A World Filled With German Sausage!
The tiny community of Walburg, Texas is quite German. As a part of that rich culture, each year Zion Lutheran Church and School holds a Wurstbraten celebration. And every year, the crowds come, the roads filling up with cars and trucks well before time for things to begin, everyone interested in enjoying the homeade sausage made and smoked right there on the premises. This was the 42nd year for the feast. 12,500 pounds of sausage were smoked behind the church in their huge smoking pits, continually stoked with plenty of hot coals. The pit master again this year was longtime church member Frank Herzog, pictured in the opening photo. When not manning sausage creation, he’s the church’s offficial bell ringer for Sunday services. While patrons could get their plates to go, many preferred to stand in line and enjoy visiting inside the school’s huge gymnasium, long tables filling the floor. Church members dressed in straw hats and bright red and white vests acted as traffic cops, letting diners know when a spot opened up. While most everyone loved the sausage, 2-year-old Tenley Springfield was initially a bigger fan of her bread slice, but her mom, Mary Helen Springfield, finally coaxed Tenley into a few nibbles. 4-year-old Sophia Ziegler, however, dug right into the meat, with dad Ken Ziegler right there to help. This year’s fundraiser sold close to 4,300 plates, quite a success considering that it was a rainy Monday night.
AirFest 2013 in Georgetown
After a productive Saturday morning at the All Soul’s Day celebration, I was off to Georgetown Municipal Airport for a great free event, AirFest. There were vintage aircraft to enjoy and sometimes touch. One little guy who impressed me was 3-year-old Callen Jacques of Georgetown, who showed up wearing his own flight jacket and captain’s hat as he offered up a stern salute in front of World War II-era B-25 Devil Dog. Callen’s mom, Shuana, is a flight attendant for United Airlines and he just loves everything aeronautical. The final photo in this post shows 14-year-old Jesse Hohman holding a bright yellow model of a Navy T-34 Mentor built over a two-year period by his friend, 16-year-old Wyatt Talbot. Both young men are members of the Civil Air Patrol cadets. Jesse was holding the plane while Wyatt located tools to remove the plane’s wings so it would fit in the family car! It’s a big model, folks. These photos were taken for the Williamson County Sun
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All Soul’s Day
Last Saturday I had the honor of visiting Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery and Prayer Gardens for an All Soul’s Day celebration conducted by Georgetown’s Saint Helen’s Catholic Church. This beautiful cemetery, as I’ve posted here before, is one of the most peaceful spots anywhere in Central Texas. The Our Lady event was preceded by an All Soul’s Mass at the church. At the cemetery, family members were joined by Father Brian McMaster in addition to nuns from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, plus some others from a convent in north Austin. This was a quiet celebration where family members visited the graves of loved ones. Blessings were bestowed, but the neatest thing was the scattering of wildflower seeds throughout over the resting places of loved ones. If you’ve ever been here, you’ll know Our Lady’s reputation for their wildflowers. One attendee, Betty Stone of Austin, makes weekly visits here to visit the resting place of her husband, Bob, who died three years ago. After a blessing, she was comforted by Sister Maria Guadalupe. A byproduct of so many flowers, of course, are butterflies galore. After this spreading of seeds, more are sure to come.
Halloween Roundup
This collection of photos taken for the Williamson County Sun are from the Halloween Festival sponsored by Georgetown Parks & Recreation (the first four photos), then from Halloween evening festivities along historic Main Street in Georgetown. 7-year-old Samantha Guarnere, in the opening photo, was a great Corpse Bride. The little lion cub, 7-month-old Chadley Guner Jackson, didn’t appear too happy to be in his costume, but mom Selva Guner did her best to cheer him up. Chadley’s beginning to teethe, which of course didn’t help his mood! The folks along Main Street really go all out to decorate their yards and welcome trick-or-treaters. I really liked the spookiness of Betty Finn, carrying a bundle of bloodied roses in her blood-spattered dress, a great Zombie Bride! P.K. the cat also looked really good by his jackolantern. It’s fun to see the adults come out for these things, telling us it’s okay to be kids as long as we like.
Oktoberfest in Walburg, Texas
The tiny community of Walburg, Texas, in north Williamson County, has a rich German heritage. My neighbor, in his 70s, grew up there, and speaks fluent German, as do a number of the townfolk of a certain age. It’s thus appropriate that The Walburg German Restaurant hosts its annual Oktoberfest celebration, continuing this year through November 9th. The main restaurant, right there on Main Street (or County Road 972, if you prefer), is an architectural delight and hosts diners as well as groups like the Sieker Band (in the opening photo), that includes Rolf Siker, his wife Beate on the guitar, and bassist Lenny Nichols. Rolf and Beate are from Germany, but now live in Round Rock. In the back of the restaurant is a gigantic tent that’s home to their biergarten. During Oktoberfest The Walburg Boys, the house band, perform lively music there. Here are some photos taken for the Williamson County Sun
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Chisholm Trail Day
The historic Chisholm Trail’s path goes right through the heart of Georgetown, Texas. To celebrate, each year the Williamson Museum hosts Chisholm Trail Day at San Gabriel Park. The day is full of activities for kids and adults, including a cowboy breakfast. 4-year-old Kasi Davis, joined by her father, Roger, enjoyed watching Lanny Ottosen maneuver his big cast iron skillet to make country gravy and biscuits over an open fire. Connie Gonzalez, a member of the Southland Living History Group, demonstrated how to make beef jerky. Eddie Bunton was joined by other members of Camp Mabry’s Buffalo Soldiers to give folks a good dose of history. Jacqueline Schroeder loved sitting inside the Wells Fargo stagecoach replica with 2-year-old Niko Schroeder. There was a Sam Bass shoot-out, which calls attention to the famous outlaw who left his mark on Round Rock, Texas, just south of Georgetown. Duane Silkett was among the actors playing a part in the shoot-out, using blanks, of course. 3-year-old Uriah Valdez, joined by his mom, Valerie, and older brother Joel, 6, really got into the shoot-out, Uriah toting his own toy pistol. Since it was a chilly morning, 2-year-old Austin Titzel was glad to have a blanket for his wagon and Gable, his loyal canine friend to watch over him. 10-year-old Lane Phillips relaxed with her horse, Duke, while her father, cowboy storyteller and musician Russ Phillips entertained the crowd. The day was topped off with a Texas Longhorn cattle drive through the park. These photos are among those taken for a story by Joyce May in the Williamson County Sun
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A Little of This, A Little of That
Most of my posts focus on a particular theme or event. Sometimes, I break the rules and just throw a few things out there. Thus, a few things I like that don’t necessarily fit into that format. 10-month-old Presley Dean, from Dallas, enjoyed being the center of attention as she enjoyed the pumpkin patch at Georgetown’s First United Methodist Church. Presley is teething and found the smaller pumpkins just right for trying out her first two teeth! At San Gabriel Presbyterian Church’s pumpkin patch, 4-year-old Bentley Bailey was up to the task as he pulled a little red wagon around to get just the right pumpkins for his family, and 7-year-old Alex Mann picked out a good carving pumpkin. From there, we find ourselves at San Gabriel Park the Chisholm Trail Barbecue Cook-off, where Lee Davis, a youthful 104-years-old, enjoyed dancing to the singing of master Elvis impersonator Mike Elliott. Davis walks 2 miles every day. I’m very impressed. In the final two photos, we’re close to home in Taylor, on one of my favorite stretches of road, County Road 366. In the second to last photo, I found Heath Yeoman and his wife Genee as they complete a bike ride near sunset. And the final photo , taken at dawn, leaves us with a full moon in retreat at the beginning of a Saturday morning while two donkeys find ample grazing delights.
The Clayman Family Rodeo
It’s hard to run out of rodeo events to cover when you live in Texas. One that I enjoy each year that we’ve been back home is the Clayman Rodeo, a rodeo comprised of students and former students of Kelly and Jim Bob Clayman and held each year at Windsong Farm, their little slice of heaven in Georgetown. This was the 20th year for this fun event, which includes barrel racing, pole bending, calf scrambles for the kids, and plenty of pomp and circumstance. Some folks, like 5-year-old Thayne Schlaffer of Midland, shown with his grandfather, Bo Robinson of Snyder, were there to be a part of the rodeo’s grand entry. 13-year-old Shelby Motz, from Cedar Park, enjoyed lying atop her horse, Lizard, before the action started. And 3-year-old Caden Fawver came to watch the action all decked out in his boots, cowboy hat, jeans and big belt buckle. It’s a fun event which I photographed for the Williamson County Sun
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Blessings for Special Friends
Grace Episcopal Church in Georgetown, Texas was the setting Sunday morning for the church’s blessing of the animals, an opportunity to remember the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Bestowing those special blessings was Father Trey Garland, the church’s rector. Father Garland has done this service a number of times in the 12 years since he’s been ordained. A notable event was in Greenville, South Carolina, where he blessed, among other things, a giraffe! He says his favorite, however, was in Marble Falls, Texas, where he blessed a pair of horses pulling an antique carriage. Sunday’s was special, too. Griffin, a bearded monitor, was the only lizard in attendance, but received his blessing calmly! A few random barks never once took away from the solemnity of the occasion. Some of these images accompanied a story I wrote for the Williamson County Sun
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National Night Out in Georgetown
When we lived in Georgia, National Night Out was generally an August event, but in Central Texas, it’s pretty hot then so this event is held the first week in October, still warm, but better! I visited Georgetown’s Stonehaven Apartments on Tuesday night and met many nice people, including Georgetown police officer David Scurlock, Norma Perales (the lady giving a big hug to 6-year-old Juilette Dimas), 2-year-old David Sanchez, happily enjoying a cookie, and many others, including my friends from Taylor’s Folkloric Dance Collaborative, some seen in this post’s opening photo. National NIght Out is an opportunity for neighbors to get together in a relaxed and fun setting and also get to know some of their area’s public safety officers, like officer Scurlock, as friendly as fellow as you’re likely to meet anywhere. These are a few photos taken for a story by Brianne Tolj in the Williamson County Sun
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“The Music Man” at Georgetown’s Palace Theatre
The Palace Theatre’s 2013-14 season is off to a rousing start with “The Music Man,” directed by artistic director Mary Ellen Butler. It’s a big cast with plenty of music and dance. David Sray takes on the leading role of Professor Harold Hill, with Evelyn LaLonde playing Marian Paroo. All are good in their roles, but it’s really fun to watch teens Brice Rafferty and Sam Menke perform their light-footed magic on the Springer Memorial Stage. These young men almost seem to sprout wings when they perform. Another youngster to put on your radar is Diego Rodriguez, playing Winthrop Paroo. He’s the little guy playing the horn in this post and is the son of Palace regular Art Rodriguez, also in this show. This is a good, family-friendly offering and will be available for audiences every weekend through October 27. These are a few photos taken for the Williamson County Sun.
All the Right Steps
The Sparklers, East View High School’s precision dance team, conducted a clinic last weekend for young ladies from kindergarten through the 5th grade, instructing them in the fine art of putting one foot in front of the other in addition to wearing a big smile. The little girls are called the Lil Sparks. Next week they’ll get to dress up like the big girls and show what they’ve learned at the Georgetown School District’s Halftime Showcase. Watching the interchange was a lot of fun. Although all the girls were engaged, perhaps the most excited was 5-year-old Lauren Smiley, the girl with the big red bow in her hair. She was enthralled by her teacher, East View freshman Aelissa Vasquez. These are some of the photos I recorded for the Williamson County Sun
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Go Fly A Kite!
In most parts of the country, flying a kite is a pastime set aside for March, when the winds are stronger. In Taylor, Texas, however, kite-flying can be enjoyed all year long, thanks to a whole lot of windy days on the plains. It’s an activity Arthur Hernandez has practiced throughout his 60-something years of life. On a recent evening, rain was threatening to come down if the lingering clouds were any indication. So Arthur, accompanied by his wife, Dolores, and his grandkids, 3-year-old Mari Hernandez and 4-year-old A.J. Sanchez, headed to Taylor Regional Park to enjoy the night. They spent about an hour there before calling it a night. Mr. Hernandez has about 50 kites at home, he says. He’s been flying kites since he was 5. When growing up, he made them himself. These days, he picks up bargains at yard sales and thrift shops. He’s a kid at heart, a good thing. Go fly a kite!
Celebrating Kolaches in Texas
Last Saturday the Austin American-Statesman dispatched me to the Kolache Festival in Caldwell, Texas, an event that celebrates the kolache, a Czech pastry that’s been quite popular in Texas for many years. The festival included ample samplings of Czech culture in the form of their music and colorful clothing as well. Jim Matcek and his wife Claudia were joined in the Parade of Costumes by their 23-month-old grandson, Cooper Matcek. Edward Kopecky, a member of the Fun Time Czech Band, did great work on both his trumpet and accordian. Rita Janak was there to lead the Shiner Hobo Band. 17-year-old Anna Faust of Snook, Texas was crowned this year’s Kolache Queen. Just up the street, at Caldwell’s First United Methodist Church, judges poured over entries in the kolache-baking competition. Among those entered was 11-year-old Kaitlyn Kindt, who awoke at 4a.m. to bake the creations she and mom Shayna made. The judges obviously took their work very seriously, but did seem to enjoy their task. Back outside, Rachel Avecedo and Kenny Wilson were among the entrants in the kolache-eating contest, where entrants had to devour the pastries faster than their opponents, a sometimes messy affair. This was a whole lot of fun! Jak Se Mas, by the way, asks “How Are You?” in Czech. The great state of Texas celebrates its diversity in so many wonderful ways.
Remembering 9/11
In the 4 years we’ve been back in Texas, my little town of Taylor, population about 15,000, has been having a Patriot Day observance each on the anniversary of 9/11. It seems to get bigger each year, with fire departments from around the area to take part in the parade. This year, the Taylor Fire Department has been lucky to have in its possession for a number of weeks FDNY Rescue 4, one of the New York City fire engines that responded to the World Trade Center attacks. It was the centerpiece of this year’s event and is pictured in the opening photo. The fire engine is under the care of the Remembrance Rescue Project and makes its way around the country throughout the year. In Central Texas, there’s always plenty of wind, enough to tangle up a giant American flag hanging between fire trucks from the Taylor and Georgetown Fire Departments. Georgetown firefighter Garey Jackson quickly came to the rescue and fixed the problem before the parade got underway. He’s also pictured here. These are a a few photos taken for the Williamson County Sun
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KIDFISH Fun in Taylor
Bull Branch Park in Taylor was the place to be Saturday morning for KIDFISH, a friendly gathering of kids 16 and under (along with moms and dads) on hand to try their luck at nabbing some of the 300 pounds of catfish stocked the night before. The KIDFISH Foundation is an outreach program designed to educate and provide hands-on fishing experiences for kids. At KIDFISH, the children first attend KIDFISH College to learn a little about fishing, but also conservation and respect for the environment. Kids catching the longest fish, like 9-year-old Ivan Verdin, shown in the opening photo with a fish over 24 inches long, got the chance to go to a big KIDFISH event next June in Corpus Christi. What I really like about this program is that kids who can’t afford their own fishing gear have everything provided for them. That’s nice. Most of these photos made it to an online gallery at the Austin American-Statesman
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A Beautiful Parish Bazaar in Granger
One of the interesting things about living in Central Texas is taking in the culture of the area. In Granger, just a few miles up the road from my home in Taylor, Saints Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church has been hosting an annual parish bazaar for longer than anyone can remember. The church steeped in Czech culture dates back to the late 1880s and has been an integral part of that community. I’d suggested a story for the Williamson County Sun
, not knowing what to expect, thinking maybe something to document would be there. Wow, was I ever surprised! This is a huge fundraiser for the church. Even though the Sunday I was there was the start of dove hunting season, church volunteers beat the hunters to the punch, preparing wonderful portions of chicken, barbecue and all the fixings. Folks like church members Henrietta Hajda and Linda Knapek were on hand in the recreation center kitchen by 4a.m. to get the treats prepared for hungry attendees. The huge space in the rec center filled with diners, including 2-year-old Kaleb Amidon, sitting with his grandpa, Billy Meissner (opening photo). Of the over 1,200 plates served, more than 500 were “to-go” orders, where customers lined up outside for their orders. It was a very long line that included David Eschberger of Taylor, accompanied by his little dog Cujo, the pup’s nasal passages obviously liking the aroma. One fellow, Granger’s Mike Anderson, joined by his girlfriend, Rose Rollins, arrived on his 1952 rickshaw. Once the eating was done, the afternoon included a live auction and bingo. As evening settled, the tables were cleared for a dance of traditional Czech music provided by The Fabulous Six. No doubt about it, I made the right call in driving to Granger!
Enjoying Labor Day
As is often the case, I find myself toiling away on Labor Day, but it’s a day meant for work, at least for me. At Lake Georgetown, a group of young soldiers from Fort Hood, Texas decided some cool water was just what they needed as the temperature hovered around 100 degrees or so. Showing off his acrobatic skills in my opening shot was Barry Ashcraft, one of those fine young fellows. San Gabriel Park in Georgetown was another popular destination where I found 4-year-old Angel Sotomayor getting some big pushes on the swing from his grandpa, Angel Talavera. Michael Haley demonstrated his grilling skills as he cooked a load of juicy burgers for friends from Georgetown’s Faith Impact Church. And 4-year-old Callie Wilson was indeed proud to show off the big perch she caught while fishing with her dad and big sister. It was a good day for labor, but also for fun. These were some offerings for my friends at the Williamson County Sun
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A VERY Late BBQ Post!
Taylor, Texas is a great place to visit if you love barbecue. There’s those venerable businesses, of course, including Louie Mueller BBQ, Vencil Mares Taylor Cafe and Davis Grocery, all worthy stops. But every year, the amateurs head to Murphy Park for the Taylor Chamber of Commerce’s International BBQ Cook-Off. This was the 36th year for the event, which actually happened a couple of weekends ago, but I’m just now catching up to my postings. Among the contestants were an all-ladies’ team, Barbie Q Queens, from Thorndale, Texas. They’re in the opening photo. Beyond food, there was music, and Tom and Juanita Bolt of Pflugerville just loved dancing to slow music while briskets and ribs slowly smoked their way to perfection. Judging, of course, is a big deal in the various categories that included beans, fish, chicken, goat, pork, ribs, brisket and “wild game.” Nobody’s ever sure what’s been consumed in that category. This year, Annie Warren, one of the wild game judges, was obviously not thrilled with a box she opened to find some sort of critter’s foot inside. “Not much meat,” she explained. No argument there. Her and fellow judges thought the feet might’ve been originally attached to turkeys, but it was a mystery meat for sure! Go to this fine event next August if you’re in the area.
50 Years Later
As a kid growing up in the late 1950s, I recall going to Belk-Jones, a large department store in downtown Texarkana, and seeing two water fountains, one marked “white,” the other “colored.” Or going to a Saturday afternoon movie at the Paramount Theater, a huge edifice with seating on two floors. Outside was a separate entrance for “colored” patrons, who had to sit upstairs even though the theater seated over 1,600 people. With that in mind, on the 50th annivesary of the March on Washington, I post a few photos taken Saturday on the Georgetown square, where about 175-200 people gathered near the steps of the Williamson County Courthouse for a “Let Freedom Ring” ceremony to commemorate that day and the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so many years ago. Georgetown’s gathering included Jean Tankersley of Round Rock, wearing a shirt emblazoned with Dr. King’s likeness, holding onto her 6-year-old granddaughter, Rayene Johnson. And the day’s main speaker, Rev. Wendell Hosey, an imposing man with a big voice and frame to match, but not too big to offer words of encouragement to 6-year-old Malulani Lesu of Georgetown. This morning, while on my daily 5-mile walk through Taylor, Texas, I noted during that stroll how streets in the poorer areas were rough and unkempt, while not so much in areas of where folks had been blessed with better economic luck. 50 years ago, inequality stared you in the face. Today, it may be more covert, but signs tell me there’s still work to do.
A School Year Begins
In the course of a life, many things change, but some events remain constant. One of those is a rite of passage, the first day of school. On Monday, I visited Georgetown’s Mitchell Elementary School to watch the excitement. Taking that first step into kindergarten can be unsettling. Nobody seemed to feel that more than 5-year-old Diana Diaz as she held onto to her mother, Maria Flores. It was obviously a hard moment for both, but the good teachers helped ease them into this new adventure. Some families were just plain happy to be there, like the Bruton family as they strolled quickly into the school. There was 9-year-old Emelia leading the way, followed by her sister, Abigail, 7, and little brother, Sean, 5, and their parents, Donnie and Kristi. Some kids, like 6-year-old Carolina Fuentes, a first-grader, were old pros and walked with purpose to her classroom with little brother, Nicholas, 3, and their dad, Andres. Teacher Beth Messineo was there to greet them and help get things arranged. The final photo in this post, also at Mitchell, shows school nurse Marcy Schroeder, a fast-moving lady zipping down the hallways in her bright purple Saucony running shoes, but slowing down long enough to visit with a first grader who was feeling a bit nervous, but after a few moments and soothing words from Marcy, he was good to go. I began documenting first day of school events in the 1970s. They still embrace life’s drama and pleasures.
“A Few Good Men” at the Palace Theatre
Georgetown’s Palace Theatre has put together a wonderful cast and crew for their production of “A Few Good Men,” playing weekends through September 8 on the Springer Memorial Stage. From a visual perspective, I tend to prefer musicals and comedies, but everything about this production is spot on. Director Ron Watson has a marvelous cast in which to work. I particularly enjoyed the work of Will Swift, as Pfc. Louden Downey, and Ethen Heeter, playing Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson. They’re the young men in the opening photo and are the accused Marines on trial. Everyone, of course, does a great job. Don’t miss a chance to see some fine performances by everyone.
It’s Not All About Football
It’s a given: football is hard work, particularly in Texas, where high school sports can be all-consuming. While giving gridiron heroics their due, let’s take time remember the members of the marching band. Summer band camp was in full force last week at Taylor High School as the 70-member band led by director Scott Simmons was putting the kids through their paces. During camp, the kids were on the field at 9a.m. until at least noon, then (thankfully), after a brief lunch break, back inside the band hall for sectional and music drills until 4p.m. Those mornings on the field were rigorous. Simmons and his team made sure everyone got frequent water breaks, suggesting that they consume at least a gallon of fluid during the outdoor sessions. The day I joined them for drills, the temperature was supposed to reach 103 degrees. By the time they headed inside, it hadn’t reached that milestone, but hot is hot. When you’re at those football games this year, give a nod to the band.
Reaching Out to Forever Friends
Texas Humane Heroes, a wonderful shelter in Leander (formerly the Humane Society of Williamson County), held a Mega Dog (and Cat) Days of Summer adoption event last weekend. The neat thing about this event was adoption fees were waived, including spay/neuter fees. Every pet left with a microchip and a bit of free food. Among the happy new families were William Henslee, a soldier based at Fort Hood, shown getting a smooch from Boogie, Jacey Koford, proud owner of Sass, a kitty cat who loved to spin her hair, and 4-year-old Dylan Hellman (last photo), ready to head home with Cassie. So many municipal shelters around the country are overwhelmed with dogs and cats. It’s hard to retain no-kill status, but events like this sure help. Texas Humane Heroes is also one of 49 municipal shelters around the U.S. competing in the A.S.P.C.A. Rachael Ray $100,000 Challenge
, each competing for a $100,000 grand prize to help life easier at their facilities. Here’s a few images taken for the Williamson County Sun. Be kind to your pets. Love them and they’ll love you back.