providing a shuttle ride out to Toucan Jim’s in Centerpoint, TX for their Annual Pirate Fest. The Parrot Heads will be performing Jimmy Buffet Tunes, tropical drinks will be served, and a beachy time will be had by all. Let The Shabby Bus be your roundtrip designated driver for only $10 per person. Pick-up spots at park-nide in Boerne. Call Summer @ 210-887-2466 to reserve your seats. More bus info @ www.shabbybus.com
April 5 FREDERICKSBURG Texas Gran Fondo
Cycling enthusiasts are invited to discover the Texas Hill Country on unparalleled road courses of 35, 56 or 95 miles through Gillespie County. www. texasgranfondo.com
April 5, 12, 19, 26 BANDERA Cowboys on Main
Features a Western display in front of the Bandera County Courthouse and strolling entertainers on Main Street. Bandera Cattle Company performs historical gunfights at noon and 2 p.m. Hours are 1–4 p.m. Main Street. www.banderatexasbusiness. com 800-364-3833
April 10-13 DRIFTWOOD Old Settler’s Music Festival
This event features Americana, acoustic jazz and blues, bluegrass, old-time local faves and other artists from around the world. Musical lineup includes Shovels and Rope, North Mississippi Allstars, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Donna the Buffalo and others. Also enjoy arts and crafts, camping, food and libations. Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch, 17900 F.M. 1826, south of Austin. www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org
April 11 Boerne Public Craft Beer Tour
The Shabby bus will depart from Boerne and head out to favorite hill country breweries and beer
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gardens. We’ll sample craft beers, stop for lunch, and take in a scenic hill country view in the comfort and safety of the bus. This 6 hour tour is $45 per person. Call Summer @ 210-887-2466 for more information and to reserve your spot on the bus. More bus info @ www.shabbybus.com
April 11 SPICEWOOD Spicewood Arts Society Concert Series
This season’s theme is capriccio—a musical term meaning quick, improvisational and spirited. This concert features the Matt Wilson and Band. Spicewood Vineyards Event Center, 1419 C.R. 409. www. spicewoodarts.org 512-264-2820
April 12 BOERNE Brandon’s Revue
Benefit concert for the Cibolo Nature Center’s Songs and Stories Concert Series features Texas singers and songwriters. The event is named in memory of Brandon Gallagher-Manning, who died in a 2001 car crash at age 21. Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Road. www.cibolo.org 830-2494616
April 12 BOERNE Second Saturday Art and Wine
Enjoy a glass of wine and stroll through the art galleries. Hours are 4–8 p.m. Various venues. www. secondsaturdayartandwine.com 877-0833-0621 or 830-249-1500
April 12-13 BOERNE Market Days
Artists, crafters and vendors share their creative talents and wares to the sounds of homegrown Texas musicians. Main Plaza, 100 N. Main. www. boernemarketdays.com 210-844-8193
April 17 GRUENE Come and Taste It
Three wines from the best wineries in the state and surrounding regions are featured, along with live music, food samples, giveaways and more. This a great opportunity to hear from winemakers about how they craft their wines, enjoy the natural surroundings and explore the other offerings of Gruene Historic District. Grapevine Texas Wine Bar, 1612 Hunter Road. www.grapevineingruene.com 830-606-0093
April 18-19 MARBLE FALLS Paint the Town
A plein air painting contest takes over the downtown area with working artists, receptions, auctions, shopping and more. www.paintthetownmftx. org 830-693-2815
April 18-20 FREDERICKSBURG Trade Days
Shop with more than 350 vendors in six barns, plus acres of antiques and collectibles, or kick back and enjoy the biergarten and live music. Seven miles east of town off U.S. 290, at 355 Sunday Farms Lane. www.fbgtradedays.com 830/990-4900 or 210-846-4094
April 19-20 GRUENE Old Gruene Market Days
Nearly 100 vendors offer uniquely crafted items and packaged Texas foods. Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Gruene Historic District, 1724 Hunter Road. www.gruenemarketdays.com 830-832-1721
April 25 Boerne Public Hill Country Wine Tour
Did you know that our Texas Hill Country is the #2 wine destination in the country? Book your seat on The Shabby Bus, and discover why. We’ll visit 4 wineries and stop for a fabulous lunch on this 6 hour tour. Call Summer @ 210-887-2466 for more information and to reserve your spot on the bus. More bus info @ www.shabbybus.com
April 25-26 FREDERICKSBURG Hill Country Wine and Music Festival Enjoy the best of the wines and culinary arts of Texas in a beautiful Hill Country setting with live Texas music. Wildseed Farms, 100 Legacy Drive, 7 miles east of town on U.S. 290. www.hillcountrywineandmusic.com 830-998-2144
April 25-27 FREDERICKSBURG Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival
Event offers families a chance to experience the abundance of winged wildlife in the region with speakers, field trips, nature walks, children’s activities a raptor program, hummingbird banding and vendors. Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, Texas 16 South at Lady Bird Drive. www.wingstx.org 830998-1927
April 26 BOERNE Texas Corvette Association Open Car Show
Corvettes from 1953 to the present and other fabulous sports cars are on display. Main Plaza. www. texas-corvette-association.org
April 26 BURNET Bluebonnet Air Show
This event features vintage military aircraft demonstrations and thrilling aerobatics by some of the nation’s best stunt pilots. Burnet Municipal Kate Craddock Field, 2302 S. Water St. www.bluebonnetairshow.com 512-756-2226
April 26 CANYON LAKE Barbecue Cook-Off
Enjoy great food, auctions and family fun. Chamber of Commerce, 698 Jacobs Creek Park Road. www.canyonlakechamber.com 830-964-2223
April 26-27 FREDERICKSBURG Pacific Combat Living History Program
Living history demonstration covers World War II weaponry, clothing, training and tactics of U.S. and Japanese military. Programs begin at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. National Museum of the Pacific War Combat Zone, 500 E. Austin St. www.pacificwarmuseum.org 830-997-8600 ext. 205
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Luxury living. What’s your point of view?..
Whether your idea of luxury living is a penthouse overlooking the city, an uptown estate home or a Hill Country mansion, let us help you look for your dream property while we find the ideal qualified buyer for your present home. Since 1989 we have proudly offered the finest selection of luxury homes in San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country. If a move is in your future plans, call or visit our website and let us show you why we are The Very Best. When it comes to luxury living, we totally understand your point of view!
Alamo Heights I North Central San Antonio I I-10 / Hill Country I Boerne I PB Ranch I www.phyllisbrowning.com I 210-824-7878
April 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
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www.riverbedconcrete.com polished concrete flooring | stained concrete flooring concrete countertops & sinks | concrete basins & firebowls
As Seen On:
39390 W IH 10 #C - Boerne, Tx 78006 830-981-2210 (p) | 830-755-6055 (f) showroom by appointment
Rehabilitate in Boerne, One Step Closer to Home
Cibolo Creek provides accommodations
in the heart of Boerne, with individualized therapy programs that enable one to return home quickly. By receiving rehabilitation services close to home, family and friends are able to visit often and with ease.
Cibolo Creek stands apart by:
• Being the most contemporary rehabilitation facility in Boerne • Providing physical, occupational, speech, and vital stim therapy in a modern and innovative setting under the guidance of highly trained and experienced therapists • Offering both inpatient and outpatient therapy services to improve one’s overall strength and mobility • Facilitating admissions 24/7
1440 River Road • Boerne, Texas 78006 • 830.816.5095
C ibolo C reek H ealtH . org
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Welcome to Boerne
Scan Code With Your Smart Phone
Bluebonnet Realty HOMES FOR SALE
1.) FOR SALE - $188,000 - 4 bed, 2.5 bath approx.
2269 s.f. living area in Villas at Hampton Place
2.) FOR SALE - $704,000 - Cordillera Ranch - approx. 3761 s.f. of living area, 5.31 acres, 4 bed, 3.5 baths, pool, close to club house, room for horses, club membership not included.
3.) FOR SALE - $215000 - Bentwood 4 bed 2 1/2 baths large fenced corner lot.
HOMES & COMMERCIAL FOR LEASE ED
S LEA
4.) FOR LEASE - $1750 - Right in town! Cute 2 bed, 1 bath charmer. Great back yard too.
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5.) FOR LEASE - $2650 4 bedroom, 3 bath home in Cordillera Ranch on 4.57 Acres with great outdoor kitchen for entertaining.
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6.) FOR LEASE - $2500 - Napa Oaks new home. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, beautiful kitchen and family room.
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SE A E L
SE A E L
SE A E L
7.) FOR LEASE - $1475 - 3 Bed, 2 ba with approximately 1646 s.f. of living area, fenced yard, in Boerne Heights. Easy care floors in living area.
8.) FOR LEASE - $1300 - Country life style in this 3 bed, 2 bath home on 1 acre Approximately 1270 s.f. of live area
9.) FOR LEASE - $1900 - 3 bed, 2 bath approximately 2133 s.f. of living area including large family room and rock fireplace on 1/3 ac. in town.
830-816-2288 • www.boernetexashomes.com
MUSIC
By Rene Villanueva
My love of listening, my becoming an appreciater of sound composition, started in San Antonio but flourished in Boerne. For that I am grateful to this city, my home. This story is the beginning of that affair.
I don’t think it would come as a surprise for me to say, Boerne is not in a cutting-edge city like New York or L.A. I’m not taking about the people in the city but the lifestyle of the city itself. Boerne’s pride is history, tradition, and nostalgia. A time machine look at the best parts of our past.
You might think it is not the place for someone who wants to be forward-thinking artist. Who wants to be a rejectionist. Who wants to jump off cliffs of creativity without a care to where to land. And while I was younger, in high school, eager to begin my life, I thought like that. But like a lot of adolescent beliefs I was wrong.
It was on one of these adolescent days, with nothing to do but walk and dream of far distant Americas, that I entered into an antique store.
I’d been coming to main street for years with my parents, both avid antique lovers, probably one reason why we moved here, but I never payed attention to what was inside.
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Usually I waited, moaned, rolled eyes and was difficult. That day I was on my own, shopping for me, and uniquely interested in finding something. Music.
But not the music available at Best Buy or Target. Also it›s worth a note to say, I was too young to shop online, no credit card, and too young to drive to Austin or any trendier record shops.
I was looking for music I hadn’t heard before. Tired of the radio, feeling rebellious, I was lured by the charm of rock’n’roll and to finding it the cheapest way I could.
To my great teenage delight, I found a crate of vinyl hidden under a table, containing a strange array of music I’d never heard or seen before.
These were not perfect by any means, nor collector pieces. They were dirty: covers torn, stained, and ripped, records scratched and dusty. Some in the completely wrong sleeves. Lots of oddballs, ping-pong percussion anyone?
“What do you want for these?” I asked not trying to sound too interested.
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
The old man at the counter scrunched his nose so much it lifted the glasses an inch as he examined the crate I was pointing at with my sneaker.
undeniably better. I couldn’t go back. There was a universe of warm, inviting comfort in vinyl.
“What do you want them for?” He laughed to himself, a joke I still hear shopping today: “Do you even know what those are?”
I didn’t care much for the artwork, not that the artwork wasn’t beautiful, I was just interested more in the songs within, and soon found out that a quality record inside a torn or distressed sleeve would go for considerably cheaper than any new music.
He went on to explain how they were his son›s records; mostly from the early seventies, he›d left them at home when he went to college, never picked them up, and they›d sat under this very table for a year or two. He took $10, all I had in my wallet - goodbye lunch tomorrow, for the whole crate.
Back to the story. Finally I had the records cleaned and began listening one by one. Unknowingly I’d planted the seeds of my future, and the heart of that journey came from Boerne.
It took me a while to figure out how to put my father’s system together. We had used it when I was younger, but since we moved a few years earlier, the turntable, stereo, and speakers were boxed and stored in different places. Cables and plugs had to be hunted.
Boerne, gave me the music education I couldn’t get in San Antonio. It was affordable though the selection was erratic, sometimes strange, but always unique. There’s so much great music waiting to be found, and it was all down the street.
Boerne also gave me it’s second greatest gift. Time. No movie theater yet. Our house had no cable. Internet was still slow. And unfortunately there was no orchestra at Boerne High School. Violin being my passion. So I took up the two things that set me on my path. Reading, and listening. Each one equally crucial to my work.
Next came a thorough cleaning of every disk, as well as a total examination of every record cover and sleeve.
I was most attracted to The Who and The Beach Boys, a few country records, and a best of Dion and the Belmonts which proved to be phenomenal.
I’d like to pause from this story to mention: this boy and his new found treasure trove, worked hard to get these vinyl sounding great.
I’m not one to romanticize the pops and cracks or the eerie warble of warped wax. Those actually bug me. But there’s an atmosphere and quality in vinyl that’s only now being matched. A livelyness, a magic is bred into the medium, and why it is my favorite format for listening.
Early downloads, mp3, CD’s, tape cassettes, even the first ipods, paled in comparison. And once I heard the difference, it was
There’s something special about the small town life untainted by trends and fads. It allows ideas room for growth. It allows artists time to develop. No matter how out there they are. The gift of being an outsider to America, but also be inside in a way that is fading. To live the small town life, when that has all but vanished from our landscape.
I’ve traveled. I’ve seen shopping center after shopping center with the same stores and restaurants. They offer the same experience. But small towns, and their oddball beauty can only be felt once in a specific time and a specific place. It’s precious. I love it.
A son of South-Texas, and two of the most beautiful souls I’ll ever know. Writer, dreamer, singer of songs, bass player, and professional observer. Toured the world with my band of “real-blood-tied” brothers, and friends as Hacienda/Fast-five. Recorded three albums, written countless songs, played countless shows, including two national tv late-night extravaganzas, festivals, throwdowns, parties, and hoot-nights. Lover of books, vinyl, dancing, people who laugh loud, walking, vintage craftsmanship, and my home in Boerne.
April 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
15
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Your individual and group health experts in Kendall County.
RON CISNEROS & RICH SENA Your Local Employee Benefits Specialists
Major Medical Health Plans Group Individual and Family Dental Vision Disability Group Life Insurance Section 125 Plans
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Seeking an alternative to Obamacare? Call 830.446.6547 • 830.428.0018
Ron Cisneros
Rich Sena
BATTLE
FITNESS
OF THE
BENS FITNESS CHALLENGE
CONTINUED
Last month we introduced you to Ben Schooley and Ben Weber. The willing guinea pigs for the second EXPLORE fitness challenge. We are documenting their three month long attempt to eat healthier, exercise, and live a healthier all around lifestyle. We asked them to keep a journal to document their journey so that our readers can laugh, ridicule, and sympathize with them on their journey. Here is a sampling from their first month on their programs. Be sure to check back next month as they continue to recount their torture progress.
March 1 - 6:11am
Well, here we go. Do you think I can work out while simultaneously drinking coffee?
March 7 - 5:55am
March 3 - 6:30am
I’m sore. HOLY $&#!@ I’m sore. Now I remember what getting back into an exercise routine feels like. Maybe I can just get my stomach stapled. No one will know. Right?
This is hard. Really hard. It’s not the workouts, it’s building this into your lifestyle. It requires so much planning for me to pull this off. I have to ensure I get to bed at the right time the night before, I have to get up a good 30 minutes before my workout so I can have some coffee and watch the news, then I work-out, shower, get dressed……….It’s a LOT. All that said, I’m one week down and am honestly looking forward to next week.
March 5 - 1:40pm
March 11 - 8:27am
March 10 - 7:30am
March 18 - 5:27am
March 17 - 9:05pm
No workout this week. Caught The Funk. Sucks. Voice is hoarse, low fever, muscle cramps. Back next week. Kids climbing into my bed in the middle of the night. They kick me in the gut while they sleep. This is going to make for a looooong day.
March 22 - 6:02am
Really tough this morning. Not the workout, the motivation. As I jumped around doing plyo like a monkey tripping on speed, my fat ass dog watched me with a pitying look on his face the entire time. I envy him... sometimes.
March 28 7:11am
Just finished Plyometrics. This is, hands down, the stupidest video in the p90x program. It’s supposed to be cardio, which is fun, but this is just silly. Take my advice: skip this stupid workout and go for a nice jog.
March 31 - 6:47am
Month 1 is in the books. The soreness went away by week 2, and fitting this into my life has gotten easier and easier. It’s true that it takes 14 days to form a habit…I’ve got a long way to go, but am beginning to really enjoy this.
18
Since starting five days ago, I can already tell a difference. I don’t look like Fight Club Brad Pitt… yet, but I’m sleeping better. In the last six months this has really been an issue. Trouble falling asleep. Trouble staying asleep. But since March 1 I can’t remember waking up before 6:00 a.m. Or laying in bed wondering if I’ll ever be able to fall asleep.
Weighed myself for the first time since starting. Hmmm, shouldn’t that number be lower? Guess the scale needs new batteries.
It’s hard staying motivated to do this every day or night. After the kids are in bed I just want to veg. I don’t want to go to the exercise room only to have the one working treadmill occupied by someone who decides it’s a good idea to start talking to me as I struggle for breath on the stationary bike that I really don’t want to be on in the first place.
March 19, 11:30pm March 20, 4:30am
I don’t think food poisoning is a clinically recommended diet plan. But hey... it works!
March 21 - 6:17am
Still fighting the “funk” I picked up somehow from Schooley. Thanks man. Much appreciated. No workouts for me today.
March 28 - 9:15pm
Wow. I didn’t know I could run 10mph. This is pretty cool. Don’t fall don’t fall don’t fall don’t fall...
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
r a B k c a J t o o B t a May 3 rd
e to a fire.
ir hom e h t t s lo o h w h c therine Cou a C d n a n lo y r B Benefitting
e l a S e k a B • l i o B h Crawfis n o i t c u A t n e l i S • s e Raffl ! e r o M h c u M , h c u And M
BOOT JACK BAR
M O N D AY - S AT U R D AY 3 P M - 2 A M • S U N D AY 3 P M - 11 P M
T E L : 210 - 8 61 - 0 0 74 1 F M 3 5 51, S T E . 10 0 • B E R G H E I M , T X • J U S T S O U T H O F 4 6 & B E H I N D T H E VA L E R O
ART SHOW HOURS
Saturday, April 12: 10am - 8pm • 5pm - 8pm (free trolley) Sunday, April 13: 11am - 5pm
VENUES & FEATURED ARTISTS
Thank you to our Sponsors!
MudWorks Pottery (Sherri Jo Adams)
AlphaGraphics • Boerne Spotlights.com
228 Bess St. 830.249.2167 SJ@MudworksPottery.com • MudworksPottery.com
COSAS (Alejandrina Cue) 1109 S. Main St. # 1 830.249.1500 cosasemail@yahoo.com • cosasonline.com
Texas Treasures Fine Art Gallery & Sculpture Garden 605 S. Main St. 830.816.5335 texastreasuresfineart@gmail.com texastreasuresfineart.com
Circle “H” Signs • Ranch Radio Group Schooley Media Ventures • Cavender Chevrolet Jennings-Anderson Ford • Texas Heritage Bank Pioneer Beach Resort/Port Aransas Farmers Insurance Company • Boerne Dental Center Cibolo Creek Veterinary Hospital Agricultural Heritage Museum Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce
Tom Blessum: tom@earthshinephoto.com
Boerne Convention & Visitors Bureau
Tim Cox: texastreasuresfineart@gmail.com
Hill Country Council for the Arts
Kathleen Dietz: kmdietz14@gmail.com
St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church • Bluebonnet Realty
Noma Freeman: noma@gvtc.com
I Can Realty • Legacy Mutual Mortgage
Morgan Hampton: mch8520@aol.com
Lone Star Properties • REMAX Properties/Port Aransas
Jay Hester: jayhester@gvtc.com
Main Street Café • Dough, Ray & Me
Richard Nitschke: ren@gvtc.com
Mona Lisa’s Gourmet Pizzeria • Angie Carney Studio
J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art
Bill Scheidt Western & Wildlife Art • COSAS Dena Szymarek, Fine Artist • Dynamic Environments
305 S. Main St. Ste. 400 830.816.5106 info@jrmooneygalleries.com • jrmooneygalleries.com
Heart’s Home Acoustics • J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art
Margie Barker: mbarkerart@satx.rr.com
Pamela Gardner Studio • Petland
Bill Scheidt: bscheidt@gvtc.com Sidney Sinclair: sidneysinclairlee@gmail.com
Accentric 305 S. Main St. Ste. 200 830.249.9879 accentricdecor.com Bill Eichholtz: billeichholtzphotography@gmail.com Irene Cookie McCoy: jmccoy@gvtc.com
Carriage House Gallery of Artists 110 Rosewood Ave. 830.248.1184 carriagehousegallery@hotmail.com carriagehousegalleryofartists.com Angie Carney: acarney2@me.com Linda Chalberg: lindachalberg@gmail.com Donald Darst: Donlindadarst@msn.com Linda Darst: lindapdarst@hotmail.com Pamela Gardner: pamelagardnerstudio@gvtc.com Bonnie Mann: bmannartist@gmail.com Becky Rogers: brogers@hctc.net Charles Schubert: cschubert@gvtc.com Dena Szymarek: denaszymarek@gmail.com Nancy Yarbrough: nyarbrough@mac.com
Boerne Grill 143 S. Main St. 830.249.4677 boernegrill.com Beth Coyle: bcoyle@gvtc.com
The Legendary Texas Polo Club at Phillip Manor 706 S. Main St. 830.249.8000 texaspoloclub.net Brent Dodd: Brent@brentdodd.com Louis A. Garcia: louisgarcia2003@yahoo.com Jeannette MacDougall: jeanetee@gmail.com
Swanson Art at Fair Oaks Ranch Center (Sheila Swanson) 28550 I H - 10 West # 5 210.861.2914 swan4345@gvtc.com sheilaswanson.com
Smart Wine Direct • Trés Bella Salon • Twin Liquors
Art Show Lodging Discounts (Use code: ART)
Comfort Inn & Suites Texas Hill Country 830.249.6800
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott 830.368.4167
Tapatio Springs Resorts & Spa 830.537.4611
America’s Best Value Inn 830.249.9791
Boerne Professional Artists (BPA) is hosting its 18th Annual Parade of
its commitment to the arts and demonstrates how a thriving arts community
Artists on April 12 and 13 of this year. The ‘Parade’ is a festive weekend
contributes to the cultural and economic well-being of the area.
th
th
event held each spring which attracts hundreds of art enthusiasts from around the country to visit various art venues in Boerne. It is a self-guided
•
“Second Saturday Art & Wine“, a monthly event held on the second Saturday of each month. Open to the public and hosted by
tour of local galleries, studios and “other venues” principally located
participating galleries and art exhibitors, visitors enjoy hors d’oeuvres
along the Hill Country Mile in the Arts & Design and Historic districts of
and refreshments from 4 to 8pm with a free trolley connecting the
downtown Boerne and nearby communities.
various venues. It’s a great time to visit galleries, meet the artists, and
Thirty-one local artists will be featured at nine separate venues in this
enjoy a relaxed, congenial artistic environment.
year’s ‘Parade’ with a diversity of media ranging from paintings in oils, watercolor, pastels and acrylics, to bronze and relief sculpture, jewelry,
•
In the fall of each year BPA hosts the “Texas Hill Country Invitational
photography, pottery, fused glass, mixed media and more. In addition
Art Show & Sale“. The 2014 event is scheduled for October 17 - 19,
to the four established Boerne art galleries where more than a hundred
and will again be held at the beautiful Cana Ballroom of St. Peter the
artists of national and international reputation will be represented, several
Apostle Catholic Church in Boerne. The Invitational is a premier art
downtown businesses have offered space for artists’ displays, while others
show and sale, featuring artists from across the state and includes a
are showing their works in their own art studios.
full slate of art-related events.
Free of charge, as always, the ‘Parade’ opens on Saturday, April 12th from 10am until 8pm with wine and hors d’oeuvres provided at many of the venues that evening. A free shuttle trolley connecting the ‘Parade’ venues will also be available Saturday evening. On Sunday, April 13th, the venues will be open from 11am until 5pm. Several artists will be demonstrating their individual
Boerne Professional Artists is an organization of professional artists, art patrons and art galleries in the Texas Hill Country and coastal regions whose mission is to enhance business opportunities for visual artists in all media. Its supporting partners in the visual arts include the City of Boerne, the Hill Country Council for the Arts, the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce and the Boerne Convention and Visitors Bureau.
techniques at various times throughout the event. BPA’s art events are widely advertised and attended which makes Boerne well known for
22
www.BoerneProferssionalArtists.com
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Please join us for
our farewell concert for Founding Artistic Director, Scott MacPherson
Saturday, May 10th 7:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church 205 James St Boerne, Texas
Sunday, May 11th 3:00 p.m.
&
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 315 E Pecan Street San Antonio, Texas
Tickets available online at sachamberchoir.org or at the door. $20 General | $15 Senior/Military | $5 Students
April 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
23
HISTORY
FOLLOW ME THROUGH
OLD BOERNE An Illustrated History
Nearby on Kronkosky Hill is another man In March of 1923, Warren Harding was in the sion, built only two or three years before, and this White House, Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini By Marjorie Hagy one nicknamed ‘the Castle’ for it’s turreted towers and were beginning to make noise in Europe like the distant tall windows. This is the fine house built by HJ Graham, rumble of thunder on a summer night, and Lenin was in the months-old Soviet Union. Time magazine rolled out its first issue, a Russian immigrant patented the first television transmission tube, the HJ Graham house Cotton Club was preparing to open in Harlem and people all over the country would soon be singing ‘Yes, We Have No Bananas’. In Boerne on the sixth of that month, an enormous gathering of townspeople and country folk were at Military Plaza, not to mark the eighty-seventh anniversary of the fall of the Alamo, but to attend the dedication of the new monument to the Kendall County men who’d given their lives in the Great War that had ended five years before. At that time the entire population of Kendall County was less than five thousand souls, less than two thousand people living in Boerne, but nearly nine hundred of them came to the park that windy day in Boerne, and there a man set up a camera and took a long-exposure photograph of the gathering. The picture shows all those people on that one day in history: men in suits and in overalls, women in their finery for the meeting of their friends and neighbors on this big occasion, kids most likely having been warned to behave, looking up at the camera. There are a couple of formations of soldiers, automobiles interspersed with horse-drawn buggies and wagons parked all around the square, farms with their barns and cisterns and windmills in the background and their fields stretching off into the distance. In those pre-television days folks in a little country town like Boerne and the county folks, more isolated still, occasions like voting day and the dedication of a monument were far more important than they are these days- they were respites from labor and loneliness, and the people put on their best and made a festival day of it. The photograph captured that moment, that holiday, and froze it in time so that we can look back, from ninety-one years in the future, to our town on that Spring day so long ago. These old another of Boerne’s richest people, in fact the man who donated the brand-new war pictures always fascinate me, they are the closest things to time machines that anybody memorial down at the Plaza. Graham and his wife Augusta Phillip Graham had lived in has ever devised, and this picture is no different. It’s a portal into the past, and today the Castle for a while but in 1923 had moved to another mansion on Main Street, very I invite you to step with me into that past, and take a look around at Boerne of that close to Military Plaza, a place that would in later years become a series of restaurants distant March day. including El Chapparal and that is nowadays alleged to be haunted. HJ’s only child, So step through the frame and into Veteran’s Park- Military Plaza in 1923- and imagJoe, had been an up-and-comer in San Antonio, 1st Assistant District Attorney and a ine your feet now standing on the grass there, and the smells that drifted in the wind rising star in that city’s social scene with his heiress wife, Bess Orynski Graham, but now that day, the sweet, early Spring smell of mountain laurel, that scent that lets you know, he and Bess were divorced and Joe was estranged from his two children, Wanda and more than any other, that a fresh new season has come to the Hill Country. The whole Henry. Joe was out of work and had just married his second wife Mary Etta Bunn, and town was still surrounded by farms, cattle and goats and the ever-present Kendall he and Mary and Mary’s son Jimmie were living together in the Castle. There was no County sheep grazing at fences all along Main Street, chickens scratching in the road, way of knowing, in 1923, that Joe Graham would be shot dead in just a few years, killed so there are those scents as well, and the smell of food as this was a festival day at the in self-defense during a drunken attack in the Castle, and that the Castle itself would plaza. There would be the sounds of the local big shots speechifying on that dedicasit abandoned for years along with all its furnishings and priceless family treasures, that tion day, every local politician and surely Boerne mayor LJ Gregory taking the stump a generation later the children of Boerne would wander through its rooms, exploring to orate with high-flung patriotism, and there would be the sounds of children, and all the forlorn old place. And that another generation later the old Castle would be gone those farm animals providing a familiar background song. This is Military Plaza that day altogether and those children, grown up, would have a hard time remembering exactly so long ago. And now walk through the town with me. where it had been. The only reminders in 2014 that the old Castle even existed are the Just across the street is St Peter’s Catholic church, the brand-new building with the street names around HEB, Bess and Wanda. When you stand in 1923 you cannot know twin spires just completed in 1923. It looks breathtaking on the crest of the hill, espewhat will happen the next year, or the year after that, but when you’ve travelled back cially next to the old church, that little stone chapel so beloved by her parish. Built in over ninety years you know how the story will end, and looking at the Castle this Spring 1867 by Father Fleury along with the men of the church, George Kendall included- the day by way of our time machine you can’t help but reflect on the sadness and the waste limestone, in fact, quarried at Kendall’s ranch and the lime kilned up on Kronkosky Hillof it all. Let’s walk away from here. the original church building will give up it’s altar and pews and other religious furnishings to the new sanctuary, but it won’t be torn down. I fact, it still stands today as a testament to the vision of those pioneers who carved their place from this wilderness in the hills. Speaking of Kronkosky HIll, the place in is it’s heyday in 1923 and the Kronkoskys in the midst of their popularity as some of the wealthiest and certainly the most generous folks in town. The Hill is the liveliest spot in Boerne, the Kronkoskys having turned it into a showplace with its pathways and Lover’s Lane, the flowers and landscaping, fairy lights strung among the trees, kids daring each other over the famous rope bridge still spanning the canyon. The Kronkoskys throw dances for the town’s young people, invitMain St. bridge over Cibolo Creek ing the soldiers out from Camps Bullis and Stanley, bringing out whole orchestras to play, and the beer never failing to flow, right through Prohibition which, of course, was the law of the land in 1923.
24
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Military Plaza, March, 1923 - Now Veteran’s Park
Back on Main Street heading downhill towards the Cibolo, you might notice that the surface of the street is hard-topped nowadays. This is a huge improvement, made in 1920, as the dust kicked up in dry times was enough to choke a goat, while the rain would turn Main into an impassable sludge. There are still deep ditches cut alongside the road for the water to run off into the creek, deep enough that a kid could stand in the bottom and not be seen from the other side of the street. And here’s another improvementthe brand-new bridge, just completed, over the Cibolo Creek! The road’s been raised a good four feet from the normal level of the water, much higher than the old bridge that skimmed the water. Keep in mind, too, as you look around in this Boerne of the past, that the creek looks different not only because it has more water than it ever will in 2014, but that the same WPA project that constructed the swimming pool behind Main Plaza also built up the steep banks along the Cibolo Creek for better flood control, but that won’t happen for another ten years in 1923. Downstream from the new bridge is of course the dam, and it along with the spillway below it- known as the Boerne Lake ninety years ago- is the popular outing place, a picnic spot for courting couples and barbeques after church. Nearby is a campground first erected when the railroad came to town in 1887 and opened the way for tourists to come to the country for a weekend excursion. These days of course the advent of the automobile has made it easier for folks to escape San Antonio for the hills, and every weekend there’s a crowd here at the dam and lake. People are car crazy in 1923, in fact. There are still plenty of horse-drawn vehicles on the road and will be for years to come, especially in this country town, but nowadays anyone who can afford a car wants to run out and buy one. Sach’s Garage on the northwest side of the creek at Main Street (its sign painted on the bricks still visible in 2014 touting it as the oldest garage in town), doesn’t exist yet in 1923 and won’t be built for another four years, but there are plenty of service stations to cater to the automobile crowd. There’s the OST station at Main and West Theissen - that building is still Albert Kutzer garage
there almost a century later- and OST in this case does not stand for the Old Spanish Trail, as it does in Bandera and other parts of the Hill Country, but in Boerne means the Old Stage Trail. This was the old stage route from Boerne’s earliest days- roughly along Main Street (Hwy 87) and veering off what’s now West Theissen over the place where the Frederick Creek meets the Cibolo and then along today’s School Street. Then there’s the Albert Kutzer garage on the corner of Main and James, built on the site of the burned-down Vanderstratton Saloon and which would in later years become the home of Circle H Signs and part of Olde Towne, and there’s also the Sill station on Main Street and East San Antonio, which tends to both auto drivers and horse loyalists with a livery stable attached to the garage. That building is still there too, now a restaurant- in fact, most of the little buildings you see today that sit catty-corner to Main Street started life as service stations.
April 2014
Main St.
Once we cross the bridge over the creek we can see all of Main Street laid out before us. There’s HO Adler’s department store on the left, the Adler family lives in surprisingly spacious quarters upstairs and the building is one of the few places in town with a cellar. This arrangement of family living space above, beside or behind the family business is the norm in town- the Diengers do it over at Dienger’s store, the Vollbrechts- most storekeepers in town in fact. Adler’s Store sells everything from overalls to ladies shoes to neckties to fresh milk and eggs, which they buy every morning from the farmers who truck their fresh produce into town. They call it the ‘store of a million articles’. In 1923 the Adlers have an eleven year-old son, Belmont, who helps in the store when he’s not in school or Boy Scouts, a tall, good-natured boy whom everybody knows and likes. This boy would, three years from 1923, be killed in an accident in the store, and his story was what first got me interested in saving the stories of our town. He was fifteen when he died, and the Boerne Star reported that his funeral was attended by everyone in town, and the cemetery was literally covered in flowers. My sister and I heard about him from Christina and Shanna at Bergmann’s Lumber that now (in 2014) occupies the old HO Adler store building, and together my sister and I tracked Belmont down to his resting place in the Boerne Cemetery between his parents, and it made me so sad to think that this boy of fifteen, this well-loved, good boy who clomped down the steps from his home above the store every morning to go to school, who died while working for his father, should not be remembered anymore, that his name should be forgotten. It became very important to me to let people know about this boy and his short life, and I wrote my first article for the Explore about it, just a few paragraphs before this magazine was printed in its present glossy format, and I think of Belmont and his life and death often. History, as I wrote last month, is up to us to tell. What we do not share and pass on dies with us, but if we tell the stories, pass them on, they become living things, take on substance, and Belmont, the tall boy with big hands, the kid who taught Sunday School at St Helena’s and was a Boy Scout and whom everybody liked, Belmont will be remembered. Further down from HO Adler’s, on the same side of the street is Vollbrecht’s tin shop. This still-familiar building was built in the 1850s by a guy named Henry Wendler who used it for his cabinet shop and family home, and his brother-in-law Louis Vollbrecht bought it from him in the 1880s and turned it into his tin shop. Louis built tin roofs and tanks and tin and enamelware kitchen stuff, and his own family lived in back of the shop until they added the house at the back of the yard- that’s still there too. The Vollbrecht shop even had a well with a pump in one of the back roomsan early system of indoor water long before anybody else had that luxury. In 1923 Louis Vollbrecht would have still been hard at work in the tin shop even at the age of seventyhe would keep working there until his death twenty years later. Louis’ son and his family live just down Main Street towards the Cibolo, next to the OST station in what we now call the Shumard building, and his eight year-old granddaughter Dorothy and great nephew Clifford Wendler, young entrepreneurs themselves, ran a front-yard snack stand selling sodas, gum and candy to folks passing by. There’s a lot of foot traffic along Main
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that way until the 90s when Boerne was ‘discovered’ and most locally-owned places were run right out of business, when it naturally became an antique store. And we call that progress. Huh. Walking up Main Street to Main Plaza we pass people on foot, housewives doing the marketing and kids on errands for their mothers, older boys on the clock and little kids just fooling around. It snowed in Boerne in January 1923, one of those special days when the town closes down and everyone takes a holiday, when even the buttoned down bankers and businessmen loosen up a little and go outside to play, and tired old Main Street was transformed into a winter wonderland. We’re almost to the Plaza now, passing the eye doctor and HL Davis Realty and Insurance company. HL Davis had come to Boerne from a schoolteacher’s job in Kentucky in 1910, and ran a grocery business for a year before going on to establish the insurance and real estate business. He would be elected to mayor of Boerne in 1925, and was the principal of the Boerne school in the 1910 two-story rock building that is now the city hall, just next to the old school house that still stands on the hill. In 1923 all the kids in town still go to that Blanco Street schoolhouse. The brand-new high school building on School Street at Johns Road- now Boerne Middle School North- and the elementary school across the street- now part of Fabra Elementary- won’t be built until 1929. Black kids in Boerne either attended the Boerne Colored School, an old wood-frame building now moved to the Flats and turned into a private home, or they didn’t attend at all. The 1920s were a terrible time for race relations in Boerne as they were all over the South. African Americans had been living in Boerne and Kendall County for years, but in the 20s, with the re-emergence of the KKK and the phenomena known as the Great Migration in full force, the black population in town all but disappeared. The old Opera House, site of the first Kendall County Fair, is still standing in 1923, not yet razed and replaced by the new Ebner’s Drugstore building, and across East San
Fabra Confectionery
Street in 1923- if you lived in town you naturally walked to where you needed to go, and if you came in from the country you parked your car or your wagon somewhere and hoofed it. Max Theis as an old, old man remembered courting girls from Phillip House and the Kendall Inn, the boys escorting them from their hotels and strolling along Main Street. Henry Fabra, contemporary of Max Theis and the guy for whom the school is named, also recalled all the girls staying at the hotels, and remembered too delivering sixty t-bone steaks at a time for breakfast to one of the hotels. He took the girls out in his horse and buggy at first and then, he said, ‘when I got my Ford, I took the girls out for the afternoon.’ Henry and his father had the Fabra Meat Market, with his uncle Arthur’s confectionary next door on Main Street, and one of the familiar sounds of 1923 Boerne is Henry driving the meat wagon through the streets each morning calling out ‘Meat! Fresh meat!’ Henry had also been a star of the Boerne White Sox, part of the HIll Country Baseball League organized right around 1923, although baseball had been played in Boerne for years in places all over town including along Main Street where the field in front of the BISD building is today. The White Sox games often drew crowds up to two thousand people strong- twice as many as were at the dedication at Military Plaza, and an amazing number for Boerne at that time, and even now! Past the Fabra bakery and meat market is Eddie John Vogt’s general merchandise store, opened in 1909 in the building Eddie himself built. According to Eddie’s son John Eddie, the store ‘carried everything from groceries to clothing and hardware. At his store you could purchase everything from fresh groceries to dynamite.’ Soon after the store closed in 1947- having been sold to different owners in 1945- son John Eddie opened his own store near the first location, and this store is where we used to shop when I was a kid, fifty years and more after 1923. In this year of the war memorial dedication, Vogt’s store is doing a brisk business, like HO Adler buying fresh milk, eggs and produce every morning, Eddie and his clerks lined up behind the long counters of merchandise ready to serve you. On the other side of the street we have what would become Olde Towne but is now Ebensberger lumber yard, with the Ort Saloon, proprietor Rudolph Ort, standing along Main Street just outside. It’s 1923, remember, and Prohibition is the law at least in theory, but you could still get your beer and booze if you know where to look. Saloons all over America had to switch over, at least ostensibly, to serving only soda and lemonade and other non-alcoholic quaffs, but somehow the Ort Saloon, Max Beseler’s bar and WH Krause’s place, among others, are still able to keep afloat- pun intended. Rud Ort’s brother, Louie, has his bakery in that little stone building back between the saloon and Ebensberger’s lumber yard, and that place is still there too, in 2014. A little further north, that fancy rock and brick building houses Kuehne’s Hardware and the Piggly Wiggly, with family living quarters upstairs. It looks a little different ninety-one years later with the original decorative spirals and the names and dates removed from the top of the building, but other than that it’s looked pretty much the same through all it’s incarnations- from it’s first purpose as William Ziegler’s hardware store, up until the 90s as the True Value hardware store and today as (what else?) an antiques-cum-gift store. In 1933 Arthur Vogt bought the Ziegler building and turned the upstairs family living space into apartments, and those were still tenanted until the 90s at least. If those old ‘True Value apartments’ were still available today, think how much people might pay to stay up there over Main Street! Up on the northeast corner of Rosewood and Main Street is Wilke’s Drugstore, owner William Wilke, first mayor of Boerne in 1909. This building began life as Kuhlmann’s Apothecary operated by William Kuhlmann who built the big stone house up on the hill near the school (and is, in 2014, the Kuhlmann-King House museum) but has been in Wilke’s possession since around 1900, and will, in 1923, be sold to Arthur Fabra. Max Theis, mentioned above, ran the drugstore for Fabra until it was sold again, and in another twenty years or so it will change hands once more, becoming Roberts Drug Store, which is how I knew it as a kid. So this place was built in 1887 as a drugstore and stayed
Boerne White Sox
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Boerne High School Graduates
Antonio Street is the Sill service station, and behind that, on San Antonio Street, is the telephone exchange building and further down the courthouse and jail. And that brings us to Main Plaza. It looks much better than it has for so many years when it was used as a holding pen for cattle waiting to be driven up the Chisholm Trail or for the horses belonging to guests of the Kendall Inn. In 1923 the Plaza now has a merry-go-round for kids in addition to the old gazebo- a far cry from today’s onion-domed monstrosity, the old gazebo was a smaller, German structure where the Village Band would play. On the West San Antonio Street side of the Plaza are houses still, in 1923, some of which will still be there even in the 1980s, and on the other side are more houses and, of course, the Dienger Store on Main Street and Blanco, and the Kendall Inn. Back behind the Plaza is the Boerne Water Works, attached to the city well, and across the low water crossing over the creek is the Flats. St Helena’s Episcopal Church is on past the Plaza where it’s always been, where it still is, but looking very different than it does ninety years later. The old frame church that was built in 1881 is still in use in 1923- it’ll be torn down in 1929 to make way for the new rock sanctuary that we know today. Across the street from St Helena’s is St Mary’s Sanitarium, a sprawling frame structure with gables and scrollwork and porches running the length of the building upstairs and down. Founded in 1896 by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word, it originally catered to Catholic priests suffering from the ubiquitous tuberculosis that was the leading cause of death in those days, but soon opened up to take in other sufferers as well. Boerne in 1923 was at the twilight of its Resort Era, but there were still tuberculins in residence at St Mary’s, as well as in Dr Wright’s sanitarium up on the hill just behind St Mary’s. Dr Herff had begun sending his lung patients to Boerne as far back as the 1860s, and Boerne’s reputation as a healthful climate spread nation-wide, attracting people from all over North America to come to the mountains hoping to breathe in a cure. There was a time in Boerne’s history when not only was every hospital and sanitarium full of patients, buut just about every private home boarded at least one person recovering- or dy-
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
St. Helena’s Church
ing- from tuberculosis as well. And World War I had created a whole new wave of lung patients- those suffering from the aftermath of nerve and mustard gas attacks. On the same site as St Mary’s Sanitarium is another lovely frame building of elegant proportions, this also run by the Sisters- this is Holy Angel’s Academy, a Catholic school. These two buildings would burn down around 1930 and the land stand empty for years and years, for most of my life until the land was developed into the site of the new Patrick Heath Library and city campus. You can also see from Main Street, on our stroll through 1923 Boerne, the former sanitarium of Dr WE Wright’s up on the hill where Care Choice Nursing Home will be in 2014. William Kuhlmann, the man mentioned above in connection to Kuhlmann’s Apothecary, first built the mansion in 1895 as a gift to his bride, his childhood sweetheart whom he returned to Germany to marry and bring back to Boerne, but she died in childbirth soon after their return and Kuhlmann never did live in the mansion he’d built for his bride. Instead Dr Wright turned the house into a sanitarium, later adding several little cottages on the property for the men who would remain and make Boerne their home. By 1923 a man named Gallagher had taken over the property and was running it as the HIlltop Hotel, with tourists staying in the cottages. HL Davis, of whom we also spoke earlier, later bought the mansion and lived in it with his wife, Minnie Perrin Davis, until Mr Davis’ death. On an old insurance map there’s a swimming pool marked near the Hilltop mansion, and the author- me- has spent many a long walk searching for evidence of that swimming pool, imagining the people gathered around it in the hotel’s heyday. The mansion fell into ruin after Davis’ death although it stood well into the 90s, and my sister and I used to prowl around in there when our greatgrandmother lived in the Hilltop nursing home, which used the bottom floor rooms for storage, and if you think the old ruins of an abandoned house filled with old-timey wheelchairs and iron beds isn’t spooky, then you don’t know from spooky. Nowadays when I find the time to wander in the little woods between the nursing home and the creekbed down below, I look back towards where the mansion’s patio once was and get a powerful sense of time travel gazing at the few pieces of statuary still standing from the Davis’ day and before. St. Mary’s Sanitarium I’m sure I could stand there for hours and people that now quiet space with all those ghosts from the past, the rasping patients of the sanitarium, the soldiers poisoned overseas, the fashionable guests of the hotel in their 20s fashions, ‘Yes We Have No Bananas’ playing on the phonograph. The businesses taper off at this point on Main Street, not much but houses and farms from this point northwards, many of which are still there but long since turned into chiropractor’s offices and insurance agencies and, God help us, apartments and office space and more strip centers. But on this March Tuesday in 1923, with the mountain laurel wind blowing, nobody had ever dreamed of a place where strip centers existed. You did your shopping in a place with hollow wooden floors and stamped-tin ceilings with a couple of ceiling fans stirring around the smell of soap powder and new denim
April 2014
and leather boots, with people you go to church with standing behind long, glass counters and who ask you about your family, and know exactly who that term includes, all the way to second cousins six times removed. The twenties weren’t an easy time for people in Boerne- they may have been roaring somewhere else, but it was a rough decade in these parts, and about to get worse. The boll weevil was wiping out the cotton industry in Kendall County, the biggest business there was, and by 1925 King Cotton in Boerne would be dead. People had banked on the Resort Era, were set up to accommodate what had seemed to be an endless influx of visitors, but business began to taper off sharply after the war, and the coming Depression would end that era forever. The population would begin to decline as well, and Boerne, in common with little towns all over the South, would face an economic crisis that wouldn’t fully abate until well into the 1970s. But in 1923 all of that bad news was in a future they couldn’t know about and that couldn’t affect their pleasure in spending an early Spring day with their friends at the park. We’re back at Military Plaza and it looks like the they’re wrapping things up and it’s time to go back to the future, back to 2014 where Boerne is vastly different and where a crowd of nearly nine hundred people is nothing out of the ordinary, it’s what you see every day at HEB, that fluorescent-lit, sterile super-store so very different from HO Adler’s or Eddie Vogts or Joe Dienger’s. It’s time to climb back out of this time machine, time to step out of the picture of our town on a random Spring day, but it’s hard to let go, it’s so hard to stop looking back. This street to the south of Military Plaza- it will soon change it’s name to Kronkosky but on this day it’s still called Bobolink, and on that corner someday will appear a place called Beef & Brew, it will be there for a time and then disappear. St Peter’s across Main Street- the doublespired brand-new sanctuary looks so lovely, so big atop the hill but you know the time will come when it has served it’s purpose and the battle to tear it down will go all the way to the Supreme Court. When the newly hard-topped Main Street will be clogged with traffic and the sight of a horse will be as foreign here as the thought of a world without television, a world where so many people don their best clothes and head into town for the dedication of a war memorial. But on this day in 1923, as on every other day in the history of the world, these people who pause for their picture cannot imagine their world any other way, have every reason to believe that life will be like this forever, that this town, this Boerne, will always be their pretty little village tucked into the embrace of the hills, far away from San Antonio and from the rest of the world. Amant eam, cum quo est. I’d like to dedicate this month’s article to my very dear friend without whom I never could have written even my first article, much less all the rest- Ann Welder of The Heath Library. Thank you for everything Ann!
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Crow-Karsch Ra
Cascade Caverns
nch
Edge Falls
Crow-Karsch Ranch
offer a ton of beautiful rock formations, multiple “rooms”, and guided educational Hill Country scenic views is something tours. They’re open year round except for Boerne is known for. Did you know you Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. could be so close to Boerne and still see They’re right up the road and would love all the way to the Tower of the Americas? Crow-Karsch Ranch is the little known place to see the family. where you can do this. Go out there on a clear day and soak up the views at sunset. Mr. D’s Yes, it might seem a little strange to showcase a convenience store here. But Edge Falls let us explain. Mr. D’s ROCKS. Plain and The Hill Country’s most fabled waterfalls. simple. Their gas prices will not syphon When Edge Falls is flowing is truly a sight to behold. You can stand on the Edge Falls the money out of your wallet like the few places on I-10 will. When you walk in the bridge and be right on top of the falls. person behind the counter greets you with a smile and friendly “hello”. And the Cascade Caverns real kicker is their prices inside. Typically, Boerne’s very own “thing only out of townconvenience stores charge you a hefty ers and new residents” go to. We admit premium for the items on their shelves. that, like the San Antonio Riverwalk, CasNot so here. While they may be a little cade Caverns is not a place frequented higher than some place like HEB, they’re by locals. Which is a shame. The caverns
more than reasonable. Any place you can pick up drinks and munchies for the whole family for less than $6 is a diamond in the rough. Check ‘em out. And tell them the EXPLORE guys said “hi”.
Old Timer’s Front Porch
Disclaimer: proceed at your own risk. This is Old Timer’s front porch. He made us promise not to disclose the actual location. We know that may disappoint a lot of you, but when an elderly ex-Marine tells you to NOT do something... you don’t do it. We can say it’s somewhere in Boerne proper and that is all. If you find it, remember, ex-Marine. If you drive by and he’s outside, give him a honk and a wave. You might get a salute from him. But make sure the kids aren’t in the car. Old Timer salutes not endorsed by any branch of the US Military for use on civilians.
Know of a M
UST DO in Boerne? If so send it to u s a excursions@ t hillcountrye xplore.com
Mr. D’s
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t Porch
ron Old Timer’s F
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
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March has come and gone and with it, Spring Break. We here at EXPLORE had a ton of fun over Spring Break this year. Maybe a little too much. But that’s for the courts and our lawyer to figure out. But it got us thinking... we can’t be the only one’s who had a blast during that one carefree week. So we threw it out to our friends. “What was your best Spring Break memory, if you can still remember it?” Here are a few of the responses. “Let’s enjoy the first few days of spring sitting in a windowless bar watching March Madness.”
“White t-shirts and water go together like… like… I’m sorry, what were you saying?”
“I’m 38 years old, so a crazy Spring Break is not in the cards for me anymore. However, in honor of thousands of co-eds running to the beach right now in their bikinis, I shall crush this beer on my forehead at 10:30am in honor of them all.” “My God – Spring Break 1993. There are so many stories I could share with you if only I could remember a single one of them.”
“If they had Facebook when I was in college, my Spring Break photos would eliminate me from every job I’ve ever had. I was VERY lucky to grow up without social media. Me puking over a balcony was funny the moment it happened, but I can’t believe kids nowadays can post that picture so that every future employer can find it. No thanks.”
“College is funny. We really need a break from the constant drinking and reckless sex on campus, so we run down to Padre and drink even harder. And yes, have lots of sex. Man, those were fun days.”
“If my parents only knew about half the stuff that went on during my Spring Breaks they’d probably have shipped me off to some Franciscan monastery in Siberia to atone for my actions.”
“If you can remember your Spring Break, you probably didn’t try hard enough.” “Where are my pants!”
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
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Join J. R. Mooney Gallery in Boerne for the
2014 Boerne Parade of Artists Saturday, April 12 - 10 am to 8 pm Sunday, April 13 - 11 am to 3 pm We look forward to seeing you!
“Morning Mist” Sidney Sinclair 24” x 20” oil
“Drummer” Bill Scheidt 18” x 24”, oil
April 2014
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OUTDOORS
By Steve Ramierez
I have always been a traveler. This statement holds more meaning than simply being someone who goes from one place to another; it is more a state of being, that I carry within me. When I journey to a new place I always live it fully. The new land becomes another home…a place where dear friends live and memories of good food, drink, and laughter last beyond the journey itself. Most people who travel are tourists, they go there but carry sameness with them, and never taste the flavor or suspect the lessons that are waiting to be learned. A traveler lives the journey. A tourist goes holding expectations along with the luggage. A traveler goes wondering what will be around the next corner. Each journey leaves me forever changed. Each journey teaches me…about life and love, hardships overcome and history shared, and about my own greater journey. I hope in some way I touch my new faraway home: I hope I do no harm. I hope I leave only memories of kindness, respect, and smiles shared. Each journey increases my immortal spirit. As I travel from land to land I always notice that we are all dreaming upon the same distant star. The earth holds us all within the curved, palm of its hand. Recently I journeyed to Peru. I met up with my daughter Megan. I knew that this journey held some real risks for me: asthma in the thin air, a propensity for elevation sickness, and the possible loss of my job. I went anyway because the risk of regret was far greater. I completed the trek alongside my seven young companions even through great hardship and suffering; I would have it no other way. The Salkantay is known for being the toughest of the Inca trails and this is not false advertising. I was joking prior to leaving about the possibility me dying along the trail and my family collecting the insurance…but I always joke when I know I might be facing that passing. I have faced it many times as a Marine, Peace Officer, and Adventurer/Explorer. It is the way of things in my life. In this case, the premonition almost came true. I had spent two wonderful days in Arequipa and three days exploring Cuzco. We enjoyed every bit of it including our decision that instead of sleeping in a room at the Vanderbilt University flat, that we camp on the roof-garden under the stars. Those first two nights were wonderful, briskly cold and clear as we lay beneath the Milky Way and Southern Cross. Dogs barked from rooftop gardens and roosters crowed all night, but still it was magical as I watched a shower of shooting stars above my head. Arequipa was a wonderful beginning. Cuzco was fascinating and fun and in each place we found great places to eat and drink. We had a wonderful Hostel with the first room opening up to the inner garden and the second room that waited for us upon return from Salkantay looked out across the night skyline of the Plaza de Armas. At last it came time for us to begin our five day trek over Salkantay Pass and on to Machu Picchu. On the first day we took a four hour drive above the clouds, along the cliff-edged roadway littered in cattle, pigs, horses, and chickens… where there is no guardrail and the best way to enjoy the ride is to kiss your life good-bye and just let go. I did this, just as I do each time I fly…and enjoyed the scenery as I knew I could be gaining a quick view of the bottom of the canyon at any moment. All went well and we arrived at the trail head. We loaded our horses and began to climb…and climb…and climb for about six hours. It was warm, humid and dusty and my asthma didn’t seem to like any of these factors any more than it liked the elevation. Even though I pushed forward through the pain in my lungs by the time I reached basecamp between Humantay and Salkantay mountains my lungs were in bad shape and I had a serious dose of altitude sickness. The truth is I knew I was in deep trouble and once again found myself considering mortality and the good fortune that I had purchased insurance that included repatriation of remains. That night I rested and allowed my body to adjust to the thin air. Darkness fell and the stars came out; it was beautiful.
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The trail up to the pass was stunningly beautiful. We crossed verdant green pampas and up steep rocky ridges, always with Salkantay above us. When we got to the top we had some time alone among the stones and the silence. I constructed a stone Apu to show my respect. It’s strange, but I have constructed stone pyramids in forests and deserts around the world, never knowing why I have felt compelled to do so or that the ancient Incas did the same. Now, my Apu resides at the top of the pass alongside a hundred others…very cool. After reaching the top of the pass we began descending down the other side. My elevation sickness had passed and I was feeling strong as we hiked for four more hours, down into the cloud forests and then the rain-forests. As you might be able to tell, I love nature and feel at home outdoors. I’m connected to the land in a somewhat spiritual way. I love birds and of all the birds of the world, hummingbirds hold a special magical place for me. As we descended through the cloud and rainforests we saw three species of hummingbirds: the dark green giant hummingbird like those we had seen in Cuzco, a small chestnut colored variety, and a stunning sapphire blue hummingbird. The forests were stunning and as someone who has his own greenhouse and used to raise orchids and bromeliads I really appreciated the profusion of these wonderful plants hanging from every branch and rock formation. It rained on us for the last hour of this trek but this seems appropriate in a rain forest and is no problem since all Marines are amphibious. On the last camping night we all sat around a campfire drinking Peruvian Cusquena beer and enjoying conversation about life and adventure. Then, the next morning we began walking the last six hours to Aquas Calientes and Machu Picchu. It was a dry hot morning and once again the dust in the wind, exertion, and elevation conspired to rob me of my strength, if not my resolve. One hour into the trek I felt my lungs tighten and shortly thereafter I went into a full asthma attack whereas my breathing almost stopped. So that I could reach the ground with some dignity I sat quickly on a rock and shot my rescue inhaler into my lungs. This started my breathing again and in short order I stood back up on my own two feet. The guide had been next to me during the attack and he was clearly concerned. He asked me once again to let him flag down a combie/car but I refused and we carried on forward for the next two hours. Once we got to Hydroelectrica I realized that I could not eat lunch and just drank a few bottles of power aid. I was feeling pretty poorly, my lungs were hurting as if my ribs had been broken and the guide asked me if he could put me on a train. I wanted to push through the pain and I did. We hiked for three more hours through amazing rainforests with parrots flying overhead and the rushing river beside us. In the end quite like when I ran the marathon four years ago…determination prevailed and I crossed the finish line at Aquas Calientes alongside my companions: I was very pleased with this outcome. I guess in some ways it would have been nice if this was easier for me, yet truly, I’m glad it was difficult. Suffering always passes, memories of overcoming hardship remain. To be a traveler you must truly experience the food, drink, people, and landscape of the place you are exploring. I have been fortunate enough to sit around campfires in Kenya and Namibia. I have tracked kudu with Bushmen and sat in the snow covered mountain-town squares talking with Italian World War II Veterans in Abuzzo. It doesn’t really matter if I’m hunting pronghorn with Colorado cowboys or kayaking a Texas Hill country river…it’s all about the journey. A traveler is changed, evolved, somehow more complete with each sojourn. And, the joys and the hardships are all a part of the experience. The traveler wouldn’t have it any other way.
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
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April 2014
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35
Wine
By Tom Geoghegan | TGeoghegan@boernewineco.com As we move from the refreshing chill of our brief few weeks of winter to the almost perfect weather of our spring season, we have the luxury in the Hill country of being able to enjoy our favorite reds almost year round. With that in mind, I thought it might be fun to share some wines from assorted AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas) in the U.S. One of the favorite AVA’s I’ve discovered is the Alexander Valley in Sonoma, California. Situated north of Healdsburg and running up to Cloverdale, just off CA Hwy#101, it meanders in a loose curve to finish back near the Knights Valley AVA, just north of Napa. Simi, and others started the modern trend, but a little winery named Robert Young put the valley on the map when Chateau St. Jean used their Chardonnay grapes to produce California’s first vineyard designated wine in 1975. The valley itself was awarded its own AVA status in 1984. The original wine history of the valley goes back to some of the earliest Spanish land grants, when in the 1840s Cyrus Alexander was granted two leagues of land (almost 9000 acres), and planted grapes he had brought from Ft. Ross on the Pacific coast. That winery later evolved into Alexander Valley Vineyards, founded in 1962 by the Wetzel family. Now in its 37th year of production, they farm a wide range of varietals, but specialize in Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, a unique trio of Zins (Temptation, Sin, and Redemption), and their premium red blend, Cyrus. In 1972, Tom Jordan and his family saw the potential for the appellation and established the Jordon winery with an initial purchase of 275 acres (now 1300). They persuaded the legendary Andre Tchelistcheff to consult on their project and hired Rob Davis as their winemaker. Their estate-bottled Cabs were one of the original cult wines out of California, and they also produce an elegant Chardonnay. Their wines were some of the first California wines served at the White House.
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Simi is another nearly pioneer when Giuseppe and his brother Pietro arrived in the mid 1850s seeking their fortune in the California gold rush. They found their gold in grapes however, and produced their first vintage in 1876. In 1904, Giuseppe’s daughter took over management of the winery, and in a very shrewd maneuver, cellared all the wineries liquid assets in anticipation of Prohibition. In 1933 when the Volstead Act was repealed, she had over 500,000 cases of aged wine ready for sale. In 1979, the winery hired Zelma Long, the pioneer women winemaker. Today Steve Reeder is the winemaker, and his Landslide Vineyard Red beautifully demonstrates the complexity that the Alexander Valley offers. Only 175 acres in size, they have identified 3 distinct micro climates that offer unique flavor to the blend. Within those three vineyard blocks, they have further isolated over 44 sub-blocks that create a wine of incredible complexity. Silver Oak has become synonymous with the Cabernet grape for decades now, but I believe the Alexander Valley designate is the sleeper wine in their portfolio for value and taste. In the late 1960s, Ray Duncan also saw the potential for the valley, and began to purchase land in both Napa and the Alexander Valley. Through mutual friends he met Justin Meyers, who was the wine maker at the Christian Brothers winery. Their unique vision was to concentrate on just one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon, use American Oak to age these grapes and produce a world class red. In 1972, they celebrated their first harvest (pre-dating their Napa designation by seven years).Each appellation produces unique wines in style, complexity and flavor profiles. Their specialized aging program ensures an average 24 months in American Oak, and an additional 15-20 months of bottle aging. Their new vintage release dates at the respective winery locations are now legendary for creating traffic jams on the normally sedate farm to market roads of Geyserville and Oakville. Other wineries have certainly made their mark on the valley and contributed
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to the rich portfolios of wines available. Rodney Strong was another of the early pioneers, and now is experiencing a renaissance under the Klein family. Souverain, formerly Chateau Souverain, is producing stellar wines from their new home in Cloverdale under the guiding hand of winemaker Ed Killian, who has worked with grapes from the Alexander Valley for over 25 years. Others to seek out at your favorite wine shop, tasting bar, or restaurant are Field Stone, Hanna, Seghesio, and Trentadue. After covering a lot of ground, and discussing quite a few wineries, it’s really hard to narrow it down to a favorite. So, when in doubt, go with the human factor. A few years ago, we had the pleasure of meeting Ed Killian at a local vintner dinner and taste thru his wines. His Cabernet really stood out as a wonderful example of the AV style of lush forward fruit, very balanced tannins, and a rich finish. Kathy and I then followed up with a more recent example, the 2006 Alexander Valley Reserve. This one over delivered for the money. Easily accessible at the start, the wine continued to open beautifully, with rich plum, cherry, and blackberry fruit. No hard edges, just soft tannins with subtle layers of vanilla, chocolate, and all spice. Suggested retails from $ 20-24.99, and wine list pricing from $40-44.99. Sometimes a little hard to find, but worth the effort especially the reserve Cab bottling. I guess the biggest reason I enjoy these wines is that they offer such great value in relation to their Napa siblings. So if we’re out to eat at a special restaurant and our friends offer to pick up the tab for the wine, I will often order a Napa bottling. And when the same friends come to our house for an elegant dinner, I love to surprise them with something special from Sonoma. Or as I saw on a beautiful old rusted farm truck’s bumper… “NAPA for auto parts, SONOMA for wine.”
April 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
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GARDENING
By Keith Amelung • Have Spade, Will Travel www.havespade.com
As I sit down to write, many in the area had the first decent rain I can remember in a quite a while last night...although sadly my yard remains dry. The bluebonnets are peaking down on 1604 and will be bursting through the Hill Country soon enough heralding spring.
Redbud and peach trees are also in peak now, following March’s fragrance from the Mountain Laurels and Mexican Plum trees.
Many of our perennial flowers are waking up, but don’t be too anxious to replace those still dormant. Many of our summer standouts like Lantana will be sleeping a while longer; waiting for the soil to warm a bit more before they awake for spring. The Cibolo Nature Center’s ‘Mostly Native Plant Sale’ happens the first Saturday of the month at the Kendall County Fairgrounds; and is always a great way to start April. Spring is a great time to fine tune our landscapes. Most of the heavy lifting should be done off-season. Rock work such as patios and walkways are best affected in summer and followed by major plantings in the fall and early winter. Spring should be for adding the occasional punch of color in the perennial bed, changing out the winter Pansy’s and Kale, focusing on our veggies and generally just enjoying our garden. Yes, it is a fine time to add a new flower or vegetable bed or smaller project but the big, big stuff is really best done after mid September. While visiting a local nursery recently I was asked my thoughts on the prolonged drought we are in; “There is always enough water for tomatoes” was my reply. But in chatting with folks who remember way back to the mid 50’s they tell stories of the Live Oaks not setting new leaves and the panic that ensued from folks thinking all the trees were going to die. Obviously they did not. Granted we are loosing trees, with the old growth Red Oaks seeming to be the most susceptible to these prolonged dry periods; especially when coupled with very rocky soil. I was digging holes recently in long undisturbed heavy clay, and it was wet...I mean WET all the way from the surface to the bottom of the hole… before this last rain! I was amazed how much moisture was still being held in this heavy clay. Unfortunately, most of us are not blessed with these conditions, but I offer this example as proof they do exist. I am often asked how we can care for our large specimen trees. The first thing we need to understand is that the vast majority of tree roots are located far from the trunk, out at what we call the ‘drip line’ and beyond. Many times these root zones overlap – actually grafting one tree to another. For us to offer any benefit to a tree, lets say six inches plus in caliper, we would need to set an emitter/drip system, soaker hoses, or the like out at the drip line all the way around the canopy’s edge and let them run on low pressure for many hours. The next day expand the watering system three to six feet further out from the trunk and repeat. If we could do this monthly through the summer for every tree we might be concerned about; it would indeed help them a bit. Another, and even more important step in keeping our trees healthy, is fertilization – and our choice of. I staunchly avoid any type of “weed and feed” fertilizer, I don’t care what brand. Don’t use them. Don’t let your neighbors use these either, as all too often the roots of your tree are in their yard! These products can greatly stress the health of our trees (shrubs, flowers etc... that may “accidentally” have their roots mingling out into the lawn) I have actually read the fine print on some that say “Do Not Use within 50 feet of a trees roots”. These synthetic herbicides can’t determine the difference between the most noxious weed and an oak tree. Please, please, please use natural fertilizers. And this is still a fine time to do so. I had the pleasure to visit a couple yesterday who asked about mulching their large oaks. This takes us back to where the benefits of such would be prudent. In their case the vast majority of the lawn was turf, so where mulch would be impractical, a thin ¼” layer of compost would be ideal. A thin application of compost over our lawns will greatly improve the friability of our soil reducing the necessity of water by as much as fifty percent. Not just for our lawns, but the trees growing therein. For a little more on this subject please visit my website’s ‘Turf Care’ page. A few final thoughts for the month: let’s all think veggie gardening. Even just a small 4’ x 4’ square or a whiskey barrel can feed our senses and our soul. It is never too early to introduce your children to all of the wonderful aspects of an edible garden. If not veggies like Tomatoes, Peppers, Squash, or Cucumbers how can anyone resist an herb garden with fresh Basil, Thyme, Oregano or Chives. The fragrance and taste of freshness just can’t be compared… or bought; unless you attend the Farmers Market at Herff Farm on Saturday Mornings from 8:30 - 12:30.
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Mary Mellard, DDS
Randy Mellard, DDS, MS
• American Dental Association
• American Dental Association
• Texas Dental Association
• Texas Dental Association
• San Antonio Dental Society
• San Antonio Dental Society
• Academy of General Dentistry
• Academy of General Dentistry
DENTISTRY for the WHOLE FAMILY
The minute you walk through the doors at Mellard Dentistry, you will know you’ve come to the right place. Dr. Mary Mellard and Dr. Randy Mellard, a well-regarded husband-and-wife dental team, will help make you and your family more comfortable than you ever thought possible. Both doctors received their degrees from the University of Texas at Houston, and each year they continue to study advanced, postgraduate dentistry with some of the best-known clinicians in the country, In addition, Dr. Randy Mellard is a specialist in periodontology (gum therapy), and has advanced training in implant dentistry. But despite their clinical accolades, Dr. Mellard and Dr. Mellard do something all too rare in today’s rushed world... they listen, and get to know each patient one-on-one. So whether you’re looking for advanced cosmetic and restorative dentistry or simply a dentist to help maintain your family’s dental health, join us. We’ll give you something to smile about! Dr. Mary Mellard and Dr. Randy Mellard have been married more than twenty years, and have four children. They are native Texans, and enjoy being active in our local community.
Important Awards: Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry - Dr. Mary & Dr. Randy Mellard Master, Academy of General Dentistry - Dr. Mary Mellard Lifelong Learning and Service Recognition Award - Dr. Mary Mellard (one of 10 dentists in the state)
Comprehensive Dental Care
Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dentistry
• Great with children and adults • Professional dental cleanings • State-of-the-art equipment • Digital x-rays significantly reduce radiation • We make your comfort our priority • Periodontal specialist on staff
• Advanced training in cosmetic dentistry • Invisalign® “invisible” orthodontics • Galileos ® 3D Dental Imaging System • Implants to replace missing teeth
Twice nominated as Texas Dentist of the Year (2007 & 2009) - Dr. Mary Mellard Master of Science in Periodontics, University of Texas -Dr. Randy Mellard
Services Offered:
Sedation Dentistry for fearful patients or long procedures All-on-Four Smile in a Day Same day crowns (Cerec) Implants Six Month Smiles Cosmetic makeovers Invisalign Non-surgical treatment for gum disease
CARE for the whole Children deserve a wonderful dental experience. We encourage parents to bring their children in for a visit any time after their first birthday. Your child will love it here!
Now Welcoming New Patients
(210) 782-8421
www.mellarddentistry.com
Creating the healthy beautiful smile of your dreams in a comfortable caring atmosphere
SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL
By Kendall D. Aaron :: kendall@hillcountryexplore.com My friend Johnny talks to God all the time. He doesn’t do this in the ways that you might think he is “talking” with God such as prayer or devotionals, but he really, REALLY talks to God. Someone will ask him to make a big decision, or they could be asking him to go to lunch, and he will set the phone aside, pray for direction, and then say, “Ok. I got it. God says it’s cool if we have lunch on Thursday.” I’m not making light of his discussions with God, as they are pretty much the same as when he’s asked a potentially life-changing decision; he’ll pray briefly, nod his head, and have a response at the ready. Sometimes he’ll say “Nope – no answer from God right now. That means we need to wait.” I love Johnny, because he is so tuned into God that even his lunch plans are acts of supernatural influence that require Christ’s input. I’ve been thinking about Johnny a lot because I want a supernatural influence in my life. I want a true, profound visit from God that will alter the direction of my life in a good way. It seems like every testimony I’ve ever heard, every feel-good video on Youtube I’ve ever watched goes something like this: “Boy, I was really a mess. I was addicted to McDonald’s, my wife left me for a circus performer, and my children were armed robbers. One night I prayed to God, and He appeared to me in my heart and ever since that moment, my life is different. I now own 700 fitness centers, my wife is devoted to me, and my children are all valedictorians.” It’s all simple; God shows up and reshapes a person’s entire life into something perfect and beautiful. Put some good music to that testimony, build in some creative camera angles, and break out the Kleenex. God strikes again. And then there’s me. I pray. Constantly. I have hang-ups and issues and addictions that I have battled my entire life, and I’m a mess of contradictions and frustrations and motivations that have plagued me since day 1. But I’m praying, and while I make progress, I invariably return to this state of brokenness. And I start again. And again. And again. I’m left questioning to God, “What am I doing wrong that you won’t swoop down, do a supernatural dance around me, and leave me fixed? Repaired? All better? Where is that God from those cutesy videos I see where people just hit their knees one day, ask for God’s help, and are left skipping off into the distance after God’s miraculous deliverance?” What’s the answer? I really want to know, and if you’re thinking I’m here to deliver the answer you’re wrong. The only conclusion I’ve come to is this one: either I’m not listening for the answer, or I’m not turning to follow Him completely. I think it could be 50/50 on which one is right. Either I’m asking for help with something and being SHOWN the direction but am stubbornly refusing, or God is hearing my prayer and is peering deep into my heart to see that I’m not sincere. It’s quite a self-admission to say that perhaps He’s right on both accounts, but it’s hard to admit to myself. My heart wants help and comfort and freedom. I want resolution and direction and support. Translated, I want it to be easy! My head, on the other hand, can see that change is hard, and well, it doesn’t like doing hard things. And around and around we go. Have you ever felt like this? Ever begged for something to happen in your life, and then watched as it didn’t happen? Have you ever yearned to wake up a new person and be frustrated when it didn’t happen? Yeah, me too. So what do we do? Where do we go to find the relief from the things we seek help? What is the resolution? C’mon man, what’s the SOLUTION?! As best I can tell, the only real solutions are to truly, passionately, deeply, spiritually want change. Sound easy? Yeah, it’s not. Second, we must be willing to actually make the change we’re looking for. Are you praying to find forgiveness for someone that has hurt you? Ok, but then you better be ready to truly do that. You must really be honest about forgiving someone, even when they don’t deserve it. Are you wanting to find peace amongst great sorrow? Are you willing to release your pain and allow God to heal your heart? Change is hard. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the comfort and familiarity of our pain and our issues that it’s disconcerting to release them. What would I do if I wasn’t mad at so-and-so? I’ve been mad at him for 25 years! I can’t just wake up tomorrow, forgive him, and move on like nothing ever happened! I sympathize with this line of thought, and I will pray for you while you will pray for me. In the meantime, we’ll both be wringing our hands and begging for help and release; the very help and release that God is constantly offering us if only we’d be willing to simply………………..let go.
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Facility available for special events Call for details Guitar Workshops • Artist Performances String instrument rentals for students
Premier Custom Home Builder in the Texas Hill Country
Specializing in fine instruments, accessories, and instruction Offering group or private lessons for all ages Guitar | Flute | Harp | Violin Piano | Mandolin | and More
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830-331-9840 Call today to reserve your lesson space
For over 40 years, KCN has been building beautiful custom homes of all sizes in Boerne, Comfort, Bandera, Castroville and throughout the Texas Hill Country. Our commitment to excellence is reflected not just in the quality of our products, but also in the superior level of customer service we provide during the building process. Our reputation for honesty and integrity, combined with our commitment to deliver excellent quality, expert craftsmanship, and customer service, has afforded us the opportunity to build many long lasting relationships with our clients. In fact, we are now building a home for our 29th repeat customer.
830-816-5202 920 East Blanco Road Boerne, TX 78006 www.kcnbuilders.com
Family Style Beer Garden.
50 Craft Beers on Tap – That’s the Best Kind of Love Tap!
11 Upper Cibolo Creek Rd. • (210) 724-6921 • Facebook.com/RandomTexasFamilyFun Kiddo Friendly • Dog Lovers • Wonderful Food Truck Eats • Live Music!
Great space for Weddings, Birthday & Corporate Parties! Please call we are very interested in hearing from you!
•
may 24TH •
•
One Year Birthday Bash April 2014
may 31st •
Fry Chicken Cluck Off Event www.hillcountryexplore.com
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Boerne’s new fun and funky tour bus
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Boerne, TX 78006 Dallas, TX 75205
p. (830) 816-5888 f. (830) 816-5889 p. (214) 295-3279 f. (214) 295-3001
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
First Annual Fat Bellies and Captain T’s
• Cajun beer • Cajun music • Cajun fun • Fais do-do • And, live painting by world renowned artist Brent Dodd Painting will be auctioned off to one lucky bidder
• Crawfish Boil Times • 12 PM • 2 PM • 4 PM • 6 PM • 8 PM
April 12th, 2014 Starting at 12 PM
Please join us on the patio for a truly unique Cajun blowout! 706 South Main Street • Boerne, TX 78006 • 830-816-5114
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
We care for seniors in their home... INDEPENDANT LIVING COTTAGES AMENITIES: • One or two bedrooms, kitchen, living room, bathroom, laundry room & screened in portch overlooking beautiful woodland grounds and pond • 3 Meals a day delivered to cottage • Housekeeping and laundry service • Medication reminders • Activities, socialization and entertainment • Senior Buddies personal assistance available as needed. • Pets Allowed
ASSISTED LIVING AMENITIES: • Private and Semi private rooms and suites • Assistance with bathing, dressing & grooming • Medication assistance and healthcare management • Assistance with ambulation to meals and activities • Excellent home cooked meals and special diets • Activities, exercise and entertainment • 24 hour staff • Housekeeping and laundry service • Beauty and barber shop services • Senior Buddies personal assistance service is available for one on one care. • Walking paths in a beautiful woodland setting
...where their heart is SENIOR BUDDIES was founded to provide a loving, caring way to assist the elderly and their families. We specialize in enhancing the lives of seniors limited by Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and strokes. We also provide respite care, surgery recovery and service for other seniorrelated needs.
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www.senior-buddies.com
Old
Timer
Old Timer is our resident cranky old guy. We all know one or love one, and we’ve become quite fond of Old Timer, and enjoy letting him spout off about stuff that he sees happening around town.
More Things about Boerne that Just Irritate the Hell Outta Me: Boerne School District Obviously, my kids are grown and gone, but even back in the day, the BISD was a good one. And it still is. However, I can’t believe that parents tolerate the amount of time that the teachers take off. We’ve got the 3 months of summer, Christmas Break, and Spring Break, but I swear, they close for every holiday, “Teacher Workday”, “Teacher Inservice Day”, and Bad Weather Day they can find. Stop doing that. It’s hugely disruptive to the parents. And besides, we all know that you’re at Buckles during your “Inservice Day”, anyway.
The whole Herff Road expansion Well, you’ve knocked over a helluva lot of trees, widened the road, and are straightening it out. You ARE aware that the traffic backs up on River Road a thousand times worse, and this will do absolutely nothing to fix traffic problems in Boerne, right? And
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isn’t it strange to hear people talking about “Traffic Problems” in Boerne? Seriously? In Boerne?
The speed limit on Hwy 46 is 65mph, not 46mph. Get with it, people. 8pm in Boerne Why does this town absolutely roll up the sidewalks at 8pm? There are no cars, no people wandering from business to business along Main Street (cause they’re all closed), no live music wafting out on the street. Why does this still happen? I mean, the demographic of Boerne is much younger now than in years past, but still, we all live like a bunch of geriatrics. I, personally, am cool with this.
I suppose it’s improved, but I’m not sure. It carries the same amount of cars over the water, so there’s no improvement there. It’s been painted, but it’s some sort of green color, so nope, no improvement there. I do see that the sidewalk is wider, so this was the improvement we were sold? This is what has taken almost a year longer than planned for them to construct? A freakin’ sidewalk? Of all the traffic issues that Boerne has, we devoted zillions of dollars and wasted over a year so that we could have a new, wider sidewalk to go over a 500’ bridge. Happy? Sheesh.
The Bridge Project well, they are either done with the bridge or they’ve simply given up. I’m pretty sure they just gave up.
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
As a Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, Dr. Chet Hawkins posses the highest level of education recognized for a dentist. As a graduate of the Pankey Institute, he’s had the finest post-doctoral training in the world. “I want to establish a master plan and then develop a blueprint for my patients’ long-term care,” he explains. “We want to solve the causes of the problems before we do anything else to their teeth. Then we can rebuild or repair with confidence that the fix will last as long as possible. We also educate our patients about other health issues related to oral disease. There is a connection between periodontal disease and heart disease that people need to know about.” Dr. Hawkins and his wife, Deby, have been residents of Boerne for 7 years and are excited to be joining the practice in Boerne.
I just went to see Dr. Hawkins yesterday for an exam and cleaning. I was promptly seen, the procedures were done painlessly and in a timely manner with the latest equipment. My necessary dental work was explained fully to me. Everyone in the office greeted me warmly and made me feel special. - Elaine We have been going to the Hawkins Dental Office for 25 years. This office is far superior to the average dental office. Their exceptional practice is due to their sincere desire to provide the very best service to their patients. They maintain the latest technology and genuinely care about the welfare of the people who they serve. I cannot find the words to express the high regard that my family and I hold for this dental practice. - Gene T. Pleasant, friendly staff. No wait. Dr. Hawkins listens to your issues and then provides clear solutions. Great dentist. Also, great hygienist. Overall, great experience. - Cindy
30 YEARS EXPERIENCE • Boerne’s ONLY Master Dentist
The Dental Wellness Center • 806 N. Main St. • Boerne • 830-249-7870 • www.drchethawkins.com
April 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
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