Riverhill Living Winter 2019-2020

RIVERHILL Living Winter 2019 | Vol. 3, Issue 4

Swingin’ into the Holiday Season In this issue:

Santa Collection

Resident Spotlight: Kristy Harris Pictures with Santa

Riverhill Home Sales and Current Listings Riverhill Home Sales Current Listings Data Board of ofand Realtors MultipleListing Listing Service.

Data source source is is the the Kerrville Kerrville Board Realtors Multiple Service.

January 1, Board 2019of toRealtors July 31, 2019 Listing

Data source is the Kerrville Multiple Service.

August 1, 2019 to November 4, 2019 January 1, 2019 to April 30, 2019.

All residents include town homes an condos.

All residences including town homes and condos.

All residences including town homes and condos.

Riverhill SalesAugust January1, 1, 2019 2019 to 31, 2019 4, 2019 Riverhills Sales toJuly November SALES PRICE

NUMBER SOLD

Riverhill Sales January 1, 2019 to April 30, 2019 10 SOLD NUMBER

100,000 SALES -199,000 PRICE

480 26 10 1 53

200,000 - 299,000 100,000 - 199,000 300,000 - 399,000 200,000 - 299,000 400,000 - 499,000 300,000 - 399,000

03 3

500,000400,000599,000 - 499,000 600,000 - 699,000 500,000 - 599,000

01

700,000 - 799,000 600,000 - 699,000

00

800,000 - 899,000 700,000 - 799,000

00

900,000 - 999,000 800,000 - 899,000

00

> 1, 000,000 900,000 - 999,000

00

> 1,000,000

0

Current Listings as of May 6, 2019

Current Listings as of 08/01/2019

LISTED PRICECurrent Listings as ofNUMBER ON MARKET 07/31/2019

100,000 - 199,000 LISTED PRICE 200,000 - 299,000 100,000 -199,000 300,000 - 399,000 200,000 - 299,000 400,000 - 499,000 300,000 - 399,000 500,000 - 599,000 400,000 - 499,000 600,000 - 699,000 500,000- 599,000 700,000 - 799,000 600,000 - 699,000 800,000 - 899,000 700,000 - 799,000 900,000 - 999,000 800,000 - 899,000 > 1,000,000 1,000,000 +

0 MARKET NUMBER ON 4 0 8 3 2 11 4 4 32 0 3 1 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 0

Prepared by

Prepared by

The Hills Realty

1726 Sidney Baker Street, Kerrville TX 78028

1726 Sidney Baker Steet, Kerrville, Texas 78028

1

#1

RIVERHILL

Living

The Kerrville Daily Times’ Staff Carlina Villalpando Publisher Louis Amestoy Managing Editor Parastoo Nikravesh Special Sections Editor John Doran Advertising Director Contributors Jenna Carpenter Michelle Rosynek Layton Bettye Warnock Photography Tom Holden Advertising Luly Bliss Brandon Baldwin Valerie Tucker Composition Dean Heep Johanna Rangel Contact Riverhill www.riverhillpoa.com Send story ideas to riverhill@dailytimes.com Contact The Daily Times 429 Jefferson St., Kerrville www.dailytimes.com 896-7000

Letter from the President Christmas is my favorite holiday.

The miracle the season represents, the beautiful decorations, and the abundant supply of delicious treats all warm my heart. Add in a busy calendar of celebrations makes the season complete.

Our ‘Christmas Time in Riverhill’ edition features stories of neighbors and how they celebrate the holidays.

The APOR Board of Directors hosted our annual meeting on Oct.14 at the Mansion to a full house of property owners. We thanked Jeff Talarico and Sue Tiemann for their faithful service to the Board as we welcomed new Board members Andrea O’Neil and Steve Boynton.

Our calendar has been confirmed for the balance of this year and 2020. Our 2nd Annual Christmas Lighting Contest will help get us all in the spirit. Entry forms can be found on our website at www. riverhillpoa.com and are due no later than Dec. 8. Judging will take place on Dec. 10 with the winners announced via e-blast on Dec. 11. Get those decorations down from the attic and decorate away.

New to this Riverhill community is our 1st Annual Poker Run Fundraiser. The Poker Run is a social event benefiting local charities open to Riverhill residents and their friends. Poker hands will be made by visiting each host home. Cash prizes for best poker hands. Knowledge of poker is not needed and no running is required. There’s no better introduction to the neighborhood, have fun, raise money for a great cause and have a chance to win. Come by golf cart, bicycle, Mo-ped or UTV. The 2020 charity is Families & Literacy, our local adult literacy organization.

Our website will have all upcomming events listed with dates, locations and times. Please consider attending in these events to have fellowship with old friends

and meet new neighbors .

Beyond our special events we work hard on projects for the betterment of Riverhill. Our traffic circles have been successful with native plantings for beauty even throughout the hot summer months and slowing traffic on Riverhill Boulevard. The Board is working on enhancements to our entrance signs along SH16 and SH173. Hopefully will we be announcing details for spring plantings very soon.

Are you a member of APOR? If the answer is yes, thank you for participating in your neighborhood association. If the answer is no, I encourage you to join so you can have a voice, receive email blasts on current events and helpful neighborhood information. It’s the best $45.00 per year you’ll spend.

For more information about these activities, please visit our website at www.riverhillpoa.com. While on the website take note of our scheduled Board meetings throughout the year. APOR Board meetings are open to all APOR members.

I hope you have a blessed Christmas season and a very Happy New Year!

Mindy Wendele Riverhill Board President

On the Cover Photo by: Tom Holden Location: Riverhill Golf Course Cover models: Santa a.k.a Dennis Queen

Coming in the next issue: Riverhill Volunteers

Riverhill Living 3

Table of Contents News

6 Poker Run “Fun”Raiser

Photos

8 Fall Yards of the Month 9 Bragging Rights 22 Pictures with Santa

18 Eggnog recipe with Bettye Warnock Feature

14 Jenny Mitchell’s Santa Collection Columns

18 Eggnog Recipe for the holidays 20 Staying healthy during the holiday Travel

24 Travel Tales 10 Resident Spotlight: Kristy Harris 4 Winter 2019

News

Light up Riverhill The Association of Property Owner’s of Riverhill will host the second annual Christmas Decoration and Lighting Contest. Let’s make Riverhill look even more festive than last year.

Rules: 1. Decorations/lights are to be ready for judging by Dec. 10 2. Under no circumstances will decorations/lights possess demeaning or inappropriate gestures, sayings, expressions, etc.

3. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries.

4. Entrants must fill out the registration form and submit to: andymagee1@me.com by Dec. 8, 2019 or postmarked by Dec. 8 and sent to APOR, P O Box 293895, Kerrville, TX 78029. Forms are available through the website at www.riverhillpoa.com.

5. If you have any questions, email us through the website at www.riverhillpoa.com.

6. Applicants do not have to be members of the HOA (although that would be nice!)

Did you know?

Outside Storage • Outside storage isn’t allowed without prior written approval • Outside storage includes automobiles, boats, RV trucks, furniture, boats, campers, trailers • Recreational vehicles of all kinds are not allowed on the property or street except for the purpose

SAVE THE DATE

of loading and unloading, but in no event for more than 24 hours

Poker Run “Fun” Raiser Saturday, April 25, 2020

The Poker Run is a social event benefiting local charities open to Riverhill residents and their friends. Poker hands will be made by visiting each host home. Cash prizes for best poker hands. Live music during judging.

Come by golf cart, bicycle, Mo-ped or UTV.

2020 Charity

Families & Literacy, Inc. www.familiesandliteracy.org

Never done a poker run? Knowledge of poker is not needed and no running is required. There’s no better introduction to the neighborhood, have fun, raise money for a great cause and have a chance to win $$$. http://riverhillpoa.com

6 Winter 2019

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Riverhill Living 7

Yard of the Month/Yard News

Yard of the Month September

Congratulations to Clement and Karen Proud of 513 Preston Loop Trail - September winners for Yard of the Month. Their flowering Pride of Barbados accent the mailbox area and also the beautiful entry to the home. These bloom all summer long in the heat of Texas and are deer-proof. The Esperanza also make this colorful landscape display have great curb appeal.

October

Congratulations to the Kotara’s at 104 Kenwood Circle for winning the October Yard of the Month.

Beautiful crepe myrtles, touches of purple sage and dwarf yaupon holly bushes line the walkway to their inviting home.

November

Congratulations to Bart and Karen Jones at 311 Lakewood Drive November Yard of the Month. Their patio has beautiful plumerias which are used in Hawaii for making leis. Some of them are 20 years old. They also have gorgeous bougainvillea, geraniums and Knock-Out roses. Notice the sculpture in the front yard. He is referred to as “Buffalo Bill” and has lived with the Joneses at two other homes.

Great style starts at home.

Your home is a reflection of you. It inspires. It comforts.

It communicates who you are to neighbors, friends, and family.

Call us today to help you achieve the beautiful window creations you’re dreaming of right now. We make dreams come true. k errv illew ind owfashi ons.com

8 Winter 2019

Kerrville window fashions SE E YOU R W ORL D IN S TY L E.

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Par for the course

Quilts of Honor Quilts of Honor, a volunteer organization, presents handmade quilts to qualified veterans who have been wounded, decorated or disabled.

Hank Ortega received a quilt from the ladies of Quilts of Honor after being nominated this year.

Hank is a former paratrooper and combat medic who served with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. He was awarded the Combat Medical Badge, the Bronze Star and the Silver Star.

Hank and his wife Pam reside in Riverhill. He is retired from medicine.

Hank assists veterans in their claims and preserves the history and integrity of American veterans.

Write on

Rhonda Wiley Jones (pictured bottom right) attended the “Travel Writing as Memoir” workshop with Rolf Potts, author of “Vagabonding,” “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There,” and “Souvenirs,” in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, to enhance her travel writing expertise.

Congratulations Riverhill APOR member Jeff Harris and his partner James Salaz who shot 1 under par 71 on the last day of the tournament to win by two strokes in their flight for the 2019 James Avery Invitational.

Bragging Rights Did someone in the family get married, have a baby or win an award? We’d love to share it! You can send us a brag about yourself, your spouse, children, grandchildren or neighbor. Send a photo and caption to riverhill@dailytimes. com to be featured in the Spring issue.

Tee time Inspire

Gena Griffin won a first place blue ribbon for Artist of the Month at the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center in downtown Kerrville.

“Making Waves” “Making Waves” by Carol Arnold was accepted into the Arts Center of Corpus Christi’s November Pastel Show.

Judge Steve Ables wrote a book gathering lessons from golf and how it reflects the cycle of life. It’s available in the pro shop, Crickets and Amazon.

Riverhill Living 9

Resident Spotlight

with

Q&A

Q: How long have you lived in Riverhill and what do you Q: like best about living in Riverhill?

time?

A:

A:

Nine years. I love the people and the community feel of Riverhill. My husband and I frequently take our old bulldog ‘Gunny’ for nightly cart rides throughout the neighborhood. We always encounter friends or new people who are friendly and always spare a moment to get to know a neighbor.

Q: What is your favorite thing to do in Kerrville?

A: As odd as it may sound, my favorite thing is to go on

early morning runs just as Kerrville is waking up and coming back to life.

Q: Where do you work and/or volunteer, and what is your job title and/or role there?

A:

I am an investigator assigned to the Criminal Investigation Unit at the Kerrville Police Department. I have been employed with KPD for over 11 years and have been a criminal investigator since 2014. I investigate crimes ranging from Class B misdemeanors to capital felonies. In conjunction to my investigative caseload, I also handle sex offender registration duties for a handful of sex offenders and will conduct occasional background investigations involving prospective applicants to the PD.

Q: What is your favorite holiday tradition that your family and/or friends do?

A: I

truly enjoy my family’s Thanksgiving tradition of visiting and coming together amid the chaos of everyday lives and schedules. However, my favorite tradition was started by my mother-in-law. Several years ago, my husband fell ill and was hospitalized for several days. When he made a slow recovery and returned to health, my mother-in-law gave us a porcelain angel bell (a bell in the shape of an angel). She explained that while my husband was sick, she would ring the bell and say a prayer. Thereafter, whenever a family member knew of someone needing prayer to get through a particularly hard spot in life, they would call or text and ask for us to ring our bell and send a prayer for their friend. We still do this. When my husband and I ring our bell, I eventually give that person their own bell and tell them of our tradition. We remind them that they can choose to follow or just keep the bell as a reminder that ours rang for them. It is a simple tradition, yet it has been very impactful in my life and one I absolutely adore and will continue to do.

10 Winter 2019

Kristy Harris

What hobbies or activities do you enjoy in your free

Last May I graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northwestern State University. I am currently attending Baylor University seeking to attain my master’s degree in social work, so between college and work, my time is very limited. In my free time, I adore nightly golf cart rides with my husband and Gunny. I also like to run the neighborhood and hope to start training for the San Antonio half-marathon, which will happen this December. Other hobbies include: deep sea fishing, kayaking, enjoying amazing food with good friends and, given the time, I like reading a great book.

Q: What are you most proud of?

A: I am most proud of my husband and the marriage and

home we have created together. My husband is a good man who spends much of his time engaging and helping other people. I am proud of how active he is within our community and how quick he is to get involved and help people, especially our veterans. I am proud of our marriage and the home we have created. I am lucky because I married my best friend and I get to share my life with him in a home free of drama and full of unruly fur babies and comfort.

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?

A: Sorry, it might be a cop thing, but I despise bad drivers!

Q: What is the best and worst thing about getting older?

A: The best part about getting older is having great

times, collecting great memories, and getting the chance to meet and get to know simply amazing people. The worst part of getting older is realizing that you can’t do things as well as you used to do them. I think there is a special kind of grace and accomplishment in aging. We will never be younger than we are today, but we have earned where we are at and it is something to be proud of for all that we have been through. That said, I still miss the presence of youth wherein four hours of sleep was enough to get through the day.

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve been given and from whom?

A: The best advice I ever received was from my running mate when I arrived to my first duty station, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Cowslip WLB-277. She told me to learn from

everyone I met, the good things and the bad things about them. She told me to see what was good about other people and to incorporate those skills and to remember what was bad about people so that I never emulated that behavior. I have tried to follow her advice.

Q: What is on your bucket list?

A: Too many things to list. I keep a running and ever-

expanding bucket list and I try to pick five things a year to go do. For instance, this year I crossed these things off my bucket list: visited New Mexico; got to sit in an outdoor hot tub in the snow; went to a murder mystery dinner; helped in a serial killer case; and got accepted to an Ivy League college to continue my degree. A few things on my bucket list that are to come include: complete a half-marathon in less than 2 hours; get a caricature done with my husband, visit Europe, and give a TED talk.

Q: What goal are you currently working on?

A: Currently, I am working on my MSW at Baylor. I also

hope to start to train again for completion of a halfmarathon this December in San Antonio.

Q: What is the best gift you ever received?

A: The blessing of my husband, our marriage, and the

friendship we share. As for materialistic things, the best gift I got was my senior year in high school. I was raised by a single mother and grew up in a very poor family.

Despite not having the money, my mother encouraged and permitted me to be in the band. My senior year, she purchased a silver professional flute for me, which took her several years to pay off in installments. I still have my flute, though I rarely play it anymore. It is a forever reminder of my mother’s love.

Q: What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?

A: I believe that everyone should just live life without

concern of the opinion of other’s. Life is too short to spend a lifetime trying to impress other people, work all the time, or not spend their time with the people they love doing things that are worth doing. Eat the best meal of your life, laugh until you cry, love deeply, and cherish all that things that money can’t buy that are truly priceless.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for National Night Out. See you next year!

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12 Winter 2019

Feature

‘Tis the season for

St.Nick

Story by Jenna Carpenter

J

enny Mitchell never set out to collect all things Santa Claus — it happened organically.

“One year, I counted how many Santas I had. It was over 100,” she said.

She doesn’t have a specific memory of when she started purchasing Santas, but believes it was around the time she married and moved into her own house.

“I had a home of my own for the first time, and I decided I wanted to incorporate Santa’s in my decorations,” Mitchell said.

From figurines and ornaments of Jolly Old Saint Nick to cross-stitched pillowcases and wall hangings, Mitchell’s home is known for its Christmas decorations.

“I just love Santas. They make me happy,” she said. “Some people collect snowmen, some people collect angels or nativity sets. I collect Santa Claus.”

She started out small, later picking up Santas in her travels. For example, one item in her collection is a wooden figurine of Kris Kringle she purchased in Russia.

A former teacher, several of her Santa Christmas tree ornaments were gifts from students “Those are fun. I can look at them and remember the children who gave them to me,” Mitchell said.

Then, a few years ago, her husband bid on a life-size statue of Santa Claus at a charity auction — and won.

New to her collection is a large cross-stitch portrait of Santa in front of a Christmas tree and his gloved finger in front of his mouth, as if to say

Riverhill Living 15

“shhh.”

An avid cross-stitcher, Mitchell finished the project in May after taking almost two years to complete it.

It’s made up of 100,000 stitches.

“I worked on it last summer because it was so hot. I’m a golfer, but it was too hot to golf, so I worked on that instead,” Mitchell said. “My goal was to get it done before this summer so I could get it framed in time.”

She doesn’t play favorites with the items in her collection.

“I would be hard-pressed to pick

16 Winter 2019

out one that is my very favorite, but there are a few that hold special memories for me,” Mitchell said.

Now that her collection is so large, Mitchell said she no longer actively shops for Santa Claus decor.

“I’m to the point where I don’t buy them anymore unless I see one that’s unusual or unique,” she said.

Mitchell typically starts decorating her house right after Thanksgiving. Unless they’re going to be gone for Thanksgiving; then she decorates the week before.

It takes four days to get the house outfitted for Christmas, she said.

There are 70 boxes full of Christmas decorations that need to be taken out of storage.

“It’s quite an ordeal to get them all out,” Mitchell said.

But all the hard work is well worth it.

“The Santas make me happy as I unpack them,” Mitchell said.

“Each one has a story or a different meaning, and it’s fun to reminisce as I put Christmas up every year.

They just mean a lot to me.”

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Riverhill Living 17

Community

My grandmother’s

Eggnog

M

y paternal grandmother, Ethan Lois Andrews Jones, was born in Madison county Texas in 1889 and lived there her entire life. In Madison county, the descendants of the families that came from Mississippi still have a delightful, soft southern drawl. My grandmother’s parents came to Texas from Mississippi after the Civil War and they, their eleven children and their descendants continued many of the customs of the Old South. One of these customs was serving eggnog at Christmas. My grandmother always served her eggnog on Christmas Eve, and when I was growing up, I was allowed a small sip.

Please be assured that homemade eggnog taste absolutely nothing like the stuff that comes from the grocery store. Today’s internet sources say the first recorded recipe for eggnog goes back to 1775 and called for rum — which I like to use because you can’t taste it as much as you can bourbon — probably because of the blockades against the colonists caused rum to be all that was available at that time. Medieval monks drank something called posset as early as the 13th century — this drink contained brandy, milk and figs.

It is thought the name eggnog was developed because of the use of eggs and the small, carved

18 Winter 2019

wooden cup called “noggin” in which alcohol was served. There are many recipes for eggnog, including ones for aged eggnog. This one claims that the longer it sits, the better it gets and it’s better still if it is aged for a year in a cool place but not refrigerated and never cooked. Other recipes call for heating the milk and slowly adding it to eggs and then cooking the eggs and milk into a kind of custard. Other recipes call for cooking the egg yolks with the liquor.

In the old days there was no knowledge of salmonella, but in today’s world if one worries about salmonella there are pasteurized eggs that can be used. When I asked my grandmother one time how they had ice for ice cream in the winter time, she said that they had an ice house but if they ice ran out before Christmas, she would put a little more milk and sugar in the eggnog.

Many a Riverhill resident has enjoyed this recipe at gatherings in my home and I hope others will give it a try. Cook the eggs with liquor or on the stove or better still use pasteurized eggs but enjoy the real thing. The eggnog you can buy in the carton does not compare to the real thing.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Photo by Tom Holden

Bettye Warnock’s Eggnog Recipe 8 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 cups of bourbon or rum 1 quart of whole milk 1 quart of vanilla ice cream 1 pint of whipping cream

Photo of Bettye Warnock's grandmother who gave her the egg nog recipe

1) Separate eggs. Whip the egg whites until they stand in stiff peaks, then add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Refrigerate.

2) Whip the cream until it stands in wavy peaks adding 2 tablespoons of sugar toward end. Refrigerate.

3) Beat the egg yokes until they are thick and foamy. Add the remaining sugar gradually and beat again.

4) Then while beating, add bourbon a little at a time to “cook” the egg mixture. Add milk and beat again.

5) Drop spoonsful of ice cream into egg and milk mixture and stir gently. Transfer mixture to a punch bowl and then fold in whipped cream and whipped egg whites. The nog will be frothy.

6) Sprinkle with nutmeg. Should serve 12 to 15.

Community

T

Healthy during the holidays

here is a reason we so enjoy the crazy chaos of a Chevy Chase Christmas inserted somewhere amongst the distinct sounds of bells ringing, indicating that one more angel received it’s wings in “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Just as George Bailey felt holiday stress, so do all of us. Despite all of the joyous music, festive décor, Christmas pageants, and even Elf on a Shelf, navigating these several weeks

20 Winter 2019

can prove to be quite daunting. Simply said, some things are going to be out of our control, but some will not.

After spending the majority of the year attempting to do our best in regard to eating healthy and maintaining a viable fitness regime, our real test is thrust upon us by means of mouthwatering foods, parties and less time to hit the gym. So, for this year’s final exam, what can we do to enjoy this amazing time of year while still being our best self?

1. Eat Mindfully There is no way around it because food is always going to take center stage at many of our various gatherings. While it is always a great option to bring a healthier alternative to contribute when attending parties, remember to sit back and actually enjoy yourself. Eat slowly, and don’t skip meals. While it is tempting to fast until a major feast, keeping blood sugar levels in check will prevent overeating. Finally, if you’ve been looking forward to Aunt Marie’s pumpkin cheesecake for 11 months, indulge in moderation, and forgo the other carb options. Pick and choose.

Tomorrow is another day.

2. Schedule Workouts and Switch it Up Keeping in line with spending quality time with family and friends, this is the perfect opportunity to include them on a run or an exercise class. Think outside the box. Enjoy the extra time off from work and deviate a little. If possible, exercise in the morning.

This is definitely the season when last-minute things pop up. However, remember that even a 15-minute window of activity is better than none at all.

3. Stay Hydrated As you go about checking off the various boxes on your errand list, keep drinking the water. A good rule of thumb is still the ol’ mantra of six to eight glasses per day. Taking it one step further, two giant glasses before any big, calorie-laden feast will help curtail even the most ravenous of appetites. If alcohol is involved, alternate a glass of water with the cocktail (in moderation). So, as you pile up your teenager’s Urban Outfitter bags into your trunk, make sure you have a cold Dasani in your free hand.

4. Relax and Enjoy the Moment Living in an era of all things social media and having our cellphones becoming an extra appendage, the number of likes on an

Instagram page seems to have surpassed having real memories of actual events. Try and switch back to a simpler time when the conversations were still had over a steaming cup of latte and game nights were centered around the dining room table. The holiday season is the one time of year where all experiences, both big and small, matter. Don’t focus on the “what if’s” or the “to do’s.” Live in the moment.

5. Sleep and Schedule No one functions very well on minimal rest, especially as we are trying to decipher all of the last-minute expectations heaped upon us from work, kids and family obligations. Take the time to map out the next day while shutting down your current one at a predetermined time. You can’t be your best self without being good to yourself, so don’t feel guilty about it.

Yes, there will undoubtedly be plenty of temptations and excuses to slack off on your current healthy routines. Just remember that nowhere does it state that it is an all-or-nothing mentality. Splurging here and there is fine. In fact, it is good. So, here is a shout-out to Andy Williams, a throwback name that will leave most of the younger generation scratching their heads. It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Happy Holidays!

Meet the columnist Michelle Layton’s Website is ML Rosynek. She is the author of the teen novel “Crossed Up” and has written several National Magazine articles including many regarding the “Varsity Blues Scandal.” She has a background in television journalism and went to Texas A&M on a track scholarship. Layton is the mother of three boys, Trey, Zach and Jake. Trey is currently a freshman at Harvard University. Zach is a senior at Tivy High School and will be attending Mays Business school at Texas A&M next fall.

Jake is a freshman at Tivy.

Riverhill Living 21

Santa is coming to town

Jennifer Edwards’ family Santa photo.

Robert and Pam Caylor’s granddaughter Peyton’s photo from years back. This is our all-time favorite one for obvious reasons. Just look at poor Santa.

Cade and Kenslea Braaten.

Jamie Edwards, granddaughter of Steve and Pam Boynton.

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Tate Shrader, 4-year-old grandson of Greg and Laura Shrader.

Dylan, Jeremiah and Robert Tamplen, grandsons of Greg and Laura Shrader.

Rick Perry and friends.

Bron and Christa Mogenis’ grand-dog McClintock.

Riverhill Living 23

Travel Tales

Share your trip Did you recently travel somewhere? We’d love to share it. Send photos, captions and story to riverhill@dailytimes.com.

Reuniting family in Ireland

I

By June Motheral

n the fall of 2018, our family was all together for a rare reunion as we are scattered all over the United States. Our youngest daughter, Renee, said, “Mom, I would like to take you to Northern Ireland where your family came from.” I do genealogy research as a hobby, and she has also shared an interest.

So, we planned a trip for May of 2019. About a month before our trip, Renee called me to say she was talking to Carrie, my second daughter, and Carrie was interested in joining us in the trip. Renee decided to not only invite Carrie, but also Cheryl, my oldest.

Of course, I thought this would be great, so by that afternoon, the other girls had their reservations made.

The four of us met in Dublin. We toured in the Republic

24 Winter 2019

of Ireland because Cheryl had not been there before and then we headed for Derry in Northern Ireland, or Londonderry as most people call it except for the Irish.

We stayed in a small boutique hotel inside the city walls. We could walk to everything within the old city, as well as to the church and one of the homes that my great-grandfather lived in. My great-grandfather and his family were Catholic and for many years were not allowed to live within the walled city. Many continued to live “without” in later years. My family lived across the street from the Long Tower Church grounds, and the building they lived in still stands today, as does the church. We walked the streets and sat in the church pews that the Bradleys and the Magees sat in.

We toured the city and heard the story of “Bloody

Sunday� by a guide whose father was killed that day. He said his story might be a little slanted because of his experience, but he told it in such a way that it was almost like being there. We also drove all over Northern Ireland seeing castles, historical sites and the Port Rush Golf course, where they were preparing even then for the British Open. We took in the adjoining county, Donegal, and saw the rugged coast and sites of a lightly populated area. The two Irelands are beautiful, and the people are so warm and friendly. They all asked what we were doing there and when we told them we had come to see where our family was from, they took us in like we belonged there.

It was a trip I will never forget and what really made it special was that I was able to share it with my three girls.

Riverhill Living 25

Annual Meeting of the Association of Property Owner’s of Riverhill

City councilman and Riverhill POA member, Gary Cochrane, gave a report from the city

26 Winter 2019

Board Member Bart Jones thanks outgoing president Jeff Talarico and Board Member Sue Tiemann.

Jeff Talarico introduces new board members Steve Boynton and Andrea ONeal

’Tis the Season

To be Home for the Holidays Let us help you get there.

OutBack Patio Furnishings has been serving families in the Texas Hill Country for 20 years. Our customers come from Kerrville, Marble Falls, Fredericksburg, and everywhere in between. We’d love to work with you to design an outdoor space where you can wine, dine, or simply unwind.

1000 Sidney Baker St. S. 830.890.5532 outbackpatiofurnishings.com

THE MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART Where the Legend Lives

Jan. 10 - Mar. 28

The West in Winter An Exhibition of Art from the Collection of Betsy and George Matthews

Coming Soon: Select works from the L.D. “Brink” Brinkman Foundation “Winter Above Taos,” John Moyers, oil, 43 x 34

1550 Bandera Hwy. • Kerrville, Texas 78028 830.896.2553 • museumofwesternart.com

Our Club Members Are Our Passion Our remarkable golf club started with a friendship between golf legend Byron Nelson and renowned course designer Joe Finger. That tradition continues today with the friendships still formed and strengthened on the rolling hills of Riverhill Country Club just as Byron Nelson had hoped.

You are invited to be a part of that tradition and the present celebration of the game of golf, fabulous dining and events, world-class tennis, swim and fun for your entire family.

Many families have taken part in what Riverhill has become over the past 112 years when it began as the mansion at Cedarcrest. Many families return generation after generation to enjoy the important history of this estate and the wonderful part the club continues to play in their lives.

RiverHill Country Club has several membership packages that include resident, senior, junior, corporate and non-resident.

Summer Fun for the Entire Family!

Riverhill Country Club • RiverhillCC.com • 896-1400 •100 Riverhill Club Lane • Kerrville Please contact Membership Director Bryan Hargrove at (830) 896-1400 x2230 for more information about memberships and initiation fees.