JUNE 2014
He’s the man of your dreams. Remind him of it.
FATHER’S DAY GIFT CARDS NOW AVAILABLE.
AS ALWAYS, $10 OFF YOUR FIRST SIGNATURE GENT ST YLING SESSION.
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w w w. c o m p l e t e g e n t . c o m
JUNE
Explore what's inside this issue!
From the Publisher
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22 History
10 Calendar
26 Gardening
14 Troubadour
30 Father’s Day Gifts
18 Art
32 Old Timer 36 Wine 38 Kid’s Summer Events 42 Spiritual
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 2014 Schooley Media Ventures, 930 E. Blanco, Ste. 200, 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 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.
EXPLORE
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10. Generations FCU 24165 W IH 10 #300 San Antonio, TX 78256 210-229-1128 www.mygenfcu.com 11. GENT 930 E. Blanco, Boerne, TX 78006 830-443-4500 www.completegent.com
JUNE 2014
17. JR Mooney Galleries 305 S. Main St., #400, Boerne, TX 78006 830-816-5106 www.jrmooneygalleries.com 18. Mama’s 30775 IH 10 WEST, Boerne, TX 78006 830-981-9011 www.mamasboerne.com 19. Mellard Dentistry 24200 Interstate Highway 10 #112, San Antonio, TX 78257 210-687-1133 www.leonspringsdentist.com 20. KCN Builders 920 East Blanco Rd., Boerne, TX 78006 830-816-5202 www.kcnbuilders.com 21. Lillian’s of Boerne 107 E San Antonio Ave, Boerne, TX 78006 830-446-2182 www.lilliansshoppe.com
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23. Performance Speed Shop 115 Pleasant Valley, Boerne, TX 78006 830-623-0530 www.pcass-tx.com 24. Phyllis Browning 24200 IH10W, San Antonio, TX 78257 210-698-4700 www.phyllisbrowning.com
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16. Hill Country Paddle Sports Boerne City Lake 210-842-4057 www.hillcountrypaddlesports.com
To Leon Springs, Fair Oaks Ranch & San Antonio 6, 9, 10, 19, 24
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5. Cibolo Creek Nursing Center 1440 River Rd., Boerne, TX 78006 830-816-5095 www.cibolocreekhealth.com
15. Hill Country CrossFit 37131 IH-10 West, #200, Boerne, Texas 78006 830-446-3084 www.hccfit.com
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1. Boot Jack Bar 1 FM 3551, Ste. 100, Bergheim, TX 78004 210-861-0074 www.bootjackbar.com
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29. Toyota of Boerne 31205 I-10 W, Boerne, TX 78006 210-870-1800 www.toyotaofboerne.com 30. Woodhouse Day Spa 908 S. Main St., Boerne, TX 78006 830-331-8511 boerne.woodhousespas.com
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From the Publisher Dearest EXPLORE reader, My first car was a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass. It was my great grandmother’s car she owned before she gave up on driving, and it looked like something a great grandmother would drive. It weighed a little over 7 tons, and got about 6mpg. The vinyl bench seats were a pretty sweet touch, too. With a puke yellow paint job and purple tinted windows, I figured I looked pretty awesome when cruising Main Street. I’m not sure what got me thinking about that silly old car this past week, but I got quite nostalgic for it and genuinely missed that hideous piece of machinery. I can still smell the interior, and can remember how I could literally watch my gas gauge drop any time I punched the accelerator. I smiled as I thought about driving it to the coast with my friends, and the time that my girlfriend and I fogged up the windows one time out by Boerne Lake. It was FREEDOM in its purest form. 7 tons of freedom to go, see, and experience the entire earth. All from behind the leather wrapped steering wheel of my 1978 Olds Cutlass. I have some friends with kids that are hitting the driving age, and I smile as I see the photos they share of their son or daughter standing beside their first car with the keys in their hands. Sure, the cars that kids get nowadays are substantially more fancy (and safer) than my first car, but I’m pretty sure the emotions are the same for those kids. They are outta here, and are now fully equipped to do…well…anything. As I sit here typing out this little essay, I’m starting to realize that maybe I’m not really nostalgic for that ’78 Olds Cutlass, actually. Sure, it would be fun to see it again, but I think what I’m actually yearning for is that feeling of excitement. Perhaps it’s another of the thousand side effects of growing older, but I think that as we all age, the expectations change. Let me explain. I wouldn’t spend $500 to buy a ’78 Olds Cutlass now. Are you kidding me? That car was an absolute piece of junk. However, to the 16 year old Ben Schooley, it was a piece of machinery that could provide what had so-far eluded me: freedom. It was ugly, but my eyes didn’t see ugly. They saw power, and direction, and 4 spinning tires that would ultimately take me anywhere I wanted to go. If you presented me with this
car today, I’d chuckle and say “Um, no thanks.” Why? Because I already know that the car doesn’t ultimately help me find freedom. It helps me find a commute. And errands. And chores. While I was certain that a car would provide me with a means of escape to amazing adventures, LIFE taught me that it really wouldn’t. When I moved into a one bedroom apartment during my freshman year at college, I remember standing in the living room after I had moved in with a giant grin plastered across my face. I could do ANYTHING I wanted now without parents around. I could come and go as I pleased. I had a beat ass ’78 Olds Cutlass in the driveway and my own apartment – I had officially MADE IT. As you might have guessed, LIFE taught me that living alone can be lonely, and over time I found that I sat on my hand-me-down couch watching boring TV and wondering when I could go home again. These examples apply in a myriad of ways: the first job you got. The first home you bought. Each was a ticket to your success. It would provide you with what you were seeking. Security. Protection. Wealth. HAPPINESS. But did they? Did you ultimately find amazing amounts of happiness? Were your concerns and troubles rendered futile because of your latest accomplishment or trophy? Nope. My nostalgia for that feeling remains. I want to view a set of car keys with an excitement and a knowledge that I’m about to embark on an adventure in the truest sense of the word. I suppose that ultimately my perception is of my own creation. Why do we stop looking at a sweet ’78 Olds Cutlass as a ticket to freedom? Why do we laugh when we tell stories of our first apartments? At the time, it was PERFECT. Even more importantly, what would happen if you adjusted your perception with the typically mundane aspects of life? What if you walked out of your house tomorrow, looked at your car and whispered, “Let’s do something amazing today.”? What if you got in it, and drove to work while singing at the top of your lungs to your favorite song? What if you rolled down all the windows and smirked knowing that everyone you passed is staring at your AWESOMENESS as you cruise by? How would your day look? How would your life look? What if you stood in your living room and told yourself that this is YOUR house and you can do ANYTHING you want? What if you let the kids stay up till midnight tonight? What if you turned on your stereo to insane volume levels and danced around the kitchen in your underwear? Heck, why not? Friend, I’ll tell you this from personal experience (even though you’ve heard it a million times): LIFE IS HEARTBREAKINGLY SHORT. Stop limiting yourself and your experiences. The cars, and houses, and jobs that make up a large portion of your life are not simply necessities. They are not simply items that make your life simpler, or easier, or safer. Man, they are TOOLS. They are tools that, with the right motivation and mindset, enable you to truly do anything you ever wanted. Anything. The tools just have to be in the right hands. And you have to view them for what they are. Welcome to June. Welcome to a summer that is absolutely jampacked with potential, and adventure, and excitement. May you seek out all that you can experience this summer, and EXPLORE as far as your imagination………..and your car…………will take you. Smiling,
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JUNE
Get out and enjoy the great Texas Hill Country! The most comprehensive events calendar. Send submissions to info@hillcountryexplore.com
June 3 BOERNE ABENDKONZERTE
The Boerne Village Band performs in Main Plaza Park, 100 N. Main St. www.boernevillageband.org
June 6 - 7 KERRVILLE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
This year’s production moves from the realm of the Bard’s comedies to the tragedies, with perhaps the best-known play in the world, “Romeo and Juliet.” Cailloux Theater, 910 Main St. www.caillouxtheater. com
June 7, 14, 21, 28 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. (830) 796-3045, www.banderacowboycapital.com
June 8 JOHNSON CITY ART, WINE AND LIVE MUSIC
Hours are 1:30-4 p.m. Taste Wine + Art, 213 N. Nugent Ave. www.tastewineart.com
June 12 - 14 NEW BRAUNFELS DESTINATION TEXAS FLY FISHING EXPO
New Braunfels Civic and Convention Center, 375 S. Castell Ave. www.innewbraunfels.com
June 13 - 15 BOERNE BERGES FEST
This family-friendly German heritage festival takes over Main Street on Father’s Day weekend. Main Plaza, 100 N. Main. www.bergesfest.com
June 13 - 15 BLANCO LAVENDER FESTIVAL
Tour many of the local lavender farms and enjoy a lavender market on town square. (830) 833-5101, www.blancolavenderfest.com
June 14 FREDERICKSBURG FORT MARTIN SCOTT DAY
This living-history event brings this frontier fort back to life with re-enactments representing what life was like around 1850. Fort Martin Scott, 1606 E. Main St. (830) 997-7521, www.ftmartinscott.org
June 14 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. secondsaturdaywine.com
June 14 BOERNE MOONDANCE CONCERT SERIES
Enjoy live music under the stars and oak trees. Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Road. (830) 249-4616, www.cibolo.org
June 19 GRUENE COME AND TASTE IT
Eleven wineries and their winemakers are showcased on the patio and garden of a popular tasting room. Complimentary tastings are offered of the craft beer and three wines. Hours are 5-8 p.m. Grapevine Texas Wine Bar, 1612 Hunter Road. (830) 606-0093, www.grapevineingruene.com
June 20 - 21 STONEWALL STONEWALL PEACH JAMBOREE AND RODEO
Includes a Friday night dance, a kick-off breakfast Saturday, parade at 10 a.m., rodeo events, music and dancing, family activities, a pageant and food. Always on the third full weekend in June. Stonewall Chamber of Commerce Rodeo Grounds, 250 Peach St. (830) 644-2735, www.stonewalltexas.com
June 20 - 22 FREDERICKSBURG TRADE DAYS
June 21 DRIPPING SPRINGS DRIPPING SPRINGS TOMATO ROUNDUP
Gardeners enter homegrown tomatoes in various categories for judges’ and people’s choice awards. Founders Memorial Park, 490 Founders Park Road.
June 21 - 22 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. (830) 832-1721, www.gruenemarketdays.com
June 28 BANDERA RIVERFEST
Includes river activities, music, barbecue contest, children’s activities, arts and crafts, a car show and parts swap meet. Bandera City Park, 1102 Maple St. (830) 796-4447, www.banderariverfest.com
June 28 FREDERICKSBURG ROOTS MUSIC SERIES
This open-air, live concert series features music of different genres each month. Pioneer Museum, 325 W. Main St. (830) 997-8515, www.pioneermuseum. net/roots-music
June 28 KERRVILLE KERR COUNTY MARKET DAYS
Find handcrafted and homegrown goods from the Hill Country. Hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Courthouse Square, 700 Main St. (830) 895-7524, www.kerrmarketdays.org
June 29 BOERNE BOERNE CONCERT BAND
Main Plaza, 100 Main St. (830) 249-7502, www. boerneconcertband.com
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. (830) 990-4900, (210) 846-4094, www.fbgtradedays.com
Well, we blew it. What began as the ultimate form of motivation for a couple of us here at SMV, ended up falling flat on its face. The “Great Ben vs. Ben Fitness Challenge” started as a test we knew we’d be held accountable to. The entire reading public could follow along as we progressed through p90x (for Ben S.) and Hill Country CrossFit (for Ben W.), and because of the monthly features, we knew that we couldn’t just give up.
FITNESS
FAIL
And that’s the thing; we didn’t just give up. However, life happened for both of us which has thrown us off course. For me, (Ben S.) I had a minor surgery that was supposed to keep me down for 2 days and ultimately kept me down for 2 weeks. For Ben W., he closed on his new house and his entire life was turned into a cyclone of moving boxes, rental trucks, and two young kids biting his ankles. All that said, we didn’t just want to slink back into the shadows without at least fessing up that we’re still here and we’re still going to keep pushing. Now that we’ve both been able to reset our lives a little bit, we’re even more determined to complete our goals. So check back next month for another update!
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
518 River Road, Boerne, TX | www.littlegretel.com | 830-331-1368
JUNE 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
11
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:
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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.
JUNE 2014
www.hillcountryexplore.com
13
By Rene Villanueva
14
There’s a strange magic that appears in the treks of rolling endless
humming in, with a constant sizzle of electricity buzzing like cicadas. My
highway. Driving tunnels of expansive skies, following roadway lines like a
eye is stuck on this light and its ethereal song, and I don’t know why, or
meditative drone. Some beautiful delirium where deep seeded thoughts
what I’m waiting for but I feel like it’s in there, an answer to a dream, or a
uproot in the mind surfacing in enchantment after hour 22.
prayer... Maybe I was just trying to ignore the buzz of a passed out drunk
I’ve seen New Mexican desert sunrise, and it’s worth a trip on it’s own,
guitar player with a heavy snore... It was a very long night.
I’ve seen the quick sprint of night racing up and down the hills of Kentucky
We’d played until one in the morning, loaded out by two, and drove
while constellation’s burst out like fireworks firing off the horizon. I’ve seen
an hour and a half out to the hotel. After food and TV it was nearly five
endless waves of both shores crashing on cool nights against the borders
when I finally stretched out on the bed, but sleep wasn’t coming. I’m not
of our country, and in between all the countless miles, the miracle truck
good at turning off my brain like that. My heart still pumping energy to
stops, the gas stations, and food joints supplying our journeys.
every corner of my body. I could hear the sounds of drums in my ears, or
No musician starts out to be a truck driver, but it should be a subhead-
maybe it’s the whoosh of blood? Da dum, da dum, da dum, da da dum.
ing in the description. I am a musician, traveler, hauler of goods, loader
I stayed up reading until every word is blurred together in exhaustion.
and un-loader. That along with slinger, salesman, entrepreneur, and
I was re-reading the same passage for the fifth and sixth times. My legs
insomniac about describe what I do.
sore from being wrapped up in the van, my body sore from the loading
Come to think of it there should be a way for people to understand
gear, my throat sore from singing, and I finally pass out with an exhaus-
what the life of musician is like when they start on this path so I will
tive grin on my face hidden under an open book, cause I’m still tingling
try: To put it straight, if you want anything else but music from being a
inside with the roar of music and the hum of tires.
musician than don’t ever start. If you want fame, love, or money try an-
“Lobby Call in 15, ya hear?” With a slam of her fist on the door, her
other line of work.
voice trails away down the hall presumably to check the band out of our
Back to the small tasks and fevered inspirations.
rooms. I groan seeing that the clock reads seven a.m. I probably got all
“...Rene...” her voice is distant like a TV on in the next hotel room. I’m
of half an hour of sleep. I might be able to sleep in the van if it’s not too
lying in the dark and one of the stiffest mattresses available. If you didn’t
bumpy... I kid myself. My roommate’s in the shower and the humidity only
think recreating the feeling of sleeping on a rock was possible on a bed,
helps to bring out the smell of mold breeding into the carpet.
than you are not staying in the right over-night motels. “...Rene...”
I manage to drag myself to the lobby alone, late, but not so bad that
I groan and roll face down on to the pillow. It’s not that I don’t hear her,
anyone would really notice. We’re still waiting for the tour manager to
or don’t want to answer, I’m just too tired to do anything but stare out
pull the van around to the lobby.
the slit of light coming in from the wall sized window. Another great fea-
Everyone’s cloaked in sunglasses, a few are taking some breakfast from
ture of motels is a giant window that opens to the parking lot. The curtain
the lobby buffet. I’ve got my bag at my feet and I’m humming. Was it a
wouldn’t close all the way and the yellow light from the parking lot is
song from last night? Was it from the other bands? We pile in, throwing
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
my suitcase in the back on top of a pile of carefully Tetris-like piled gear,
to say I wrote this, as much as I found this. I heard this, playing to me
and find a seat on the middle bench.
off some great unconscious radio station of lost melodies. My mind
The seat’s cold, the window’s cold, my body folds into a familiar spot
slipped open, a crack emerged, and in came a song. I don’t recom-
as I close my eyes. Still humming this mysterious melody on repeat...
mend exhaustion as a method for inspiration, but it is one way to get
It’s playing on a horn, or is it an organ? It’s dreamy and evasive. I can’t
my mind to a quiet spot. Quiet enough where I am not thinking about
put my finger near it much less hold it yet. If I try to think about it, the
creating, but only creating. Allowing myself to take in rather than push
melody disappears, but if I try to sleep it comes back into the back of
out. This is merely scenic driving through the frontier of creativity. Those
my mind. Spinning around like a looped vinyl unable to move forward
empty highway roads waiting to be explored. Waiting to be found. Wait-
in the song.
ing for an ear to speak themselves into, for a mind willing to listen among
Two hours fly by, the cities go too, and I wake up from a daze of staring
the clutter of life surrounding us.
out the window. I have no idea where we are but we are moving east. I
roll out a snap in my neck. The radio is quietly talking the news to the front seat drivers. And the melody is still playing. Is it from the radio? A record I know? With heavy eyes I watch the trees streak by my window. One by one. House and field. Cows. Car after car. Over and over. There’s something about repetitiveness that zones the brain out. Takes away from what is physically happening, and morphs monotony into a beautifully complete idea. Putting the brain on auto, let’s the subconscious and all its imaginative ferocity come out to play. I put more gas in the tank, and I’ve got my jacket collar high to block the wind, but I can still hear the sloshing chug of gas as it pours into our empty tank like a pulsing snare, and the song in my head is playing along. It’s been hours and I haven’t placed the tune yet. I’m starting to feel like it’s an original conjuring of the sub-conscience singing out to me.
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.
Slowly words start to mold themselves, beats become syllables, words
Toured the world with my band of “real-blood-tied” brothers, and friends as
become phrases, and verses, and by the time I’m working on a chorus we
Hacienda/Fast-five. Recorded three albums, written countless songs, played
are pulling into a back alley of a club for today’s load in.
countless shows, including two national tv late-night extravaganzas, festivals,
It’ll be another several hours till I’m back at a hotel room, writing down
throwdowns, parties, and hoot-nights. Lover of books, vinyl, dancing, people
the ideas that have been playing to me all day. At one side it feels unfair
who laugh loud, walking, vintage craftsmanship, and my home in Boerne.
JUNE 2014
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15
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By Ronni Hoessli I remember seeing George Chambers monitoring the halls of San Antonio’s Oliver Wendell Holmes High School back in the mid-1960s, but all I knew was that he was a biology teacher barely ten years older than his students. Tall and slender with longish dark hair, ‘Mr. Chambers’ was known to be an innovative teacher with a cool sense of humor and a roguish disdain for authority. In short, he was the kind of educator all the kids wanted to hang out with. I vaguely remember some of my friends talking about their biology teacher singing at honky-tonks around Texas, but I much preferred The Beatles to Ray Price, so I didn’t pay a lot of attention. I certainly didn’t realize that George Chambers and his group, the Country Gentlemen, were becoming known throughout the country music world for playing some of the “best rootin’, tootin’, boot-scootin’ music ever.” If I had known all that, I might have been more interested in science. Over the last forty-plus years, it seems that classic, down-home, no-frills country music ‘pickers’ have been lost to the world in a haze of fog machines, synthesizers, and high-tech laser shows. It would be easy to think of George Chambers as one of
18
those casualties, but that wouldn’t be quite accurate. From the time I first heard of him until presently, George Chambers and the Country Gentlemen have played the music they want to play, the way they want to play it, and the audiences continue to come. Many of them are a little slower, grayer, and thicker around the middle than they used to be, but that doesn’t matter. They all want to hear country music played the way it was back in the ‘old days’ and they’ll seek out a picker who can still do it. One of George’s former students, a fine musician in her own right, describes his music as ‘fitting somewhere between old school classic country and cowboy campfire songs.’ As I researched this article, I was shocked to find that our old biology teacher has opened for nearly every important performer who’s ever appeared in Texas, and that he’s played all over the country. Numerous musicians who have worked with major artists like Willie Nelson, George Strait, and Charley Pride have also worked with George Chambers and the Country Gentlemen, or have recorded with him on dozens of albums. In fact, within the world of country music, George is famous for developing musicians who become so good that he loses them to other nationally known groups. George and his band gave Grammy Awardwinning artist Bobby Flores his start in 1970, when he began working nightclubs professionally at age nine as a featured single artist. George taught San Antonio’s country music prodigy Steve Earle, as well as other local musicians who flew
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
the coop for Nashville, and gave 1970’s singer/songwriter Jim Chestnut a place to live when he needed one. Charley Pride got Preston Buchanan from George’s band, Daryl McCall hired Larry Roberson and Terry Yarborough, and Willie Nelson picked up artist/songwriter David Zettner and bass player B. Spears. (At least Willie wrote the liner notes for one of George’s albums and thanked him for training all those good musicians for him!) There’s even a bumper sticker out there that asks, Who Is George Chambers? Ask Willie Nelson. Hoping to find an answer to this question, I met George at his family home in northwest San Antonio. He’s still tall and lean, but now his hair is silver and his eyesight, he tells me with a grin, ain’t what it used to be. Maybe not, but that certainly hasn’t slowed him down. He still records (and is building a studio in his house), plays at private parties, and has a steady weekend gig at Grady’s Barbeque in San Antonio. You might even find him wandering through a Hyatt Regency Hotel lobby dressed in a fancy western shirt, bandanna, and cowboy hat, strumming his guitar and singing old country songs. “It’s silly,” he says wryly, “but I enjoy it and the tourists have fun. They want their pictures made with this old singing cowboy. And, hey, I hate to turn down a gig. I just won’t hardly do it. Even after all these years, I love to play.” George Chambers loves to tell stories, too, and he’s got hundreds to tell. As I listen to him, amazed at the breadth of his life experience both in music and out, I slowly become aware that this unassuming gentleman has little ego. Although he loves his work, he’s much more comfortable talking about teaching, his former students, other musicians and how good they are, city politics, or the way the school system has changed—for the worse, in his opinion. Trying to get him to talk about himself is like pulling teeth, and I’m sincerely impressed by his ability to shift the subject. It isn’t that he’s shy or embarrassed; he just doesn’t understand why readers might find him interesting. A San Antonio resident since 1946, George Chambers started taking guitar lessons when he was eight years old. His parents and two brothers weren’t particularly musical, but George knew early on that he loved country music and wanted to perform. He began playing in honky-tonks when he was only thirteen, much to his mother’s chagrin, and he’s never stopped. George was twenty-two when he began teaching, a career choice primarily based on his desire to play music. “I wasn’t in the mood to starve to death,” he explains. “I had to make a living. And teaching gave me a flexible schedule so I could play. There were many times I got out of school at 4:00, went home, got on my bus, went to Houston and played with Willie Nelson or whoever, got back in the bus, came home, took a shower, and went back to school. I slept on the bus. The other guys thought they were hot stuff driving that bus, but I didn’t. I just went off to my bed in the back and slept. I did that for years.”
JUNE 2014
Although George was an excellent teacher and his students adored him, he didn’t like the fact that there was no instant feedback in teaching. “You usually don’t know whether or not you’ve impacted a kid. I like to interact.” That’s part of the reason George enjoys live gigs more than recording. “Recording is more creative, but I enjoy interacting with an audience. For me, that’s what it’s all about.” That audience isn’t always made up of people. One weekend when he was playing a rural gig, George noticed that some pigs in a nearby pen were listening intently to the music. When he and the Country Gentlemen put together their upbeat CD Privileged Audience in 2002, this is what George wrote on the album liner: “I have always liked pigs. I like these animals because they are smart and friendly, and have excellent taste in music. When I decided to do this album, I wanted to preview it with an audience with taste, discretion, and objectivity. They seemed to really enjoy it, even though there were no ‘pig’ songs on it. I hope you enjoy it as well.” George has only written three songs himself because, he says with typical modesty, he’s no writer. “I’ve been surrounded by the best writers in the business—truly greats like Willie Nelson and Roger Miller—so why? I asked Willie once if I could record something of his and he said, ‘You can record anything I got.’ That, to me, is such a flattering statement. He’s been so good to us.” Even though George is an excellent country singer, his largest selling CD to date is Dance Time in Texas, a compilation of instrumentals including The Cotton-Eyed Joe/Schottische, The Chicken Dance, and several more favorites. It’s the perfect collection on one album of old-fashioned, foot-stomping country music by a classic central Texas musician. Another gig George enjoys is when one of the large hotels in San Antonio hosts a convention and takes their visitors out to a guest ranch. Since the bus ride can be rather long, they need to entertain the riders—and that’s where George comes in. “I look pretty scruffy, you know, and I’m hanging out at a designated truck stop. When the bus comes by, it picks me up and I get on the bus with my guitar, and I say something like, “I think I’ll sing a little something for y’all. You got anything special you want me to sing?” If someone requests a song I don’t know, I make him sing it. I like to get the folks on the bus involved.” So, if a tall man with longish silver hair bounds onto a bus you happen to be riding, guitar slung over his shoulder, and someone asks who he is, you’ll know the answer. He’s George Chambers, friend to everyone he meets, teaching icon to a multitude of students who have never forgotten him, and an institution in the country music business. You won’t even have to ask Willie Nelson.
www.hillcountryexplore.com
ronni@hillcountryexplore.com
19
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JUNE 2014
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21
HISTORY
By Marjorie Hagy
22
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Senior year dawns and to those of us in the class of ‘82 it’s like the
Ford Mustang first rolled off the assembly line and the Rolling Stones
curtain rises and each of us is Michael Jackson standing there silhou-
released their first album and race riots erupted in Harlem and the
etted in the blinding glare of the spotlight, all alone up there with a
KKK murdered three civil rights workers in Mississippi. It’s been less
million eyes on us, fascinated, transfixed by our slightest move. We
than one hundred years since the end of the Civil War, less than twenty
would soon choose a class song that spoke to our importance- Ev-
years since World War II and Winston Churchill is still alive, but the last
eryone’s watching to see what you will do/Everyone’s looking at you!
living veteran of the Civil War has been dead eight years. We were the
And oh, we could feel them watching, we bore the weight of our own
very last of the Baby Boomers, born just after the end of the McCarthy
importance, we knew how special we were- we were seniors, dammit!
era and the beginning of the Age of Aquarius, the year the Warren
We were the kings of the world! All our relatives, down to the great-
Commission concluded that Oswald had acted alone to assassinate
aunts and uncles, were suddenly interested in us, in our plans and our
President Kennedy and the government told us to settle down and
brilliant futures, all the underclassmen looked up to us as gods, even
shush up, nothing happened on the grassy knoll and there’s nothing
the teachers, we felt, were slightly apprehensive of us as of beings
to see here, folks, and the same year a lot of people got fed up with
imbued with special powers, of Bright Young People who were Going
paying no attention to the man behind the curtain and birthed what
Places and kicking the dust of this podunk school off our feet. And
came to be known as the counterculture. We grew to school age in
from Spring Break on, things accelerated and became more intense as
the sixties and it’s fascinating to speculate on what effect the influence
Graduation Day drew closer: the prom came and went, and WE were
of those violent and momentous times had on the fifty year-olds we
the guests of honor, the juniors humbly paying homage to us; the
would become. We were alive when the hippie was born, we were four
invitations were ordered and the cap-and-gown portraits taken and
years old in the Summer of Love and five when Woodstock happened
we all met in the gym to vote on our class colors and on an appro-
at a farm in the Catskill Mountains. Think of that.
priate motto, whose lofty sentiments still could not do justice to the
And the Class of ‘82 were dressed up in their Toughskins and plaid
importance of this class and this tremendous moment toward which
button-up shirts, their short dresses with Peter Pan collars and white
we’d worked for twelve long years. We marked the days off on the
knee-socks with Mary Janes and marched off to their first day of school
calendar, we planned our lives after commencement, we planned our
in the year that Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin died. We learned to read
senior trip to the coast and walked through the days with the dizziness
from Dick and Jane and we got spankings in the hall when we were
and preemptive nostalgia of people who know and appreciate the fact
bad, and the Supreme Court ruled that students could be bussed to
that they are walking through the land of Final Times, and still the day
other parts of town in order to desegregate the country’s schools and
seemed far, far away, impossible to reach, something that would never
mothers in Texas voted in free public kindergarten and the Beatles
actually happen- Reagan would drop the bomb, the world would end,
broke up and four students were killed at Kent State University. We
somehow, something would keep us from that stage. And then, and
all got wore track shoes from John Eddie Vogt’s store until one day
then- and then one day you wake up and thirty years are gone by, and
everyone bought Earth Shoes; we went from Mexican jumping beans
you’re sitting at your own child’s graduation ceremony and the strains
and sea monkeys to troll dolls to pet rocks to mood rings and transis-
of Pomp and Circumstance have brought it all back, that one golden
tor radios, from Fly Robin Fly to Bohemian Rhapsody to John Cougar
year, that longed-for day, the feel of the eyes of the world fixed on you
and finally to Loverboy- from Nixon’s resignation to mock classroom
as you walked the stage. And you wipe those tears of pride and real-
elections between Ford and Carter (and I was one of two votes cast for
ize- my God, our class, the BHS class of 1982, all those kids you went
Carter), and from Wings to John Lennon’s death outside a New York
to school with, fought with, laughed with, slumber-partied with- the
apartment building to the announcement over the high school PA that
Class of ‘82 is turning fifty.
John Hinkley had just tried to assassinate President Reagan.
Fifty years ago. A half of a century. We were born the year the
And finally it was the Fall of 1981, our senior year beginning just
Beatles touched down in New York and took over America, the same
days after the premiere of MTV, when video killed the radio star and
year that LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, officially
we were prepared to take the world by storm, starting with this school.
ending institutionalized racial segregation in the United States, the
Saturday nights were ours, and we spent them, like so many genera-
year the first student anti-war demonstrations took place and a group
tions of seniors before us, cruising Main Street. A Flock of Seagulls
of twelve young men publicly burned their draft cards, the year the
blasted from our tape decks, Eye of the Tiger and Joan Jett and
JUNE 2014
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23
867-5309, and when they played Hurts So Good on the radio you could hear it all the way from Poor Boy to Buddy’s. The stoners parked alongside the picnic tables on River Road, scorned Quarterflash and the Human League and cranked up Snow Blind on KISS, and the kickers sitting on their tailgates in the Handy Pantry parking lot listened to Merle Haggard and Mickey Gilley, Moe Bandy and Barbara Mandrell. But we could all agree on Workin’ for the Weekend- those Saturday nights, those AquaNet and Love’s Baby Soft nights, we owned the world, and we knew they wrote the music just for us. Seventeen, eighteen years old, you’re standing on the borderline between your childhood and the rest of your life and it’s one of those very rare seasons in life that you recognize as a landmark even as you live it. On Prom night my friends and I all went out to the Lake after the dance and sat on the pier in our formal clothes, pant-legs rolled up and pantyhose cast off and bare legs in the moonlit water, and in that moment I recognized what we would be leaving behind in our headlong rush to put school life behind us. There would never be another time for all of us to gather like this, in quite this way. Life would come along and happen to us and we would all end up in different places but never here at the Lake like this, never on this eve of our future on a midnight in May. As distant and unattainable as it seemed to us then, graduation day would come, and the Class of ‘82 would become a part of the never ending river of history. And we would all grow up. And thirty years has gone by. Main Street is a different place. Poor Boy is gone and Buddy’s is Riverside again, Handy Pantry’s parking lot is just another stretch of asphalt. River Road is a park now where families feed the overfed ducks and the stoners, the kickers and the rest of us are turning fifty now. We don’t wear our Calvin Klein jeans with pumps anymore, no Nikes with their tongues popped, and when you see someone with the collar up on their Polo shirt it’s because it’s 80s Day somewhere. Our hair isn’t feathered and the hot rollers have been garage-saled long ago, it’s been a while since I’ve said ‘gag me with a spoon’, and I heard Blue Jean Girl on KONO the other day. We are parents now, and grandparents, we watch our own kids jump off into adulthood and fight the almost overwhelming urge to pull them back to us. Perhaps some of our lives have gone exactly as we’d planned them long ago but most of them haven’t because life isn’t like that, and we’ve come to exactly the place where we were supposed to be all along. And to finish, may I quote from our Senior Class History, lovingly pre3served- for posterity- in my senior scrapbook: ‘Well that about wraps it up for the class of ‘82. There is probably more to remember, but the problem is we forgot. We thought being the rulers of BHS was the ultimate goal, but now we know we must continue our journey until we find a place where we can live HAPPILY EVER AFTER. So until then...Asta la bye-bye.’ Oh, by the way: I’m from the future, BHS graduates of 1982. And that happily ever after part- it’s working out really good so far.
thefam2001@yahoo.com
24
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
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JUNE 2014
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25
GARDENING
By Keith Amelung • Have Spade, Will Travel www.havespade.com
June should bring us bushels of squash, tomatoes and cucumbers, a bounty of good eats from our vegetable gardens. Soon enough however the temperatures will start to rise, and stay there! Only the most intrepid of gardeners will brave the summers heat. Likewise, only a few vegetable plants thrive with our hot soils, drying winds and (what should be) decreased water usage. I often say that our vegetable garden calendar should start September 1st, and end July 1st. We don’t have the prolonged winters like our friends up north, but we – and our gardens — will suffer some extreme heat stress during July and August. True, we can harvest vegetables form our gardens 365 days a year, but during the dog days of summer you had better be a fan of okra and peppers! Cherry tomatoes may still produce a few thick skinned fruits, but our squash, cucumbers, bush beans and larger fruited tomatoes and will be fading quickly as the temperatures rise. Hopefully we were able to plant a good variety of peppers in late April or early May when the soil warmed to a steady 70 degrees. This is usually a full month later than when we plant tomatoes, beans and squash. Peppers and their cousins the eggplants need warmer soils to thrive (Basil too!) — if planted too early their growth can be severely stunted. If your plants aren’t vigorous, try to recall when you set them out. This is where a garden journal comes in very handy; you may want consider re-planting. A quick overview here: most of the “Sweet” peppers prefer cooler temperatures and short days to flower and set fruit. Bell peppers for example may yield a few fruits in the spring, shut down production and concentrate efforts on growth through the summer, then flower like crazy in the fall. Banana peppers and the Pimento group seem to fair much better during warmer weather. The real summer standouts are of course the “Hot” peppers; Jalapeño, Serrano, Thai and Tabasco to name a few. These fiery fruits are a mainstay of the Tex-Mex culinary dominion. Basically, if your not down with hot peppers, what are you doin’ in Texas? Heck we nurse our babies on Jalapeños and use Chili Petins like raisins in our breakfast cereal! The other reliable summer crop is of course okra. Yeah, I know. Half of you hate the stuff the other half of you have migrated in from Louisiana where possum or “swamp chickens” are a delicacy. Just funning here folks, pull up your cover-alls and put down the shotgun please. I’m with you; whether battered up and deep fried crispy or better yet as the bonding agent in a big ol’ pot of gumbo, Okra can be good eats!!! Over at the Inspiration Garden at the Herff Farm we grow ‘Hill Country Red,’ an heirloom okra whose lineage trace right back here to the Hill Country of Texas, though it is believed all okra trace back to African origin. Perhaps that’s why it does so well in the heat? A cousin to the hibiscus, the beautiful yellow blossoms are shy on taste but add color and texture to salads, and can act as an attractive garnish. Ok, so you don’t grow vegetables but would like some color in your landscape this summer other than that beautiful shade of taupe the lawn usually turns? Don’t despair, I’ll offer a few suggestions that thrive during or summers heat. In no particular order (but you will notice a LOT of Red flowers here): Pride of Barbados – A herbaceous shrub, freezes to the ground each year, but when the soil warms in late spring – quickly grows to 6’ tall and wide with brilliant orange and red frilly flowers. Best in full sun – don’t over water. Deer Resistant Firebush - Another herbaceous shrub, freezes to the ground each year, returns after all but the coldest winters. When the soil warms in late spring – quickly grows to 6’ tall and wide with tubular red flowers loved by hummingbirds . Best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. Deer Resistant once established. Flame Acanthus – A deciduous shrub; can be cut back to reduce the size if required. Grows to 6’ tall and wide. This summer bloomer offers tubular red flowers also loved by hummingbirds. Best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. Deer Resistant. Esperanza / Yellow Bells - A herbaceous shrub, freezes to the ground each year, but when the soil warms in late spring – quickly grows to 6+’ tall and wide with large yellow or orange flowers from summer ‘til frost. There are ‘new’ flower colors appearing in the market like Red and even Apricot! Best in full sun – feed Regularly. Deer Resistant. ‘Henry Duelberg’ Sage – This blue flowered Salvia is the choice cultivar of S. farinacea offered today. Not too big at 4’ tall by 4’ wide, and none of the mildew problems of our native ‘Mealy Sage.’ Lots of color for little care, feed regularly. ‘Autumn’ Sage – Aka. Cherry Sage; while at it’s peak in the fall like many of our perennials, S. greggii, in all of its colors (pink, red, purple, white etc…) can bloom through the summer months with a little help… feed regularly and dead-head frequently. Best in full sun; the similar S. microphyllia “Small-leafed Sage” is more shade tolerant. Deer Resistant. Agastache – Again, there are a few color choices here; Pink, Purple even two-toned varieties; A hardy family of herbaceous perennials that grow upright to 4-5’ in height. Their herbal/minty foliage is quite fragrant and their flowers are great treats for the hummingbirds… should be used more! Deer Resistant. Hardy Hibiscus – Large flowers all summer from hardy herbaceous plants; growing to 6+’ and almost equally as wide, these can be outstandingly gaudy additions to the deer-proofed garden. Add a small teaspoon of a water-holding polymer to your planting soil (consult your garden professional for this). Water deeply and mulch well. All of the above perennials will thrive in a ‘realistic’ Texas garden; if mulched well, fed natural fertilizers and watered deeply every two weeks once well established.
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Hill Country Real Estate & Property Management
104 Stone Canyon $625,000 Custom home in Cordillera Ranch on a secluded cul-de-sac. Features include a pool, 5.23 Acres, and easy access to the golf course and clubs.
ley
o cho
aS
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An
C 210.912.8221 | P 830.816.2288 F 830.816.5903 angela@smvtexas.com www.boernetexashomes.com
Bluebonnet Realty
Stay at Home. W
e are here to help you keep your aging family member at home for as long as possible. We will help you with key issues like proper nutrition, minimizing risks of falls, handing their confusion, and giving you as much education as possible. We know this isn’t an easy job, and we want to give you all the tools and information you need.
28
ColvinHomeHealth.com | 210-833-1861 | Jennica@colvinhomehealth.com
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
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30775 IH 10 West Boerne, TX 78006 Open Sun-Thurs 11-9; Fri-Sat 11-10
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JUNE 2014
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Underwear Repair Kit Is your dad a Mr. Fit-It? Then this is the PERFECT gift for him. No longer will his tighty whities suffer from the embarrassing blow-out or have the elastic relegated to head band status. And with all the money dad is going to save on new undies, he’s sure to buy you that new car.
Que Cologne No, it’s not Spanish. It’s “Q”. This sophisticated cologne will have your dad smelling of pit fired dead meat all day. Did someone just say big promotion?
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Grill Sergeant BBQ Apron With BBQ season in full swing it’s hard to juggle all the tools, ingredients, and sauces you need to grill your best. All while not spilling your beer. This utility apron will make you feel like the Batman of the grill.
Soft Pouch Flasks These Soft Flasks are perfect for storing booze in unusual spots and makes smuggling alcohol into high school sporting events a breeze. Just make sure you don’t store them next to your ostomy bags.
Bacon Suit Black suit and ties are pretty much over. Now dad can look professional AND delicious. Nothing says fashion forward like wearing food. Just ask Lady Gaga. Bacon Suit is the official formal wear of CrossFit.
Privacy Hood Sometimes dad just needs a little privacy. Whether it’s seeing how much is not in your college fund or indulging in his online secret My Little Pony fetish. Some things are for dad’s eyes only. And that’s ok with us.
EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
Fabulous Horse Property! 102 Ammann Road 10 acres (8.5 acres are ag-exempt). This estate is newly updated (2013). • Master bath, fireplace and interior remodel • Close to the best schools • Great pasture land with barn • Great treehouse for the kids • Fire pit for cook outs • Inviting pool • Large covered porch • 6 car garage and large built-in work area • No other listing like this available close to Boerne!! Must see to appreciate!
Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 full and 1 half Square Feet: 4,249 Price: $799,000
Phyllis Browning Co. - Gary Wolff 24200 IH 10 West Ste 101 San Antonio, TX 78257 210-698-4822 or 210-643-3165
JUNE 2014
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31
Old
Timer
Editor’s Note: Old Timer has fast become one of Kendall County’s favorite curmudgeons. His essays with his perspectives on the goings-on around town generate a lot of feedback and have made him one of our more popular writers. Earlier this month he wrote to ask if he could write something “a little different.” Our response: “Of course!” The article below is what we received.
I saw her from across the street. She was in front of the Auto Parts store (that is now the Cypress Grille), and I was heading the opposite direction toward Dr. Adler’s place. I stared at her with my jaw agape like a fool while she casually strolled. Her hair – I’ll never forget her hair – fluttered around her like a mist in the breeze. I was able to eventually get her to have a cup of coffee with me, and I remember the way that her bright red nails looked while they held the small white porcelain cup. The way that she laughed so loudly while playing with our children in a large pile of leaves I had raked in the front yard in the fall of 1949. I had returned from the War just a few years previously, and still carried much of the baggage. I leaned on my rake while wearing my dad’s old leather work gloves, and I listened to their shrieks of joy while they laughed and laughed and I could have died a very happy man in that very second. I closed my eyes, raised my face to the sun, and burned that memory into my mind for all eternity. She wept softly while I had my arm around her shoulder as we waved goodbye to our youngest son as he left for basic training in the spring of ’64. She held her small white handkerchief to her chest and quickly wiped tears away from the corners of her eyes. The nails of her hands were still the same beautiful, beautiful bright red. Our daughter placed the newborn in my wife’s lap, and she smiled a smile that would make the heavens sing out. She made faces at our first grandchild, and kissed his forehead, and they disappeared in their own little world for quite a while. She held him cheek to cheek and patted his back, and though we had both aged so much, I remember thinking that I wish I was an artist because I would paint that image one million times until I could do it justice. Even though nobody ever could. I sat in the small wicker chair on the terrace in Italy. She stood at the railing; eyes closed, sun kissing her face, and let the wind blow through her hair. She breathed deeply, her hands on the rail, and I inhaled the image. A vacation for a couple of older retirees, she had always dreamed of seeing Italy. She had told me her dream once when we were dating – she had said “I just want to stand on a balcony and see the vineyards in the distance and…..just drink it all in.” It took me longer than I wanted to bring her here, but if she was my dream, I wanted to fulfill hers. I kissed her forehead and said, “I’ll see you soon baby girl.” That was 11 years ago today. I listened to her last breath, and then looked out the window at a perfectly blue sky on a perfectly wonderful spring day. A bird was on the window sill, and he chirped at me once before quickly flying off. I think he was saying goodbye, too. I sat there for a long time that day. When you spend that many years with one person, it’s more than a little frightening to know that my life would never look the same starting the very next day. In fact, it makes you wish that you didn’t have to see the very next day. I just sat there and held her hand, and watched those clouds drift across that beautiful sky. It’s hard to think that it’s really been 11 years now. Not one day has passed that I don’t ache for her and it’s just as painful as it was that very next day. And to this day, I would give anything to be able to sit with her again. I’d hold her hand and smile at those perfect, perfect bright red nails. There’s more to all of us than we let on. Yeah, I’m Old Timer, but for 56 years I was also Claire Elizabeth’s husband. And she was My Dream.
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
JUNE 2014
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33
TEXAS INVESTORS TITLE Performance is our Priority
Commercial, Ranch and Residential Title Transactions
Steve Vallone President
116 Blanco Rd. Ste 101
Becky Edmiston
100 Highland Park Village, Ste 200
steve@texasinvestorstitle.com
Vice President/Escrow Officer becky@texasinvestorstitle.com
Boerne, TX 78006 Dallas, TX 75205
p. (830) 816-5888 f. (830) 816-5889 p. (214) 295-3279 f. (214) 295-3001
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34
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 - $625,000 - Cordillera Ranch - approx. 3761 s.f. of living area, 5.31 acres, pool, close to club house, room for horses, club membership not included. This home has an enormous amount of storage and potential for a 5 bedroom and 3.5 bath home. There’s room upstairs to add an additional bath and enlarge a current smaller bedroom/office area. Also, the property can be cross fenced with room for a horse. The master suite has his and her closets, and double vanities in the master bath. Upstairs is a large family room and 3 additional bedrooms. SO MUCH POTENTIAL in this Texas Ranch style home. And look at this price!
HOMES & COMMERCIAL FOR LEASE
2.) FOR LEASE - $3000 - Hill top home on 11 acres, with pool and great views!
3.) FOR LEASE - $3900 - Stunning Coveney Ranch home on 3 acres with separate quarters. 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, approx. 3566 s.f. of living area plus 800+ above garage.
4.) FOR LEASE - $1650 - 4 bed, 1.5 baths, approx. 2694 s.f. of living area on large corner lot. Available June, 2014.
5.) FOR LEASE - $1275 - 4 bedroom, 2 bath in Cascade Caverns Park, 2 car garage, large lot fenced with gate.
830-816-2288 • www.boernetexashomes.com
Wine
By Tom Geoghegan TGeoghegan@boernewineco.com
Fog’s Reach Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA - J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
I guess the story I’d like to share would be perfect if Jerry Lohr had been raised in Kansas, but South Dakota is a wonderful alternative. Born and raised on the family farm in the Dakotas, Jerry grew up with an innate sense of climate, soil, and place. He never really forgot this background as he pursued a series of degree programs, and then served in the Air Force, working with NASA at their Ames research center just south of San Francisco. Retiring from the military; he embarked on a new career of land development and custom homebuilding. But his farm roots led him into that new emerging phenomenon of California boutique wine. It was the late 60s. Napa was a term most Americans thought meant auto parts, with Monterey and Paso Robles not even on the radar as wine growing regions. Wine was essentially Chablis, Burgundy, and Rose. The category was dominated by brands like Inglenook, Almaden, and Gallo. The AVA (American Viticulture Area) system wouldn’t even be implemented till 1983, while the Judgment of Paris was almost a decade away. Lastly, Robert Mondavi was finishing up his brand new winery, the first to be built since Prohibition. This was all pretty much unexplored territory… there was no yellow brick road that led to the Emerald City. Jerry began his hunt for the perfect area to grow grapes by driving all over the state of California. His travels on one weekend took him south of the Bay area to Monterey County. In the Arroyo Seco region he found that perfect convergence of climate, soil, and place, and in 1971 purchased his first 280 acre site, and began planting grapes and building his namesake winery. Originally planting almost a dozen varietals, thru trial and error he narrowed it down to those that grew the best…Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Valdiguie. He also increased his growing acreage to almost 1400 acres. Raw land back then in the early 70’s went for around $1,800 an acre. One of the reasons Jerry is always smiling is that 40
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
years later, the same land is valued at over
cost mammograms for those unable to afford
$30,000 an acre. Over the years, the winery
them through the National Breast Cancer Foun-
has expanded its selections and different
dation
tiers to encompass various price points,
The next part talks to the difference between
culminating in the Cuvee series. Today with
a family winery and one that’s part of a vast
almost 4000 acres under cultivation (the vast
conglomerate. Jerry got the production figures
majority estate), they can source their own
for the two releases and quickly calculated the
estate grown fruit from 3 of the prime loca-
dollar amount of the contribution he wanted
tions for premium grapes in California. The
to make. The next call was to the accountant
“foundation” is the original vineyards which
to send out the check, who reminded him that
produced the original estate series, including
he was under no real obligation until that first
our “house” chardonnay, the Lohr Riverstone.
tribute vintage had sold out…probably in 9-10
Over the years this portfolio has grown to
months, possibly even over a year later. Jerry’s
include Paso Robles fruit for the Merlot, Cab-
response…”cut the check”. The program has
ernet, and others. One of the sleepers for the
been showing incredible growth, and is now
summer months for the dedicated red wine
in its 6 year, having provided close to 3,000
drinker is the Wildflower Valdiguie’ from this series. Stop by the shop anytime for the in-
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines - Solar Panels with Vineyard
mammograms to those who need them the most. Coming off Mother’s Day just a short
side scoop on this gem, including how to pronounce it. The next tier is the
time ago…help keep these good works coming to those who need them
vineyard series, where the winemaking team of Jeff Meier, Steve Peck, Karl
the most, and enjoy a great bottle of wine at the same time.
Antink, and Brenden Wood get to produce wines from some of the best ar-
My part of the story comes into play in the early 80’s while I was work-
eas in Monterey, Paso Robles, and Napa. When I find a little of that elusive
ing for a small distributor in San Antonio, and I was introduced to their
“extra” money, I always try to treat Kathy to a bottle of the Arroyo Secco
portfolio. The winery had expanded into the Texas market in 1978, and in
Chardonnay (think Riverstone Chard on serious steroids). But the sentimen-
short order I was introduced to the lady who has become synonymous with
tal favorite is the Carol’ vineyard series. I relate this touching story in the
the winery in my mind…Susan Cowder. Over the next 30 years, no matter
next paragraph. Their very top tier is called their Cuvee series. This is the
which side of the fence I was working, Susan was always there as probably
winery’s California interpretation of the classic Grand Cru chateau offerings
the best brand ambassador I ever had the pleasure of working with. She is
from the 3 stellar AOC areas…Pauillac, St. Emilion, and Pomerol regions
a true industry veteran, having worked the retail and wholesale trade chan-
in Bordeaux. Working with their very best fruit from the Paso Robles area,
nels for almost 40 years. For J.Lohr wines to say she is knowledgeable is
this trio pays homage to the
an understatement. She
unique styles for these areas
has been directly with
without being burdened by
the winery for 20 years,
the strict French regulations.
but has been selling the
The Lohr Cuvee Pau, Cuvee
brand much longer. And
St. E. and the Cuvee Pom are
it certainly doesn’t hurt
truly the best wines in the
that she’s a Lone Star gal
Lohr portfolio, and worth the
and speaks Texan. Thank
hunt to find them. Production
you Susan for all your
for all 3 types in generally
support and encourage-
only 500+ cases for the world.
ment over the years.
And when you sell your wines
J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay Vineyard
And as we come to the
in all 50 states, and export
end of story, and the bot-
to 30 countries, these may
tom of my glass of Lohr
be hard to find. The good
Riverstone Chardonnay, I
news is that we’re happy to
pull the bottle out of the
track down any of these wines
ice, and pour just a little
for you at The Boerne Wine
bit more for Kathy and
Company...swing by, call or
myself as we finish the
e-mail us.
bottle. This month, Jerry
And here is the real story on the Carol’s vineyard series.
and the winery celebrate Paso Robles Wine Center
40 years of operation,
Named to honor his wife of 48 years, this is a 35 acre plot in the heart of
his three children (Steve, Cynthia, and Lawrence) taking active roles in the
the Napa valley floor near St. Helena. Planted to Cabernet and Sauvignon
total winery operation. And Jerry himself? Next time you visit the winery,
Blanc primarily, with a small amount of Petite Verdot grown for blending.
look for the fella on the tractor working the fields in the vineyards…that’s
These two offerings were meant to showcase the exceptional fruit that
Jerry. Here’s to many more vintages and great wines…continued success
Napa produces. After her unexpected death in 2008 to breast cancer, this
Mr.Lohr!
series took on a special significance for the Lohr family. As a tribute to her
Salud’.
memory, Jerry committed $2.00 of each bottle sold to help provide low Hilltop Vineyard, Paso Robles AVA - J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
JUNE 2014
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37
BEAT THE HEAT
THIS SUMMER By Liz Hawkins
TONS OF FUN STUFF TO DO THIS SUMMER IN AND AROUND BOERNE. Ah, summer. Don’t we all remember throwing our school backpacks under our beds and rejoicing at the idea of not having school for a whole 3 months!! No school, no homework, and no stinkin’ alarm clocks going off at 6 a.m. Those were the days. And sure, countless kids are reveling in the idea that school just let out, even more parents are scratching their heads trying to figure out exactly what the heck to do with the kids over the long summer. Well, we are here to help!! Boerne has gobs of things to do with the kids during the summer. From art classes to swimming lessons, you will find no shortage of activities that your kids will enjoy – and will keep you sane.
June 7 BOERNE: SUMMER FAMILY FUN FESTIVAL AT THE FARM A day of family activities including a sack race, wheel barrow race, history discussions and kite making. 10:30 am - 1:30 pm at Herff Farm, 33 Herff Road. Call the Cibolo Nature Center at (830) 2494616 for more information.
June 7 STONEWALL: ANNUAL LBJ FISHING DAY
This event is a fishing clinic for children and families at LBJ State Park. After fishing on the Pedernales River there will be a short clinic for all the participants. Call (830) 644-2252 for more information.
June 7 - July 29 BOERNE: SUMMER READING PROGRAM
Programs, services and resources for all age groups at Patrick Heath Public Library, 451 N. Main St. Contact (830) 249-3053 for more details.
June 9 - 13 SAN ANTONIO: JUNIOR NATURALIST SUMMER CAMP
Explore nature as you learn outdoor skills including native plant identification, birding, hiking and ethnobotany. Camps in the Sunday House and Education Bldg. Ages 6-12 years. Contact the San Antonio Botanical Garden at (210) 207-3278 for more details.
Weekly June 9 - August 22 SAN ANTONIO: SEA WORLD® OCEAN QUEST CAMP
and examining the habits and habitats of sea lions, whales, penguins and more. Campers will discover how SeaWorld San Antonio trains their animals and why they aren’t the only ones having fun at SeaWorld. For campers ages 5 to 12. Learn more at www.seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-sanantonio/ educational-programs/
June 13, 20, 27; July 4, 11, 18, 25; August 1, 8, 15, 22 SAN ANTONIO: SEA WORLD® “LET’S GET WET!”
Campers will cool off from the Texas heat during this wet and wild day camp! They’ll be showered by Shamu® and splashed by sea lions. Plus, they can get soaked at Bay of Play® and on the park’s twisting and turning water rides*. Let’s Get Wet is a totally “cool” experience! For campers ages 5 to 12. Learn more at www.seaworldparks.com/en/ seaworld-sanantonio/educational-programs/
Get a close-up look while exploring SeaWorld®
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EXPLORE it! LIVE IT! The REAL Kendall County.
June 14 BOERNE: KID’S CLUB: LEAF BOAT RACES!
July 12 BOERNE: KID’S CLUB: BUBBLES!
Saturdays June 21 - July 19 BOERNE: SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAYS
July 14 - 18 BOERNE: CHEER CAMP
Join us for our second annual leaf boat races down at the creek. We will make boats from leaves and twigs and then launch them in the creek. So -- come ready for a cool time on a hot summer day. For kids of all ages. No drop-offs, please. $5.00 per family. Learn more by calling the Cibolo Nature Center at (830) 249-4616.
STEM programs with Joan Labay Marquez and her Boerne Young Makers. Free and open to the public. 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM at the Patrick Heath Public Library Youth Department. Call (830) 249-3053 for more details.
June 23 - 27 BOERNE: JUNIOR CIRCUS ARTS CAMP
The camp introduces kids to the world of circus performers! Campers will experience training on Single Trapeze, Tight Wire, Trampoline, Rolling Globe, Unicycle, Tumbling, Roman Rings, Stunting, Stilts, Juggling, Clowning, Makeup, Costumes, Circus History, Special Guests and more. 5 year olds & up. At the Boerne Gymnastics Center from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Visit www.boernegym.com/camps for more information.
June 27 BOERNE: MOVIE IN THE PARK
Bubbles! Join us at the creek for this classic Kid’s Club activity and become a bubble mania mix master. We will be getting sudsy while making the biggest bubbles we can! Just meet at the Kid’s Activities Area at the Herff Farm. For kids of all ages. No drop-offs, please. $5.00 per family. Learn more by calling the Cibolo Nature Center at (830) 249-4616.
Do you have a budding cheerleader at your house? Bring your friends, have fun and learn the basics of cheerleading. Jumps, hand motions, cheers and basic tumbling will be taught. 6 year olds & up. At the Boerne Gymnastics Center from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Visit www.boernegym.com/camps for more information.
July 14 - 18 SAN ANTONIO: SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMP - THE ADVENTURES OF SUPER YOU!
This action packed program at the Witte Museum presents hands-on activities that will boost what you know about your body and empower you to make choices that will keep you healthy! Contact the Witte at (210) 357-1910 for more information.
July 25 BOERNE: MOVIE IN THE PARK
Halloween in June Movie: “Monsters University” rated PG, 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM, Main Plaza
Christmas in July Movie: “Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stone Christmas” rated PG, 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM, Main Plaza.
June 28 HELOTES: KIDS IN THE CANYON
July 26 HELOTES: KIDS IN THE CANYON
Enjoy an hour of kid-friendly interpretation and activities. Programming targeted at kids, but open to all ages. 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Government Canyon State Natural Area. (210) 688-9055, x292 for more details.
July 1 - 3 SAN ANTONIO: CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Who doesn’t LOVE chocolate? We’ll bake, melt, dip, and whip as we make some favorite chocolate sweets and treats. Earn your title as the ‘king/queen of cocoa’ as you compete in our first ever Chocolate Truffle Tournament!. Ages 6 to 13 at the Young Chef’s Academy. Call the (210) 402-0023 for more information.
JUNE 2014
Enjoy an hour of kid-friendly interpretation and activities. Programming targeted at kids, but open to all ages. 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Government Canyon State Natural Area. (210) 688-9055, x292 for more details.
July 29 - 31 SAN ANTONIO: BAKING BEYOND THE BORDERS
Baking fare with an international flair! This year we’re inviting our International Young Chefs Academy locations to share baking specialties from their countries. We’ll also explore baking basics, tricks of the trade, and some state-side favorites. Ages 6 to 13 at the Young Chef’s Academy. Call the (210) 4020023 for more information.
Weekly August 4 - 22 BOERNE: Y SUMMER DAY CAMP - BOERNE YMCA
Week-long summer day camp that provides all-day care for school-aged children. Our day camps are perfect for parents who need a fun, safe place for their children during summer break. Each week, campers participate in fun activities that help them develop self-confidence, independence and character that will last a lifetime. August 4 - 22 at Boerne Family YMCA. Children bring their own lunch. Morning and afternoon snack provided. Ages 5-13. Cal (210) 598-5217.
August 9 BOERNE: KID’S CLUB: FISHING!
Do you know how to fish, or do you want to learn? Awesome! Come with us down to the creek to do some fishing. Bring your own gear, or we’ll provide it for you. Just meet at the Kid’s Activities Area at the Herff Farm. For kids of all ages. No drop-offs, please. $5.00 per family. Learn more by calling the Cibolo Nature Center at (830) 249-4616.
August 11 - 15 BOERNE: ACROBATIC GYMNASTICS CAMP
Acrobatics Gymnastics is the hottest new sport for boys and girls. Learn tumbling plus partnering lifts and tempo skills. Great camp for dancers, cheerleaders, skaters, and anyone who needs partner skills. Grouped by age and ability. Learn about the sport and how to do it from the best in the world. Ages 7 and up. At the Boerne Gymnastics Center from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Visit www.boernegym. com/camps for more information.
August 16 SAN ANTONIO: SER PADRES DAY AT THE SAN ANTONIO CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
Ser Padres Magazine and SACM are pleased to announce FREE admission and programming to the Museum from 9am - 1:30pm on Saturday, August 16! An afternoon of arts & crafts, storytelling, healthy lifestyle activities, and all the fun exhibits in SACM! Learn more at www.sakids.org.
August 22 BOERNE: MOVIE IN THE PARK
Movie: “Brave” rated PG 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM, Main Plaza.
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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
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ll D. Aaro
By Kenda
.com
tryexplore
hillcoun kendall@
I’m going to age myself here, but when I was growing up, I was a huge Guns ‘n Roses fan. Yes, even Christians like heavy metal music. I loved everything about the band’s music. Yes, they were “rockers” to the core and lived a down and dirty lifestyle that has sent more than a few band members through stints in rehab, but even for a Christian kid in Boerne, they were pretty much the most amazing band to ever exist. Yes, I liked the wild hair and screaming guitars; the rebellion and angst were good for a teenager,too; but in all honesty, I appreciated the fact that lyrically some of Axl Rose’s songs were fantastic. The sincerity and honesty behind his songs was refreshing to me, and his insane raspy screaming voice captivated me. I can watch videos of those guys from the early ‘90s on Youtube, and then when I look at “musicians” nowadays, I scratch my head. With a Top 40 that is dominated by artists that achieved stardom due to American Idol, or The Voice, or whatever reality contestant show, I often wonder what kind of music I would have missed out on had these shows existed back in the day. I mean, can you imagine Axl Rose doing his patented scream before a panel of judges who then would gasp, shake their heads and say “Young man, that wasn’t singing at all.” And then our friend Axl would return to the streets of LA and never be heard from again. Instead, in recent years, we get singers with perfect teeth and perfect hair and perfect voices and once they perfectly execute their latest cover song, we award a recording contract and send them to perform on Good Morning America. It’s all so darn depressing. I assure you this article is not just an old timer criticizing this generation’s music as terrible, but instead, this article is about our gifts and our potential that God has bestowed upon each of us. Axl certainly didn’t use his talents to advance the Christian faith, but he did use his talents to delight a generation of music fans. He was able to do this because some record exec in some seedy California bar saw Guns ‘n Roses perform one night, saw their potential, and signed them to a record label. The rest is history, but I wonder how many millions and millions of other bands never saw the light of day? How much music from this same time frame was never discovered. So many bands that became discouraged, threw in the towel and now just play songs for their young kids in the living room. Yet, their talent might have been just as good as Axl’s. Just like today there are zillions of aspiring musicians that are crushed beneath our culture’s apparent demand for perfect singers with perfect skin and perfect bodies and I think that’s just unfortunate. However, I think that there’s a lesson to be learned here. 1 Peter says “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” God has given you a gift. He gave me a gift. He gave Axl a gift. That weird guy that shares the office down the hall from you….yeah, he got a gift, too. I personally love the idea that God handed each of us a little package as a gift. A box full of talent. A talent in something. Does He tell you what it is? No. He gives you no instructions and no hints. He just tells us via His word that everyone gets one. It’s up to us to explore His world, experience everything we can, and ultimately, discover our “gift”. I like to sit on Main Street sometimes and just people watch. So many people strolling this way and that. They’re stopping off for lunch, or shopping with friends. I see a guy walking down the sidewalk and sometimes like to imagine that he is an incredibly talented artist and can paint a picture with such technical expertise that his works should be studied in every university. Classes should be devoted to his art, and people should spend millions and millions to have the honor to acquire one. The reality, though, is that his high school art teacher told him that his work would never make him successful, so he gave up on pursuing it, and only paints a few pieces each year on quiet weekends and then gives them to friends. You see, his gift was never recognized for what it was, and so it’s just a weekend hobby and not a true talent that he has pursued. What talent are you not utilizing? Are you a singer? A writer? An artist? A teacher? What gift did God give you that you could use to serve others around you? Many of you might say “I don’t have one”, but we just showed you that the word of God says otherwise. Additionally, the larger point is that every person you pass has a gift. The beauty of these gifts are hidden in every corner of this globe, and just as each person seeks their gift, so should we. For every Axl Rose, there are millions of others that are just as good if not better, and for some reason, that just makes me smile.
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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
109 Oak Park Dr. Boerne, Texas 78006
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
11 Upper Cibolo Creek Rd. • (210) 724-6921 • Facebook.com/RandomTexasFamilyFun
JUNE 2014
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