October - Balcones Woods Neighborhood Association

BW Newsletter
The Balcones Woods Newsletter
Fight Crime EVERY Day
One of the best defenses may be at the end of your arm. A friendly wave of
acknowledgement at someone driving by who you don’t recognize may be
all that is needed to prevent a crime and deter a criminal. If the person was
up to no good, it’s probably not your cheery welcome that warmed his heart,
but the simple fact you saw his face or his vehicle. Couldn’t hurt to try!
Start your Holiday
shopping early at the
Balcones Woods
Marketplace
Thanks to our Special
Landscaping Committee for their work in
getting a new barricade at the end of Balcones Woods Drive
(and other “dead ends”
too!). A huge improvement! “Phase
II” will be to begin preparing that corner for shrubs, plants, and possibly
trees this fall. Keep an eye out for it!
Keep checking
those
BW Online
Classifieds.
Last count
was 12 ads.
Saturday, November
15th from
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
11204 Alhambra Drive (the commons area)
•
•
•
•
Free admission
Unique gifts
Lots of Vendors
No Pressure
Balcones Woods Neighborhood Wide Garage Sale
Saturday, October 18th
(rain date ~ Saturday, November 8th)
Packets and instructions are ready at 4300 Balcones Woods Drive. For questions, please
call Nikki Keller at 345-5752.
To those who plan to participate on the garage sale date, please remember to drop off
your $5 and pick up your packet to be included on the map. Your $5 donation goes
to the various committees (children’s activities, social committee, etc.) and everyone’s
consideration is much appreciated —
Thanks and Happy Selling (and buying) ! ! !
2003
Inside this issue:
volunteer in bw
2
new neighbors
2
bw book club
2
halloween tips
3
covenants & restrictions
4
october gardening
4
casino night thanks
5
alamo sam’s movie review
5
bw tennis class schedule
6
daylight saving time
7
october kudos
7
deb’s cookies
8
bw kids classifieds
8
cockroaches!
8
Coming up…
Look for more info in this issue
•
•
•
•
•
10/8 ~ Operating Committee Meeting
10/14 ~ Board Meeting
10/18 ~ Garage Sale
10/27 ~ NW Area
Commander’s Forum
11/15 ~ BW Marketplace
Balcones Woods Neighborhood Association ~ 11204 Alhambra Drive Austin, TX 78759 ~ www.balconeswoods.org
2
Balcones Woods Club, Inc.
New to the
Neighborhood ???
If you are a new resident and
haven’t been welcomed yet,
please call Nancy Reed at 3384110.
Do You Have a New Neighbor?
Introduce yourself and let Nancy know that they’ve
moved in. Call or email (welcoming@balconeswoods.org)
and let her know their address. She’d be delighted to
visit with them and bring them a goodie along with
their new directory.
Would You Like to Help Welcome
or Bake Goodies for our New
Neighbors?
www.balconeswoodsnews.com
If you’d be interested in serving on the Welcoming
Committee, you’d be very “WELCOME”! It is one of
the most fun jobs you can do for the neighborhood
and what a great way to get and stay connected!
Once again, call Nancy at 338-4110 to join in the fun.
Thinking
about
getting involved in
your neighborhood
association? Now’s
BW resident, Kristin, age 11, with
her bunny “Sugar”
‘Wanna’ share your pet? Send us
your photo, drawing, story, poem,
whatever at newsletter@balconeswoods.org or drop off
your submission to 11408 Calle
Verde Cove. We’d love to print it!
Like to read? Like to discuss?
Like to munch?
How about dropping in on a Balcones
Woods Book Club Meeting. Check
them out on the web
(www.balconeswoods.org) under “CLUBS”.
The next meeting is October 14th to
discuss “The Dive from Clausen’s
Pier” by Ann Packer
Contact Diane Graden for details: 219-0684
the time. We have lots of
space for you and welcome
your ideas, talents, and energy. Call or email Grant
Hennig at 346-6465 / president@balconeswoods.org
or call Dottie McClain at
345-4122.
BW Newsletter
3
Bug Hunter Pest Control
General pest, termites, rodents, W.D.I. reports
Ken Howell
Owner
In your neighborhood
Family owned and operated
Adam Perkel, age 13, “The Calling”
Red Cross Halloween Safety Tips
for Kids & Adults
748-3573
With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across America, the American Red Cross offers parents
some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with
surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.
Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars,
trucks, and low-flying brooms.
Cross the street only at corners.
Don't hide or cross the street between parked cars.
Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are
more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes,
skateboards, and brooms, too!)
Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible,
have an adult go with you.
Carry a flashlight to light your way.
Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be
extremely flammable.)
Visit homes that have the porch light on.
Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger's
house.
Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover
your eyes.
Be cautious of animals and strangers.
Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating. And
don't eat candy if the package is already opened. Small, hard
pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.
Balcones Woods Neighborhood Association ~ 11204 Alhambra Drive Austin, TX 78759 ~ www.balconeswoods.org
4
Balcones Woods Club, Inc.
IN THE GARDEN ~ OCTOBER
•
Plant spring flowering bulbs such as Hyacinths, Allium, Snowflakes, Daffodils, Jonquils, Narcissus,
Rain Lilies, Dutch Iris, Ranunculus, Anemones, Grape Hyacinth, Amaryllis and others.
•
Dig and store Caladium tubers. Store in dry peat or in perlite packed in boxes so that roots do not
touch each other. Store in an area where the temperature will not go below 55 degrees to prevent
spoilage.
•
Scale insects on broad leafed evergreens such as Camellia, Gardenia, Holly, and Eunoymus can be
effectively controlled by spraying with dormant oil, Do not use oil spray if temperature goes above 80 degrees.
•
Purchase started plants of pansies, snapdragons, dianthus, flowering kale, and flowering cabbage for attractive winter
and spring color.
•
Check for aphids and caterpillars on fall flowers and leafy vegetables.
•
Clean, sharpen all hand tools and cover all metal parts with a light coat of oil to prevent rust before storing for the winter. A bucket of dry sand plus a cup or two or oil makes an excellent way to clean those yard tools.
•
Begin a new compost pile using the abundant fall leaves.
•
A final application of fertilizer can be applied to your lawn early this month if you failed to fertilize in September.
•
Sow ryegrass for a winter green lawn or to prevent erosion of bare soil. Use 8 -10 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet.
This is taken from a publication prepared by Travis County Extension Service.
For all your real estate needs...
Troy Hanna, MBA, ABR
Do you have
an idea for
the Newsletter?
Buying, Selling, Leasing
and Property Management
Drop us a line at newsletter@balconeswoods.org
We want to hear from you!
512-659-7093
Troy@presidiogroup.com
xpectations
E
r
u
o
Y
g
n
i
Exceed
You First!
g
n
i
tt
u
P
y
B
Covenants & Restrictions
October Reminder
www.presidiogroup.com
4212 Medical Parkway
Suite 201
Austin, TX 78756
512-476-1591 Office
512-476-1593 Fax
“SIGNS”
“No sign of any kind shall be displayed to the public view on
any single family residential lot except for one sign of not more
than five square feet advertising the property for sale or
rent…”
BW Newsletter
5
What Rain?!?!
Despite the weather, Casino Night was still a huge hit! A great big
thanks to all who attended and especially to Craig and Bo Shepard,
Shane Oldham, and Doug and Annette Bohne for all their hard
work and generosity. And speaking of generosity, a very special
thank you to all of our wonderful prize sponsors. Please consider
honoring these Balcones Woods Neighborhood supporters with
your business:
Arbor Car Wash & Lube Center
10401 Jollyville Road
Bahama Breeze
9505 Stone Lake Blvd.
Bone Daddy's
11617 Research Blvd.
Carrabba's Italian Grill
11590 Research Blvd.
Cozymel's Coastal Grill
10000 Research Blvd.
Flordia Seafood Grill
10225 Research Blvd.
H.E.B.
10710 Research Blvd.
Iron Cactus Restaurant
10001 Stonelake Blvd.
Joe's Crab Shack
11680 Research Blvd.
Kwik Kar
11200 Research Blvd.
North By Northwest Restaurant & Brewery
10010 Capital of Texas Highway North
Outback Steakhouse
11600 Research Blvd.
P.F. Chang's China Bistro
10114 Jollyville Road
Razzoo's Cajun Cafe
11617 Research Blvd.
Zio's Italian Kitchen
11617 Research Blvd.
Z Tejas Grill Arboretum
9400 Arboretum Blvd.
Thanks again! Balcones Woods appreciates your thoughtfulness!
“Once Upon a Blood in Bloodico”
blood by
Sam Bloodford Bradford
Hola amigos, me nombre es Sam and I’ve come to tell you
about the newest ‘south of the border’ flick featuring things blowing
up: “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” starring Antonio Banderas, Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe and Salma Hayek (sort of). The movie was
directed by Robert Rodriguez, director of “Spy Kids” and “From Dusk
‘till Dawn”. This is the third installment of the story about a man with
a guitar case full of guns seeking revenge and trying to find peace
(kind of an odd combination don’t you think). Rodriguez directed the
other two films, “Desperado” and “El Mariachi”, and as anyone who
has seen these movies knows, they are not for the faint of heart.
The movie begins with a CIA agent (Depp) looking for information about a man known as El Mariachi (Banderas). Depp is looking to recruit Banderas to help him prevent the overthrow of the
Mexican president by a devious, Mexican/Columbian/semi-Anglican
drug cartel (Dafoe). Banderas refuses at first but is then persuaded
by the old ‘help me or I’ll kill you’ routine. The story after that gets a
bit confusing mainly because of the writing; but it appears that Depp
is double-crossed and gets his eyes poked out, Dafoe switches faces
with some dude and Banderas and his band mates (featuring a
cameo by Enrique Iglesias) defeat a whole army using their guns
and good looks!
The movie itself has some very redeemable qualities: the
use of the Spanish language from time to time, awesome action sequences plus beautiful and authentic Mariachi music. I was a big fan
of “Desperado” because of the intense action and I was completely
blown away by the gunfights and cinematography in “Once Upon A
Time…” There are many aspects of this movie, however, that are
not so ‘bueno’: the cheesy and unoriginal writing in the dialog, the
excessive gore and blood and the fact that Salma Hayek is in only
about ten minutes of the movie. While Depp brings his unique acting
style to this movie, the fact that he is forced to say these cheesy
lines almost makes it painful to think that this guy was once ‘Captain
Jack Sparrow’. “Desperado” was more or less about a Mariachi guitar player whose beloved was murdered by drug dealers and so he
sought vengeance. The plot is basically rehashed but is not executed
as well because Salma Hayek is not present to contrast the violent
nature of Banderas’ character. On top of all of this, my main beef
with the movie was the over usage of blood and gore. While
“Desperado” was bloody, it did not contain the grotesque mutilation
of bodies that this movie portrayed and many of these violent images
could have been cut or shortened but instead, the audience had to
suffer while we saw the insides of Johnny Depp’s eye sockets!
So all in all, not a bad movie if you are in the mood for an
action film that contains graphic violence and some morbid humor
here and there. Finally, I’d like to thank the Alamo Draft House for
providing a great atmosphere and really great food. Adios amigos
and I’ll see you later.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
~DINNER~DRINKS~MOVIES~EVENTS~
476-1320
Visit us on the web at www.drafthouse.com
Balcones Woods Neighborhood Association ~ 11204 Alhambra Drive Austin, TX 78759 ~ www.balconeswoods.org
6
Balcones Woods Club, Inc.
Nancy Rushefsky
512-462-2023
KidFitTennis@aol.com
BALCONES WOODS - TENNIS CLASS SCHEDULE
Session Dates: All classes meet once per week.
1. October
$37.50 – 5 weeks
2. November
$30 - 4 weeks
3. December
$30 – 4 weeks
Adult Beginners
Wednesday
9-10a.m.
Pre-school kids
Wednesday
10:00-10:45 a.m.
Wednesday After-school classes (not starting until November)
Little ones
Beginners
Intermediate
4:00-4:45p.m.
4:45-5.30p.m.
5:30-6:15 p.m.
age 3-6
Saturday Tennis Class – November – 3 weeks - $22.50
AGES 3-5
AGES 6-8
AGES 9 +
ADULT BEGINNER
9-9:45a.m.
9:45-10:30a.m..
10:30-11:15A.M.
11:15-12:00 NOON
Spring Break Camp: March 15-19
Ages 6-10
Ages 11 +
$125
9:00-11:15 a.m.
1:00- 2.15 p.m.
Classes may be combined, canceled, or the rates adjusted if fewer than 6 students sign up for each class.
Make ups are given ONLY in the event of inclement weather or instructor absence. Call the Kid-Fit office to
schedule make ups.
Checks must be received 5 days prior to each class. Please make checks payable to: Kid-Fit, 1903-A Fairlawn
Lane, Austin, TX 78704
Refunds are given no later than 5 days prior to each class.
BW Newsletter
7
Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday, October 26th at 2:00 a.m.
Some interesting facts about DST:
• First conceived by Benjamin
Franklin in 1784.
• Standard time in time zones and
DST was established in U.S. law with the Standard Time Act
of 1918. The law was then repealed in 1919, because of its
unpopularity.
•
In 1942, President Roosevelt instituted year-round Daylight
Savings Time called “War Time” which was in effect from
February ‘42 through September ‘45.
•
From September 1945 until 1966, there was no federal law
regarding DST so the states were free to pick and choose
whether they would follow it (you can imagine the confusion
and uproar among the railroad, airline, bus, and broadcasting
industries!)
•
By 1966, some 100 million Americans were observing Daylight Saving Time based on their own local laws and customs. Congress decided to step in to end the confusion and
establish one pattern across the country. The Uniform Time
Act of 1966 was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, it created Daylight Saving Time to begin on the last
Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October.
Any State that wanted to be exempt from Daylight Saving
Time could do so by passing a State law.
•
Today approximately 70 countries utilize Daylight Saving
Time in at least a portion of the country. The only major industrialized country not to have introduced daylight saving is
Japan.
•
The correct spelling is Daylight Saving Time, not SavingS.
•
Spring Forward, Fall Back
•
One thing everyone can agree on, this is a great time to
change the batteries in all of your smoke detectors. A working smoke detector more than doubles a
person's chances of surviving a home fire.
More than 90 percent of homes in the
United States have smoke detectors, but
one-third are estimated to have worn-out
or missing batteries.
A big KUDOS this month
to David Vineyard. We can
thank him for the prompt,
careful delivery of the Balcones Woods
Newsletter to
our doorsteps
each month.
Be sure to
wave hello if
you see him
out.
Thanks
David!
Balcones Woods Neighborhood Association ~ 11204 Alhambra Drive Austin, TX 78759 ~ www.balconeswoods.org
8
Balcones Woods Club, Inc.
Chocolate Chip / Oatmeal Cookies by Deb Grunska
These are a great alternative to regular chocolate chip cookies. Use regular oatmeal, not
the fast cooking kind. Makes 8 dozen
½c
1½c
1½c
4
1T
margarine or butter
granulated sugar
brown sugar, packed
eggs
vanilla
1 jar
2½t
1 box
2c
18-oz. creamy peanut
baking soda
18-oz. oatmeal
semi-sweet chocolate chips
(this is a 12-oz. bag)
In large mixing bowl, cream sugars and margarine. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add peanut
butter and baking soda. Using hands to mix, add oatmeal, a little at a time. Dough will be very
thick. Add chocolate chips. Drop by rounded-tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cookies will set-up as they cool. Store in airtight container.
BW Kids Classifieds
Babysitting, pet sitting, mail gatherer!
Experienced and ready to help.
Dallas Olsen 349-9783
~~~
Shelby’s Pet & House Sitting
Feed & walk pets
Take in mail & newspapers
Water plants
Very reliable
Call Shelby at 345-0347
~~~
Certified Babysitter and Experienced Pet
Sitter. Reliable and Reasonable
Tell a friend about our
newsletter and advertising space!
The Balcones Woods printed edition monthly newsletter sells ads. Approved by
the BWC Board, ad rates are as follows:
Display Ad Dimensions and Rates
•
•
•
Half page Ad
Quarter page Ad
Business Card Ad
7 3/4” x 5”
3 3/4” x 5”
$60 per issue
$40 per issue
$20 per issue
All ad copy is subject to approval by the publisher, and no political ads will be
accepted. For more information, please contact: Nikki Zern at newsletter@balconeswoods.org or 502-8726.
Rates. Call Carol Murray at 346-2901
~~~
Responsible 16 year old boy seeking
babysitting jobs. Oldest of six children.
Many Neighborhood references upon request. Contact David Vineyard 794-5870
~~~
Do you need someone to mow your yard?
Well then, call Cory Folts and Chris
Grunska between the hours of 11am and
10pm at 343-7633 and let us help you.
Both boys are neighborhood boys that are
hard workers and just need some money! We
mow, edge, blow, pick up, and any other odd
jobs you may have for us. Yard prices,
Ick! Cockroaches!
There are various cockroach species that can be found in the home and
home landscape area. German cockroaches are most commonly found within
homes and commercial food establishments. The adults are about ½ inch long,
tan and have two dark stripes above the head. Brownbanded cockroaches are
similar to German cockroaches. Brownbandeds are ½ inch long, light to dark
brown with bands across the wings and abdomen. American cockroaches are
about 1 ½ - 2 inches long, reddish-brown with yellow markings above the head.
Smokybrown cockroaches are often mistaken with American cockroaches.
Smokybrowns are about 1 inch long and are dark brown to black. American
and Smokybrown cockroaches are both able to fly.
Some type of chemical control will be needed to eliminate cockroach
infestations. Residual sprays are available in ready-to-use containers or concentrates that can be mixed with water. These sprays are fast and easy to apply.
Dust treatments are very effective. Apply dusts in cracks and crevices, wall
voids, under refrigerators or around pipes. They should be applied in a light,
even coat that is barley visible. Baits are a combination of toxicants and food
attractant. Place baits in areas where cockroaches are known to feed. For more
information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown at 854-9606.
small-$20, medium-$25, large-$35 (we
decide your yard size)
~~~
Need a string quartet for a special
occasion? How about a portrait in pastels
or prismacolor? Contact All-State violist
and award-winning artist Ellen Murray at
346-2901
~~~
Editor’s Note: If you are under 18 and
would like to post a free ad for work or a
service, please e-mail us at newsletter@balconeswoods.org or mail/drop off
your ad to: 11408 Calle Verde Cove,
Austin, TX 78759. Be sure to include an
ok or permission note from your parent and
a telephone number or e-mail address. Because space is limited, we reserve the right
to edit ads and will run them on a first come,
first served basis. Thanks!