Tex Appeal Magazine | Spring 2020

SPRING 2020

Life and Style in Central Texas

UMHB shows off its curb appeal

Guides for great design What's your home worth?

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Temple Area Builders HOME & GARDEN ISSUE

Purses.

BOOM!

Susan Maries ,

OF

SALADO

an upscale woman’s boutique

171 South Main Street, Salado • 254-947-5239

INDEX

24

Landscaping gives

UMHB curb appeal

28

What’s your home worth?

30

Remodeling Villa Lu Necia

34

Explore Ware’s Wander Woods

36

Jesse and Brenda bring great design to Central Texas

A rusty 1952 Chevy was turned into a water feature at Grizzly’s Hidden Falls Nursery. | 60 Photograph by BECKY STINEHOUR

ON THE COVER

UMHB Manager of Landscape Services Sean Eulenfeld, left, and gardener Patricia Whitney | 24 Photograph by JUSTIN BORJA

6 7 8 10 11 12 13

14 16 35 46 63 64 66

EDITOR'S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS NEIGHBORS St. Francis Gift Shop SCENE Day for Women SCENE Caring Ball SCENE Wildflower Ball SCENE Vegas Redux

4 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

FLAVOURS J Kowboy IN THE SPOTLIGHT Temple Area Builders THE REVIEW A Voyage of Heart and Song HOME PROFESSIONALS Businesses in Central Texas BEING CENTRAL TEXAN Sharon Douglas of Salado HEALTH & WELLNESS Unusual fruits and veggies ADVERTISING INDEX

40

Creating a home with personality

44

Small town, big design at Denio’s

53

Family turns silo into ’Bindominium’

56

Laura White gives back by design

60

Grizzly’s Hidden Falls Nursery

TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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FROM THE EDITOR

W

elcome to our Spring 2020 issue of Tex Appeal.

I’m Janna Zepp, Tex Appeal’s new editor. While I’m new to the magazine, I’m not new to the area, having lived here the last 15 years, and I’m certainly a Texan, six generations proud. I’m also the wife of a retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major whom I met during my time working at Fort Hood, so I know how much our troops mean to all of us here in Central Texas. I’m excited to help tell the stories of our friends and neighbors, both yours and mine.

In this issue of Tex Appeal, we’ve got some great stories to tell about our fellow Central Texans in the business of making our area homes and landscapes beautiful.

Lori Murdoch graciously opened her home to us to show how she made an amazing space with repurposed décor elements and items found at places many of us already shop regularly.

Meet Jesse and Brenda Esparza of Gallery Design Center, two hometown folks who’ve been helping Bell JANNA ZEPP County residents for nearly 20 years to get cutting editor@ edge interior design, flooring, tile, and fixtures into texappealmag.com their own homes that rival style found in larger cities.

254-774-5266 It was wonderful to get to know Laura White of Laura White Interior Design who lends her talents and design expertise to a new patient and family hospitality house on the Baylor Scott & White Temple Medical Center campus.

Villa Lu Necia, the 1920s-era home of Belton’s own version of the Great Gatsby, L.B. Kinchion Sr., gets a makeover thanks to Troy and Paula Finley, new Beltonians who used the talents of Gage Construction, Inc. to make their dream home come to life in honor of the memory of the Kinchion family and the many famous African American entertainers such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington who stayed at Villa Lu Necia during their travels through Central Texas.

We'll introduce you to Denio’s Furniture Flooring & Fireplaces located in what might have become a hay barn were it not for the business acumen of three generations of Denio women in Cameron that made the store one of the most sought-after resources for interior design in Central Texas.

We’ve put the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on display with the people in charge of making it one of the most beautiful college and university campuses in Texas.

Bell County Appraisal District’s chief appraiser, Billy White, will share how BCAD appraises property and what homeowners can do to make sure that appraisal is fair.

In addition to the focus on home and garden matters, we’ll take a trip just south of Killeen to Ware’s Wander Woods, a working farm that opens its gates to private tours, parties, and events with a touch of humor and a taste of honey. And we’ll celebrate 50 years of the Saint Francis Church Gift Shop which has supported the community and the ministries of St. Francis Episcopal Church since 1970.

I sure hope you enjoy reading our stories as much as we have loved bringing them to you in this issue. If you have a story tip for us, let me know at editor@texappealmag.com or call me at 254-7745266.

6 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

Tex Appeal Life & Style in Central Texas

Published by FRANK MAYBORN ENTERPRISES, INC.

KILLEEN DAILY HERALD

1809 Florence Rd., Killeen, TX 76540

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM

10 S. Third St., Temple, TX 76501

Publisher SUE MAYBORN Editor JANNA ZEPP Graphic Designer M. CLARE HAEFNER Contributors FRED AFFLERBACH REBECCA BACHTEL JUSTIN BORJA SKEEBO REICHERT AMY ROGNLIE BECKY STINEHOUR CAREY STITES SHARON WHITE Advertising 254-778-4444 in Temple 254-501-7500 in Killeen ABOUT US: Tex Appeal Magazine is published by Frank Mayborn Enterprises, Inc. 10 S. Third St., Temple, TX 76501.

The cover and content of Tex Appeal Magazine is fully protected by copyright and cannot be reproduced in any manner without prior permission.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: For the United States, $24 per year, 6 issues.

Mail check to P.O. Box 6114, Temple, TX 76503-6114. For questions about subscriptions, call 254-778-4444.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Tex Appeal Magazine, P.O. Box 6114, Temple, TX 76503-6114.

HOW TO CONTACT US: Advertising: 254-778-4444 or 254-501-7500.

Editorial: Contact Don Cooper at 254-774-5266 or editor@texappealmag.com

CONTRIBUTORS FRED AFFLERBACH literally took the long road to a journalism career. He has written for the Temple Daily Telegram and numerous other newspapers. Drawing on experiences from his long-haul trucking days, he has published two novels. He lives in Cedar Park.

Running-to-Live.com REBECCA BACHTEL is a soul-catching enthusiast who loves to tell stories through the eye of photography. Becca's ability to capture genuine emotion in her subjects and details of nature has brought her many photographic opportunities in Bell County and while traveling with her family.

Facebook.com/BeccaBachtelPhotography/ JUSTIN BORJA is a proud service member in the Air Force Reserve. He does portrait and commercial photography and lives in Harker Heights. He loves to explore other cities, connecting with people and capturing their images.

BorjaVisuals.com SKEEBO REICHERT has over 25 years experience as a professional photographer and has expanded his services to include filmmaking. The Temple High School graduate has a BFA in photography and sculpture. He lives in Temple with his wife and two sons. PhotoBySkeebo.com

AMY ROGNLIE is an author and middleschool teacher. Her newest series of cozy mystery novels, The Short Creek Mysteries, are set in Bell County. Amy's articles have been published in national magazines and websites. She blogs on encouragement, hope and faith on AmyRognlie.com. Amy and her family reside in Little River-Academy.

BECKY STINEHOUR is a portrait, commercial and event photographer, specializing in live music venues. Her work has been published in several regional magazines. She is a Killeen High School graduate who loves to highlight her treasured hometown connections through the lens of her camera.

Find her on Instagram at ciphoto.

CAREY STITES is a registered and licensed dietitian and certified personal trainer working for Wellstone Health Partners in Harker Heights. She has promoted health and wellness through presentations, classes, writing and cooking demonstrations.

SHARON WHITE is an award-winning author who lives in Temple. Her writing has been featured in the New York Daily News, Huffington Post, AdvancingWomen.com, Sweet Tart Beauty and FashionBible.com. Her lifestyle blog, QStyleTheBook.com, is based on her book, Quintessential Style: Cultivate and Communicate Your Signature Look.

DID YOU KNOW? You can read back issues of Tex Appeal online at TexAppealMag.com. Log on today. ®

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NEIGHBORS

St. Francis Gift Shop

Celebrating 50 years of angelic service

By SHARON WHITE | Photography by JUSTIN BORJA

N

estled among the trees at the end of completely run by a team of 30 volunteers.

Hickory Road in Temple sits a small, rustic Gail Avots—who remembers volunteering as building of wood and stone that resembles a teenager with her mother—is a current board a larger sanctuary just adjacent to it. Some call it member. “We try to support local artisans and offer “the best kept secret in Temple.” Others know it as fair trade products here,” she says. “We also go the St. Francis Church Gift Shop. to market every month to find The shop has supported the merchandise at the best prices. community and the ministries All of our profits go back into of St. Francis Episcopal Church church and community outreach since 1970. And although the programs such as our ‘Tuesday building may have changed, the Solace’ (a respite care for early shop remains staffed entirely by Alzheimer’s patients), ‘Churches volunteer “Angels,” who have Touching Lives for Christ,’ kept it going for the past 50 ‘Backpack Buddies,’ ‘Feed My years.

Sheep,’ and special ministries at The original shop, formerly the church.” housed in a small, portable These days, St. Francis Gift building, primarily carried Bibles, Shop might be considered a chic prayer books, baptismal gifts, boutique—of sorts—showcasing and James Avery jewelry. much more than crosses, “At one time, we were the nativities and rosaries. Shelves largest supplier of James Avery abound with jewelry, baby gifts, jewelry of any church gift shop hand-woven baskets, ceramics in the state,” says longtime and glassware—as well as volunteer and board treasurer seasonal home and garden décor Linda Frick. “People came from items. all around to buy James Avery When Jeanne Winters joined “I am always amazed St. Francis Church two years merchandise. It was a huge seller. But, about 10 years ago the Angels at the gift shop when—at least once ago, the Avery family took over the adopted her straightaway. “I’m business and began selling only a month—someone a happy camper when I’m at the through their own retail venues gift shop,” says Jeanne, who has will come in and say, a keen eye for design. She began and larger department stores.”

Through the years the gift using her decorating talents and ‘I had no idea this shop endured some lean financial now creates stylish, one-of-a-kind times, especially after losing wreaths, which she donates to gift shop existed!’” their James Avery account, the shop.

— Linda Frick but the ministry carried on. In Frick is ever surprised when 2004, a piece of property was even some residents of Temple designated by the church to confess to not knowing about the construct a permanent building for the shop. At shop. “I’ve been working here for 45 years, and I times there were paid managers, but seven years am always amazed when—at least once a month— ago the gift shop board decided to take over someone will come in and say, ‘I had no idea this total management. The nonprofit shop is now gift shop existed!’”

8 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

ABOVE: Volunteer angels, Heidi Couchman, left, and Linda Frick display spring merchandise.

AT LEFT: The St. Francis Gift Shop has a variety of items for Easter, including baskets and bunnies.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Crosses are another popular item at the shop, which opened in 1970.

Today, when many boutiques and retail stores are closing their doors, this humble gift shop remains five-decades strong. Thanks to a faith-filled team of dedicated Angels.

ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH GIFT SHOP 5001 Hickory Road, Temple 254-774-9232

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SCENE: DAY FOR WOMEN

1

2

3

4

5

1. From left, Kathy Smith, Olivia Haisler, June Small and Jeanette Stephens attended the Day for Women event sponsored by the Temple Daily Telegram in February.

2. Helen Rowland, Rose Short, Paula Wilson, Becky Lucas, and Nancy Armstrong. Short, a finalist on NBC's singing 10 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

contest The Voice, performed during the event.

3. Breanne Marks and Sennett Farias.

4. Cindy Haven, Vivian Keeling and Margie Gilmore.

5. Theresa Williams and Takeisha Williams.

Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR

SCENE: CARING BALL

1

3

2

4

6

8

1. Drs. Alejandro and Mercedes Arroliga, Drs. Katya Maillard and Dr. Alfredo Vazquez at the Caring Ball to support the Temple Community Clinic.

2. Bill and Michelle DiGaetano with Casey and Ryan Holler.

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3. U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, and his wife, Ericka.

4. Tom and Marie O'Neal.

5. Denise Ayres and Dr. Maria Posey.

6. Steve and Dr. Alicia Boaze with Annilyn and Joseph Donnell.

10

7. Leslie Scholten, Beth Gerdes and Lara Miller.

8. Larry and Lynn Neal.

9. Ashley Reisner and Thomas Gage.

10. Nancy and Jim Yeonopolus.

Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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SCENE: WILDFLOWER BALL

1

1. The senior belles and their escorts attend the Wildflower Ball in Temple.

2. Madison Dent pins a boutonniere on her father, Mike Dent.

3. The band plays music for dancing after dinner.

4. The junior belles and their escorts are presented.

Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR

4

12 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

2

3

SCENE: VEGAS REDUX

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1. Greg Miller, Zach Smith, Linda Smith and Willy Rivera try their luck at Vegas Redux. The Contemporaries of the Azalee Marshall Cultural Activities Center hosted the event.

2. Dr. Bill Johnston and Lynn Johnston.

3. Kathryn Hermans as Sonny with and Sharon Bell as Cher.

4. Joyce Novak, Ellen Jez and Jill Lock.

5. Marion Bullard, Debbie Potts and Neal Potts.

6. Jennifer Ryder, Dr. Hiroko DeLoach and Debra Faulkner.

7. George Luck, Sue Mayborn and Susan Luck.

Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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FLAVOURS

J Kowboy

GATHERING GOOD TIMES AND GOOD PEOPLE TOGETHER Story and photos by JANNA ZEPP

P

ossibly the least pretentious wine bar on the planet, Temple’s J Kowboy Wine Bar feels more like a neighborhood hangout than one might imagine when hearing the words “wine bar.” It has a good selection of quality wines and Texas craft beers. Yes, you read that right: J Kowboy has beer, too.

The atmosphere has a definite Texas feel without being kitschy, and customers can see the occasional nod to Giant, the iconic 1956 film set in West Texas in the bar’s decor. The J in J Kowboy stands for the bar’s owner, Jett Preston, who was named for the James Dean character in the film, Jett Rink.

In genuine Texas style, the bar’s regulars are not a stuffy crowd. J Kowboy’s oenophiles (that’s a fancy word for wine lovers) and cerevisaphiles (that’s another fancy word for beer lovers) are a warm and friendly bunch that will strike up a conversation with anyone who walks in the door and you’ll feel like you’ve known them for years. It’s a crowd that Jett has cultivated since he opened his doors in 2009; he genuinely likes people and showing them a good time.

“I’ve met a lot of great friends (here) over the years. I really enjoy getting to see them and meet new people every week,” Jett says.

Jett, a native of Gatesville, chose Temple as J Kowboy’s location because he liked the town and its proximity to his family.

“I was looking for a growing town where I felt like there would be a need for a wine bar. Growing up in Gatesville and going to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor helped me to become familiar with the area,” Jett says.

Tuesday nights are trivia nights, and those nights are for folks who know their obscure info. No bar trivia is quite as challenging as J Kowboy’s live trivia game each week. “Trivia night has been pretty fun,” Jett says. “It helps engage customers and enables them to bring out their competitive spirit. I also learn a couple of new things each week.”

J Kowboy has live music from 9 to 11 p.m.

Fridays. “I typically try to have live music a couple of times a month,” Jett says. “Central Texas has a pretty diverse and talented group of musicians. I like to do my part to support local music.”

The bar does not serve food, however it has a working relationship with La Dalat-Vietnamese Cuisine located next door. The bar has La Dalat’s menus from which customers may order dinner.

“I really enjoy being in Temple and serving you and surrounding areas. We are an easy going family friendly place where you can come and relax,” Jett says.

J KOWBOY WINE BAR Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday-Friday, and 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Saturday. Closed on Sunday.

13 E Avenue B, Temple 254-773-2228

14 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

15

American Dream TheThe American Dream comes comes alivealive

builders, each their showcasing Central Texans cantheir experience cal dream builders, cal each showcasing uniquetheir unique tral Texans can experience dream their style.”– Brandon Whatley, truetheinhomes one ofduring the homes style.”–theBrandon Whatley, 2020 Parade2020 of Parade of e true income one of the during AreaAssociation Builders Association 2020 ChairHomes Chair ple AreaTemple Builders 2020 Homes Parade of Homes. de of Homes.

This year’s Paradewill of feature Homes 17 will feature 17 This year’s Parade of Homes and a record breaking KacieExecutive Beevers, Officer Executive OfficerBuilders of theand Builders a record breaking 25 homes.

All25 homes. All e Beevers, of the homes be public open toonthe public on is the to buy Parade homesParade will be open will to the ciation, association, said “Now issaid the“Now time to buy time weekends again this6year: we seeof the of low rates, a two weekends again this year: from p.m.from 6 p.m. e see theastrend lowtrend interest rates,interest a two to 8 p.m.

Friday, April 17th; strong local economy, and a tremendous ng local economy, and a tremendous to 8 p.m. Friday, April 17th; from noon tofrom noon to 5 p.m.

April 18th and selection of outstanding homes continue.”

5 p.m. Saturday andSaturday Sunday, and AprilSunday, 18th and tion of outstanding homes continue.”

April and the following weekend from April 19th; and the19th; following weekend from p.m.Friday, to 8 p.m.

This year’s feature 6 p.m. into 86p.m.

AprilFriday, 24th; April and 24th; and year’s Parade will Parade feature will homes in homes Temple, Belton, Salado Troy. from A variety noon to 5 p.m. ple, Belton, Salado and Troy.

A and variety noon tofrom 5 p.m.

Saturday andSaturday Sunday, and Sunday, of both and spec homes, well25th as and AprilApril 25th26th. and April 26th. isAdmission is oth custom and custom spec homes, as well as as April Admission $10and perchildren adult and children models featured this year’s els featured in this year’sinParade rangeParade $10 range per adult under 12 areunder 12 are admitted Tickets are available at each in price from to$185,500 to more than free. admitted Tickets free. are available at each price from $185,500 more than the Parade homes open hours of of the Paradeofhomes during openduring hours of 00,000. $1,000,000. the event. the event. builders thefor extra mile for cipatingParticipating builders go the extra go mile Central National is the Title Partner the Parade. Highlighting their own uniqueNational Parade. Highlighting their own unique Central Bank is the Bank Title Partner in terms of layout, design andofdecoratthis year’s Parade.Parade Additional this year’s of Parade.

Additional Part- Parade Partin termsstyle of layout, design and decoratingfeatured with some featured homes for Keene ners include Keene Roofing, KCEN, Martin with some homes furnished forfurnished ners include Roofing, KCEN, Martin a true feel.

“I’m home” feel.

Marietta,Post Suncoast Post Tension, Temple e “I’m home” Marietta, Suncoast Tension, Temple DailyTexas Telegram, Daily Telegram, BrightTexas Ideas Bright and TriIdeas and Tri Outdoor openenfloor plans, door living spaces,living open spaces, floor plans, Supply.en- Supply. ergy andcustom the newest efficiency andefficiency the newest itemscustom items A special Parade of Homes magazine is proavailable make athe Parade a “mustA attend” able make the Parade “must attend” special Parade of Homes magazine is proevent.

Discover designsfor andyour trendsduced for your

by Daily the Temple Daily Telegram each by theduced Temple Telegram each t. Discover designs and trends future home or to share with family, friends, year.

The magazine will be distributed in the re home or to share with family, friends, year. The magazine will be distributed in the andYou colleagues.

You are welcome tour the April 17th of the newspaper colleagues. are welcome to tour the toFriday, AprilFriday, 17th edition of theedition newspaper and will showcase homesremodeling and gather or remodeling es and gather decoratingor decorating and will showcase each home ineach the home Parade.in the Parade.

TABA Builder and Associate In members In aaddition to a photo, addition to photo, floorplan andfloorplan other and other . TABA ideas.

Builder and Associate members youideas turninto those ideas into information, reality. information, will also include help youcan turnhelp those reality. the magazinethe willmagazine also include map thatyou willtoguide to each of the a map that awill guide each you of the homes on tour.

“We are excited about Parade this year’s Parade homes on tour. are excited about this year’s of Homes whichour continues Homes which continues trend ofour trend of increasing participation, The information, For more information, easing participation, year by year.year Theby year.

For more please visit please www. visit www. tahb.org/parade download and find us on Paradeopportunity is a unique opportunity de is a unique to experienceto experience tahb.org/parade or downloador and find us on the FREE Parade Smart Application on your some of the best homes Bell County has to e of the best homes Bell County has to the FREE Parade Smart Application on your wide range of participating lo- smartphone. with a offer wide with rangea of participating lo- smartphone.

experience the dream Come Come experience the dream at Temple the 2020 Temple Area HomeParade Builders Parade of Homes! at the 2020 Area Home Builders of Homes!

16 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

A & G HOMES Turtle Creek, 500 Willow Dr., Troy

DB FULLER Reserve at Pea Ridge, 7608 McCulloch, Temple

JAROLIK HOMES 5571 Farm-to-Market 2086, Temple

BRANDON WHATLEY HOMES Mystic River, 4033 Pecan Meadow Dr., Belton Tennessee Valley, 128 Chatanooga Ct., Temple

EAGLE RIDGE BUILDERS Valley Ranch, 7110 Crystal Valley, Temple

QUARLES CONSTRUCTION Indian Ridge at Messer Ranch, 121 Indian Ridge, Belton

GLYNN ALAN HOMES Amata Terra, 13523 Acqua Dr., Temple

RANDY TAYLOR CUSTOM HOMES Salado Mills, 1064 Ferguson Mill Rd., Salado

KASBERG HOMES Circle C Estates, 5242 Camarque Dr., Belton

STILLWATER CUSTOM HOMES Deerfield Estates, 6118 Shadow Creek Cove, Temple

KIELLA HOMEBUILDERS Villages of Wesfield, 7505 Hudson Grove, Temple

STYLECRAFT BUILDERS Three Creeks, 3919 Aransas Dr., Belton

OMEGA BUILDERS Hills of Westwood, 7911 Kendall Hill Dr., Temple High Crest, 201 Lasata Ln., Belton Three Creeks, 3931 Aransas Dr., Belton Villages of Westfield, 700 Skylar Heights Dr., Temple Grove at Lakewood Ranch East, 510 Stonehouse Ln., Belton

WHITE RIVER HOMES Salado Mills, 1060 Ferguson Mill Rd., Salado

CAROTHERS EXECUTIVE HOMES Turtle Creek,304 Lee Mays Blvd., Troy Bella Terra, 2804 Torino Reale, Temple Circle C Estates, 5313 Cowman Dr., Belton The Meadows, 3268 Wild Seed, Salado CORY HERRING HOMES Salado Mills, 1068 Ferguson Mill Rd., Salado DENALI CONSTRUCTION Amata Terra, 8324 Torrente, Temple

TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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THE REVIEW

Follow along on a journey of a lifetime

By M. CLARE HAEFNER

L

ife is a journey—embrace it on your terms.

That’s the lesson I look from Liza FarrowGillespie’s delightful memoir A Voyage of Heart and Song (Texan Press Inc., 2018). After undergoing treatment for breast cancer at age 38, Liza and her husband, Alan, decided to quit their jobs in Dallas (she’s an attorney, he’s a doctor), buy a boat and pursue their lifelong dream of circumnavigating the globe.

“At that moment…I knew that I did want to go sailing — not just continue to fantasize about it, but actually do it, to go,” Liza writes in the book’s prologue. “Getting cancer was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.”

Liza chronicles their adventure of a lifetime aboard Heartsong III, which took more than six years, in a lighthearted style that includes excerpts from letters home, entries in the ship’s logbook and articles she penned for publications along the way. Her colorful prose helps readers envision the uninhabited locations where they chose to drop anchor and the harrowing passages through storms.

Throughout their journey, they visited more than 50 countries on six continents. One of their favorite stops was New Zealand, where they spent nearly a year exploring, though Liza often writes that every place became a favorite.

And sometimes, the best parts of the journey were in the middle of the ocean far from land, such as one night when the stars were so bright, Liza says she could almost read by them. “If the West Texas night sky is a skyscraper, then the night sky in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is downtown Manhattan,” she writes.

While the journey can be isolating—they often travel for weeks without seeing another boat—Liza artfully describes the impromptu shore excursions and boat parties they have with friends anchored nearby to her delight at sighting familiar ships again months later on the other side of the world.

These passages show the importance of connection and help the reader understand the sense of community and camaraderie that forms among sailors—no one could fend off pirates or travel through the Panama Canal alone.

While Liza often describes processes on the boat in sailor's terms, even land lubbers like me can

18 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

Learn more about the voyage, see photos and watch videos at http://heartsongiii.com/. follow along and visualize the activities. She easily explains the mechanics of sailing in a way anyone can understand—maybe that’s because she leaves the complicated tasks of actually repairing broken parts to her “red-headed husband,” whose antics had me laughing throughout the book.

While reading, I often thought about the adventures and other things on my bucket list— vacations and other fun things I often put off for a more opportune time. But as Liza’s experience reminds me, there is no opportune time. Work will always be waiting and there will always be reasons to say, “not yet.” I have no desire to circumnavigate the globe on a sailboat like Liza and Alan FarrowGillespie, but I do plan to embrace the things in life that bring me joy.

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University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Manager of Landscape Services Sean Eulenfeld, left, is responsible for creating a welcoming environment for the campus.

Gardener Charlie Munoz is part of the staff that maintains 284 flower beds and hundreds of trees.

UMHB’s spectacular landscaping adds to its

‘CURB APPEAL’ A

By PAULA TANNER | Photography by JUSTIN BORJA

ny homeowner knows the importance of attractive? UMHB takes a “divide and conquer” curb appeal. Yes, it takes extra work to approach, splitting the duties between an in-house keep that yard neatly trimmed and those team of gardeners and a commercial lawn care flower beds and containers blooming all year long, service. but it all communicates to your visitors a sense The university employs nine in-house of order and beauty that makes them glad to be groundskeepers to till empty beds, plant flowers, there. shrubs, and trees, and do the fertilizing, watering, Now imagine how your investment of time mulching, and pruning it takes to keep the plants and money for curb appeal would be multiplied in shape. Three of those groundskeepers focus just if your home consisted of 76 buildings located on on the university’s athletic fields. “They make sure 297 acres, 106 acres of which are that everything is kept up to NCAA maintained regularly. That is the code,” Ee says. “They make certain challenge faced by the University of the practice fields are safe and that Mary Hardin-Baylor, which is home the competition fields are pristine.” to thousands of students during The other six groundskeepers their years of collegiate study in maintain 284 different flower beds Belton. on campus, which change with the The curb appeal of the campus seasons. “We change all of our makes an important first impression flower beds at least twice a year,” when visitors come to UMHB. Eulenfeld says. “When we change “Before prospective students out all of the flower beds at once, it and their parents ever walk into a takes 50,000 plants to fill them. building or talk to a single person “In the more prominent here, they see our buildings and locations, we may replace the grounds,” says Sean Eulenfeld, flowers four or more times a year.

UMHB’s manager of landscape In those places, the flowers are services. “We want this to be a changed seasonally and for special welcoming environment, so we events such as graduations. We make sure they will see beautiful think about where people will be lawns and blooming flowers as soon going to take photos, like the big as they enter the campus.”

UMHB letters at the entrance to The way the campus looks also Vann Circle. We want to make makes a big difference for the certain those areas always look students who already live and study good,” Eulenfeld says. “And it’s not — Marv Ee there. “Students are under a lot of just for our students; people from stress during their college years,” the surrounding communities also says Marv Ee, vice president for come here regularly to have their campus planning and support services. “We know portraits made in our Millennium Oaks Park.” they perform better in a peaceful environment, Trees are another important aspect of the so we place benches and swings outdoors across landscape. The big live oaks and pecans provide the campus, to give students places to escape the welcome shade in the summertime, but it can be stress of their studies. We want our campus to be a difficult to grow grass underneath them. To keep place where they can feel safe and be reminded of them looking their best, groundskeepers bring in the beauty of God’s creation; our landscaping helps pine straw regularly to blanket the ground around convey this to them.” the trunks of nearly 1,300 trees across the campus.

So how do you keep 106 acres looking trim and Continued

"We want our campus to be a place where (students) can feel safe and be reminded of the beauty of God’s creation; our landscaping helps convey this to them."

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Milana Vuckovic will soon graduate from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.

New trees are also planted regularly. When a mature tree is cut down to make way for construction, the City of Belton requires the property owner to offset the loss by planting several young trees in its place. As a result, UMHB plants new trees almost every year. “We have to be very particular about where a new tree is put in, to make sure that the irrigation is set up correctly,” Eulenfeld says. “When we’re all gone, these trees are still going to be here, so we want to do the best that we can.”

And then there are the lawns.

“UMHB is one of the few places in Central Texas where you will find green grass in the winter,” Ee says. “We over seed with ryegrass each fall to fill in areas that are patchy and keep the campus looking green all year long.”

Year-round green means year-round lawn care.

UMHB contracts out the job to Heart of Texas Landscape and Irrigation of Belton. Each week HOT sends a team to the campus for a day of mowing, trimming, and blowing curb lines and sidewalks free of clippings.

“We have a unique relationship with Heart of Texas,” Ee says. “They have been our contractor since 2008, and through the years it has become more like a partnership. They understand our

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desire to keep everything pristine, and we really appreciate them.”

Heart of Texas Landscape was founded by Doug and Carol Rowald in 1989, and today their son Ben Pamplin serves as president of the company. Though none of the Rowalds are UMHB alumni, they have become enthusiastic members of the UMHB family, attending athletic events and providing generous support for scholarships and building projects. In 2013, Doug and Carol Rowald were named Honorary Alumni of UMHB in appreciation of their loyalty and service to the university.

Between the professional lawn care team from HOT and the university’s in-house groundskeepers, UMHB invests a lot into keeping its campus beautiful. The results speak for themselves.

“When we ask students what led them to enroll at UMHB, they frequently mention the beautiful campus,” says Dr. Steve Theodore, senior vice president for administration and chief operating officer. “I’ve had many students tell me, ‘As soon as I set foot on the campus, I knew this was the place I wanted to be.’”

Paula Tanner is vice president of communications and special projects at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

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27

ASK YOUR COUNTY APPRAISER

What’s your home worth?

By JANNA ZEPP

F

or many homeowners, mystery shrouds the determination of their property’s value by county appraisal district.

How did the CAD come up with that number? When did my house get that expensive? Why isn’t it worth what I thought it was? If I sold my home today, would I really get that price at sale? Why do I now owe an additional 10 percent on my tax bill?

It really isn’t a mystery at all, and Bell County Appraisal District's chief appraiser Billy White explains why.

The Bell County Appraisal District values all properties within the county for ad valorem (Latin for “according to value”) tax purposes, administers all property tax exemptions and special valuations, and maintains parcels, maps and ownership records for all properties within the county.

“In Bell County, as in 109 other counties in the state, we are also contracted by the county and nearly all the taxing entities within the county to provide all tax collections and tax rate calculations,” White said. “In counties where this is not the case, the county tax assessor/collector is generally responsible for the collection and calculation tasks. The appraisal district is a political subdivision of Texas and it is not part of the county.”

The real estate market drives valuations. The Texas Property Tax Code requires that the appraised values be at market value.

“The best way to determine the market value is by looking at sales of properties and trends of what is happening in the county,” White said.

“We are merely trying to reflect what is seen in the market.

“Simply put, in the example of neighborhood with similar homes, we will review all sales prices that have happened over the prior year as compared to our appraised values from the prior year,” White said. “We 28 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

then determine how much higher or lower the sales prices are, and then adjust each property within that neighborhood accordingly.”

White said that in the early part of 2020 in Bell County, the inventory of properties for sale was an all-time low of 2.3 months — well below six months, which is considered the point of equilibrium for a stable market.

White said most homes were being sold for close to listing prices. This may not be true when looking at properties with condition issues or unique and rural properties where comparable sales are much harder to find.

“If a homeowner gets an appraisal with which they disagree, there’s a way to protest it, and there are a few different options. It is important to do these well in advance of any listed deadlines on their appraisal notices,” White said.

Those options are: • Walk-in –BCAD offers a walkin informal inquiry process at the Belton office. It will accept inquiries from April 6 through May 1 on a first come, first served basis. Owners of multiple properties may be asked to come back at different times so everyone has time to discuss their properties.

• Online – File protest online through the BCAD website at bellcad.org.

• Mail or hand-delivered – Homeowners can mail back the protest form that comes with appraisal notices or hand-deliver to any of the three BCAD offices (Belton, Temple, and Killeen).

White recommends homeowners bring any evidence that they believe demonstrates why their property is not valued at market value. They should bring any sales that they believe are comparable with their property. If there are specific issues with their property, such as condition or disrepair

issues, they should bring in as much evidence as possible, including recent photos and repair estimates.

If they have bought or refinanced the property, they should bring the settlement statement and the fee appraisal.

When a property owner comes in for their protest, they first meet with an appraiser to review their concerns and any information that they have.

The appraiser will discuss how the BCAD valuation was completed for this year. Based on the specific information that the appraiser reviews, he or she can make an offer to the property owner. If, at that point, the appraiser and property owner cannot come to an agreement, the property owner will go before the Appraisal Review Board.

White said the ARB is a decisionmaking body independent of the appraisal district and appointed by the county’s administrative law judge. Protests that cannot be settled informally are heard by it. It will hear evidence presented by the property owner and the appraisal district and make a determination at the conclusion of the hearing.

If a property owner is not satisfied with the results of the ARB determination, they may appeal further by requesting binding arbitration. This must be done within 60 days of receiving the ARB’s determination results. Once the binding arbitration request has been accepted, the arbitration will be heard by an arbitrator assigned by the Texas State Comptroller. There are limits as to types of properties and what can be appealed to binding arbitration.

The Texas Property Tax Code requires the appraisal district to reappraise every property at least every three years. All properties are reappraised every year in Bell County to keep up with the market and to ensure the appraisal district can pass the property value studies performed

Josh Knowles, D.D.S., M.S.D. Board Certified Orthodontist

by the Texas State Comptroller. The International Association of Assessing Officers set the standard to physically re-inspect every property every six years. This can be by many methods including on-site physical, street-level imagery, and digital imagery with change finder detection. Bell CAD is currently doing these at least every other year.

Building permits also trigger appraisal inspections. White said that during the discovery phase of the appraisal cycle, the appraiser will review all building permits filed with local governments to determine properties that have made changes since the prior year.

“Although you may not always be happy with the taxes you pay, the appraisal district is confined by the Texas Property Tax Code that places many requirements on the job that we do. If you protest, remember that you are protesting the appraisal on the property, and not the taxes, even

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Billy White is the chief appraiser for the Bell County Appraisal District. Photo by SKEEBO

BEST 2019

READERS’ CHOICE AWARD

though the appraisal is a part of the tax calculation,” White said.

He explained that the code requires the appraisal district to be at market value each year, and the appraisal district is tested to ensure that they are within those standards. Failure of these tests could result in loss of funding to the school districts.

To save some on taxes, White also recommends that homeowners ensure they have all possible exemptions for which they may qualify. He said that people may not realize they qualify for a tax exemption that could be providing them some tax relief. The BCAD website has more information on those exemptions.

“At the Tax Appraisal District of Bell County, we are striving to perform quality services as required by the Texas Property Tax Code. We have a great staff here that cares immensely about providing quality customer service and doing a great job,” White said.

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29

Villa Lu Necia:

A DREAM HOME STEEPED IN LOCAL HISTORY

By JANNA ZEPP | Photos by SKEEBO

about the Kinchions.

“As we were beginning the renovation, we found ouis Armstrong slept here. So did Ella boxes of photographs and books that belonged to Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and other famous the Kinchions. In some of those photos were Louis African American celebrities of the early Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald,” Paula said. “That’s 20th Century. Rumor has it that even famous Major when we realized the house was truly special.”

League Baseball player Jackie Robinson was a Kinchion was well known throughout Texas. The guest, and that parties of Great Gatsby proportions father of Rev. Roscoe C. Harrison Jr., pastor of happened whenever an entertainer was in the Eighth Street Baptist Church in Temple, lived residence. in Belton next door to the Kinchions’ Villa Lu Necia, located on the corner home on Pearl Street. of Avenue F and South Pearl Street According to Harrison, Kinchion in Belton, was a hospitable place was the principal of the West Austin to stay during an inhospitable time Colored Public School in 1900. He for black Americans before the Civil was a captain in Company C, Hawley Rights Movement. It was the dream Guards (Galveston), 1st Colored home of a Central Texas educator and Battalion-Infantry of the Texas National entrepreneur L.B. Kinchion Sr. and his Guard in 1905. He served as a teacher wife, Necia Luline Gramlin Kinchion, for at the Gregory Colored School in whom the house was named and built Austin in 1906. He was an incorporator in 1926 at a cost of $16,000 (about and also president of the Colored $402,000 today).

Teachers' State Association of Texas Some 93 years later, Troy and Paula in 1920. He is listed as Chancellor of Necia Luline Gramlin Finley bought Villa Lu Necia as their the Capital City Lodge No. 56, Knights Kinchion, above, and own dream home in 2019. Paula was of Pythias fraternal organization from her son, Alexander born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona.

1906 to 1907. He served as the ViceJohnson Kinchion Troy moved to Arizona in 1990 from Grand Chancellor of the Grand Lodge Amarillo to help his youngest brother Colored Knights of Pythias, Jurisdiction attend architecture school. Troy met of Texas in 1923, and later elected Paula and they moved to Lubbock in Grand Chancellor. He was present in 1995. But life changes would move 1930 with other members of the order them again. when the cornerstone was laid for the “Paula's mother, June, was historic Moorland YMCA in what is diagnosed with terminal cancer in now the Arts District in Dallas. He was 2014. God blessed us with the ability to the principal at West Belton Colored relocate to Arizona and spend the last High School which is now the Harris few years of June's life with her,” Troy Community Center. says. “We decided to get back to Texas And while Kinchion was involved in 2018. with all of that, he also made his “Initially, we explored the Waco fortune selling cosmetics and hairarea, but it just did not feel like home. straightening products.

After visiting the Belton/Temple area, we knew “South Pearl Street in Belton was where the this was where God was calling us to be. While well-to-do black families lived. It was the Black Silk searching for our forever home, we came across Stocking District of its day,” Harrison says.

Villa Lu Necia on South Pearl Street in Belton. We Jim Crow laws of the time, right up until the absolutely fell in love on the first visit and made an signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited offer that day,” Troy says. blacks and whites to stay overnight in the same “I knew this was my house from the moment I lodging at the same time, so the Kinchions opened saw it,” Paula says. their house as a tourist home to famous black Soon after buying the house, the Finleys learned Continued

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Troy and Paula Finley are remodeling Villa Lu Necia.

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entertainers traveling through Texas. It’s not known if Villa Lu Necia was among safe businesses and lodgings listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book, later known as The Negro Travelers’ Green Book or simply “The Green Book,” a state-by-state, city-by-city alphabetical listing of hotels, boarding houses, restaurants, beauty shops, barbershops and many other necessities of travel serving African-Americans.

About 9,500 safe places of business were listed in the Green Book from its beginnings in 1936 until it ceased publication in 1966. Now, only a third of the buildings that housed those businesses still stand.

But Villa Lu Necia can be counted as one of those few remaining places that made all the difference to African American travelers’ survival in the mid-20th century.

Harrison also says L.B. Kinchion was instrumental in his parents meeting on a night back in 1934.

“Mr. Kinchion and other notable members of the black community had an elite social club called the Blue Moon Chasers Social Club. My mother and father met at one of the club’s dances. My parents courted about six months before they got married,” Harrison says.

That piece of Belton history and the home’s place in it resonates with the Finleys, so much so that the remodeling and updating of the home is being done with an eye to what they think the Kinchions might have done themselves were they still alive. They’re doing it with the help of Gage Construction of Temple.

“We’ve repurposed a lot of existing items from the house, like the flooring, and used materials that looked like they might have come from the 1920s, like the front door, which is modern but period-correct,” contractor Tommy Gage says. “The Finleys wanted to stay true to the design of the house but with enough modern upgrades to make the home functional for the 21st century, so that’s what we did.”

“We’ve met our neighbors, and they’ve been helpful in learning about the Kinchion family because they knew them,” Paula says. “Barbara (Ligon) across the street from us grew up playing with Edna Kinchion when they were little girls, and her father planted the trees in our front yard for Mr. Kinchion.”

The Finleys hope to do more than just be neighbors.

They have set up a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with which to help those in their new community.

“The Finley Foundation is a personally funded foundation with the sole purpose of helping those in need by supporting nonprofit organizations through volunteer work and financial grants,” Paula says.

“We are planning to launch our new company, Central Texas Rusto-Mods and have future plans for a couple of food trucks, with a percentage of profits going to help serve our community,” she says. “We want to give back. Like Mr. Kinchion, we want to honor his legacy and do more for our new neighborhood and its residents.”

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SPEND A DAY ON A FARM FOR A

lifetime of memories

By JANNA ZEPP | Contributed photos

J

ust a 15-minute drive south of Killeen, along the Lampasas River and well off the beaten path of State Highway 195 with directions that include the phrase “turn off the paved road,” sits a farm unlike any other in Central Texas.

Ware’s Wander Woods is a 250-acre farm owned by the Ware family for about 140 years, on which owner and operator Bradley Ware raises chickens and cattle and he grows hay, wheat, clover, and oats. He also keeps 100 beehives, most of which are descended from the original 50 hives his father kept. On certain days five of those acres are dedicated to guest entertainment and education; he raises curiosity about the natural world for school groups and families wanting to experience a day on a farm.

Ware’s has been entertaining visitors for more than 10 years with interesting items and machinery displayed around the site, along with the beautiful

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‘Bee-ing’ responsible

Not only does Ware Farm Honey sell local honey, it is in the business of rescuing bees. Bradley Ware operates a bee removal service that focuses on keeping the bees he removes alive and adding them to his honey “production line.”

Bradley’s philosophy is that bees are having a hard enough time surviving all of the chemicals used in agriculture today so it's best to keep as many alive and producing as possible for the benefit of future generations and the environment. natural rock formations and the private views of the Lampasas River. Coupled with Bradley’s own love of a good practical joke and funny stories, visitors are

guaranteed an unforgettable experience.

“I’ve got a flying saucer out here. It crashed here last October. Folks got to come out here to see it and hear how it all happened though,” he says, grinning.

Bradley also has paid detailed attention to showing farm guests native plants, trees, wildlife, insects, and geology. Information boxes scattered about the farm describe what guests can see if they look closely and pay attention.

The idea for Ware’s Wander Woods came from reading about pumpkin patch farm businesses generating income for small, independently owned farms.

“I read that and thought, ‘I can do that and put my own spin on it,’” Bradley says. “I wanted to make it a little different and really memorable for families and kids. I loved growing up on this farm, being out on it and using my imagination about what might have happened where on it long ago.

Why not share that experience with others on my own place?”

Farmers were the first environmentalists, conservationists, and naturalists. They have learned through trial and error in working in, with, and occasionally against nature that nature often wins and it is best to follow its lead when raising crops and livestock. Bradley says he wants to be able to share some of that understanding of nature with

his guests. The bees he keeps are those reclaimed from buildings around the Greater Killeen/Fort Hood area through his bee removal service.

“I think of it as ‘recycling’ the bees because we need them. Too many disappearing now so we got to do something to keep them around,” Bradley says.

The bees are not available to be seen by guests, but the nature on the farm is.

“People need to be outside to really know how the world works and why we need to take care of it and small farms like mine,” Bradley says. “I love entertaining people, but I also want them to see what it is like to spend a day outdoors without electronic gadgets and the Internet.”

While the farm animals are not roaming the fiveacre space set aside for guests, deer, armadillos, squirrels, possums and other wildlife occasionally show up on their way through the site. The lack of city noise or even road noise is almost deafening and it is easy to forget how close Killeen and Fort Hood actually are to the farm. There is a timeless feel to the place, as if the farm exists in a time between about 1890 and 1950, making it easy to forget the 21st Century.

“I really enjoy hosting people out here and showing people a good time,” Bradley says. “If they learn a little something along the way, that’s even better.”

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Brenda and Jesse Esparza own Gallery Design Center in Temple.

Jesse and Brenda bringing great design to Central Texas

By JANNA ZEPP | Photography by JUSTIN BORJA

I

t started back in 1994 when someone came to Jesse and Brenda Esparza’s newly built Temple home to install blinds. The Esparzas had trouble finding what they wanted locally so they ordered blinds from out of town.

“I always wanted to be my own boss,” Jesse says. “I knew I wanted to be in business for myself, but I didn’t really know exactly what kind of business until that day when the window blinds were installed. I thought, ‘I can do that and I can do it really well.’ I also realized that if I wanted something special for my home, I had to go outside of Bell County back then to get it. I thought about opening my own business that offered that big city level of quality, style, and service right here at home.”

36 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

And so, he did.

Jesse needed a partner, so he asked the person he knew and trusted best: his wife, Brenda. She was the natural choice for Jesse with her eye for design, as well as a professional business and financial acumen. In 1998 they opened The Blind and Shutter Gallery in what is now Neon Square on West Adams in Temple, where they served Bell County customers for 18 years, adding more products and services beyond window treatments over time until they reached a point at which they needed more space for everything they offered.

In 2016, the business moved east of Interstate 35 to 3103 S.W. H K Dodgen Loop and the Esparzas renamed their store Gallery Design Center. Jesse says the name was for continuity’s sake, keeping

“gallery” in the name for brand recognition, but adding “design center” to reflect a wider variety of products and services beyond window treatments.

“But people mostly refer to us as just ‘Jesse and Brenda,’ because that’s how most of our customers have always known us,” Brenda says.

Jesse grew up in Moody and Temple. Brenda has lived in Temple all her life. They say they feel blessed to be in a city that is within a reasonable driving distance to larger municipalities. Moreover, there are respected home design providers right here.

“One of the great things about Temple is that Wilsonart is right here in town so we’ve never had to go far to provide great material for our customers’ kitchen and bath countertops,” Jesse says.

But the Esparzas offer more than just window treatments, countertops, and floor coverings. Part of the services offered by Gallery Design Center include interior design consultation.

“I have always loved art and that is where I draw my inspiration,” Brenda says. “My favorite design style is ‘Transitional’ which is a mix between traditional or classic and modern with clean lines.”

Current design trends lean toward neutral tones and warm grays but Brenda is not afraid to

incorporate bold colors into home décor. She says accent chairs, decorative throw blankets, accent pillows and area rugs are great for adding color to a room.

“You should not be afraid of using bold colors to decorate,” she says. “My favorite color scheme to work with is gray and white. When gray is used as a neutral color, you can use many different accent colors to be paired with (it) for a cohesive design; anywhere from bold and vibrant to subtle colors.”

And not everything in the design needs to be new.

“Chairs, couches, and ottomans can be repurposed by re-upholstering them in a new fabric,” Brenda says. “Wood furniture can be restained or painted to fit your style and design.”

While minimalism—a simplistic way of living with only minimal, but essential items—is all the rage right now in home design and some commercial design, Brenda cautions that it isn’t for everyone.

Minimalist design eliminates all clutter and knick knacks, but it is important to include items that mean something to the homeowner to reflect their personality in the décor.

“Many people have different styles and in which a lot of them are not ready to give up all their Continued

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Embracing Minimalist Design

Even fans of traditional interior design can incorporate some elements of minimalist style. Tips include: • DE-CLUTTER YOUR HOME Consider donating or selling anything gathering dust around your home. Photos in old, outdated frames can be streamlined into digital images or displayed in matching frames on a gallery wall.

• REMOVE UNUSED FURNITURE If you don’t sit on it or at it every day, think about repurposing it in another space or removing it altogether. Larger furniture can be replaced with smaller furniture, especially if the larger piece dominates the space a little too much.

• SIMPLIFY THE COLOR SCHEME How much color hits your eye when you’re in the room? If you counted more than four colors, it might be time to trim the palette down to just two or three.

Layer the same color in different textured pieces.

Experiment with gray velvet accent pillows on a gray leather sofa. A taupe-colored room could use a pop of purple for an artistic focal point.

• FOCUS ON FUNCTION Furniture and accessories should work together not against each other visually. Instead of excessive wall art, consider a dramatic light fixture above an empty table. Or a red arm chair in a room with warm gray walls. Make balance and simplicity the watch-words for your design plan to bring peace and tranquility to your living space.

38 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

‘stuff.’ Also, at different stages of your life you find that certain things are less important than they once were,” Brenda says. What works for an empty nester might not work for a family with children still at home.

Along with the discussion of minimalist decorating comes that of de-cluttering. Brenda recommends starting with organizing what needs to be sorted through in a separate space and working room by room so that the job is not overwhelming.

“You can use baskets in the living room and bedrooms, bins in the pantry and bathrooms and plastic storage containers or boxes for seasonal items. Labels can also be helpful in identifying items at a quick glance. Having a dedicated place to organize and store your items can eliminate clutter,” Brenda says.

Brenda’s favorite design job was working with a client to completely remodel her outdated kitchen to her “dream kitchen.” She says each kitchen and bathroom remodel are unique to the client and their style, needs, and budget, and it is always exciting to start the next one.

Trees

United Wa yo fC

l of va sti

hrome and C xas C aro l Te ls Fe tra en

United Way United Way of of Central Texas Central Texas

Thank You To the 9th Annual Chrome & Carols Festival of Trees Sponsors!

Bell County Commissioners Court Central National Bank Don Ringler Chevrolet & Toyota Gage Construction Horny Toad Harley-Davidson Johnson Brothers Ford Lincoln Living Well Aware Materials Transportation Company McLane Company McLane Group Penfed Credit Union Precious Memories Florist & Gift Shop Steve Jackson Contruction Wilsonart Thank you Central Texas Auction Services, LLC

Chrome & Carols Committee Seleese Thompson, Michelle Carter, Carol Clements, Taryn Cox, Judy Garrett, and Brenda Hill United Way of Central Texas fights for the Health, Education, and Financial Stability of every person in our community.

Thursday .....................April 23, 2020 Friday ..........................April 24, 2020 Saturday .....................April 25, 2020

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39

CREATING A HOME WITH

personality plus

By SHARON WHITE | Photography by JUSTIN BORJA

T

emple resident Lori Murdoch will tell you she has never been afraid to knock down a few walls to create a great space for her family.

When she and her husband, Doug, moved into their current home in 1999, their busy household included three children; ages 6, 9 and 12. Through the years, their lifestyle changed—and their home has definitely followed suit.

“I get restless with rooms and furniture,” Lori says. “I’ve been known to completely change a space while Doug is away at work. And when he comes home, he just looks around and says, ‘What happened here?”’

This native of Canada says her father, who was a contractor and master wood craftsman, had a huge influence on her growing up. “My dad would take me to job sites and point out the structural elements of buildings. And my mother had a great eye for design. She would never do something halfway. My mom believed in quality.”

Lori says she never gets stressed about renovating. This petite powerhouse has pulled out sinks, put up drywall, painted, pounded, and built eclectic furniture customized to fit her style. She is undaunted by the task. To her, it’s all a lot of fun.

40 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

But when it came to some of the larger construction projects, Lori sought professional help. “We actually remodeled in stages. We started with the kitchen in 2010. That took longer than expected because we had to stop work in the middle of the project to plan my oldest daughter’s wedding.”

Last year, Lori employed Drews Hunt Builders to help with remodeling the upstairs. “I had a vision of what I wanted and sometimes my ideas may have seemed a little unconventional to the team, but they always tried to work with me,” Lori says.

“When I wanted queen-sized bunk beds in one of my bedrooms—instead of the usual twin size—they said it couldn’t be done. I asked, ‘Why not?’ In the end, I got my queen-sized bunks.”

Lori contributed to the design by searching out unique furniture and accessories she knew she wanted to incorporate into each room. She created one-of-a-kind sliding closet doors and headboards using architectural pieces found at salvage yards and combined them with items she bought at retail stores.

“When I see something I love, I buy it. Even if I don’t know quite where I’ll put it. I find stuff everywhere,” says the savvy homeowner. “I order Continued

“I find stuff everywhere. I’ll combine pieces together to create something eclectic.

It’s crazy. I don’t necessarily ‘match’ things, but they all seem to go together.”

— Lori Murdoch

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What is the difference between a renovation and a remodel?

The key difference in a renovation and a remodel is how deep the changes go. A renovation means updating or changing surface details cosmetically (such as replacing flooring or refinishing existing cabinets).Whereas, a remodel involves altering the actual structure through demolition and construction.

If your house feels a little dated, a renovation can add a fresh look. But a remodel may be better if you want to improve your home's functionality. For example, knocking down a wall to create more space in the kitchen, or putting up a wall to create an extra bedroom.

42 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

Lori’s tips for creating a unique, personal space •

• •

• • •

Keep your eye out for unique furniture and accessories at thrift stores, salvage yards, antique markets, online (Wayfair. com, Overstock.com), and from local chains like Hobby Lobby, Pier One and Tuesday Morning.

If you see something you love, buy it, and figure out where you’ll put it later.

Think “outside the box” when it comes to lighting and storage. (Lori hangs sconces over her bedside tables to give light and save space.)

Reveal your personality through artwork, souvenirs from travel and sentimental pieces.

Find design ideas from online home décor sites and Pinterest.

Save money on hardware and light fixtures by purchasing from retail stores. (Lori bought all her drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby.)

from Wayfair and Overstock.com and I get a lot of things from Hobby Lobby. I’ll combine pieces together to create something eclectic. It’s crazy. I don’t necessarily ‘match’ things, but they all seem to go together.”

Lori includes personal touches and sentimental pieces everywhere in her design. “I have some crystal chandeliers and sconces that belonged to my mom. They aren’t really my style, but they were important to her. I found a place to hang them in my bathroom—near my claw foot tub—and they make me really happy when I see them.”

Lori also used two vintage sewing machines— both with special memories—as side tables in her guest bedroom. “One sewing machine belonged to my grandmother and the other belonged to Doug’s.”

Lori says she learned a lot from the crew at Drews Hunt. “When I asked for a claw-foot tub upstairs in my master bathroom, I never realized that the weight of the tub, plus the weight of the water, plus my own weight inside the tub would all have to take into consideration, to make sure the bathroom floor (which is the ceiling of the first floor) would be able to support it all.”

After 21 years living in a home and a neighborhood they cherish, empty-nesters Lori and Doug Murdoch continue to make memories in the perfect space to accommodate their ever-growing family, which now includes four frequent, energetic visitors: their delightful grandchildren.

500 River Fair Blvd., Belton • 254-831-9082 • 254-933-3800

Assisted Living | Memory Care | Premium Dining Convenient | Wide Range of Activities www.rcmseniorliving.com • An RCM Managed Community

TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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‘Small town, big style’

Denio’s Furniture compliments construction and design business

By FRED AFFLERBACH | Photography by JUSTIN BORJA

B

ack in 1982, husband-and-wife-team Jim and Gwen Denio decided to open a furniture showroom to compliment their growing construction and design business in Cameron. But that move came with a caveat from Jim. They lived a few miles outside Cameron and he didn’t want to work in town.

“Jim said, ‘If you’re going to open a store, it’s going to be right next door and it’s going to look like an old western town,’” Gwen recalled. “He thought if it doesn’t go the first year, I’m going to have a good hay barn. But the first year we had to double the size.”

Thirty-eight years later, Gwen jokes about “being put out to pasture.” And that’s a good thing because the second and third generations of Denios have taken the reins and now operate the bustling, 15,000-square-foot showroom and busy remodeling and home design company.

Driving along U.S. Highway 77 north of Cameron, you may have seen the big, red storefront that looks like a western wear and feed store outpost. But inside, the Denios have assembled everything necessary to transform even the most outdated and forlorn house into a warm and cozy home oozing country charm with a sprinkle of modern flair.

The showroom exudes comfort and serenity with a focus on earth colors, organic elements, natural stone, and even some reclaimed barn wood furniture. Accent pieces such as a highly sanded and polished tree stump, nickel table lamps, vases and mirrors compliment the leather sofas and modern gas fireplace inserts.

Regardless how large or small your needs, the Denio team is eager to help, whether you want to purchase just a single coffee table, a full dining set, or need a professional to hold your hand throughout a major remodeling.

Denio’s also designs and furnishes new homes. Working hand-in-hand with builders and

44 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

homeowners, they help customers select window treatments, flooring and lighting. And they coordinate furniture purchases and placement.

Denio’s doesn’t chase the latest fads. They follow trends with a focus on the long term.

Gwen’s daughter-in-law Franci Denio says natural colors such as blue-green, olive-green and coral are in style. As for overall themes, industrial with exposed beams, ductwork and vents, and modern farmhouse with simple lines are popular.

Franci joined the family business 25 years ago, after graduating Texas A&M with a business degree. Along with her husband Randy, they have seamlessly steered Denio’s from one generation to another. Franci says interior design is in her blood.

“I grew up sewing and working with fabrics. In college, I decorated all my friends’ dorm rooms,” she says. “Then I continued sewing draperies and other things for extra money. I had a business.”

Even after a quarter century helping clients transform their homes, Franci says that, “Every day is a different day. And every customer is so fun, to see what they’re going for and how to accomplish it. I think that’s the most rewarding part of my job, just to know we got what they wanted. We’re small town, but we’ve got big style.”

Daughter Jayci, 27, splits her time at Denio’s and two small businesses she has hatched in Temple.

Like her two siblings, she grew up in the showroom.

(The Denios at one time kept a baby bed in their office.) Today, Jayci stages new and model homes with furniture and accessories that help expedite sales. She also stages houses for the Parade of Homes in Temple. Jayci says she was influenced by both sides of the family, two creative grandmothers who made an impact on her early years.

Although Jayci and Franci are cut from the same cloth, they sometimes disagree. But that’s OK. “Our relationship is we can be really honest with

From left, Jayci Denio, Franci Denio and Gwen Denio help run the family's design business in Cameron. each other,” Jayci says. “I can tell Mom that doesn’t look good. And it’s the other way around.”

Denio’s relies on referrals and repeat business.

Melanie Romine, a Cameron resident and business owner, is now on her third remodeling project with Denio’s, going back 25 years.

“She (Franci) gets to know your likes and dislikes and colors; and she puts together wonderful things,” Romine says. “They’re very genuine.

They’re going to give you the best price for the money and not try to take you to the cleaners. It’s just a good, hometown, small town business that I think can compete with anybody in Dallas, or Houston, or any big city.”

Situated in Cameron, Denio’s sits like the hub in a wagon wheel, delivering to communities across much of Central Texas. The crew of about a dozen

workers and a small fleet of trucks travel from Waco to Temple to College Station to Georgetown.

Hanging out at Denio’s showroom, it feels like everyone who walks through the door is a close friend or relative. On a chilly February morning, Franci’s high school English teacher dropped by.

Later, a smiling UPS man who’s been delivering to Denio’s for more than 20 years delivered a package and discussion about the booming local development broke out. And one morning a cow surprised Franci by sneaking in a back door that had been left open. Maybe it’s still waiting on Jim to build that hay barn.

DENIO’S 850 N. Highway 77 Cameron 254-697-6759

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COOK RESIDENTIAL DESIGN Custom Homes Designed for the Art of Living

Curtis Cook has been creating “Custom Homes Designed for the Art of Living” in Bell County for more than 30 years.

Curtis, who is the owner and principal designer for Cook Residential Design, opened the business in 1989. His award-winning work has helped thousands of Central Texas residents realize a home of their dreams.

“Our commitment to excellence and attention to detail coupled with decades of experience is what sets us apart from the competition,” Curtis says, adding the business strives “to provide excellent client experiences by designing elegant custom homes for clients with discriminating tastes.”

Clients appreciate the firm’s reliability.

“They can rely on us to deliver quality design work and construction documents on time and on budget,” Curtis

says. Cook Designs works directly with several area builders, assuring clear communication and solid professional relationships. That results in better service for the home owner.

“We don’t espouse a particular style,” Curtis says. “Each project is as unique in site and composition as our clients.

We strive to create individualistic, site specific home designs and provide a one-of-a-kind experience for each client.”

Curtis’ son, Andrew, joined for the firm in 2012, learning the trade and coming into his own as a talented designer. He has helped the firm improve the services it provides. “We are well known for creative design, quality construction documents and service,” Andrew says. “Our detailed, organized process ensure a smooth transition from initial

design consultation to completed construction documents.”

Tom Jackson and Matt Turpin are draftsmen and key members of the firm’s design team.

“Delivering an exception client experience will always be the central goal of our design firm,” Curtis says. “It is what we are built on. We have been rewarded by our clients with a history of repeat commissions and the forming of life long relationships.”

371 Mill Creek Drive, Salado TX 254-947-3800 | cookresidentialdesign.com 46 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

residential design

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

HOMESPEC Real Estate Inspections

TREC License#1797 and 4519

If you’re buying, selling or building a home or commercial building; having HOMESPEC Real Estate Inspections involved will provide invaluable information.

Brad Phillips and Kelly Hankins have been providing real estate, construction and FHA inspections to buyers and sellers for over 30 years. Our goal is to provide exceptional service to our customers. Whether your needs are service from conception to completion on a custom built house or if you are buying a pre-owned home, we can help. We offer services from plan review to phase inspections in the building process or buyer and seller inspections in the purchase process. With multiple inspectors within the company, this not only offers greater flexibility in the scheduling process but also offers multiple inspectors on an individual inspection to speed the process up for the client. Our inspectors are involved in continuing education programs and are members of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and the Texas Professional Real Estate Inspectors Association.

Our inspectors are also certified code inspectors with the International Code Council.

Brad Phillips

real estate inspections

P.O. Box 1369, Temple 254-721-0326 | HOMESPEC1.com

Kelly Hankins

JIM WRIGHT COMPANY

Suzanne Gilbert, Realtor®/Office Manager and Craig Brown, Realtor®/Property Manager

Property management Rentals• Sales Residential & Commercial

Established in 1974, the Jim Wright Company (JWC) has grown into the largest full-service Rental and Property Management Company in the Fort Hood Area. We serve the needs of over 2,000 tenants and property owners each year. We were voted THE BEST Property Management and Rentals and THE BEST Real Estate Company in the Fort Hood Area for 2019 by the readers of the Killeen Daily Herald.

Our office includes a double drive-thru payment window, online portals, a large well trained staff, state-of-the-art computer system featuring the PropertyWare Management System; a Certified Property Manager (CPM) to oversee day-today management of your property; and a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), to assist you with Commercial and Investment properties. If you are looking for a professional Property Management Company, Investment Property, buying or selling Real Estate or need a Rental Property, the Jim Wright Company can assist you!

3800 S. WS Young Drive, #101, Killeen, TX (866) 686-5266 | jwcrentals.com TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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SWBC | MORTGAGE "As residents of the Temple/Belton community, we felt it important to have a location in the area to better serve our clients."

Strength. Service. Stability. In today’s ever-changing mortgage environment, SWBC Mortgage Corporation strives to be a guiding force to help clients through the mortgage process with knowledgeable, caring staff that can help reduce the stress of a home purchase.

A full-service mortgage lender headquartered in San Antonio since 1988, SWBC Mortgage opened its Killeen branch in 2009 and a new branch in Temple in 2020 (currently by appointment only). Branch Manager Leslie Lovett and Assistant Branch Manager Jimmy Alexander have over 50 years in combined lending experience.

Whether purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing loan, SWBC Mortgage Killeen can serve all your mortgage needs. They offer many mortgage lending programs such as FHA, VA, TXVet, USDA/Rural Development, Conventional Conforming and Jumbo loans.

Jimmy Alexander is also an example of SWBC Mortgage’s commitment to clients. A mortgage loan officer in the Killeen area for more than 20 years, he is an active member of the lending, real estate and home builder community.

Lovett, Alexander, Dave Kuebler, Regional VP and Chani Wilson, In-house LO, and the entire staff at SWBC Mortgage’s Killeen and Temple branches know a home is one of the biggest purchasing you make—any they’re ready to help every step of the way.

Loans are subject to credit and property approval. Other restrictions and conditions may apply. Programs and guidelines are subject to change without notice. Rates are subject to change daily. Corporate office located at 9311 San Pedro Avenue, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78216. SWBC Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #9741 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

204 Paloma Dr Ste 100, Temple, TX 76502 225-773-7123 | swbcmortgage.com 4524 South W S Young Drive Ste 101, Killeen, TX 76542 254-634-2822 | swbcmortgage.com

real estate 48

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FARMERS INSURANCE Dana Hoelscher Agency

“We want to show you why our agency should be your agency.”

Dana Hoelscher has been in the insurance industry over 16 years.

Her agency is built on service, honesty and caring. It’s affiliation with Farmers Insurance gives it the power of a premier company that insures more than 10 million households.

With a full line of insurance products including Home, Auto, Life, Renters, Specialty, Business, Commercial and Workers Compensation the Hoelscher Agency offers numerous ways for you to take care of your personal and business property.

“We offer a personalize approach to form meaningful relationships that clients appreciate,” Dana says. “We empower clients to make informed decisions about all lines of insurance. Allowing them to select coverage they need or that works best for them. Our agency searches for ways to help clients save while providing the coverage chosen.”

“We value our clients and want to show you why our agency should be your agency!”, say Dana and Donica.

insurance

405 Van Dyke Drive, Temple 76504 254-314-2626 agents.farmers.com/tx/temple/dana-hoelscher TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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ASHFORD HOMES

The Central Texas area is a growing family friendly area made up of plenty of fun things to do, business, shopping and healthcare. From nature trails, lakes and parks if you are new to the area you will love the Temple, Belton, Killeen area and surrounding communities. Ashford Homes is one of the leading local home builders in Central Texas. Quite simply, we have built nearly 2,000 single family homes throughout Bell County and aim for our customers to live comfortably and rest assured in their new home from Ashford Homes.

At Ashford Homes, we strive to remove the frustration out of buying a new home. With so many considerations, we diligently seek to simplify the process for you by considering every factor. So relax, whether you're buying your first home or your next home, we promise to keep the buying process simple and our craftsmanship superior.

We invite you to reach out to Bradley Sheppard at 254-300-7585 to see how we can help you find a new home from Ashford Homes.

Settler's Pass Off 195 and Stage Coach Rd. 254-300-7585 | ashfordhomestx.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Hunter Rentals & Sales 1503 W Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen 254-634-3311 | hunterrentals.com

Since 1986, Hunter Rentals & Sales has been serving the property management needs for many satisfied owners and renters of single and multi-family units in the Killeen area. For 32 years, they were known as Hunter Rentals & Property Management. At the end of 2018, a new name was chosen and the service just got better. REALTORS® Ida Gayton and Sue Burton provide the best service to their clients in both sales and property management.

Experience and first rate care for your property is what sets them apart from the rest. They are committed to ensure each client’s needs are met by providing exceptional communication methods and utilizing effective tools for both management and sales related transactions.

Whether you are a first time home owner, new or seasoned investor, and need property management or sales services, whether buying or selling, give them a call today. They are ready to put their experience to work for you!

To reach Ida Gayton, call her at 254-289-8433 or email her at Ida@HunterRentals.com To reach Sue Burton, call her at 254-535-5059 or email her at Sue@HunterRentals.com

Home Professionals

Pepper Creek Realtors

3402 Oaklawn, Temple 254-939-8200 | peppercreekrealtors.com One real estate business in Temple has been going strong for more than a decade and its owner still strives to find that perfect home for you.

Pepper Creek Realtors makes a complicated process run smoothly.

“It’s our job to make these transactions easy,” said owner and manager Carolyn Bigham. “We follow our clients from the first meeting to the final closing, and beyond.”

Bigham said she likes to help people.

“I opened this business to help people buy and sell homes and because I love it,” she said. “We believe every person, every family, who wants a home deserves one, no matter how large or small.”

Bigham is thankful for employees Charlotte Williams, Katrina Berndt, Vickie Davis and Dee Brewer.

Pepper Creek Realtors is located at 3402 Oaklawn, Temple, and is open from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 254-939-8200 or visit their website at www.peppercreekrealtors.com.

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“Your Style, Cameo Quality”

If you're looking to build a truly special home for your family, Cameo Homes, Inc., in Killeen, might be just the place to start. The company has been a fixture in Central Texas since opening its doors in Killeen in 1962. "We've been building quality, sustainable and affordable homes in Killeen and surrounding areas for more than 50 years," said owner Don Farek. "We work with our buyers to design homes to meet the needs of their everyday life." Through the years, Cameo Homes has built a reputation for exceptional quality and service. "We take pride in ensuring each home is designed with the homeowner's lifestyle in mind by going beyond just the floor plan and

design of the interior," Farek said. "We pride ourselves on connecting with every homeowner on a personal level, so we can create something special for that person," Farek said. "It gives us a sense of satisfaction to know our customers will enjoy and make memories in their homes for years to come." Cameo Homes, Inc.’s motto is “Your style, Cameo Quality”. Farek says “The quality is not only in the construction but also the quality of the relationships that are formed. We have had many repeat buyers after building their first home 10-20 years ago. That is a true testament to the way we like to do business”

13098 TX-195, Killeen, TX 76542 254-634-2651 | cameo@cameohomesdf.com 52 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

3006 Box Canyon, Nolanville 2540 Square Feet 4 Bedroom 3 Bath 3 Car Garage “Designed with today’s modern family lifestyle in mind” AVAILABLE NOW! REACH OUT TO BRANDI FOR DETAILS.

real estate

Is it a silo? A grain bin?

No, this is a cozy ‘Bindominium’ Two-story former steel shell has all the modern conveniences

By FRED AFFLERBACH | Photography by REBECCA BACHTEL

D

riving through rural Bell County, you are sure to pass numerous drab, gray cylinders with cone tops. Some folks call them silos.

Others say grain bins. West of Temple, just off Texas 317, Margaret and David E. Leigh call their unit a ‘Bindominium.’

The couple spent six months converting their old, steel shell—28 feet in diameter and two stories tall—into a cozy guesthouse. David says he coined the term Bindominium as an adaptation of a popular building motif called “Barndominum” where builders use a barn shell to construct living quarters inside. So when he bandied about the name, Bindominium, it stuck.

The Bindominium is home to modern conveniences such as a full kitchen, two bathrooms, central heat and air conditioning, upstairs bedroom, ceiling fans and an inviting, covered front porch complete with a swing and Adirondack chairs.

The Leighs have lived on their 200-acre farm since 1977. But family history goes deeper, back to

1925 when David’s mother lived there.

David built the grain bin in about 1978 as a place to store wheat and corn. It once held 9,000 bushels, or nine tractor-trailer loads. But when he quit farming, the empty shell was home to field mice, thus a problem needed to be addressed.

The Leighs considered carving it into manageable pieces and selling it for scrap. But after visiting the Silo House at the Laughing Llama Farm near Troy, they decided to build a guesthouse. Although the Laughing Llama’s owners operate their converted grain bin as a bed and breakfast, the Leighs had other ideas.

Because their home sits only 40 feet from the Bindominium, the Leighs remodeled the grain bin with their four grandsons in mind, now all in their 20s, as a cozy place to lay their heads when they’re visiting grandpa and grandma.

Connor Leigh, 24 and now living in Austin, remembers climbing up a ladder inside the bin at a young age. He visited about three times during Continued

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Come dine with us, shop with us and travel with us. The journey will be amazing.

construction and is excited to bring his dovehunting buddies up for an overnight stay. “There was a side door . . . you could open that up. It’s not exactly a safe thing to do. There was still corn in there,” he says.

Margaret says there’s only one thing missing at the Bindominium. “There’s no washer and dryer so they can’t stay too long.”

The Leighs have employed some deft touches to incorporate the new with the old, the past with the present. Workers removed the original, sunfaded steel door and hung it in the kitchen; now it’s the pantry door. And a common kitchen utensil was used as the color sample for the cabinets. “The rolling pin was my aunt’s from the ’30s. I like the color green on the handles, so they matched the paint,” Margaret says.

An American flag hanging vertically from the second floor belonged to David’s uncle, a WW IIera veteran. It was draped over the uncle’s casket at his funeral. The underside of the kitchen table has a label with a manufactured date stenciled on it—1954. And in the upstairs bathroom a medicine chest from David’s grandmother’s house in Gatesville, circa 1950s, was installed over the sink.

Just as you could 70 years ago, if so inclined, you can deposit your used razor blade in a wall slot.

The Leighs turned to longtime Temple contractor David Winkler to tackle the job. Winkler had already built their home, a barn and a commercial building for the Leighs, so they were comfortable trusting him with the challenge.

Winkler says that in more than 40 years in construction, he’s never had a challenge like converting an old grain bin into living quarters.

Literally and figuratively, he cut no corners. After all, there are no 90-degree angles in a round building.

“The stairwells, the granite tops with round backs, smaller tile pieces in the shower to make the radius, baseboard, trim, everything had to be a little different,” Winkler says.

Winkler also installed 10 windows, the largest six feet tall and three feet wide. Cutting a big hole in heavy gauge steel, while standing on scaffolding, was no mean feat. Because there were no reinforcing studs or braces in the steel shell, the whole building wobbled a little, Winkler said. And installing the windows proved especially challenging due to the curved surface. But the effort proved worthwhile, providing ample light and pleasant 360-degree views of a nearby creek, corn and cotton fields, and the horizon.

From top to bottom, Winkler and his crews performed various accommodations. The subflooring was made from perforated steel and had to be removed. But it was reinstalled, and along with shiplap boards, used as wainscoting. Because of concerns about flooding, workers poured six more inches of concrete. Looking up at the

Tex Appeal Tex Appeal is...

54 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

roof, you’ll see spray-on foam insulation that has mitigated voices and other sounds from ricocheting around the room.

Now that all but a few finishing touches are complete, the Leighs are considering holding

an open house for friends, family members and workers. David says he expects the same thing he’s heard from visitors already. “Pretty much people have the same reaction when they see it. When can I stay here?”

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Working on the interior design of Amy’s House is a labor of love for Laura White.

Laura White Interior Design and Amy’s House:

Giving back by design

By JANNA ZEPP | Photography by REBECCA BACHTEL

A

small travel trailer sits on the campus of Baylor, Scott & White Medical Center that housed the families of organ donors and organ transplant patients waiting for services at the center. Transplant Recipients International Organization provided it. Soon, however, a house— Amy’s House—will stand on the corner of Avenue U and South 15th Street in Temple, to better serve those who have been staying in the trailer and those who will need a place to stay in the future.

Amy’s House will be for those who cannot otherwise afford accommodations during their convalescences and while receiving services at the hospital. It is named for organ donor Amy Firth, who died of blood clots in her brain in November 2012. She was the daughter of retired Central Texas College professor John Henderson and Margaret Henderson. Amy’s kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, corneas, tissue, and lungs went immediately to at least five different people in need, giving them another chance at a longer life than they might have had without Amy’s generosity.

The interior of Amy’s House, which includes eight bedrooms, a common living room, a kitchen, dining room, and laundry room, will have the mark of Laura White Interior Design on them. It is a labor of love in the memory of Amy and the organ donors and recipients that will stay there.

Laura got the call to help from a friend who is a TRIO Central Texas board member, asking Laura to contact the Hendersons. Laura and Margaret were appointed to be the Selection Committee for Amy’s House at a TRIO Central Texas board meeting last fall. They’ve worked together to select everything involved in building a house and to secure as many donations of products or discounts on products as possible. Laura has donated to TRIO with her time and energy because she supports TRIO’s mission.

“I called the Hendersons and, after talking to them and finding out what the project was all about, I could not say no,” Laura says. “And as with other clients, I tell them two heads are better than one and I am a great hand holder. I knew a lot of

How to help Amy’s House

Trio Central Texas welcomes the participation and support of anyone who shares the vision of their parent organization and specific goals of the local chapter. To donate to money to help with building, furnishing, and maintaining Amy’s House, send a check to TRIO Central and write Amy’s House in the memo.

TRIO Central Texas 4311 S. 31st St., Suite 150 Box 319 Temple, TX 76502

decisions had already been made and a builder (selected).

“So I felt like at this stage, I could help with those color selections of products in the specs and possibly the furnishings. Wherever they needed assistance,” Laura says.

Providing a home away from home for organ donors and organ transplant patients is the goal, so to that end, the house has been commercially designed and built free of barriers for those with special physical needs.

“We do want this to reflect their (the Hendersons’) daughter Amy for whom the house was built. Her love of the outdoors and her favorite colors will definitely be a part of this house,” Laura says. “All along the way we have included her memory in decisions we have made which makes areas personal and well thought out.

“In selecting colors and surfaces, we met with Gwen Petter at Wilsonart who was also a big help in showing us products that would fit this type of application that they could help with.”

Laura says her experience on the Ronald McDonald House Board of Directors helped Continued

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immeasurably, and that there are many similarities in Amy’s House and the Ronald McDonald House which she says makes it easy for her and others to help.

“What I discovered is that all along the process, going to businesses or individuals and asking for donations for a house like this is the easiest part and everyone gives from their heart. Not only do they give but they usually give more than you ever expect. This community, along with the association of Baylor Scott and White, (are) the most giving and caring people,” Laura says.

There is still more to be done. Margaret says money for the purchase of furnishings for the house is the biggest need.

“Because we want the house to have a uniform look, we are selecting all the items that will go into the house,” says Margaret. “For example, we need 16 full beds, eight nightstands and recliners, sofas, comfy chairs, end tables, four dining room sets, conference room furniture, office furniture, a treadmill, and computer equipment. Then there are all the small things that make a house a home: dishes, small appliances, cookware, flatware, art, decorative pillows, cleaning equipment and supplies, linens of all kinds.”

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Margaret is in the process of creating registries for household needs that will enable various civic organizations and individuals to purchase gifts for the house tax-free.

To learn more about TRIO, visit trioweb.org. To learn more about TRIO Central Texas, visit www. triocentraltexas.org. To become an organ donor, visit www.organdonor.gov.

Crafts • Jewelry • Clothing • Art & Decor Housewares • Food & Drinks • Music

2020 Schedule April 18 May 16 September 19 October 17 November 21 9am to 4pm

DOWNTOWN BELTON BUSINESS ALLIANCE

downtownbelton.com

254-933-8370 o c e a n q u e s t p o o l s. c o m TEXAPPEALMAG.COM

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New name, new location, new future for

Hidden Falls Nursery N

By AMY ROGNLIE | Photography by BECKY STINEHOUR

ow known as Grizzly’s Hidden Falls Nursery and Landscaping, the much-loved nursery is moving to a new home in Nolanville. The nursery serves customers throughout the Temple, Belton and Killeen area, with others coming from as far as Lampasas, Troy and even Austin.

“The new location in Nolanville is easier to find and more centrally located,” says owner Ben Gillilan. “We will be located on the same property as Farr’s Landscape Supply, allowing customers to have everything they need in one place.”

Everything—including a real waterfall.

“Our new five-acre property affords beautiful views of Nolan Creek. We will have a few trails along the creek and a pond, featuring a cool waterfall made from our old rusted 52 Chevy,” he says. “I love nature and getting out to hike, so I thought it would be fun for others to have that opportunity when they visit the nursery.”

Ben, an Army veteran, and his wife purchased Hidden Falls Nursery in 2016. Since then, the nursery has become well-known for its knowledgeable staff, organic gardening products and its emphasis on native plants.

“Native plants are amazingly tough,” Ben says.

“Once they are established, you can almost ignore them and they will thrive. A lot of folks are shocked at how much color and texture we have in our native plants here in Texas.”

Besides the array of native plants, the new, larger location will provide ample space for a wide variety of annuals, shrubs and trees for every landscaping need. They also have a large selection of metal lawn ornaments, decorative pottery and

60 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

Get involved

The Youth Backyard Garden Initiative is looking for volunteers.

Founded in 2018, YBGI's vision is to train youth (ages 8 to 18) to create and sustain backyard gardens in their own neighborhoods, partnering them with experienced gardeners and helping novice gardeners to create and maintain their own backyard gardens.

YBGI needs: • Young people who want to learn to garden help others learn.

• Adult volunteers to work with the children.

• Community members who would like to have a garden in their yard YBGI also offers free community engagement meeting on the second Saturday of the month at Monarch Academy, 4205 Old Florence Road in Killeen. Upcoming meeting topics include “Mulching Your Way to Weed Control” and “Organic Weed and Insect Control.”

colorful garden knick-knacks that can spice up your landscape.

“It’s not hard to have a beautiful landscape. With a little effort and by starting small, you can have great success,” Ben says. “Many people think they need to wait until springtime to plant, but here in Central Texas, trees and shrubs should be planted in the winter so they take off in the spring.”

Ben and his staff will offer classes on topics ranging from gardening basics to composting, rainwater collecting and even pollinator planting.

Hidden Falls has partnered with the Killeen-based Backyard Gardening Initiative, an organization that trains young people to create and sustain backyard gardens in their own neighborhood, to offer a class on planning peppers and tomatoes.

Ben also volunteers with the Nolanville Boys & Girls Club at Monarch Community Park every Friday, working with the children on attracting birds and butterflies to the garden.

“When I was growing up, my grandpa and my

ABOVE: A rusted ’52 Chevy was turned into a waterfall feature at Grizzly's Hidden Falls Nursery in Nolanville.

BELOW RIGHT: Owner Ben Gillilan and Josh Gillilan appreciate their loyal customer base.

Perennial picks

Ben’s top perennial picks for spring color: 1. Blackfoot Daisy 2. Four Nerve Daisy 3. Trailing Lantana 4. Muhly grasses (Gulf Muhly or Big Muhly)

dad always had a garden. I love working with these organizations that help get the younger generation excited about gardening,” he says.

Besides his involvement in the community, Ben says he simply enjoys helping customers find exactly what they’re looking for.

“I love this business,” he says. “The support given us by our customer base is why we can satisfy the commitment we have made to them and are certain we can continue for many years to come."

GRIZZLY'S HIDDEN FALLS NURSERY 1101 W. U.S. Highway 190, Nolanville 254-699-4600

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Belton Senior Activity Center

Presents

We sell and install all types of locks and security solutions.

Classic Christmas Markets Tour

to Innsbruck, Munich, Strasbourg, Nuremberg and Wurzburg

24 Hours a Day / 7 Days a Week!

December 5-13, 2020 through Collette Tours

Keys • Locks • Safes

Information Session on

Donald Bulls Locksmith

Monday, April 20, 2020 • 10am

254-778-3201

Please RSVP to 254-939-1170 or ask for Judy Owens for more information.

2001 W. Avenue M Temple, TX Bobby Bulls, owner

62 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

Belton Senior Activity Center 842 Mitchell Street, Belton

BEING CENTRAL TEXAN

I

Finding happily ever after in Central Texas

'm a Texan and a direct descendant of Cinderilla, because, once upon a time, 16-year-old bride Cinderilla “Rilla” Twyman Lewis (that’s how she spelled it) traveled from West Virginia to Texas by train and then a wagon packed with wedding gifts to meet her husband, Henry Rust Lewis, on their land grant near Athens.

Unpacking the barrels, she discovered all her possessions were broken, but like her fairytale namesake, that did not crush her spirit. With determination and imagination, she created a home for nine children whose descendants now reside across Texas and on the original home place.

Of those descendants, my parents, Ed and Maurice Bailey, first lived in Houston, but in 1958, they moved to Central Texas and bought a country SHARON grocery store near the banks of the DOUGLAS Brazos River, 20 miles from both Brenham and Bryan. Cotton farmers and their employees were their primary customers. My parents allowed local farm workers to charge groceries through lean winters and Dad made sure there were Easter egg hunts and Christmas stockings for their children.

From the store's porch, we could see the Aggie bonfires on the nights preceding the Texas A&M University vs.

University of Texas football games and this inspired me to attend A&M—but back then, the school did not admit women.

After I graduated from Snook High School in 1965, I was moved by protest movements I saw while growing up and by the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I visited then-Texas A&M president James Earl Rudder, confronting him about the school discriminating against women. At that time, daughters of university employees could attend classes, but could not earn degrees, and women who were not related to employees could not attend at all.

It fell on deaf ears at the time, but seven years later, Title IX, the federal civil rights law that was passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, and that solved the issue once and for all. I graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1976.

I was widowed twice before I was 30 years old and I had two children when I met Bob Douglas, who promised to outlive me. With his three children, we became our own family when we married in 1978.

Bob’s job with Lone Star Gas Company transferred us to Anahuac on the Gulf Coast, and I taught kindergarten in Winnie. The following year, our twin son and daughter were born, giving us seven children in all. My Cinderella story became more like The Brady Bunch TV series, but we quickly learned the fallacy of comparison: they had Alice. We did not.

We returned to Central Texas often. Driving on Highway 190 to Killeen to visit Bob's family, we often paused at the hill overlooking Nolanville. If, as the song from the Disney Cinderella movie says, a dream is a wish your heart makes, then our hearts wished to live here.

The dream came true in 1990. Bob's job took us to the Austin area and we settled in Florence where I taught at the elementary school. We lived there until the twins graduated from high school. With our last little chick out of the nest, Bob and I began a bucket list of things to accomplish in our lives.

Living on a lake was checked off by moving to a twostory house overlooking Lake Belton. In Belton, I taught at Lakewood Elementary. I retired briefly, coming out of retirement to teach at Clear Creek Elementary in Killeen.

Other items were checked off our list, including traveling the world to see Peru, Guatemala, Chile, Scotland, Washington, D.C., and Germany. Invited to join the Contemporaries of the Azalee Marshall Cultural Activities Center in Temple, I found friendship and opportunities to help create the yearly “hands on” cultural arts program for third grade students and to raise funds for the center.

When climbing stairs got hard for us, we bought a one-story house in Salado. Five of our adult children, plus grandchildren and great-grandchildren, now call Central Texas home, and we're close to them all in a happily-everafter of my own “Cinderilla” story that would make my ancestor proud.

I needed projects, so I pulled weeds for Keep Salado Beautiful and joined the cast of Legends of Salado at Tablerock. When the Texas Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering in Alpine disbanded for a time, I organized one in Salado (saladocowboypoetry.com), and Chadley Hollas at the Salado Tourism Office has been an excellent resource and facilitator for this May 2 event. With his help, The Stagecoach Inn, Barrow Brewery and the Yellow House Bed and Breakfast agreed to be sponsors. Linda Griffith of Salado volunteered to handle publicity.

Heritage Country Church (heritagecountrychurch.org) is the home of Salado Cowboy Poetry and Music Gatherings.

Maxdale Cowboy Church will bring their chuck wagon to provide cowboy coffee and Dutch oven biscuits for visitors.

Tickets are available at centraltexastickets.com.

Salado fits me like a glass slipper and being Central Texan to me means having a place rich in Texas culture and history to put down roots for my family. It means being a part of a great community with wonderful activities and amenities.

Central Texas is still the home of Texas hospitality, great barbecue, and a friendly welcome from neighbors.

Come see for yourself. Let's share some stories and get acquainted. Come to the cowboy gathering and come on with us to church. I might even invite you over to the house for a cup of coffee or a Dr Pepper, because, being a Central Texan, that’s just what we do.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Add flair to recipes with unusual ingredients

W

hile most of us yield to the routine of picking out delicious vegetables at the local grocery store or farmer’s market, we may not realize a plethora of “unusual” fruits and vegetables exist outside our locality. Many strange yet delicious ones exist which can add flair to any spring recipe.

Most of these outrageous CAREY STITES varieties can grow MS, RD, LD, CPT in our region and seeds are available for purchase online.

FRUITS

PINEBERRIES: Pineberries, also known as white strawberries, are naturally occurring fruits similar to the traditional red strawberry and possess a white skin color and red seeds. Falsely rumored to be “genetically engineered,” they are actually descendants of our red strawberry and grow in North America. Pineberries are less sweet than red strawberries and have a hint

of pineapple; interestingly the color of these berries is known to deter birds.

CAPE GOOSEBERRIES: Cape gooseberries, known as ground cherries, are native to the South American region but now flourish in regions all over the globe. Cape gooseberries are small circular fruits which look similar to yellow cherry tomatoes; what sets these apart is they are enclosed in a greenish husk which looks like a paper lantern. The flavor of cape gooseberries is both sweet and can be described as a cross between a cherry tomato and fruits such as pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon.

HUCKLEBERRIES: The huckleberry is a real fruit-actually, the berry is the state fruit of Idaho and a favorite staple for grizzly bears! Huckleberries are edible and many varieties exist in North America, primarily in the Rocky Mountains, Pacific Northwest and Montana, which results in a plethora of colors from bright red to purple to blue. The red huckleberry is tart while the purple blue variety are sweeter and similar to actual blueberries. The darker huckleberries can be used as a substitute in recipes calling for blueberries, such as pies and jams. It

is important to note blueberries and huckleberries are two different fruits and huckleberries can only be found in the wild.

LOQUAT: The loquat tree produces beautiful clusters of sweet smelling flowers and the large green leaves can be found in beautiful floral arrangements. The flowers give way to a yellowish-orange small fruit known as the loquat, or Japanese plum. Loquats traditionally are eaten with the skin, however, keep in mind there are several large seeds located in the center. The flavor of this small fruit is similar to a sour tasting plum, with sweet hints of lemon, apricot and cherry. The best way to eat a loquat is fresh right off the tree although loquats taste great in jelly and pies.

VEGETABLES

ROMANESCO BROCCOLI: Originally known as the “broccoflower,” this beautiful bright green variation has been deemed stunning due to its intense swirls of green spiky peaks. Romanesco broccoli is known as the cousin to cauliflower and other family members include Brussels sprouts, cabbage and of course, broccoli. The gorgeous vegetable and can be eaten raw,

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steamed or baked with a little salt, pepper and olive oil.

BLACK RADISH: Want to wow your guests at the spring dinner party? Black radishes are an eyecatching addition to any vegetable dish or salad. The skin is crisp and black while the inside of the radish is sparkling white. The skin can be removed, if needed, as on occasion this variety can be quite bitter for some. Black radishes require direct sunlight and take longer to grow.

BLUE POTATO: The striking blue-purple color of this potato will definitely make any mashed potato dish impressive and exquisite. Known as the Adirondack potato, the deep color of the potato’s skin comes from anthocyanin, similar to blueberries.

Blue potatoes can be cooked and served the same as “regular” potatoes and taste similar.

ACHOCHA (AKA “FAT BABIES”): A native of South America, this vegetable is a small bright emerald green pod with edible soft spikes; the inside is hollow with black seeds.

The Achocha, relatively unknown, is a member of the cucumber family along with cucumber, squash and zucchini, to name a few. The taste of the Achocha is a flavorful blend of

cucumber and green bell peppers and can be used in salad, stir-fries and casseroles. Achocha seeds can be purchased online and do well in full sun, warm climates.

KALEIDOSCOPE CARROT: This carrot can be called a “rainbow carrot” as well due to the combination of colors and unique pattern of each carrot. Most kaleidoscope carrots have yellow, purple and red which can turn the typical salad into a conversation starter at any party. These carrots taste the same as their orange counterparts and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Thanks to the internet, locating these “exotic” fruits and vegetables can be relatively easy and searching for new recipes incorporating these unique foods can be fun and exciting. This spring try making a loquat upside down cake or blue mashed potatoes with steamed kaleidoscope carrots and enjoy these beautiful one-of-a-kind fruits and vegetables.

Carey Stites is a registered and licensed dietitian and certified personal trainer working for Wellstone Health Partners in Harker Heights.

1202 SOUTH 31ST STREET | TEMPLE | 254-773-5772

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ADVERTISING INDEX AdventHealth.............................................3 Airmax Heating & Air Conditioning.........62 Ashford Homes........................................50

12,578 Tickets Sold

Atmos Energy...........................................19 Baylor Scott & White Hospice..................33 Belton Senior Center................................62 Cameo Homes..........................................52 CentralTexasTickets.com..........................66 Cheaper Than Dirt....................................49 Colonial Real Estate........................... 20-23 Cook Residential Design..........................46 Desert Storm Paintball.............................19 Document Solutions.................................64

$170,300

To Local Organizations

Donald Bulls Locksmith............................62 Ellis Air Systems.........................................7 Extraco Banks...........................................67 Farmers Insurance/Dana Hoelscher.........49 Garlyn Shelton GM..................... Back cover Gretchen Williams....................................33 Homespec................................................47 Hunter Rentals..........................................51

More than 12,000 tickets have been sold to local events and $170,300 has been generated for local organizations since the launch of CentralTexasTickets.com early last year. These events benefitted from the powerful promotion of the Temple Daily Telegram, Killeen Daily Herald, Fort Hood Sentinel, Tex Appeal Magazine and tdtnews.com – all at no charge to the sponsoring organizations.

John Lister CPA........................................59 John Magoon...........................................27 Journey Advisory Group..........................27 JWC Property Management....................47 Killeen Overhead Doors...........................54 Lastovica Jewelers....................................65 Laura White Interior Design.....................62 My Giving Tree.........................................59

For more information on selling tickets to your organization’s next event on CentralTexasTickets.com contact us at

254-778-4444.

Ocean Quest Pools by Lew Akins............59 Pepper Creek Realty................................51 Pink Tulips Cakery....................................27 Precious Memories...................................39 RNC Construction....................................27 Salado Cowboy Poetry Gathering...........43 Smile At The World Orthodontics............29

CENTRALTEXAS

TICKETS.COM Powered by Frank Mayborn Enterprises

The place to find and purchase tickets for area events, concerts, shows and festivals.

66 SPRING 2020 | TEX APPEAL

Stellar Homes.............................................5 Stoney Brook of Belton............................43 Susan Marie's Boutique..............................2 SWBC Mortgage......................................48 Temple Area Builders......................... 16-17 The Blind Shop.........................................19 United Way...............................................39 The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions to this index.

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