Texan Magazine Winter 2023

LISA DANTE

KEITH CHESTER JOSH HUSKIN LISA DANTE

MARC HESS JIM PETERSON LISA DANTE MARSHALL E. KUYKENDALL EDUARD PEYER NANCY FOSTER BILL DANTE MATTHEW HARVEY DR. RICHARD BRUCE WINDERS ALBERT FLORES JEREMIAH

THE EDITOR LETTER FROM

Hello 2023!

Did you make any new year resolutions? I didn’t. It’s too much pressure. I figure I already know what my goals are, so I just try to keep on working toward them every single day. Sometimes we slip up, and that’s ok. Baby steps usually work out better for most people.

To paraphrase F. Scott Fitzgerald: “It’s never too late. There is no time limit. You can change or stay the same. You can make the best or worst of it. I hope you make the best of it.” You got this.

Why do we do what we do here at TEXAN Magazine?

I think the power of the written word can have a tangible effect on someone. My goal as the editor and publisher is to inform, entertain, preserve Texas history and promote businesses that are of interest and beneficial to our readers and community.

In this issue, we’re highlighting a story about the American Dream. The Zavala’s journey is a great success story of hard work, talent and determination. Plus, you’ll find delicious, comforting, cold weather recipes that are easy to make. And, it’s rodeo season in Texas!

Thank you for your support and for all of your wonderful feedback. I hope 2023 is your best year yet!

Lisa Dante Editor in Chief

GERARDO ZAVALA

ELEGANT FURS

DESIGNER WORLD FAMOUS

OF LUXURY

by LISA DANTE

Artistic expertise, attention to detail, an eye for beauty, self-made design skills and unmatched customer service are only a few words that begin to describe Master Furrier and designer, Gerardo Zavala.

He and his beautiful wife, Nereida, “Nelly,” are natives of Coahuila, Mexico and came to San Antonio in the early 1980s. The handsome couple, have built a very successful business that started with only a dream.

It’s the tale of a true success story that started back in the 1960s in Laredo. A young Gerardo became fascinated with furs while working after school in his uncle’s fur shop. Eventually, at the age of fourteen he convinced his mother to let him go to Alaska to gain further training and knowledge in order to perfect his God -given talent in design and manufacturing. Zavala apprenticed in Alaska with David Green, whose reputation as one of the best renowned furriers in the world, allowed Zavala to learn from a true master!

News of Green’s incredible talent and his apprentice Zavala’s eye for design

spread worldwide and Green’s skills were soon sought out by socialites, celebrities and entertainers. Through Green, Zavala was able to contribute his talents to help manufacture Willie Nelson’s signature buffalo coat, along with Larry Hagman’s timber wolf coat. After spending seventeen years in Alaska, Zavala moved to San Antonio, Texas to apprentice with internationally acclaimed couture designer, Michael Mouratidis, who designed for the Kennedys and Elizabeth Taylor. It was only after the passing of Mr. Mouratidis that the self-made designer, Zavala and his wife were inspired to bring Gerardo’s own dream to life and open his own salon.

A young Gerardo became fascinated with furs while working after school in his uncle’s fur shop.

The Zavala’s have three beautiful daughters, Angela, Lourdes and Tiffany. Angela, is involved in the marketing of the business through social media, and Lourdes is a university fashion design student.

Elegant Furs, LLC was born in 2005 on Broadway Avenue in San Antonio. And only four years after that, because of the Zavala’s thriving business, a much needed expansion was necessary, and a new location was found. Gerardo and Nelly, who is an instrumental part of the business, bought the Ram Building at 4434 Blanco Road in the heart of San Antonio, and thus, the designers salon, Elegant Furs, had a new location.

“We now had a much bigger and luxurious space, to not only showcase our many custom designs, but we also increased our very affordable, climate controlled storage area to the largest in San Antonio! We were also able to better showcase our accessory line, which includes handbags, hats, gloves, scarves, wraps, boots, shoes and much

more. Our home furnishings area, increased too, with one -of-a kind pillows and fur blankets. Most importantly, our space for designing and our elegant, yet comfortable consultation area for fittings was expanded in order to provide privacy and the best personal and detailed customer service the industry has to offer,” says Zavala.

Nelly, Gerardo, Angela and Lourdes Zavala

Many customers bring in family heirloom pieces that have been handed down through generations, wanting Zavala to work his designer skill and magic in re-styling the fur for themselves, or the next generation. “I DON’T want my clients to LIKE my work, I want them to LOVE it! That’s why I treat everyone who walks through the door of my salon as family. Clients have remarkable stories about special garments and they come straight from the heart. I take great care and concern to make sure that I am creating what is best for my clients. It’s very important to me,” says Zavala.

Of course there are many new pieces to choose from. The natural pieces include mink, silver and gray fox, chinchilla, lynx, Persian lamb, Russian sable and much more. The range of color is really anything you can imagine. Most of the pieces are manufactured on site. There are also cleaning, appraisal and repair services, of not only fur, but leather, as well.

This remarkable couple, hand in hand has built an astonishingly successful business based on quality, care, customer service and affordability. It truly is the American Dream come true!

Elegantfurs.net

I take great care and concern to make sure that I am creating what is best for my clients. It’s very important to me.

TEXAN EVENTS

SADDLE UP COWBOY LET’S RODEO!

by BILL DANTE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, FORMER TEXAS RANGERS FOUNDATION

TEXAN EVENTS

There are genuine, authentic and real cowboys and cowgirls for sure. Always has been and always will be. But now there has been a major increase in everything western. That includes music, clothing, even buying your own horse and livestock and headin’ to the rodeo! The word is that the western clothing industry, boots, hats, jeans and everything

else western to wear, has had a major surge in sales due to the immense popularity of recent western-themed TV shows. It’s now four years after the premiere of the mega successful hit, TV series, “Yellowstone,” written by Texan, Taylor Sheridan, and starring Kevin Costner. The “Let’s be a cowboy!” mindset is stronger than you could ever imagine!

TEXAN EVENTS

The cowboy way of life, work, fun and play was brought into main awareness and dramatically increased sales of everything western, including rodeo. Last year rodeo tickets state wide and everything on the grounds showed great increases in revenue. That means more money for scholarships, and that alone is great news! So

whether you’re a greenhorn or a direct descendent of five generations of Texas Rangers, it’s time to RODEO!!

There are two things in Texas that most Texans agree upon. A major part of being a Texan is Friday night football in the fall, and the legendary Rodeo season in the winter.

TEXAN EVENTS

The first indoor rodeo took place in Fort Worth in 1917 and that tradition continues this year with 31 days from January 13th to February 4th at Dickies Arena. In addition, as always, there is livestock, the carnival, lots of great food and of course the live entertainment with some of the best country recording artists. This year there will be John Michael Montgomery and Deana Carter to Texas’ own, Shane Smith. The main objective, as always, is for the rodeo non-profit organization to

continue to raise millions of dollars for educational scholarships and much more.

Let’s, as they say, mosey down IH 35 and head south to San Antonio. Rodeo dates are from February 9-26th. Now there’s a reason, prior to Covid-19, that 32 million people visited San Antonio every year. In those numbers, 80% came from within Texas. A Texans visit to “The Alamo City” seems to be a must, year in and year out!

TEXAN EVENTS

If you are going to the 2023 rodeo in SA, then set aside a few days apart from the rodeo because there is so much to do in the River City. Imagine Spanish charm, the romantic River Walk, strolling guitars, mariachis, historic missions, river barges and some of the best Mexican food, of course.

There are more than enough beer choices, and definitely one to try is their own Alamo Beer, and great margaritas. You don’t need to go south of the border and you don’t need a passport. Let’s not forget SeaWorld, Fiesta Texas and some of the best golf courses in Texas.

During the rodeo there is the 2023 Cowboy Golf Classic, held downtown at the Quarry golf course, giving you a chance and opportunity to play beside some of the best PRCA cowboys. There will be southern charm, great ambiance and breakfast and lunch included.

TEXAN EVENTS

Wait a minute, started talking about everything you can do around San Antonio and need to remind you we are talking also about one of the best stock shows and rodeos in the entire state. Besides all of the great cowboy and cowgirl competitions, two hours prior to the musical shows, you may want to set aside a day to see a very special show on February 25th. It’s the Mexican Charreada with horsemanship skills that go back to the 16th century. A true trip back in time and an incredible evening to experience. Keep in mind that rodeo comes from the Spanish word “Rodear,” and started with the Spanish ranchers. It was the vaqueros, or Mexican cowboys, who introduced the rodeo to present day Texas.

TEXAN EVENTS

TEXAN EVENTS

Last year, there were approximately 24,000 exhibitors in livestock and horse shows at this rodeo. Plus, there is shopping, eating, drinking and dancing all under one roof. The music lineup is some of the best of the best! Legendary Ronnie Milsap, Tracy Bird, Keith Urban, Dwight Yoakam, Los Tigres and even Lynyrd Skynyrd just to name a few, will be there.

Check out the complete schedules attached to this article. We’ve also included a few rodeo 101’s in the TEXAN MAGAZINE archives for those of you who are new to rodeo and need a little catching up! (Check out the issue, the one with the old barn and Texas flag on the cover, free online, at Texanmag.com)

Brush off your boots and hat and look your western rodeo best. You will certainly enjoy the 2023 rodeo in San Antonio!

TEXAN EVENTS

Friday, Jan. 20 8:00 PM

Brian Regan - Auditorium Concert Series 9:30 PM

Dunn & Brooks - Bud Light Roadhouse

Saturday, Jan. 28

8:00 PM

Larry the Cable Guy - Auditorium Concert Series 9:30 PM Poo Live Crew - Bud Light Roadhouse

Friday, Jan. 13

7:30 PM John Michael Montgomery with Deana Carter - Auditorium Concert Series 9:30 PM Alex Williams - Bud Light Roadhouse

Saturday, Jan. 14 8:00 PM Tesla - Auditorium Concert Series 9:30 PM

Summer Dean - Bud Light Roadhouse Sunday, Jan. 15 6:00 PM Banda Santa Cruz - Bud Light Roadhouse Monday, Jan. 16 4:00 PM The Inspiration Band - Bud Light Roadhouse Tuesday, Jan. 17 9:30 PM

Bart Crow - Bud Light Roadhouse Wednesday, Jan. 18 9:30 PM

Sons of Bocephus - Bud Light Roadhouse

Thursday, Jan. 19 9:30 PM Micky and the Motorcars - Bud Light Roadhouse - Mickey and the Motorcars - Bud Light Roadhouse

Saturday, Jan. 21 9:00 AM Mariachi Competition 9:30 M

Teague Brothers Band - Bud Light Roadhouse

Monday, Jan. 23 12:00 PM

Cowboy Campfire - Western Music & Cowboy Poetry 5:00 PM

FWSSR Fiddle Showdown

Tuesday, Jan. 24 12:00 PM

Cowboy Campfire - Western Music & Cowboy Poetry 9:30 PM

Jarrod Morris - Bud Light Roadhouse

Wednesday, Jan. 25 12:00 PM

Cowboy Campfire - Western Music & Cowboy Poetry 9:30 PM

Straight Tequila Night - Bud Light Roadhouse

Thursday, Jan. 26 9:30 PM

Grant Gilbert- Bud Light Roadhouse Friday, Jan. 27 7:00 PM

ONEUS - Auditorium Concert Series 9:30 PM

Tim Montana - Bud Light Roadhouse

Tuesday, Jan. 31 9:30 PM

Jon Stork - Bud Light Roadhouse

Wednesday, Feb. 1

Sonny and Jolie Burgess - The Corkyard 9:30 PM Shania Twang - Shania Twang -Bud LIght Roadhouse

Thursday, Feb. 2 9:30 PM

Midnight River Choir - Bud Light Roadhouse

Friday, Feb. 3 9:30 PM

Jason Eady - Bud Light Roadhouse

Saturday, Feb. 4 9:30 PM

Local Yoakum - Bud Light Roadhouse

TEXAN EVENTS

Keith Urban will be performing Feb. 18th at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo

TEXAN EVENTS

Thursday, Feb. 16

7:00 PM

Randy Rogers Band following Ranch Rodeo

Friday, Feb. 17 7:00 PM

Bret Michaels following PRCA Rodeo Event

Tuesday, Feb. 21 7:00 PM

Cole Swindell following PRCA Rodeo Event

Wednesday, Feb. 22 7:00 PM

Turnpike Troubadours following PRCA Rodeo Event

Thursday, Feb. 9

7:00 PM

Ryan Bingham with The Texas Gentlemen following PRCA Rodeo Event

Friday, Feb. 10

Jake Owen following PRCA Rodeo Event

Saturday, Feb. 11 12:00 PM

Carly Pearce following PRCA Rodeo Event 7:30 PM

Midland following PRCA Rodeo Event

Sunday, Feb. 12 12:00 PM

William Beckmann following PRCA Rodeo Event

7:30 PM

Ronnie Milsap following PRCA Rodeo Event

Monday, Feb. 13

7:00 PM

Tracy Byrd following PRCA Rodeo Event

Tuesday, Feb. 14

7:00 PM

Lee Brice following PRCA Rodeo Event

Wednesday, Feb. 15

7:00 PM

Alabama following PRCA Rodeo Event

Saturday, Feb. 18 12:00 PM

Keith Urban following PRCA Rodeo Event

7:30 PM

Keith Urban following PRCA Rodeo Event

Sunday, Feb. 19 12:00 PM

Dwight Yoakam following Xtreme Bulls

7:30 PM

Los Tigres del Noche following Noche del Vaquero

Monday, Feb. 20 7:00 PM

Clay Walker following PRCA Rodeo Event

Thursday, Feb. 23 7:00 PM

Lynyrd Skynyrd following PRCA Rodeo Semifinals

Friday, Feb. 24 7:00 PM

Nelly following PRCA Rodeo Event

Saturday, Feb. 25 12:00 PM

Flatland Cavalry following PRCA Wildcard Event 7:30 PM

Gary Allan following PRCA Rodeo Finals

Dwight Yoakam will be performing Feb. 19th. in San Antonio

FORMER TEXAS RANGERS

EVENT

IN

FREDERICKSBURG,

“CHRISTMAS WITH SANTA AND THE RANGERS,” WAS LARGEST TURNOUT IN EVENT HISTORY

by BILL DANTE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, FORMER TEXAS RANGERS FOUNDATION

Avery crisp, bright December day turned into pure holiday magic and history in the making. The spectacular, vibrant colors of autumn in the Texas Hill Country, combined with the spirit of Christmas could have been right out of a Hallmark movie!

The Texas Rangers Heritage Center, a breathtaking, pristine, Hill Country open-air pavilion was decorated to the nines with hundreds and hundreds of lights and over ten ornately decorated Christmas trees, some over 12 feet tall! A heavy, carved wooden bench with cozy gingerbread men pillows was reserved for one very special person….. Santa Claus! Families eagerly arrived with anticipation. There was so much to do! But what to do first? Kids were sworn in as Junior Texas Rangers by actual Texas Rangers.

Texas Ranger, Ret. Joe B. Davis, and Texas Ranger, Ret. Wayne Fricke were on hand to officially swear in the kids. Each child received a frame worthy, certificate and badge.

TEXAN TEXAS RANGERS LAW ENFORCEMENT

Texas Ranger, Ret. Joe B. Davis, and Texas Ranger, Ret. Wayne Fricke were on hand to officially swear in over 300 kids as Jr. Rangers, at the Texas Rangers Heritage Center in Fredericksburg, TX

Soon, a hush came over the crowd, and all eyes were focused on one man in a cowboy hat, boots and a red suit. The “real” Santa had arrived with Mrs. Claus. Screams of excitement and cheer could be heard throughout the pavilion as children lined up for a meet and greet with jolly old Saint Nick. Santa listened patiently to each and every one, the young, and young at heart. Wishes and dreams were shared and unforgettable memories were made.

The craft tables were busy with kids making memories, and hand-made orna-

ments. The magic of Christmas certainly filled the air. By the end of the day, over 300 people were served FREE hot dogs, hot chocolate, cookies and apple cider.

The entire event was FREE to the public, sponsored by Walmart, Lowe’s, and the Former Texas Rangers Foundation and Association as a way to give back to the community. If you were there, thank you for coming. If you missed it, you missed a spectacular event and we hope to see you in 2023! Bring your cowboy hat and boots. We’ll be waiting for you!

Several years ago, I attended a wine tasting with Robert Mark Kamen, owner of Kamen Estate Wines, and he led us through several vintages of his Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon.

You may not recognize his name, but he wrote the screenplay for the blockbuster movie “The Karate Kid.” His story was fascinating because he purchased his 280-acre property with no intention of making wine. He initially grew Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, but simply sold off the harvest to various wineries. After a devastating fire in 1996, he replanted and refocused by deciding to make his own wine.

The Kamen Sonoma County Cabernets were fantastic. In fact, I still have two unopened bottles of his 2007, separately autographed with iconic lines from The Karate Kid: “Wax on, Wax off” and “Sweep the leg.” They are two of my mostprized bottles because I love the movie…. and the wine.

So why Sonoma?

Sonoma County lies north of San Francisco, has more than 425 wineries, and there are a variety of microclimates sprawled about the redwood forests, mountains, river valleys, and the Pacific coastline. You can find 19 designated American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in Sonoma County with over 60,000 acres of vineyards and about 60 different grape varieties planted. With all the different wineries, grapes, and winemaking styles there is bound to be something good for everyone here.

TOP FOUR SONOMA GRAPE VARIETIES

Chardonnay – The most popular white grape in the world is also the most-planted grape in Sonoma. I’m a big fan of Chardonnay from the famous Hyde Vineyard in the Carneros district. Several wineries produce Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay, usually in small quantities, so it’s worth trying if you see a bottle with the “Hyde” moniker.

Pinot Noir – There are so many delicious Pinot Noir wines made in Sonoma. I tend to gravitate towards those from the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Coast areas, but those just scratch the surface. There

are a lot of great producers for Pinot Noir lovers in Sonoma.

Cabernet Sauvignon – There is a large amount of Cabernet grown in Sonoma, and that makes it easy to find both excellence and value in one package. There is often a finesse to the finer Sonoma Cabernets that I find is missing from its big-name Napa Valley counterparts.

Zinfandel – If you are a fan of red Zinfandel, then you really ought to be searching out the Zinfandels from Sonoma. Some of the more well-known producers are Ridge, Seghesio, and Martinelli, but Sonoma County is generally considered to be THE place to find top tier Zinfandel wines from California.

PRO TIP:

You can often save money and get better access by signing up for your favorite winery’s mailing list. The more popular producers have planned releases, often with specific allocations due to the limited quantity available. I am less inclined to join a “wine club” where they send me wine they pick, or where they specify a minimum purchase. I prefer to control which bottles I purchase, and it does not bother me if I am limited on certain wines. I just keep in mind that there are always other great wines out there to be found.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCERS

DuMOL – I have been a DuMOL member for several years. The winemaker, Andy Smith, crafts great Pinot Noir wines, with the “Finn” being my longtime favorite. His Chardonnays are bright, citrusy, and can easily age. I love this winery, but you really must be on the list to get the good stuff (it’s free to sign up.) If you see the DuMOL “Wester Reach” bottles just know that is solely for retail and restaurant. They also make a few different Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons.

Kistler – The Kistler Chardonnays are simply outstanding. This is seriously good wine and always a safe bet if you see it on the shelf.

Flowers Vineyards & Winery – To me, these are classic examples of Sonoma Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that can often be found in Texas retail locations. These are so enjoyable.

I remember opening a Flowers Pinot Noir at my nephew’s wedding (yes, I brought my own wine,) and the small crowd gathered for my little wine tasting loved it.

Marcassin – A small winery with a rockstar wine maker, Helen Turley. This recommendation is for those of you who like to seek “unicorn” wines and don’t mind paying the price.

Kamen Estate Wines – These are towards the top end of Sonoma Cabernets price wise and they are worth it.

Fun Fact: The winemaker is Mark Herold, who has his own winery in Napa Valley where you can find some of the more powerful Napa Cabernets.

TEXAN WINE

Ridge Vineyards – Ridge wines are somewhat iconic in the wine world. They have a wide selection of different wines that range from their single vineyard Zinfandels to a unique red wine made with a blend of Carignane, Zinfandel, and Mataro. Then there are the separate wineries of Ridge Montebello (in the Santa Cruz Mountains) and Ridge Lytton Springs (in Dry Creek Valley.)

This is just a fun winery that can certainly help you expand your palate.

Williams Selyem – I was introduced to Williams Selyem many years ago by a good wine friend. After years of collecting their Pinot Noir, he swears by a 7-year rule. He will hold their wines until the vintage is 7-years past, and only then will he open them. They have a strong lineup of single vineyard Pinot Noirs and elegant Chardonnays. Keep in mind these wines are much cheaper if you are on their mailing list as opposed to buying them retail.

TEXAN WINE

DO TRY SONOMA WINES

I could go on and on with this list, and I’m sure many of my California wine friends will remind me of certain wineries I should have listed. I encourage my readers to try the wines of Sonoma County. Whether you are a more traditional wine drinker of classic varietal wines like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel, or you don’t mind stepping out into the world of varietal “geek” wines from the more obscure grapes, all of that can be found in Sonoma County. Happy hunting!

Follow Jim on Instagram, @tx_wine_pilot, for more wine tips and reviews.

Jim Peterson is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who mainly flew the A-10 fighter jet. He has ties to the wine business going back over 20 years and is an avid wine collector. His extensive wine knowledge includes travel to many wine regions, tasting many of the world’s top wines, and ongoing personal wine exploration and self-study. He has cultivated a large following on his Instagram account, @tx_wine_pilot, tasting and reporting on wines from vintage to value. He now works in marketing and resides in San Antonio, Texas.

by LISA DANTE

There’s no denying that once you start wearing cashmere and feel the luxuriousness of the fabric, the ultra softness and the warmth, there can be no substitutes! Did you know that this sustainable, natural fabric, which comes from the underbelly of cashmere goats is one of the softest fibers in the world? But what should you consider when purchasing cashmere?

TEXAN FASHION

If you’ve lived in South Texas for any amount of time, you know by now that winter is like a box of chocolates. Like Forrest Gump said, “You never know what you’re going to get.” I remember many winters when you never even needed so much as a sweater. But I also remember that it was in the single digits not to long ago. In fact, it was record breaking, sub-freezing cold, as in bitterly, deadly, dangerously cold.

TEXAN FASHION

I don’t remember how old I was when I purchased my first cashmere sweater. What a I can tell you is that I still have that black turtleneck sweater. It’s a timeless classic and the investment was well worth it. At the time, I didn’t know a thing about cashmere, only that it was very, very soft, lightweight and kept you very warm. My next cashmere purchase was much more sporty. It was a hoodie that zipped up the front. It was scratchy and eventually started to pill. What was going on here? How was I to know “good” quality cashmere from

“bad?” Was it the feel? Yes! Was it the fabric content label? Yes! Was it the price? NO! Only pure cashmere sweaters can be labeled 100% cashmere. That’s what you need to look for, unless you want a blend.

Having a minimum of two-plies means that multiple pieces of yarn are twisted together to make the garment. But what exactly does that mean? It means that it’s softer, stronger and warmer. And guess what? It gets softer the more you wear it!

TEXAN FASHION

TEXAN FASHION

What about care?

Cashmere can be washed at home. Use either baby shampoo or a special cashmere shampoo. The only way to wash cashmere without damaging it is to use COLD water. Either wash by hand or on the gentle/delicate cycle in a washing machine. Then lay your sweater flat on a towel to air dry. NEVER, ever, put the sweater in the dryer! Cashmere is, of course, not limited to sweaters. Consider gloves, hats, scarves, coats, pants and more!

What about price?

I can honestly say that I have seen cashmere at all price points! It really depends where you like to shop. Does a higher price mean better cashmere? Not necessarily! Buy from a reputable source. Shop around and stay warm this winter!

TEXAN

by MARSHALL E. KUYKENDALL BROKER, AUTHOR, RANCHER, TEXAN

TEXAN HISTORY

EDITOR’S NOTE

The following is Part IV in an ongoing series about the life and times of Marshall Kuykendall who grew up on the largest ranch in Hays County, Texas. Television may have the fictional Dutton family from the series “Yellowstone,” but Texas has the real life Kuykendall’s. Hold on to the seat of your pants, ‘cuz this is a very wild ride!

THE MEXICAN

RANCH

Our ranch neighbor Max Michaelis, whose family had a sizable outfit just east of ours in Hays County, called Dad and went by our Kyle place to tell him that a ranch that joined his in Mexico had come on the market and Max would like to show it to him.

The Michaelis family had owned the Hays County place since before 1900 and when Max the son was grown, he had gone to Mexico in the late 1920s and put together some 200 sections (128,000 acres) of country over the Sierra Madres from Muzquiz, Coahuiila in partnership with a Mr. Walker who owned a mercantile store in Luling, Texas.

Dad, (Wylie “Bill” Kuykendall) was intrigued with the idea and in turn whistled up Mr. Latimer Maxcy of Frostproof, Florida, who just happened to be my brother Gil’s father-in-law. Long story longer, Lat Maxcy said “Hell yes!” and jumped on an airship to San Antonio where Max Michaelis picked everyone up in his Cessna 172 and….. in 1956 the Mexican adventure was created.

By this time, I had completed my pilot training in Uncle Sam’s Air Force and was stationed at Lockbourne, AFB in Columbus, Ohio. I received Dad’s note scribbled on a brown paper sack from HEB. Sure enough, he and Lat Maxcy had just bought 139 sections of country about 150 miles SW of Eagle Pass, Texas (Piedra Negras, Coah.) just over the Sierra Madres front range in the Mexican state of Coahuila.

His scratchy pencil note went on to say the ranch joined Max Michaelis’s Rancho El Fortin’ on the south, had 1000 mother cows and 100 horses, all kinds of improvements and a 5000foot airstrip and hangar big enough for a DC-3 aircraft, which the Mexican owners used. Uncle Sam gave me a few weeks off for Christmas in 1956 so I went down to our Hays County Texas ranch and hitched a ride with Michaelis in his 172 to fly down and take a look.

Marshall E. Kuykendall

TEXAN HISTORY

The pilot for Michaelis gassed up the airship in Eagle Pass and off we went for about an hour of level mesquite country as we flew southwest. The pilot climbed to about 7000 feet from Eagle Pass, which was about 750 feet elevation, and I asked him why. He answered, “Wait a little bit and you will see.”

It was a clear, cool day and sure enough about 30 minutes into our flight I began to see a sheer bank of mountains that came out of no where that were dead in front of us and the pilot said, “See, we have to clear them.”

The mountains were the front range of the Sierra Madres that extended from the Big Bend of Texas area, all the way south to near Monterrey, Mexico. The two ranches, the Michaelis “El Fortin’ and the one Dad and his partner bought, the “Rancho Sierra Hermosa” lay just over that front ranch in the big valley on the other side.

For those of you that know your country, it was like flying over Cotulla, Texas for one moment and as we cleared the mountain crest, we were in Ft. Davis, Texas. The Cotulla side of the mountains was sheer and steep with no canyons and no vegetation, and the Ft. Davis side had big, deep canyons full of Ponderosa Pines and the valley opened up into Gramma Grass flats. The Cotulla side was 750 feet of elevation and the Ft. Davis

side, 3400 feet. The outside was coastal weather and the western side was Pacific. All the difference in the world.

Most Mexican ranch owners live in towns nearby, very few if any, ever live on the ranches, at least not in this region of Coahuila. However, Max Michaelis Jr lived on his and the headquarters area was quite expansive, and the Sierra Hermosa headquarters was just over his south fence line, making them the two closest headquarters in that whole region. What was really interesting was the Sierra Hermosa had even more structures, which included a mutual school for both ranches.

There was one thing, however, that set the two ranches apart, the El Fortin’ had a massive spring just down from the main house that flowed nine zillion gallons a minute and over the years, Michaelis had planted cottonwood trees all around so the area inside the walls of the main complex was full of massive trees, flowers and green grass. A literal oasis in the desert.

On the other hand, the Rancho Sierra Hermosa had little if any water on the entire ranch which created quite a livestock management problem. I was in another world. From three sections at Kyle, Texas to 139 sections in Mexico—Back to REAL ranching we go!

TEXAN HISTORY

Uncle Sam allowed me to exit active duty from his US Air Force in the summer of ’57 and I immediately skedaddled south of the Rio Bravo to join Dad and Alice on his newly acquired 139 section (89,000 acres) ranch in the state of Coahuila, Mexico about 150 miles due south west of Piedras, Negras, Coahuila Mexico.

The Sierra Hermosa was divided into about four main pastures with the headquarters and the 5000 foot airstrip close to the north line with all the ranch country running to the south about 11 miles.

The ranch was stocked with about 1000 Hereford mother cows, all WHR back-ground cattle the owners had imported from the famous

Wyoming Hereford Ranch back in the ‘30’s. The 100 or more horses were Thoroughbred based and were top quality and interestingly, the Mexicans did not shoe their horses even though the country could get rough at times.

Besides being high quality horses, they were very well trained. The Sierra Hermosa was fortunate that one of the Vaqueros, Manuel Alvarado from Muzquiz, Coahuila was known to be one of the most outstanding horsemen in the whole area. He and his family lived on the west side of the ranch at the Palo Blanco Camp. It was Manuel’s responsibility not only to train all of our horses, but to manage all of the cattle on his side of the ranch in about a 25,000 acre pasture.

TEXAN HISTORY

ROPING THE BEAR

I was over at the Palo Blanco Camp to visit with Manuel one day and I asked him if he’d seen any bears lately and he said, “No, but that he had roped one about a month before I got down there. I said, “Really—tell me about it!”-So he did.

Seems he had been out on a green filly he was training one day, going from one watering to another, checking on the cattle he managed when he ran smack-dab into a big bear that was eating Palma blooms. The 25,000 acre pasture he worked in was completely covered with 10-15 foot Palma plants and after a rain they would produce a tremendous flower/bloom and the bears just loved them. The blooms were quite heavy and the bear had learned to rear up on their hind legs and shake those Palma trees until one would bust off and fall to the ground which created quite a feast.

Turns out this ole bear had his snout buried in those blooms up to his eyeballs when Manuel spotted him and hadn’t heard Manuel coming. Then, when he did, he jerked his head back and

as he did Manuel laid a loop around his neck and dallyed him up tight. Mr. Bear grabbed the slack in the rope, pulled it through his mouth and with one bite, bit the rope in two. No biggie.

Manuel popped the busted riata back in his hand, built himself another hondo and loop and repeated the process. Several events unfolded rather quickly, one, that 60 foot riata was now only 30 feet, since Mr. Bear had bitten it in half, and three, when the loop curled around his neck he went “WOOF-WOOF and was all over Manuel and his green filly in a heartbeat.

Of course, the filly jumped sideways to miss the onslaught with Manuel doing his best to stay on and as the filly whirled, the bear literally grabbed her around her rear and began to gnaw on her tailhead. With that the filly began to pitch violently and kick at the same time, and durn if she didn’t kick that ole bear loose. Being the REAL cowboy that he was, Manuel stayed mounted through the whole circus event and after about 100 yards of a first class rodeo, gained control of her and then you won’t believe what he did.

Manuel told me the bear was really hot by now and knowing the bear watered down at the corrals, spent about an hour and got that ole bear to ease down that way and when he entered the corral Manuel shut the gate.

He showed me his hide nailed up on the side of the barn.

I’ll be durned if I wasn’t all over that ranch for three solid years and the closest I ever got to a bear was a pile of warm bear sh*t.

I’ll be durned if I wasn’t all over that ranch for three solid years and the closest I ever got to a bear was a pile of warm bear sh*t.

TEXAN HISTORY

TEXAN HISTORY

THE GATHERING

I had never been on “a gathering” on a big ranch before so the first time we gathered all the cattle on the east side to work at the Buena Vista Camp, Dad told me to pay attention to the Vaqueros. They would line up over a mile across the entire valley, and gradually push the cattle out of the arroyos and guajillo motts one bunch at a time, until all were headed toward the corrals at Buena Vista. My memory of those days is one of the highlights of my entire life.

The 139 section Rancho Sierra Hermosa had no well water and no springs up in the beautiful pine filled valleys on the east side. NONE! There were, however, numerous stock tanks.

Back around the time of the Second Great War, the Monterrey owner had gone to great difficulty of damming up a small spring way up high in a valley on the east side from which he laid 14 miles of two inch galvanized pipe that would fill 21 massive pilas (Concrete tanks) 10 feet high-20 feet across. It was a multi-million-dollar venture even in those days, ALL done completely by hand.

The owner told Dad that when first finished, the water system worked for a time and most if not all of the giant pilas were full of water. Then for some reason, they decided to do some more blasting up around the spring and in so doing, obviously used too much dynamite and damaged the rock strata surrounding the spring and lost it all.

The ‘50s drought devastated all of the southwest US and much of northern Mexico including the ranches in northern Coahuila. So, it became apparent to my father that if the Rancho Sierra Hermosa was going to succeed as a cattle ranch some more tanks needed to by dug, old ones cleaned out and a water source needed to be found or created in order to fill some of those giant pilas.

There was only one weak water well on the whole ranch and it was located at the headquarters. There were four massive pilas there that were kept full all the time for use at that location. Dad came up with an idea to lay three miles of two inch galvanized pipe, up hill, from there to the end of the old defunct system, and see if he could make it work.

He did and it did! Dad laid the pipe and buried it as deep as he could with a root-plow behind a D-7 bulldozer. He then smuggled in a powerful water pressure pump that ran on diesel and hooked that sucker up. When he started that big pump, the pressure on the galvanized pipe was so great that it not only blew some of the joints loose, the vibration simply walked that pipe right out of the ground. No one told Dad that one needed to add three foot stand-pipes every 500 feet so when the pressure built up the air in those stand pipes would compress and allow the water to flow.

It was kind of a country operation but in 18 months, dad was able to pump water uphill for 7 miles and fill 19 out of 22 concrete pilas, 10 feet deep and 20 feet across.

Then, just as he finished sometime in 1958, the 50’s drought of record broke and it began to rain.

My name is Marshall Early Kuykendall. I was born on the largest ranch in Hays County, Texas long before the lights got turned on. I have never said, “Old Times,” were better. They weren’t. But, they sure were different. Things and events weren’t so hectic. Instant knowledge hadn’t been invented, yet. And if you lived in Texas, a little rain falling on your life was never a bad thing.

Want more Marshall?

Go to www.campfiresandsippingwhiskey.com

Photo By: Scott Daves, Dripping Springs, Texas

By Meteorologist, Bill Dante

TEXAN WEATHER

If you were going to order a Triple Dip you would be better off ordering a triple ice cream cone. The Triple Dip that weather scientists have been talking about in the last 3 years, has only happened twice before in history and it already happened a third time this winter in December.

Basically, it’s three years in a row of the La Nina weather pattern. You’ve heard by now how the La Nina and El Nino weather systems basically affect the entire globe. As a Texan, the dates of February 10-20, 2021 will freeze your brain just thinking about it. We are still talking about the storm in our state that was never supposed to happen and totally destroyed our weather defense system and a lot of our bank accounts. Of course most insurance companies said, “That damage is not covered on your policy.” Then, the electric company started over charging with no attempt to help. You’ll

probably be telling your descendants about the winter of 2020-2021 for a long time. By the way, nationally it was one of the costliest winter storms on record, $202 billion.

Time to add your second dip to that ice cream cone. Texas got slammed again in early February of 2022 from the Red River to the Rio Grand. La Nina Number Two named URI started in October of 2021 and hit Texas with frigid temperatures, ice, snow and more snow in mid February. Once again frigid temperatures caught our state government and residents by surprise. There were a lot of broken pipes. And if you’re a well owner, like ourselves, well companies didn’t return calls when aboveground, cast iron pumps cracked. The results were no water for two weeks. A year later a well company finally called me and wanted to know if I had water. Really?

OK, 3rd dip, let’s try strawberry on our Triple dip ice cream cone! I hope you received a nice down-filled parka this past Christmas or at least a cashmere sweater. You will be wearing it off and on into the end of March. Yep, winter ends in late March. We got hit, just a few weeks ago by the third of the Triple Dip La Nina winters.

A Triple Dip in weather terms means that the United States would experience La Nina conditions for three years in a row. Those winters are happening right now! It’s here!

As early as September, you could start to see the possible major effects on weather

and climate. A good thing to watch is the snow patterns. Ski areas in Colorado opened 80 days earlier then ever before in their history. Good for them and bad for us. Oh, there are no ski areas in Texas, just in case you’re from out west and didn’t know better.

The Christmas Storm, let’s call it that, that happened just last month, was the coldest storm that I remember and that’s after doing the weather on radio and TV for 30 years. We saw chill factors of 2 degrees in south Texas. The Hill Country was more than bone chillin’ cold!

Now, technically you should be ready for the rest of this winter. I told folks back in August and September that it was coming. I got blank stares.

Winter is here and we are really never actually ready. But, I’m telling you to go get ready if you are not. You’ll thank me. Go get that parka and some good gloves. Remember to protect the three “P’s,” pets, pipes and plants.

Oh…just in case you follow the Farmer’s

Almanac they are saying more storms for Oklahoma and Texas in January are headed this way.

Some very cold temperatures could reach south Texas but will be milder in February. But watch out for March!!

Keep your hot chocolate ready and if you built your ice cream cone you might enjoy it more in Cabo on the beach.

Stay Warm!!

by MATTHEW HARVEY

You’ve made that ever-constant New Year’s resolution to eat healthier and eat at home more often. You have every intention of doing that, at least for a few weeks. But what to cook?

What can you make that is satisfying, simple and healthy?

Well, let’s slow that down to just simple and satisfying for a minute. Healthy can wait. It waited through the holidays; it can hold off at least a couple more meals. But what to cook? How do we keep it simple? That’s easy. And if you’re cooking for just yourself, a few people, or you’ve decided to have a block party, here are a few things I like to make during the colder months of the year.

Simple Sausage Potato Bake

This really is a very simple dish that’s been passed down in my family for quite some time and may even be in your family. It requires 3 ingredients and two seasonings. How great is that? Now let me set expectations on this. While prep time is simple, it does take a bit of time to cook, so patience is needed.

Ingredients:

-Linked sausage (I prefer a nice garlic sausage, but have fun)

-Potatoes, about 5 or 6 small ones, I used either red Russet or Yukon gold (ok, so I like to be a little fancy, who doesn’t?

-One Onion

For this, I recommend a yellow onion, the flatter the better. Look for one that looks like the flying saucers you always see on those old tv shows. They hold in flavor a bit better, or at least that’s been my experience.

For the seasoning:

-Granulated garlic

Also:

-One stick of Butter

That’s it. No, seriously, that’s it. That’s all you need. Now we’re cooking.

TEXAN RECIPES

Simple Sausage Potato Bake

Instructions:

Once home, wash the potatoes. I prefer to leave the skin on, but hey, that’s me, do what you want. Slice the sausage and potatoes into rounds, or coin shaped pieces; we don’t want halves or quarters here… and chop the onion.

You’ll want to cut the entire stick of butter into squares, I use the tablespoon lines just to make them even. Now grab a casserole dish, or a small rectangular pan and layer.

we’re not making a soup, and some of the sausage pieces are getting nice and charred. It’s so worth it. During this second 30 minutes, you can watch a show, read a magazine article like this one, go find a yo-yo, I mean it’s your time.

Once the second timer goes off, or you’ve realized another 30 minutes has passed had you not set a timer, remove it from the oven.

It’s going to be a wonderfully delicious meal for everyone. You only need bowls, forks, and napkins (come on now, we do have some manners). And again, have fun with it. Use a spicy sausage if you prefer, or a different kind of potato. It’s going to be good regardless.

If you don’t like garlic, use a little season-all. If you don’t like butter, well, I really don’t have anything for that, I mean its butter. That’s almost as bad as saying you don’t like bacon, and that’s just wrong. I suppose you could try margarine, or a butter like spread, or no butter, that might be a thing too, somewhere, with some people. Heck, there may be some of you out there that want to use plant-based sausage, and you know what? You can. It’s your meal. I still haven’t wrapped my head around the plant-based meat movement, but I’m old school. Enjoy!

I start with a layer of sausage then lay down a layer of potatoes then onion then a small dusting of the granulated garlic. Just enough to cover the layers, then repeat until you’re out of ingredients. Once done, add the pats or squares of butter to the top, evenly spread out across everything.

Have your oven preheated to about 400 degrees and set a timer for 30 minutes. You’ll want to cover it with either a lid or aluminum foil.

Once the oven is heated, place the covered dish into the oven and start the timer. After 30 minutes, pull it out of the oven and stir everything up until it’s nice and mixed, then place it back into the oven uncovered for another 30 minutes. This is going to allow some of the moisture to escape, which is ok,

TEXAN RECIPES

Nana’s All Warming Chili and Meemaw’s Yankee

Doodle Chili

(it has beans)

Now for our next meal, I’m pulling one out of the family archives. The recipe was given to me by my grandmother, and nothing she ever taught me to cook has been bad. The same can probably be said about your grandmother. The food rocked, no matter what it was, and always brings a memory to you when cooking.

If not, find a grandmother and have her teach you some old family recipes. Trust me, like we were told in the Disney movie “Ratatouille,” anyone can cook. This next dish, can start a fight with some folks. There are definitely different ways to do this. It’s chili. It’s the staple of cold weather food. There are different variations, different recipes, different ingredients, additives, heat levels, etc. There’s really no wrong way to cook chili, except maybe Cincinnati-style. I don’t know what that is, but it’s not chili.

But anyway, while there are more ways to make chili than there probably are to make a grilled cheese sandwich, I’m only going to go with two variations. The one my grandmother taught to me, and the one my wife learned from her family.

The ingredients for Nana’s Chili are simple: -Bell peppers, red, yellow and green -Garlic (both minced and granulated) -Onion - Ground beef - Tomato sauce - Tomato paste -Diced tomatoes -Chili powder -Cumin -Salt

For Meemaw’s Yankee Doodle Chili, just add beans

The other is similar, but my wife was taught to add beans. She uses chili beans, kidney beans, and black beans.

Also, if you plan to use beans, then you don’t need as much ground beef, or whichever ground meat you use. Again, I’m a purest here, and this is my grandmother’s recipe. We also use different colors of bell peppers, as they each have subtly different flavors to add to this party.

TEXAN RECIPES

Instructions:

Start simple, in a pot, or a Dutch oven, sauté the onion, minced garlic, and bell peppers with a little olive oil or butter and begin cooking them down.

Let them get soft, we want soft, soft is good. This should be done on a medium heat. Once done, add the ground beef. If you don’t plan to use beans, you’re looking at roughly 5 pounds of ground meat. If you use beans, then do with about 2 to 2 and a half. I’ve been used to using the leaner meat, the 90/10 split, and I prefer the ground sirloin, but ground chuck is good too. Stir occasionally since we’re trying to brown all the meat here. It needs to get cooked. No one wants a medium rare chili.

Once the meat is browned, then we add the chili powder. How much? Well, this is where my grandmother comes in. She never did anything using actual measurements. I mean, seriously, whose grandmother actually used exact measurements. You add enough until the liquid inside the chili pot is dark red.

My recommendation here is to add, stir, and let it sit until the liquid starts pulling. If it’s not dark red, add more and stir. But do this in little steps at a time, you don’t want to start with a whole jar, and realize you’ve added too much and have that one friend or family member never let you live it down. Ever.

Once you have that nice red liquid, add in, I’d say a couple of teaspoons worth of cumin and mix it in.

If you’re not able to taste any, add a little more. After the cumin is added, add in the diced tomatoes, the tomato sauce and about half a can of tomato paste. With diced tomatoes, or the tomato sauce, there are some fun options. You can find some infused with garlic, or fireroasted. You really can’t go wrong. I’ve tried them myself and I love the flavors they add. I mean for me, the more garlic the better. It’s healthy and does good things for you. Look at that, there’s that eating healthier resolution.

From there, add in the granulated garlic and a couple of pinches of salt, stir, cover, and simmer.

Now for my bean folks, once you add in the seasonings and tomatoes, then add in a can of kidney beans, chili beans, and black beans with the juices. Stir in and cover and simmer. The chili needs to then simmer on low heat for about an hour.

This is going to give all the flavors a chance to blend together. It can also temper down any unwanted spiciness. I’d say every 10 or 15 minutes, give it a stir and a taste. Make sure the seasoning and salt level are to your liking. If you make it too salty? Well, actually, add a bit of water, it helps dilute it a little. During this time, go back to that tv show, or magazine article, or the new yo-yo tricks you’ve taught yourself. Heck, make a tik-tok, snapchat, or youtube video of your new great cooking skills (just leave a bit of credit over my way). Once the hour is up, uncover and you should see something amazing.

If you’re not hosting a lot of people, well, you will have leftovers, but guess what? That’s ok too. More for you for later. That’s less cooking you have to do overall. So, you’ve conquered yet another resolution, be thriftier with your money. You won’t be going out to eat, resolution 1 done, you’re cooking more, resolution 2 done, eating healthier, resolution 3, and wait, saving money, resolution 4.

You’ve just conquered New Years in two meals.

TEXAN RECIPES

Sharon’s Savory Potato Soup

Every year, at this time, my wife makes her potato soup. There are some people out there who really love a good soup. It’s a simple dish, that requires just a few ingredients.

Ingredients:

-Yukon gold potatoes

-Leaks

- 1 to 1 ½ cups Milk

-16 ounces of Chicken broth

- Minced garlic

-1 or 2 cups of Cheese (Almost any cheese will do. You can use Cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby, just about any of them.)

Instructions:

Peel, wash, and cube the potatoes, grate the cheese if you bought a block rather than the pre-grated cheese, and clean and chop the leaks. These little veggies can get really dirty, so pay special attention to them when you’re cleaning them.

Add in the broth, just enough to cover the potatoes.

Turn the heat up to get a good boil going and add in the leaks and garlic while it’s boiling.

After several minutes, maybe 10 or 15 minutes, use a fork to test to see how soft the potatoes are. This is similar to making mashed potatoes.Once they are all soft, meaning you can pull a fork in and out with little to no effort, then remove them from the heat and mash while adding the milk and cheese, as you would mashed potatoes.

You only need about 1 to 1 and a half cups of milk, and 1 to 2 cups of cheese, remember, it’s like mashed potatoes, but is not mashed potatoes. Unlike mashed potatoes, leave some lumps. If it’s not soupy enough, you can add in more milk or broth and let it simmer, and then you’re done. Soup is made.

If you want a little extra treat, if you have any of the sausage and potatoes you made earlier left over, throw some of the sausage into the soup. It adds a ton of extra flavor to the soup. It’s so good you’ll wish you made them at the same time. Which, hey, you can do depending on what kind of time you have.

You can spice it up, or down depending on your pallet.

These are just a few of some simple family recipes from our table to yours that we’ve enjoyed for years, and in some case generations.

They are simple to make, but just require a bit of patience to fully enjoy. And just like that, you’ve made some good food to keep you nourished and warm.

is a

of

and sharing his love of food

He left the

industry early on and embarked on a long career in IT before eventually moving to the small, but quaint town of Bandera, Texas with his wife and two teenage kids. He feels that no recipe is too secret or sacred that it cannot be shared. Be it family recipes, recipes he’s come up with or things he’s found on the internet, he loves to share what he’s learned with other people. He has never lost his passion for cooking or his love of making people laugh while sharing what’s he’s done or made for others.

Matthew Harvey

father

two, who enjoys cooking

with others.

restaurant

GARDENING

THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS AND

LOTS OF OTHER COLORS

by MARC HESS, EDITOR OF GARDENING SOUTH TEXAS

TEXAN GARDENING

Deciding to plant roses in your garden can be exciting and at the same time intimidating. Buying rose plants does not need to be a daunting task if you put some thought into it. If you’re new to gardening and want to try your hand at growing roses, landscape roses will be your best option. These roses are easy to care for and disease-resistant. They’ll look stunning

just about anywhere you may choose to put them. Whether you want a prize-winning hybrid tea rose, old fashioned cabbage roses, sprawling ramblers and climbers or just a whiff of the way you remember roses smelling, there’s a rose for you. When thinking about adding a new rose bush or a complete bed of roses these are a few things that you should think about.

COLOR

Decide on color. How will the color of your roses affect your garden? Look at different catalogs, as well as your neighbors’ gardens to get an idea of the colors you like best.

SIZE

Consider size. In addition to color, the size of the roses you choose is very important. Consider the height of your roses at full-growth.

CLIMATE

Think about climate. In order for your roses to grow healthy and mature, be sure to select varieties that will thrive in our South Texas climate. Talk to the people at your nursery. You will find many to choose from.

MAINTENANCE

Consider maintenance. There are several types of roses which are very high-maintenance. Although they will look beautiful in your garden, they will require a lot of your time. The classification known as “Modern Roses” are very beautiful, long blooming, and highly fragrant, however they are very high maintenance and are prone to disease.

Roses need to be grown in full sun. They like to be in soil that is well-amended with organic matter and has good soil drainage. A raised flower bed with additional compost is a great place for a rose; starting with healthy soil will prevent you from needing to fertilize much later on. Newly-planted roses will appreciate

watering around twice a week throughout the first growing season, and a two to three-inch layer of mulch helps quite a bit.

Roses bloom to their greatest potential when they are pruned. Pruning back in February helps to clean out any deadwood that may be on your plant and prevents disease. Shrub roses can be pruned way back, leaving nothing but four- to six-inch stubs. (Caution: February is not the time to prune climbing roses, such as Seven Sisters, Lady Banks or other roses that only bloom in the spring. If you prune climbers now, you will be cutting off all the blooms for the year. Instead, prune those after they have finished flowering in the fall.)

YOUR ROSES MAY LIKE TO BE IN A CONTAINER

Roses in pots extend the scope and possibilities of your gardening options. Wide walkways can be highlighted with tubs of roses, entryways can be graced with the beauty and fragrance of roses. Miniature roses can dress up window boxes in the summer, and then be brought indoors in winter to perk up your house. With the exception of large climbers, most roses can be grown successfully in containers. It is important that the container be large enough to provide ample space for the roots. Pots should also have good drainage, good soil and a location with adequate light and air circulation. Like roses that grow in the ground roses in pots will need a day full of sunshine—at least seven hours of it.

Your container may be plastic or clay. Clay

containers do provide a cooler condition for the roots during hot weather. If choosing plastic, it is better to obtain the lighter terra-cotta color rather than the darker plastics, as they heat up faster. When met with these requirements one can grow miniatures roses that can attain a height and spread of up to five feet.

It is important that bush roses and small shrub roses be placed in containers no less than 15 inches in diameter. They will do well there for about two years and then will need transplanting. Roses in containers tend to deplete the soil of its nutrients more rapidly than if they were in the ground. Often they will also outgrow their containers and need a larger home. In this case one can provide the rose with a container one or two sizes up from the previous one.

Place your potted roses in a location where it receives some moving air. This will reduce the incidence of fungus-related rose diseases.

TEXAN GARDENING

If you are looking for a Texas-tough rose that is famous for thriving in our tough Texas growing conditions: heat, drought, alkaline soils, insects and disease consider a variety called Belinda’s Dream. It is a popular rose in Texas and readily available in most nurseries. When mature and fully established this rose

can reach up to five- or six-feet tall. Whether planted in the ground or in a container this variety will give you a longer bloom period than other varieties. Its pale pink blooms will provide florist-quality blooms available for cutting. With proper planting and care, nearly any Texan can become a successful rose gardener.

MARC HESS is an author whose latest novel, “The Gillespie County Fair,” is available on Amazon. It’s a riveting story about the gentrification of rural Texas. He is also the editor of Milberger’s Gardening South Texas newsletter, a monthly (except January) publication covering the challenges and solutions of gardening in South Central Texas’s unique growing zone. It’s available on-line at no charge at https://www.milbergernursery.com/newsletter-archive/

TEXAN HOT BUTTERED RUM

Ingredients

• 6 ounces of unsalted butter

• ½ cup of light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon of ground gloves

• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon allspice

• sprinkle of salt

• 2 or 3 ounces of your favorite “dark” not light rum

• 6 ounces of hot water or hot apple cider

• one cinnamon stick

• lots of whipped cream

Directions For Batter

Combine melted butter with all spices and salt. Stir until mixed well

Place two tablespoons of batter into your heat proof 8 or 10 ounce mug

Add rum and stir, blending rum and batter

Stir in hot water or hot apple cider

Add cinnamon stick and whipped cream