The New Braunfels Texas Wurstfest This Fall

Add the New Braunfels Texas Wurstfest to Your Fall Travel

By Susan Dunn

GEMÜTLICHKEIT (warm friendliness, good cheer)



“Willkommen zum WURSTFEST! Prosit, und hab' Spasz!” is the slogan for this really appealing annual event. It means “Welcome. Cheers! To your health, and have fun!”



Combining a unique German community in South Texas, great food, fabulous bands imported from Germany for the occasion, amusement rides, affordable entry, a well-run event and often beautiful weather, the New Braunfels, Texas, “Wurstfest” has all the ingredients of a great family outing. (Plenty of local accommodations available, as this is an area where “gemütlichkeit” is plentiful and tourists are welcome.)



New Braunfels is located just a few miles north of San Antonio, Tx., which offers a full array of activities to include in your schedule – Fiesta Texas, Sea World, the Alamo, the RiverWalk, and wonderful Mexican food and markets, should you wish to make this a multicultural adventure.



Having just returned from a lovely evening at Wurstfest, I’m compelled to tell you how much fun it is. We began on a perfect fall evening unable to resist the smell of the sizzling pork chops and huge German sausages served on a stick, complimented by a great selection of beers, potato soup, German dinners, Reuben sandwiches, corn on the cob – and more -- and ended our evening with pfankuchen, funnel cake and coffee.



We rode the beautiful Ferris wheel and then settled under Das Grosse Zelt, the big tent, at the end of the Marktplatz to be charmed by the 10-piece brass band from Germany whose rousing tunes got everyone up and dancing – just as many kids as adults, and partners not at all required. They were only topped by the band that followed.



This Wurstfest, the celebration of German sausage, began in New Braunfels in 1961, just a one-day affair which nonetheless drew a crowd of 2,000 due to press coverage throughout the nation and in Germany. Since then, it has grown to a ten-day affair with well-maintained permanent facilities drawing over 100,000 and raising many dollars for local charities. Your good time will also be a good deed!



You can learn more about Wurstfest at their official website: http://www.wurstfest.com/index.html , and from the Wurstfest Association, Post Office Box 310309, New Braunfels, Texas 78131-0309, 830/625-9167, or toll free 1-800-221-4369.



Admission is a mere $8.00 per person (children under 12 free), with special rates for early purchase, groups, and day discounts.


ADD ANHALT



If Wurstfest dates should ever coincide with the 3rd Sunday in October (and even if they don’t), make it a homerun by including public dancing at Anhalt Hall, just down the road apiece, about 28 miles west of New Braunfels.



Anhalt was settled by German pioneers around 1857 and this may be the oldest dance hall in Texas, with a newly renovated 6000 square foot hardwood dance floor usually featuring a German band (you MUST do the German Grand March) and then a C&W band (local talent).



It’s open air and you can sit in the grandstands and watch or pay to get on the dance floor. Kids welcome and great food and beer. It is run by the Germania Farmers Verein, originally established to protect the settlers and their livestock from Indians. It’s out in the country and an experience you don’t want to miss.



How far out in the country? Well, according to the website, in the 1970s “the population along Anhalt Road between Farm Road 475 and the hall was estimated at ten.” Population figures for 2000 were not available.



Admission and ample parking are free; there’s a minimal charge ($7?) if you want to get on the dance floor (which you will)!

To read more about Anhalt, go to the Texas Honky Tonk Dance Hall website: http://www.honkytonktx.com/dancehalls/.



They also feature public dancing during Mayfest (3rd Sunday in May), and Summerfest (last Saturday in July).



©Susan Dunn, MA, Personal Life and EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . Offering coaching, Internet courses and ebooks for your personal and professional development. mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for free ezine.



I train and certify EQ coaches. Email for info on fast, affordable, comprehensive, no-residency program. Start immediately. Great for building a practice.

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Texas Reverse Mortgage Laws Change

Change In Texas Law May Make Reverse Mortgages More Popular

By Charles Essmeier

Texas was one of the last states to allow homeowners to take out home equity loans. Laws going back to the nineteenth century strictly prohibited home equity lending, as legislators feared that unscrupulous lenders would take advantage of homeowners for the purpose of seizing their homes through foreclosure. This made it impossible for citizens of the Lone Star State to use their equity for home improvements, debt consolidation or paying medical bills, as homeowners in other states may do.



In 1997, the Texas constitution was amended to allow homeowners to borrow against their home equity. The amendment allowed for traditional term loans, lines of credit, and reverse mortgages, but did not allow a line of credit on a reverse mortgage.



In a reverse mortgage, owners of homes who are at least 62 years of age may borrow against the equity in their home. They need not pay the money back until they die, move or sell the home. Reverse mortgages have become quite popular in the last few years, especially in areas like California, where homeowners may be cash poor but may have a lot of equity in their homes. Nationally, nearly 90% of homeowners who take out a reverse mortgage do so with a line of credit. In Texas, however, the only options are a lump sum or monthly payments. There are several advantages in taking a reverse mortgage in the form of a line of credit, rather than a lump sum. The most significant is the fact that interest is only due when money is actually drawn from the credit line. This saves the homeowner substantial amounts of interest over the life of the loan when compared to a lump-sum payout. Reverse mortgages have been quite popular in Texas since the law was changed to allow them, but lenders say that the demand should increase substantially if lines of credit are allowed.



The Texas Legislature has recently approved a constitutional amendment that will allow lines of credit for reverse mortgages, and this amendment is expected to be on the ballot in Texas this fall. This bill is expected to pass easily, and once it does, Texas may become the leading state in the country for issuing reverse mortgages.



About the Author: ©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including http://www.End-Your-Debt.com, a Website devoted to debt consolidation information and http://www.HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information on home equity loans.



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The Imporatance Of A Backyard In A Texas Home For Sale

The Imporatance Of A Backyard In A Texas Home For Sale

When you look at Texas homes for sale, the backyard may not be your first concern. You are busy looking at the kitchen, the living areas, and the bedrooms. However, all other things being equal, it is not a bad idea to consider the backyards of Texas homes for sale.

Consider the view if you have a zero lot line home. Your backyard provides the entrance. You will be looking at it every day. You will not be able to turn your back and ignore it. So if you look at Texas homes for sale like this, be sure you can live with the view.

A patio is an important part of Texas homes for sale whether they are Zero Lot Line homes or not. Since most of Texas stays warm for the better part of the year, you will probably spend many evenings on your patio. There are many aspects of a patio that you will want to note.

Keep in mind the size of the grill. Ask yourself will all of my patio furniture fit on my new patio? When considering a Texas home for sale, try to do a rough estimate of the amount of patio furniture you have. Also don’t forget that dream barbecue grill. Will you have enough space for all of that outdoor cooking you enjoy?

Some Texas homes have built in barbecue pits. That may be to your liking, but make sure of a couple of things first. Make sure you like the material the pit and the patio are made of and that those are easily replaceable. If for example, it is made of concrete, make sure it is not cracked. If it is stone or brick, make sure the material is not so unusual you will have trouble replacing it if it gets damaged.

Trees adorn the backyards of many Texas homes for sale. That is another thing that will impress you. The more mature trees they are the luckier you are because you can spend many afternoons in a shaded backyard. Imagine yourself in your hammock out of the sweltering heat. Trees can adorn your home for as long as you own it, as long as the trees are not past their prime.

Swimming pools of different sizes and styles are featured in many backyards of Texas homes for sale. It is a luxury many consider affordable. The main thing you have to remember here is that pools come in varied states of repair and disrepair. Find one that is in good condition. It makes the buying process, so much easier.

So the backyard is an important consideration when looking for a Texas home for sale. Imagine the peace and relaxation of spending privacy in your own backyard. It will help relax you and prepare you for the next day. A backyard is an important part of the home buying decision.

To see beautiful backyards and a beautiful traditional neighborhood concept designed by the award winning Southern Land Company, you must visit Tucker Hill, McKinney, Texas’ newest community. Designed with lush green open spaces and featuring mature trees, beautiful landscaping for both the home and the property, Tucker Hill is a must see development for anyone looking to buy a Texas home for sale.

Looking for ref="http://www.tuckerhilltx.com/WhitePapers/MoreInfo/
tabid/1018/Default.aspx?ad=19">New McKinney Homes in the Dallas /Forth Worth area. Visit lovely Tucker Hill in McKinney, Texas, A traditional Neighborhood Concept built by the Award winning Southern Land Company.

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Unique Start To Historic Project In Sugar Land Texas

Unique Start To Historic Project In Sugar Land Texas

The credit crunch has forced many builders and developers to put new projects on Hold. That may change with the Fed cutting interest rates by a half a point.

By Larry Emsweller

The credit crunch has forced many builders and developers to put new projects on Hold. That may change with the Fed cutting interest rates by a half a point.

The mortgage crisis stopped some companies in their new developments and others kept moving right ahead with exciting plans. Southern Land Company, based in Franklin, Tennessee is one such company. They are bringing together all of the principles in an old fashioned charrette to launch a new Historic development in Sugar Land, Texas.

Historic Developments don’t just happen. There is planning involved. A charrette is just that - a bringing together of all of those involved to brainstorm and determine how the project will take shape.

The development in Sugar Land Texas is the old Imperial Sugar Mill Company. An historic landmark that will take the old refinery and mill and turn it into a development featuring commercial, retail and residential components set in a neighborhood setting.

The charrette is an all week experience. It began on Sept 18. A web site goes live on Tuesday, Sept 19 that allows visitors to experience the activities. Included will be videos, stories, features and information about the site.

People can check in at www.sugarlandcharrette.com and see what progress is being made and get the feel for an old time tradition being used to design this historic village.

See this latst design creation Texas Real Estate and experience this old fashioned charrete and see the plans take shape.