Texan Magazine Summer I 2024

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SUMMER 2024

FEATURING

COWBOY CULTURE

Unique vacation ideas that focus on the Texas Heritage Trails Program.

Nancy Foster

AN ANCIENT LAND

Explore the ancient world of King Tut, pyramids and mummies.

Denise Payne

What you need to stop doing right now!

Bexar County Sheriff, Javier Salazar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Metallic shine brings a futuristic flair to swimwear that will take your pool side fashion to the next level.

Lisa Dante

WHITE WINES FOR SUMMER SIPPING

Evoke that island vibe with these crisp and refreshing wines that are perfect for summer. Jim Peterson

A SWEET SURPRISE ENDING

Not your traditional jambalaya with a Texas barbecue twist.

Matthew Harvey

PERENNIALS BLOOMING IN THE SUMMER HEAT

Planting for summer color that will withstand the Texas heat.

Marc Hess

COCKTAILS

Turn your classic cup of coffee into an indulgent ice cream treat.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

PHOTOGRAPHERS

CONTRIBUTORS

LISA DANTE

KEITH CHESTER

JOSH HUSKIN

LISA DANTE

MARC HESS

DR. JUSTIN PHILLIPS, L.Ac

LISA DANTE

MARSHALL E. KUYKENDALL

BILL DANTE

MATTHEW HARVEY

DR. RICHARD BRUCE WINDERS

ALBERT FLORES

NANCY FOSTER

SHERIFF JAVIER SALAZAR

JIM PETERSON

DENISE PAYNE

ILLUSTRATOR

JEREMIAH TEUTSCH

CONTRIBUTING PRODUCTION STAFF

JOSH LOPEZ, SAMANTHA MUSCAT-SCHERR, GABRIELA ALTAMIRANO

Even though summer officially starts on June 20th, it feels like summer in Texas started about a month ago! Just ask anyone who lives in this great state. With that in mind thoughts often turn to vacation time.

Writer, Nancy Foster shares a great idea on your one stop shop for planning the most authentic journey into the sights and sounds of Texas’ past. Bexar County Sheriff, Javier Salazar shares important information about simple ways to keep your home safe while you’re away.

Can you believe that our annual swimsuit issue is one of our most popular issues? I really don’t know why? (Just kidding). You can read about all the latest trends in swimwear and find out an easy way to care for your beachwear.

If you think you know all there is to know about summer vino, I bet you’ll discover delectable varietals you’ve never heard of in wine expert, Jim Peterson’s summer article. And he even talks about a specific way to pour one variety.

I used to go to the plant nursery and purchase flowering plants that looked appealing to me. After all, why would nurseries be selling them if they weren’t ideal to plant in my region? Eventually, I would end up with scorched blooms that couldn’t survive the intense heat of a Texas summer. I thought this was normal. Guess what? It’s not! Gardening expert, Marc Hess, talks about, in this issue, how to avoid all that. I took Marc’s advice last summer and for the first time in ages my garden was full of healthy, brightly blooming flowers full of butterflies and hummingbirds….. all summer long! Who knew? Thank you Marc! You can find his recommendations in this issue. There’s so much more in this issue that I know you’ll love!

As always, thank you for being a loyal reader and if you are new to Texan Magazine, I hope you enjoy the journey.

We couldn’t do what we do without you and our hardworking and talented staff and of course, our family of top notch advertisers.

Thanks for being here!

Lisa Dante Editor-In-Chief

TEXAN CULTURE

TEXAS TRAVELS COWBOY CULTURE

by NANCY FOSTER

Summer vacations don’t need to break the bank, especially if you live in the Lone Star State. A couple of tanks of gas will get you to many fascinating spots where you can learn something new and have fun doing it. With a quest to keep your vacation dollars at home, the Texas Historical Commission created an engaging website - texastimetravel.com – that provides unique vacation ideas focusing on its award-winning Texas Heritage Trails Program. The concept is to entice you to select which of the state’s ten regions you’d like to explore, then provide highlights of the region’s history, culture, architecture, nature, and special events. You can even explore by theme. Do you love historic downtowns? National monuments? Archeology? Presidential History? Open Spaces? Your planning can be done in a few clicks.

Cowboys, cowgirls, ranches and rodeos are all synonymous with the Lone Star State’s history and heritage.

To get you started, we found some intriguing places to visit in their Cowboy Culture theme. Cowboys, cowgirls, ranches and rodeos are all synonymous with the Lone Star State’s history and heritage. If you need an entertaining refresher course the whole family can enjoy, start with any of the stops listed below.

Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum – Cuero

Cattle trails were integral to the development of Texas. An estimated six million head of cattle were transported from Texas to the Northern Stockyards during the heyday years of the drives from the 1860s until the 1890s. Tough and hardworking cowboys - also known as cowhands, cowpokes, or ranch hands – endured grueling conditions on the trail to get the herds to market. The first cattle drive was said to be in 1866. It led from Dewitt County, Texas, to St. Joseph, Missouri, and if that holds your interest, head to the Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum in Cuero to learn much about this significant era. Collections in the museum center on ranching life before and after the great cattle drives. The museum is on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Cuero

Commercial Historic District and is also a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. A fascinating collection of handcrafted spurs, over 900 objects in their Tinker Collection, and a special exhibit on rare equestrian and ceremonial artifacts from Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru will intrigue you. Also check out the second floor with its collection of Native American portraitures before you go. chisholmtrailmuseum.org

Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum

TEXAN CULTURE

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame – Fort Worth

Cowgirls played an essential part in the history of the West, and in Fort Worth, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame pays homage to over 750 of these remarkable women and 247 National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honorees. With more than 4000 artifacts in its permanent collection, you’ll learn about women pioneers, artists, writers, entertainers, ranchers, and rodeo performers including Sacagawea, Georgia O’Keefe, author Laura Ingalls Wilder, Annie Oakley, Dale Evans, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. View championship spurs, Annie Oakley’s letters, cowgirl attire, paintings, boots, belt buckles, and more. The 33,000 square-foot museum is in the Will Rogers Memorial Complex inside the Ft. Worth Cultural District and features an exterior adorned with hand-carved

panels, wild rose finials, and bas-relief sculptures. Special exhibits include the captivating “It’s Never Just a Horse ™” that examines the partnership between people and horses, and Escaramuza Charra, an intriguing exhibit that showcases a unique form of horsemanship combining side saddle, culture, and grace. cowgirl.net

Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight Ranch State Historic Site

Charles and Mary Ann Goodnight

Ranch State Historic Site - Goodnight

Cowgirls played an essential part in the history of the West, and in Fort Worth, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame pays homage to over 750 of these remarkable women and 247 National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Honorees. With more than 4000 artifacts in its permanent collection, you’ll learn about women pioneers, artists, writers, entertainers, ranchers, and rodeo performers

including Sacagawea, Georgia O’Keefe, author Laura Ingalls Wilder, Annie Oakley, Dale Evans, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. View championship spurs, Annie Oakley’s letters, cowgirl attire, paintings, boots, belt buckles, and more. The 33,000 square-foot museum is in the Will Rogers Memorial Complex inside the Ft. Worth Cultural District and features an exterior adorned with hand-carved panels, wild rose finials, and bas-relief sculptures. Special exhibits include the captivating “It’s Never Just a Horse ™” that examines the partnership between people and horses, and Escaramuza Charra, an intriguing exhibit that showcases a unique form of horsemanship combining side saddle, culture, and grace. cowgirl.net

TEXAN CULTURE

Museum of Western Art – Kerrville

Kids and adults alike will enjoy a salute to our western heritage at the Museum of Western Art. Amid hundreds of original western-themed paintings and sculptures are collections of antique saddles, vintage weaponry, barbed wire and historical artifacts. Youngsters love the Journey West Children’s Gallery, an interactive recreation of life on the Oregon Trail as explained through the diary of a young pioneer girl. There’s a chuckwagon to climb into, a teepee to explore and period dress-up clothes that set the stage for memorable Instagram photos. Take time to roam the grounds and enjoy the larger-thanlifesize bronze statues, all done by masters. Ranked one of the top five western museums in the country, this Kerrville icon belongs on your “must see” list. museumofwesternart.com

The Journey West, Interactive Children’s Gallery in The Museum of Western Art

TEXAN CULTURE

The Museum of Western Art

TEXAN CULTURE

Dublin Rodeo Heritage Museum – Dublin

Rodeo comes to mind when you think of cowboy culture, and a great place to learn about its roots is at the Dublin Rodeo Heritage Museum, an easy 90-minute drive southwest of Fort Worth. When Everett Colburn moved from Idaho to the area in 1937, he leased ranchland for his Lightning C Ranch, destined to be known as the largest ranch in the world dedicated to raising rodeo stock. In 1940, a new venture, Everett Colborn’s World’s Championship Rodeo, catapulted into the public’s eye and soon attracted rodeo legends from around the country to perform in rodeos at Madison Square Garden, Chicago, and Boston. In 1942, TV cowboy legend Gene Autry went on to merge his own rodeo company, “The Flying A R Ranch Rodeo,” with Colburn’s rodeo. By 1959, when Everett Colborn retired, rodeo stock was moved to another location, ending an era that lives on in memory at the museum. Allow at least an hour to roam past period artifacts, show saddles, trophies, a wall of branding irons, and a treasure of photos from rodeo greats including Casey Tibbs, Jim Shoulder, Toots Mansfield, and others. Dublin is a rural charmer and you may want to stay over. If so, consider the western-themed Marmalade Station BnB across the street from the museum, and for really great eats, head to homey Granny Clark’s Restaurant. drhm.org

Need more ideas? Among other Cowboy

Culture stops are Doan’s Crossing in Vernon, King Ranch in Kingsville, or the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth. Each one is a Lone Star treasure. Go see for yourself. texastimetravel.com.

Nancy Foster has authored more than 400 articles for national, regional and local magazines and newspapers, including regular contributions to Allegiant airlines in-flight magazine, My Non-Stop Life. She heads Foster Tourism Marketing based in Kerrville and has clients in the hotel and attraction industry, including the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville.

EGYPT

A TRAVELER’S JOURNEY

An Ancient Land With A Brand New Billion Dollar Archaeological Museum, The Largest In The World

by DENISE PAYNE

We were barely able to contain our excitement regarding the adventure we were about to begin.

W’e had ten days to explore Egypt! It was the second half of our honeymoon trip which began in Greece. We used,“Egypt Direct Tours.” I can honestly tell you, I highly recommend them! We live in Texas and this was our first trip to the land of King Tut, pyramids and mummies. I booked the Great Pyramid Inn, in Cairo, on-line. It had amazing reviews and was directly across from the pyramids in the old Giza neighborhood. Thankfully our plane from Athens arrived in Cairo on time.

IMPORTANT TRAVEL TIP:

Months before our trip, I applied for our Egyptian visas through a link our tour company provided on their website. So, after landing, we picked up our luggage and were able to bypass the long line of people waiting to get their visas in the airport. The line to have our visa stamped was short and in no time we were outside meeting our tour guide. We were barely able to contain our excitement regarding the adventure we were about to begin. Our guides put our bags in the car, and they drove us to our hotel. Our driver zig zagged between donkey carts, people running across the highway and other cars rushing all around us. I felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie. Cairo is a modern city to some extent, but Giza is older. As I looked out the car window, I was intrigued by everything. Suddenly, I grabbed my husband Steve’s arm. Right there in the distance were the pyramids.

TEXAN TRAVEL

I was teary eyed as I had my first glimpse of them. Minutes later we arrived at our hotel. Porters came out for our luggage. I learned during my research for this trip, that you tip everyone, so I was prepared for that. As we crossed the entrance I was struck by the beautiful Egyptian paintings and statues in the lobby. After we entered our room, I quickly opened the window curtains in anticipation of the view. There, right in front of us were the Great Pyramids and Sphinx. Knowing we were only here for the night since our tour started the next day, both Steve and I looked out that window for hours.

Camel riders were constantly passing by as were donkey carts. It was like we stepped back into another era. Breakfast on the roof top the next morning was unreal. Having breakfast with the pyramids as a backdrop was like we were in a movie. We highly recommend the Great Pyramid Inn if you want to be close to the pyramids. It’s an old hotel but well worth it, just for the view alone.

The next morning our tour company picked us up and again began dodging

donkey carts and camels. There seems to be no traffic rules. We arrived at the beautiful Swiss Inn hotel in Cairo where we would meet the other tour members. We were the first to arrive, so the rest of our day was free. Steve was overjoyed when he found out there was a world class golf course. While I lounged at the pool, he played a few rounds of golf.

The next day we had a sumptuous buffet breakfast and met the rest of our tour group. Luckily there was only one other couple, so it was like a private tour. Our van arrived to take the four of us and our guide to the Giza Pyramids where we saw Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinos and then Valley Temple. We walked to the pyramids, though you could take a camel. It was incredible, a dream come true. After a good amount of time exploring and taking pictures we climbed back into our van. Shortly we arrived at an old village for an authentic Egyptian lunch. As we sat down, they placed a metal box in the middle of our table. Inside were hot embers that contained our cooked meal. Let’s just say the food was interesting.

Great Sphinx

After lunch we visited the Step Pyramid built for King Zoser. It was my first time looking at ancient hieroglyphs. As I closed my eyes, I imagined the person who wrote these. What their life was like. It was an incredible experience. Staring out the window as our van took us back to the hotel, I thought about all the adventures yet to come. Tomorrow, we fly south to start the Nile River cruise part of our trip. Early in the morning we were taken to Cairo airport and flew to Luxor. We were greeted by our tour guide/historian Mohamed Edasy and taken to our home for the next 4 days, a boat on the Nile named The Champollion II.

Our cabin room was more spacious than I had thought it would be. The boat reminded me of the movie, Death on the Nile. It carried about a hundred people and the staff was amazing. After a buffet lunch we started our tour by visiting the East Bank of Luxor exploring the Karnak and Luxor Temples. Karnak

was breathtaking in that it was so huge it was like a wonderland exploring statues, hieroglyphs, and ancient columns. Tomorrow, we discover another place that’s been on my wish list. The West Bank and the Valley of the Kings. The famous Valley of the Kings where generations of pharaohs and nobles were buried in splendid crypts cut into the cliffs and guarded by the colossi of Memnon, two statues 60 feet high. Our tour guide Mohamed Edasy who knew everything about anything Egyptian took us to the burial chambers KV 8 Merenptah, KV 14 Tausert/Setnakht, KV 17 Sety 1, and KV 1 Rameses VII. The colorful drawings and stone carvings were powerful. They told stories of ages ago giving us a glimpse into the daily life and history of that time. We then drove to the temple of Queen Hatchepsut, one of the few female pharaohs of Egypt. Her temple was majestic, and the stone images took your breath away.

View of the Nile and Gezira Island of Cairo

Karnak Temple in the city of Luxor

TEXAN TRAVEL

After dinner just about everyone on the boat went to the top deck and watched as our boat crept closer to a lock that we had to pass through. Our captain was an expert at maneuvering our boat into the tiny space allotted for us to wait while the water sank on our side and was raised on the other side so we could continue down the Nile. Even with this small space for our boat, those local boys who threw the bags of goods up to us, snuck their small row boats in front of our ship in the lock. We all felt for sure they would be crushed, but surprisingly they fit right in front of our vessel. We headed back down to our cabin for the night, looking forward to our next stop.

Early morning breakfast and then a horse carriage ride carried us through the town of Edfu, another poor but fascinating town. Mohamed our tour guide escorted us to the temple dedicated to the falcon-headed god Horus and explained his part in Egyptian religion. Later we took our carriage to a small motorboat that took us to Kom Ombo, a sleepy town surrounded by sugar cane fields. From the river the soaring columns raised before us and revealed the magnificent unusual double temple dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris. Beautiful columns and engravings revealed more Egyptian history.

The next day we headed across the Sahara Desert. Our 3-hour destination was one I was really looking forward to, the Temple of Abu Simbel. We arrived at the temple about

9am. Since it’s so popular it was already crowded, even though it’s out in the middle of the desert. Our tour guide Mohameds favorite saying was “With Mohamed, all things are possible” and we found they were! He knew of a different line where it wasn’t so crowded, and we got in quickly. Abu Simbel is an ancient temple complex which sits on the bank of Lake Nasser, originally cut into a solid rock cliff. It was created during the reign of Ramesses II over 3,000 years ago. Among all the tall statues are four 66 ft seated figures of Ramses and a smaller one that was dedicated to Queen Nefertiti. Even more fascinating was that the entire complex was dismantled and relocated to higher ground after the construction of the Aswan Dam.

Ramesses II statue at the Luxor Temple entrance

TEXAN TRAVEL

Next stop: Aswan

Mohamed our guide was waiting for us as we got off the boat. We drove to a dock that had a small motorboat ready to take us to a Nubian Village further up the Nile River. The Nubians are one of the oldest civilizations, first migrating to Egypt around 6000 BCE. We arrived on the beach, though some people swam in the river, we waded around. On the beach, young boys were selling jewelry and sand in delicate ornate bottles that you usually see perfume in. Some tourists from the boats took camels from the beach to the village, again we walked.

The village buildings were painted with bright colors and the roads were made of dirt and sand. It was exotically primitive. Wooden barrels filled with herbs and spices filled the air with amazing fragrances outside of the shops. It felt unusual to walk onto sand as you entered their homes, they did this to check for signs of crocodiles or snakes entering their dwellings. As we started walking back to our motorboat, a small boy caught my eye. He was about 6 or 7 running up and down the road pulling a string behind him which

had an empty water bottle filled with sand. I asked Mohamed, our tour guide if there was some significance to his actions. He said it was just a toy. Here was this little boy having great joy pulling a bottle filled with sand behind him. The smiles and laughter as he ran past me were so sweet. Both Steve and I looked at each other at the same time and we knew how blessed we were. A beautiful orange sunset started to show itself as our little motorboat took us back to our cruise boat. Exhausted from yet another magical day, we looked forward to our next adventure.

Edfu Temple, Aswan

Agilkia Island

Mohamed greeted us the next morning and our van took us to another small motorboat which took us to Agilkia Island to see the Philae temples. It is believed to be the burial places of the ancient Egyptian god Osiris. The complex was started by 30th dynasty pharaoh Nectanebo 1. When you get off the boat you first see the oldest part of the temple of Isis. Incredible reliefs and granite shrines that once held gold statues of Isis. The gold statues were removed and placed in museums. As you wander around, you are surrounded by magnificent tall stone carved columns. This was a fantastic place. Sadly, we walked back to our little motorboat and said goodbye to this momentous sight. Next stop was a perfume shop. Elegant glass containers lined the shelves as we looked at all the different fragrance names on the bottles. Whatever fragrance you wanted; they could blend for you. I already knew what I wanted. I had friends that visited an Egyptian perfume shop just a few months earlier and I liked the one my girlfriend had made. In no time at all they blended the oils and created the scent I loved. We bought a delicate bottle

for me, and Steve created a scent for himself as well. Mohamed treated us to a special restaurant for our last meal together. He was truly an amazing guide who literally knew everything about Egyptian history. He got our small 4-person group into many places larger groups couldn’t go. It seemed as if he knew so many people at the tour sights personally and they showed us unforgettable highlights. We all felt sad as we said goodbye to Mohamed. As he had become more than a tour guide to us, he became a friend.

Trajan's Kiosk of the Philae Temple

View of the Great Nile in Aswan

TEXAN TRAVEL

We checked back into the Swiss Inn hotel in Cairo. The employees welcomed us back like we were long lost friends. After a delicious buffet breakfast, the tour van picked us up and we drove to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. It displays precious items of Egyptian art and has a rare collection of over 250,000 genuine artifacts that date as far back as 5000 years, including an exclusive exhibit dedicated to Tutankhamon. His furniture, gold and jewelry were buried in his tomb for over 3,500 years before it was found and excavated in the 1920’s. King Tutankhamons mask is made of two layers of high karat gold and weighs 22 pounds. Exploring the museum takes you back to the world of pharaohs, gods, and everyday life in ancient Egypt. Mummies, statues, paintings, papyrus, coins, textiles and so much more are there for you to enjoy discovering it all.

Tutankhamun's golden death mask

Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Honeymooners and adventurers, author Denise Payne and husband Steve

After the museum we went to the Coptic church area where you can see the church of Abu-Sergah. This church has a water well that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus used during their time there. As we crept down into the cavern where the Holy Family stayed for 3 months, we were overcome with spiritual feelings. Just to be in the same area that Jesus was in so many years ago was unbelievable. Later, it became a church in the apostolic age. We also saw St. Barbara, the hanging church, and the old Jewish synagogue Ben-Ezra. This synagogue close to the Nile River was according to folklore located on the site where baby Moses was found. Strolling around this ancient neighborhood was mesmerizing. As we wandered throughout this ancient neighborhood, we discovered Al Khan café, a wonderful restaurant. Steve savored one of his last authentic Egyptian coffees with his meal. We headed back to the hotel and had our last dinner in Egypt that night with our two friends from our tour group, John and Jeanelle. We called them our Maltese kids since they were from Malta and many people thought they were our kids since

they were about 35 years younger than us. The next day we flew back to Athens for a few days before heading home to Texas. Our time in Egypt, exploring one of the world’s oldest civilizations turned out to be an amazing adventure we will never forget!

Denise Payne was born and raised in New York, but as the saying goes, she got to Texas as fast as she could. In 2022, she married the love of her life, Steve, who was born and raised in Texas. She enjoys traveling the world, writing, photography, hiking and working on their property in the Texas Hill Country.

Coptic Church of St. Mary (formerly St. Barbara)

Most people love to post pictures on social media while on vacation, and why not? You work hard. You planned a beautiful vacation and you absolutely deserve some time off.

The problem is, you don’t want to advertise to the world that you are out of town and that your home is unprotected. Believe it or not, criminals can and do monitor your social media. “We are having a great time in paradise for the

next few days,” is like blood in the water for criminals. Don’t be fooled. Even if you are very, very careful about who is on your “friends” list, you would be surprised at who can see your posts. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you see posts from people you’re not friends with on social media? It’s because someone you ARE friends with was tagged in the photo. The list goes on about the different ways other people can see your posts.

Even if you are very, very careful about who is on your “friends” list, you would be surprised at who can see your posts.

If you do go out of town, here are some very important tips to keep your home safe when

KEEP IT QUIET!

Don’t tell anybody you are going out of town, outside of your most trusted inner circle.

WAIT TO POST YOUR PICS

If you’re so inclined to share your vacation images, (and who isn’t?), post your pics AFTER you return. I know it’s tempting to want to share in the moment and excitement of a beautiful vacation with all of your social media friends, ….but wait until you’re back. I repeat, if you want to post your vacation pics, do it AFTER you have returned home. You might want to say something like, “We sure had a great time last week on vacay, but are glad to be back!”

TEXAN KEEPING YOU SAFE

OTHER AWAY FROM HOME

SAFETY TIPS

• The best bet is to to make it look like your home is currently occupied. Have a trusted friend/neighbor/relative come check on your place at least daily. They can turn different lights on or off. They can also leave a TV or music on at different times. Or put lights on a timer to go on and off at random times throughout your home.

• If there is no car left in your driveway, ask your trusted friend to park an extra car there at your home from time to time, if possible.

• If you receive the newspaper, pause your delivery, and also pause your mail delivery. Try not to have packages delivered in your absence.

TEXAN KEEPING YOU SAFE

• Have your trusted friend remove any newspapers, packages, handbills or flyers from your door every morning. Posting flyers is actually a common way for burglars to check if people are home. If they place a flyer on your door and it’s still there several days later, they know there’s a chance nobody is home.

• Be mindful of trash pick up. Make sure your trash cans are not left out by the curb.

• Have someone try to keep up with lawn maintenance if your absence is extended. Again, DO NOT tell any landscaping companies you will be out of town.

TEXAN KEEPING YOU SAFE

• Make sure all doors are locked, and alarms are constantly set.

• Security cameras on all sides of the home are a must. Security lighting on the perimeter of your home should be turned on/off daily by your trusted friend or be set on timers. Constantly leaving lights on your outside perimeter could be a signal to potential burglars that nobody is home.

• It’s also a good idea to not leave valuables inside the home. Jewelry and large sums of cash should be in a safety deposit box at your local bank. Firearms should be removed from the home and kept somewhere safe until your return.

• If your home is currently on the market, pause any showings for the duration of the time you’ll be out of town. Not every potential buyer who asks for a walk-through of your home is an actual buyer! Also, you don’t have to tell your real estate company why you’re pausing showings—just that you don’t want showings for a certain time period.

TEXAN KEEPING YOU SAFE

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

Call your local law enforcement agency to place a “patrol by”on your residence. They will ask who should be there, which cars will be in the driveway, and dates of departure and return. They will then send a patrol officer or deputy to go by the house daily. The Bexar County Sheriff’s office nonemergency number is 210-335-6000. The San Antonio Police Department’s number is 210-207-7273.

Together, we can do things to keep your home safe, prevent crime and greatly lessen the odds that you will be a victim. Knowing that you took the right steps to give yourself some peace of mind while on vacation makes for a really great vacation, no matter where you may travel.

Enjoy your summer and stay safe!

Sheriff Javier Salazar, Bexar County, Texas is a career law enforcement officer, husband, father, and son.

In Shimmering Swimwear

by LISA DANTE

Shine on in metallic and sparkly swimsuits this summer. Just when you think there is never anything really new to come along in swimwear fabric other than interesting patterns, cut-outs or embellishments, along comes the visual sensation of liquid metal. You used to only see these chromed fabrics and sequined looks at parties around the holidays or on the red carpet. Swimwear material very seldom changes, until now. The sleek, flashy fabric has somehow made its way to the water. Amp up the look by piling on statement jewelry and oversized sunglasses for poolside lounging.

TEXAN FASHION

TEXAN FASHION

Giant Sun Hats

For Instagram worthy pics, the hottest accessory of summer is the extraextra large straw hat. The oversized hat is not only guaranteed to provide shade, but it’s also a look-at-me status symbol. The good news is, you can find them in many different price points. The gigantic straw sun hats of summer really are a fashion statement.

TEXAN FASHION

Classic Black And White

Maybe you’re more into the never-out-of-style symbols of summer luxury. There’s nothing more glamorous than the simplicity of black or white. Yes, black swimsuits are slimming and they won’t show a trace of that sangria you accidentally spilled on yourself. Plus, they never go out of style. Both colors make it very easy to pull together your summer look. The two colors, either separate or together are timeless neutrals that pair well with any color of accessories that you can imagine. With either a classic white or black swimsuit as your starting point, your fabulous fashion sense has every chance to shine.

TEXAN FASHION

TEXAN FASHION

So Many Strings And Cut-Outs

Crisscrossing strings and torsotraversing ties are taking over swimwear this season. I must admit, I find the look a little confounding. Yet, it somehow looks very fresh and modern. I can’t imagine the tan lines though. And don’t even get me started on the wearing your bikini top upside down trend. I’m serious, it’s a thing. However, I really like the strategically placed cut out trend. It’s been around for a while and can be very figure enhancing.

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Make Your Investment Last

Have you priced swimsuits lately? Sure they come in all price points. But the suits that are made to last several seasons can run into the hundreds of dollars. It’s just a matter of if you want to be able to wear the suit for more than one season. I would definitely follow the care instructions from the manufacturer, but one thing I know for sure is that chlorine and salt water can really take a toll on fabric.

A few years ago we were on vacation in the Bahamas. I bought a very, very inexpensive generic one piece swimsuit on-line right before the trip. I loved the bright coral color with black trim and the zipper up the front. We were planning on doing a lot of snorkeling. After a day

spent in the water at a secluded beach, we called a taxi to take us back to the hotel. Keep in mind, it was the first time I was wearing my new suit. Next thing I knew, my swimsuit literally started falling apart. In the taxi! The only thing I had with me was a small towel that I was able to wrap myself up in to make it back to our room. I guess you get what you pay for.

When you’re on a vacation involving water the last thing you may be thinking about is swimsuit care. Simply hand rinse your suit in fresh, clean water at the end of the day and gently squeeze out the water. Do not wring! This goes for men’s swim trunks too.

This helps keep the elastic waist band from deteriorating.

What Style Is Right For You

I know I’ve said this a hundred times, but it bears repeating. How do you choose the right swimsuit style for your body type? That’s easy. It’s the style that makes you feel the most comfortable and confident!

WHITE WINES FOR SUMMER SIPPING

by JIM PETERSON, WINE ENTHUSIAST & INSTAGRAM WINE INFLUENCER

There are a multitude of white grape varietal wines to enjoy during the summer months. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, staring at a shelf of white wines, trying to decide which bottle you should choose. What’s the best way to narrow the choices down to a select few that are most likely to please the palate? My favorite white wines for the summer are typically dry and crisp, often with tropical notes to evoke that island vibe while refreshing me and helping to survive the summer heat. With that in mind, let’s explore some of my favorite selections for summer sipping.

SAUVIGNON BLANC

The many styles of Sauvignon Blanc (aka Sav Blanc) are at the top of my list for summer whites. I’m not sure there is a more refreshing white wine than a crisp, ice-cold Sauvignon Blanc when sitting out by the pool or outside on a hot, summer day. I would guess most people first think of the mouth-puckering, citrus-infused wines from New Zealand with the classic green apple and tropical profile. While there are seven regions in New Zealand that produce Sav Blanc, about 90% comes from the renowned Marlborough region. My longtime favorite New Zealand white is Cloudy Bay, but there are many others you can find on the shelves with similar characteristics. I would not be shy about exploring the varying California Sauvignon Blanc wines either. Some producers use a hint of oak to tame the grape’s overt character, but I think it adds a layer of complexity without losing the vivacity. I tasted two fantastic examples on my visit to California last year – beautiful Sav Blancs from Merry Edwards in Sonoma and Sinegal Estate in Napa Valley. These are both slightly higher end, but well worth it. On the value side, I’ve mentioned it before, but try the FerrariCarano Fum Blanc. It is super easy to find and always tasty.

TEXAN WINE

Let’s go to France next. I have been drawn to the white wines from Bordeaux going back over 25 years now. The classic white Bordeaux has a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, but Sav Blanc rules. My all-time favorite is Château Carbonnieux from Pessac Léognan in Graves. My first taste was the 1995 vintage and I have been hooked ever since. The best white Bordeaux will even age well. I recently tasted a 1990 Carbonnieux – over 30 years old and still delicious. There are many excellent white Bordeaux in the value price range too, and most wine stores will have a nice selection. They are great as an aperitif or with an elegant appetizer course.

To wrap up the Sav Blanc recommendations, let’s go back to the Loire Valley in France. The regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé produce some of the most stellar Sauvignon Blanc in the world. There is an elegance about them I find impossible to resist. You can still get the flavors of green apple or pineapple, but there is a mineral characteristic imparted from the limestone soils that puts it all in balance. It’s Sav Blanc with a French flair. Take a chance when you see Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé on the label.

ARNEIS (ahr-NASE)

The Arneis grape is grown in Northern Italy in the region of Piedmont. It was nearly extinct until 1967 when Alfredo Currado, enologist and owner of the Vietti winery decided to reintroduce this wine. The most famous of the Arneis are from Roero (Roero Arneis on the label), but you may also see Langhe Arneis too. I love love LOVE to sip Arneis. The limestone soil adds minerality to the wines, so Arneis is a perfect complement with seafood meals of shrimp, lobster, or white fish. As for recommendations, the red/white checkerboard capsule on the Vietti Roero Arneis bottle is unmistakable, so grab it if you see it. My other favorites include Morra, Marchesi Incisa della Rocchetta, Marco Bonfante, and Malvira’.

ALBARIÑO

There are two fun summer white wines made from the Albariño grape. The first is from Spain, and the best ones are from Rías Baixas (Ree-as Buy-shas) in the coastal region of Galicia. To be labeled a wine from Rías Baixas, all wines must pass a tasting committee. This helps ensure you are buying quality wine. Rías Baixas has five sub-zones, and there can be subtle differences amongst the wines produced. Generally, though, most Albariño are characterized by crisp, elegant, dry wines with aromas and flavors of lemon, melon, pineapple, or honeysuckle, often with hints of salinity on the finish. This makes for a perfect pairing with all sorts of seafood dishes – from raw oysters to fish tacos to broiled or grilled white fish. The second area is in Portugal, where

the grape is called Alvarinho and the wine is Vinho Verde (veeng-yo vaird). I have a fondness for Vinho Verde because I first discovered it back in 1995 on our stopover in the Azores (Portuguese islands in the Atlantic) when flying our A-10s back and forth from Kuwait. Here was another wine I would sneak back home in my travel pod. The Vinho Verde wines are typically lower alcohol and have a slight effervescence that is unbelievably refreshing during the summer. I first thought it was “green wine” because there seemed to be a tint of green. However, the “green” refers to the region’s year-round verdant nature. When tasting Vinho Verde you might find citrus flavors of grapefruit, lime, or lemon, plus some honeydew melon and honeysuckle can show up. These are great party wines for a fun day by the pool.

TXAKOLI / TXAKOLINA (CHOCK-AH-LEE)

I wouldn’t blame you if you have never heard of Txakoli wines. These obscure whites are made in the Basque region of Spain mainly using the Hondarribi Zuria grape. Like the Vinho Verde wines, there is often a slight fizz with these wines that brightens the mood. To see something fun, search “pouring Txakoli wine” on the internet and check out the unique way these wines are served in Spain – with a high pour to ignite the bubbles and release the wine’s aromas. Are you brave enough to try this at home? Even without the traditional “high pour” these wines are extremely enjoyable and worth seeking out. They are crisp and refreshing with floral, citrus, and herbal aspects.

VERDEJO (VUR-DAY-HO)

I can’t move on from Spain without mentioning the most popular white wine in SpainVerdejo. Some of the best Verdejo comes from the Rueda region, and the bottles will be labeled as “Reuda Verdejo.” You will sometimes see fermentado en barrico on these bottles, which means the fermentation occurs in the barrels. This adds a bit more texture and complexity to the wines. There are a few different styles of Verdejo, and they are often differentiated by the bottle type used. The leaner style of a straightforward citrusy, dry wine usually has a high-shoulder bottle like Cabernet Sauvignon. The rounder, softer, almost creamy style will use a low shoulder bottle like a Pinot Noir. It’s a helpful way to point wine lovers in the direction of their palate preference. Given so many in Spain love Verdejo, how could you go wrong?

FINAL THOUGHTS

I can understand if you’re wondering about some white wines I did not mention. I have written about great white wines like Chablis, German Riesling, Oregon Chardonnay, and Etna Bianco in prior articles. And a wine like Pinot Grigio, while nice for the summer, is so ubiquitous that most people have probably tried it. One of my goals is to help my readers discover new wines. Plus, I think it’s always fun to surprise your family or guests by serv-

ing them something they may have never tried or didn’t even know existed. For added fun you might consider serving it to them blind to see their reaction before revealing the bottle.

Just know I only recommend a grape or style of wine when I have convinced myself it’s worth recommending. You might say I have tried more than enough of these white wines to be convinced. Now it’s your turn. Let me know how it goes. Cheers!

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. He has cultivated a large following on his Instagram account, @tx_wine_pilot.

JAMBALAYA WITH A TEXAS TWIST

AND A SWEET SURPRISE ENDING

by MATTHEW HARVEY

It’s early summer in Texas. The temperature has warmed up, the rains are falling (well in some places), and the wildflowers are fading. For some that means not quite using the outdoor grill just yet. Why? Well, my guess is mainly that we have it ingrained in us as Texans to wait until it’s scalding hot outside before we actually decide to do any outdoor cooking. For some reason we can’t even think about doing that before it’s 100 degrees outside. Some folks do, but let’s face it, grilling and barbeque are an entirely different article and doesn’t pertain to this. Well, I mean it could, but it doesn’t in the context here. Anyway, back to cooking. Time to make some delicious dishes the family can enjoy.

There is a new buzz word going around for a few years now (probably longer, I don’t actually keep tabs on these things) called “meal-planning.” Some see this as some new way of cooking and prepping meals for a better way to eat and to save on the

cost of prepping something every day. But, we’ve been doing this for generations. It’s called…… leftovers.

I guess meal planning just sounds better? I’m not sure. However, I love to cook with leftovers in mind. It allows you to stretch a meal over several days, pack for lunch if you commute to work, or have something quick to grab when you’re just not sure what to make and don’t want to sit down and plan out a menu on a weekly basis like you’re part of a school cafeteria.

I love being able to think I’m going to cook enough to feed my family and have some left over for the next few days of lunches and/or dinners. Now that doesn’t mean we’re eating massive amounts of food. You can actually plan out leftovers and still have properly proportioned meals. Today I’m going to discuss a variation on a couple of easy dishes that I prepare for my family that we can then have again.

Not Your Traditional Jambalaya

One great meal I have always loved is jambalaya. However, when you live in a house where folks don’t like spicy food, or seafood, adaptation is key. So I spent time researching different recipes for jambalaya and then began playing around with a couple of recipes that I derived that taste amazing and that my family will eat without worrying if there’s anything like shrimp in it. And it can be quite budget conscious as well. The first of these is a more traditional style with homage to creole roots.

The Seasoning

In a small “dipping bowl” size container combine smoked paprika, white pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, and onion powder. About a tablespoon of each with the exception of the white pepper, then that’s just a teaspoon. Combine these together and set aside.

Chop up the following:

2 small yellow onions

2 small bell peppers (use any color you want, but I prefer one red and one yellow)

4 celery stalks

2 scallions (or green onions)

4 cloves of peeled garlic

Add these to a bowl and combine. Now set aside.

Next, slice up 1 package of sausage. This can be andouille, kielbasa, smoked sausage or any type of sausage. Slice into medallions.

1 package of chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) diced. Mix with a spoonful of the seasoning.

You will also need 1 or 2 boxes of chicken broth 2 tablespoons of oil (canola works, I use sunflower)

I package of parboiled rice (or any rice you prefer).

You will also need a large pot.

Set the pot on the stove over medium to medium-high heat. Pour in one tablespoon of oil and after a few minutes pour in the sausage and a spoonful of the seasoning. Let this cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes, or until there’s a nice cooked appearance to the sausage. This normally means there’s browning or a slight amount of char. Once this is cooked, return it to a bowl and set aside.

Next pour in the other tablespoon of oil and toss in the diced chicken thighs that were coated earlier. You can add more seasoning if you choose, or just go with what you coated them with earlier. Stir consistently in order to prevent sticking. This should take no more than 5 or so minutes.

An easy way to test to see if the chicken is done is to take a wooden spoon and you should be able to “cut” a small piece in half without much effort. You should be able to see once the piece is cut that it’s cooked all the way through. Once this is done, pour into another container and set aside.

Now that the meats are done, it’s time to cook the vegetables. Take the vegetables, that you either mixed, or kept separate (you know you’re out there, Mr. or Miss my-veggies-must-be-in-a-separate-container). Add in a pinch or two of kosher salt and sweat the veggies. This shouldn’t take longer than 3 minutes over medium heat. Afterwards, I prefer to remove the veggies back into another bowl and set aside, but if you choose to leave them in for the next step you can. It’s your call, it’s your kitchen.

Pour in about 2 to 3 cups of rice (I used Mahatma parboiled) and toast it in the pot for the next 4 minutes. I find it easier to do this without the vegetables in with it. After a few minutes, you should smell a toastiness to the rice. I know it sounds odd, but you will smell a distinct “toastiness” to the rice. After the rice has been toasted, pour in 1 box of chicken broth. Stir occasionally until the broth begins to boil. Once it’s boiling, pour back in the veggies, the sausage, and the chicken (including all the drippings that have collected with the chicken and sausage) and stir to combine. If there is not enough liquid to cover the top, add either more broth or water until everything is covered, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and allow to cook for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 30 minutes, give everything another stir, make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom, cover, and let sit for another 10 minutes After 10 minutes, grab some bowls, some hot sauce if you wish, and enjoy. We have this and usually there’s enough left for another two days or so to take to lunch or have again.

Another Texas Twist On Jambalaya

I like to blend Texas barbeque with jambalaya in what my kids have called “Texjalaya”. Most of the ingredients are the same with a couple of exceptions. The chicken thigh meat is replaced with diced boneless, skinless, breast meat. Corn takes the place of the celery, and the seasoning is different.

For this I use a blend of Kirkland Signature Sweet Mesquite Seasoning, McCormick’s Grill Masters Barbecue seasoning, and Chuck’s Rub, All -Purpose Rub & Seasoning (this one is actually made by my neighbor in honor of his dad and can be found at https:// www.chucksseasoning.com/). I also will marinate the chicken in one of three sauces, Garage Oil Slather sauce, G.Hughes Sugar Free Mesquite, or Kinder’s Zero Sugar sauce. This adds a nice flavor, and when cooking the chicken, imparts some amazing flavor. The rest of the directions are the same as are the

ingredients. The difference though, man, you go from creole inspired to a flavor that makes you want to fire up the grill and get some meat going. It’s just all kinds of amazing. And if you haven’t had a chance to try out Chuck’s Rub, I suggest you go get ya some. It works on just about any meat, either as a quick rub, or as a combination in a marinade.

Now these are just a couple of dishes that I’ve used before that are my way of “meal prepping.” This will feed the family, have them coming back for more, and have them fighting for the leftovers. Heck, I’ve made this for guests, and end up sending them home with leftovers that they can eat the next day. Give it a try, and I’m sure you’ll be surprised.

One side note:

Occasionaly, you will end up with some “crispy” rice near the bottom of the pot after it’s been cooking. This is some of the best part. Don’t chalk that up to burnt. It’s got tons of flavor just waiting for you!

What About Dessert?

My daughter has long had a dream of becoming a baker and owning/opening her own bakery. Over Easter weekend, she decided she wanted to bake cookies as she saw my wife already baking. We went into the pantry and looked over some of the ingredients she had previously bought from the store for bundt cakes to see what she had. I found a box of instant vanilla pudding and told her to see if she could find a recipe to incorporate this into a cookie.

Now usually, like most 16 year olds, my daughter would grunt, groan and walk away, but not this time. She grabbed her school laptop and began the art of Googling and found a few recipes that included vanilla pudding mix. After picking and choosing, based on ingredient availability and removing things she deemed as “gross” she set out with her recipe and baked two batches.

Mind you, this was two batches on top

of the 6 my wife and I had already made that consisted of chocolate chocolate chip, chocolate chip, chocolate white chocolate whiskey, peanut butter, and peanut butter and chocolate whiskey cookies. Now, out of all the ones made, (and they were amazing), my daughters cookies became the overall favorite. I asked her if she would share the recipe in this article, and she said I could, so without further ado:

Lexi’s Wonderous Vanilla Pudding Sugar Cookies

• ¾ cups of butter – softened to room temperature.

• ¼ cup shortening

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour

• 1 – 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or in a mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar together until well mixed.

Add in the pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla, mixing until it is thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Gradually add the dry mixture into the mixing bowl slowly, a cup at a time taking time between cups to scrape down the sides of the bowl until all the ingredients are mixed together.

For the next step you can use a dough scoop or spoon, but come on, have some fun and use your hands. Grab about a tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball, press two fingers into the ball to made a thick looking disk and place on the parchment lined pan. Don’t press them completely, they will flatten as they cook.

Bake between 12 and 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool. And as much as you are going to want to, avoid eating them immediately. You’re going to want to. They are going to call to you. They are going to tempt you, but trust me, you don’t want that amount of fire in your mouth at one time. I might know this from experience, but I can’t say for certain. These simple little cookies will be a hit with anyone you serve them to (or with yourself and family if you decide that others outside your circle are simply unworthy). Trust me on this, you will want to make these over and over again. Since my daughter did this originally, we’ve made these several times over the last month just to have them in the house. And there you have it. A couple of twists on a great creole classic that will give you food for a

few days, and a nice, delicious and surprisingly light dessert. As always, have fun with this stuff. Don’t be afraid to add or remove ingredients and seasonings to fit your style. And share them, share them with me at chefmattcooks44@gmail.com, or if you have something you’ve made that you want to see what I’d do with it, let me know. I’m always up for a culinary adventure.

Matthew Harvey is a father of two, who enjoys cooking and sharing his love of food with others. He left the restaurant 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 he’s done or made for others.

PERENNIALS THAT BLOOM IN THE TEXAS SUMMER HEAT

by MARC HESS, EDITOR, “GARDENING SOUTH TEXAS,” NEWSLETTER

The secret to successful flower gardening in Texas lies in knowing two things: What flowers to grow here, and where to plant them. Once you have answered these questions, you should be able to grow beautiful flowers here.

Summer gardeners have found that perennials – plants that come back year after year— provide a dependable background for colorful seasonal annuals that must be replaced every year. If chosen carefully, the hardiest perennials will give you waves of reliable color throughout spring and well into fall. While perennially blooming plants may need tending to show their best value, buying and planting a plant only once makes them a great investment. Many perennials favored by gardeners in our part of Texas are heat and drought tolerant and many gardeners are not likely to spend time and effort on finicky plants requiring extra work. Experienced gardeners have learned the lesson of putting the right plant in the right place to keep their garden beds looking their best. May is a good time to plant the heat-tolerant, summer-blooming perennials.

TEXAN GARDENING

Summer color may not be your first priority. Perhaps you will be away on vacation for part of the summer, or you just want something that will get through the heat without raising your water bill astronomically. Planting for summer color alone could have the drawback of empty beds throughout the cold months of the year when most of these hot season perennials go completely dormant. A combination of evergreens (for winter), annual blooming plants, and colorful summer perennials will add balance to your landscape and still cut down on the number of times that you have to drag your hose out to your flower garden on those 100° plus days. You can count on you heat-loving perennials to bloom when nothing else will.

Most perennials are easily propagated by division, seed or cuttings. Division is particularly successful since it not only provides new plants but is often necessary for the continued vigor of plants.

Perennials can be highly useful and attractive in the home landscape. They often persist for many years and usually require less maintenance than annuals. They can provide long seasons of color and cut flowers while enhancing overall landscape development. If a perennial border is more than you care to attempt as your initial experience with perennials, try adding a few to existing plantings. Many perennials have attractive foliage and are an asset even when not in flower.

Pride of Barbados

Division is an important cultural requirement of many perennials. Without an occasional thinning, most of these plants will slowly lose their vigor. Most perennials will tolerate relatively poor growing conditions but respond very favorably to wellprepared planting areas containing high percentages of organic materials and moderately high fertility rates.

Perennials encompass a wide variety of hardy, beautiful and visually interesting plants. Dependable when it comes to planting and transplanting, they’re a perfect choice if you’re new to gardening or are simply looking for a landscape with year-round interest. Consider some of these heat tolerant perennial plants for reliable summer color in your landscape.

Gold Star Esperanza

TEXAN GARDENING

PRIDE OF BARBADOS, OR POINCIANA

This very drought tolerant perennial has a layered airy look that produces glow-in-the-dark orange and yellow clusters of blooms. Butterflies and hummingbirds like Poinciana, but unfortunately, so do deer. Grow Poinciana in full sun. Once established, it does not require irrigation. Poinciana is often used as a parking lot shrub because of its heat tolerance.

GOLD STAR ESPERANZA

They have begun blooming and will bloom until Thanksgiving. The Gold Star selection boasts of superior blooming characteristics. Esperanza is very drought tolerant and pest free. Deer do not eat Esperanza but hummingbirds like the blooms as a source of nectar.

TEXAN GARDENING

FIREBUSH

Small red flowers will cover the shrub after mid-June. Before the flowers begin blooming, the foliage is an attractive maroon green. Firebush works well as a sunny parking lot shrub, along with Esperanza and Poinciana, but also is an outstanding container plant. In a 10- to 15-gallon container, it grows to 3 feet tall in a disciplined round shape. In addition to the colorful foliage and blooms, Firebush is one of hummingbirds’ favorite plants for nectar. Put Firebush in a container on your patio, and the hummingbirds will find it. In the ground, Firebush grows back to 6 feet tall after freezing back each winter. Deer will eat Firebush.

DURANTA

Also known as Brazilian sky flower. It grows to 6 feet tall each summer, often dying back in the winter. The weeping branches are covered with purple or white crinkly blooms across their length. Sometimes butterflies will be so thick on the flowers that it will be hard to recognize the plant. Duranta is eaten by the deer, but it is not one of their favorite foods.

Remember, knowing what to plant and when and where to plant it will keep your summer garden bursting with color. It can be at its best even under the intense conditions of the inevitable Texas summer heat.

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 online at no charge at https://www.milbergernursery.com/newsletter-archive/

TEXAN MOCHA DREAM AFFOGATO

You can’t go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a shot of espresso…… It’s one of the best things to happen to coffee!

Ingredients:

• NO ICE CUBES

• Two cups of whole espresso dark coffee beans ( Lavazza is recommended with a level 5 intensity) Or you can use a pod.

• Premium Vanilla Ice Cream, such as Häagen-Dazs, Bluebell or

• Kirkland

• 3 ounces of Amaretto (almond flavor) or Frangelico (hints of hazelnut flavor)

• Thick Whipped Cream

• Ground Cinnamon

• Ghirardelli Chocolate Syrup

• Italian Biscotti “la Dolce” any flavor

Instructions:

• Grind whole beans FINE for 2X double shots 4oz/60 mil each.

• Grind COURSE if using a French Press for 8oz.

• Prepare coffee in your desired manner

• Place two scoops of ice cream in each glass.

• VERY SLOWLY pour the liquid coffee over ice cream

• If desired, pour liquor of choice over each drink

• Top off with thick whipped cream

• Garnish with a dash of cinnamon

• Drizzle chocolate syrup all over the top

• Place Biscottis on side of dish

DIP, SIP AND COOL DOWN Ciao!!