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B r i a r V i l l a g e N e w s l e t t e r Houston, Texas July 2012
Se rv ing 768 Homes ~ S ince t he 1970s w w w . b r i a r v i l l a g e . c o m
Community Assoc iat ion (BPCIA ) Meets Regular ly on 4 t h Thursday - Everyone Welcome
What’s Inside?
Newcomers Pg. 2
Cook’s Corner Pg. 3
Citizen Patrol Pg. 4
Speed Bumps? Pg. 4
Garden Club Pg. 5
Yard of the Month Pg. 5
A Fourth of July Celebration for Everyone!
Get ready for a great Briar Village 4th of July celebration this
year. We have upped the ante, folks, and have gone all in for a fun-filled day.
Starting in the morning is the annual BV 4th
of July Parade.
Participants are to gather at the clubhouse area at 9:30 a.m., then start the parade at 10:00 am. We will follow the old parade route, going west on Piping Rock to Briar Green, south on Briar Green to Ella Lee, west on Ella Lee to Briarport, north on Briarport to Piping Rock, and then east on Piping Rock to the clubhouse area. We are hoping to have participation by the Houston Fire Department, the Houston Police Department, and the Texas National Guard.
Residents with really cool cars are also welcome. Spectators are encouraged to line the parade route and cheer on the participants.
Later in the afternoon, starting at 4 pm, we’ll have hamburgers and hot dogs at the clubhouse. All residents are welcome. Members of the Texas National Guard will be there, as will members of our Neighborhood Patrol. Maybe you, too, can join
the patrol and help make our neighborhood safer! Take a dip in the pool to keep cool.
The final feature of the 4th
of July festivities is the First Annual Briar Village Cook-Off! If you haven’t heard about this yet, you
haven’t been reading your newsletters. Any resident or team of residents can submit one entry in any or all of the categories. The categories are brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, chicken, potato salad, baked beans, and baked dessert. All entries are to be turned in between 5pm and 6pm. We’ll have blind tasting by three impartial judges, including our West Side High School
Junior ROTC commander, Colonel Kalman. Champions will be named in each category, plus Grand Champions for meats and overall. We haven’t had many entrants so far, so you have pretty good odds of winning if you choose to participate. Besides, wouldn’t it be great to be able to say that you’re the best in Briar Village? I mean, how cool would that be? So get ready to fire up the smoker, boil them taters, and bake those beans! It’s time for some great barbecue!
Hurricane Season Is Here
For those who in recent years relied on Stormpulse.com for your hurricane tracking information, well, they recently changed to subscription service only. For now, that leaves the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a division of the U.S. Commerce Dept. This agency encompasses the National weather Service and its National Hurricane Center. They are the ones that issue the “official” watches and warnings. Their web site has maps, radar and tracking data in abundance. It’s not as easy to interpret as some sites, but the storm news starts here, so it’s certainly timely: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
4th of JULY COOK-OFF RULES
By Activities Director Brian Butler
It's not a professional cook-off, so I don't expect entrants to
break the bank on any of this. But we definitely need enough of each entry to give the judges an adequate sample.
MEATS – Four categories: Brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and pork
ribs. Minimum amount to cook: 1 whole brisket, 1 whole pork butt, 2 whole chickens, 1 whole side of pork ribs. Chefs may trim, season and marinade as they desire. Wet sauces can be used while cooking or sent in separate cups for dipping. I cannot speak to the preferences of the judges, so you take your chances.
Each entrant will be required to enter a specific amount of meat for judging: 1/2 lb. of brisket, sliced 1/2 lb. pork butt, pulled 2 different pieces of chicken 4 pork ribs. I strongly encourage you to pick the best of what you have so you can impress the judges.
POTATO SALAD. 1 gallon minimum, turn in 1 pint for judging.
Keep refrigerated, please, don't want any sick judges the next day.
BAKED BEANS. 1 gallon minimum, turn in 1 pint for judging. We
will judge it as long as it has beans in it and it's baked. Please warn us if it's real spicy, though.
BAKED DESSERT. 1 whole pie, 1 whole cake, 1 dozen cookies,
or 1 - 9" x 9" pan of cobbler/brownies/etc. Judging samples will be collected when delivered.
You can enter as an individual or as a team. You or your team
may enter as many categories as you wish, but only one entry per category. Judges' scores are totaled to determine the winners. Total entry/team scores in all meat categories are added together to determine Overall BBQ Champion. Total scores of all categories determine Overall Grand Champion. So there will be a total of 7 winners in the individual categories and 2 champions. There will be standardized score cards provided for the judges to score on specific aspects of each entry in each category. All entries will be numbered and judges will not know who enters any
item - blind judging.
Depending upon the number of entries, there may be plenty left over for others. If that is the case, we will have People's Choice voting and prizes as well. There will need to be a good number of entrants to make that feasible.
Please let me know ASAP if you intend to compete in this inaugural Community Cook-off. Contact me via e-mail at [email protected] or PM me on the BV website. Contact me also if you are willing to lend a hand with setting up and manning the entry station.
Okay everybody,
let's get cooking!
2
Who Said It?
If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm,
you’ll be fired with enthusiasm.
Answer on page 7
Welcome Newcomers
Geofrey and Carrie Bivins on Locke Lane have a daughter under age 2 and another baby due in the early fall. They previously lived down Westheimer at Dairy Ashford. Carrie does the accounting for her father’s window tinting company and Geofrey is an industrial electrician. He enjoys fishing and the shooting range, while Carrie likes scrapbooking and interior decorating. She has plenty to do right now decorating their new home. If you are new to the neighborhood and haven’t yet been visited by the Welcome Team, please let us know. We would love to greet you and give you information about Briar Village.
Greatest song title ever:
How Can I Miss You if You Won’t Go Away? -Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks
Got Smartphone?
Advertise In the newsletter-
It pays!
Briar Village Newsletter ~ July 2012
BPCIA – Briar Park Community Improvement Assoc. Meetings 8:00 p.m. at BV Clubhouse on 4
th Thursday of Month
Open to Everyone
Board Directors’ areas of responsibility change periodically, Make sure you have a current Newsletter before contacting a Director
President Bill Gray Vice President Erania Ebron Pool, Webmaster Newsletter, Asst. Webmaster [email protected] [email protected]
Secretary Brian Butler Director Steven Been Activities ACC, DR, Asst. Security [email protected] t
Treasurer Bob Chaney Director Jennifer Butler Common Areas Security, Clubhouse [email protected] [email protected]
Director Stephen Coad RealManage (BV Mgmt. Co.) Deed Restrictions/ACC Attn: Gina Keller [email protected] 2000 Dairy Ashford, #120 281-531-0002 www.realmanage.com
Welcome Team Newsletter Team Contact RealManage at 281-531-0002 Rick Lewis, Susan Von Gonten, If you are new to BV and wish to be Erania Ebron visited & receive our Welcome Packet [email protected]
S e c u r i t y P a t r o l – U P I 2 8 1 - 8 6 0 - 2 5 3 4 Call 911 for Emergencies 24/7 (HPD)
Common Areas Open 8:00 a. m. – 8:00 p. m. Unless it is a private party that has rented the Clubhouse.
Other Amenities - Hours as Posted
Garbage – 713-787-9790 – Questions & Complaints Pick-up Tues & Fri - Trash can only be put by the curb:
After 6:00 p.m. on Mon & Thurs or by 7:00 a.m. on Tues & Fri Limit weight to 45 lbs. per bag or can for one man to handle.
No construction debris, hazardous waste, tires. Bundle/tie limbs 4’ long. Heavy Trash on Fri Only (dishwashers, water heaters, etc.)
Holiday on Tues or Fri: Pick-up is skipped (NOT re-scheduled)
Briar Village Newsletter Published Monthly Feb-Dec and sent via U.S. 4
th Class Mail to every home
in BV; past issues on BV Website. BV residents are welcome to submit articles (450 word max.) However, some editing may be required due to
space constraints. NLT not responsible for accuracy of submitted articles. Submit articles as an attachment to [email protected].
Monthly Deadline: Submit by the 20th.
BV Newsletter Monthly Advertising Rates – Everyone Welcome 2 Lines/Residents Only $5; Bus. Card & 1/4 page $30; 1/3 page $35; 1/2 page $60; Full page $100. Submit payment and artwork/copy to
Rick Lewis, 2315 Briarlee, Houston, TX 77077 by the 15t
h of the month. Ads may also be sent via e-mail to
[email protected]. Make checks out to BPCIA
Pool Tags $2 each (Guest Tags $3 each) Tennis Court Key $20 each Tags are available from Pool Director Bill Gray – Complete the order form
and send it to (or drop it off at) 13803 Ella Lee Ln. Checks should be made payable to BPCIA. Cash accepted with exact change.
Order form available on the website or from Mr. Gray
BV Clubhouse Rental $65 per Event + Security Deposit–Contact RealManage
www.briarvillage.com
Recycle Day is Thursdays
Briar Village – Things to Do Monthly Community Assoc. Meeting, Scrapbook Club, Garden Club, Swim
Team, Website: www.briarvillage.com, Yard of the Month, Welcome Team, seasonal events. Open to all residents, owners & renters.
The Board Members, Newsletter Team and Welcome Team are Volunteers. Would you like to volunteer too?
Contact a Board Member.
3
Cook’s Corner
Fig preserves
I don’t know about you guys, but my fig tree is about to explode! Early spring rains and regular watering make for a promising crop and I for one am going to make preserves. This is the recipe I’ll use this year.
Ingredients:
2 lbs. figs, unpeeled 3 cups granulated sugar 1 cup water 1/2 lemon, sliced thin
Directions:
1 Wash figs gently in cold water. 2 Place in a large bowl, fill with cool water and soak for 20 minutes. 3 Make a syrup by boiling the sugar and water together in a large saucepan. 4 When syrup is clear and just thick, around 15 minutes add figs and lemon slices. 5 Bring to a boil over high heat. 6 Boil hard 1 minute. 7 Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 8 Remove from heat. 9 Carefully pour into a blender and pulse to grind figs and lemon slices. 10 You may want to cook down for 10 or 15 more minutes to desired thickness. 11 Ladle into clean hot sterile jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
This recipe makes for very sweet preserves, so you might want to read the excellent reviews for suggestions:
http://www.food.com/recipe/fig-preserves-69138
My father gave me some advice.
As a man in a relationship, you have a simple choice:
You can either be right…
or you can be happy.
-Comedian Ralphie May
Celebrity-Owned Bar
Headed for West Oaks Mall
Courtesy Houston Chronicle
Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, a live music venue with barbecue and a 95-foot guitar-shaped bar, will open in West Oaks Mall next spring.
The Oklahoma City-based chain has leased 28,000 square feet in the mall. The company has eight locations and is expanding in five
other cities in addition to Houston. The venue is known for serving beer in mason jars and “Whiskey Girls.”
It was named after the country crooner’s song “I Love This Bar.”
Honor Houston’s Fallen Heroes
Celebrate Independence Day by honoring the soldiers buried at Houston National Cemetery as a participant in Wreaths Across America-Houston’s (WAA-H) new program “The Reading.”
At 3 p.m. Friday, July 6th
, volunteers from the community will begin reading aloud all 78,000 names of those fallen heroes. “The Reading” will take approximately 51 hours and will take place at the Hemicycle on the cemetery grounds at 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive.
“We wanted to do something that had not been done before at this cemetery, but would be a great honor to our veterans,” said Scott DeMasi, WAA-H’s Director. “We will continue to read day and night straight through until Sunday evening until every name has been read.”
WAA-H is a non-profit organization known for annually placing live wreaths on the grave sites of our fallen heroes at the cemetery, each December. The community, in part, makes this possible thanks to $15 donations received throughout the year. Since December 2008, volunteers have placed an ever increasing amount of wreaths. However, this year, WAA-H’s goal is to place a wreath at all 78,000 grave sites.
To help fund the 2012 wreath purchases, WAA-H will kick off a wreath sponsorship campaign during the 51 hours of “The Reading” event. The goal is set at $1,000 per hour for a total of $51,000 to be raised before the last name is read. A special online page is available at the WAA-H website to make donations specifically in support of “The Reading” event.
For those who would like to volunteer as a reader, send an email to [email protected]. For those who would like to make a wreath sponsorship or for more information, go to www.waahouston.com.
Where Were You?
Everybody who was alive remembers the night of July 20, 1969,
when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon.
At 9:39 pm CST, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module “Eagle”, squeezed through the opening and proceeded down the 10’9” ladder. At 10:56, he placed his left foot on the surface of the moon, uttering the famous line, “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.”
An estimated 500 million people worldwide watched the event, fully aware of its epic context. The closest viewer was 62 miles away. Command module pilot Michael Collins, who orbited the moon while his comrades walked on it, claimed that he was never lonely, but said, “I knew I was alone in a way that no earthling has ever been before.”
A total of twelve Americans walked on the moon in six NASA missions, but no one who witnessed it will ever forget the first one.
4
Indi Kalsi
Citizen Patrol Rolling Along
by Karen Avery
HPD’s Citizen Patrol has been actively patrolling Briar Village
streets for five months as of July 11th and patrol time continues to
increase as new BV volunteers are added. In the month of May, these volunteers logged 53 hours driving the neighborhood. (The June report was not available at the editor’s deadline.)
Five residents took the latest training on June 4
th,
increasing the team to 30 trained BV residents to date. Each volunteer is asked to patrol just two hours a month, but some are able to donate considerably more, and some less. Retiree Inderjit (Indi) Kalsi generously donated 13 hours in May, while Stephen King and Sandy Owens [both of whom work] managed to donate 7 hours each.
The patrol schedule is flexible and random – no assignments -- just whenever a volunteer
chooses to sign up for a slot on the shared Yahoo calendar. On a recent Sunday, there were three shifts…most days it is just one or two. But the more volunteers we can draw, the more slots we can fill and the more eyes we can have assisting UPI to watch and guard our neighborhood.
We would love to have more neighbors join us. Members of our team will be staffing a sign-up table at the July 4
th Celebration at
the Clubhouse. Please stop by to meet your Citizen Patrol.
BV Resident Receives GSA Award
Nancy Zimmerer, a Girl Scout leader for
12 years has been recognized by the San Jacinto Girl Scout Council for extraordinary service as a trainer of new leaders in this area’s Service Unit through the Council’s “Passport to Girl Scouts” program. The Council covers 26 surrounding counties and serves 76,000
girls and 18,000 adults.
Nancy is leader of Troop NO.12625, whose members advanced through the G.S. ranks together over several years to the Ambassador level serving girls in the 11
th and 12
th grades. The
troop meets here in BV. Memorable accomplishments over the years include the Troop making 400 heart pillows for heart and lung patients at Houston Memorial Southwest Hospital to earn their Silver Awards. Some of the pillows went to the Houston Quilt Show for the G.S. booth and some went to Egypt to start a program there. This troop’s members also organized clothing drives in our neighborhood for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and then volunteered at Memorial Methodist Church where they distributed clothing and basic supplies to those in need. For these efforts they earned their Bronze Awards.
Nancy says, “Girl Scouts is a great organizations that offers girls many opportunities and experiences that girls may not normally have. It also helps develop life-long skills for the girls. It is very satisfying as a parent and adult to be part of this organization.”
Michel Hinton is the Service Unit Manager for the Girl Scout Program in this area (and also a BV resident). She oversees 35 troops, leading almost 500 girls in this area alone. Michel says the Appreciation Pin that Nancy was awarded in a national recognition for outstanding service -- noting that Nancy also served as the Service Unit Manager prior to taking leadership of the adult training function. “Her wealth of Girl Scout information and experience provides guidance and support for new leaders, which positively impacts the young girls in our community.”
In addition to leading an active troop and organizing trainings for adult Girl Scout leaders, Nancy Zimmerer also volunteers here in BV. She is a founding member of our HPD Citizen Patrol team. In earlier years she was active with our swim team. Nancy and husband Gerald have lived in Briar Village 18 years. They are the parents of Nicole and Rene’, both seniors at Westside High School. Nicole is involved with Theatre and Westside Inclusive Theatre and Rene’ has been Captain of the Varsity Softball Team. The Gold Award they are each working toward is the highest and most prestigious recognitions awarded in the Girl Scout program.
Congratulations, Nancy, and thank you for your service and leadership.
If you are interested in becoming a Girl Scout Leader or finding a troop for your daughter, contact the San Jacinto Girl Scout Council at 713-292-0300 or Michel Hinton at [email protected].
More Speed Bumps in BV?
At the June board meeting, BPCIA directors will consider
applying to the City of Houston for additional speed bumps on our streets. The exact locations have yet to be decided.
The process required by the city is to first make application to the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP). The purpose of the NTMP is “to improve neighborhood quality of life by implementing ‘Traffic Calming’ measures to reduce cut-through traffic and reduce excessive vehicular speeds on neighborhood streets.” There are a variety of traffic control devices that can be used to address traffic problems, among which are speed cushions, traffic circles, median islands and chicanes.
An application to the NTMP may be made by one or more homeowners or by an authorized representative of a neighborhood association “with evidence of residential support.” Assuming the application is made and accepted, a public meeting will be held to select a Neighborhood Traffic Committee (NTC), which will work with the city staff to develop a concept traffic mitigation plan. A second meeting is held to present the approved concept plan and to solicit homeowner feedback.
A traffic study must be performed to determine the nature and scope of the problems, based on the following factors:
The estimated percentage of cut-through traffic is greater than 20% of observed volume;
15% of observed vehicular speeds on a street are equal to or above the posted speed limit plus 3 mph;
At least 8% of the total daily traffic volume on a street consists of trucks having more than two axles.
Once a concept plan is approved, representatives of the Fire, Police and Planning Departments as well as the City Attorney have to sign off on it. The selected “devices” are then installed and a temporary test follows to ensure that the plan actually does what it is intended to do.
This is just the “Cliffs Notes” version of the process. For more information, go to http://documents.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/divisions/traffic/ntmp_brochure.pdf
As always, anyone having input, either pro or con, is invited to attend the monthly board meeting on June 28
th at 8:00 pm
5
Garden Club
Harvest Celebration
The June 16th meeting was a taste testing of dishes prepared from the harvest of our gardens. Participants got to sample home-made fig preserves, easy “freezer” pickles, pepper jelly, bok choy and eggplant lasagna, cucumber-mango salad, pasta salad with fresh basil and grape tomatoes, quinoa salad with dried cranberries, lettuce muffins, collard greens soup, freshly harvested tomatoes and peppers, zucchini bread and Patriotic Tea Punch. The locally grown ingredients included peppers, figs, green onions, rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, lettuces, collard greens, white onions, cucumber and parsley. Wow! What great things we can grow right here in BV! It was a delicious meeting!
Summer Sabbatical
For the first time in seven years, the Garden Club will not provide gardening programs in the summer months of July and August. We will resume in September and the program topic will be announced here in the August newsletter. We will continue to monitor and care for the entryways we have planted and individual members will be available to assist with any gardening questions.
Firecrackers and Sparklers
In the month we celebrate the 4th we want to recommend and showcase some plants that have a lot of “fire power” of their own. The “showiest” of these is the Firecracker fern and a great description of it can be found at botanical-journeys-plant-guides.com: “The Firecracker fern forms a mound of cascading stems with needle-like green leaves tipped by tubular (most often) red flowers. Russelia equisetiformis looks like a sparkler going off, hence its common name. This waterfall of vegetation is also sometimes called the fountain plant.” It is drought tolerant so it is often seen in xeric landscapes, though it performs best when watered regularly, letting the soil dry a bit between waterings. If cut back after it blooms, it will flower again. It can take part shade, but blooms its best in full sun. This tender perennial (it needs protection in a freeze) makes a great addition to the butterfly garden. Bees and hummers are also drawn to it. Gorgeous specimens of this plant can be viewed curbside in BV at 14118 Locke Lane, 2322 Briarport and at 2210 Briarview.
Cleome (Spider Plant) also comes to mind as a heat-tolerant bloomer that looks like a sparkler. That is actually the name of its best performing variety. Its white flower is used often for “pop” in a mixed bed, but it also comes in pink and lavender.
Pine Straw Bales are $12.95
That’s right…that’s what some of the nurseries charge for raked pine needles! Kinda makes you slap your forehead if you have been bagging them and throwing them away. Pine needles make excellent mulch for flower beds—they don’t wash away like pine bark will and they decompose slower than some other materials. Heidi Sheesley, owner of Treesearch Farms, a well-respected supplier to area nurseries, says she mixes both pine needles and raked leaves and uses a 4 inch layer as her nutrient-rich mulches.
July Garden Chores
Planting: Plant seeds for beans, cucumber, okra, pumpkin; mid-to-late July, put in fall tomato transplants (protect from too much sun while they are young), plant herbs such as basil, thyme and oregano. Check your garden for insect pests and use a strong water spray to remove them (check the underside of leaves, too). Deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage more blooming. Check the birdbaths and make sure the water is fresh. Remember that when you water, water deeply – especially the trees.
Yard of the Month July 2012
Congratulations Skoumpourdis Family 2006 Briargreen
Marcella, who grew up in Briar Village, is the family’s gardener. She and Petros moved into this house about 12 years ago. Marcella credits her Mom, Mary Karas, also a neighbor, as inspiring in her a passion for gardening. This yard is exceedingly tidy with matching border plantings embellishing all the flowerbeds like crown molding. Rose-colored Mandevilla vine is trained to hug the brick archway over the front entrance. A weeping Bottlebrush tree is a focal point in the center of the front wall that is lined with low-growing, robust azaleas. Wisteria vine planted at the front
corner of the garage travels the length of the garage wall over a neatly trimmed hedge of healthy boxwood. A large island of Knock-out roses surrounding 3 pine trees in front of the garage provides a second focal point. But the “pop” is provided by the 150 white Caladiums that Marcella planted, as bulbs, strategically around the yard. An emerald green lawn frames the color plantings.
Your neighbors thank you for all your hard work and dedication – your yard is a joy to behold!
Honorable Mention
2027 Briargreen 13802 Burgoyne 13923 Ella Lee 13719 Briar Lee 14210 Chevy Chase 2222 Joel Wheaton 13919 Briar Place 14226 Chevy Chase 14115 Overbrook 14010 Briarworth 14210 Piping Rock 13718 Piping Rock 14106 Briarworth 13811 Ella Lee 13802 Wickersham
Thanks to you all!
Your efforts make coming home enjoyable. Drive by and take a look at your neighbors’ front yards.
You will be inspired!
Check us out on the web-
www.briarvillage.com
Enjoy the lively community message board, view the newsletters in color and find
LOTS of important information about YOUR neighborhood!
The hand that’s
soiled by garden labor,
is fit to shake with any neighbor.
E v e r y o n e w e l c o m e t o j o i n o u r i n f o r m a l g r o u p .
\!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/ \!/
6
New Photographic Enterprise in BV
APatton Photography is a new venture recently begun by Andrea
Patton of Burgoyne. Her beautiful nature photographs in Briar Village recently adorned the website’s message board to critical acclaim. The Newsletter took the opportunity to interview Ms. Patton:
What is your artistic background?
I am a self-trained artist, however I took painting courses from artist Charles Darnell for several years. I took a photography class a few years ago, but mostly I learn from actually doing it. I have painted professionally; murals, furniture, rocks and canvas since 1990. I also enjoy calligraphy. How long have you been a professional photographer?
Although I have been taking photos for over 30 years, I became very passionate about it when my sons bought me a Nikon D60 in 2009. After travelling to Italy recently, I decided that I would like to start a career in this field. What is your favorite type of event/subject/terrain to photograph?
I love to take photos of flowers as they are absolutely beautiful. The colors are just amazing. I also like to take photos of landscapes. I hope to travel to France next year and look forward to taking tons of photos. I am excited about taking more photos of people and events. I recently took all the photos for Shell Oil’s Safety Day and it was fun! Is your work strictly digital?
Yes, strictly digital. I use a Nikon D60 digital single-lens reflex (D-SLR). Working digitally is an absolute joy. You get the instant gratification of viewing the images immediately. Also with digital and Photoshop you can fix problems, enhance images and much more. I suggest SLR compared to Point and shoot (PnS) if you want to take fine art photographs. You were instrumental in the artistic design of the entrance signs for Briar Village. What inspired the design you chose?
I wanted something classy but not too formal. We live in a wonderful neighborhood and so many people have updated their landscapes, windows, etc. The green signs were old and worn out. After discussing with many people in the neighborhood, we believed it was time to update the entrances.
“This photo is of 4 baby cardinals in a nest in my backyard. The nest was only 5' off the ground in a Tulip Magnolia tree. I watched for weeks as the mother built this little nest for her offspring and one morning there were 4 eggs! Then four little chicks hatched. The male and female both feed the babies and in only 7-13 days, the chicks fledge! It was a wonder to watch and I became quite attached to this little family.”
See more of Andrea’s work at: http://www.apattonphoto.com.
Patriotic Tea Punch
Ingredients:
4 cups water 2 cups cranberry or pomegranate juice 1/3 cup Lipton* Lemon Iced Tea Mix 1 medium red delicious or gala apple, sliced 1 cup small strawberries, halved leaving hulls intact 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions:
In pitcher, combine water, juice and Lipton Lemon Iced Tea Mix. Add fruit; chill 1 hour or until ready to serve. Serve over ice and garnish, if desired, with additional skewered fruit and mint. Makes 4 servings
Courtesy Shirley Chalmers
Growing with Kids
Gardening is one of the few hobbies that offer hands on activity involving science, math, language, health and nutrition. But don’t tell the kids! Children involved in gardening activities gain so much more than we might imagine….
Environmental stewardship – once engaged in gardening
children learn to see the earth as something full of life everywhere they look. Once they are able to appreciate how they are connected to this process they are more likely to take care and responsibility for our precious environment.
Practice in personal growth and social skills – children love
to show us what they can do. What an awesome experience for a child to see that they can actually grow a pepper or even a lemon that they may only have seen in the grocery store. How about picking flowers for Mom or a neighbor and being able to say …”I grew these myself!”
Learning about health and nutrition – growing their own food,
even a few tomatoes, really gives kids insight into where their food comes from and what goes into their bodies. In addition, gardening is an awesome form of exercise for young and old.
Active learning – no science class can compare to seeing
nature in action. When we are in our gardens we learn keen observation skills, whether looking for seeds to break through the earth or finding the butterfly caterpillars that have devoured the milkweed.
Joy – learning that simple pleasures are often the best and
longest lasting. Joy in a sense of accomplishment, joy in the miracles of nature, joy from sharing with others, the joy of sheer beauty and more….are all right in your own back yard.
Encourage your kids to do a little gardening this Summer! Sometimes we have to be subtle in our approach or they will just think of it as work. Here are a few ideas:
·Plant a fruit tree with the kids and have them help care for it. ·Plant a veggie or herb garden. ·Plant a butterfly garden or just add some butterfly plants to your
landscape. ·Plant a few hummingbird attractive plants to the garden. ·Give the kids a “plot” of their own, to plant as they choose. ·Plant a tree and measure its growth each year. ·Grow a few things from seeds. Sunflowers, cosmos and zinnias
are good choices for this time of year. ·Lay in a hammock or on the grass and just look around. The
sky, the bugs, the grass the flowers and the trees. Almost anywhere you look the miracles of nature are there for your enjoyment. This Summer we hope you and your family will “stop and smell the roses!”
Reprinted from Enchanted Nurseries and Landscapes (Richmond, TX) Newsletter, Summer 2007 edition
7
Security
UPI patrols during May 2012 report the following:
Doors 1
Contact 5
Police on site 1
Post inspection 207
Other 55
For Security/Patrol Service Call UPI at 2 8 1 - 8 6 0 - 2 5 3 4
(Program this number into your cell phone)
Call 911 for Emergencies 24/7
Houston Police Non-Emergency Number: 713-884-3131
(Press # to bypass non-emergency recording)
BV safety is everyone’s job. Be watchful and alert. Trust your instincts.
If it doesn’t look or feel right, call and report it.
PIP (Positive Interaction Program)
Meeting for June, 2012
Unfortunately, Westside has seen an increase in Part 1 crimes over the last month. Auto thefts, burglaries of motor vehicle and sexual assaults are all up, but burglaries of
habitation (homes) are down.
Briar Village stats are as follows: April – 1 Burglary of Motor Vehicle, 1 Burglary of a Habitation, and 1 Theft. May has only one – an Auto theft. Year-to-date (January through May) numbers indicate 2011 had 16 reported incidents, and 2012 has 9.
The speaker this month was Sergeant Melissa Holbrook with the Special Crimes Division assigned to the District Attorney’s Office. Her topic was Family Violence. After showing a shortened version of a web movie on a true case of family violence, she took questions from the audience. The film is “Telling Amy’s Story” and can be accessed online at telling.psu.edu.
If you suspect violence, report it. If you know someone is being abused, hear are things you should do & say: Listen – “I believe you.” Acknowledge – “No one deserves to be abused.” Express concern – “I am concerned for your safety.” Respect their Choices – “It’s important for you to make decisions
that are best for you.” Be Supportive – “You are not alone.” Provide Encouragement – “NDV Hotline (National Domestic
Violence Hotline) is anonymous & confidential. You could call them for help.”
Contacts:
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 HPD Family Violence Unit 713-308-1100 HPD Family Violence Unit Westside 281-584-4900 Crisis Hotline 713-HOT-LINE
They have a lot of referral information for those in violent situations. Remember, family violence affects all the people around the victim and perpetrator and often passes on to the next generation. It needs to stop NOW! Pass on the numbers to
anyone in need. And, of course, in case of emergency, call 911.
War does not determine who is right - only who is left.
Architectural Control Committee (ACC) Submit Your ACC Form to RealManage - Not to BPCIA
ACC stats were not available by press time. See the deed restriction stats below. All visible improvements must have ACC approval BEFORE work starts or you risk having to re-do a roof, a
paint job or a fence that does not comply with Deed Restrictions. Get the ACC Form to use on the BV Website - Downloads (Forms) Section and from RealManage. If you receive a Deed Restriction Violation Letter that involves, for example, painting your house or replacing a fence, you must still get proper ACC approval for paint color and specifics of appearance BEFORE you do the work. One of the reasons we strictly enforce Deed Restrictions in BV is to protect our property values.
Pick your paint, send in your ACC form, get approval, Then call for prices from your contractor...in that order.
Thinking of a new fence? Submit the ACC form, get approval, BEFORE scheduling the contractor.
Deed Restriction Enforcement June Violation Letter(s) Sent For: No. Sent
In order to get information out to BV residents
regarding the July 4th celebration, the
newsletter went to press early this month.
Deed restriction stats were not available by
press time. June stats will be published in the
August edition.
Please review your Deed Restrictions, which are very specific: “No activity, whether for profit or not, shall be carried on on any lot which is not related to single-family residential purposes…”
E.g., no businesses out of home.
Inspection “drive-bys” are only done once per month. If you see something that you feel is in violation of our Deed Restrictions, please report it to RealManage, contact information on page 2.
If you receive a Deed Restriction Violation Letter, please do not take it personally. The best course of action is to simply fix the problem and move on. Sometimes there are address or administrative errors, so if you feel you’ve wrongly received a letter, or if you are uncomfortable in any manner with the letter you received, please feel welcome to contact me or RealManage
– our management company - to discuss it. ACC/Deed Restrictions Director Stephen Coad
Who said it? from page 2
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas Lombardi was arguably the greatest football coach of all time. His ability to teach, motivate and inspire players helped turn the Green Bay Packers into the most dominating NFL team of the 1960s. At the age of 15, Lombardi began to study for the priesthood, but soon switched gears. He graduated magna cum laude from Fordham University where he was a star football player. He entered law school., but again changed directions, accepting a coaching job at St. Cecilia HS in Englewood, NJ. He coached at the college level at Fordham and West Point, where he adopted the hallmarks of his great NFL teams – simplicity and execution. Vince Lombardi died in September, 1970 of colon cancer at the age of 57.
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Join Us at the 4th of July Celebration!
H a v e a F u n & S a f e J u l y
~ A t a G l a n c e ~
July 1 Canada day
July 4 Independence Day
July 13 Chick-fil-A’s Cow Appreciation Day (Really!)
July 15 Saint Swithin’s Day
July 26 BPCIA board meeting, 8:00 pm
July 30 Father-in-Law Day
Do Not Forward
Post Office:
Please deliver to every
house as soon as possible.
Briar Village A family neighborhood in far west Houston 2000 Dairy Ashford, Ste. 120 Houston, Texas 77077
PRSRT STD US Postage PAID
Houston, TX Permit No. 6270
The Briar Flyers wish to thank Briar Village residents for their patience and
understanding with traffic, parking and noise during our home meets, practices and events and for generously allowing use of the pool for meets and practices. We are grateful to have the support of our neighborhood. There are always issues and we do our best to handle them. The Coad family works very hard to manage parking logistics and communication goes to visiting teams reminding them of parking courtesy.
The league is grateful to Briar Village for hosting league Championships. A fee is collected from visiting teams for the community and concessions rightts for the 2 day event are a tremendous help to the Briar Flyers. Again, thank you for your support!
The Briar Flyers also wish to thank our 2012 sponsors: Westheimer HWY 6 Animal Hospital-Dr. Allen, West Houston Orthodontics-Dr.
Vladimer Tabakman, Finley Films, Design A Tee, Briar Village Barber Shop, Mosaic Christian Childcare, Q Mart, Real Manage, Spinal Centers of Texas, Texas Aquatics, Upland Automotive, vetsjourneyhome.org and West End Automotive, The Briar Flyers also wish to recognize Vitol Travel and the Hanner family for their many years of support of the team.
Results for League Championships and End of Season Awards are not available in time for July's publication--stay tuned for the next issue.
The Briar Flyers embraced a long-time sports tradition this season, singing the national anthem before meets. After a few stanzas the nine year-old's voice on the PA cut through the din of the pre-meet scrambling, and all you could hear was the anthem. It was a sight to behold and very touching. What was even more touching was the enthusiasm many of the swimmers had for learning the words and practicing the anthem over and over again throughout the season. It was not uncommon to hear the anthem before practice, after practice, in front yards, in the car etc. Briar Village has got talent!
The Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key, 1814
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
National Anthem Singers Charlotte Stallings and LuLu Finley
