Chances are, you have a handwritten card or note that a family member or friend mailed that you have saved. When you see it, doesn’t it serve as a quiet reminder of that person? Perhaps they are no longer with us, and that note is your link to them. Perhaps it marks a special occasion, … Read more
After a three hour drive, we arrive at an old 1960’s South Texas ranch house. Pulling in, you immediately notice the other trucks carrying kayaks parked around the barn, guys sitting in lawn chairs in the shade, and the Texas flag flying over the Pila. Grabbing my overnight bag, I head into Marlene’s house to … Read more
As we prepare for the upcoming Das Festival on Father’s Day weekend, I started to wonder what cigar is light enough to pair with a great German style beer. I wanted it to have the ability to grab you with its tremendous flavor profile, yet to also be a quicker smoke as to not to … Read more
It’s the start of a new season. The grass is mowed, the lines are chalked, and the air is buzzing with anticipation of competition. The players take the field, and then—there it is—the sound that cuts through the noise of the crowd. Walkup music. If you’ve been around high school baseball or softball in recent … Read more
June in Kendall County means summer is in full swing—sunlit evenings, community celebrations, and the welcome hum of tradition echoing down Main Street. And there’s no better reflection of that spirit than Das Festival of Kendall. As one of its founding board members, I’ve had the privilege of seeing this event grow from an idea … Read more
Published in 2011, the late John Eddie Vogt’s book, Witches, Bitches, and Other Small Town Folks, brings to life the quirky, unforgettable, and entertaining tales of growing up and living in Kendall County from the 1930s through the 1960s. Thanks to the gracious permission of his family, The Kendall Gentleman is honored to share excerpts … Read more
By the mid-19th century, political unrest and economic uncertainty were driving countless German families to seek a new life across the Atlantic. Among them was a determined young man named Caspar Real, whose journey from Hanover to the Texas Hill Country would help shape the heart and soul of Kendall County. From Hanover to the … Read more
Born in San Antonio to a family deeply rooted in military tradition, Collins Martin’s life is a testament to service, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to community. His father and maternal grandfather both served in the U.S. Air Force, and when his grandfather retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the late 1960s, he established a … Read more