Everyone charmed by 2009 home & garden tour.
By Judith Pannebaker 
Everyone agreed – the 2009 Medina Lake Home & Garden Tour held recently to benefit the building fund of the Medina Lake Betterment Association, Inc. was “the best one of all.”
Chairmen Barbara Engel and Genevieve Modarelli put together an enticing package that included four fabulous and whimsical homes, as well as an enchanting garden. As usual, the tour culminated with a refreshing summer luncheon served under the trees at the home of Engel and her husband, Bob Caswell. An equally as successful plant sale featured local natives as well as varieties adapted for Hill Country gardens.
Perhaps the most amazing aspects of the tour were the gems unearthed by Engel and Modarelli that were tucked away in the most unlikely of spots along the humpty-bumpty roads surrounding Lake Medina.
First stop on the May 30 tour was Le Chateau de Goathill. Clinging creatively on a small but choice lot, the home offered a commanding view of the lake.
Soaring ceilings and an open floor plan gave the 1,500 square foot Mediterranean-style villa the look and feel of a much larger house. A lot of punch was packed in this perfect two-story package. Constructed in 2005, the well designed home offered an abundance of elegance and Old World charm.
Work on the Mallory Gardens began in 2001 shortly after the owners purchased the nearly vertical tract of land. A home perched on the summit reaps the benefit of nearly continuous refreshing lake breezes.
The owner described the distinctive terraced garden as a “work in progress,” offering, “I still pour two loads of concrete every morning at 4 am. As you can see, the quality of craftsmanship improved as I went along.”
His masonry’s deliberately haphazard construction appeared organic. “We began by picking up every scrap rock we could find,” the owner continued. “Now we have to buy them.”
The not-quite end result was a beautifully designed garden featuring unexpected nooks and crannies, whimsical additions and tumbling water features – all arranged in a naturalistic setting.
Among the many gems in Medina County’s Dancing Bear subdivision, Windsong Mountain might be described as one of the crown jewels. And the panoramic views from both the front and back of the 4,400 square foot traditional home go on forever.
Inside, it became evident that as a military couple, the owners HADtoured the world. Their extensive collections include a dozen tall clocks, Polish pottery, wooden decoys and hand carved owls and several prints of – what else? – dancing bears, among other delights.
One tour participant who lives in Pebble Beach told the owner of Windsong Mountain, “I watched this house being built. I couldn’t wait to see it in person.”
The house sits on nine acres and the property in back of the home drops precipitously to the lake. “No one will ever block our view,” the owner quipped.
Sprawling over 10,000 square feet, the Arnold Home is a French Country mansion fit for a duc if not le roi himself.
From the moderne waterfall in the front of the house spilling into a koi pond and stunning double staircases in the formal living room to the wine cellar and state-of-the-art home theater, everything about this residence whispers luxe, luxe and more luxe.
As one tour participant remarked wistfully, “It’s always nice to see how the other half lives.”
Situated on the Mico side of Lake Medina, the Dale Cottage was reconstructed on the site of the couple’s original endeavor – which unfortunately “blew over” as a result of the couple’s basic lack of building knowledge.
Undiscouraged, the owners and their friends rebuilt the nautically-themed cottage with love, and then filled it with memories.
“We bought the property in 1962 and cleared the land then started building with a how-to book, a hammer and a clear hose filled with water that we used as a level,” offered the owner. “Most of the materials came from friends or salvage companies.”
A series of bay windows in the living room and master bedroom gives visitors a literal up-close-and-personal vista of the beautiful blue lake waters. Noted one tour participant in awe, “How would you like to wake up to that view every morning?”
Charmed by its insouciance and quirkiness, I left the Dale Cottage with reluctance. My last thought? How to strike up a friendship with the owners so I can get invited back …
Last stop on the 2009 Medina Lake Home & Garden Tour was the Engel-Caswell Home, a spacious ranch house constructed with a cut limestone façade and typical Hill Country tin roof.
The garden – Engel’s pride and joy – is laid out like a New Orleans courtyard with a fountain and surprisingly jungle-like foliage. Adding to the Cajun feel is a recently installed meandering stream – complete with bayou water feature by the couple’s graceful gazebo.
This and several other distinctive touches in this beautiful Texas home played homage to Caswell’s Louisiana roots.
