by Phil Houseal | Nov 6, 2024 | All Articles, Events, History, Philosophy, Venue
Nov 6, 2024–Whether you embrace or avoid weddings, the celebration itself is a panorama of the human condition. Every stage of a person’s life is acted out in the drama on the matrimonial stage. At a recent betrothal, I was able to sort the life passages into five...
by Phil Houseal | Jun 12, 2024 | All Articles, Education, Events, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
June 12, 2024– “Everybody can run. Everybody has fun.” That is Grant Palmer’s simple mantra for his Hill Country-based Summer Track program. I saw it myself and it’s true. I sat in Tivy Antler football stadium on a hot summer evening with my two grands, along with...
by Phil Houseal | Apr 24, 2024 | All Articles, Education, Events, Music, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy
April 24, 2024–‘Tis the season for that unsettling rite of spring that comes to all multi-generational households: the music recital. To this day, I remember my first piano recital at age 8. It was in the Methodist church basement in my small hometown. I squirmed in...
by Phil Houseal | Jan 31, 2024 | All Articles, Education, Events, History, Music, People of the Hill Country, Venue
Jan 31, 2024–Audiences for the Dublin Harpers are so enamored with the lilting sound of the Celtic harp, they go away wanting to play it themselves. Unfortunately, the care and feeding of a full-size authentic harp is beyond the grasp of most casual players. It’s a...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 29, 2023 | All Articles, Events
Nov 29, 2023–Gift giving creates such a quandary. What can you possibly buy for someone that they can’t get for themselves? I’m not talking about kids or grandmas, those are easy. For kids, get toys. For grannies, pick up anything from Cracker Barrel. It’s those other...
by Phil Houseal | Nov 8, 2023 | All Articles, Events, Food, People of the Hill Country, Philosophy, Venue
Nov 8, 2023–For the semi-pro party planners that lurk among us, the holidays are their Olympics, Super Bowl, and Academy Awards, wrapped in a bow with a Christmas carol soundtrack. No group is more motivated to create a memorable event from scraps of paper and...
