From the Developer
Transcription
From the Developer I n the last newsletter, we mentioned the Ranch Rd. railroad crossing improvements. Since then, the landscaping, irrigation and sod have been installed. Although it has taken a while for all of the approvals from the KCS railroad, improvements are complete except for highway signalization. It is our understanding that the intersection meets the requirements of TxDOT. Traffic signal lights will be installed in the future when the highway is widened to 6 lanes. You may have seen the article in the newspaper concerning the condemnation of the railroad crossing for the extension of Woodbridge Parkway across Hwy.78. On January 29, 2009, the Special Commissioners appointed by the County Court at Law No. 2 of Collin County held a hearing. At the hearing, a property value was established for the easement crossing. The City of Sachse has deposited the funds with the court and is waiting for the issuance of the Writ of Possession by the Court granting the easement for the crossing. We are meeting with state and city staff to finalize the design of the crossing. Hopefully persistence will result in minimal delays in the design and construction of the crossing. This will be an important factor for commercial development. Though the current economic conditions are not conducive to retail development, we believe in the strength of the Sachse/Wylie area. Hopefully this will be an area with active participation in the recovery of commercial development. Before we know it the cold fronts will cease, spring will have sprung, and another pool season will be upon us. The opening date of the five Woodbridge community pools is April 1st. With that reminder comes another: pool rules are in place and all homeowners, including their guests, should observe them. Please take the time to read the rules and become familiar with them. The rules are not meant to prevent you from enjoying the pool, but to ensure the enjoyment of the facilities by everyone. Please remember that community pools are not a day care or playground for unsupervised children. The Association and its contractors are not your children’s baby sitters. If under aged children are at the pool unsupervised by an adult, they will be sent home. Also, please don’t let anyone in the gate that doesn’t have a pool card. If they don’t have a pool card, they don’t belong in the pool area. Last year, a company named Shovel Jockey provided courtesy patrol and pool monitoring services to the Association. Shovel Jockey has undergone a corporate name change to Commercial Pool Services. We’ll get the same great service, just from a different name. They are the folks to contact if you see something at the pools and need to report it. This holds true whether the problem is mechanical or a rules violation. You might be asked by one of their employees to show your pool card (that’s a second hint to be sure you have it) or (Continued on Page 3) Are you Socially Committed? So are we! Join the Social Committee in bringing the Woodbridge community together. Various volunteer opportunities are available and we’re sure to have something that fits you! Let us know how we can help you make Woodbridge home. We have many new neighbors with varied interests. If you would like to suggest an event or get to know others with similar interests, send us an e-mail with your ideas. Contact us at: Help with upcoming events: Annual Easter Egg Hunt: April 5 Spring Garage Sale: April 17–19 Volunteers Needed We need volunteers to help at the annual Woodbridge Easter Celebration. You can choose to stuff Easter Eggs, set up, help with the Easter Egg Hunt, assist with the Neighborhood Challenge, and do clean up. If you or your teen are interested, please e-mail us at to volunteer. 1 A Neighborhood Approach to Frugal Living Having fun in a down economy…together. By Marie Garrigue W e’ve all heard about the economy. Chances are that if you aren’t directly feeling the pinch, then you know at least a couple others who are. Those of us who are struggling in the current economy know just how un-fun it is to be stressed nonstop. Even those of us not currently in a financial crunch are having trouble having fun too. The looming threat of financial doom, the messages in the media, and watching our friends and neighbors suffer is causing a toll on all of us. So what can we do? We can learn to have fun living more frugally…together. There are plenty of things that we can do together to help each other save money and enjoy life more. Here are a few suggestions for you to try with your friends and neighbors: Get out and meet your neighbors! This will give you an opportunity to pass the time and find people who live near you to do things you enjoy together. Need help? Try joining one of the association committees. Or, try visiting the neighborhood’s Yahoo! group to find people with similar interests. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/WoodbridgeHomeowners/ for more information. return the favor when you need some time away. Added bonus: sometimes it’s easier to get things done when your child has a playmate…even when it’s in your own home! Share Grocery Shopping Duties Set up a time with a friend or two and go to the store together. Save fuel costs and have someone to make the time more enjoyable. Have kids? One person can watch all the kids while the other goes shopping for both. Added bonus: If you send a shopping list with a friend, you are less likely to buy extra items! You can even do coupon sharing to make it more wallet-friendly. Arrange a clothing-swap Tired of your wardrobe? Clean out the things you no longer want and have your friends do the same with their clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. Then, throw it all in a big pile and have at it! Anything left over can be donated to charity or sold at a yard sale. Added bonus: You’ll get a few new-to-you items and you’ll have a better idea of what you really need before heading out to the store. Organize a neighborhood dinner Invite your neighbors over for a fish fry or barbecue. Everyone can bring an inexpensive dish or drinks and you can hang out in the driveway or backyard. The kids can play with their friends; this is a free activity that can continue into the summer. Eat, drink, and be merry as you get to know your neighbors. Start a casserole swap Get your friends together for a prep night. Each of you make enough of one dish for everyone, and then swap at the end of the night! It gives you an opportunity to spend cooking time with friends, and you end up with a variety of meals prepared for the week. You end up eating out less often and get entertainment, chores, and savings in one! Added bonus: you can buy ingredients in bulk and save even more. Lawncare starting at Coordinate a childcare co-op Find several friends willing to share baby sitting duties. Earn free baby sitting by watching your friends’ kids and they’ll Uncompromised Quality I Unmatched Reliability 2 Spring 2009 How’s Your Golf Swing? By Rick Woodson Director of Golf Instruction, Woodbridge Golf Club From the Developer Continued from Page 1 f you’re like most golfers, you probably hinge your right wrist backward at the top of your swing, creating a 90-degree angle with the shaft and left forearm — which is great. Unlike players on Tour, this angle may decrease too early while coming down or even through impact. Maintaining that angle longer into the forward swing will help you create the correct loft with the club and is absolutely necessary for solid golf shots. thumb helps keep the right wrist’s angle intact and the club’s head behind your hands at impact. This will help you feel the correct wrist angle position needed for compression of the golf ball. I also have new state of the art digital swing analysis technology for my golf lessons. It is the best I have seen in my 20+ years of playing professional golf and really accelerates the learning process. It’s all set up on the range. No hitting indoors into nets. You have to see this. It’s incredible! Call me to schedule an appointment. to comply with the rules. Please know they are only trying to guarantee your safe enjoyment of the community facilities but also for the enjoyment of all homeowners. They have been hired by the Association, have the full support of the Board, and have been given the authority to contact the police when necessary. Should you be at any of the pools and need their services, or see any suspicious activity after pool hours, please phone them at 214-405-0778. Of course, if it’s criminal activity or an emergency situation, please call 911. (214) 673-7867 (972) 429-5100, Ext. 17 Thanks and have a great swim year! I Drill to get it right Start with your normal grip on the club, and then move your left thumb off the shaft of the club and over the top of your right wrist. Take a few short iron shots at half-swing. Notice how your Restarting Your Lawn By Wesley Avance G.C. Superintendent, Woodbridge Golf Club Serving Wylie, Sachse, Rowlett and the DFW Metroplex Water, Gas & Sewer Line Repair/ Replacement, Drain Cleaning, Video Inspection, Med Gas Installations, Water Heaters, Boiler Repairs and Installation, General Home Plumbing Maintenance and Repairs Contact us today By phone: 469-964-1974 By email: Mike@Watermansplumbing.com S pring is here and it’s time to start thinking about getting your lawn green again. The grass is ready for high nitrogen content fertilizer right now, preferably one with slow and quick release N. There are many formulations, but the numbers on the bag should be similar to 30-3-10. As summer nears, we need to conserve water. The best way to water your lawn is with deep, infrequent watering. Try to water two times per week with longer run times. If possible, have two start times together with a minimum 10–20 minute soak time in between. For example, start the first time at 3:00 a.m. and then a second at 5:00 a.m. This allows for deeper infiltration. With this method, there is less evaporation because the water travels deeper into the soil. By watering early in the morning, the dew is removed from the leaf blades which reduces the risk of disease. Master Lic# M37760 3 4th Annual Easter Celebration It’s time again for the annual Woodbridge Easter Celebration! This year, we have fun for all ages. We encourage you to come out and enjoy the afternoon with your neighbors. The festivities for this year will include the annual Woodbridge Easter Egg Hunt, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and a new event — the Neighborhood Challenge. We invite families to bring their picnic baskets and blankets to welcome Spring to Woodbridge. The Neighborhood Challenge is designed for our middle and high school age children. Each neighborhood will be represented by at least 5 individuals from their sub-section of Woodbridge to compete in obstacles, endurance, and mental challenges. The neighborhood with the most points will be designated as the Champion of the Neighborhood Challenge and will have bragging rights until the next year! We hope to have a great turn out and look forward to seeing you and your family at the park! Sunday April 5, 1-4 p.m. At Park 2B (Vista Hill Lane & Lake Hill Trail off of Clubhouse Drive) Upcoming Events The new Spring/Summer 2009 Parks and Recreation Class and Program Brochure is now available online. This brochure includes the children’s summer camps so get your registration in early as the camps tend to fill up. You may register at www.cityofsachse.com, click on ‘Parks Class Registration’ on the right hand side of the web site. 3/27 Last day of GISD Choice of School period for elementary schools for 2009–10 school year 3/28 Boots’n Barbecue Gala by Wylie ISD Education Foundation www.wylieisd.net/foundation/Boots.wspx Southfork Ranch, 6:00 p m.–11:00 p.m. 4/1 Registration for Wylie Wave Summer Day Camp begins in April for camps held June–August. Check their web site for dates. www.wylietexas.gov/Programs/wave.htm 4/4 Sachse Easter Egg Scramble, Heritage Park, 10:00 a.m. 4/4 Sachse Doggie Bone Hunt, Heritage Park, 7:30 p.m. 4/4 Sachse Flashlight Egg Hunt, Heritage Park, 8:15 p.m. 4/5 Woodbridge Easter Egg Hunt, Park 2B, 1:00–4:00 p.m. 4/9 Easter Story Time & Egg Hunt, Sachse Library, 11:00 a.m. 4/10 No school, GISD & WISD 4/12 Easter 4/13 WISD classes due to ice day 4/24 Sachse Mother/Son Roundup, Salmon Park, 7:00–9:00 p.m. 4/24–25 Relay For Life for the American Cancer Society www.wylierfl.com, Shaffer Stadium, 7:00 p.m–7:00 a.m. 5/25 Memorial Day — schools and city offices closed 6/4 Last day of school for GISD due to ice day; WISD last day 6/6 Sachse HS graduation at Garland Special Events Center, 12:30 p.m. 6/6 Sachse Summer Reading Program Kick-off Pizza Party Sachse Library, 2:00–4:00 p.m. 6/11 And every Thursday until 7/30 — Summer Reading Program, Sachse Library, 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. 6/12 Wylie HS graduation, Garland Special Events Center, 7:30 p.m. 6/12 Digital TV transition, www.dtv2009.gov Woodbridge Babysitter Club Certified babysitters in the Woodbridge Neighborhood Contact Jennifer Darwin Call to schedule your time: 214-392-5310 Or e-mail: mydesilu2@yahoo.com http://woodbridgesitters.weebly.com/ References available upon request 4 Spring 2009 By Janet Smith Springtime is here and with this we welcome the Easter Bunny and bid adieu to the Roaring Winter! Now it is time for some outdoor fun! The Spring game is a neighborhood scavenger hunt. The first five kids (ages 4–12) who complete the scavenger hunt will receive a Kids-Eat-Free Certificate to Brooklyn’s Old Neighborhood Style Pizza at Firewheel Mall. Scavenger Hunt Rules Children must find everything on the list and write the address or location where the item was found. Each item must be found at a different address or location within the community. Turn in your completed form, including your name and address, to Janet Smith at 6303 Lakewood Drive, . Sachse, TX 75048 or e-mail your findings to Winners will be announced at the Easter Celebration. Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt Sponsored by Are You A Savvy Mom? By Amanda Snowbarger D o you ever wish you had a Mom’s Group closer to your side of the Metroplex? Don’t want to pay fees to join? Well guess what — our group membership is FREE! We will do our best to ensure that even our group outings are no cost, or minimal cost. We are a newly forming group of moms: Stay-At-HomeMoms (SAHMs), Working Moms, and Expectant Moms. We have kids ranging in ages from babies to preschoolers/elementary school age. Most Moms live in Collin County, but Moms outside Collin County are welcome as well. If you don’t mind driving, we’ll be glad to see you! Join here: Bench Flowers Slide Lawn Ornament/ Wind Chime Fountain/ Birdbath Bird House/ Bird Feeder Fire Hydrant Flag Grill shed/ Playhouse Basketball GOAL Swings Calling All Volunteers If we want to continue events and services in our neighborhoods, we need helping hands. Without volunteer help, events may cease or we might have to begin paying for them out of HOA dues. Those interested in helping please contact Rich Coady at 972-943-2874 or 5 Did You Know? • A canopy was placed over the playground equipment at Stone Park on Laurel Crest Ln. • A pavilion with picnic tables was built at Stone Park. Reservations can be made thru the Parks & Recreation Dept. at www.cityofsachse.com/parks • Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, batteries) can be disposed of free of charge at the Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center at 11234 Plano Road with proof of residency. • You can sign up for a monthly City of Wylie E-newsletter at www.wylietexas.gov/News/eWylie. Photos by Darlene Putnam Wit & Wisdom By Ms. Summers Coffee Filters: Not just for making coffee You can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Store for almost nothing. Here are some of my favorite uses: • Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter and use to apply with limited streaks. • Do you think you need expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Instead cut strips from coffee filters. • Recycle frying oil. After frying, slowly strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter. • Layer a few on a plate to soak up the grease from your favorite fried foods such as bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc. • Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. • • Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale. • Hold messy foods such as tacos. • Stop the soil from leaking out of a potted plant. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes, while still allowing water to drain. • • • Protect China. Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee filter between each dish. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust. 6 • Prevent a Popsicle from dripping on you. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter. Open House MOMS Club of Murphy/ Sachse Wednesday, April 1st at 10:30 a.m. Sachse First United Methodist Church Family Life Center. For more information or questions, please e-mail: Spring 2009 Spring Maintenance By Jimmy Watson Prof. R.E. Inspector #10147 Dallas Realty Services S oon we will start seeing trees bud and warmer days. However, we have already seen Bradford Pears attempting to bud and temperatures in the upper 70’s. Spring is on its way and it’s time to consider actions you should take to make your home more energy efficient, and ensure your home is well maintained. Tip #1: Change air conditioner filters. Consider using a pleated media filter for better dust trapping, or for additional savings, a web element filter that can be washed periodically instead of being thrown out. Also, be sure to clear overgrowth and weeds away from outdoor air conditioning units. If the necessary airflow is blocked, the air conditioner will not be able to operate properly and could even suffer an expensive failure. Tip #2: Clean any lingering fall leaves from gutters. For clogged downspouts, try using barbecue tongs to reach in and remove leaves. This is also a good opportunity to repair loose gutter nails or other gutter damage before the heavy spring and summer rains. Gutters play an essential role in the health of your foundation! If you don’t have gutters, now is the time before the April Showers arrive. Tip #3: Make sure attics are well insulated and ventilated. Excess heat in the upstairs area of a twostory home, or the sensation of a home feeling “heat from above” could indicate insufficient attic insulation and poor ventilation. Excessive attic temperatures can put an undue toll on your shingles and reduce their lifespan. Tip #4: Check all electrical outlets for loose-fitting or scorched plugs. This can be an indication of excessive wear or a sign of arcing and should be replaced. This is indicative of overheating and can cause fires. Also check electrical outlets and switches to be sure they work properly. If any do not function properly, have a qualified electrician repair the issue. Tip #5: Caulk exterior joints around all windows and doors. Caulking keeps the house weather-tight and will help reduce high summer energy bills. It can also help keep insects and vermin out of the house. Tip #6: Clean and seal decks, fences or wood siding. Wood rot and wood destroying insects (Carpenter Ants & Termites) are the main two reasons why wood must be replaced. Maintaining clean surfaces and water protection is a must. If it has been a few years since the wood has been sealed or painted, consider a DIY project before the rainy season hits. Also, a few times this summer, visually inspect the wood around your house for any wood destroying insect activity. You can also contact a local pest company; the fee is around $65 for an inspection. Tip #7: Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean chimneys. Taking care of this task in the spring or summer, rather than in the peak autumn season, allows plenty of time for repairs before the next heating season. It can be easy and less expensive during the off-peak season. Tip #8: Lawn Watering Tips & Conservation. • Water in the early morning, around 4:00 a.m., this will allow the water to absorb and not evaporate. • Never water during the day or when it is windy. • Use a Moisture Meter to determine how dry your lawn is. • Water more deeply and less frequently, this will cause roots to become better established. • Most lawns in the area will stay healthy with 1 to 2 inches of water per week. • Never water when it’s raining. You can monitor the forecast and adjust your timer accordingly. • Your sprinkler system is not just for grass, it also helps regulate the moisture in the soil that helps reduce the heaving or contracting of the soil around the foundation. Spring Garage Sale — April 17–19 7 Decoding Our Youth By Janet Smith Abbreviations are commonly used in e-mail, text messages, and online chat to save time typing. Below are a list of commonly used text abbreviations to help you decipher your child’s messages: ADN CUL IC LTNS any day now see you later I see long time no see AFK CYA IMHO OTL away from keyboard see ya in my humble opinion out to lunch B4N or BFN F2F or FTF IMO OTOH bye for now face to face in my opinion on the other hand BBL FAQ IOW ROFL be back later frequently asked question in other words rolling on the floor laughing BL FOAF ITC TTFN bell laugh Friend of a Friend it’s the coolest ta ta for now BRB FYI L8R WFM be right back for your information Later works for me BTW GAL LMHO YMBJ by the way get a life laughing my head off you must be joking CU IAE LOL WYSIWYG see you in any event laughing out loud what you see is what you get Emoticons, commonly called Smileys, are special characters that express emotions and expressions within an e-mail or chat. When you tilt your head to the left, they represent a face. :-) Smile with a nose :-, smirk :-o surprised :) Smile without a nose :/) it’s not funny :-@ screaming :*) Just clowning around (:-& angry :-( frown :-D laugh (:-( sad :,-( crying :-! you put your foot in your mouth :-c really unhappy :-b sticking your tongue out :-x giving a kiss ;-) wink <:-) dunce :-S confused :-} yum yum :-* oops :-V shouting :-() ouch :-# my lips are sealed 8 Spring 2009 Interest Groups Bible Study Group We meet two Sundays a month at 6:00 p m.. Mignon at: Bunco Jennifer Darwin at: 214-392-5310 or . Homeschoolers Group Angela at: . Newcomers/Singles Group You do not have to be a recent homeowner, just an adult who wants to get out . for fun events! Nicole Tucker at: 972-992-8204 or Play Groups 12–24 months. Ginger Dennie at: 972-429-3529 or . Mah Jongg at the Sachse Library Are you interested in learning to play the Chinese tile game, Mah Jongg? Come to the Sachse Library on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 1:00 p.m. for an afternoon of Mah Jongg. For more information, contact Jan Doleh at: . Woodbridge Book Club Meets Monthly The Woodbridge Book Club meets every month on the second Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Here are our upcoming selections: April 8 Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson; May 13 Dewey: The Small-town Library Cat Who Touched the World, by Vicki Myron; June 10 The Necklace: Thirteen Women and the Experiment that Transformed their Lives, by Cheryl Jarvis. For more information, contact Diane Model at: 972-429-1170 or ; or Jan Doleh at: 972-461-9911 or Exercise Group Looking for people to workout together in the mornings. Contact Charlene Scott at: 214-356-1735 or . Woodbridge is on Facebook! Search “Woodbridge Residents” or type in the link: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=42337834364&ref=ts Join for updates, networking, etc! Want to start your own Woodbridge Interest Group? E-mail: . 9 Woodbridge Neighborhood Grill Invites you to try our NEW daily specials Monday–Country Fried Steak, mashed potatoes, and Texas toast. Tuesday–Tortilla Fried Chicken, roasted red pepper sauce, Spanish rice and side salad. Wednesday–Grilled Pork Chops, scalloped potatoes, and green beans. Thursday–Teresa’s Famous Soup and Sandwich Combinations. Friday–NEW French Dip, warm au jus, and fries. (Ask our servers for Saturday and Sunday Specials) ONLY $5.95 + tax Buy one Lunch Entree from the Menu and get entrees for up to two guests at 1/2 OFF! Must present e-mail address to redeem • One Per Table • Expires: 06/30/2009 Name: _______________________ E-mail: _______________________ Please call today to reserve a private room for Breakfast Meetings! Room rental is waived with the purchase of at least $25.00 in food and beverages. 7400 Country Club Drive, Wylie, TX Just off Highway 78 in the Woodbridge Development www.wbgolfclub.com 10 Another Happy Holiday Season! By Shari Sanders, Social Committee Chair A ll of us at the Social Committee hope this New Year has started healthy and happy for everyone. We want to thank all of those who helped make the holiday season in Woodbridge so memorable yet again. It is always a treat to share in the joy of the holidays with our neighbors. We introduced the toy drive for the first time this past December, and while we did not quite meet our collection goals, a festive time was had by all. Many thanks go out to Lisa Dulski, Cory Miller, and Dean Hillegass of K. Hovnanian Homes for allowing us to host the event in their Goodman model. Thank you also to our volunteers, without whom the event would not have been possible, especially Jill Krause, who co-chaired the event. A special thank you goes out to Santa for stopping by to share the holiday spirit with the children and to the adults who dropped off their toy and food donations. We hope to bring other opportunities to our community to help those in need during 2009. The need will continue to grow from its rocky start with the economic struggles of 2008. Our annual Holiday Lights Contest this year was a close race! Volunteers drove through the neighborhoods on the weekend of December 12–14 to choose the individual neighborhood winners. Then the Social Committee took a second look to choose the Grand Prize Winner! Picking one overall winner sure was difficult! Congratulations to all of the winners listed below and a special nod to Bradford Estates, which was the most festive street. Falcon Crest and Bluffview also had a great collective holiday presence! Thanks so much to our volunteers and to everyone who decorated for the holidays for making Woodbridge so colorful. The Crest South: 5720 Meadowcrest Lane The Crest North: 6703 Falcon Crest Lane The Estates/Courts: 6619 Bradford Estates Drive The Glen: 4334 Bluffview Drive The Meadows: 7618 Harvest Bend Lane The Highlands: 2020 Highland Drive The Lakes: 6608 Lake Meadow Lane The Parkes: 2214 Fair Parke Lane The Fairways: 1934 Fair Parke Lane The Hills: 6420 Hillview Lane* The Vistas: 7509 Vista Creek Lane The Summit: 7302 Summit Ridge Lane *Best Overall Editorial Policy It is the editorial policy of Woodbridge Association Newsletter to inform residents of the Association in an unbiased manner of issues and information that would be of help and of interest. It is also the editorial policy that no disparaging remarks regarding race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, or sexual orientation will be permitted. No personal attacks or comments, nor political endorsements, either local, state, or national will be permitted. Spring 2009 HOA Municipal Affairs Committee News By Hal Hinckley Past Chairman, Woodbridge HOA Municipal Affairs Committee T he Municipal Affairs Committee of the Woodbridge HOA has been actively following the Sachse City Council over the past few months regarding several issues that affect our neighborhood. While all is fairly quiet at the moment, the closing of Creek Crossing continues to be presented to the City Council by various parties and we do not expect this issue to go away. If you are unfamiliar with this, it regards the appeal of a few residents concerning the intersection of Creek Crossing and Bailey Rd. They are requesting to have Creek Crossing closed near Bailey, or made one way to reduce local and cutthrough traffic. It has been the position of the Municipal Affairs Committee that the roads in Sachse were built for the use of all residents, and therefore, closing them would be an injustice to many for the benefit of a few. We will continue to monitor this issue and remain vigilant in our opposition. One of the exciting programs of the Committee is to provide Snacks to Police. We provide a fruit tray to both the Sachse and Wylie Police Departments on the 15th of each month, thanks to the generosity of many of our neighbors. In December, we provided meat and cheese trays to the departments as well as trays of sandwiches. This is our way of saying “Thanks for keeping us safe.” I would like to thank the donors who contributed the funds to make this happen each month. They are: Jan.’08– Lana Bass, Feb.’08–Marie Garrigue, Mar.’08–Hal Hinckley, Apr.’08–Scott Smith, May ’08–Rosenbalm, June ’08–Jerry Richardson, July’08–Jean Cogdell, Aug.’08–Cynthia Brewer, Sept.’08–Nicole Tucker, Oct.’08–Trish and Ed Siegel, Nov.’08–Trish and Ed Siegel, Dec.’08–Cynthia Brewer, and Jan.’09–Hal Hinckley. If you know any of these people, please tell them thank you for their generous support. Contributions are being accepted for the remaining months of 2009. The trays cost $40.00 to cover both departments. If you are interested, e-mail committee member Kathleen Hashimoto at In a final important note: local elections will take place on May 9th. A schedule of early voting times and locations will be available on both the Sachse and Wylie city web sites. Benefit Yard Sale • March 21st. Kroger parking lot on Hwy.78 in Sachse near Murphy Road. Don’t miss this benefit to raise money for cancer treatment for Woodbridge resident, Ted Blair, pastor of Livingway Church, who has Hodgkins Lymphoma. Representing Our Neighborhood to the City for 18 Months. I now ask for your support to be part of our city government. Vote Hal Hinckley for Sachse City Council Place 2, May 9th Your Voice for Many Sachse elections have been won by fewer than 20 votes. I need your vote! For more information go to— www.Hinckleyforcouncil.com • Limited Taxation • Improved City Services • Better Roads Paid for by Hal Hinckley for Sachse City Council pl 2, Lynne Hinckley, Treasurer 11 STANDARD B U.S. POSTAGE PAID WYLIE, TX PERMIT NO. 207 1800 Preston Park Blvd., Suite 101 Plano, Texas 75093 Easter Events Schedule (See 4th Annual Easter Celebration, Page 4) Easter Egg Hunt (by age) •Under 3 begins at 1:15 p.m. •3–5 begins at 1:25 p.m. •6–8 begins at 1:45 p.m. •9–11 begins at 2:05 p.m. Easter Bunny present from 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Neighborhood Challenge Registration starts at 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. and must be ready to start by 2:30 p.m. Each neighborhood needs at least five participants to compete in the events. Event 1 Event 2 Event 3 Event 4 Event 5 Barnyard Antics Over the River Squeeze Play Relay Geometry Test Jump Rope Relay Design Your Landscape Before You Plant By Maribeth Flowers Flowers’ Gardens & Landscapes I n the spring, when the weather is nicest, everyone wants to get outside and enjoy their yards. But all too often there isn’t much there that makes it special. To create your own private oasis, you should first identify all of your needs and wishes for your yard. It is best to create a master plan that takes into consideration several factors. First, determine if you need additional outdoor living spaces and hardscape. These include patios, walkways, and cooking and eating areas. Next, consider functional requirements such as space for pets, children and storage. Decide if there are unsightly areas that need to be screened or areas where planting a screen would create more privacy. Determine the overall look and function you want to achieve, even if you don’t fill in all the details just yet. Once you have identified your overall needs, you should think about how you want it to look. Consider picking a theme that connects your personal decorating style with your hardscape and plant choices. For example, do you want it to look tropical or southwestern? Do you want it to look formal, have minimal plantings, or be more free form? 12 When choosing plants, you first should consider their mature size. Then consider characteristics such as shape, texture, color, fragrance, contrast and the like. Don’t forget to factor in the long term maintenance requirements that result not only from plant placement, but the landscape style. Improper pruning can ruin a good design. If you are tired of an all green landscape and want to liven it up, you can increase color and diversity with perennials, annuals and flowering shrubs that fit into the style of your garden. You also could greatly enhance an area of your yard by adding a focal point such as a sculpture or water feature. You may choose to implement your master plan in small steps. Even though you don’t install it all at once, you still want it to fit together. This helps you avoid transplanting misplaced plants. It also enables you to group plants that require the same care and to include elements that have the same style. Oh, and don’t forget to apply for approval of your landscape plan to the ACC before beginning installation. A good design will make the difference between a unique outdoor landscape and a cookie cutter one. If we can assist you in designing and installing your own special space, please contact Flowers’ Gardens & Landscapes at 972-429-7707.
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