Frio Country/House Pasture Restaurant

The House Pasture Cattle Company is a part of Frio Country Resort offering cabins and lodges on the Frio River and at The Club at ConCan with 18 hole championship golf course, pro-shop, full-service salon, and grille.

House Pasture Cattle Company will open weekends in April & May with a limited menu.

Celebrate the 1st Anniversary of The Club at Concan May 2nd through May 4th. There will be three days of special events, special guests and honors.

House Pasture Restaurant revs up its summer season starting May 10th with Mark W. Kirk. Other entertainment this summer includes:

May 24th Gary P Nunn
May 25th Emory Quinn's CD Release Party
May 31st Luke Olson
June 7th Johnny Bush
June 14th Brandon Rhyder/Captain Legendary
June 21st Honeybrowne
June 28th Emory Quinn/Reckless Kelly
Celebrate July 4th with Casey Donahue on Friday night and Cory Morrow on Saturday night, the 5th.
July 12th Highspeed Hayride/Bellamy Brothers
July 19th John Conlee
July 26th Key West
August 2nd Zona Jones
August 9th Owen Temple
August 30th Gary P Nunn
Sept. 20th Rotel & the Hot Tomatoes

For more information, visit www.housepasture.com or call 888-926-6226.

Bluebonnet Blues & Fine Arts Festival

For three days at the end of March, Marble Falls will be jumping with a variety of blues artists you’re unlikely to find at most — if any — other blues festivals.

The third annual event will feature music at six venues over a three-day span, from headliners such as W.C. Clark, Anson Funderburgh, Whitey Johnson, Ruben Ramos and Zac Harmon on the festival’s main stage to Joe Ely and Joel Guzman in the more intimate setting of a 250-seat nightclub. Throughout the weekend, there will be blues being played up and down a two-block stretch of historic downtown Marble Falls.

The lineup includes traditional Texas and Mississippi blues, Tejano blues and Cajun blues. A Pianorama featuring four master keyboardists will light up the beautifully restored Uptown Marble Theater Friday night. On Saturday, the theater will host a continuous all-day showing of a 30-minute cut of the film, “Antone’s: Home of the Blues” that tells the story in words and music of the legendary Austin blues club and its late founder and patron of the blues, Clifford Antone.

In fact, Antone was part of the first Bluebonnet Blues & Fine Arts Festival, helping Hugh “Blowgum” Vaughn, his wife Cindy, and Russell Buster, book acts and even give a talk on the History of the Blues. As part of the Friday night event in the Uptown Marble Theater, folklorist Dr. Barry Lee Pearson will host a Musicians Workshop on the History of the Blues. “He’ll be up there with a bunch of blues musicians, and what they’ll do is have a conversation in words and music,” said Vaughn. Pearson is the author of Jook Right On: Blues Stories and Blues Storytellers.

“This is different than most festivals,” said Vaughn. “I can’t think of any that has the variety that we offer.” And the number of venues on stages and in small clubs is reminiscent of SXSW, albeit on a much more intimate scale. “I’m drawing together the variety of blues from every walk of life,” he said. “There are different nationalities and different types of music, but there is blues in every kind of life.”

Marble Falls is located in the heart of the Highland Lakes area about 45 miles northwest of Austin and 85 north of San Antonio. The Marble Falls Historic Main Street Association sponsors the Bluebonnet Blues & Fine Arts Festival and a portion of the proceeds go to the Highland Lakes Service League, which supports local non-profits, charities and social services. In addition to the three days of music, the festival hosts a “Paint the Town” event, which invites juried artists to a plein air painting contest. There will be activities for children and plenty of food choices, including crawfish, fajitas, red beans, and more.

Tickets for the festival, and a complete music lineup, are available online at http://www.bluebonnetblues.com. For more information call 800-864-5175.

Johnson City Wildflower Days Celebration

Johnson City, Texas, Wildflower Days: The Spirit of the Hill Country

Johnson City invites you to enjoy the springtime ambiance and wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country by joining our annual Wildflower celebration.

Wildflower Days springs into action Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20, from 9am to 5pm.

This Wildflower Days celebration is one of the most natural wonders in the Texas Hill Country with Johnson City, Texas, right in the middle of all of the beauty! Each year, the Texas Hill Country is flooded with nature enthusiasts looking for the best wildflower sightings, photo opportunities and local Hill Country activities.

This year’s event is particularly important as we remember Lady Bird Johnson and her passion for wildflowers, join with the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park to honor our 36th President, in his centennial birthday celebration, and participate in Blanco County’s year-long Sesquicentennial.

Our Wildflower Days venue includes:

· A Farmer’s Market with food, plant and product vendors, historic & interesting homes and gardens tours, wildflower tour maps, live music, arts and crafts, t-shirts and special photography workshops.

· Homes and gardens on the tour (10am to 2pm) include the Barnwell House, The Fawcett House, The Pearl Hotel, The Settlement Log Cabin and the Chantilly Lace Country Inn.

· Listen to a variety of live music during our two day event.

· We’re in lavender country, so expect also to see lavender.

· Bring your camera and consider taking a wildflower photography workshop with some of our local experts.

· Check out our 19^th century classic Texas court house square. Bring a blanket and enjoy the court house lawn.

· Discover the great shops and historical sites around town.

· We are a growing Texas art center and we have excellent art galleries that will have a focus on wildflowers.

Take in the LBJ National Park: In Johnson City, see the LBJ Boyhood Home, visit the Johnson family pioneer home in the Settlement, and enjoy a wonderful time at the LBJ Visitors Center where the history of LBJ is presented in artifacts, movies, tours and more. The LBJ Ranch and Texas White House are only 14 miles west of our Visitors Center in Johnson City.

Come relax among the gorgeous wild flowers, fresh air and welcoming folk. There will be fun activities for the whole family, all in a relaxing Hill Country setting. Not to be missed!

Johnson City is located at the intersection of Hwy 281 and 290, west of Austin, north of San Antonio and Blanco, south of Marble Falls, and east of Fredericksburg. For more information, contact the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce at 830-868-7684.

Anchors Landing Catering

Full Service Catering

Anchors Landing Catering offers full-service catering specializing in family style fresh cooked meals. We offer a full menu of appetizers, entrees and other meal selections. We can offer services at your location in the Bulverde, Spring Branch, Canyon Lake and New Braunfels area. We also offer a private meeting room at our location perfect for business or club meetings, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties and more. Don't forget to book your holiday get together - we can accomodate parties of 15-40 in a private room for your special occassion. Click here for more details: Anchors Landing Catering

Cranberry Pumpkin Bash
For a limited time, enjoy a delicate pumpkin
custard with fresh cranberries in a ginger-snapped crust, everything we love about the holidays.

Artisans at Rocky Hill Hosting Open House

Anne and Barry Bradley of Artisans at Rocky Hill are celebrating the season with their Third Annual Holiday Open House on Friday, Dec. 7.

“We would like to extend our sincere appreciation for continued success by inviting the community and its visitors to a holiday celebration of art,” the Bradleys said. Hours for Friday night’s open house are from 5-9 p.m. Complimentary appetizers, Bell Mountain Vineyard’s Kris Kindel (glühwein) and more will be served.

Artisans’ main focus is showcasing artisans and craftsmen from the Texas Hill Country. Featured on a full-time basis are 37 area artists and craftsmen whose talents include paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolor, fine furnishings, wood turnings, pottery, mosaics, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry and more.

Visitors to this casual, eclectic Hill Country gallery can expect to enjoy fine art and craftsmanship plus conversation and refreshments with the Artisans in a delightfully relaxed setting, the Bradleys said. Artisans at Rocky Hill is located five-and-a-half miles east of Fredericksburg and one mile west of Wildseed Farms at 6266 East U.S. Highway 290. Regular business hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Artisans at Rocky Hill is closed on Monday.For more information, call 830-990-8160 or visit their website at http://www.artisansatrockyhill.com/.

On the Road - November 2007

Writing this after that first fall snap….45 degrees at my house in the country. Feeding horses in wind and rain. Ah, a good old Texas song comes to mind. I’m having a great time showing up at gigs with the women in my book.. After booksigning at Hastings on October 27, I headed up to Marble Falls to be with Marcia Ball at a new event, Sculpture on the Main! 36 life-size pieces of sculpture were mounted along Main Street in Marble Falls for display and sale for one year. The day involved viewing the art, tasting wine and food from local restaurants from 5-7 p.m. Marcia Ball, a pivotal chapter in my book, played at the Uptown Marble Theatre at 7:30. And her opening act, Garrett LeBeau, brought us some funk/jazz or some “cool” notes. I really loved his sound! Check here next month. And check out http://www.historicmainstreet.org/ and http://www.uptownmarble.com/ That last website gives a schedule for the Uptown Theatre, another cool music venue. In fact, I stayed at the Wallace House, right around the corner from the theatre. Now this historic guest house is perfect for that special getaway. My daughter and I stayed in the Marble Falls room, and we found out later that the room did not like men! The manager told us that she hung a picture on the wall once, and it dropped each time she turned her back. A picture of men. Well, we loved that haunting story! I recommend this place, and, of course, we had breakfast at the Bluebonnet Café.

I know that the last weekend in March needs to be marked on your calendar. Bluebonnet Blues Festival is up and running with Blow and Cindy leading the way. Head to Marble Falls one day to view these outstanding sculptures. The creative mind at work. And don’t miss the music there. Mike Blakely has a home base in Marble Falls.

On October 13 I had a rousing good time at an afternoon show with The Texana Dames at Patsy’s Cowgirl Café on East Ben White in Austin. That kind of afternoon show brings out the true music lovers, and a party begins! This exquisite family, Charlene on keyboard with daughers Conni on guitar and steel and Traci on accordion with all the women singing, is one of a kind! I hope to go on tour with my book and with the Texana Dames. Need us for a show? Just let me know. John Reed on guitar and Paul Mills rounded out the family affair. This is the same group that toured Switzerland and Austria years ago. I followed along, snapping picture and taking photos. What fun.

Ahead is the November 7 Texas Music Coffehouse at Schreiner University (a THMF event with the Center for Innovative Learning at Schreiner) begins with a tribute to Native American History (now called American Indian, according to Frank Greyhorse Padrone) and a show by Walt Wilkins y Los Mystiqueros (Bill Small and Johnny Greenberg). Expect great songs, a lively performance, exquisite words and fun! Megan Padrone, Schreiner student, will kick off the evening with an American Indian dance. She is of the Apace White Mountain tribe, where her father, Frank, once lived on the reservation. Don’t miss this special evening. We will begin and end with a short open mike. Walt will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. The evening lasts from 7-9 p.m.

A new promo kit hit the THMF office this week, Jackson Taylor. Listen to these song titles: “Outlaws Ain’t Wanted Anymore,” Outlaw Women,” “Shallow Grave,” “Dark Days,” yep, I like the songs! The promo says: “Jackson Taylor tells stories about what he knows—life. Jackson’s songs paint tales of lives filled with passion and joy as much as of a life tainted by sorrow and disappointment—his life. Jackson sings of heaven and hell, beatury and grit—Jackson sings of real life. Maybe he’ll come through the Hill Country. Check him out. He’s played with Billy Joe Shaver, David Allen Coe, Kevin Fowler and more of the outlaws! I happen to like the look! Yes, you can tell a CD by its cover, sometimes. Billy Joe Shaver calls himself “a friend and a fan.” That’s good enough for me!

I am loving the new Sugar Hill release of a 1992 live show at the Bluebird in Nashville with his now deceased son, Eddie. “Billy Joe Shaver, Storyteller,” lives up to its title. I love the stories, the songs, the guitar riffs, the music. A classic in the Texas music lineup, this Cd captures the man and the magic. Time for Billy Joe to head back to the Hill Country!

I’ll be at the Texas Book Festival in Austin on Sunday, November 4, at noon in the music tent. And Ruthie Foster will be performing as we showcase my book of interviews. Her interview with me was originally 8,000 words! I had to do some editing, and she still commands a large part of the book. And she deserves it. I had so many extra interviews that I created a spot for the book to “continue” in cyberspace at www.kathleenhudson.net

The THMF is still conducting a membership drive for the 20^th anniversary. With a larger membership we can raise more funding for interesting music projects. The Bard Project, managed now by Paula Reynolds of Hill Country House Concert fame, is putting musicians into the schools on a regular basis. So far Duke Davis played Peterson all day, Ken Waldman performed his poetry and fiddle music with Ingram Middle School. Lawrence Clarke went back to Ingram on Friday, Oct. 26. Richard Dobson, songwriter and compadre of Townes Van Zandt, will visit my classes on Thursday, November 8. YOU are invited to class. 10:50-noon and 2:40-3:55 on that day in Weir building, room 120. This songwriter now lives in Switzerland. He has a bag full of CD’s, a book and a newsletter that all express his creative vision. (see http://www.texasheritagemusic.org/)

Also ahead November 2-3 is a music festival at Bandera Downs with Tejano music on the second day. Great time to hear a classic Texas band, Little Joe Y La Familia. They last played Kerrville with Willie Nelson in 1997 to raise money for the Wayne Kennemer Scholarship Fund. And most recently I received a CD or class country performed by John Christopher Way, son of fiddler Johnny Way. Both father and son knew Wayne Kennemer as well! Janice tells me that Wayne used to talk about Little Johnny Way at age 4 playing a fiddle that was too big for him to hold. He once received our scholarship fund and this CD is a great example of his talent. He also recorded three songs by Gary Jones, another favorite of mine! More about this special CD next month! Seems a benefit for Big Brothers and Big Sisters is on the horizon for December 1 in the pavilion in Louise Hayes Park. An early show with stuff for the entire family! Tim Jones has taken on some management with this humble young man. If you like country music, you will love John Christopher Way! Be on the lookout for this young man.

Be sure to visit The Hill Country Calendar for events in Fredericksburg Texas, New Braunfels Texas, San Marcos Texas, Kerrville Texas and the rest of the Texas Hill Country.

Happy Trails and ils sont partis. KH

2007 Hill Country Tour of Homes

The 2007 Hill Country Tour of Homes is this weekend and next weekend! FREE Admission.

Go to www.HillCountryTourOfHomes.com for a map and information on all 27 homes and 7 developments.