Texas Bucket List

Texas Bucket List

Simmons Bank

The Texas Bucket List – Shangri La Botanical Gardens in Orange

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ORANGE, Texas – Orange, Texas is as far east as you can roll before heading into the territory known as Louisiana.  Named by sailors who noticed orange groves lining the banks of Sabine, this part of Texas shares the muggy climate of our Cajun cousins that’s culminated into the perfect climate to put an amazing garden.

Rick Lewandowski is the director of the 252 acre oasis in Orange known as Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center.

“This was the former home of H.J. Lutcher Stark, a member of the Stark family who was involved in lumbering and later in becoming an environmentalist here in Orange, Texas,” Rick informed us.

After World War II, the gardens to Stark’s home were open to the public during the spring and for years it was a popular annual stop in the Lone Star State.  But in the late 50s, the gardens were closed. Forty years later the Stark Foundation sprung it back to life and now it’s bigger than ever.

“Places like this often don’t exist in small communities, but due to the generosity and the long term vision of the family they’ve done that,” Rick said.

30 acres of Shangri La are dedicated to the gardens, with regional plants blooming year-round but spring and early summer are especially special.

“This beautiful area is part of the history of Shangri la, represents the azaleas that Mr. Stark would have planted around his garden in the spring time,” Rick said as we walked through the garden. “And in March and April this is a magical place to be, along with the bald cypress which reminds us that we’re in southeast Texas.  Enjoying this beauty and serenity here at this beautiful place in Shangri la.”

But it’s not just flowers full of color here; you can sit on the banks of Ruby Lake and view nesting birds from the Heronry Blind or even take a boat ride on Adams Bayou.

“It’s a very popular experience because it gets people to see part of the natural systems here in southeast Texas in ways that they couldn’t other wise enjoy,” Rick said.

Susan Montagne is an environmental educator and she points out the particulars on this serene spin on the stream.

“I mean we get school kids all the time, you know,” Susan shared. “That’s our program, and they love to look and see.”

The main attraction at Shangri la is a Texas record holder, according to Susan.

“The survivor tree is a state champion tree for Texas,” Susan said. “It’s a pond cypress as opposed to your bald cypress that are tall and straight. It was nick named by a junior high student many years ago. It is actually 1,241 years old. Now they don’t normally grow this side of the Mississippi, but we all know that seeds get carried and passed in different ways. You know just think about Native Americans canoed past here, pirates maybe. Maybe there’s treasure.”

It turns out you’ll find all sorts of wildlife at the gardens.

“Frankly I’ve come to love the many, many snakes that we down here in south east Texas, and I look forward to seeing them every day here in the garden,” Rick said. “I am serious. Because that’s part of nature.”

It’s been said that life is a garden, dig it.  We’ll we definitely dug the Shangri Law garden and its serene beauty, showing off the unique swampy side of the Lone Star State.

“Many people don’t think of Texas as bayou country, but here it is right here along the Sabine River,” Rick said. “And it’s one of the very, very special places that we think everyone should come and visit because it combines the best of nature and gardens together.”

The Texas Bucket List – Fishing and Fawn in Port Mansfield

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PORT MANSFIELD, Texas  – When it comes to checking things off The Texas Bucket List, sometimes some towns don’t have a specific things to do but are more the all-encompassing experience.  When pulled into Port Mansfield down on the coast, we ran into a city so small with a community so close that just pulling in and saying help opens up a list of its own on The Texas Bucket List.

Just south of the King Ranch, at the exit for Raymondville, you’ll find Texas Road 186.

These Lone Star State Lanes will lead you east towards the gulf coast for 25 miles of secluded south Texas land.

The road dead ends in Port Mansfield, a small town that hasn’t been hit with the major hustle and bustle of other seaside cities on the Gulf Coast and that’s a good thing.

“It’s kind of the end of the road,” Port Mansfield native, Mark Brown, said.  “It’s not that easy to get to, but once you’re here you don’t want to leave.”

We took some time to see the sights and meet the people of this quiet community of only a few hundred folks.  We started at one of the 4 restaurants they have here, Sweet Gregory P’s Smokehouse. Here we met Laura who moved to Port Mansfield in 2000.

“Here it’s real quite, real slow. You can take your time,” Laura said. “You’re not in a rush to get anywhere. Here it’s real quite, real slow. You can take your time.”

That seems to be the case with the local herd of deer too.  Heck any kind of wildlife in this town.

“As long as you have food they’ll come up to you and they’ll eat right out of your hands,” Laura informed us. “They’re like pets. That’s what they are.”

Mark Brown’s Father moved here in 1945 and this is the only place he’s called home.

“Yeah, it keeps you young doing things like this,” Mark told us. “Running around and staying on the water not being as young as I used to be, but we get out as much as we can, you know.”

The reason is simple.  Port Manfield has some of the best fishing in the state.

“It’s a way of life here,” Laura said when talking about fishing. “It’s how we grew up. It’s what we do here.”

Romey Garza took us out on the water. Romey’s family has been these parts since Spain ruled the state. It wasn’t long till we were reeling them in, and that’s no fish tale.

After catching a haul in no time at all, it was time to enjoy the spoils of the gulf.

With our fresh fish cleaned, we ended the day at Pelican’s Cove Bar and Grill, where our catch got the royal treatment and we shared it with our new found friends of Port Mansfield.

Being able to share this meal caught just hours before or feed deer from the palm of your hand gives this Texas town a unique flair and a reason to take the road that has only one destination.

“It’s just a beautiful place to relax, and if you love hunting and fishing it’s the perfect place to be,” Laura said.

 

 

The Texas Bucket List – Paint Rock

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PAINT ROCK, Texas – Pulling into Paint Rock, you get a sense of the bustling town it used to be.

With only 273 residents, the Concho County Seat is one of least populated county seats Texas and while the beautiful historic court house remains, not much else has.

But these old buildings are the earliest signs of an early civilization here, for that you have to travel a few miles north, cross the right cattle guard, and visit the ranch of Fred and Kay Campbell.

Kay is sort of the curator of Paint Rock, her Grandfather D.E. Simms came upon this site while doing his research and took it up himself to be the care taker

“The people who came here to camp after the Indians where people who hated the Indians,” Kay said. “So you see where the Indians have written their stories and you’re not going to preserve them for posterity because you hate them. They’re your enemy! So you shoot at them and you write your name on them and you try to ruin them. So when my grandpa came and saw the pictographs where being ruined he said I cannot go back to Missouri. I’ve got to stay here and guard the pictographs.”

Nearly half of mile of this bluff, just a few hundred yards from the Concho river, is covered with over 1,500 pictographs.

“It’s believed that there could have been as many as 300 different cultures that would have camped here nomadically over the 12 thousand years that they were using this for one of their major camp grounds in this area,” Kay said.

Each incredible drawing has it’s own story.

“They thought that the bird was capable of taking their prayers up to their sun god, and so this is a good example of the birds. And you’ll see lots of examples of the birds as we go along,” Kay said.

With Kay’s family history, she’s heard the stories and theories of what these symbols mean her entire life.

“While the boys had to go work on the ranch, well I got to come and listen to people talk about pictographs, and I have just been a pictograph fan ever since,” Kay said.

After our walk along the cliff face, we came upon some flowing water that painted us into a corner when it came to pictographs.

“There are no more pictures past this, and the reason is the spring,” Kay said. “See that’s where the women prepared the meal and took care of the children and everything while the men where down here doing the important things like singing, dancing, and painting. The women where down here doing dumb things like taking care of the kids and cooking.”

Kay’s passion for this place is infectious. Her stories keep you silent as she shares with you the most delightful details, because for Kay, this is her connection to the Lone Star State.

“Somebody told me a long time ago, ‘love isn’t love until you give it away,’” Kay said. “And you know if you’re sitting on something wonderful and won’t let anybody see it, it loses its magic.”

The Texas Bucket List – Chinati Hot Springs near Ruidosa

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RUIDOSA, Texas – When it comes time to mosey out of the quintessential west Texas town of Marfa, most folks take the main lanes that intersect in the middle of town.  But those seeking additional adventures head out on FM 2810.  It’s paved for the first 30 miles, and then the real fun begins.

As soon as you hit the gravel of pinto canyon road, the views are already breathtaking. And as you snake through the valleys and peaks of this particular mountain range, Chianti Peaks starts to come into view.  For 45 minute, this 15 mile drive itself is well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List, but if you turn off at the clearly marked sign for the Chianti Hot Springs, you’re hot on the trail for one of the most serene stops in the Lone Star State.

Diana Burbach is the caretaker of this relaxing resort that’s been hidden away in the hills since the 1930s.

“It’s quiet. Not a lot of people,” said Burbach. “No traffic, to trains, no planes. Nothing. Nothing but the wildlife.”

Despite being one incredibly desolate location, mankind has been making their way here for thousands of years, all to soak in the springs.

“A lot of people will come out here if they have back aches or body aches, especially a lot of the locals,” Burbach said. “They really believe in it, and they will just sit in that water.”

These bubbling waters that come out of the earth at 110 degrees are soaked with minerals like lithium, arsenic and others that are said to cure the aches and pains of life.  Everything from arthritis to skin conditions.

“This is our outdoor community hot tub,” said Burbach. “This is where people will gather in the evening time, share some drinks and some stories.”

With seven cabins and seven campsites, you’ll only find a dozen people at most here.  And if soaking in your own mineral bath is more up your alley, you can do that too.

But the camaraderie of coming to a place like this is what this experience is all about.

“We do have a full kitchen.  We’ve got two refrigerators. We have stove, microwave, we’ve got outdoor grills, pots, pans, dishes. We have all you need in here,” Burbach said. “Coffee, coffeemakers, you just need to bring your food and your beverages. The water’s good to drink.” \

Tom Mason is from Austin and came with his good friend Tom Smith from Pasadena.

“We were looking for, you know, an obscure, end-of-the-road place, and this is the perfect end-of-the-road place,” said Smith.

Here there’s only one kind of communication – face-to-face.  Phones don’t work, TV’s aren’t present, and somehow life goes on.

“The people who come out here are really, really friendly because they want to come here and, so it’s nice,” Mason said. “There’s so few places left like this in the state, unfortunately. We’ve gotten so urbanized and most of us live in cities, and we forget what it’s like to be out somewhere where you can drive by starlight or actually see the constellations and have no pollution. It’s terrific.”

While many would find this seclusion superb, being secluded out in the middle of the southwest Texas desert with no way to contact the outside world, or the outside world to contact you is more than some can handle in this ever shrinking society.

“I’m not sure all Texans need to come out here,” said Smith. “I think a small fraction who aren’t afraid of spending time alone and discovering who they are or comfortable interfacing with strange people should only come here.”

So if you find yourself looking to reconnect to yourself and meet people you’ll enjoy having a conversation with under the incredible stars of the Lone Star State, stop by the Chinati Hot Springs to bathe in the waters, words, and wisdom of fellow Texans.

“They need to get to a place where they’re going to have solitude,” Burbach said. “They can, you know, have peace and quiet, get their mind stress free, and just come out and enjoy the peace and quiet.”

The Texas Bucket List – Val Verde Winery in Del Rio

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DEL RIO, Texas – In the fertile soil of Val Verde Country just a few miles from Mexico, Del Rio has the distinction of having undoubtedly the oldest winery in the Lone Star State.

Thomas Qualia is the third generation of wine makers at the Val Verde Winery, a vineyard whose roots got planted in 1883, making it the 9th oldest winery in the country.

“We’re proud of what we do because we started from the ground up. We grow it, we make it, we sell it,” said Qualia.

Thomas has spent his entire life cultivating, harvesting, and producing a fine spirit full of Texas soul.

This story starts with a young 18 year-old Italian named Thomas Qualia who immigrated to Mexico but found work on the Macorini line in Texas.  Soon after, he found himself in Del Rio seeking to satisfy his thirst.  He planted a 10-acre vineyard quenched by the San Felipe springs and not much has changed.

“I give all the credit, though, to my father and grandfather because they’re the ones who did it,” Qualia said. “I was just lucky enough to inherit it, and so, at times I wonder about that luck, but anyway.”

Thomas’ father Louis took over the winery in 1936 – three years after the end of prohibition, which the winery survived by making sacramental and medicinal wine.  As a young man, Thomas grew amongst the grapes and had a few learning curves along the way.

“I drove a pickup when I was probably seven years old and if my foot slipped off the clutch and threw somebody out the back of the truck, and I was running for my life,” said Qualia.

The fond memories don’t just include the memorable mishaps.  As the vineyard grew and new methods were put into places, Louis Qualia made the fruit flourish.

“These were all grafted by my father in the late ‘30s onto native mustang grapes, and I’ve had a large number of people request information about the Herbemont, and I have not been able to find it. There was a Count Herbemont back in the east that supposedly had something to do with it, and it was named after him. Either he bred the grape or he brought it over,” Qualia said.“It’s been a real mainstay for the winery. We’ve made a lot of cuttings from it to propagate other vines.”

The Qualias produce around 3,000 cases of wine of year, not exactly enough to get around the entire state but enough to keep the family business in operation.

“I’d rather make a good bottle of wine at a fair price and keep it that way,” said Qualia.

Today Thomas works with his son Michael and the next generation is already learning the vines.

My sister and I are working hard, and fifth generation is coming along, so we’re excited,” Michael Qualia said. “Like any family business, you know, there’s challenging times. But no, it’s good. It’s nice to see things grow and but still continue to be a small, family-run operation.”

Uncorking a bottle of this wine made from the Lenoir or Blanc Du Bois grapes grown in the generational ground gives you an opportunity to taste a part of Texas history that fittingly comes from a country that happens to be the shape of a boot.

“It’s a labor of love, because it’s a lot of work, but I enjoy doing it and people, some people say, ‘What are you doing out there in a vineyard? Don’t you ever take a break?’ I say what would I do, watch TV? Go to the movies? No, I’d rather be out in the vineyard and talking to my vines or talking to the people at the winery,” Qualia said. “It’s a tradition that there’s not another one in Texas that’s this old, and Italian proud.”

The Texas Bucket List – Jenschke Orchards

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FREDERICKSBERG, Texas – It’s been said that April showers bring May flowers, but in our part of the world avoiding a late freeze means plenty of produce on the trees.  Summertime in central Texas is synonymous with the fruits of labor that Travis Jenschke’s family has been farming for generations in Fredericksburg.  His great grandfather emigrated from Germany to Frederiksberg in the 1860s, and his family has always been in the fields. Despite being at the ripe age of 73, Jenschke has never left the family farm and still works the fields.

“To me, I enjoy every minute of it and I like it,” said Jenschke.  It could be the fact he doesn’t really have to harvest his bountiful blessings. He’s got all sorts of Texans lining up to do a little peach picking.  “When I was a kid, I worked for my dad’s uncle and some neighbors picking peaches and they’d pay me 50 cents, 75 cents an hour to do that. And now, people come out here to pay me to pick peaches. That took me some time to get used to,” said Jenschke.

Making memories is what this experience is all about. First you have the thrill of seeking out the perfect peach.  “It’s work, it’s fun, but you’re out here and you know, being out in the country, it – oh, it’s wonderful,” said Mary Jane Taberes, visitor to the orchard.  But the best feeling is finally plucking a peach ripe for the picking.  “When you grab the one from the tree, it’s that freshness, that taste. You just can’t substitute anything else,” said Taberes.

While getting to taste fresh fruit is the juiciest juncture for visitors, for Jenschke it’s all about family – seven generations of them making this piece of Texas the center of their lives.
“My wife and I, we get a little money every month. Not no great sum, but hell, this is what I want to do,” Jenschke said. “I mean, I don’t want to sit in a rocking chair. I don’t want to do that, and I don’t want to sit down all day. I want to get up early and stay late. As long as I can, that’s what I’ll keep doing.”

The Texas Bucket List – Blanco Lavender Festival

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BLANCO, Texas – Out in the Texas Hill Country along the banks of the Blanco, you’ll find fields that are pleasing to the pupil thanks to a plethora of purple. The color of royalty runs rampant here, and if you stay a while you’ll find fields, festivals – even a few drinks – dedicated to lavender.
“There are not very many places in the world, let alone the United States, or in Texas, that you can find lavender,” said Tasha Brieger, owner and operator of Hill Country Lavender since 2005.
Her farm was the first of nine in the Lavander Capital of Texas. It’s an impressive statistic considering this plant is not native to the Lone Star State, but thanks to a few Texan attributes, they’re doing pretty well in our part of the world.
“They can handle a lot. They’re tough little plants. You just have to get them in the ground and get their roots established and then they handle it,” said Brieger.
From mid-May to July these plants put on an amazing display for the eyes and a sweet sensation for the senses. People flock from all around to make their own cut of a few of the fragrant flora.
“So, what you do when you come out and cut your own, you’re going to take the scissors and you’re going to go down to the base right before the leaves,” Brieger said.
The buds are used to make the lavender beauty products that customers love. Blooms lower on the stem are used for oil, and higher blooms are cut to be dried. But, if you’re cutting for yourself, you can cut at any point.
When you have such a unique and beautiful plant that smells like a fancy French perfume prospering in a small town, it’s no surprise that it’s led to a little celebration for this pretty plum perennial.
Libbey Aly showed us around the annual Lavender Festival, held every June in Blanco.  Here you’ll find out all sorts of interesting uses for the flower, which happens to be related to the mint leaf.
“Oh, gosh, it’s used for everything. You can cook with it, you can infuse it and make tea out of it, they make wine out of it, you can spritz it on your body, they make body products, you can use it for your pet, you can repel bugs, you can sanitize your home, you can make your home smell good, you can put it on your temples if you have a headache – it’s ancient.  They used to use it, Cleopatra and Marc Antony used lavender,” said Aly.
The profusion of uses for this mauve-colored flower might help explain the craze that folks have for the festival, especially in the case of Robert Hall, who covered himself in every shade of lavender imaginable for the big day.
“It’s always been a pleasant color for me, so it’s one of my favorite colors,” said Hall. “I do blues and that, but I really like lavender.”
He then led the way to one provocative purple potion, a little mixed drink made out of – you guessed it – lavender. The Lavender Lizzie is a sweet libation made out of lavender margarita mix and some bubbly to bring you good cheer while you’re celebrating at the festival.
The smiles, laughter, and love that the residents and visitors of Blanco have for this aromatic plant makes all of the effort put into planning such a big day worth it.
“That’s why I love my business. The joy people see,” said Brieger.
So start your summer with a sensational stroll through the fields of purple flowers in Blanco County at the annual Lavander Festival, well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.

The Texas Bucket List – Messina Hof Winery and Resort

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BRYAN – In the fertile soil of the Brazos Valley, you’ll find a field of vines with a Lenoir linage dedicated to a Lone Star State libation.

No matter what quarter of the state you go to, Texans are always willing to raise a glass to their favorite vino. But we wanted to get the whole process, so we went down to Bryan to the Messina Hof vineyard to harvest some of this heart-healthy concoction.

Paul Bonarrigo is the CEO of Messina Hof, a Texas wine tradition that was founded by another Paul Bonnarigo and his wife Merrill back before Paul was even born.  You could say the vineyard is his kind of an older sibling.

“Messina Hof was officially started in 1977. That’s when the vineyard went in the ground,” said Bonarrigo. “I was working in the vineyard since I was incredibly young, so I mean, my first official social security year was when I was 8 years old.”

Growing up around grapes was a constant learning experience for Paul, but before leading the family’s vineyard, he followed another calling and, like his father before him, served our country.  Paul joined the Marines and was deployed to Iraq twice.

“You know, it makes you appreciate everything. Life in general, the things that some people may consider to be big deals, I don’t, you know, it’s humbling, it modifies your viewpoint on life,” Bonnarigo said.

These days you’ll always find Paul raising a glass to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness while teaching thousands of visitors about the joy of winemaking at a special celebration they call, the harvest festival.

“Harvest Festival is when we get a chance to share what we do with the public,” Bonnarigo said. “To understand the process, to be a part of it, is a lot of fun and it’s something your memories will last a lifetime here because it’s so unique. You can’t do this very often.”

Every August, with the vines sagging from the full weight of the fine Texas fruit, folks line up to work the fields.

“We, as winemakers, get to do this on a daily basis and we experience the wine and we see the art and science involved with it. It’s a great opportunity to share knowledge, but there’s also our motto of ‘Join the family,’ that’s what it’s kind of all about,” said Bonnarigo.

Before the harvest begins, the vines are blessed.

“Being faith-based and focused on that is big for both our family and for the winery,” Bonnarigo said. “So, we always give it up to God.”

Well, water won’t turn into wine here, so the grapes have to be harvested. With a collection of clusters, it’s not hard to find the fortuitous fruit. You’ll even find the Paul senior with his trademark beret pulling his boisterous weight.

It’s not often you’ll see people smile while performing manual labor, but this is one of those exceptions. And that might be because in the end, you know there’s a payoff. Before uncorking a fine vintage, stomping on some grapes leaves a lasting impression.

“Most people are fine with it. You know, we have some people who get that little bit of the tippy toes when they start to get in there, like oh, this is a little bit different, but mostly everybody, they’ll jump in and just have a fun time,” Bonnarigo said.

This old school way of making spirits takes you back to European way of wine making, but all in the heart of Aggieland.

Then it was time to experience the wine. That’s when we met Michael Broussard, the man who knows his wine. After a few lessons, it was time to toast to Texas.

The evening is closed out with diner, drinks, and a chance to talk life with follow lovers of the vine.  To connect with something that’s been bringing people together long before the wedding in Cana.

“There’s something that just makes it so magical to know that when the next bottle when the crop comes up, like that could be your pick, what you picked off the vine,” said Jellica Thomassen, Bryan-College station resident.

Whether you’re here for a drink and relaxation or to be a part of the winemaking process, Messina Hof makes for a great stop on The Texas Bucket List.

“We think that letting people be involved not only gives you a new viewpoint, but also lets you experience something that you can’t experience anywhere else,” said Bonnarigo. “No matter where you go in the world, a Texan is proud of Texas. They still understand and appreciate the value of Texas Ag, and Texas wine.”

The Texas Bucket List – Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

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Whether you’re interested in learning about the native fish of Texas or just want to catch a few of your own, the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens is the place to go, enjoy, and bring your kids along for some family-friendly fun.  This center is one of five in the Lone Star State operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the only one that’s open to visitors.  Here you can learn about our reservoirs and cast a line of your own! Well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List.

The Texas Bucket List – South Padre Island Sandcastle

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Sun, smiles, and sandcastles – staples at South Padre Island’s “Biggest Ever” Sandcastle! Sculptor Andy Hancock is just doing what he loves bringing cheer to the children and tourists of South Padre. Every inch of the towering castles is excruciatingly detailed and designed by hand. If you’re headed to the beach this spring or summer, be sure to stop and stand in awe of the permanent castles that stand guard over the sandy shores! Well worth a stop on The Texas Bucket List!