We’re going to church!
Not something I say often but when I’m promised painted ladies of the holy kind, I just can’t resist.
It was a bit of a risky venture day though…prior comments from my family on the topic of my entering a church and lightning striking aside. We normally go places and do things which minimize our contact with other people. Vineyards were on the questionable side as to how much of crowd we would be encountering. Still, it was our last weekend it Columbus, TX and we really wanted to see the painted ladies…err…churches of Schulenburg, Texas.
Who would have guessed that several unassuming churches in the back country of eastern Texas, many of which are in out of the way locations, contained stunning interiors. You can even join a tour group to see them but…people.
Of course, most of the churches are Catholic, so including wine throughout the day didn’t feel terribly disrespectful. And there are so MANY wineries around here! It’s almost a sin not to stop by a few and support local businesses when possible.
The weather only encouraged our outing with it was perfect. Not too hot, not to cool so we went for it. In total we stopped at five wineries, one distillery and five churches. Yep, lots of driving.
Stop number one was Rosemary’s Vineyard and Winery as it was the only winery open before noon (with as much as we were doing, we had to get an early start). Rosemary’s is a small place. A bit nondescript decor wise, yet still endearing. Their wine, however, is quite good. There was one other couple inside who were having their own vineyard tour that day so we exchanged notes and names in case we ran into each other later.
This was the place Dave and I realized we did not need our own tasting flight for each winery…doing so would have been irresponsible to my driver (Dave) and I probably would have fallen asleep around the third church.
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Giddings was our sanctuary visit. A striking blue and white interior resides within this quaint little chapel.
A gentleman was waiting outside for a tour group to arrive but happily talked with us about the church’s history as we peered around inside. This one is by far the simplest of the painted churches but its restrained use of color and decoration makes it the most charming in my opinion.
Upon hearing the tour group arrive, we departed… we felt out of place among this car club.
A Jeep among Porsches
The next stop was the Busted Oak Cellars, a classy place where you still feel at home.
Luck was with us as only a few people occupied both the inside and outside tables. It was past noon so we decided a snack was in order as an accompaniment to our flight. This was my first time eating paired food at a winery and I have to say it enhanced the whole experience.
The waitress cleverly detoured us off our preset course when explaining that they use the whiskey barrels from a local distillery when aging some of their wines.
We both love whiskey.
Fortunately, the Kooper Family Whiskey tasting room was literally right up the road and in the direction we were headed anyway. Ahhh fate, you are a lady.
A bottle of their Prodigal Son bourbon whiskey, smooth as silk with just the right amount of burn, somehow followed us home.
Where Rosemary’s winery is small but cute and the Busted Oak Winery is upscale, the Blue Mule Winery is down home fun.
Multiple tables set amidst rusty farm implements and some uninterested peacocks and chickens create a seating area outside. Nearby are pastures with, yes, mules. Just hanging out enjoying the day.
It was a surprise indeed to see the couple we meet earlier in the day at Rosemary’s, finishing up their meal from the onsite food truck. Notes about the wineries and places already visited were exchanged before we headed inside to order.
The interior of the Blue Mule is a delightful continuation of their quirkiness.
Next up on our tour, was the one stop we really wanted to make, Rohan Meadery. We hadn’t thus far discovered many meaderies in our travels, although we have since found a few more in the almost local area.
Unfortunately for us, Rohan was celebrating like it was the end of the plague. There was a live band, a few vendors in booths, children running wild around the playground and just so many people enjoying what in normal times would be a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
We really wanted some of their mead.
So masks on, avoidance route picked, we were in and out in only a few minutes and on our way to St John the Baptist Catholic Church in La Grange.
This church was locked up tight. Does anyone else feel weird when they’re walking around a church trying to peer in through the windows to catch a glimpse of the interior? Or is it just me?
If St John the Baptist was a bit of a bummer, St Mary Catholic Church High Hill in Schulenburg was anything but. Rightly titled the most beautiful of the painted churches, this brick masterpiece is a feast for the eyes. The intricate artwork is incredible.
It was late afternoon when we approached Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, also in Dubina, which is by far the most picturesque church to drive up on. While the church was open to allow viewing of the interior, there were barred gates preventing visitors from actually entering the main chapel area.
Our final stop of the day was St Mary’s Czech Catholic Church in Praha. We would have loved to see the interior of this one but we arrived right as services were about to begin and no amount of alcohol could entice me to attend services in order to sightsee…admittedly though, the thought did briefly cross my mind.
Instead we wandered the well kept grounds, wandering into the little buildings placed around the church to honor the nine members lost in WWI. It’s a touching sentiment, especially when you realize how the loss of “only” nine lives in a small community can be devastating.
It was early evening when we made our way home. We had attempted one last winery but they were so overwhelmed with people from the event they were hosting, we just drove away quickly.
I failed to say this earlier, but all of the wineries we visited had some excellent wines. There wasn’t one place who didn’t carry at least one wine that begged to go home with us.
The painted churches were well worth stopping to see. Extravagant or simple, the love and devotion of those who gave their time and energy to create such masterpieces is truly inspiring. Add in a few wineries to create a surprisingly entertaining adventure.
If you happen to be in this part of Texas, take a moment to enjoy your own wine and church tour day.
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