Dripping Springs
POSTAL PATRON
REALTOR®
scott@stanberry.com
The Gardens of Cranesbury View
New Braunfels, TX 78132
19-acre one of a kind European inspired Wedding Venue including 6 Chateaus with overnight accommodations for up to 50 people, gorgeous sculpted gardens and hedge paths, and currently offered at a 7.5% Cap rate as a Turnkey investment! For Sale - $5,525,000
REALTOR® Brooke Koppy REALTOR®
512.658.3355
brooke@stanberry.com
Ideal location in Canyon Lake – Just 5 minutes to the park and marina!
Welcome to 842 Cougar Drive, your own private sanctuary on 2.64 acres. 3 BR, 3 BA, fully furnished, hot tub, outdoor stone pizza oven, large live oaks, and large metal detached garage/workshop.
Asking $599,900
16413 Fitzhugh Rd Dripping Springs, TX For Sale - $2,850,000
35 AC Tract, Unrestricted, Residential Development or Primary Residential Use Only, Terms 0% Interest! per month (counts Balance due in a 5-yr. interest on balance due!
Koppy REALTOR®
512.658.3355
brooke@stanberry.com
112 Bell Hill Drive
office/retail
Clean
Dripping Springs, TX 78620
areas, plus gorgeous outdoor spaces with water feature. 1,361 SF available now, additional space being developed. Excellent location! MLS# 8560595
Beautifully maintained 4-BR, 3-BA home with a dedicated office/flex room. Set on a desirable corner lot in the heart of Caliterra, one of Dripping Springs’ most sought-after master-planned communities. Single story, fireplace, 3-car garage.
REALTOR® 830.385.6863
kjeanes@stanberry.com
brick 2 BR, 2 BA home .31 acre lot with backyard, and workshop.
290 & HWY 281 COUNTY Location currently operates as local uses. 1,800 SF on 0.42 acres, additional land available. Billboard provides additional income. MLS# 8746666
Recently painted home features large screened in back porch. The HVAC, hot water heater, garage door opener, appliances, and front door have all been recently replaced. Asking $378,000
less than 4 days asking price! and want to know what your home is worth? Give us a call.
“EVERYTHING TEACHES TRANSITION, TRANSFERENCE, METAMORPHOSIS: THEREIN IS HUMAN POWER, IN TRANSFERENCE, NOT IN CREATION; & THEREIN IS HUMAN DESTINY, NOT IN LONGEVITY BUT IN REMOVAL. WE DIVE & REAPPEAR IN NEW PLACES.”
– RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Editor Publisher
Cyle Elizabeth Johnson
Creative Director Nico Johnson
Cover
Ekaterina Morozova
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The Dripping Springs Outlook, a subsidiary of Valentino Publications, is mailed monthly to all street addresses serviced by the Dripping Springs Post Office in 78620.
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I don’t know about you, but I was hoping winter weather might hold on a little longer. I have far too many coats and jackets that never see the light of day, let alone the icy breath of winter. Although crisp mornings that lead predictably into warm afternoons have given us incentive to seize the morning and thus the beautiful day to follow.
I hope your year is treating you well. With a new baby in our family and a work schedule that craves more attention daily, I’ve come to understand that the pace I keep is not temporary but my new normal. I think any parent can tell you, you don’t grow more hours in a day but you can learn to maximize the potential of the hours we’re given.
The idea that there aren’t enough hours in the day is less about time and more about attention, energy, and clarity. At least that’s what ChatGPT tells me. And while I’ll never ask Chat to write a poem or other creative piece for me, I totally reached out for advice on how to make the most of the hours in my workday. Who better to advise me on how to crank it out like a machine than a machine?
1. Decide what “done” actually means. Essentially, be specific. Instead of “work on marketing” sub “draft 3 Instagram captions”.
2. Work in 90 minute power blocks. I like this. A lot. I love a finish line moment.
3. Stop switching context. Don’t jump from task to task – we lose mental momentum. Chat says context switching is a silent productivity killer. Oh, the horror.
4. Use an energy map strategy. Hmm.. I guess for me that’s the intersection of my caffeine peak and Catarina’s first big nap of the day.
5. Reduce decision fatigue. Athleisure and chocolate croissants every day. Done.
6. The 5-Minute Rule. Chat says if you’re avoiding something, commit to 5 minutes. I like this one. Mel Robbins does a countdown to action from 5. Whatever works.
7. Ruthlessly eliminate. Delegate. Automate. Eliminate. Evolution, baby. Doing more is not the goal. Doing the right things is.
8. Create a shutdown ritual. Chat says to review what you finished, choose tomorrow’s top 3, clear your desk, and close your tabs. I’ll add a glass of wine and some essential oils to that list as well.
Cyle Elizabeth Johnson
EDITOR
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Studies demonstrate that specific red-light wavelengths can influence mitochondrial without causing thermal damage to surrounding tissues. This cellular approach supports two powerful benefits: Cellular Detoxification & Fat Release cells at the mitochondrial level, InvisaRed promotes improved cellular energy efficiency and metabolic signaling. This gentle “fat release” process supports circulation, detoxification, and lymphatic flow – an ideal complement to holistic wellness, metabolic optimization, and recovery-focused protocols.
Zen and the Art of Vine Swinging
It took packing up a U-Haul of my possessions and leaving my home of eight years, where I’d worked as a photojournalist in the cool mountain air of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and moving to Austin with the sweltering summers that start in the spring and loiter into the fall. It took, at the age of thirty-six, entering an Austin evening graduate school and working odd jobs during the day to pay my bills. It took volunteering at a low-cost psychological services internship where I saw clients on a sliding scale, some fees as low as fifty cents a session. It took working at three sites, including a prison, to complete my two thousand hours of postgraduate internship.
And finally, I was there. Facing my counseling licensure state board examinations, where I would have to answer two hundred multiple-answer questions on a computer notebook. I think I prayed more in those several hours than I had in a month.
I clicked on the last question, and I was done. The test proctor, a grandmotherly type of woman dressed in an electric red muumuu sporting prints of watermelons the size of footballs, ejected the disk from the computer on which I had tapped out my answers. Following her to the results room, where my score was going to be calculated in thirty seconds, a detached calmness fell over me.
My friend from graduate school told me about his experience in receiving those test results the month before. When he was told that he had passed his state boards, he impulsively hugged the proctor. As I sat on the hard plastic chair while the computer whirled through my answers, I thought, Well, if I fail, then I’ll be cool and try to look stoic. But if I pass, then I’ll be danged if I’m going to hug this woman.
The test proctor glanced at my results spit out by the dotmatrix printer (this was the mid-1990s, after all) before reading them aloud. Her beaming face told me the answer. I reached up and hugged her hard, watermelon-covered muumuu and all. I could breathe again.
by Leslie Tourish, LPC
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, wrote, “Neurosis is the inability to tolerate ambiguity,” and believed this to be the engine behind so many of our paralyzing fears. And believe me, I was beyond scared when I left one comfortable job to dive into the unknown of an entirely new career in early middle-age. But as I tell my clients, we may feel comfortable when we’re swinging through the proverbial jungle, hanging onto a vine. But fear occurs when we loosen our grip in order to grab the next vine. It’s the open space, the free fall, that so many of us find intolerable. Fear keeps us stuck onto some pretty sick vines, such as unhealthy relationships and dead-end jobs.
In his book, “Zen and the Art of Making a Living,” Laurence Boldt writes about the power of change: “Society gives us preconceived, abstract notions of how our lives are supposed to be and puts on tremendous pressure to see that we conform. Then, of course, there is our own weakness and rigidity. We fear change. We try to create a predictable life that is as unthreatening as possible. Yet it’s not knowing what’s coming around the corner that makes life interesting. Look at nature; it’s full of surprises. It curves, zigzags, wiggles, and bends. Its forms grow, expand, decay and die. Change is everywhere, ongoing. Yet for all its changes, nature has an order, an intelligence.”
By opening ourselves up to infinite possibilities and our true vision of how we wish intuitively to grow, we allow real growth to occur. And who knows, maybe we can sprout our own vines to swing on.
Leslie Tourish, LPC, is a Dripping Springs psychotherapist in private practice. To contact Leslie, visit LeslieTourish.com orLATourish.com
Gabria Cathcart FNP-C, IFMCP
Are you in that peri-menopausal or menopausal stage of life and struggling to feel like your old self?
Are your cycles becoming more intolerable? Have you gained weight and
It doesn’t have to be this way. You can notice changes in your body with a few simple tweaks. Hormones are a huge part of our sense of well-being and our overall health. As women, we spend approximately 40% of our lives in a menopausal state. Improve your metabolic flexibility and improve or eliminate those symptoms that are causing disruption in your life.
If these symptoms sound like you and you would like to have a conversation, I would be happy to help.
887 1817
Public Safety with Your Dog
Obedience training can extend beyond your basic commands used at home. If you regularly take your dog into public spaces, it may be time to think of ways to expand your dog’s training to account for situations you may come across in these everchanging settings. In public areas, there are many more factors that could distract your dog’s attention away from you, letting their mind wander and their training fall to the wayside. Keeping your dog’s attention on you can allow you to spend more time navigating the space safely and keeping them out of harm's way.
Let's think of an afternoon when you decide to take your dog with you to run some errands. First thing in the morning, you may want to grab a coffee, but you have your pup in the back seat. You pull up to a pet-friendly cafe and decide to bring your dog with you! Here’s where leash training comes in handy to keep your dog by your side rather than allowing their nose to go near other people’s tables and orders.
The new smells, food, and commotion might be an extra challenge for your dog. Obedience training comes in handy to ```
by Diana Ozimek
keep your dog focused on you rather than every distraction that comes their way. Keeping them contained and stationary so others don’t step on their paws or trip and spill hot coffee over them. This kind of skill is not only good for your pet but courteous to others around you.
Next stop is swinging by the bank to grab some cash for your friend’s birthday party! Here’s where a secondary kind of command can come in handy for you. Training your dog to be your look out and alert you or protect you if any suspicious person gets too close while you’re withdrawing money is something that works towards your safety. This behavior can be used in any situation you may feel you need some extra back up. Switching to having your dog face away from you instead of focusing on you.
Remember that obedience training can go beyond what you use in the house and help your pet be a proper community member in public. Bringing your pup to an outdoor patio, pet-friendly brewery, boutique, or cafe adds to your pet’s day-to-day routine and enhances their life. Meanwhile, bringing your best furry friend along for the ride can finally feel like a family outing where everyone is invited. Think of all the ways you can expand your dog’s training to fit your lifestyle and have them work together.
Reach out to Good Dog in the Making with a goal in mind and their experienced trainer can help you and your pup achieve them together! Good Dog takes care to expose your dog to public spaces during their training program to take the first steps in becoming a canine good citizen.
Diana is the owner & lead trainer at Good Dog in the Making. She is excited to bring her puppy training expertise to her new community & help families raise confident, well-mannered dogs.
Camp Ages 5 to 12 (space is limited)
GROWING CHILD
The Future Is Built On the Past
by Steve Mallet
Many newcomers to Dripping Springs do not realize the rich and complicated role this sleepy little town has played in the history of Central Texas. Long considered the “Gateway to the Hill Country,” Dripping Springs has had its share of fame, notoriety, booms, and busts over time. Prior to 1872, raids by local Tonkawa Indian residents were common, and the area where water seeped from limestone bluffs into thick forests of ferns served as a gathering place for local tribes.
In 1857, the local town was granted a post office but needed a name. Nannie Moss, the wife of postmaster John Moss, proposed the official name of the Milk House Branch of the Edwards Aquifer—thus, Dripping Springs was born.
The City of Dripping Springs has dedicated time, energy and resources into preserving the iconic buildings that are spread throughout the small downtown area and within the 3 designated Historic Districts.
Construction is currently underway at “Short Mama’s House” at 101 College Street. What began as a small home and later became a hotel known locally as the Lou Breed Boarding House is now being transformed into an upscale restaurant, all while preserving the building’s history and original character. Across Highway 290, at the corner of Bluff Street and Hays Street, sits a charming two-story home: the Dr. Harrison House at 200 Bluff Street. Considered one of the oldest and most historic sites in Dripping Springs, the home has housed many doctors over the years. Dating back to 1883, it has served as a residence, doctor’s office, operating room, and more recently, a short-term rental. The property is currently for sale, awaiting its next steward to restore her to the glory days as the mansion of Dripping Springs.
The Dripping Springs Academy building, founded as a private school in 1881, is one of the town’s most prominent and significant structures. Located at the intersection of Mercer Street and Old Fitzhugh Road, it was dedicated as a State Historical Landmark in 1968 and became home to a Masonic Lodge in 1952. Local lore tells of a mischievous student who once pulled a cow up the stairs into a second-story classroom, much to the frustration of a rancher who learned firsthand that cows will go up stairs but absolutely refuse to come down.
Over the years, as cattle and sheep ranchers, cotton growers, and stone masons have given way to subdivisions, large chain stores, and fast-food restaurants, Dripping Springs residents have continued to cling to the friendly yet independent spirit that birthed the town more than 160 years ago. The influence of the craftsmen who built many of the structures along Mercer Street and Old Fitzhugh Road can still be seen today. And while Dripping Springs continues to expand at a rapid rate, many residents, young and old, remain firmly rooted in the foundation laid by the settlers and ranchers who shaped one of Texas’s most interesting towns. It’s a heritage worth preserving so future generations know what came before them.
Steve has been selling real estate since 2003. His team can help with all of your real estate needs. Residential, commercial, farm and ranch. CoHost of the Mallett and Michelle on Dripping Springs Podcast.
At Your Growing Child, we provide a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment where children are inspired to learn through play, exploration, and love. Our dedicated teachers focus on building confidence, creativity, and lifelong learning skills in every child.
Texas Rising Star Certified Center
STEAM & Hands-On Learning
Baby Sign Language
Zoo Phonics
Community-Focused Values
From first smiles to first milestones.
We partner with families every step of the way. Your child’s growth is our greatest joy.
Litigation: You Can’t Sue
Allstate
YOU: But I don’t want to sue him; I want to sue his insurance company and that sadistic adjuster.
LAWYER: You can’t!
YOU: What!! Clients are often surprised when their lawyer explains that certain lawsuits cannot be brought directly against the insurance company. It can be frustrating when the suit has to be filed only because insurance company for the person who hit you has delayed, denied, or low-balled the claim. Nevertheless, you can’t sue the adjuster or the insurance company, only their insured who may be a perfectly liable person.
In Texas when the insurance company will be responsible to pay only if their insured is responsible for the loss, the suit must be against the insured, not the insurance company. This results from the fact that Texas does not have a “direct action statute”. In states which have a direct-action statute, the insurance company can be sued directly in such situations, but that’s not Texas.
JUROR: We just didn’t feel that fellow could afford to pay a big judgment, so that’s why our verdict was only for a small portion of your total damages.
After the client hears this in the hallway following the trial, the client is even more frustrated because the client’s lawyer was not allowed to tell the jury that the individual or entity being sued will not have to pay the judgment because there is liability insurance that will pay the judgment. The opposing lawyer always files a motion, called a “motion in limine”, requesting that the judge prohibit counsel and witnesses for the injured party from mentioning the insurance coverage. In addition, the jury is instructed by the Court that they cannot consider whether or not a party is covered by liability insurance. Obviously, this can result in just the sort of statement by a juror that the imaginary client referred to above heard in the courthouse hallway. The client’s frustration is easy to understand.
There are some cases in which the insurance company can be sued directly. A common one is when it is your own insurance company and you are bringing an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim. Another is when an adjuster or other employee or representative of the insurance company does something wrong.
We discuss those in other “Litigation” articles appearing from time to time in this publication. Some of these articles can also be found in Roland’s Law Blog at Roland@RolandsLaw.com.
by Roland Brown
Attorney Roland Brown handles exclusively personal injury claims. Roland, who offices in Wimberley, has been voted HAYS COUNTY’S BEST PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY for 2020, 2021, and 2023 in annual polls of Hays County attorneys. For more information call 512 847 2500.
A NEW BALANCE IN THE HILL COUNTRY
By Cody Johnson
Since the beginning of December, transaction volume across the Hill Country has surged — a clear sign that momentum is back. After two years of uncertainty, buyers and sellers alike are stepping off the sidelines and into a market that finally feels balanced again.
Mortgage rates are now at three-year lows, bringing much-needed relief to affordability. Buyers who had paused their searches are realizing that today’s rates — while higher than the historic lows of 2020 — represent real opportunity compared to where we’ve been. Sellers, meanwhile, have adjusted expectations from the inflated COVID valuations, creating pricing that’s grounded in reality and attractive to serious buyers.
There’s also a new understanding across the market: interest rates aren’t going back to 2–3%. That recognition has restored confidence. Transactions are moving faster, offers are cleaner, and the overall tone feels healthier and more sustainable than anything we’ve seen in the past 24 months.
Whether you’ve been waiting to purchase your dream Hill Country property or considering listing your home, now is the time to act. The alignment of motivated buyers, realistic sellers, and improved affordability is a rare window — one that won’t last forever.
If you’re ready to make your next move, reach out to us at NestHaven Properties. Our team is here to guide you through this renewed and balanced market with expertise, integrity, and results.
Microbiological Safety of Your Water
by Randy Lawrence
The subject of water quality is widely discussed and certainly becomes a topic of interest to new Hill Country residents who may have relocated from a more urban setting and find themselves faced with water problems.
Paramount among these issues is ensuring that your water supply is free of bacterial contamination and therefore safe to drink. The most common type of bacteria found in untreated household water supplies is coliform. Ingesting this type of bacteria typically causes varying levels of stomach upset and intestinal issues.
If you pay a water bill each month, you can typically rest assured that the water is being disinfected with chlorine, or chloramines, before being distributed to your neighborhood. However, if your household water is supplied by a rain water system, or a privately owned well on your property, it is very important to be aware of the microbiological safety of your water. Without outside interference, it is fairly uncommon for water pumped directly from a conventional water well to be contaminated with bacteria. Examples of outside sources of contamination can include animal enclosures or septic drain fields in close proximity to the well-head. One common cause for bacterial contamination in household supplies is often a large storage tank which is filled by the well or by a rain water collection system. As beneficial as these storage tanks are, this water is unavoidably exposed to the possibility of contamination, making it necessary to consider adding a disinfection step to your home water treatment system.
Compared with the maintenance hassles associated with adding chemicals to your water, ultraviolet disinfection is a much more user friendly method of sterilizing your water supply. These wall mounted units are most effectively placed as the last step of treatment. This way the water is already filtered or treated for minerals before entering the UV unit, minimizing ongoing maintenance. UV bulbs should be changed annually to maintain effectiveness. Contact a licensed water treatment specialist with any concerns about the quality of your water supply.
Randy is the owner of ProQuality Water Systems, a full service water treatment company. He is one of only six Class III Certified Water Treatment Specialists in Hays County (LIC# WT0002693). With over 25 years of experience he has serviced Wimberley and surrounding areas for over two decades.
“When you want quality, call a pro.”
www.crystalspringscustompools.com
