Explore Magazine - Jan 09

January 2009

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music

fashion

people

events

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See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

j a n ua ry ISSUE

Dearest EXPLORE reader,

what ’s inside

from the publisher Welcome to 2009. I remember when I celebrated New Year’s Eve in 1990, and was amazed by it. It felt so futuristic to be closing in on the millennium. Then when we went through Y2K, 2009 sounded like it was a million years into the future. And yet, here I sit in 2009, and 2000 seems like it was yesterday. Time flies. This past weekend, I was laid up on the couch channel surfing, and caught the opening sequence to Ferrell Bueller’s Day Off. The movie was filmed in 1986. I remember watching it and, like everyone else, figuring that Ferris was the coolest high school kid in history (I was in middle school at the time). As I watched the movie the other day, it struck me that this movie is now 22 years old. Matthew Broderick was 24 when he filmed it, and that makes him 46. WOW. It makes a person think. Where were you 22 years ago, and did you think you had all the time in the world to accomplish everything you wanted to accomplish? As we enter a new year, it’s one of the most popular times to take your personal inventory and evaluate. At the same time, I have always liked the quote, “You can’t change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future.” Today it’s 2009, and in the blink of an eye, it will be 2031. Doesn’t that seem almost impossible? I’m 33 today, and in 2031 I’ll be 55 and closing in on retirement. UGH. Enjoy 2009. Make it the greatest year of your life, and spend as little energy as possible fretting over 2008, and don’t worry about 2010. Trust me, it’ll be here pretty quick. I hope you enjoy this latest issue of EXPLORE. We have one of my favorite pieces in “Giddens’ Predictions”. Local resident and businessman Michael Giddens has a knack for getting creative with some of his off the wall predictions. The last time we did this, in 2005, he predicted that Disney would buy a parcel of land on the north end of town and put in a resort. I kid you not…a few days later I was fielding calls from Houston realtors looking to see some property around Boerne because of the “new Disney project”. So please, when you read his humorous and creative predictions, take them with a grain of salt. We also have the return of the wildly popular “Marjorie”, who has put together a few very interesting pieces about Boerne’s history. This one focuses on “The Flats”, which old-timers will know is the area west of the Cibolo, and south of San Antonio St. I forwarded the article to many friends and family, and many agree that they learned much. I hope you do as well. So here I sit on a cold and dreary morning in the futuristic year of 2009 writing this letter. I can see my reflection in my computer screen, and while I have a few scrapes and wrinkles that life has bestowed upon me, I’m still that kid from 1986 in my heart. Take the present, and make the most of it. Leave 2008 in the past, and tackle 2010 when it shows up. And hey, may the dreams of your past become the realities of your future. Smiling, Benjamin D. Schooley PS – Happy New Year.

January 2009

04: calendar of events 05: this and that Flagrant Forgetting by um...I Forget

08: behind the mic Greg Coplen by Elmo Linclon

11: nature

Plant a Garden by Carolyn Chipmann Evans

12: dining

Mac & Ernie’s Roadside Eatery by John Griffin

16: art

New Original Designs Jewelry by Ben Schooley

20: history

The Flats by Marjorie Barron

21: spiritual

Lets be Friends...by Kendall Aaron

24: health

It’s Not Enough by Ann B. Davis

26: gardeing

The Hill Country, The Drought & The Cedars by Rob Doyen

28: predictions

2009 Predictions by Michael Giddens

30: Dating

Chronicles of Singlehood in a Small Town by Jordan Rivers Publisher Benjamin D. Schooley [email protected] Creative Director Lauren Tuttle Stumberg [email protected]

advertising sales 210-507-5250 or [email protected] EXPLORE magazine is published by Schooley Media Ventures in Boerne, Tx. EXPLORE magazine and Schooley Media Ventures are not responsible for any inaccuracies, erroneous information, or typographical errors contained in this publication submitted by advertisers. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of EXPLORE and/or Schooley Media Ventures. Copyright 2009

www.hillcountryexplore.com

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Calendar of Events - January

the most comprehensive events calendar you’ll find anyWhere! submissions – [email protected]

Thursday, January 1 Kyle: polar bear swim event. Kyle pool. 512-268-4220 Saturday, January 3 bandera: cowgirl round-up & show-deo the history of the american cowgirl, singer/songwriters, storytellers, and artists will be featured. includes exciting speed events such as barrel racing and pole bending. hours are noon to 6 p.m. hill country state natural area. 830-796-4413 Sunday, January 4 boerne: junior livestock poultry show Kendall county fairgrounds. www.Kcfa.org 830-249-2948 Friday, January 9 concan:trout days. rainbow trout will be stocked in the sabinal, frio, and nueces rivers. 800-210-0380. boerne: junior livestock show & sale Kendall county fairgrounds. www.Kcfa.org 830-249-2948 Saturday, January 10 boerne: on second saturdays the galleries of boerne host joint openings from 5 to 8. come out and enjoy a glass of wine and the latest offerings on the boerne art scene. patrons of second saturday art and Wine can ride from gallery to gallery in stylish fun on the creek restaurant’s red and green trolley.the trolley will start at 4:30 pm at the holiday inn express next stop smilovici’s (on West bandera), before taking the scenic route around historic downtown boerne making stops along the way until 8:30 pm. boerne: cibolo nature center - project Wild Workshop – training for educators on teaching young people about ecology and wildlife. cnc members $30/person; non-members $40/person. free for teachers at title 1schools. sbec credit available for teachers. pre-registration is required. call today at 830-249-4616 to register. limited to 20. General information atwww.cibolo.org. bandera: bandera 100K ultra-marathon includes 25K and 50K runs in conjunction with the main event. begins at 7:30 a.m. hill country state natural area. www. tejastrails.com/bandera.html 830-796-4413 or 210-687-4347 hondo: car show includes food and arts & crafts booths. 18th st. www.hondochamber.com 830-426-3037 neW braunfels:the voice of elvis & legends tour jesse aron, elvis tribute artist, performs a special elvis birthday concert. includes tributes to roy orbison and marilyn monroe. begins at 7 p.m. brauntex theater. www.jessearon.com 832-623-4812 boerne: market days dozens of vendors from all over texas offer arts, crafts, antiques, collectibles, unusual items and great food. main plaza. www.mainstreetinboerne.com 830-249-5530 or 210/-844-8193 Thursday, January 15 johnson city: blanco county youth stock show blanco county fair-

grounds. www.johnsoncitytexaschamber.com 830-868-7684 fredericKsburG: Windows on texas music festival includes live texas music, conferences and showcases at different locations around fredericksburg. www.texasrebelradio.com 830/997-2197 Friday, January 16 fredericKsburG:trade days shop more than 350 vendor. hwy. 290 e. www.fbgtradedays.com 830-990-4900 or 210-846-4094 Kerrville: “drumline live!” phone: 830-896-9393 www.kpas.org consists of the stirring sounds of trumpets, explosive choreography, incredible feats of athleticism from steppers and dancers, and a marching band -- on stage. cailloux theater, 910 main st. e-mail: [email protected] Saturday, January 17 fredericKsburG: hill country Gem & mineral show includes jewelry, fossils, meteorites, gold panning, exhibits and demonstrations. pioneer pavilion, lady bird johnson municipal park. www.fredericksburgrockhounds.org 830-990-9823 or 830-895-9630 Saturday, January 24 johnson city: arts encounters at beninis phone: 830-868-5244 offers a lively, cultural series of creative professionals sharing information about their work, including sculptors, painters, musicians, poets and more. begins at 1:30 p.m. benini Galleries and sculpture ranch, 377 shiloh road. e-mail: [email protected] Sunday, January 25 boerne: house concerts in the hill country - stacey earle and mark stuart on jan 25 at alamo fiesta rv at 7pm. stacey is sister to steve earle (recent cd: Washington square serenade).there will be a pot luck supper. www.houseconcertshillcountry.com Thursday, January 29 hondo: medina county jr. livestock show includes exhibits, concessions, sale and dance. medina county fairgrounds. e-mail: [email protected] 830-741-6180 Friday, January 30 round rocK: “picasso at the lapin agile” phone: 512-244-0440 www.sambasstheatre.org Comedy is about a fictional meeting between Albert einstein and pablo picasso. sam bass community theatre. Saturday, January 31 bandera: Wild Game dinner enjoy everything from venison chili to wild boar, bear and elk. begins at 4 p.m. Grace lutheran church. 830-796-3091 fredericKsburG: indian artifact & collectible show includes pre-1900 north american indian artifacts, arrowheads and old collectibles on exhibit and for sale. pioneer pavilion, lady bird johnson park. e-mail: [email protected] 830-626-5561 lucKenbach: blues festival features various blues artists from around texas. r.r. 1376, off hwy. 290e. www.luckenbachtexas.com 830-997-3324

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

Flagrant Forgetting Or, I’m Much More Important Than You

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to fulfill promises, to follow through on things that needed to be done. I forgot to get insurance renewed as I should have. I forgot friends’ birthdays, anniversaries, graduations. I forgot to go to my own high school reunion! “Sorry, but I forgot!” Now, everybody on occasion forgets a thing or two. If that’s you, then I’m not talking to you. Turn the page! Go to a different article! Shoo! I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about serial forgetters, flagrant forgetters, four-star generals of forgetting. Those who know better and just keep on being ‘much more important than” everybody else. If you’re still reading this paragraph in spite of being shoo’ed away, then maybe you are one. I am a serial forgetter. Why does this happen? It is so embarrassing when it does, you would think we forgetters (me) would figure it out. Well, actually, we (I) have. I know the answer – in almost every case it is because I am selfish and much, much more important than anybody else. I forgot my friend’s anniversary because something came up at work and I just … forgot. Didn’t call my parents when they expected it? Well, I really didn’t want to spend that time for a call just then, so I…I forgot. The reunion? I was enjoying working in my yard! Plants = more important than helping set up those banquet tables! So I forgot! Sheesh! I know I’m not alone. We have plenty of examples -- the Bethlehem Innkeeper who, because he was busy, “forgot” to notice that Mary was going to deliver a baby, to examples in the paper of people in hurries who forget to lock their doors, their cars. In all the examples I can think of, the ‘forgetter’ has been wrong. Because we choose to forget things, in the end we lose many things - opportunities, belongings -- and worse, we risk losing friendships, trust and others’ belief in us to be depended on. I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. I always forget to keep them. (Are you surprised?) But now I’ve taken the step standing up in front of the group and stating “My name is …and I’m a forgetter!’ I’m in the Program now, and it is up to me to change. I’ll let you know how it goes. If you’re still reading this and realize you, too, are a flagrant forgetter, then join my self-help group. Buy that pad of yellow stickies and start putting up those reminders! Commit to never having to say you’re sorry. OK, I apologize for that hokeyness. But the point is to “Do what you say you’ll do in things great and small, or no one will believe you’ll do anything at all.” Good luck!

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by um...i forget

t’s 7:30, Saturday night. I just realized I’ve forgotten my promise to go to my neighbor’s party tonight. Ooooo, I feel bad, but I’m already in my comfy clothes and my make up is off. No way I’m going back out tonight! Besides, it’s cold outside, the game is on and I just made popcorn. “I’m sorry, but I forgot!” It’s just the beginning of a long line of things I’ve forgotten. I forgot

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GREG COPLEN

“Explore Your Potential”

everal times per month, I receive a CD in the mail. It typically comes with a nice shiny press pack full of testimonials, pictures, and bio information about the artist. It tells me all the reasons why the musician (or band) is the greatest new act on the scene in 25 years, how nobody is as talented as they are, and that the face of the music map will forever be changed. In some ways, it’s as if I don’t even need to hear the CD, because obviously, there is no determination to make other than when the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame will induct the artist. This month, I received an envelope with a CD by Greg Coplen in it. There was a disk full of images included, but little else. I flipped the CD over and learned that Coplen is a contemporary Christian musician. I normally dig some upbeat Christian stuff, so I tossed his CD into my laptop. With haunting pianos, a voice that is jam full of emotion, and a strong backing band, I was quite impressed with Coplen. I scheduled some time for us to visit, and returned to the rest of the CD. However, as I quickly learned about him, the music is only part of his story. In fact, there’s a lot more to him than meets the eye. Growing up in West Texas, piano was a part of Coplen’s life early on, but not a major point of emphasis. “I was way more into sports. I played every sport, although tennis was a big thing for me. Eventually, I played in college.” Music stayed close by as well. “The music was something I loved doing, and I played here and there. But sports were much more important back then. I enrolled in Southwest Oklahoma, and eventually transferred to Baker University.” As Coplen stepped out into the world, he began to find that left to his own devices, life posed many challenges. “When I was at college, I majored in parties,” Coplen laughs. I stayed in school for a year, but I broke my hand the first week of school. I broke it badly, and that ended the tennis experiment. I thought I was being real smart and hit my mattress when I was drunk and mad, and instead hit the frame. I went through a good depression, and really began drinking a lot. I didn’t go to class. Up until I left to go to college I was a good kid, and a good student, but I saw it start slipping away from me. I tried to walk on at A&M, but it didn’t work out. I knew the whole time that alcoholism runs in my family, and had a pre-disposition to that.” Coplen would make an attempt at cleaning up his act, to little avail. “I flunked out of school, and I lost my scholarship. The summer after my freshman year of college I came home, and my parents were concerned about me. My dad asked me if I had a problem with drinking. I told him, ‘probably’. They figured treatment was the best thing, so I went to rehab.” Upon returning home, Coplen went right back to what he knew best. “I came back home, was living with my parents, and that downward spiral started all over again. I just continued to get worse. When my wife and I met up again, and had been dating a year or so, we wanted to get married and move to San Antonio and go back to school. She got pregnant a month after getting married. I was waiting tables, and playing in bars. It was just terrible for me. Drugs became a big part of my life. Pot was huge for me. That led to coke. For about a year, I was crashed. I dropped 35 lbs, and by the grace of God got away from that. I just kicked it. I’m pretty strong-willed, and at that point, I knew I had to stop the drugs or die. And hey, the drinking and the pot helped me!!” As Coplen’s addictions began to grip him harder and harder, his health began to fail. “I spent a lot of time in ER rooms. I developed some huge health problems. But, I was raised in the church, and I was a believer, and I had a relationship with Christ. I had just CHOSEN to leave that behind. I just chose to not follow. I was very happy for my wife that she became a Christian, because I could see the evidence of what was changing. Alcohol had a huge hold on me, though. I’m battling the addiction during that time and what I knew was right.” Coplen eventually recognized that changes were due in his life. “Every Sunday I went to church, and each morning it was like the pastor had been driving with me in the car, as everything was directed at me. I was hungover and tired one morning, and I went to the pastor at the altar, and I told him everything that was going on with me. I’ll never forget it. He just looked at me and said ‘Don’t be bullsh*tting me’. That’s exactly what I needed to hear. I love that moment. I didn’t want this anymore, I want my life to change. He prayed with me, we confessed, and re-committed my life to Christ. He began mentoring me, working with me, and guiding me. It took a few weeks, and I had a couple of slips, but I’m trying to get through life and come out on the other side. The 1st month was rough. It was a good month or two before I felt normal. I think that I thought I could just control the alcohol at that point. I had an opportunity to cut it off, but held on to the alcohol. I got involved with the church, but I held on to it. That went well for a couple of years. I tried to stay so busy I didn’t have time for drinking. It became apparent that I could work at the ministry level.” Eventually working with Cibolo Creek Community Church in Fair Oaks, Coplen pursued his career in the ministry. “I eventually took a job in Colorado, hoping for a fresh start, but nothing improved. I couldn’t hide it anymore. I got sent to rehab again. There’s no job where you want your employees to drink and party, but for me, I was in a job where my personal and professional life simply clashed. You get drunk and do stupid things, and I couldn’t afford to do that. There were some major spiritual upheavals going on with me. I got out, was sober

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for a while, but my wife and I had a huge argument, and I ended up in the hospital that night. My wife picked me up, and I stopped at the liquor store on the way home. I was soon fired from that job. This was in 2005. We moved back to San Antonio, and moved in with my wife’s sister. They told me ‘you drink again here, and you’re out’. I drank that night. So I was then separated from my family for a while, working odd jobs. I then ended up in the ER again in mid-05. I was just on the floor of the waiting room shaking uncontrollably. I was just so sick. Beyond sick. I ate once a day, and drank the rest.” Finally, and not a moment too soon, Coplen’s life changed. “It was August 8, 2005. I had detoxed at the ER for 3 days. I got out and Jeff, the pastor at Grace Point took me to a treatment center in Fredericksburg. Something happened, I’m not sure. In the coming weeks, months, and years…I’ve gotten my family back, my finances. Life is awesome. I’ve got my job back in Ministry. Maybe I had finally gone far enough crap, maybe I could finally admit my problems and accept them. God is going to use my story I hope. It was during that I finally said ‘Step up and be a man. Be a Godly man. Hand this over.’And I did and I haven’t looked back. My recovery has been nothing short of amazing.” Clean for the first time in a long time, Coplen slowly returned to his talents in music. “Musically, and in leadership, God gave me a special blend and mix of gifts that could be hugely uplifting, and I had just tossed them. I never took my talents seriously. I did a worship CD in Tulsa, and I was drunk during the recording sessions. Bobby Maller, came up to me last year and said ‘We would really like to put some energy behind you doing an album’. One thing led to another, and we went to Nashville to record.” That CD, Coming On

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Again, has garnered rave reviews and is catapulting Coplen up the contemporary Christian charts. “The response has been extremely favorable so far, and I think that one of the things that’s happened is that I’ve been given the opportunity to tell my story and hopefully it is used for some good. God didn’t make me go through my story, but He allowed it to happen. I see people come to Christ because of my story. It’s not just an alcohol thing, it’s a sin thing. To hear the story of someone who was in it deep, and God led them out of it is extremely encouraging.” Coplen has begun to map out his plans for the CD and for himself. Armed with a notebook of songs and lyrics, Coplen is finally able to turn his talents into a direction that will lead him to success, and bring others out of despair. “Doing the cd, and bringing these songs to life, is what I wanted to do with it. No matter what happens, I’ll always have the songs, and be able to see how much work God did with me. I look back at the past 3 years, and while He has worked with others around me, the work He has done with me is nothing short of miraculous. It’s been a special time between me and God, and I’ll always have that as a reminder of what God delivered me from. I have no idea what he’s prepared me for, but I’m excited to learn.” Already writing for his follow-up CD, Coplen has hit a vein of creativity within himself that is deep. Whether you are a fan of contemporary Christian music or not, hopefully we are all fans of people overcoming their challenges and making the most of their talents. As Coplen continues to navigate his challenges, his perspective is one of faith and confidence. “I do think God has bigger plans for me. What I want to happen with the CD is to be in a position to know that whatever happens with the CD is God’s will. If that means staying local and ministering, I’m cool with that. I’m halfway through songs for the next CD, and there’s a new story being told in those songs about my growth. And they’re not just about me, but about man’s growth. It’s every man’s journey, and about man meeting God, and He being willing to carry them. I hope for huge things. I’m capable of being a huge success, and by success, I see lots of ministry being done through it. It’s a fine line. If I’m in this just to hear myself on the radio, I’m in this for the wrong reasons.”

www.gregcoplen.com

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The clarity’s long awaited cD is Finally Out the long anticipated cd, “till tomorrow morning” by piano rock group the clarity will be releasing the 5-song ep on january 3rd, 2009.to celebrate the release they will be performing for their fans at scout bar in san antonio the same night. the doors will open at 8pm and the admission cost is $10 for those who are 18 years of age and up; no minors are allowed. For the first time the cd will be for sale for $5.the alternative pop group will perform with their long time friends nothing more from san antonio and other out-of-towners including the vettes from new orleans, la and meriwether from baton rouge, la.the cd has been a year in the making and the band would love to share this experience with you. The Scout Bar is located at: 19314 US Hwy 281 N, Suite 1, San Antonio, Texas 78259

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PLANT A GARDEN AND GROW HAPPINESS

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January 2009

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hen the world wearies, and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden.” We all know there are a lot of things going on that we have no control over these days. If we have the nerve, we watch the news, or the stock market. Then wish we hadn’t. I had a recent urge to do something that would make me feel I have some way to take my mind off the news, help me take control of my life and help save our precious pennies too. I found the solution in a vegetable garden. I have always had a vegetable garden of one sort or another, but in recent years the trees shaded the garden and my work covered up my time. I was growing next to nothing, but the dream of armfuls of homegrown, organic veggies from my own productive garden came creeping in again and again. Once it came while at the grocery store, while looking at a bunch of organic kale that came all the way from California and cost $3.99. I happen to know kale grows like a weed in Texas in the winter. I know that transporting vegetables across the country uses untold resources that would be better off saved. I put the kale back and marked a score for the garden idea. I love to be outdoors. Time in the fresh air gives me good ideas and energy. Time in the yard takes my mind off the challenges of the day and helps me unwind. I think this is true for lots of us. In this time of drought I found myself not planting ornamentals, rather keeping what I have alive with as little water as possible. So what’s to do in the yard other than mulch? Another score for a vegetable garden. There is a long list of reasons why we built a new garden this year, some physical, some economic, and some simply romantic. You may have your own reasons. This story is about how we did it and how you can too. STEP 1 Pick a sunny location. Vegetable gardens need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Don’t cheat on this. STEP 2 Decide on size of your garden. We fenced an area 40x40 because we wanted lots of space and room to grow if we want. However smaller would be fine. We found that 6 beds 4x10 ft each would grow plenty for a family of four and friends too. You will also want to plan a compost pile nearby. STEP 3 Build a good fence. Deer love vegetables even more that you do. So don’t skimp here either. Our fence is made of 6 foot welded wire with 2x3 inch squares and another single wire strung along the top. No deer will dare this fence, and no armadillo can come in under it either. A large gate is very handy too. We had help from a local man, who has skills, and muscle, and experience in fence building. It is here to stay. STEP 4 Build the beds. Don’t use railroad ties. They contain toxic chemicals that will leach into your nice organic soil. We researched and found that red cedar, redwood or cypress is a good choice. You can also use rocks, cinder blocks, local cedar posts or other creative materials. We used 1x10 untreated cypress. The perfect bed size is 4x10 feet and 10-12 inches deep. The corners must be secured with brackets to keep the boards secure when the garden is filled with soil. Rebar stays can help keep the board from warping. We built six beds with room between them for the wheelbarrow, or to get a pickup truck close for mulching or adding compost. STEP 5 Fill your beds with soil. We used garden mix from a local materials yard. It took about a yard per bed. After filling the bed add a couple of inches of ready compost and the correct amount of ORGANIC fertilizer and mix it in to the top few inches of soil. STEP 6 Plan your drip system. We set up a timer that will help the garden survive my lapses in memory. Each bed has a 50-foot soaker hose laced in it and all are connected to a central system. They are the perfect length. STEP 7 The fun part! Plan your garden. This is very important because you must grow the right vegetables at the right time to be successful in Texas. Read all about it. There are many books on gardening in South Texas, but I always like talking to my local nursery guys too. They will know. Dream, plan, then shop. I like tried and true varieties but I also love seeds with names like Colorful Carnival Blend Carrots, Red Velvet Leaf Lettuce, Dinosaur Kale, Ruby Red Swiss Chard and Rainbow Beets. STEP 8 Planting the garden. Water it first. It’s best to let your beds settle for a couple of weeks before planting, but not critical. However having moist (not wet) soil is important. Transplants like cloudy days, or some protection from the sun. After setting your plants carefully in their new beds give them a drink of Garrett Juice. That will make them feel better. Water well and say a little prayer for them. Seeds need special attention. Read the package carefully about depth and spacing. They know what they are talking about. They must stay moist to germinate. I have a nozzle on my hose that I use to mist the seeds twice a day until they are up. It’s so much fun to watch and wait, then one day like a long expected guest, they pop up. I find

myself feeling good all day when new seeds come up. STEP 9 Once your garden is planted and your seeds are up, you just need to care for it. They say the best fertilizer for a garden is a gardener’s footsteps. Watch for caterpillars and roly-poly’s. Make sure your drip system is coming on. Mulch your plants as they grow. Give them regular feeding good foliar spray. Take friends out to visit your garden. Put out some lawn furniture so you can watch it grow. Add some garden art. Plant some flowers. Putz around. There are great products on the market now that make organic gardening very easy and will solve all your garden needs. Support your local organic nursery. STEP 10 Harvest your joy. The first harvest from your garden will be a celebration. Have some friends over to share the first salad or tomatoes. It is an investment and accomplishment. A garden is a good thing that will bring you and your friends closer to the earth, closer to your home and closer to good health and happiness.

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EXPLORE’s Restaurant Guide

Cypress Grille 170 S. Main Street Boerne, TX 830-248-1353

Chili’s Restaurant #844 601 W. Bandera Boerne, TX 830-249-8558

Bear Moon Bakery P. O. Box 756 · 401 S. Main Boerne, TX 830-816-2327 El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant 707 S. Main Street Boerne, TX 830-816-8288

Mague’s Cafe 934 N. Main · Boerne, TX (830) 249-9168

Sidelines Restaurant & Sportsbar 1361 South Main, Suite 301 Boerne, TX (830) 331-9464

Naples Pizza Restaurant 215 W. Bandera Road, Suite 106 Boerne, TX 830-249-0089

O’Brien’s Restaurant 848 Hwy 46 East Boerne, TX 830-336-3955 · 830-229-5600

My Hill Country Kitchen 109 Waterview Pkwy Boerne, TX (830) 816-4804

Scenic Loop Cafe 25615 Boerne Stage Road San Antonio, TX 210-687-1818

Welfare Café 223 Waring Welfare Road Boerne, Texas

The Grill at Leon Springs 24116 IH-10 W San Antonio, TX (210) 698-8797 Spinelli’s Vistro & Country Inn 911 S. Main · Boerne, TX 830-249-9563

Conroy’s Pub 9091 Fair Oaks Parkway #201 Fair Oaks Ranch, TX (210) 698-7310 Chili’s Restaurant #844 601 W. Bandera Boerne, TX 830-249-8558

Cheesy Jane’s 215 W. Bandera, #101 Boerne, TX 830-248-1000 · 210-541-1480

Sidelines Sports Bar & Grille 1361 South Main, Suite 301 Boerne, TX 78006 (830) 331-9464

Kendall Inn & The Limestone Grille 128 W. Blanco · Boerne, TX 830-249-2138 · 800-364-2138

My Hill Country Kitchen 109 Waterview Parkway, Suite 105 · Boerne, TX (830) 331-9863

Bumdoodlers 929 N. Main · Boerne, TX 830-249-8826

Mague’s Cafe 934 N. Main · Boerne, TX (830) 249-9168

PO-PO Family Restaurant 829 FM 289 · Boerne, TX 830-537-4194

Mary Brogan’s Irish Cottage 455 S Main St. · Boerne TX (830) 249-6818

The Creek Restaurant 119 Staffel · Boerne, TX 830-816-2005

814 — A Texas Bistro 713 High St. · Comfort, TX (830) 995-4990

Boerne Grill 143 S. Main Street Boerne, TX 830-249-4677

Guenther’s Biergarten & Grill 220 Hwy 473 at 6th St. Comfort, TX 830.995.5370

Lily’s on the River 412 River Road, #103 Boerne, TX (830) 249-9202

High’s on High Street 726 High Street Comfort TX 830.995.4995

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gourmet results.

Eatery has Down-Home Attitude,

N

by John Griffin

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Tapatio Springs Resort & Conference Ctr. 101 Preston Trail Boerne, TX 830-537 4302 · 800-999-3299

Dodging Duck Brewhaus 402 River Road · Boerne, TX 830-248-3825

THE RESTAURANT SECTION

dining

Hungry Horse Restaurant 116 Buckskin Dr./ 109 S. Saunders Boerne, TX 830-816-8989

Eat Smart Restaurant 1595 S. Main, Suite 121 Boerne, TX 830-249-9288 Guadalajara’s Diner 103 N. Main Street Boerne, TX 830-249-0900

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Tin Roof Steakhouse 470 S. Main Street Boerne, TX 830-816-5011

Express-News Dining Editor

Naylene Dillingham-Stolzer and her husband raise goats. Their neighbors down the road, the McKinnerneys, also raise goats. Trouble is, the market for goat meat has never been that great compared with beef or pork. So, Naylene and her neighbors started up a little roadside restaurant back in 1999 to market it. They made a little more money by selling their goat meat to their own restaurant than they would have otherwise, but they made something else. Their little shack, named Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery — after the McKinnerneys, get it? — has put their hometown, Tarpley, pop. 50, on the map. Well, on the foodies' map, at least. People from miles around show up for the cabrito burgers that Naylene makes each Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for lunch. But the crowds on Friday and Saturday nights want something more than burgers. They want her seared Yellowfin Tuna with Wasabi Mayo, her Mustard Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Salsa Verde, her fried catfish or whatever Naylene's had a hankering for. "I cook what I want to eat," she told a sold-out Central Market cooking class recently. It's as simple as that, and so are her dishes. Though the end product may taste gourmet, her approach is too

straightforward, too sensible and not fussy in the least. Her yellowfin tuna, for example, is cooking at its most undemanding. Just brush sesame oil on tuna steaks and grill to desired doneness. (You should cook tuna the same way you want your steaks cooked, she said.) At the same time, mix together mayonnaise, wasabi, teriyaki sauce and water to make a sauce. That's it. Yet the sweetness in the teriyaki plays off the heat of the wasabi, and both work well with the nuttiness of the sesame oil. It's easy and complex at the same time. Naylene is like that, as well. She may have a hyphenated last name, but she's too free of pretensions to be called anything but Naylene. She also has the gift of remembering the name of everybody she meets, even after a lapse of several weeks, according to a few of her regular customers who attended the class as a means of avoiding the 90-minute drive to Tarpley, which lies to the west of Bandera. As each student entered the room, Naylene would walk over and introduce herself; for the rest of the class, she addressed each questioner by name. Naylene got her culinary start as a child. Her mother let her use the "Betty Crocker Boys and Girls Cookbook" and "we could cook whatever we wanted to," she said with her usual deadpan manner. "It was pretty exciting." When she was older, she worked her way through the kitchens at Liberty Bar and Grey Moss Inn among other restaurants. She learned the value of using produce at its freshest to achieve the brightest and best flavors. "I try to go as seasonal as I can," she said. She also learned that recipes are not meant to be carved in stone. If you're unfamiliar with a certain style of cooking, you should probably "try a recipe the way it's written once — and then go for the gusto," she said. To Naylene, that could mean adding more wasabi to her tuna sauce when she's making it at home or adjusting the amount of anchovies or capers in her salsa verde. "If you like 'em," she said of capers, "then add more. If you don't like 'em, don't add 'em." That attitude carries over into one of the eatery's signature desserts,

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

THE DODGING DUCK Restaurant & Brewery

featuring an

eclectic wine list and delicious,

freshly-prepared food

170 South Main Street, Suite 200 Boerne, Texas 78006

Open Daily at 11am Sun-Thurs ‘til 9pm Fri-Sat ‘til 10pm

830.248.1353 www.cypressgrilleboerne.com

402 River Road Boerne, Texas (4 blocks from Main St.)

• Extensive Wine List • New Main Street Entrance • 12 Beers on Tap

www.dodgingduck.com

coconut cream pie. It's made each week by her assistant, Kelly Bradshaw, who sits at the window at Mac & Ernie's taking orders. Neither woman cares for meringue, so there isn't any on the pie. "We do not cook what we do not eat," Naylene said. Kelly demonstrated how easy it was to make the old-fashioned favorite, the recipe of which was adapted from one her mother taught her. In the meantime, she had a few words to say about her boss: "Naylene is a very adventurous person. She gets bored very easily. Hence, the reason she changes the sauces every weekend." Kelly, on the other hand, enjoys making the same pies week after week. "Naylene goes, 'Can't you make something other than coconut cream pie or chocolate cream pie?' And I go, 'No.'" The regulars are glad of that, as the pies sell out every weekend.

Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery, Williams' Creek Depot, FM 470, Tarpley, is open for lunch Wednesday and lunch and dinner Fridays and Saturdays. For information, call (830) 562-3250 or visit www.macandernies.com. Reprinted with permission of the San Antonio Express-News.

Boerne’s 1st Soup, Salad, Sandwich and Spud Bar! lunch & Dinner 11-8pm Monday - Friday!

830-331-9863

noW open lunch & dinner 109 Waterview Parkway, Suite 105 • Boerne, Texas

We are located behind the new Guaranty bank & sherwin Williams across from super Walmart

TAKE HOME CASSEROLES AVAILABLE!!!

“ L e t t u c e ” s h o w YO U h o w “ S o u p e r ” My Hill Countr y Kitchen is!

January 2009

www.hillcountryexplore.com

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NFL Sunday Ticket now available!!

NOW OPEN

✤ 17 Hi-Def TVs

11 - 2am Every Day!!!!! FAIR OAKS y’s o r n o C ub P

✩

✤ 12 Beers on Tap

SAN ANTONIO

BOERNE

✤ Darts & Pool ✤ Live Music Saturday Nights ✤ Karaoke

✤ Daily Lunch Specials

Wednesday Nights

✤ Executive Chef – Jim

www.conroysirishpub.com

Barajas of Casbeer’s!! Casbeer’s!

9091 Fair Oaks Pkwy. FAIR OAKS, TX 78015

(210) 698-7310

SalonInfusion a full-ser v i c e s a l o n / day spa

1433 S. Main Street • Suite 105 • Boerne, Texas 78006 • 830-816-5354

www.saloninfusion.com Hours Mon 9am-5pm • Tues - Fri 9am - 8 pm • Sat 9am - 6pm

a neW year...a neW yOu! INDULGE IN A “SPOIL YOU ROTTEN” PACKAGE: A Signature Pedicure, Essential Facial, Soothing Scalp Massage, Shampoo & Style, and a 60 Minute Massage for $230 ($254 value). Salon Infusion offers a warm welcome to our new Salon Director, Brandy Pate. Brandy brings her expertise to our salon, which includes being an accomplished Paul Mitchell Educator, Creative Color Specialist, and Hair Extension Specialist.

Come Pamper Yourself!!! 14

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

the center and its overseers, the friends of the cibolo Wilderness, are dedicated to promoting conservation of natural resources through education and stewardship.

www.cibolo.org

January 2009

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i

f there’s one thing most of us can appreciate, it’s when someone takes their dream and runs with it. Who doesn’t love to hear the story of somebody deciding one day that they are going to open their own business, and eventually they become millionaires. These are the stories that make America what it is, and Linda Constancio is no different. Following a layoff from her “real job”, instead of being down in the dumps, Linda decided it was the perfect opportunity to pursue her dream of creating jewelry. “I started really heavy this past August. I was a staffing manager for a staffing agency, and I was laid off. So I made the decision to really focus hard on the jewelry. I went into a store called Wired Designs, and I looked at their jewelry and just fell in love with it. So I took several classes, and have continued to do so, and I have a knack for it. It’s all one of a kind pieces…all handcrafted. I can customize as well, utilizing existing pieces, or starting from scratch.” Armed with the desire, Linda focused on her strengths. “I’ve always been creative. I’ve been in interior design for a long time now. I also worked in corporate America for all those years, and only recently have realized that I was always using the wrong side of my brain. So I realized I could work for hours and hours on being creative.” Thus, New Original Designs Jewelry was born, and Linda hasn’t looked back. “It’s gone great since August. I’ve been successful with it, and the bridal shows and exhibitions have been great. I do trunk shows, and do private showings for people in their homes, and so I really would love to do this full-time, and am looking at how to do that.” Having cut her teeth in corporate America, Linda is ready to move on. “I don’t want to go back

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by ben schooley

to corporate America. I’m sick of climbing those ladders. I’m qualified, but to go work for a company again and be responsible for budgets and numbers….I’m more interested in the jewelry.” And, as with any self-employed person, the passion is the key. “I so enjoy dealing with the clients, and I swear I have a 6th sense about what people want. I can just tell that if my design isn’t fitting what they had in mind, I can get in with them and sit down and re-design it before we get too far.” Additionally, Linda is focusing on the unusual market of men. “Men are also a great clientbase with me. Not necessarily for them, but for their wives and kids. I call them and remind them of upcoming birthdays and anniversaries, and handle the designs from there.” Focusing on custom designed jewelry stretching across virtually any budget, Linda has fast become well-regarded for her designs. From simple bracelets, to heirloom necklaces, Linda’s designs spring from her passion for not only the art, but also for the client. “I help women to understand how a piece will work. Some people see a piece and they love it, but they wonder what it will go with. So I work closely with women and help them understand fabric, texture, and color and help them design what will work with each piece. And perhaps most importantly, the joy that I get from doing this is the look on people’s face when they put the piece on and it speaks to them. I see their eyes light up, and they feel good about themselves when they wear it. That’s the joy for me, and I never got that from Corporate America. It makes people happy, it’s in a price range they can afford, and it makes them smile. It’s a very real passion for me, and I really enjoy it. I have the support of so many friends, my husband, and my clients. Without them, none of this would be possible.”

Wanna See More? www.icustomizejewelry.com

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

Your One Stop Bead and Jewelry Shop Quality glass beads, pearls, crystals, turquoise, coral, jade and rare stones BITTER CREEK DESIGN CLASSES: Beginner to Advanced Bead Stringing, Chain Linking, Beginner to Advanced Precious Metal Clay, Beginner to Advanced Wire Wrapping, Beginner to Advanced Metal Smithing, Beginner to Advanced Frame Soldering and more to come.

Located at The Rim 17711 IH10 West Building 700, Suite 104 San Antonio, Texas 78257

(210) 558-0559

www.bittercreekdesigns.com January 2009

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JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 3rd ANNIVERSARY Open House: January 10 from 12 to 5pm

1361 S. Main Street • Boerne, Texas 78006 830-815-1040 • www.ymcasatx.org in partnership with

“

Financial Assistance is available through the YMCA Open Doors Scholarship Program.

Visit www.ymcasatx.org for more information.

Our family chose to become members of the YMCA because of their dedication and commitment to everyone who walks through their doors. The equipment is state of the art and our entire family, including our 2 year old son, is always welcomed and greeted with a smile by the staff. It's a wonderful environment and a place we plan on being a part of for years to come.

“

-The Edall Family (Jesse ,Tara and Landon)

YMCA Mission: To Put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. 18

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

✪

Boerne Welcomes

✪

Century 21 Ruple Properties 701 S. Main St. Boerne, TX 78006 (830) 331-1250

110143 IH37 Pleasanton, TX 78064 (830) 569-3360

Live Water Properties, Ranches, Residential & Commerical Properties 2,215

Acres

FEATURED PROPERTIES

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There is approximately four 1.3 miles of crystal clear river bottoms and this property is located only 80+/- miles NW of Boerne, TX. This historic ranch is located in Southern Edwards County, in the heart of the Nueces Canyon and is blessed with one of the strongest live water creeks in Texas. The ranch features Cedar Creek, a strong year- round constant flow stream that runs for approximately 1.3 miles through the rich fertile bottom land. The valley has huge native pecans, large live oaks and elm trees throughout the expansive valleys on this exceptional ranch. It can only be described as “One of a Kind”. From the stories of pioneers settling in the Cedar Creek Valley in the 19th century, to the amazing native Indian sites, geological features, subterranean caves and sink holes, this ranch is unique. It is a fossil and arrowhead hunters dream. Pinion Pines are scattered in the higher elevations along with huge virgin oak & cedar stands which add to the scenic views from the abundant mountain top vistas! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, to make an investment that will last for generations to come!

Please visit our web site for more information at: www.SouthTexasRanches.com

338

Acres

892

Edwards Co.

Blanco Co.

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The ranch is located in the most sought after area of the Texas Hill Country. From the large rock entrance to the lovely 3 bedroom rock home, this property is gorgeous. The property is accessed from a paved farm to market road F.M. 1623 and is only 5 miles west of Blanco, Texas. The amazing hilltop rock home overlooks a vast and scenic countryside. The views are incredible and span across 30 to 40 miles. One can enjoy these fabulous views from the back porch area and from the swimming pool located in the back yard. The early 1900’s era German style rock walls that populate the ranch add to the charm and beauty of this oak covered property. From the higher elevations and vistas to the productive coastal filled fields along the creek bottom areas, this ranch has it all. The very productive fenced fields along the creek are utilized for cutting coastal hay and can be utilized for rotating livestock or horses for grazing. Wildlife is abundant on the ranch! The ranch has many live oaks, elm and some cedar trees.

Please visit our web site for more information at: www.SouthTexasRanches.com

Acres

LaSalle Co.

T

This is a great opportunity to own 892 acres of the Santa Maria Ranch located in the heart of South Texas only 15 miles from Cotulla, TX. This family owned, high-fenced ranch has been under a whitetail management program for 10+ years. The ranch consists of native South Texas whitetails deer and many other species of wildlife. The deer quality on the ranch is enhanced by a wide diversity of native South Texas brush and a good supply of water. The property has an abundance of quail, hogs, dove, bobcats, and all that South Texas has to offer. The roads are well maintained which makes it easy to get around. The ranch house is a 3,000+/- sq. ft. metal building that is completely finished out with 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, a full kitchen, a large pantry, washer/dryer and a large living area which is perfect for entertaining family and guest. The ranch house will currently sleep up to 22 people and has about 1,200 sq. ft. of covered patios and a wooden deck for enjoying the beautiful South Texas sunsets. If you are an avid hunter or you have family and friends that like to hunt, this is definitely the right place for you!

585 Acres

Atascosa Co.

Please visit our web site for more information at: www.SouthTexasRanches.com

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This beautiful ranch is located only 35 miles south of downtown San Antonio, Texas. This is truly one of those you have to see to believe ranches. It is by far one of the prettiest and productive ranches we have seen in Atascosa and surrounding counties. The rolling terrain of the property gives it a feel of being much larger than it is. One of the highest points in the county is on this ranch lending itself to 20+mile views. This ranch has been game managed for years in a low fence setting and it is common to see a number of white tail deer in the 150-180+/- Boon & Crocket class range. The ranch also boasts of some of the best dove & turkey hunting in the area and this property is surrounded by large ranches. There is 2.25 miles of Atascosa river bottom that meanders through the southeastern corner of the ranch. The fields have all been sprigged with coastal and Tifton 85 grasses. There is a very nice 3 bedroom 2 bath brick home on the ranch with a 2 car garage. The house has approximately 1,800 sq.ft. of living area. There are also 2 sets of working cattle pens on the property. Whether you are a hunter, photographer, or just a nature lover, this place can satisfy all those desires.

Please visit our web site for more information at: www.SouthTexasRanches.com

VIEW ALL OUR LISTINGS AT SOUTHTEXASRANCHES.COM

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January 2009

www.hillcountryexplore.com

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I

by Marjorie Barron

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history

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n the Boerne of long long ago, when the Kendall Inn was just a small, private house and even before that was built, when the town square was a holding pen for cows brought into town to await the cattle drive, when most of the buildings we know on Main Street weren’t even built yet and Boerne wasn’t the county seat but just a stage stop and farming hub way out in Kerr County, there was a patch of land between the two creeks where a farmer quartered his slaves. Main Street was a dirt road that wound around the oak trees that grew in the middle, and another dirt path ran off it along the south side of the square and down to the Cibolo Creek, where it became a footbridge that crossed into a different world called the Flats. Back then there was no dam nor water mill on the Cibolo and the water was sparkling clear and prone to rising up in a hard rain to meet the waters of the Frederick Creek, and flood the stretch of land between. In those days, even the doctors believed that river mists and the damp miasma were teeming with disease, so the land there was fit neither for farming nor living on- only for housing slaves. The only relics that now remain of that time are one or two of the tiny, one-room wood frame slave cabins and the old ‘colored’ school house, now a home. After the Civil War when the slaves gained their freedom, these Boerne-ites of African-American descent stayed on in the Flats, in the little houses on plots of land they either bought or rented from their former owners. The men of the families either farmed their own land or labored on other farms around town, and the wives and mothers went out as maids, took in laundry and ironing or worked in the kitchens at the local restaurants and hotels. In 1887, a man named HJ Graham, along with his business partner DS Irons, acquired a large tract of land from the Spanish Land Grant located between the creeks and among the old slave cabins, in what was sometimes known as ‘the old Negro section.’ Graham and Irons surveyed and platted the land and had it annexed to the town of Boerne, extending the borders of the town. It was officially the Irons-Graham Addition, but everyone just kept on calling it the Flats. Henry J Graham was a local big shot, tax assessor and deputy sheriff, who made his real money in the development and resale of land in Boerne, and he and his family lived in the Philip House. A street in the Flats is named for Graham, and one for his partner Mr. Irons. Another street was named for the prominent Herff family, and another for someone named Lott, whose story has been lost to time (or at least to this researcher.) The fifth street in the Flats is named for Graham’s friend John G. O’Grady, a jolly, redheaded Irishman, Indian fighter and postmaster of Boerne, who built the original Kendall House hotel on the south bank of the Cibolo where the Robert E Lee house now stands, and stood then. The Flats is bordered on the north by the Cibolo Creek and on the south by School Street, on the east by Hosack Street and the west by the Frederick. The old government trail ran through the Flats, the road connecting San Antonio to Fort McKavitt, an Indian fort in Llano County, and later the stagecoach ran along the same route, from Main Street at what is now West Theissen Street and across the convergence of the two creeks, the beauty of which area with its sparkling clear waters is said to have been the reason the original settlers chose to build their town here. Some natives still call this place the OST, not the Old Spanish Trail as elsewhere in the Hill Country, but the old Stage Trail. The Flats was like a town within a town, as Boerne, in common with towns all over the former Confederate states, was markedly segregated. When you crossed one of the two bridges into the Flats, you walked into a different place, a little town with its own stores, restaurants and bars, society and traditions, food and customs and music. There was at least one bbq place in the Flats and a honky-tonk, a dance hall by night where the tables and chairs could be removed for roller-skating on the wooden floor by day. In the early 1890s, a group called the Colored Women’s Missionary Society of San Antonio created a Society for the Baptist Church in Boerne, to raise support for a church building in the Flats. In 1895, land was deeded to the Society and Mt. Nebo Church was built, a shotgun-style wood frame structure still standing today on Graham Street and converted into a private home. Up until the early 1900s, black kids who could do so attended school on the Richard Street ranch on FM 473, in a one-room cabin Mr. Street donated for the purpose. But town kids couldn’t usually attend a school so far out, so most of them didn’t go to school until 1910. In that year, the new Boerne Public School was completed on Blanco Street- the building that is now the City Hall and Utilities building- and the city gave the old school house to ‘the colored students of Kendall County.’ The building was moved from Blanco Street to O’Grady Street in the Flats, where it became the Boerne Colored School, later the Royal School. Boerne was still very segregated in those days and all the way up until fairly recently, in the 1960s when school integration became federal law, and the Royal School was still in use until then. The old school house is still there, too; it’s been added to and remodeled for use as a home. After the First World War the re-emergence of the KKK revived old tensions between blacks and whites, and there are even reports that a sign was erected on the outskirts of town, containing a racial slur, that warned AfricanAmericans ‘don’t let the sun set on you in this town!’…in so many words. Dark chapter in Boerne history. Also, economic opportunities were opening up for African-Americans in bigger cities, and the black population of Kendall County began to decrease. It was a time in American history known as the Great Migration, when black Americans left the rural South by the hundreds of thousands, and later by the millions, for better jobs and hopes of equality in the industrial North. As black Boerne-ites left town, their property in the Flats was largely taken over by people of

20

Hispanic descent, as Mexican-Americans were also seen as lesser citizens and earned lower wages, and were able to acquire land and houses in the Flats more cheaply than elsewhere. By the 1970s, only three elderly black ladies were still living in the Flats, including a lady called Aunt Tillie who sold sweets from her home on O’Grady Street. Otherwise the people who lived in the Flats were almost exclusively Hispanic, and they had long since created their own enclave, and neighborhood grocery stores and businesses thrived, as for instance Johnny Sotello’s store on O’Grady Street. In 1969 the Crusader’s Club organized as a Hispanic-American community club and scholarship organization, and were able through fund-raising events and donations of time and money to purchase property on Lott & O’Grady Streets where they built the Crusader’s Hall in 1978. Since the time of its charter it has been a hub of social activity and good work among all citizens of Kendall County. In 1964, Boerne was slammed with one of those 100-year floods that come along every 10 or 15 years, and while homes and businesses all over town were inundated, the Flats were hit the worst. A flash flood raged through the Irons-Graham Addition, washing out the Irons Street bridge over the Frederick Creek (which was never rebuilt) and claiming the life of one man who was taken unaware by the wall of water. Parts of the Flats were frequently surrounded by water and cut off from the rest of the town until the 1980s, when the old low-water crossing over the Cibolo at San Antonio Street was replaced by a much higher and wider bridge. In the flood of 1997, however, waters rose high enough to cover even that bridge, and some residents found themselves stranded just like in the old days. The Flats has ceased to be an isolated pocket in the middle of Boerne, and is going through a renaissance these days with new houses going up all over. Some of the old structures have fallen down or been demolished, including one of the last original slave cabins on Irons Street, which was torn down in the past five years. Another house, one of the oldest buildings in Boerne, a log cabin of the chink-and-daub type at the corner of Herff and Graham, has no historical designation when it really should have- it’s an amazing relic worth preserving, and has fallen into serious disrepair. It’s a neighborhood that has housed slaves in the bad old days, that has been a hidden little town within a town, and is rich in fascinating history, and you should take a drive through it one of these days. One last thing- the Flats has a few legends and myths of its own, too including La Lechusa, a kind of half-woman, half-bird who comes around if you whistle after dark, and a local ghost called ‘El Negrito’- the little black boy. They say he sometimes shows up on the West Theissen bridge at OST, hollering and waving his arms at kids riding their bikes or walking over the creeks, but when you get close to him or ride your bike at him, he disappears. Like slave quarters and the Irons Street bridge, and old Irons himself, he just disappears.

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

{

spiritual

think sometimes I have some strange tendencies. No, I don’t dress weird or worship a tree or drink some sort of ritualistic drink, but still, I think I have a unique way of handling things sometimes. I handle things the only way my brain knows how to do it, so while I feel it’s completely normal, people sometimes raise an eyebrow at me when I explain my current state of affairs. Case in point – shortly after last New Year’s, I was frustrated. I was frustrated at the people in my life. I was left to feel as if I was the only person interested in maintaining some relationships, the only person extending myself to preserve relationships that I felt were moderately important to me. I think we all have a circle of friends that surround us, and sometimes, it can require a fair amount of work to maintain those friendships. Unfortunately, there are times when we feel that we are extending ourselves, and getting little response. So, in my standard strange way of doing things, I stewed on the subject for some time, and eventually popped. I didn’t scream or yell, but instead, I got very, very quiet. I talked it over with my wife, explained my frustrations, and systematically went down my cell phone and began deleting phone numbers. I was so tired of extending myself in an attempt to be a good friend, and seeing very little in the way of their mutual extension. I’m not saying I was right, but I was just frustrated. It wasn’t necessarily a tantrum, but I was so tired of being the driving force behind an ongoing frustration. And don’t we all get frustrated sometimes with our relationships and friends? The Bible tells us “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Prov 18:24 (New King James Version) I have a brother. I don’t need another one. At the time, though, I really could have used a friend, and felt abandoned, for lack of a better word. I certainly hope that no friend of mine could ever say such a thing. As Christians, our relationships are crucial. Whether it’s your spouse, your kids, your boss, or your friends…those relationships in many ways define us. They are a reflection of us. My dad used to have a saying, “Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you what you are.” Re-read that three times, and tell me it’s not true. It’s also quite sobering. For me, I had a moment where I looked at some of the people in my life that made no attempt to connect, conducted themselves selfishly, and certainly didn’t reflect some values that were crucial to me. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I TRY. I call my friends on their birthdays, check in with them on my commute home, and ask about their kids. And maybe most importantly, I really want to be their friend. As we enter this New Year, take a moment and look around. You don’t have to handle things as strangely as I tend to, but take some time and pray about your friends and relationships. While my examples are tied to friendships, they are just as pertinent to marriages. Or co-workers. Or the cashier at the convenience store you visit every morning. Be what YOU would want. Give of yourself, care for them, and make every attempt to add to your friendships. God blesses us with the ability to brighten other’s lives, just as He brightens ours. Be a friend this year, and find friends. Just don’t do it as strangely as I did.

{

I

by Kendall Aaron

January 2009

www.hillcountryexplore.com

21

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i

IT’S NOT ENOUGH by ann b. davis

{

health

{

got an email this morning with sad news. A friend in another state died last night of cancer. I was surprised because the last I heard she was in recovery and doing well. I started thinking about the times I spent with her and the conversations we had which led to me remembering another friend who had died several years ago that we both knew. Although on the surface their lives would seem to be very different the more I remembered the more I realized there were actually a lot of commonalties. The big thing that stood out was that they both took large amounts of nutritional supplements but they both ignored all the other components of health. Chasing symptoms has become a big business. Most people do it with prescription drugs but more and more people are doing it with vitamins and herbs. It’s not enough! Some people exercise, some people try to eat a healthier diet, some people have a positive attitude occasionally. Some people think about making some healthy changes but most people put it off until tomorrow. Health encompasses every area of your life. It’s not just trying to fix what’s broken. It’s not only about eating right and exercising, it’s about a positive and loving attitude, about taking ownership of your life. We have become a band-aid society – slap it on and keep going, not changing anything, especially our minds. I don’t blame or judge either of these friends because you just don’t know what you don’t know. But I feel frustrated because there are so many people out there suffering and I can only help a few – those who are willing and who find me. This magazine enables me to have a wider audience and I’m taking this opportunity to encourage you to evaluate your health in every area of your life.

It’s traditional to make resolutions every New Year’s Day but most are forgotten before the first week is out. Your first resolution can be to resolve to do the rest of them! But don’t make the mistake of being unrealistic and overwhelming yourself. Pick a few easy things you can implement now and you can add to them later once you’ve had some successes. And don’t forget to celebrate your successes no matter how small. This is really important. Take an inventory of all areas of your life. Is what you are eating contributing to your health or to disease? Do you look for ways to get more movement in your body every day or when you go anywhere do you circle the parking lot endlessly looking for the spot closest to the door? Are you stressing out about money and talking to people endlessly about how the economy is going down the tubes? Do you look for more proof every day about how bad the world and your life is? Are you nursing resentments and grievances in silence, allowing them to eat away at you? Or do you look for love and good deeds around you and help spread cheer to others? Do you have loving relationships or are you a loner hiding from the world? Do you beat up on yourself constantly or do you cut yourself some slack and remind yourself of your good points? My friend who just died yesterday had lots of friends and family and they were able to be around her at the end when she passed on. She usually appeared to be sunny and cheerful but I know from our private conversations that she had a lot of anger and bitterness over the state of her marriage. Her financial situation wasn’t where she needed it to be so that was probably a big worry also. I know that she fought a good fight against her illness to the best of her ability. My other friend found out about her illness when it was in the last stages so there wasn’t anything she could do other than making her ending a peaceful one. None of us know how long we have here but there really is a great deal we can do to influence our longevity and enhance the quality of the years we do have. I am here to be your cheerleader today and encourage you to take charge of your health and not leave it to chance or the medical industry when it’s too late. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Well, it’s true. It’s never too late to start turning your life around; I don’t care how old you are. So here’s your assignment should you choose to accept it: 1. Take inventory. 2. Make a list. 3. Start with an easy one. 4. Pat yourself on the back when you accomplish it. 5. Go to the next one. 6. Don’t quit. If you haven’t the foggiest idea where to begin, call me. It’s as simple as that.

dr. ann b. davis obtained her naturopathic doctor degree from Westbrook university in new mexico and her massage therapy degree from austin school of massage therapy in texas. she is passionate about helping people achieve and keep vibrant health utilizing nutrition and detoxification, herbs and essential oils. her practice is located in boerne,tx. www.drannbdavis.com

24

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

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January 2009

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25

THE HILL COUNTRY, THE DROUGHT, AND THE CEDARS

{

gardening

{

o

by rob doyen

ur community has lost a truly unique nursery, and my wife and I have taken advantage of the nursery sale. The array of native rare plants was amazing and now we must construct a temporary green house to protect our new found treasures. PVC pipe, heavy plastic, ventilation, and heat will complete a small green house on the south side of our home. Ventilation is very important. The temperature can rise very quickly when full sun heats up inside the green house. Make-shift flaps should be open and closed as needed. A small fan for circulation and using barrels filled with water will help maintain a warm temperature. As I am writing this article we may have a new high temperature for Tuesday. Tomorrow the weather will quickly move down hill. We Texans always say, “If you do not like the weather just wait a minute.” We still have a few green plants that the early freezes have not gotten. The green house will protect the special tropicals that will not survive here. Monday seems to be the coldest day yet and we are getting tired of covering everything. We will wait until March to begin trimming and cleaning up for Spring. These next two and half months are designed to rest and get that big buck. Time to make jerky and get a couple more deer. With the drought and the number of deer increasing, we all need to do our best to harvest the deer that God placed here for us to use. My three adult children do not hunt, but they will not refuse venison. At Home Depot everyone complains about deer, but they do nothing. Deer will eat just about anything right now. The ground is powder dry and anyone with a green yard in the county is not following the Cow Creek rules. Turf grass after this amount of time should be very brown. Canyon Lake is dropping like a rock; eleven feet down and dropping fast because you can not sell more water than you have. Many people ask me at the Depot why their wildflower seeds have not bloomed. Until Mother Nature says the flowers will bloom they will not. We have had no fall rains. That means no wildflowers. The Hill Country is a very special place. The vegetation, weather, the warmth of the people, and we know that we can not fool Mother Nature. Our ecosystem is being threatened by the bull dozer and ill informed developers. The way the Hill Country is developed must be changed. As they say, “The only thing constant is change.” I have people tell me that they have 82 oak trees on their property. When I ask about other trees and vegetation they normally repeat, “We have 82 oaks.” We have been blessed by grasses, flowers, wild fruit trees, and better shade trees than our oaks. We have canyons, springs, caves, and rivers that are beautifully clear. I love my Hill Country, and the stars over my head, but as the “insecurity lights” brighten our skies, they dull our stars. We must understand that depending on the time and amount of rainfall. This gives the signals to our seeds and vegetation of what will grow that year. Each year brings a different country side. This drought brings out only the hardiest of our vegetation. Many years are abundant; full of all of our natives. The drip lines along small groups of trees give moisture to newly growing plants. Our Junipers or cedar trees are nurse trees to Madrones as well as many other seeds. All of the mulch under the cedars is a welcome home to newly growing seeds. Our cedars were not so numerous when wild fires of years past controlled their numbers. With fences and less wild fires the cedars spread to the prairies from the rocky valleys. Fence posts, buildings, etc use cedar. In many cases, even today cedar can become overwhelming. When removing cedars plan what you are doing and the amount of time it will by Rob Doyen take to regrow some non-native bush. Cedar makes a great sound barrier, dust catcher, evergreen, and a The Garden Guy nurse tree to others. (Certified Nursery When building in the Hill Country have someone help you identify different vegetation on your Consultant) property. Do your very best to fit in not stand out. Boerne’s Home Depot May all your weeds be wildflowers.

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by Michael Giddens

predictions

{

A

2009 Predictions

{

fter taking a few years off, be warned that these predictions are done as I drink a burgundy substance called “Glugg Wein” made by the infamous CAT of Boerne Texas. I am now into my first 16 ounce glass with extra raisins. Please no wagering or phone calls about DISNEY. I looked back at 2005 to find that I had Barack going to VP status, so I guess I missed that one.

January

Bush makes last minute pardon of former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards. Obama appoints Edwards to head FEMA. Florida Gators crush OU 45-17, Bob Stoops hired on as Detroit Lions Head Coach. Barack Hussein Obama is inaugurated as our 44th President. Fuzzy Zoeller is arrested at inauguration for not wearing shoes and trying to bring in a bag of KFC to the party. CNN announces Iraq journalist is nominated as Man of the Year for throwing shoes at President Bush. Anderson Cooper to present award to the winner.

Natalie Hollaway is found off the British Isles in slave camp by Geraldo. Geraldo breaks story she is alive and well. CNN blames Bush Family. OJ Simpson breaks out of jail in a Hertz rental car. He was last seen heading for the golf course at the Dominion. Orange County Choppers ride into Boerne for the Valentine Massacre. Merchants on Main Street close due to the thousands of people in the streets. Robby Kenevil announces record jump for 2010 massacre. Plans are from Cypress Grille to Magues. Free Margaritas if he makes it. Ford has record breaking month. Jennings Anderson top dealership in US.

March

Kendall County Appraisal District announces another property increase. Protestors create line from door to Veterans Park. Fox news reports Boerne Tea Party. HEB gives away free tea bags. Talks of Aggie Football program being moved to division 2 are discussed.

Boerne Golfer wins Masters on 18th with a 50 foot putt, splits check with Caddie Gibbons. City of Boerne sells Library for 2.9 million. 26 inches of rain in 24 hours. South Main Street Bridge is underwater. Christmas River Parade revisited.

May

City of Boerne lands Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers Concert for the Plaza to follow Hill Country Village Band. Most chicken dancers in the Main Plaza set Guiness Book of World Records. Ralph and Kakos opens new 40, 000 square foot restaurant at the Rim. The Sheik of Saudi Arabia owns Kentucky Derby winner, oil to 18 dollars a barrel, Obama/Pelosi/Reed consider nationalize Oil Companies. Republicans protest and claim they couldn’t make money running a Chicken Ranch several years ago. Boerne ISD wins National Award from Education Secretary Bill Ayers. Dr. Kelley accepts position at Harvard as new Dean. Fair Oaks Principal Sandi Killo accepts position.

June

Fair Oaks man makes hole in one on Par 4 after slicing ice shot on 12 Live Oak. Fair Oaks Ranch City Council denies Fair Oaks Country Club request for a motocross track on Black Jack 15.

Boerne doctor finds cure for Cancer, part of the antidote comes from an endangered species. Congress calls special session to discuss whether the creature can be killed.

Obama plans to stop all gun sales across the United States.

Post cereal announces free cell phone in every box of Total. ACLU sues.

VP Joe Biden has first press conference to claim victory of Nationalized Health Care. Enrollment in Law Schools triple.

Palin Dude disqualified in Snowmobile race for using Ethanol.

April

Dow hits new low 5500, Bush blamed.

Al Unser Jr. cuts ribbon on Corvette weekend.

Bumdoodlers bought by Tootie Pies.

Record 10 inches of snow, skiers ticketed for speed limit violation on Main Street.

Oranthol Simpson found hiding in 16th hole bathroom at the Buckhorn.

Super Target slated to open on IH 10 North of Boerne. Local man opens Ruth Chris Steakhouse at old Jennings Anderson. City Council denies Sugars request for local bar.

Prince sings at Berges Fest, best crowd in 32 years.

February

Obama in first 30 days finds Osama Bin Laden and mobster Jimmy Hoffa in same month. Al Gore takes credit for both and announces 2010 Global Warming meeting in Kerrville. City of Kerrville extends runway at the Airport. The Reverend Wright gives opening prayer in 2010 Global Warming Meeting. Al Franken to MC special meeting. Grand Hyatt to build new hotel without cutting any trees, called “space hotel”. Gas prices drop to under one dollar. Dollar stores across the country petition to sell gas. Chelsea Clinton named CEO. Bill leaves Hillary and marries assistant manager from Little Rock location.

28

Local man turns himself in on string of robberies.

Texas A&M wins men’s NCAA basketball Tournament. City of Boerne increase budget by 10K from flag ordinance revenue. TexDot announces plans to fix Main Street Drainage from 2002 plan. New surveys needed to start project, Randy Bergmann buys Sand Bagging company in San Antonio. Mayor Phil Hardberger announces plans to run for President in 2012. Mayor Heckler rumored has VP choice.

See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.

Apple announces new I Phone that can pick up Dish Satellite. Michael Dell denies buyout from China Company.

The View to do live show in Boerne at the Convention Center. Whoopie Goldberg to sign autographs. Fujiuya Sushi Restaurant announces location in Boerne. City Council bans fishing in Cibolo.

July

Boerne man comes in second in America Idol contest, retires from City Manager post after 20 years. Marries Paula Abdul and winnings and contracts are protested. Burn ban lifted, more than 10 new fireworks stand open,

buy one get 10 free.

SA Express buys Boerne Star, the View closes.

Houston Astros 15 games back, hire Nolan Ryan as Skipper

Owner of Las Finezas talks City into letting them build River Walk from Ye Kendall Inn to Cibolo Nature Center.

5 Guys Burgers opens on I10.

OcTOber

Mortgage rates hit 3.5%. La Cantera Investors buy property on South Main to open shopping Center. Here we go again.

auGuST

Honda Plant to open North of Boerne near Comfort. Tapatio Springs is sold to Donald Trump for 25 million. Trump adds super highway from I-10 to the Resort.

Boerne man invents Solar/Wind power for residential use. GE offers man 10 million dollars. Government buys patent for 70 million. Obama impeached, VP Joe Biden steps in. Claims “I told you something big was going to happen in the first 90 days????” Passports increase to record levels. Borders are opened. No need for Passports.

Dallas Cowboys trade Romo for Sam Bradford.

Aggies Fire Football Coach, hire RC Slocomb.

Boerne ISD has record registration. Town plans for 3rd High School. 2 dollar raffle tickets sold to name school.

US Postal in Boerne buys property in new proposed City Campus.

Champion Chargers picked to win District.

nOVeMber

Local promoter inks deal for Michael Phelps vs. paddle boats at Cibolo Creek

SepTeMber

Dow back to 10,000. Aggies start win streak---------------------in softball. Gold hits 1,500 dollars per ounce, silver 25 per ounce. Houston Astros 2 games up, eye playoffs.

Texas Lottery first state to use on line scratch off games. Legislature approves video crack machines for all racetrack/ OTB’s also approved. Old Benefit Planners Building remodeled for Off Track Betting/Video Poker/Bar. City Of Boerne buys 60 foot Christmas tree for Plaza. Town to help in decorating, someone puts spikes in trees. City promises to recycle tree into Christmas Cards.

T. Boone Pickens speaks at Chamber luncheon and City on Rudat Project. One week before Thanksgiving, Tex Dot starts on Main Street Drainage Project. Local business owner gets 32 signatures for opposition after laying down in street to block equipment. Merchants hold hands during 12 hour candle lighting vigil. 17 inches of Snow paralyzes Town, Dickens Cancelled.

DeceMber

City lengthens Christmas Parade Route to end at I10, over 175 floats, Aggies Marching Band performs on the way to Sun Bowl in El Paso. Donnie Osmond and Alice from Brady Bunch MC the event. Ice Skating Races from Security State Bank to Bridge during Christmas Event. Skater splashed with Hot Chocolate from Bear Moon, wrecks into Christmas Tree Farm, unhurt. Boerne Falls Ranch sells out of property. Michael Dell builds 45,000 square foot house. Dell buys Space Shuttle from Government for 40 Million Kerrville man takes first offer on Deal or no Deal on Last Show. Wii donates 10 games to Rainbow Senior Center. 2010 Wii Senior Olympics slated in Boerne at the Convention Center.

The Glugg is gone, as am I. Have a Happy New Year.

Boerne Buck Beer Company opens. Cedar Fever Beer works for allergies and for just relaxing good time.

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January 2009

www.hillcountryexplore.com

29

Chronicles of Singlehood in a Small Town

W

by jordan rivers

{

dating

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Well, I made it through another holiday season without a companion. It wasn’t nearly as insufferable as it could have been. I found enough things to do to keep from wallowing in my loneliness of years past, and I found that if truth be told, I am not lonely. I am very nearly the complete opposite of lonely, even though I am alone much of the time. Does that sound peculiar? It did to me until I realized that I am not lonely, and I am extremely fortunate. Having a mate does not define me as a person. Nor does it make or break my ability to live, love and laugh on my own. I surrounded myself with friends and family this holiday season. I didn’t turn down any chance to get out and walk around town during the weekend merriment that took place on Main Street. I didn’t have any chance meetings with any handsome strangers, and that was okay. I had lots of laughs with my children and with my friends and their families. I participated in holiday parties at the kids’ schools and at church. I met friends for festivities at Ladies’ Night and Happy Hour. I treated myself to several nice lunches with friends and an even nicer dinner with other friends. Those activities filled my heart with more happiness than I could have asked for. What’s next, after surviving the holiday season and heading into a new year? I love the new year. It is a chance for a fresh start. It’s like you can wipe your yearly slate clean and create a brand-new to-do-list and I love the idea of that. I have given a great deal of thought to my New Year’s Resolutions for 2009. They are not going to be in any particular order, but they are mine and they are going to be conquered in the upcoming year. 1. Avoid internet dating sites at all costs. It is expensive and rarely ends well. It all too often is an avenue for deception and life is too precious to waste on that baloney. 2. Run/walk on the treadmill at least twice a week and use the exercise ball for at least 5 minutes a day. There’s no reason for them to have that fuzzy protective layer on them (also called “dust”) any longer. 3. Read more novels. Not the trashy romance type (because I think I’ve already read them all) but the best-seller-list type of novel. Does Oprah still have a book club? She always touted good books back when I had time to watch her show. I’ll have to look that up. 4. Stop eating food out of the can. I think those mandarin oranges and Spaghettios I eat for dinner when the kids aren’t with me would really taste better if I served them in

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my pretty china at the proper temperature. 5. Stop saying “no” to the kids before I think about my real answer. I know that I sometimes indulge and over-indulge them because I love them and want our time together to be special and memorable, but more often than not, I answer every question with the word “no” while I think about what the real answer is going to be, which normally isn’t “no” at all. It’s a bad habit left over from my former life, and it needs to be broken. 6. Take a class and learn something new. At the beginning of each semester, I get the catalogs in the mail for continuing-ed and other courses that are offered for a short period of time. They are local and relatively inexpensive, and you can choose from things like belly-dancing and hip-hop to cooking to travel planning to computer programming and many other things. What’s keeping me from learning something? Nothing but me. 7. Quit buying cheap wine. The difference between a $6 bottle of wine and a $12 bottle of wine can mean all the difference the next morning. If you keep your eyes peeled, you can run across some really good sales on more expensive wine that you’d normally not buy because it’s just you drinking it. But really, are you not worth an extra couple bucks for a better wine? I know I am. 8. Learn how to play a musical instrument. A real one, not the kids’ Rock Band and Guitar Hero video games that we play on the television, which I have gotten very good at with all the practice I get. The kids are always impressed with my ability to follow the red, yellow, green and blue notes and score high on their game. But that’s just not the same as a real instrument. My resolutions might seem absurd to many of you, but they are things that I know I can attempt and that will make a difference in my life. And the prospect of doing these new things, no matter how silly they sound to others, is kind of exciting for me. Last year, I learned that I don’t need anyone else to complete me. I like me. I have interests, hobbies and talents that have been hidden for years and have only recently begun to resurface. Finding them feels good. Really good. Making it through the holiday season with a smile in my heart was quite a victory, and I am proud to say that I did it, and did it with laughter and love surrounding me. I am looking forward to 2009 because I know that I am going to be just fine. If I can do it, you can, too.

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See it. Breathe it. Live it. EXPLORE it.