01-05NOV07 - Kerrville, TX

The last week has been very relaxing, not doing much other than a little relaxed sightseeing. Plus the weather has been fantastic, low 80s during the day and high 50s at night.

One day we traveled to Medina, TX, with Dan’s sister, Sharon. Medina is very proud of their local apple orchards; they claim that their unique micro climate produces the best apples in USA! We had lunch at Love Creek Orchards, where they cook a pretty good hamburger. We also sampled their cider, soft apple ice cream and of course their apple pie. The ice cream was a definite hit, but the pie was so-so being made with sweet red apples rather that tart green apples.

http://www.lovecreekorchards.com/

On the return from Medina we stopped at combination general store and post office called Camp Verde. Turns out this was the site where the US Army experimented with camels as pack animals for about a dozen years. Although the building is over a hundred years old, it is not the original business that developed to support the Army workers and soldiers involved in the experiment. People still drive in from the farms and ranches to pick up their mail (and socialize).

http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/tx/campverde.html

On another day we met Sharon and Tim in Kerrville to take in the annual Texas Furniture Maker Exhibition. This annual event is a juried show (ie invitations only). The furniture entered was truly beautiful, often bordering on art. Of course the price tags reflected the beauty of the pieces. It was interesting to note that all the craftsmen stressed the use of natural Texas woods; and if exotic woods were used, they were from sustainable forests.

From there we traveled to Dave’s in Center Point. Sharon and Tim know our interest in unique/eccentric establishments, and feel Dave’s fits the bill. The official name of Dave’s is “Backdoor Pottery and Botanical Gardens.” Thirty years or so ago Dave started throwing pottery and has since become well known for his pottery. Meanwhile he has kept adding on to his business so that it now includes: two story green house with a mid level balcony; hundreds of exotic birds (parrots, parakeets, macaws, etc); bar-b-que; game rooms; several decks overlooking the Guadalupe River; and a bar. In our opinion Dave’s is unique and eccentric. And if you happen to be in town on the 10th of November at 7PM, then drop on by Dave’s for his wedding to Shelley. That’s right, Dave is getting married in his establishment and has extended an open invitation to everyone!
http://davesplacebiergartenbotanical.com/