Time in the Vegetable Garden

by Celia Hayes

I look at the pictures that I took in the early spring, and I can hardly recognize my yard. A bitter winter freeze and various large and small animal depredations had pretty much laid waste to it for the last year or so ... but what a difference five months have made! And a half-truckload of free mulch. And $65 dollars worth of timber and hardware from Lowe's, and approximately $200 spent here and there, at the Antique Rose Emporium, HEB, and Sam's Club for vegetable starts and premium potting soil and one or two other essential items. Considering that these expenses were spread over four months and between two of us, it's not very much at all. The back yard garden looks good enough that I can invite

Commemorating Armed Forces Day Message

May 19, 2012

Armed Forces Day is a special day assigned for the commemoration and recognition of military service member's unique and necessary sacrifices for the good of all. Observed every third week of May since 1949, the holiday continues giving people more insights and opportunities to realize how noble and how great the profession of the military is.

Thanks to all United States Veterans that have served, are serving and will choose to serve in the United States Military. US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, US Marine Corps and the US Coast Guard.

Thank you for your service!

SATXBlog Crossword Puzzle 9-"Classics"

The Spur's Dynamic System

by Randy Watson

Who would have thought the San Antonio Spurs had it in them? Even with three future Hall of Famers on the roster, no one thought they would be this good. How many people wrote them off? They are pretty much the same team as last year, right? And the year before? What did they do then? Well, that does not matter exactly because they did not win a championship and they did not shine at all, certainly for anyone outside of San Antonio.

Well, how things have changed. Duncan is playing like he is still a college student at Wake Forest. Where did those energetic legs come from? Is it because Gregg Popovich (Pop), the Spur's coach, knows how to manage an NBA team? Or is it because Duncan decided to work extra

The Beauty of Garden Ridge Real Estate

by Randy Watson

Located about 19 miles north east of downtown San Antonio, Garden Ridge is a serene bedroom community with about 3,250 residents. Situated in Comal County, it has all the amenities of the big city without the hustle and bustle. It is the perfect solution for families seeking a residence in a peaceful area with easy access to the big city. Commuting to the city is a breeze given the proximity of Garden Ridge to Interstate 35 and is a quick trip to the airport. Though only about a little over seven square miles yet still have numerous sub-divisions. Some examples of Garden Ridge real estate include: Georg Ranch, 7 Hills Ranch, Wild Winds, Park Lane Estates, Oak Meadows Estates, Forest Waters

Happy Mothers Day!

Hi Mom,

Happy Mother's Day! Sorry, I am unable to be with you today, but I will see you soon.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers Everywhere! I love you!

I hope all Mothers have a great day!

God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers. - Jewish Proverb

The sweetest sounds to mortals given
Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.
~William Goldsmith Brown

M-O-T-H-E-R
"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

Exploring Buda, Texas-Just 45 Minutes North of San Antonio

by Celia Hayes

We didn't spend all of last weekend watching the wienerdogs run; the Buda City park where that event took place was pleasingly located right next to old down-town Buda, so when we had enough of wandering around between pavilions, we walked along the three or four blocks that constitute Buda ... and looked around. It's one of those sweet, small towns which retain enough of their original late 19th century buildings to be quite charming, even if those buildings mostly run along one side of the street ... because the railway runs alongside the other. Buda's town founding fathers set aside a 150-foot wide reserve of land between Main Street and the International and Great

A Dog-Friendly List of San Antonio Condos for Sale

Check out my new San Antonio dog-friendly Condo list.

by Randy Watson

Hi, my name is Randy Watson and I am a self-confessed dog lover. I am also a real estate agent with Mission Realty, in San Antonio.

Texans love their dogs and cats... and here in San Antonio we are no exception. Dogs and cats are loved everywhere, except it gets a little tricky when it comes to buying real estate that accepts your pets. Especially when looking to buy: condominiums, townhomes and villas; since each may have its own rules and regulations regarding pets. Single family homes have fewer, if no restrictions regarding pets. (A word of caution, some HOA's, even towns/cities may have dog restrictions.)

Moving to a

The Running of the Wiener Dogs in Buda, Texas

by Celia Hayes

Let me say up front that we're still a little unsure of how to pronounce 'Buda' – although most of the people that we met there last weekend pronounced it 'B-yu-dah', which is fair enough. For those unfamiliar with the geography of South Texas, it is a once fairly independent and separate little community about an hour's drive north of San Antonio on IH-35, and close enough to Austin that it and the similar little community of Kyle are more or less bedroom slippers to Austin, as Boerne and Bulverde are now bedroom slippers to San Antonio.

We decided to go to support a friend who has a dachshund and who had a vendor booth for his bird feeders and ornamental lanterns, and because the

PRESS RELEASE: VLB now offering $417,000 for home purchases, $100,000 for land

Benefits for Texas veterans continue to grow with unanimous vote by board

VLB now offering $417,000 for home purchases, $100,000 for land

Benefits for Texas veterans continue to grow with unanimous vote by board
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 26, 2012 AUSTIN - Texas veterans can now take advantage of the VLB's low-interest rate loans to borrow as much as $417,000 to buy a home and $100,000 to buy land.

The Texas Veterans Land Board voted unanimously today to increase the home and land loan limits in the latest expansion of benefits under the leadership of Chairman Jerry Patterson.

"Texas veterans have more than earned this increased VLB benefit," Patterson said.