You said Corn what?

I said Cornyval. That little festival that's been going on in Helotes right after Fiesta since 1966. 
Really, 1966? Yea, really. Where? Helotes Festival grounds located on Leslie Road (right off of Bandera Road) across from the O'Connor H. S. entry. 
And your thinking to yourself what's so great about Cornyval and why should I be there. 

• Well I'm not much for crowds if I can help it so all the big festivities of Fiesta such as the Oyster Bake or NIOSA leave me thinking I'll just stay home. Cornyval wasn't elbow to *cough* elbow people. There were folks in attendance but I had some air between me and the next person. Something I tend to like. 
• The parades are nice but the San Antonio Battle of Flowers parade begins at 1 p.m. in the afternoon when the weather can be upwards of 90 degrees. However the Cornyval parade is at 8:30 a.m. a time that makes it a lot cooler to attend.
• Parking also is better at Cornyval as there was no charge for us on Friday night, traffic was manageable and the walk from vehicle to festival grounds didn't require an overnight bag.
• Carnival I mean Cornyval has a carnival midway just like most other festivals including Fiesta. Smaller lines, meant less wait and without wall to wall people I didn't feel like I was suffocating.
• Money challenged folks, those who like to spend money and those who don't can both be comfortable at Cornyval. Depending on the day there may be no entry charge, a set price wristband that will allow your kids/grandkids unlimited midway rides, and if you like to rodeo then you can attend the Helotes PRCA rodeo.
• Music, a cold one and your sweetie holding you as y'all two step across the dance floor is all available at Cornyval. The night we chose to go was Friday night and there were two bands playing two different kinds of music, lots of line dancing and two-stepping going on and plenty of folks just toe tapping while sitting at the tables and benches all within the covered dance pavillion.
• And don't think you have to go hungry, because you don't. Almost every non-profit from the northwest area was in attendance hawking all kinds of yummy treats to satisfy your cravings. Sausage on a stick, roasted and boiled corn, tacos, brisket, Pilipinno food, funnel cakes, corn dogs and the list goes on. And the good news is that all these non-profits use the profits made at Cornyval to work all year long towards their goals of making lives better in the northwest part of Bexar county.
• Arts & Crafts folks were also in attendance selling the unique and fun, the purely Texas and the only they have items. We saw "pet" rocks from the Helotes Humane Society, handmade bird houses, one of a kind Fiesta style wreaths, cowboy hats (and cowgirl hats), hand tooled leather items and so much more. 

Sometimes the best things aren't the biggest, the ones most attended. We spent a little time, a little money and we left with a lot of smiles from Cornyval. I would recommend this festival as one not to be missed. 

Old fashioned kid fun

Hats?!? Oh yea!

Childrens' animal train ride in the midway

A taste of the wildlife

Polly wanna cracker for a train ride

Lots of activity on the big slide with burlap bags for sliders

The merry-go-round 

We did say it was Cornyval, didn't we

Yep, checked the shirt
and that's what it is.

All the different businesses from the area were present

Jewel tones, all laid out and only $1 each

Off to the races

Your own T-shirt, made while
you wait.

Hair bows

Ironwork

Custom birdhouses, made like a church

Or like a Texas log cabin

Fiesta style wreaths

using a sombrero for
your front door

custom leather tooled items

teens had fun on this ride

I love you by the light of
Techno Power

what a view from up here

super moon in the background

shoot, toss, throw and win a prize

Sunflowers and Historic Homes

One of the millions of sunflowers

It's been a little on the quiet side here on the blog. I have lots of excuses for that, but basically who cares right?!? LOL
So that being said, let's plunge on to our next destination. If you come visit the blog via Facebook, then I'm wondering did you guess where all those lovely sunflowers were or did you let others guess. Answer: They were actually on Hwy 90 between San Antonio and Castroville. 

One of the fields of sunflowers

It was one of those unexpected sites that can take your breath away. Or at least mine anyway. Field after field, acre upon acre of big, beautiful, bright yellow sunflowers! In some cases stretching as far as the eye could see to the horizon. Being the undaunted photographer, I had to pull over and take a picture. Hope you enjoyed it! 
So If I was on Hwy 90 heading away from San Antonio, then I was heading to Castroville. Like many of the small towns that surround San Antonio, Castroville has its own vibe. It's own history and its own feel. But don't think that just because you aren't in S.A. you can't come visit this quaint little town. 

• Austin to Castroville 105 miles
• Dallas to Castroville 300 miles
• Houston to Castroville 220 miles

Lilly on the Sisters of Divine
Providence property

This is another in the series of one tank wonders (maybe a little more than a tank in some cases/cars.) With plenty of accommodations such as the Brock Haus B & B, the Haby Settlement Guest House, or the Landmark Inn State Historic Site you have a wide range of choices for a nice weekend getaway.   

re purposing an old
wheelbarrow

The town also offers a good number of events throughout the year to help spur you to visit. One such event is the "Grandaddy of Church Festivals," the St. Louis Day Festival held in August. This is a family friendly event that has been occurring each year for 129 years. Another good event to attend if you'd like a little cooler weather is the Old Fashion Christmas on Houston Square. It is one of the largest arts and crafts shows in the area and is held on the first Friday and Saturday of December. 
You can come out almost any weekend all year long and just browse the antique shops, the meat markets, have a great lunch and/or take a walking tour of historic homes. Golf, Spa facilities, picnic and RV facilities are also available.

Inside the garden
of Peter Jungman Hus

On the day we visited, we had lunch at Sammy's on Hwy 90, for less than $5.00 per person thank you very much. Then headed right down the road less than a mile to Angelo St. to begin our walking tour. Most of the homes of interest are situated close to each other in the oldest part of Castroville within a six by seven block area. All you need is a desire, a good pair of walking shoes and some water. Most of the home owners are friendly and happy to tell you the history of their homes. One resident even invited us into their garden and gave us a tour complete with introductions of their cat and dog. 
Castroville is the road less traveled when it comes to small towns in central Texas. But well worth the visit especially if you want smaller crowds and less commercialism than you might find in some other locales. 
Of course we ended our visit to town with a visit to have satisfy my sweet tooth. I  couldn't leave town without a stop at Haby's Alsatian Bakery for made fresh that day bread and some cookies. Happily munching as I drove, somehow the ride back home was quicker and sweeter. 

Front door of the Jungman Hus

All of the historic homes or
businesses have these signs

another re purpose, this time a wagon

inside the Jungman
Hus garden

can we offer you a seat?

would you like to rest here?

the storage house of the
Jungman Hus

The original St. Louis Church building

Historic marker for the church

First house for the parish
Priest

The front porch of the Parish priest house, Fr. Dubuis

Side window of Fr. DuBuis house

Entry for the grounds of the Sisters
of Divine Providence 

Crucifix and alter on the
Sisters property

on the grounds of the
Sisters of Divine
Providence

marker explaining what the alter
was constructed with

The schoolhouse a 4 room building

refer to the next picture

on the grounds of the sisters

the original gate for the sisters
property

the view of the current church from
the sisters property which is across
the street

architectural detail on the
church

dedication stone

on the church
grounds

alter of the church

Love this picture which shows
the beam work inside the church

garden entry for one of the houses

another re purposing 

loved the painted embellishments

garden wall window and painted embellishment