May 2019 Seguin Magazine

G u a d a l u p e C o u n t y l i v i n g

May 2019

Dana Hermes

Opens up her Closet

amusement style

The Hester’s show off their flair for fashion

Take a tour Through SAMA & the McNay

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Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin

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G u a d a l u p e C o u n t y l i v i n g

Vol. 5, No. 12 Seguin magazine is published twelve times a year by the Seguin Gazette.

PUBLISHER Elizabeth Engelhardt

Tattoos by Jeremiah

EDITOR Hannah Ruiz-Gruver

Award winning artist

Private Studio • Seguin, TX

• Custom Work • Color Art • Black & Grey Art • Cover-Ups

FASHION COORDINATOR Tera Swango

ADVERTISING Gay Lynn Olsovsky Laurie Cheatham

WRITERS Felicia Frazar Valerie Bustamante Priscilla Aguirre Steffanie Agnew

TO ADVERTISE IN SEGUIN MAGAZINE CALL 830-379-5402 STORY IDEAS seguinmagazine@seguingazette.com

SEARCH SEGUIN GAZETTE All material herein c. 2019 Southern Newspapers Inc., dba The Seguin Gazette, 1012 Schriewer Road, Seguin, TX, 78155.

All rights reserved

Awards for Best portrait • Most realistic Color Portrait • Lettering

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SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

Georgia and Bryl’s family was so much fun to take pictures of while ZDT’s Amusement Park provided an amazing background for this family.

Chiropractic Care (Left X-ray) 4-year-old male patient with history of severe constipation, accidents at school, frequent upset stomach and ZERO back pain/ discomfort.

(Right X-ray) Taken after receiving care for approximately 6 months. Normal bowel movement frequency, no more accidents at school, and no more upset stomach 2-3 weeks into care. Complete improvement of scoliosis curve seen in initial x-ray.

Improved Cervical Spine Attachment (Left X-ray) 65-year-old female patient presented with neck stiffness and discomfort, radiating pain/tingling/ numbness in her left arm, and occasional ringing in the ears.

(Right X-ray) Taken after receiving care for approximately 5 weeks. Improved range of motion in neck, no more radiating pain in left arm and reduced ringing in ears. Almost complete restoration of normal cervical curve and improved alignment of cervical vertebrae.

“Chiropractic care goes far beyond symptom/pain relief. At Pecan Country Chiropractic, we strive to identify and treat the underlying condition which as a result reduces/eliminates symptoms. Fix the cause, relieve the symptom.”

– Dr. Dominic A. Scaramozi

Dr. Dominic A. Scaramozi, V, D.C. 830-549-5232 • 1300 N. King St. Seguin, TX 78155 www.pecancountrychiropractic.com

An inside look from our WRITERS...

“Learning about Rudy and his boxing career was truly inspiring. He went backand-forth with the sport, but, in the end, didn’t give up and kept going.”

– Priscilla Aguirre “Visiting with the members of the Seguin Fiber Guild was a lot of fun and very educational. They are willing to teach anyone who is willing to learn. Plus, it’s not very often you get to see a spinning wheel in action and those ladies are very knowledgeable in their craft.”

– Felicia Frazar

“Dana Hermes was a doll! We literally spent almost two hours chatting and photographing for Closet Closeup.

Talking about her love of thrifting gave a fresh spin to this monthly feature. She definitely has a knack for finding unique pieces.”

–Valerie Bustamante “Carla is a rockstar and writing her story was so much fun. With Mariachi Las Alteñas, she has traveled all over the United States, has performed on many stages in front of huge crowds and has gained a lot of memories she will cherish forever.”

– Priscilla Aguirre

8

Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

W

ith this issue of Seguin Magazine we celebrate the diversity of several people from our area, from featuring Carla Medina Ramirez and her accomplishments with Mariachi Las Alteñas, an all female Mariachi group to sharing the ups and downs of Rudy Silvas’ boxing career. We also show off a Ford F-100 truck in Under the Hood, that has been through 3 generations. We even share a craft that is hundreds of years old and is just fascinating to watch.

I was able to share two of my favorite hobbies by stepping into the kitchen for Culinary Creations and sharing a recipe that my family loves and I enjoy making for them. For our fashion spread I got to step behind a camera to take photos of the Hester family at ZDT’s Amusemnt Park.

I, of course, always get to share my love for Seguin and Guadalupe county with our readers through Seguin Magazine and really hope you enjoy our May issue. So turn the page and enjoy.

Hannah RuizGruver

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G u a d a l u p e C o u n t y l i v i n g

THE HOTTEST SPOT

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Features

Around Town

In Each Issue

34 Spinners

14 Closet Closeup

12 Sizzlin’ Five

38 Mariachi

18 Culinary Creations

13 Favorite Finds

42 Patriot Pups & Ponies

20 Under the Hood

28 Fashion

46 Rudy Silvas

24 Day Tripper

50 Faces of Seguin

10 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

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SIZZLINFIVE May 11th

Five events you don’t want to miss

nut run

The American Legion Riders Post 245 is hosting its annual Nut Run starting at the American Legion Hall, 618 E. Kingsbury St. Cost is $20 per riders and $10 for passengers and includes a meal. Registration is from 9 a.m. to noon with the first bike out at 10 a.m. The event will include a gun raffle, 50/50 drawing, silent auction, bike show, bike games, DJ, karaoke and more. For more information, call 210-3822585 or email zerimarij@hotmail.com. All proceeds benefit veterans programs including the Legacy Scholarship Fund.

May 18th

BaDGes, BiKes anD tyKes

The Seguin Police Department and Seguin Fire Department are once again joining forces to bring the community together for a picnic at 10 a.m. on May 18 in Starcke Park. The event marks the end of National Police Week and brings together local law enforcement officers, firefighters and children for an afternoon of fun and games, and a bicycle giveaway.

May 18th

DuCK Fest

The Navarro Education Foundation is hosting Duck Fest 2019 from 11a.m. ro 1 p.m. in Walnut Springs Park. The event will include games, food and the annual Rubber Duck Race in Walnut Springs Creek at noon. For more information, visit www.nisd.us/ and click on the Foundation tab.

May 25th

PuPPy PrOm

A royal call for the area’s dogs and cats has been placed. The King and Queen Dogs, and Cool Cat will be crowned during the Animal Rescue Foundation’s 5th Annual Puppy Prom from 7 to 10 p.m. at The Warehouse, 108 S. Austin Street. The event will include live music from Revin Ray Adams, fun and prizes. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/AnimalRescueFoundationTexas/.

May 27th

memOrial Day CeremOnies

Community members are invited to honor all veterans on Memorial Day with a special ceremony held by all of the area veterans organizations — American Legion Post 245, American GI Forum Manuel Castillo Chapter, Disabled American Veterans Post 61, Geronimo VFW and McQueeney VFW. The event will be held at 11 a.m. on May 27 at Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park. The American GI Forum is hosting a Flag Raising Ceremony 9 a.m. at Manuel Castilla Park.

12 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

Favorite Finds

This issue’s Favorite Finds are presented by Hannah Ruiz-Gruver, Editor of Seguin Magazine.

If you can’t tell I love coffee. I drink it daily, sometimes multiple times a day. This coffee cup from Kylie’s Closet happens to be one that I really like for my hot java because it really explains mom life. $13

I have a 4-year-old girl, who is a girly girl. Both of us adore this aztec print romper from Kylie’s Closet. $12.95

I really like the saying on this workout tee from Southern Good. It also has cold shoulder sleeves and is made of lightweight material. $29.99

I am a sucker for searsucker, I really enjoy the pattern, because of the leading lines. I also love the embroidering on the collar. This top is from Southern Good. $39.99

I pass by Seguin Coffee Company everyday on my route during morning dropoffs. While most days I drink my coffee from home, about once a week I enjoy stopping in and getting my favorite drink — a blended Americano with a splash of heavy whipping cream and sugar-free white chocolate syrup. $3.50

I really love the canvases at Bling, which are all created from original artwork by owner Lori Dimicelli. All the proceeds go toward her cancer treatment.

They are available in small, medium and large. $18 to $97.

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 13

Dana Hermes Opens up her Closet

By Valerie Bustamante

W

hen Dana Hermes is driving past a thrift store and she gets a feeling to stop by, it’s because she is bound to find a new trea-

alike. Well when they outgrew those dresses I got one set and my best friend had another set.”

It was like they had a whole new wardrobe, Hermes said. sure.

Hermes started dabbling more in thriftIt’s something Hermes’ mother always did ing when she was in chiropractic school, but when she passed by a garage sale and someit wasn’t until she had her own chiropractic thing Hermes now does herself. office that she really caught the bug.

“I think she’s my guardian angel because “One of my patients came to me and she was every time I hear that little voice in my head Spanish speaking. She told me, ‘oyes doctora, I saying, ‘go in there because there is something went to Goodwill where I found a bracelet and in there for you’ I go in and find a treasure,” my daughter tells me it’s real,’” Hermes said.

Hermes said.

“So I asked if I could look at it and it was an For as long as she can remember, Hermes actual tennis bracelet. I told her to take it to a has enjoyed getting her hands on unique pieces. jewelry store downtown.”

“When I was in second grade I remember my The woman found out the bracelet was mother worked for this family who had two worth anywhere between $2,500 to $3,000, girls who weren’t twins, but looked like twins,” Hermes said.

Hermes said. “They were about a year apart “I think that made me catch the bug again and about the same size so they dressed them because I had stopped for a while, but when

14 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

she said that, I knew I was going back,” Hermes said.

“She said they just brought a whole cart of jewelry and she just thought it was costume jewelry. I think that’s what piqued my interest again and that was years ago. I wanted to find those diamonds like a treasure hunt.”

Today, thrifting is a part of Hermes’ everyday life with The Cranny being her favorite spot, she said.

“I love The Cranny and it’s so cool because they know you. I mean they may not know you by name, but when you leave they’ll go, ‘see you tomorrow,’” Hermes said. “You have to go often. Some people try to go one time and go, ‘I didn’t find anything.’ You can’t do that.

It’s a treasure hunt and you’re not gonna find your treasure sometimes on your first trip.”

The Cranny is where she can find several items for a reasonable price, she said.

“It’s hard to spend $20 and my husband loves it that I cannot spend that kind of money,” Hermes said. “I found my teaching desk at The Cranny downtown because I needed something long and narrow. It’s about 6 foot long by maybe 2 foot wide. Heaviest sucker, but it was $5. It’s so heavy you can’t lift it because it’s solid wood, but I love it.”

From name brand dresses, cowboy boots, pants and blouses, Hermes has found all kinds of gems while thrifting, including her outfit to this year’s Boots and Bling event hosted by St. James Catholic School.

“One day I walked into this shop and told the owner, her name is Diamond, I had Boots and Bling and needed an outfit.

So she goes, ‘how about a hat?’

I asked her, ‘how much?’ and she said, ‘$3 and I’ll throw in this cute little box in there with it.’ But I didn’t get it at that moment,” Hermes said.

After a few weeks went by

Hermes decided to continue searching for her much needed outfit and stopped by Sol y Luna in downtown Seguin.

“I walked in and there was nothing but furniture, but I don’t need furniture because my house is full of it so I go to the back of the store,” Hermes said. “They had so many long dresses and I found like two to three. I wanted to try them on, but they didn’t have a dressing room so I told the owners that I had an office downtown and asked if they would let me go try them on. I left them my card and went to try them on and loved them.”

Hermes scored the strapless dress for $20 and from there set off to The Cranny where she found a jacket to go with it.

“I walk in with a purpose and I have things in mind. I walk in and I’m like I wanna find this treasure and I find it,” Hermes said. “I found the cutest little beaded jacket and it was $3.99. Then I went to go see Diamond to see if she still had the hat and she did. I put it all together. It was like it was all meant to be. I found it all on that same day.”

Hermes has even taken her thrifting skills to helping out her best girl friends.

“I had a friend who needed a flapper dress for Bras for a Cause so I went to Goodwill a couple days later and I found two dresses,” she said.

“I walked into Goodwill and went straight to the dresses and found them. It’s like I get a high doing it.

Someone gives me a challenge and I find it.”

While Hermes enjoys the shopping aspect of thrifting, she said she loves the idea behind the organizations she shops at.

“The Cranny helps the Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Shelter. I love that. I love that people donate and it goes toward something,” she said. “Then with Goodwill they help people find jobs. It’s not that this money is going in so-and-so’s pocket and that’s it. It’s actually going to help a charity. I may not be sending that money directly to them, but a part of it is.”

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Pork Carnita street Tacos F

rom eating beef dinner tacos during the week to breakfast tacos on Sundays after church, growing up, tacos were a staple in our household.

It wasn’t until I went to Monterrey, Mexico, for an immersion program between high school and college that I learned of other types of tacos specifically street tacos.

Now that I cook for my own family; the carnitas street tacos recipe is something that they ask for regularly. This recipe is one that I have adapted from several others that I have found on Pinterest. Being a working mom, using the pressure cooker saves me so much time, but I am sure that you can use a crockpot, although, it may just need to cook for a longer amount of time. You can also cook them on the stovetop.

My family use several different toppings on them, such as hot sauce or a guac styled sauce, but avocado, queso fresco and pico are my favorites to add to them. They truly enhance the flavor.

18 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

Pork Carnita Street Tacos 1 3lb pork roast 1/2 cup orange juice (2-3 medium oranges, juiced) 1 lime, juiced 1/2 tbsp cumin 1/2 tbsp chili powder 2 tbsp vegetable oil Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 cup small white onion 3 tbsp minced garlic Packet of miniature corn tortillas Toppings Avocado Pico De Gallo (see recipe) Queso fresco Freshly squeezed lime juice 1. Cut pork roast into 1 inch pieces, add salt and pepper.

2. Sear pork roast in vegetable oil. (I use a pressure cooker, so I do it in 3 parts on the brown/sear setting.) Remove from pressure cooker and set aside.

3. While searing the pork mix together juices and seasonings.

4. Sauté onions and garlic until onions are clear.

Turn off pressure cooker.

5. Add pork back into pressure cooker, pour juice and seasoning mixture on top, and mix.

6. Cover with lid and set to the meat setting for 30 minutes.

7. Once done, allow cooker to naturally release.

8. Remove meat from cooker with a slotted spoon onto a baking sheet.

9. While on baking sheet use two forks to shred the meat.

10. Place in oven under the broil setting for 6-8 minutes, you may want to stir halfway.

11. Warm tortillas and place meat on them and top them with peferred toppings.

12. Enjoy.

Pico de Gallo 2 medium tomatoes 1 small white onion 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 2 fresh jalapenos Juice of 1 lime Salt to taste Mix the ingredients together and let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the flavors combine.

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Ford F-100

Stepside

By Felicia Frazar

A

pair of pink fuzzy dice hangs from the rearview mirror of a 1965 Ford F-100 stepside that has seen three generations of family at the wheel.

The grey truck owned by the Skinner family is in pristine condition.

It’s the truck Matt Skinner learned to drive on, as well as his two sons, 18-yearold Rushton and 16-year-old Reid.

“I’m super happy to share this with them,” Matt said.

The truck became part of the family when Matt’s father purchased the vehicle to be used as a farm truck.

“He may have purchased it in Lampasas where our deer lease was,” Matt said. “It stayed there for 15-20 years.”

When his father sold the property, he kept the truck and had it completely restored, Matt said.

Currently, the truck is on its second

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 21

rebuild and still roaring strong, Rushton said.

“It’s a good truck,” he said. “It’s been rebuilt a couple of times. It is on its second rebuild. It still rides great today. We drive it every weekend, sometimes more often.”

Rushton said he especially enjoys driving the truck after it rains.

“It’s fun because you have the huge panoramic window,” he said. “In the evening after the rain, when you drive out in country and watch the

22 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

sunset, it is absolutely beautiful.”

The truck carries with it a history and a lot of memories, all things Rushton hopes to keep alive.

“It’s pretty great, especially because I got to see it at my grandfather’s place, where he was residing at the time and now it is with us,” he said. “It is easily my favorite automobile that we’ve ever owned, even over my Mustang, and that is saying a lot. I plan to keep it as long as it will go. And if it stops going, I’ll fix it so it can go a little bit longer.”

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Take a tour Through SAMA & the McNay

By Valerie Bustamante

24 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

G

rowing up in San Antonio where there is access to an array of activities to do from Kiddie Park, The Alamo and the San Antonio Zoo it was hard to say “I’m bored as a kid.”

When my brother and I were on break from school or even on the weekends, my parents always made the effort to take us out somewhere in the city to run out our energy.

Thinking back at all the places they used to take us to, for some reason museums were always on the list.

It didn’t matter if it was our first time going or our 100th time, we always enjoyed exploring the different exhibits on display and learning about the art pieces.

The city of San Antonio has a ton of museums to visit such as The DoSeum (formerly known as The Children’s Museum,) UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures, The Witte Museum and the Centro de Artes. However, I wanted to focus on my top two favorites in the city — the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) and the McNay Art Museum.

San Antonio Museum of Art While this unique downtown museum has been open to the public since 1981, I didn’t get to experience it until I was a student at the University of the Incarnate Word, partly because SAMA offers free admission to students.

Located on the northern section of the San Antonio Riverwalk, SAMA is known for taking its guests back 5,000

years into history.

Housed in the former Lone Star Brewery, SAMA’s different exhibits are spread across the long vertical building on three different floors. When going through each exhibit, you feel as if you’re traveling to different parts of history as well as different parts of the world.

Their permanent collections include pieces of Texas, Asia, Europe, Latin America as well as oceanic art, Islamic art, art of the Ancient Mediterranean World and contemporary art.

My favorites are the Egyptian, Contemporary and Latin American collections. I’ve always had a weird fascination with the Egyptian culture so it was interesting to see all the hieroglyphics and the sarcophagus they have on display.

Their latest exhibit is Capturing the Moment: Photographs from the Marie Brenner and Ernest Pomerantz Collection. The exhibit explores about 70 black and white photographs focused on people, war and conflict, and landscapes.

After visiting SAMA, I recommend exploring the backside of the museum, which is right on the Riverwalk.

Guests can watch the riverboats go by or get lunch at Tre Trattoria, which is on the same property as the museum.

Some other popular spots to grab lunch, a drink or just to hang out nearby include The Luxury, Rosella Coffee Company and Paramour.

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 25

SAMA is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Saturday and Sunday. Guests get in for free from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Sunday.

The San Antonio Museum of Art is located at 200 W. Jones Ave. in San Antonio. For more information, visit www.samuseum.org .

McNay Art Museum Known as the first museum of modern art in Texas, the McNay, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful places.

From its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, to the koi fountain to the picturesque landscapes — the McNavy is the perfect setting.

It also has a rich history to it.

The 24-room mansion that now houses the core part of the museum once belonged to Ohio-born heiress and art collector Marion Koogler McNay. She moved to San Antonio following the death of her husband Sgt. Don McNay. After moving to the city she married Donald T. Atkinson who built the mansion, according to the McNay website.

It was then McNay began collecting art.

“Marion continued to collect 19th- and 20th-century European and American paintings, as well as Southwest art from New Mexico,” the website said. “When her marriage to Atkinson ended in 1936, she returned to using her first husband’s name.”

When McNay died in 1950, she left her entire collection of more than 700 pieces, the mansion, 23 acres and an 26 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

endowment that established the McNay Art Museum in 1954, the site said.

In 2008, an additional 45,000 square feet was added to the museum in the form of gallery space, secure hall, classroom space, a sculpture gallery and garden.

The McNay Art Museum today now houses more than 22,000 pieces from Medieval to Renaissance to Contemporary.

During my latest trip to the McNay, which was the first time I’d visited since I was in elementary school, I got to walk through the entire museum. When I went during college for College Night we only were able to walk a portion of it.

This time around I felt I was able to better appreciate the museum for what it is alongside my brother.

The McNay’s latest exhibit was American Dreams: Classic Cars and Postwar Paintings, which is on display until May 19.

The exhibit featured about 10 different classic cars from a 1948 Tucker Torpedo, 1957 Pontiac Star Chief to a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. My favorite was the 1956 DeSoto Firedome. It had a pink body with plum accents and a plum hood. I wanted to drive it out of there.

One of the exhibits that caught my eye, which was one of the reasons I wanted to visit the McNay, was the Estampas Chicanas.

The exhibit showcased the work of several Chicana artists such as Barabara Carrasco, Alma Lopez, Patssi Valdez and Judy Baca. This exhibit resonated with me the

Monday through Friday 10-6 Saturday 10-4 • Closed Sunday 830.406.2404 106 W Court St Seguin TX 78155 KyliesClosetTX

most because of its Latina influences.

I loved seeing Menudo being dubbed as the “Breakfast of Champions” and seeing labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta being honored in a screen print portrait.

The McNay currently has America on Stage on display until June 30 while guests can look forward to Andy Warhol: Portraits from June 20 to Sept.

15.

If you plan to make the McNay part of a day trip, I recommend grabbing some grub at either Bird Bakery or Cerroni’s Purple Garlic before driving up Broadway toward the Witte Museum and Brackenridge Park.

The McNay is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m Saturday and noon to 5 p.m.

Sunday. It is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The McNay Art Museum is located at 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave. in San Antonio. For more information, visit www.mcnayart.org .

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28 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

On the left - Brenner is sporting a Panhandle Slim t-shirt-$28.99 and Wrangler jeans$29.99.

On the right his bother Max is wearing a Janmare t-shirt-$14.99 with Rock & Roll boys jeans-$56.99.

Below - Max is sporting a mint green Cinch boys shirt-$28.99, detailed belt with buckle-$21.99,and Roper Boots to match-$53.99.

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 29

Georgia is wearing A&P womens shirt-$44.99, Cowgirltuff Jeans-$81.99, Catchfly duster-$42.99, long tassel necklace -$23.99and multi colored Ariat Booties-$179.99.

She also wore a black Bytogether razorback tack dress with embroiderd embellishments-$10.99

30 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

Bryl has on a mint green Ariat Shirt$23.99, R&R Mens Jeans-$71.99, 3D Belt Co Belt with gold buckle-$45.99, and Anderson Bean Boots$219.99.

Below-Bryl is dressed in a Cinch red/white/ and blue shirt-$56.99.

Brenner is matching his Dad with a red Cinch shirt-$18-99

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 31

Thank you to ZDT’s Amusement Park LaVernia Country Store for providing all the clothes Photographer-Hannah Ruiz-Gruver 32 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

106 N. Austin St., Seguin, Texas • 830-463-5170 Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 33

Spinning The art of making yarn

O

n Friday afternoons, the Seguin Fiber Guild meets at Court Street Coffee Shop.

The group sits together to exchange fabrics, yarn and patterns and talk about their latest projects, their families and the upcoming Yellow Rose Fiber Producers Fiesta.

While some knit, crochet and sew, something a little out of the ordinary catches the eye of patrons of the cafe — a group of spinning wheels churning, turning swaths of fiber into yarn.

Among them are long-time spinners Clara Mae Marcotte and Donnie Sharp, both of Seguin, and one who is new to the art, Cheryl Caroll, from Canyon Lake.

“It is very relaxing,” Sharp said as her feet moved up and down on the pedals of her spinning wheel.

“Your heart slows down in time with your feet,” Marcotte said.

By Felicia Frazar

Sharp’s love of spinning began more than 30 years ago.

“I’ve been spinning since the early ‘80s,” she said. “The way I learned to spin was I got a handmade spin wheel in England. It was a replica of an ancient spinning wheel and the rotations on it weren’t proper.”

With some help, Sharp was able to refine her spinning techniques.

“How that came about was I cleaned for a very elderly lady and in her barn she had all of these old spinning wheels and old sewing machines,” she said. "She taught me how to spin. She gave me these six spinning wheels and out of those six, I built one. I taught myself to spin with what she could remember from when she was a young woman.”

Sharp and her daughter would walk along the road and pull wool from the fences, wash it, card it and then spin it.

“Donnie is the best spinner of the bunch, she makes beautiful yarn,” Marcotte said. “It always turns out the way

she wants it.”

Marcotte’s way of learning the craft came a little differently when she started about 20-years ago.

“I learned to spin out of a book, but I refined it by watching people,” she said. “When the primitive demonstrators came to town, they let me sit with them. They watched me spin and said, don’t do it that way, do it this way.”

When Marcotte decided she wanted to try to learn the art form, her first spinning wheel, wasn’t quite what she was expecting to get.

“My first spinning wheel was a PVC one,” she said. “My husband was of the idea that I should try it out to see if I liked it before he spent money on it. I learned to spin on a PVC wheel. Then I did get a nice one.”

At one time, Marcotte had four spinning wheels. She recently sold one taking her down to three, but in its stead, she purchased a loom to work on her weaving.

While the other two spinners are seasoned, Caroll is relatively new to the spinners club.

“I’ve been doing it for two years,” she said. “I just got my second spinning wheel. It is lighter, easier to carry.”

She said she’s learned a great deal from both Marcotte and Sharp, but joked they may not claim her.

“These two have taught me to spin,” she said. “They won’t admit it because I’m not very good.”

“She’s doing fantastic,” Sharp reassured her.

Prior to spinning fiber into yarn, Marcotte and Sharp had Caroll spend two weeks just pedaling her spinning wheel.

“That way you don’t have to think about your feet,” Marcotte said. “Then you can concentrate on your hands.”

There are many perks to making thread or yarn, including creating the color and fiber blends.

“You can blend your own fibers and come up with a color the way that you want,” Caroll said.

“Some people dye their fabric,” Marcotte said. “I have something on the loom right now with turmeric. We do natural dying.”

When it comes to choosing the base materials for the yarn, there are a lot of options.

“Different sheep, different animals have different textures of hair like humans, and it can be spun into yarn,” Caroll said.

The women said they purchase some of their material from a store, however, they can pick up their fiber from local farms.

“We mostly locally source our fabric,” Marcotte said. “We have alpaca farms in Guadalupe County. We have Great American Alpacas in Marion, we have Windmill Crest Farms, Cria Creations Alpacas in Canyon Lake (Caroll’s farm). We have sheep and we have Save Em to Shave Em.” The blends can offer different feels and looks, like silky smooth or a little fluffy and course.

“You have to think of the fiber as the sheep’s hair,” she said. “You can spin any hair. You can spin dog hair, you can

36 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

spin cat hair, buffalo.”

Marcotte’s favorite fiber to spin is merino, while Sharp enjoys a blend of mohair and silk.

“The silk gives the wool a nice sheen,” Sharp said.

The process of getting material straight from the source and preparing it for a spinning wheel is something Sharp is very familiar with.

“You sheer them – you take the wool off the animal – then you can process it yourself or send it to a mill,” she said. “You wash it and separate the fibers, then you card it, then you spin. From there you can blend it with different fibers, make your own or buy it.”

Once it’s ready, the spinner will fire up the wheel and begin to work creating single ply.

The spinner uses their feet to pedal a treadle causing the wheel to rotate. As the wheel spins, it turns a bobbin round and round, which pulls the fiber. As it pulls, it spins the small strands locking them together creating a single ply yarn.

“It twists it together,” Sharp said. “The fiber itself has no

strength. But when you spin it, it gives it strength, because it is twisting those fibers together and then when you ply it, it gets stronger. Spinning into a single ply yarn. After it is spun you can leave it single ply like it is, or you go back on yourself and make it two-ply.

You can do what is called a Navajo ply, which is a three-ply which makes it even stronger.”

Typically, the yarn that is purchased at a store is two-ply, Sharp said.

While yarn can easily be purchased at a store, Marcotte said spinning offers something unique that a shopping experience doesn’t.

“We can buy anything we want at the store,” she said. “We can go online, we can find any color we want, but that’s not why we spin. We spin because it is relaxing and it is something you do yourself. There is a sense of satisfaction and heritage. Also, it is neat to use your own yarn, because when people see you wearing something, they ask ‘did you make it?’ and I can say, ‘yes, I spun it.’”

Spinning thread and yarn dates back centuries and is known as a form of social art, Sharp said.

“It is something that is passed down,” Sharp said. “It is not something you can learn out of a book. You can read about it, but it is not something you can refine without assistance. When you think about it, fiber arts are very social arts. When you look back in history, the women who did the fiber arts were peasants and the people who wore them were royalty. The peasants always got together, sat and did fiber arts.”

Coming together and talking over the spinning wheels, crochet and knitting hooks is a large part of what they still do today, Marcotte said.

And they are willing to open their circle to anyone who wants to join.

“We help people with their problems, we teach newcomers,” Sharp said.

The Seguin Fiber Gild gathers from noon to 3 p.m. every Friday at Court

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Mariachi Carla Medina Ramirez shares her love of singing

By Priscilla Aguirre

F

ifteen years ago, Seguin native Carla Medina Ramirez joined the Mariachi Las Alteñas and little did she know that the decision to join the all-female band would change her life forever.

“I would have never guessed the impact it would have had in my life,” Ramirez said.

“I’ve just had so many opportunities to experience different places, just to travel with these women who I call my sisters, it is just a real blessing. I just don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t meet them.”

Discovering the love of Mariachi With both of her parents being from Mexico, Ramirez grew up listening to Latin music, but also was introduced to a range of genres.

“My dad would listen to Pedro Infante and Vincente (Fernandez), but he would also have the Beatles on or Frank Sinatra,” Ramirez said. “So I got a musical education without really knowing I was getting one.

But, mariachi wasn’t something that I would

38 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

play, but I was familiar with it.”

When Ramirez was in high school, she started to gain interest in mariachi after getting involved with Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin — a local non-profit organization that promotes a better understanding of the Mexican-American culture.

Although the curiosity was there, Ramirez didn’t initially feel the passion to pursue the genre of music until after Selena was killed in 1995.

“Selena had just passed and the album she released had a couple of mariachi songs,” Ramirez said. “That was kind of a wow moment for me, because you never really saw females singing mariachi. I mean there were some, but they’re older women, so that was my first ‘Oh, wow!’ younger women are doing this.”

After the realization of wanting to learn more about mariachi, Ramirez went to college at the University of Texas-Pan American, now known as the University of Rio Grande Valley.

While in college, Ramirez joined a mari-

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 39

achi group at the university and, with the group, attended a big national extravaganza to compete in. After she performed on stage, the director of Mariachi Las Alteñas, Valerie Vargas, asked Ramirez if she would like to audition for the group.

“They had the Hollywood Bowl concert coming up, so I came and auditioned and they said ‘yes’ to come on board,” Ramirez said. “I think maybe a month later I was at the Hollywood Bowl. I couldn’t believe it.”

Mariachi Las Alteñas Since joining the group, Ramirez has had several opportunities to sing and play in places she could only dream of such as ‘Good Morning America’ in New York as the band performed to represent the city of San Antonio in 2009.

“That was really awesome,” Ramirez said. “They treated us above and beyond. They put us in a hotel room right in Times Square, we literally walked out the door across the street and went straight into ‘Good Morning America.’ It was amazing.”

As a member of Mariachi Las Alteñas, Ramirez was featured in Allure Magazine, she has played at the Houston Rodeo in front of 70,000 people, she was on NBC “Nightly News,” has performed in many international festi40 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

vals and has met several celebrities and interesting people.

“I can definitely say I’ve felt like a rock star at times,” Ramirez said. “There are just so many opportunities out there. I didn’t know that there was this whole other world of colorful music and passion. I didn’t think I would have been to more than 20 states if it wasn’t for mariachi.”

From performing on ‘Good Morning America’ to traveling to more than 20 states, Ramirez has gone to places she would have never thought of if it wasn’t for the Mariachi Las Alteñas — who are based out of San Antonio.

“I’m getting a paid vacation to go play with my sisters and to do the thing that I’m passionate about and love, it’s just amazing,” Ramirez said. “It really feels like a mental health getaway, because a lot of us have careers and are married or divorced. It’s just so cathartic going out there and playing. I don’t consider myself a rock star, but the group has definitely had some rock star moments.”

Coming full circle Along with performing with Mariachi Las Alteñas, the self-employed mom is a real estate agent and a mariachi co-director at Teatro De Artes.

“Between real estate and mariachi and teaching, I can make my own schedule,” Ramirez said. “So far, God

has blessed me to keep it going, but sometimes it is a lot. But at the same time it would be worse if I didn’t have mariachi, because that is such a mental thing, your worries go away. It’s such a joy.”

Ramirez spreads her love of mariachi with her students at Teatro De Artes, a place where Ramirez started her career.

“It’s come full circle because that’s where I started and now I’m over there teaching kids,” Ramirez said.

“Just to see how much opportunity has grown for the genre since I was in high school is amazing. I’m so proud of the program and what they are producing.”

Ramirez said teaching about her culture is very rewarding and she has noticed how mariachi is growing through the years.

“I tell my students they are so lucky,” she said. “They have teachers that support them and the support from the community, it’s just awesome to see. Mariachi is going to take a life of its own.”

Although Ramirez stays busy, she said she feels so lucky to be able to represent her culture the way she is.

“There is just a pride about representing your culture, just wearing that suit it’s so iconic and traditional,” she said. “I may grumble when I’m putting on this thick heavy traje and these three inch heel boots and putting my hair back or on this makeup, but once you’re out there it really is just liberating.”

From everything Ramirez has experienced, she said she is so glad she has witnessed it all with her sisters by her side.

“We have registered nurses, teachers, counselors and business managers who all chose to do this thing that we are passionate about,” she said. “We all make time for this and are still a group after all these years, that’s just something I would have never imagined or foreseen in my future, but I feel so incredibly lucky and blessed to be able to do that.”

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Patriot Pups & Ponies

By Steffanie Agnew

D

ogs and horses are not an unusual sight on a ranch. However, one ranch in Kingsbury has a special place for giving animals a second chance at life, as well as for the veterans who are healed by them.

Patriot Pups and Ponies is a local non-profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates dogs and horses from abuse, in danger of being put to sleep in shelters or kill pens. They also run veteran programs to assist with healing, especially helping those with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Founding the rescue ranch

Since its inception in 2015 by Beverly Benson, the organization has touched the lives of more than 70 animals and 20 veterans with its programs.

During her time as an Air Force psychiatric nurse and service dog trainer, Beverly Benson saw first-hand the powerful healing bond between animals and humans. She always knew helping veterans and their families was her calling, and it was with her first animal rescues — Beaux and MerryLegs — that her vision for Patriot Pups and Ponies was born.

“This was put on my heart to do over 20 years ago and it gradually grew into the journey that it is now,” she said.

“I’ve been around horses and animals all my life, and I’ve 42 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

always had a very strong connection with them, especially horses, and I know the power that they have to heal.”

Horses have emotional power, are intuitive and can really tell you what’s going on with you, if you learn how to listen, she said.

“That is such a powerful thing and I wanted to share that with other people,” Benson said.

The organization originally started with four members, but later the others went their separate ways.

The animals they take in are facing euthanasia or the slaughter house. They also save those animals that deserve to see the best in humans after seeing the worst.

“We will rehabilitate them and then evaluate them for use either in programs, to be adopted out — as pets in cases of dogs or riding horses — to families,” she said.

The organization’s programs are aimed at veterans, their family members and first responders. Some of these programs include “mindfulness with horses” and “conquering your fears.”

Some of the programs offered by the organization are for mutual healing , like “Conquering your fears.”

“The veteran will come out and work with a trainer to help the horse conquer their fears and the individual that’s working the horse also has to face their own fears,” Benson said.

A second chance

Benson said it was hard to describe in words, but those who visit the ranch can see it in the animals. They know Other veteran programs include helping work on life they’re safe. They know they have a purpose. skills and rehabilitating the horses.

“We work with a lot of the Wounded Warriors,” she said.

The power of healing “Unfortunately, they’ll come for a while when they get out An active military member recently had the chance to of the military, but then they go to where their home is.

“We’ve got some people that are pretty consistent right now learn about the powerful healing effects of horses.

“I had a person recently who asked to come out and coming out from the local area.” spend some time with the horses and dogs,” Benson said.

The programs are great for helping veterans, active mili“I connected her with our big draft horse, Lucy, who is tary, first responders and their families heal, especially an amazing animal. She just spent time with (Lucy), and those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Benson I showed her how to read and understand what Lucy was said. trying to tell her.”

“A lot of those who have tried our programs have talked Benson said energy from both humans and horses can about just feeling more at peace, a lot calmer, having less be felt outside of their bodies, and when the two are close, anxiety, less symptoms, fewer of the PTSD symptoms, they can feel and feed off each other’s energy. gaining more self-confidence, self-awareness and just feel“There’s been research done on the intelligence of the ing more capable,” Beverly said. heart and instruments that can measure the energy that is While the program has helped veterans heal, the animals produced outside of the human body from the heart,” she the organization has saved receive a second chance at life. said. “They’ve been able to also measure that outside of “When they come in, a lot of them, you can just see that the equine body. When you are brushing a horse, you are they’ve given up. They know that they’re going to their within that energy space.” death, or that there’s no hope for them,” she said. “And Heartbeats are measured in waves, and when a person is then when they come here, after a couple of days they realstressed, the waves become shorter and shaped like a sharp ize, ‘wait, I’m not going anywhere. They’re not sending me tooth, Benson explained. Horses can’t stay in that level of away.’ They start connecting with us and bonding with us.”

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 43

stress, but humans tend to be in that level.

“For horses, it’s unhealthy, and it’s unhealthy for us too but we choose it,” she said. “So, when you are in their energy, you feel it, and it lowers your stress level just by being near them. With our Mindfulness with Horses program, we do some breathing techniques and it will lower your stress level.”

For the military member spending time with Lucy, she experienced the energy healing effects from horses.

“She told me the stress for her stayed down for at least two days after spending time with Lucy,” Benson said.

“Unfortunately, she’s getting ready to deploy to a place where she’s not going to be able to come out very often, but she’s been here a few times and she had told me that it makes a difference just spending a few minutes with them.”

Benson hoped she could get more people to come out to the ranch and experience first-hand the healing effect of horses and rescue animals.

“Really if we could get the word out to more people, we would want to have more people come out here and just 44 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

spend time with the horses,” she said. “Just be in their presence, and it’s pretty amazing what they can give to you just by being with them.”

Benson knows first hand the affects the animals have as she was diagnosed with PTSD.

Finding Homes

In addition to the programs, the organization adopts out the dogs and horses to the right home.

Since these animals were rescued from death row, abuse and neglect, Benson wants to be sure they go to a good home.

“We don’t just adopt them to anybody for any price,” she said. “It has to be the right connection and the right fit.

If it’s not, we’ll just keep them until the right connection comes along.”

When looking for a forever home, she thoroughly vets the potential adopter, and watches how the animal interacts with that person or family and makes sure the person understands the animal they are adopting.

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL Anyone looking to open their home to a rescue dog or horse can view the ones available for adoption on the organization’s website and contact them for more information or to meet the animal.

Get Involved To experience the healing effects of the animals first-hand or to lend a hand, Benson said veterans can visit the Facebook page, Patriot Pets and Ponies, or website, www.patriotpupsandponies.org . Send a message or an email to schedule a time to come out.

“We don’t charge anything,” Benson said. “If you have a skill or the ability to give us some volunteer hours, it would be greatly appreciated.”

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Rudy Silvas’ Path to the glove game

By Priscilla Aguirre

46 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

R

udy Silvas has battled with his pursuit of boxing for the majority of his life. From competing in the amateurs to making his professional debut this year, Silvas has dealt with his share of ups-and-downs in the sport.

Despite the rollercoaster, Silvas always goes back to boxing, which he credits to Seguin, his daughter Naveah and his late father Paul.

“Boxing saved my life,” he said. “I was going down a wrong path of partying and drinking, but boxing made me grow up and made me have a reason to do something. I picked up boxing on-and-off and finally took it really seriously when my father passed.

That’s when I knew it was time.”

The up-and-down battle Growing up in Michigan, Silvas was introduced to boxing at a young age as he had several family members who were professional boxers. Although the sport was around Silvas, he said he didn’t like it at first.

“I liked wrestling,” he laughed. “I actually first thought boxing and wrestling were the same thing, but then I

started to pay more attention to boxing and realized I didn’t really care for it. I mean, I didn’t like getting beat up, so I stopped trying at 10 years old.”

Several years later, Silvas’ father, who also was a boxer, began to pick up the sport again and Silvas took notice. One random day, when Silvas was 16, he visited his father at the boxing gym and saw how much fun everyone was having.

“It’s crazy how it all started,” he said.

“I went inside and I see him (his father) training everybody and I’m looking around, like, ‘Man, I miss this.’”

With his father’s help, Silvas began to train so he could compete in the amateurs. The same year he picked up boxing, Silvas went to the Michigan Golden Gloves and won, but lost the state final match. After losing again the following year, Silvas decided to give up on boxing.

“When I lost again the next year, I kind of quit when I was 17,” he said.

“Plus, I started hanging out with the wrong people and partying.”

When Silvas was 19, he picked up the gloves again and fought his way to the state championship in Michigan.

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 47

He lost again, but he didn’t give up this time due to some inspiring words by Floyd Mayweather’s former sparring partner.

“He was like you have good talent, especially for your size,” Silvas said. “He was like if you start taking it seriously, you can do something. So, that fueled me and I was ready to give it everything I’ve got.”

Silvas went to his father and let him know he was ready, but, not long after, his father died, which drifted the then 20-year-old away from boxing again.

The change to Seguin Almost a year later, Silvas’ mother asked her son to come live with her in Seguin, hoping to drive him away from all the negativity in Michigan. Silvas agreed and decided to leave it all behind — which he later said was one of the best decisions he has made in his life.

After moving and settling in Seguin, Silvas’ mother discovered a local boxing gym and asked her son to check it out.

“I didn’t want to check it out at first,” he said. “But I went and that’s where it all started. I met my trainer (Angel Saucedo) and started going through the motions again and 48 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

getting back into it.”

After six months of training, Silvas returned to the ring, fought in the San Antonio Golden Gloves, and won. Silvas was, again defeated in the finals. However, the thought of giving up was not on his mind.

“I was motivated,” he said. “My dad just passed and now I have a new trainer and he was pretty cool. He showed me a lot of things I didn’t know before, so I decided to stick with it and keep it going.”

The following year, Silvas went back to the Golden Gloves and to the state championship, but took the loss again. The same story continued for years, which frustrated Silvas.

“I made enough recognition to where I had skills and everything, but a lot of the politics got to me in the amateurs,” Silvas said. “It was a rollercoaster ride and that’s when I realized I just have a different fighting style.”

Silvas said professional boxing was more in his lane rather than amateurs.

“In the amateurs its more of a point system, so you’re in there and just throwing punches, racking up points,” Silvas explained. “In the pros, you are more relaxed, calmer, picking your shots. That was my style.”

Professional debut After sparring with the right people, training for a year and making a name for himself, Silvas signed a one-fight contract to make his pro-boxing debut in February in Floresville.

“I had to use the bathroom five minutes before I walked out that’s how nervous I was,” he said.

Despite the nerves, Silvas was crowned the winner of the Small Town, Big Showdown event by a unanimous decision.

“It was scary but became a dream come true,” Silvas said. “Everything that happened to me led me to that moment. Everything fell into place.”

Silvas credits his trainer – Saucedo – for not giving up on him when he first came to Seguin five years ago.

“That dude changed my life,” he said.

“Angel never gave up on me, because I’ve always had the skills but I wasn’t taught right and I had bad habits.

People told him I wasn’t going to make it, but he set me straight.”

Along with Saucedo, Silvas said his father’s death put everything in perspective for him and helped him take boxing seriously.

“This was always his dream, he was a really good amateur boxer, but he just liked to party and I started to follow that,” he said. “I saw him choose partying over boxing, work job to job and I looked at my life, and I realized I didn’t want that. I don’t want to look back in my life 10 or 20 years from now and regret it. Even if I don’t become very big, at least I’m trying.”

Silvas said he plans to fight in another match in May, adding that he wants to thank everyone in Seguin for being in his corner, especially those in the boxing world.

“The community definitely has my back and I have a lot of support here, in the boxing world anyway,” he said.

“I always have a bun when I workout or when I run in the city, and people come up to me and recognize me and ask me questions, wanting to know about my boxing. The town has never done anything dirty to me. I like it here.

Definitely being here the last five years has changed my life.”

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