Texas Hill Country Culture August 2018

LIVING

THE

BEAUTIFUL

LIFE

AUGUST 2018

Opt to adopt RESCUE PUPS LOVING THEIR SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE

DOGGY PADDLE

LET YOUR DOG COOL OFF AT WET N’ WAG

LOOK TO THE STARS

THE CANINE CONSTELLATION BEHIND SUMMER’S DOG DAYS

TASTY TREATS

ALL NATURAL DOG SNACKS FOR YOUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND

EXTRA: CANNED FOOD IS NOT JUST FOR FIDO

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2014-2018

2014 - 2018

Contents 19

62

64

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OPT TO ADOPT Hill Country residents show their love for their rescued pups

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BLOOPER REEL A look at all the dog photos that didn’t make the cut

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DOGGY PADDLE Take your dog to the pool to cool off

HERITAGE Why not the cat days of summer?

All natural, organic treats for your pooch

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WHEELS Convertible club gets the wind in their hair

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PUPPY PROOF Ensure your home is ready for a new dog HOME SHOWCASE Enjoy the dog days of summer in this Summit home

UNCORKED Grab your dog and visit 290 Vinery

14 HILL COUNTRY MADE

Your Home in the Hill Country 48

Departments

60

GOOD TASTE The art of canning OUT & ABOUT Summer Concert in the Park EVENTS August calendar

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64 ON THE COVER Olaf is a three-legged pup who was adopted by Kaitlyn and Bobby Blumrich. At only 7 months, he has gone through a lot, read about it on page 32.

Photo by William Houghton

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

Top lphoto by William Houghton; middle photo by Metro Creative Graphics; bottom photo by Autumn Bernhard

Features

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August 2018 - Volume 3 - Issue 8

Autumn Bernhard Magazine Editor

Neice Bell Publisher

Jeanette Eastwood Nash Copy Editor

Dean Heep

1/2

Composing Manager

Writers Nancy Foster Judith Pannebaker

Photographers

4.0 Cellars

Justin Halpin Tom Holden William Houghton John Swann

John Doran Advertising Director

Account Executives

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Brandon Baldwin Jeff Herring Becky Kiner Luly Miller

For story ideas: autumn@txhcculture.com

For advertising inquiries: advertising@txhcculture.com

For general inquiries: info@txhcculture.com

The Kerrville Daily Times 429 Jefferson St., Kerrville, Texas 78028 www.dailytimes.com | Phone: 830-896-7000 | Fax: 830-896-1150

Copyright: Texas Hill Country Culture is published by The Kerrville Daily Times under Southern Newspapers Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative.

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

EDITOR’S LETTER

So much more than a dog

Top photo by Amber Bernhard; bottom left photos by Autumn Bernhard; bottom middle photo by Autumn Bernhard; bottom right photos by Amber Bernhard

Hello readers, I’m writing this letter after bathing Phoebe, my 80 pound black lab mix, who still thinks of herself as a puppy. At the age of 12, she still has a puppy-like personality, which is great. But, back then, it was cute when she would sit in my lap, now it’s just downright painful.

However, when she insists on hopping in my lap, I don’t shoo her away. I might groan as her nails dig into my thighs, but I tend to just sit still and let her have her moment.

Why? Because if it makes her happy, I’m all for it. You see, she does a lot more for me than I have ever done for her. She’s been there for me no matter what. She’s been my alarm clock, therapist, security guard and running buddy, and that can be just one day.

All in all, she’s been dependable. If she has a bad day — I’m not exactly sure what that would mean for a dog — she doesn’t bring her problems to me. Every time I see her, she is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Now, me on the other hand, I’m hardly ever that happy, especially after a bad day. She’s cuddled with me as I cried after losing people I’ve loved. She’s watched me celebrate the big and little accomplishments in my life.

No matter what, she is always there.

She hasn’t been the first dog I’ve been fortunate enough

to have in my life.

In fact, since the age of 1, I’ve had a dog to call my own.

Each one was special and unique in their own way.

But one thing always remained the same — the unconditional love they continued to give despite everything.

The majority of the dogs my family has owned have been rescue dogs, so I admire people who have taken it upon themselves to give a second chance to dogs that didn’t have ideal starts to life.

A dog gives you his or her life, expecting very little in return. Isn’t it only fair that we give them a part of us?

Happy dog days of summer.

Autumn Bernhard Magazine Editor autumn@txhcculture.com

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 5

Johnson City winery welcomes you and your four-legged friend

By John and Carol Aceti 6

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

I

n the midst of the summer heat, you don’t have to sweat the small stuff, because 290 Vinery will do it for you. Located at 300 West Main on the west side of Johnson City, it boasts an air-conditioned space big enough for 190 oenophiles. Flexibility and adaptability is the operating plan, according to the owners Warren Vilmaire and wife, Susan Kirchman.

But this vinery isn’t just for you — man’s best friend is also welcome. Inside, dogs display their best canine

Photo by William Houghton

All dogs allowed

UNCORKED

Photo by John and Carol Aceti

manners and share the pleasant atmosphere of the wine-tasting room with their owners.

For those canines who like a little more action, they can be off leash and free to roam, since the property is fenced. Doggy food and water bowls are provided outside.

The exterior of the vinery lives up to its name, with vines growing along the railing on the front porch as well as on the 0.8-acre plot in front of

Sarah, a frequent visitor, enjoys wine while her non-imbibing companion, Kalani, relaxes on the cool concrete floor.

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 7

UNCORKED

Photos by William Houghton

the establishment.

Inside, the bar and the tables are on wheels. The space has good acoustics and special lighting and can quickly be rearranged into a theater atmosphere for musical presentations.

Warren and Susan bought the building in 2015 and planted Tannat and Tempranillo varietals. Their first crop in 2017 produced five cases of wine, which sold out immediately. They hope to have 10 cases this year. They buy grapes and grape juice to produce more wines on-site. Their online wine store also sells wines that they have chosen from all over the world.

Popular 290 Vinery wines include Seriously Red, a deep ruby red with plum and cherry taste notes. It is especially recommended for barbecue, beef and marinara-based dishes.

Another pairing for barbecue, steak and venison is 290 Vinery Petit Verdot with hints of fig and dates.

Blanc’ety-Blanc is made from pinot grigio and muscat. It offers aromas of apple and pear with apple and apricot taste notes. It is a white wine that begs to be served chilled on hot summer days with a cheese plate.

Another 290 Vinery wine, Pour Choices, creatively named by their grandson, has aromas of blueberries and tastes of blueberry and sweet pomegranate. It is a favorite dessert wine.

One of the family touches to the vinery is

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

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AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 9

UNCORKED the adopt-a-vine program. Folks can adopt a vine and follow its progress almost from grapes to glass. Adoption includes visiting privileges, discounts, tastings and workshops.

Besides wine tasting, visitors can enjoy and buy dramatic paintings by Texas artists covering the white walls. They are chosen by Susan Kirchman, artist and art dealer, from her gallery in Johnson City.

At the monthly steak night, 40-50 friends, neighbors and wine aficionados bring their own uncooked steaks and grill them to perfection on the huge dinner plate shaped grill on the front porch. There is good-natured competition as each chef guards their own steak from the envious eyes of other grillers.

With fine wine, good food, a welcoming staff and lots of friends (both two- and fourlegged), warm Texas summer nights never felt so good.

After encouragement from Dick Holmberg, owner of Singing Water Vineyards, John wrote “Wineries of the Texas Hill Country Plus One Fine Brewery” in December 2016. After visiting 30 wineries in the Hill Country, he is convinced the area has plenty to offer wine connoisseurs and casual wine enthusiasts.

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

Photos by William Houghton

John and Carol Aceti

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

703 Hill Country Dr., Ste 101 • Kerrville 830-257-5500

What’s dogs got to do with it?

The meaning behind the dog days of summer

By Autumn Bernhard

W

HERITAGE

ith the mercury in thermometers easily hitting the high 90s daily, it is clear to see the dog days of summer have arrived in the Texas Hill Country. But, like many popular expressions, have you ever thought about what the phrase actually means? Dog days of summer — what do dogs even have to do with it? Well, to find the answer, we have to turn to the stars.

The idea of dog days goes back to ancient times, when Egyptians, Greeks and Romans noticed that the most intense heat occurred during a 40-day period when the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, would emerge in conjunction with the sun.

Sirius, ancient Greek for glowing or scorcher, is part of the constellation Canis Major, which is Latin for greater dog. The Dog Star, along with its smaller companion star, Sirius B, in the Canis Minor constellations, forms a sky picture of dogs at the heels of the hunter constellation Orion.

The Romans referred to the sweltering period as the “days of the dog star.” The English-speaking world began to call the same summertime period on the astronomical calendar the “dog days” in the 1500s.

The dog days of ancient Greece are not the dog days of today. According to history.com, due to a wobble in the Earth’s rotation that shifts the position of the stars, today’s dates fall several weeks later on the calendar than they did thousands of years ago.

Nowadays, the exact dates vary by latitude, but the Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the dog days in the United States as July 3 through Aug. 11.

However, in approximately 10,000 years, the date of Sirius rising with the sun will be much later on the calendar, resulting in the dog days of winter.

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 13

Photo courtesy of BuddysBonz

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HILL COUNTRY MADE

Give a dog a bone Boerne business makes treats for every accomplishment

S

By Nancy Foster

taff members in the product testing department of BuddysBonz are quite content in their jobs, and why shouldn’t they be? Buddy, Daisy, Little Boy, Duke and Camo get to sample all the company’s natural dog treats before the general public does, and if they don’t approve, the product ceases production. This method, according to shop owners Don Pryor and wife, Sally, has been the path to their success, and with products like roasted bones to Turkey Stickz to Daisy Chipz Cheese Nachoz, they’ve found the recipe to success in the organic and natural dog treat market.

Sally and the Major Sally Pryor is from the U.K. and speaks with the lovely accent of a true Brit, while husband, retired U.S. Army Major Don Pryor, has deep Texas roots that harken back to the Old 300 original settlers. This amiable and multitalented couple met while working in IT careers — he as a chief technical officer and she as the director of software/network engineering. They spent a few years in Phoenix, and by 2010 decided to work their way back to Texas. A fortuitous stop in Boerne en route to San Antonio was life changing — they knew they’d found their happy place.

Soon thereafter, the couple purchased a 1945 ranch home on 5 acres of the original 1,000-acre Nelson Ranch. They named it 17 Oaks Ranch and have spent considerable time and labor restoring their vintage home using many of the original woods and materials.

The Company Their dogs (three dachshunds, one Yorkie/ Chihuahua mix, one coonhound and a bloodhound) are the reason BuddysBonz exists. Sally explains that when the dogs began ignoring store-bought treats, she began experimenting with healthy snack recipes made with high quality ingredients. Her first venture was rawhide, dipped and smoked in their own recipes for chicken and beef gravy. The dogs loved it, so she tested it out for further reaction at Boerne Market Days and Cibolo Nature Center market, and she found strong enough customer interest to foresee a future for the business.

The Major researched butchers and is now the acquisition guy. He sources the meats, bones and rawhides, and the business is currently at the point where 3,000 pounds of product at a time are hauled in via 18-wheeler.

Sally does the processing and much of the product

Photo courtesy of BuddysBonz

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 15

HILL COUNTRY MADE

- Don Pryor

development. She loves to experiment and looks for inspiration from her customers who provide input on what their picky pets crave. BuddysBonz is situated in a 524 square-foot tin-roofed warehouse on the Pryor’s spacious grounds and is well equipped with commercial grade smokers, dehydrators, drying racks and all materials necessary to produce their growing inventory of products.

Products Their treats are enough to make any dog drool. Organic popcorn balls are air popped using no oils, drizzled in Kraft Velveeta cheese and rolled in real bacon bits. Sweet potato snacks are a big hit, as is jerky in beef, pork or turkey, beef or chicken gravy Babas Bitez, sweet potato Popoverz, beef Meat Ballz, pork Buddy Linkz and HornZ. Buddyz Butter, another hot item, is made on their ranch with organic peanuts and organic cold pressed, virgin, unrefined coconut oil. Popular with first-timers is the sixpiece “mix and match” bag that provides dogs a sampling of several treats. Dehydrated chicken breast and smoked chicken feet are both immensely popular, as are any of their bones, the Major says.

“Every dog, no matter what the size, loves a good bone, and we offer bones of many sizes,” he said. “Big dogs can’t get enough of our roasted bones.”

“We are obsessed with quality, and we’re obsessed with customer service,” he said adding that, “many of our ingredients are the same we eat, including chicken and beef purchased at H-E-B, Costco and Sam’s Clubs.”

All BuddysBonz products are slow smoked up to 36 hours using only Texas mesquite, are USDA Certified for Human Consumption and are without artificial coloring, dye, MSG or additives. In addition, they use no soy, wheat, barley or cornmeals or flours. Expect a shelf life of at least six months.

Soon to be introduced is Buddys ProMin-D Protein & Minerals for Dogs supplement made from 100 percent organic minerals sourced from a private mine in Utah and 100 percent USA beef lung and beef liver in a powder form that can be sprinkled on food weekly or as needed.

Let your dog be the judge The Pryors do not have a retail outlet but you may run across them at area festivals, markets and shows.

Upcoming fall events include WestFest, Grapevine GrapeFest, San Antonio Home & Garden Show and Boerne Fall Holiday Market Days. Online sales and word of mouth referrals keep their two-person operation as busy as they want to be, and the couple now ship all over the country to dog lovers who just can’t get enough of their wholesome products.

Sally and Don Pryor with BaBa, Duke and Little Boy

Bottom left photo courtesty of BuddysBonz; top right photo courtesty of BuddysBonz; center photo by Nancy Foster

“We are obsessed with quality, and we’re obsessed with customer service.”

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Opt to adopt All rescue stories have one thing in common — happy endings for beloved dogs that otherwise might have ended up on society’s scrap heaps.

Here are eight dogs’ stories of how they became part of the family.

By Autumn Bernhard and Judith Pannebaker

Photo by William Houghton

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 19

Bodacious: Breed ambassador “reign of terror” continued. For assistance, the Wilkes turned to obedience trainer Diana Hanson of Dancing Dog Kennels.

“After the first training session, it was clear this puppy was eager for structure and for someone else to be the leader,” Lucy said. “By the second session, we were bragging about what a good boy he was.”

During training, he learned his “in-charge humans” would ensure he would be wellsocialized and, most importantly, well-loved.

“All of our grandchildren love Bodacious, and the younger ones play with him for hours when they visit,” Lucy said. “We take him everywhere with us — the farmers market and pet-friendly stores.

“He has completely changed my perception of the pit bull terrier breed and rescue dogs,” she said. “All he wants to do

is please us, love us and be a part of our pack.

We love Bodacious and are so glad we didn’t give up on him.”

Photo by William Houghton

Lucy Wilke, district attorney of the 216th Judicial District, initially learned about an 8-week-old brindle pit bull puppy, available at the Kerr County Animal Shelter, from her husband, Kenneth, an aficionado of the breed.

“I was hesitant (to add another dog) because life was easy with our very well-behaved Jack Russell terrier, Bear,” Lucy recalled.

Additionally, a Kerr County animal control officer had described the itty-bitty pittie as “really full of himself.”

The only information available about the puppy was that, he had been tied outside a vacant home for three days in January 2017.

After more than a few fraught discussions, however, the couple decided not to adopt him.

“I didn’t tell Kenneth how upset I was about the decision,” Lucy said. “I knew the puppy’s face would haunt me for the rest of my life, and I would always wonder what happened to him.”

But the decision had been made — or so she thought. A complete about-face occurred a day later when Lucy received a video from her husband, showing the puppy playing happily with Bear in the couple’s backyard.

The Wilkes had apparently adopted a pit bull puppy. He had been at the shelter for about 10 days before his adoption.

Now, at 18 months, the “gentle giant” has blossomed into 75 pounds of pure muscle.

“At first, we called him T-Rex, because he was such a terror,” Lucy said.

Then, they deposited the pudgy little fellow on the floor, and Kenneth observed, “He’s built like a little bull.”

“We decided to name him after a famous bucking bull,” Lucy said. “Ferdinand felt like too many syllables for a dog, so we called him Bodacious.”

Although Kerrville’s Bodacious has a sweeter disposition than his fearsome namesake, his

OPT TO ADOPT

Photo by William Houghton

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 21

Photo by William Houghton

OPT TO ADOPT

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

Tex: The perfect fit

Bandera County resident Blondie Brandvik clearly wasn’t ready to take on the responsibility of another dog. It hadn’t been that long since Jake, her four-legged companion of 17 years, had been euthanized after suffering a stroke.

“Although something compelled me to search the website rescueme.org, I didn’t expect to find anything,” Blondie said. But, of course, there he was: A 7-year-old Australian shepherd named Tex — a standard version of her beloved miniature Aussie, Jake — and the kind of ranch dog Blondie loves best.

“A photo on the website showed Tex sitting in the front seat of a pickup truck, just like Jake did,” she said.

As the story went, Tex’s parents, a teacher and oilfield worker, found themselves without sufficient time to devote to their pup; consequently, they listed him on Rescue Me, hoping to find him a perfect second home.

“A lot of people expressed interest in adopting him, but the

couple didn’t think any of the applicants to be ‘right’ for their dog,” Blondie said. “And I kept coming back to Tex’s photo.”

Finally, she succumbed and contacted the couple about adopting Tex. After a series of emails, a meeting was arranged at Buc-ee’s in New Braunfels.

“My husband, Jim, was not happy about adopting another dog, but in less that 15 minutes, Tex was sitting in the back seat of our truck,” Blondie recalled. “He had said his goodbyes to his first family and was ready to begin his next big adventure.”

She continued, “It was meant to be. From the beginning of his time with us, Tex fit right in. It’s like he’s always been our dog. He needed us as much as we needed him.”

And, as for the reluctant Jim, well, that worked out, too.

“Jake had always been ‘my’ dog, while Tex is ‘our’ dog. And, he really loves his ‘dad time.’”

Since going online in 1999, Rescue Me has saved more than 628,000 dogs.

“I’m so glad I went to rescueme.org,” Blondie said. “Otherwise I would never have this amazing boy.”

Photo by William Houghton

Blaze and Patches: Good store greeters

Blaze

Approximately nine years ago, Glenn rescued Patches, a brown and white pit bull mix, from the shelter run by Kerr County Animal Control.

“My mom worked there at that time, and I knew dogs were regularly euthanized,” Glenn said. “I decided adopting from a kill facility was the way to go. You rescue one dog, and that makes space for another dog that might also get a chance for a new life.”

Pit bulls, Glenn pointed out, also need special consideration, because statistics indicate they are the most euthanized breed across the United States.

“Patches was 6 to 8 months old when I found him, and I was afraid of what would happen to him if I didn’t adopt him,” Glenn said. “We always had dogs while I was growing up, and they all came from kill shelters.”

About four years ago, Glenn found Blaze, a Rottweiler-lab mix, via a Facebook post.

“A young couple had a litter of ‘too many’ puppies. They were going to take any that didn’t find homes to a shelter,” Glenn said. “I didn’t want Blaze to end up in a kill shelter, so I adopted him as a companion to Patches.”

Currently, Glenn and his wife, Jeri Ann, have four dogs, so they’re not actively seeking to add anymore to their pack.

“When we get down to a single dog, I’ll go back to the shelter in Kerr County for another,” Glenn said.

But after a moment, he added, “Unless Jeri Ann sees a dog she can’t resist on Facebook.”

Photo by William Houghton

Anyone who shops regularly at Stuff N More in Comfort is well acquainted with Blaze and Patches.

“When (the dogs) are not acting as greeters, they pretend to be our three-dimensional carpet,” said affable Glenn Modgling. “Of course, when they’re not ‘guarding’ the premises, they’re sleeping.”

Glenn, along with his grandparents, owns the popular eclectic shop stuffed with an array of antiques, artwork, collectibles, furniture, china and glassware, among other merchandise.

And, while, there are no bulls in this particular shop, Glenn brings his two rescue dogs, Blaze and Patches, to work with him every day. And, at 95 and 75 pounds, respectively, they’re large dogs that resemble small bulls.

“I can’t exactly call Blaze and Patches watchdogs; they’re more like, ‘Watch out for the dogs!’” he quipped.

OPT TO ADOPT

Photo by William Houghton

Patches and Glenn

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 25

M’lissa Hayes, Gus, Peaches, Mike Hayes and Bluebonnet

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Hill Country CULTURE | AUGUST 2018

Photo by William Houghton

OPT TO ADOPT

Peaches: The Benji look a like

The Hayes’ home is very animal friendly, to say the least. More specifically, very rescue animal friendly. Mike and M’lissa have grown their family with a rescue dog and cat.

As if that’s not enough, occasionally, the Hayes residence serves as a hotel for a friend’s rescue dog, Gus. When one of Hayes’ dogs passed away, they knew they needed another one.

“Bluebonnet was always real social, and she needed a friend,” M’lissa said. “And Mike wanted a little Benji looking dog, so he began his online search.”

“There was a commercial for Travelers Insurance, and there was a wiry-haired dog trying to bury its bone to save it. Well, that’s the kind of dog I wanted,” Mike said The search for a pup that fit that description ended after six months when Mike came across Peaches’ photo on the SNIPSA website.

“At the time, she was being fostered, so I took one of the kids with me to get her, and he didn’t think she was very personable,” Mike said.

His son had reason to doubt Peaches’ disposition. For the first days she was at her new home, she secluded herself from the family and didn’t seem to be happy at her “forever home.”

“We got her on spring break, so we decided

to just wait through the weekend to see if she would get better,” Mike said.

Now, six years later, the Hayes are happy they didn’t give up on their four-legged friend. And rightfully so, Peaches has come a long way from that frightened dog under the dining table.

“When we got her, she did not want to be on a leash, was afraid of people on bikes and didn’t like men,” Mike said. “Now, you can get the leash out and she freaks out and is ready to go.

If you go into the garage, she will try to trick you to look at the leash.

“She’s turned into a very good girl,” Mike said.

How did the plan work out for Bluebonnet?

Her and Peaches are inseparable.

“They are best friends; they love being together. They really are like sisters,” Mike said.

Just like us, when one sibling is uneasy, the other is there to provide comfort.

“Peaches is still afraid of thunderstorms and strong wind, so she will go and hunker down in a corner. Bluebonnet will go right over there and be with her,” Mike said.

Mike and M’lissa’s compassion for rescue animals has been instilled in their daughter as well.

“She just adopted a 4-year-old cat. She said she feels like it’s her civic responsibility to not get a kitten,” M’lissa said.

For the time being, two Hayes dogs is enough for Mike and M’lissa, but if they ever change their mind, Mike will stick to adopting.

“I’ve worked out a deal with my daughter that she’ll go pick, because I might bring them all home,” he said.

Photo by William Houghton

Bullet: The 20 buck pup to get his hip fixed and found out he might have distemper,” Bobby recalled.

“The vet gave him about a 50-50 chance to survive. When we brought Bullet home from the clinic, he got sicker and sicker, and was literally skin and bones. Eventually, he wasn’t able to walk or even crawl,” Bobby said.

Using large syringes, Patty and Bobby plied Bullet with water and pureed ham and chicken baby food every couple of hours for two weeks.

“While he was in our ‘intensive care,’ we took him everywhere with us in a clothes basket — even to the restaurant we owned at the time,” Bobby said.

“Nothing was working, until I got an idea to give him Pedialyte,” he said.

Pedialyte is a medical-grade hydration solution for humans that helps replenish vital fluids, minerals and nutrients, which, when lost, can lead to dehydration.

“That did the trick,” Bobby said. “After giving him Pedialyte, Bullet started gaining weight almost immediately. His hip even got better.”

Now that he’s completely recovered, the couple considers Bullet “their guardian angel, who watches over us.”

Every morning, Patty and Bullet tour their Lakehills neighborhood in a golf cart.

“He has to make sure everything is OK because that’s apparently his job,” Bobby said.

“And we wouldn’t have it any other way. Bullet is just like one of our kids.”

Before all was said and done, the little $20 dog ended up costing the couple $750 in vet bills. However, Bobby knows it was worth it.

“That was the best $20 I ever spent,” he said.

Photo by William Houghton

Five years ago this coming Thanksgiving, Bandera County Precinct 2 Commissioner Bobby Harris became the proud owner of feisty little Bullet because his wife, Patty, wanted a white dog.

“Bullet came from Rio Medina. My friend, Yoyo, a butcher at H-E-B, had a litter of puppies, and Bullet was the only one without a cropped tail.”

No fool, Bullet had hidden behind a refrigerator on tail-cropping day, according to Bobby.

Bullet’s parents were a chihuahua and a rat terrier, he said.

“Yoyo wanted their tails cropped because he thought that would make the litter look more like chihuahuas,” he recalled.

To please Patty, Bobby “peeled off a $20 bill” and purchased Bullet.

About a month after coming home with the couple to Lakehills, Bullet jumped off a bed and injured his leg.

“We took him to the vet

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Photo by William Houghton

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 29

Photo by William Houghton

OPT TO ADOPT

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Gunny: A little something extra When Medina residents Christy and Roy Chancy found their boy Gunny on petfinder.com, they got a lot more than they bargained for.

“I picked him because he was the runt of his litter,” Christy said. “His momma was a little pittie, and I figured tiny Gunny might top the scales at 30 pounds when fully grown. Well, I was wrong.”

Gunny now weighs in at a big-boned 80 pounds — all of it muscle.

“We are having a DNA test done because everyone asks, ‘What kind of dog is he?’ Well, I have no idea. All I know is what his mother was, and she was pregnant with Gunny when she was picked up by animal control,” Christy said.

As she explained, PetFinder, a nationwide service, allows prospective adopters to enter a ZIP code, and a website algorithm searches a database of dogs available at shelters and rescue organizations within a specified number of miles.

“I liked using PetFinder because it narrowed down the selection to just one dog, so your heart doesn’t break,” Christy explained. “When I looked for a puppy at the Kerr County Animal Shelter, I could have come out with 15 dogs, because I felt so sorry for them.

“His mother, along with her entire litter, had been pulled from a high-kill shelter in San Antonio,” Christy said.

Gunny was available at Fetch & Friskers Barkery & Bow-Tique in Boerne.

“When we first saw Gunny, he was skin and bones, he had a respiratory problem and his paws were knuckling under due to malnutrition.

He also had a hematoma from being neutered,” Christy recalled. “He was a mess, but everyone at the pet store was very honest about his health problems. They didn’t sugarcoat it.”

She continued, “I went into the shop thinking, ‘I want a puppy,’ but when I saw Gunny, my thoughts changed to ‘No, I need to help this puppy.’”

And that’s exactly what happened.

With regular vet care and proper nutrition, the skinny little runt turned into, in Christy’s words “a huge, strong oaf that I cannot outmaneuver or outwit. He is who he is. You know, I’ve always had big dogs, and I have always won battles with them. But not with this dog.”

After a pause, she added, “Maybe we need to take him to obedience classes.”

Photo by William Houghton

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 31

OLAF: The INVINCIBLE them back to the shelter to do a parvo test, and they all came back positive.

Although the litter was rushed to the vet, four passed away, leaving just Olaf.

But he wasn’t out of the woods yet. When he got back, the staff noticed his back feet were very swollen. He was rushed to the vet again, where he was diagnosed with sepsis, a bacterial infection of the blood.

“They said that he would have died if we didn’t take him in when we did,” Kaitlyn said. “He had such severe sepsis that it was taking over his entire body.”

Only 4 pounds at the time, Olaf went through a blood transfusion. While still in recovery at the vet, Olaf started losing toes, and he was about to lose his tail — a common side effect in a bad case of sepsis in dogs.

“The vets anticipated him losing both of his legs, and if that was the case to consider putting him down because of his quality of life,” she said. “We were devastated.”

But the vets worked hard and were able to save both his legs, and a month after his transfusion, he was able to return to the shelter.

“Since this dog had been through so much, I couldn’t

Photos courtesy of Kaitlyn Blumrich

“Hi! I’m Olaf, and I like warm hugs.”

While that line might make you think of the Disney movie “Frozen,” it also applies to a Hill Country resident.

The main difference between Disney’s Olaf and Kaitlyn and Bobby Blumrich’s Olaf? One of them doesn’t melt in the Texas heat.

The Olaf that calls Fredericksburg home is an 8-monthold chow chow/Korean jindo mix. And although he might be young, he has quite the story.

Kaitlyn first got a glimpse of Olaf in January when the Hill Country SPCA in Fredericksburg received an email from the San Antonio Animal Care Services. The email had information about Olaf, his five brothers and sisters and his mother.

The SPCA decided to get the litter of 3-week-old puppies and put them directly into foster care. Shortly after receiving their vaccinations, one of the dogs passed away.

“That’s normal in a shelter environment, some puppies just have failure to thrive. We thought it was a fluke,” Kaitlyn said.

But a few days later, the foster mom called saying another puppy was going down hill quickly, so she brought

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Olaf and Nala, then and now

Top left photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Blumrich; top right photo by William Houghton; bottom photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Blumrich

have him living in a kennel. So I took him home and fostered him,” Kaitlyn said. “But he was in so much pain, if I accidently touched his foot, he would scream in pain.”

So Kaitlyn took Olaf on the familiar trip to the vet. That’s when it was decided amputating his rear left leg would be best.

Olaf’s surgery was May 3, and the next day, he was running around the office like nothing had happened.

Despite the hard times Olaf went through, he was always loved unconditionally by Kaitlyn.

So much that, after 139 days in foster care, she officially made Olaf a Blumrich.

But Olaf’s complications aren’t over yet. Last month, vets found a bone in his foot that had to be removed surgically.

“We are still doing physical therapy and stretches; he’s still on pain meds. It’s just one of those things. He’s going to have lifelong problems,” Kaitlyn said.

“But we wouldn’t change it for anything. He’s been through more than I could have ever imagined. And because of that, he’s the best dog ever,” she said.

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Hill Country CULTURE 33

OPT TO ADOPT

KAITYLN: A FOREVER RESCUER Kaitlyn Blumrich is an animal lover. She always has been, but she didn’t really know how much until she started working at the Hill Country SPCA five years ago.

“It’s been a whirlwind since that day,” she said.

That whirlwind has included a lot of good days, but also a fair share of bad days.

“Working in an animal shelter, it’s not all about playing with puppies and kittens, you deal with the tough stuff,” she said.

“I’ve had some pass away in my arms and some that you’ve worked so hard to save but couldn’t. It takes a special type of person.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world. I think this is my passion and my calling,” she said with a smile.

A big contributor to the good days is seeing dogs go home with happy owners.

Kaitlyn knows the feeling of adopting a rescue dog personally. In fact, the majority of her six dogs have been rescues.

“We didn’t mean it to be this way,” she said. “We started with one, and she needed a friend.”

The shelter got Chihuahua puppies in, and Kaitlyn fostered one before adopting her.

A few months later, while picking up dogs for the shelter, she spotted a “tiny white fluff ball of polar bear cuteness.”

“It was my dream dog — all white, a nubby tail. I decided I was just going to foster her, but foster turned into adoption,” she said.

The next was her husband, Bobby’s, dog that came to live with them, bringing the total to four.

“We were done, that was it,” she said.

“Until one day my coworker sends me a photo of a litter of Great Dane puppies

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(another dream dog).”

“Then, Olaf was supposed to be another foster. But his will to live and his outlook on life, it just made me so happy that I couldn’t get rid of him,” she said.

“I think we are done. We aren’t doing anymore fostering, because we all know how that ends,” she said.

Since Kaitlyn started working at the shelter, adoptions have increased exponentially with the help of social media.

“We used to have 19 adoptions a month, and now we’ve had 42 every month for the past two years, she said. “We grew faster than our programs and the way of doing things.”

That’s created a problem with housing all the animals, because the shelter has only 26 kennels, but about 100 dogs in its care.

“We have turned our medical room into a puppy ward, our laundry room into a puppy ward, and our storage room into a crate room,” she said. “We’ve taken advantage of every little corner in the shelter we possibly could, because we wanted to save more lives. The more lives we save the better.”

Ideally, the nonprofit hopes to grow into something much more than just a shelter.

“We want to grow, we just have to have support behind it to grow. Without volunteerism and people donating, there is no way we would be able to,” she said.

One thing is for sure, whatever happens at the shelter, Kaitlyn will be there with open arms for rescue dogs.

As for her dogs, you can see them at the shelter regularly.

“Any opportunity I can, I take them with me,” she said. “They live such short lives, that I just want to make sure they experience everything they can.”

Photo by William Houghton

Olaf, Kaitlyn and Nala

The gift that keeps giving Story by Autumn Bernhard Photos by William Houghton

A dog will be one of the few things that will always love you no matter what the circumstances. It’s in their nature to love whole-heartedly.

But there seems to be a little extra love in a rescue dog. Maybe it’s the notion they know that you saved them from a situation that could have been their end. Whatever the reason, the numbers don’t lie: • About 6.5 million companion animals enter United States animal shelters nationwide every year — 3.3 million of those being dogs.

• Approximately 670,000 dogs are euthanized in shelters a year.

• An estimated 1.6 million shelter dogs are adopted annually.

Another startling fact, the American

Places to adopt rescue animals

Pet Products Association reports only Hill Country SPCA 23 percent of dogs are obtained from 2981 South Texas 16, Fredericksburg; a shelter or humane society.

830-990-9085, hillcountryspca.com There are many local organizations that promote adoption instead Fredericksburg Animal Shelter of breeding.

319 Hollmig Lane, 830-307-3652 So, if you’re ever looking for a four-legged friend, remember to check local animal control facilities, Freeman-Fritts rescue organizations and the internet 515 Spur 100, Kerrville; 830-257-4144, to find the perfect pup. freemanfritts.com And heed the wise words of 216th District Attorney Lucy Wilke, who Kathleen C. Cailloux Humane Society said, “No dog, especially a rescue 2900 Junction Highway, Kerrville; dog, is going to be perfect when he 830-367-7722, first walks through your door. But humanesocietyofkerrville.com with training, structure and love, he’ll become a wonderful part of Kerr County Animal Control & your pack!”

Shelter 3600 TX-534 Loop, Kerrville; 830-257-3100, co.kerr.tx.us/animal/ Bandera County Animal Control 3360 TX-173, Bandera; 830-796-3771, banderacountyac.org Cowboy Capital Pet Assistance League, Inc. 210-867-1769, ccpal.net Kendall County Animal Shelter 702 FM 289, Comfort; 830-537-3430 Online resources: petfinder.com adoptapet.com rescueme.org

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AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 37

Photo by John Swann

Wind in your hair

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WHEELS

Comanche Trace convertible club lets the tops down

By Autumn Bernhard

C

ompanionship is defined as the fellowship existing among one that accompanies another.

Companionship can be found in anything and anyone. Your trusty pup is your companion. Your spouse is your companion. Well, in Comanche Trace, a group of 70 residents have found companionship in each other.

The bond that connects all of them? An enthusiasm for driving their convertibles around in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

The club started nine years ago when two convertibles were driven to Big Bend National Park. In 2010, three top-down enthusiasts went for a springtime wildflower excursion, and that was the official beginning of the Comanche Trace Topless Club.

Since then, the club has taken more than 40 drives and have added more than 8,000 miles to their odometers.

Currently, the group consists of 35 convertibles. But they are always willing to expand their fleet.

The rules to join are simple: 1. Live in Comanche Trace.

2. Have a convertible.

Photo by Tom Holden

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 39

WHEELS

Photos by John Swann

The cars run the gamut — from vintage convertibles to new rag tops, from two-seater roadsters to grand tourers with fold-down hard tops.

The group takes trips throughout the year and travels the back roads of the area. The morning of a drive, a dozen or so convertibles show up at the Comanche Trace welcome center to get a game plan for the day. Drives tend to take about an hour or two to get to the lunch stop, and then the caravan returns to Kerrville on a different route to be home by mid-afternoon.

Although the group might always start at the same place, the destination differs from drive to drive.

In the spring, the group heads north to search for wildflowers. In the summer, drives tend to be in the evening to nearby towns like Fredericksburg and Tarpley.

In the fall, Lost Maples State Natural Area is a hot spot.

In the winter, drives tend to be top-up affairs to Johnson City to see Christmas lights.

The group has also made longer trips, including full-day drives and even a four-day trip to Big Bend.

With many more miles to travel and many great eateries to dine at, it looks like this group of companions will stick together for awhile.

“We love the area we live and the beautiful drives we go on,” said Lisa Self, a founding member. “It’s a great way to meet people and use our adventurous spirits. What a wonderful way to get to know the Texas Hill Country!”

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AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 41

Canned food for you

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GOOD TASTE

Canning brings back memories of loved ones

By Stacy Whittemore

I

Photo by pilipphoto

think of my mother often as I work in our garden in the early morning before the heat of the day here in the Texas Hill Country. I wait in anticipation for tomatoes to perk up in vibrant red, so that I can begin canning them into a robust sauce.

I grew up taking for granted the great canning my mother created every year from our garden and local produce stands. Canning has seen its ebb and flow through the years, along with changes in canning procedures. The art of canning is making a comeback, and I hope everyone at one point of their life gets a chance at seeing garden to table as I did growing up.

Canning was a constant in my childhood. The months leading up to August were a slow parade of what was to come with the first batch of strawberry jam and spring peas. I would help bring up the canning jars from the basement, case by case, in assorted sizes — pints, quarts and gallon jars.

They lined every available surface as I helped wash and sterilize. Our kitchen was scrubbed top to bottom; in my eyes it was already clean enough, but Mom drilled into me the important of food safety.

Early green beans were gathered in white aprons to be stemmed out on the back porch after supper in the last light of evening. Mom’s eagle eye watched my apron that I didn’t let a discolored green bean go into the pile. She would tell me pickled green beans and canned green beans need to be pretty and

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Hill Country CULTURE 43

GOOD TASTE sassy in their jars.

In August, canning gained a life of its own. I joked that if anything was in the kitchen more than five minutes it would go into a jar. Tomatoes, carrots, peaches, apricots, pears, soups, pickles and then the apples in every type of recipe you could imagine.

My brother was born in July, but that didn’t stop mom. She put his cradle that rocked right in the middle of the kitchen. I was on a step stool helping peel peaches, and she was pulling jars out of the water vat. Not missing a beat, she would reach out and set the bed to rocking if he was fussing.

Mama didn’t can just for the family. She canned for my grandfather and uncle, along with my father’s parents. Their batches had to be made separately and low sugar since they had diabetes. She would give a few jars to anyone who was sick or to an elderly neighbor down the road.

In the middle of the chaos, we would pick basil, and I would load up my apron to help pick off the leaves to dry

in folded sheets on the clothes line out back. To this day, when I smell basil, I smile, even though at the time I wasn’t so keen about all the work. At the end of August, we would load up a picnic basket and the truck to wander out to the springs past Eureka, Utah, to pick chokecherries for jam. By October, Mom would be seasoning and canning venison.

When I close my eyes, I can still see the basement pantry lined with rows of jars — a veritable rainbow of colors and selection. All winter, when the snow was deep and temperatures hovered in the teens in Utah, it felt like summer with a bowl of peaches and ice cream, watching the only three channels we had on our black and white TV. So why do I can? Because cooking is love made visible, and I know what is in the jar was hand-picked, cleaned and cooked. I don’t can on the same level as my mother did, but every time I do, or when I teach a class, I look toward heaven and whisper, “Thanks, Mama, for the gift of teaching me one jar of love at a time.”

Stacy Whittemore

Photo by Stacy Whittemore

Stacy Whittemore is a kitchen coach and certified master preserver. Her cooking blog, wayfaringspoon. com, is dedicated to smaller-sized recipes along with home canning inspiration. She was raised in Utah and is the proud mother of three daughters. Her passion is teaching and sharing the art of home-cooked meals.

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Hill Country CULTURE 45

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AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 47

PUPPY PROOFING

Safety first

Prepare your house before bringing Fido home

By Autumn Bernhard

M

aking the decision to get a dog is a big commitment. But once you commit, there’s no turning back. So, you go pick up your new dog, and as you head home, this rush of excitement comes over you. That excitement tends to overshadow the realization that a dog requires a lot of home preparation.

The first few days a dog is in a new environment, with new people, smells and sounds, is the prime time for your new family member to make an escape or accidents in the house.

When you purchase a dog, you make a promise to that four-legged friend that you will care for, protect, nurture and ultimately love him or her.

Speaking from personal experience, the love is the easiest of those things. Loving a dog is simple, it’s an effortless action when you realize that the dog will love you more than they love themself.

The hardest of that promise is to protect them. You see, there are so many more hazards for dogs that humans don’t really think about.

That’s why it is so important to prepare your house before your furry friend gets there.

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Living Room The living room, or any gathering area, will be one of your dog’s favorite places in the house to spend his or her days. Who can blame the pup?

There’s usually a fluffy couch that is the perfect place to stretch out.

But other common things to find in living rooms are electrical cords for all the electronics, lamps, picture frames, a fireplace and a busy front door. So, to make sure your pup is safe in the living room: • Always make sure the front door is closed completely each time someone enters or exits.

• Utilize doggie gates to create an extra barrier between your entry way and the rest of the house. This will limit the risk of your new dog running out the door every time someone comes inside or leaves.

• Put away decor that your dog can reach.

This will help prevent ingestion and lower the risk of glass breaking.

• Gather all electrical cords and make them inaccessible for your pup. Also, limit how many cords are left in the room when no one is using them.

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Hill Country CULTURE 49

PUPPY PROOFING Kitchen Your dog will catch on quickly to where the food comes from. Odds are, when you’re not looking, that’s where they will go. So remember to: • Keep cleaning products and food on high shelves.

• Make sure your trash can is tightly sealed, or store it outside.

• Move any objects, especially sharp ones, away from the edge of the counter top.

• Dogs are allergic to foods that are not harmful to you and your human family. Keep this in mind when you are storing food.

Bedrooms Although you might allow your pup to sleep with you at night, during the day there are many dangers he or she could get into. To avoid any mishaps: • Make sure all windows are closed tightly and locked.

• Keep your closet closed. If there is a shoe around, a dog will find it, you should consider it a goner.

• Keep garbage cans empty or remove them from the room.

• Avoid having any food products in the room.

• Put electrical cords out of reach.

• When you’re not in the room, it is best to keep the door closed.

Bathrooms The bathroom is an amusement park for dogs.

There are a lot of different smells, a water bowl that remains full and a bath tub to play in.

Although it might seem like a fun time for your pup, it is best to avoid giving him or her access.

• Close the toilet. Just like dogs will find spare shoes laying around, they will find an open toilet lid, allowing them to drink directly from the bowl. This is no only disgusting, but there could be chemicals that your dog can get sick from ingesting.

• Keep cosmetics, toothpaste and medications out of reach from your new dog. It is best to keep them in a medicine cabinet.

• Make sure all your shower supplies are on the highest possible shelf.

• Put electrical appliances in the cabinets and ensure the cabinets can’t be opened by your dog.

• When possible, keep the door closed, so your dog can’t go in it.

Backyard Your dog will enjoy being outside, but before you let him or her run free, ensure that: • The fence is high enough and your dog can’t jump over it.

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• Don’t have anything near the fence that can be used as a makeshift step stool.

• Don’t use pesticides in your garden if your dog can get in it. Also, avoid plants that can be poisonous for dogs.

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625 S. Creek St. | $285,000

Consider pet proofing your home to be like baby proofing — you are trying to ensure that pets and danger don’t meet.

Ultimately, remember that you are a guardian for the dog. There will be ups and downs, but that’s pet ownership.

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Hill Country CULTURE 51

HOME SHOWCASE

The ideal Hill Country home Summit home offers beautiful scenic views Story by Autumn Bernhard Photos by Justin Halpin

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pend your evenings taking in the beautiful Texas sun setting over the city of Kerrville at this property situated on a bluff at 2016 Vista Ridge in the Summit subdivision.

With the breathtaking views of the area, this amazing home is what people move to the Texas Hill Country for.

Enjoying the dog days of summer is easy when living at this home with multiple outdoor decks and a covered, screenedin patio, which is perfect for

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entertaining your guests.

If it’s a little too hot to be outside, no worries: the home has spectacular views from most rooms. The numerous large windows flood the home with natural light.

Walk through the gated front courtyard and custom double doors that make for a marvelous entrance into this stunning home.

The open floor plan of the first story provides the ideal location for friends and family to gather, with the living room, kitchen and

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All loan programs, terms and rates are subject to change without notice. Additional terms and conditions may apply.

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AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 53

HOME SHOWCASE dining room connected.

The living room, complete with a fireplace with gas logs, has cathedral ceilings that give the whole home a very open and large feel.

The home has two bedrooms, each with walk-in closets, two full bathrooms, two half bathrooms, a breakfast room, kitchen bar and utility room.

At the end of a long day, climb the stairs to retire to the master bedroom.

The master bathroom has a jetted tub and walk-in shower perfect for relaxing.

The second floor contains the entire master suite, complete with a study, extra closet and private balcony.

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Kerrville

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Hill Country CULTURE 55

HOME SHOWCASE

By the numbers Floors: 2 Bedrooms: 2 Bathrooms: 2 full, 2 half Garage: 2 car Square footage: 2,207 Living room: 19 feet by 20 feet Dining: 11 feet by 14 feet Kitchen: 12 feet by 16 feet Master bedroom: 15 feet by 19 feet Master bathroom: 9 feet by 10 feet Bedroom two: 13 feet by 15 feet Laundry room: 7 feet by 8 feet Office: 10 feet by 10 feet Price: $375,000 Address: 2016 Vista Ridge Drive, Kerrville, Texas 56

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This home is currently on the market for $375,900. For more information, contact Sharyn Goldman, RE/MAX Kerrville, at 830-329-1430 or goldman.sharyn@gmail.com.

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Hill Country CULTURE 57

OUT AND ABOUT

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1. Kala Briggs, Kara Briggs and Kim Cuellar. 2. Noreen Didonna and Judy Cassidy. 3. Patrick Boyle, Rosa Ledesma and Ashlea Boyle. 4. Gavin Kuykendall, Eric Kuykendall and Amanda Gensman. 5. Shalethea and John Makin.

6. Tricia Fernandez and Molly Dutton. 7. Debbie Henry and Jeanne Dailey. 8. John Kocurek, Shelby Kuykendall, Carrie Kuykendall and Bailey Kuykendall. 9. Shena Cantini and Nancy Collette. 10. Crystal Castillo, Juan Castillo Jr., Elizabeth Maldonado and Estella Gutierrez. 11. Dillard and Yolanda Jones, Karen and Jim Villcheck. 12. Laura Bellemans and Yvonne Lorick. 13. Louie the dog, Nathan Veliz and Tracy Windlinger. Photos by William Houghton 58

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1/4 Hometown Crafts 10

3623

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Cowboy Steakhouse

416 Main Street • Kerrville • 830-896-5688

Mouth Watering, Daily Specials Award Winning Wine List • Full Bar Homemade Delicious Desserts

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Come Join Us!

13 The first Summer Concert in the Park featured Loaded Revolver and Sol Patch on June 22 at Louise Hays Park. The concert was put on by Kerrville Park’s and Recreation Department and sponsored by James Avery, Crenwelge Motors and Mini Mart.

Serving Proudly Hill Country as the Tex 40 years! for

www.cowboysteakhouse.com AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 59

August Calendar This month offers a fair, frontier days, more

Extraordinary Doctors

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SUMMER LADIES NIGHT OUT August 2 Sales, fun and free refreshments in cool air-conditioned stores. Grab your friends for an exciting evening out in downtown Kerrville.

5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday; downtown Kerrville; 830-739-2519, downtownkerrville.com

BUSINESS EXPO 2018 August 3-4 The expo is open to the public and a great way to showcase your business to the community. Featuring more than 100 booths, a custom car show, food trucks and a kids zone.

Extraordinary Care Trinh Nguyen, O.D. • Tobin Tilley, O.D. • Drew Whitehead, O.D. Therapeutic Optometrists • Optometric Glaucoma Specialists Treatment of Eye Diseases • Laser Vision Correction (LASIK) Pediatric Vision Care • Sports Eyewear • Sunglasses • Contact Lenses Great Selection of Designer Frames & Affordable Eyewear!

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10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Texas 27, Kerrville; 830-896-1155, kerrvilletx.gov

KERRVILLE KID’S TRIATHLON August 18 Boys and girls ages 18 and under are welcome to participate in this swim, bike and run event that has launched several Hill Country kids into sanctioned triathlon events. Distances designed for your average kid, perfect for first-time participants. Kids must bring their off-road bike, helmet and running shoes.

8:45 a.m. Saturday; Singing Wind Park, 2112 Singing Wind Drive, Kerrville; 830-896-6864, kerrville.org

130TH ANNUAL GILLESPIE COUNTY FAIR August 23-26 Come out to the “Oldest County Fair in Texas” for a weekend of Texas Hill Country and Gillespie County hospitality that the whole family will enjoy. It’s four big days filled with great events–exciting carnival and midway, your favorite fair food, livestock judging, agricultural and household exhibits, arts and crafts, antique tractor shows, live music and dancing and live pari-mutuel horse racing. Jake Hooker will perform Friday and Steve Wariner opens up for Cory Morrow on Saturday.

Times vary; Gillespie County Fair Grounds, 530 Fair Drive, Fredericksburg; 830-997-2359, gillespiefair.net 60

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1/4 Total Image 5894

EVENTS

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130TH ANNUAL GILLESPIE COUNTY FAIR PARADE August 24 See one of the Hill Country’s biggest parades with more than 200 units, marching down Main Street and as it kicks off the 130th Gillespie County Fair. Arrive early and bring your chairs.

10 a.m. Friday; Main Street from Washington to Edison, Fredericksburg; 830-997-2359, gillespiefair.net

110TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON August 27 Celebrate the 110th anniversary of President Johnson’s birth. The public is invited to attend this free celebration with the laying of a wreath on his gravesite at 10 a.m. in the Johnson Family Cemetery, guest speakers and musical entertainment. Throughout the day, visitors can visit the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm and participate in old-time family games and see how President Johnson grew up in the Texas Hill Country.

Tours of the Texas White House will begin after the 10 a.m. ceremony ends and will be free of charge. Birthday cake will be served at 1 p.m. at the State Park Visitor Center.

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday; Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, 199 Park Road 52, Stonewall; 830-644-2252 or 830-868-7128 ext. 222, nps.gov/lyjo/index.htm

10TH BIENNIAL VEREINS QUILT GUILD SHOW August 31 This judged show, “Rhapsody in Blue,” features more than 100 quilts, old-fashioned bed turning, vendors, boutique, scissor sharpening, Tea Room and more. Featuring this year’s beautiful donation quilt, “More is More.” Admission is $6 per person.

9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, 1800 N. Llano, Fredericksburg; (701) 371-8719, vereinsquiltguild.org

54TH ANNUAL HARPER FRONTIER DAYS CELEBRATION August 31-September 1 Frontier Days is a celebration of the way life used to be in the Harper community. Highlights of the event include a full day of activities and rodeo action over two nights.

Friday night will see team roping at 7 p.m. at the park rodeo arena followed by the Friday night dance. Start the celebration at 8 a.m. on Saturday with a 5K Fun Run on the track at Harper High School.

Besides a downtown parade at 5 p.m. on Saturday evening, the event will also include tournaments for washer pitching and fishing for kids, as well as a barbecue meal and gunfight by the Concho Cowboys of San Angelo. There will be a Lester Meier Rodeo on Saturday night at 8 p.m. with a dance to follow.

Times vary; Harper Community Park, U.S. 290 West, Harper; 830-739-1328, harpercommunitypark.org AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 61

BLOOPER REEL

Smile for the camera Story by Autumn Bernhard Photos by William Houghton

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aking pictures of dogs is not an easy thing to do. On the list of most difficult subjects to photograph, I would rate them in the top three.

Maybe that is why people looked at me crazy when I said I wanted to do a dog issue.

I got even more sideways glances when I mentioned how many dogs we would feature and photograph.

Let’s face it, photo shoots aren’t an ideal way our four-legged friends want to spend their time. There’s things they would much rather

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pay attention to — smells, sounds, people, really anything but a camera. And when you add treats or toys to the equation, say goodbye to a simple whistle getting their attention.

With all that being said, all the dogs cooperated better than expected. Of course, some of the shots were not exactly what we were going for, but I couldn’t pass up showing them off anyway.

Without further ado, here is our canine blooper reel. No dogs were harmed in the making of this magazine.

AUGUST 2018 | TEXAS

Hill Country CULTURE 63

DOGGY PADDLE

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he Texas sun in August is unforgivable. To beat the heat, pools and rivers tend to be full of people.

But what about your fourlegged friends? They are just as hot, if not more, than you this time of year. However, finding a nice place for you and your dog to cool off isn’t easy.

That’s exactly why the city of Kerrville Parks and Recreation Department hosts Wet N’ Wag — a day for you and your dog to enjoy the Olympic Pool in Singing Wind Park.

This fun, free event gives your pup the chance to cool off, socialize with other dogs and bond with you.

Mark your calendar for August 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. to take advantage of this oncea-year event.

Only friendly dogs, regardless of size or age, are invited to this fun outing and must be on a leash while outside the facility. Once inside the pool area, dogs are welcome to have free reign of the area.

The kiddy and large pool will be open for your pooch to enjoy. Toys and goodie bags will also be available.

This is the event’s seventh year, and each year seems to be more popular than the last.

Registration is required, and there is a limit of one dog per adult chaperone. Owners must show proof of up-to-date rabies vaccination — either tags or papers will suffice.

Owners can pre-register their furry friends at kerrvilletx.gov or at the Parks and Recreation office, 2285 Bandera Highway. There will also be on-site registration the day of the event.

For more information, contact the Parks and Recreation office at 830-257-7300.

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Make a splash Grab your dog and head to the Olympic Pool for Wet N’ Wag Story and photo by Autumn Bernhard

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