Stone Canyon - December 2013 by Peel, Inc.

Stone Canyon Neighborhood Newsletter www.stonecanyonoa.org

December 2013

Volume 8, Issue 12

Official Publication of Stone Canyon Homeowners Association

HOLIDAY LIGHTS AND DECORATIONS CONTEST By: Cathy Soukup and Amelia Dansby

Each year, members of our Yard of the Month Committee work hard to select the best holiday lights in our lovely neighborhood. Instead of choosing 1st/2nd/3rd place winners and 5 Honorable Mention for overall recognition like we do during the spring and summer, we will chose a winner and a runner up from four categories, just like last winter. INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES: 1. Most Elegant- Will cover the very pretty and beautiful homes. 2. Family Friendly- Will cover fun eye candy for youngsters and young-at-heart (i.e. Inflatable globes and figures; Santa/Elves/Toys/Flashing Lights yard ornaments; accompanying music) 3. Brightest Lights- We are looking for something that is over the top; with all the LED bulbs out there, this category seems appropriately festive. 4. Best Street- Will cover cul-de-sacs, coves and stretches of streets where multiple adjoining homes show obvious, defined coordination among all the neighbors; but no missing links in the chain, please.

We’ll have special Stone Canyon Holiday Lights yard signs, identifying a winner and runner up in each category. For the “Best Street” category, one sign will be placed at entry to winning cove, cul-de-sac, or beginning of selected stretch of homes identifying category. In order to allow reasonable amount of time for residents to put all lights and decorations in place, our nominating and final voting dates are below. If you want to be considered, be sure to have lights lit, action figures and music going and ready by 6:00 pm each evening. NOMINATING DATES: Saturday December 14th through Monday December 16th (after 6pm) FINAL VOTING: Tuesday December 17th through Friday December 20th (after 6pm) Yard Signs will be delivered on Saturday December 21st. Any questions? Feel free to contact Amelia Dansby (amdansby@gmail.com) or Cathy Soukup (csoukup11@att.net). Copyright © 2013 Peel, Inc.

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013

CANYON StoneSTONE Canyon Owners & Association Management Teams www.stonecanyonoa.org

STONE CANYON OWNERS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President/ACC/Good Neighbor Laura Kouns........................................ board@stonecanyon.org Vice President/Pool/Maintenance Gregg Hnath....................................... board@stonecanyon.org Secretary/Landscape/Recreation Jessica Stempco................................... board@stonecanyon.org Treasurer/Communication (Newsletter/Website/Facebook)/YOM Tina Riquelmy.................................... board@stonecanyon.org Parliamentarian/Capital Improvements/Neighborhood Watch Al Maus.............................................. board@stonecanyon.org COMMITTEE CHAIRS ACC Al Maus.............................................. acc@stonecanyon.org Recreation Laura Kouns.....................................lbkouns63@gmail.com Swimming Pool Open.............................................pool@stonecanyonoa.org Yard of the Month Amelia Dansby & Cathy Soukup......... amdansby@gmail.com Maintenance Al Maus............................maintenance@stonecanyonoa.org Landscape Cathy Soukup.........................................csoukup11@att.net Neighborhood Watch Donna Scoggins....................Donna@LetsGoToEscrow.com Newsletter Judith Horton ................................... 2toojays@gmail..com Good Neighbor Laura Kouns ................................... lbkouns63@gmail.com Webmaster Ron Kellam......................... webmaster@stonecanyonoa.org

KEY CONTACTS In an attempt to make things easier to find, we have provided some key contact information for various organizations that you might need to contact.  If you have a suggestion for information to add, please contact the web committee. HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION: Bob Nardo - Goodwin Management............... 512-852-7965 ................... 11149 Research Blvd Suite 100, Austin, TX 78759 http://stc.goodwintx.com/ Payment Address: Stone Canyon Owners Association P.O. Box 93447, C/O Goodwin Processing Center Las Vegas, NV 89193-3447 Governmental Agencies: Fern Bluff MUD............................................512-238-0606 ................ 7320 Wyoming Springs, Round Rock, TX 78681 City of Round Rock......................................512-218-5400 ............................... 221 East Main Street, Round Rock, TX Williamson County Commissioners Office....512-248-3238 ............ 400 W. Main St., Ste. 216, Round Rock, TX 78664 Williamson County Constable (Robert Chody) 512-248-3239 ....................211 Commerce Cove, Round Rock, TX 78664 Williamson County Sheriff’s Office (Non-Emergency)..........................................512-943-1300 Williamson County EMS (Non-Emergency)..........................................512-943-1264 Round Rock ISD.......................... (512) 464-5000 ext 1311 .....................Round Rock Avenue, Round Rock, TX 78681 Misc. Services: Gas Line Malfunction..... (Business Hours) 1-800-460-3030 .............................................(After Hours) 1-800-817-8090 Street Light Repair - TU Electric................1-800-242-9113 Texas Utilities (TXU).................................1-800-368-1398 Southwestern Bell.......................................1-888-294-8433 Time Warner Cable.......................................512-485-5555 Williamson County Road and Bridge............512-943-3330

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013

Stone Canyon

DECEMBER EVENTS

at the Wildflower Center Submitted by Saralee Tiede

WILD IDEAS SHOPPING EVENT DECEMBER 6-8, 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M. Featuring free admission, local artists wares in the Visitors Gallery Saturday and Sunday, Early Bird Specials Friday and Sunday morning, book signings and other offerings in The Store, and lots of opportunities to find beautiful scarves, nature images, glassware, soaps and other holiday gift options. LUMINATIONS DEC. 14 AND 15, 6 TO 9 P.M. Hundreds of luminarias light our garden paths, and twinkly lights light the trees as we celebrate the holidays with two free nights of music and festivities, including a visit from Frosty the Snowman. Bring two canned goods for the Capital Area Food Bank as entry fee.CLOSED FOR THE WINTER BREAK DEC. 23 THROUGH JANUARY 1, 2014 The Wildflower Center will be open Tuesday through Sunday in December through Sunday, December 22. Hours are listed at www.wildflower.org/visit. More information at www.wildflower.org

You’re Invited to

In the Dog Park Bring your dog and your family to enjoy our exclusive Dog Park and support the Austin Humane Society Sunday, December 15th 2:00pm to 4:00pm DogBoy’s Dog Ranch

Admission to the event is a donation to the AHS. All event profits will be donated to AHS!

RSVP online to learn AHS donation options and receive the following: Pictures with your dog at the holiday photo booth Hot Chocolate provided by Amy’s Ice Cream Free drink ticket compliments of Saint Arnold Brewing VIP parking pass Satisfaction of helping an orphaned pup

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013

Stone Canyon

26 Tips

FOR PREVENTING THEFT Theft Statistics Show You Can Reduce Your Chances by Following These 26 Tips Do you know how to prevent burglars from taking away your Christmas cheer? Every year during the holiday season among the Christmas shopping, holiday parties, church services, and family outings there are thieves watching and waiting for their chance to take advantage of you and steal your belongings. Theft statistics rise during the holidays according to law enforcement officials. State Farm Insurance claims that most thieves look for easy targets. By knowing this ahead of time, you can take steps to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of theft this year. Whether you are shopping at the mall or planning a 5 day ski trip to Tahoe, these 26 tips can help you prevent theft from happening to you. 1. Car doors should always be locked, even when parked at home 2. Do not leave any valuable items in your car especially overnight 3. When unloading items from your car, don't leave your vehicle open while you take items in, leaving other items in the car for thieves to take 4. Park in a well lit area when shopping 5. When you are out shopping, hide valuables, even small ones 6. Do not let thieves know what you buy- do not put the boxes they came in out on the curb in plain sight with the trash and recycle. Break the boxes into small pieces and place in the bottom of the can 7. Don't let mail or papers stack up--stop mail and newspaper delivery while you are away 8. Let a neighbor know you will be gone and that there will be no one coming and going from your house 9. Ask a neighbor or friend to remove door hangers, business cards, or other advertising someone may leave on your doorstep 10. Ask your neighbor to bring your garbage cans in if you leave on trash collection day 11. Put lights on a timing system so the house does not stay dark. 12. Never open the door to strangers 13. Keep home doors and windows locked

14. Consider installing a home security system including a home security alarm 15. Don't leave a hidden key outside 16. Don't give keys to service people 17. Avoid bragging to others about valuables you own 18. Install exterior lighting 19. Record serial numbers and photograph household valuables 20. Always park your cars in the garage with the garage door shut to prevent anyone from observing your occupancy patterns 21. Place a radio or TV on a timer and the volume up load enough to be heard from outside 22. Lower the sound of your telephone ringer (or answering machines) so that it can't be heard from outside 23. Never leave notes on your door indicating you are gone 24. Have your home phone forward calls to your cell. Thieves will sometimes call your home to see if you are there 25. Do not invite strangers into your home, this includes uninvited carpet cleaning sales companies and cheery young magazine sales people who may be there to case the house 26. Be a good neighbor- watch your neighborhood and notify the police and our Facebook page if you see something suspicious Home burglaries and theft of your valuables can happen to the most prudent. Preventing theft can be just a matter of taking a few extra steps. Don't let thieves do their holiday shopping from your belongings by following these tips on reducing the odds that you will become a victim of theft this year. To see this article online or more like it go to http://www.examiner. com/article/26-ways-to-prevent-theft-this-christmas-as-you-traveland-shop Be safe and have a happy holiday, Donna Scoggins with the Stone Canyon Neighborhood Crime Watch.

neighborhoodwatch@stonecanyonoa.org | 512-423-5901 4

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013

Stone Canyon

Fall Gardening Tips ✓✓ Know the light and watering requirements of all your plants, and the best time of the year to plant them. ✓✓ October/November is the time to plant Bluebonnets and wildflowers ✓✓ Planting trees and hardy shrubs should start now. With our cooler/ wetter weather, plants have 8 months to put down roots to prepare for our hot summer of 2014 ✓✓ If you plant fruit and nut trees, refer to the County Agricultural Agent to make sure you plant the variety that is correct for your area. Avoid the big box store selections without checking. ✓✓ If you had a tough summer with your vegetable gardening, start your fall garden now and grow the crops we can’t grow in the summer. Broccoli, collards, brussels sprouts, spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc. ✓✓ Enrich the soil. Our soils here are heavy clay with a high PH. The cure to poor soil is to amend with at least 40% organic matter. ✓✓ After planting, cover all bare areas with mulch; that is, partly

By Charles Evans, Director of Operations, ECOSystems Landscape Services

composted material, shredded leaves, shredded tree trimmings, or shredded cedar. This will keep the ground cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, and will break down to form organic matter in the soil. Do not worry about this material robbing nitrogen from the soil. It will not do this as long as you keep it on the surface and do not till it into the soil. This mulch will save you much work watering and removing weeds. ✓✓ Plant during or after a rain in the fall for best survival rate. Never pack down the soil when planting anything, and do not walk on the beds. ✓✓ Do not mix plants in a small bed that have different water and light requirement. ✓✓ Plan, plan, plan! Make your mistakes on paper, not in your yard. Study out what to do and how to do it before you act. ✓✓ If you still have not done your pre-emergent, do it now. Once the weeds germinate it is too late.

DIRECTV is rolling out the RED CARPET Pricing exclusively for Residents

DIRECTV Prices starting at

$29.99

FREE 5 tuner Genie HD/DVR

FREE Installation

Instant rebate on all packages

Up to 3 FREE additional HD client boxes

Record, watch and playback in HD from any room

FREE HBO, Cinemax, Starz & Showtime for 3 months

Mention this ad for your VIP deal. CALL NOW!

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013

Stone Canyon TRAVELING WITH YOUR PET OVER THE HOLIDAYS? Here are some tips that will help make your drive smooth sailing.

1. Take your pet on short trips prior to the big day to let him get used to traveling by car. 2. Keep your pet safe in a secured, well-ventilated crate or carrier. It should be large enough for your pet to stand, sit, lie down and turn around. Letting him have free range in the car not only puts him at risk, but it also poses a risk to your family if you were to stop suddenly. 3. Never let your dog travel in the bed of a truck. Even if he is secured on a short line to prevent him falling or jumping out, your pet can experience discomfort from the weather and wind or sustain injury from debris.

5. Never leave your pet in a parked vehicle, which can quickly become a furnace and cause heatstroke, even with open windows. In cold weather, the car holds the temperature like a refrigerator. 6. Your pet’s microchip should be up-to-date and he should be wearing a flat collar and ID at all times. 7. Bring a bowl and extra water in case you get stuck in the inevitable holiday traffic jam! 8. Take lots of breaks to let your pet stretch his legs and relieve himself. It’s a great excuse to do some sight-seeing or pick up a fun treat for yourself!

4. Feed your pet three or four hours prior to departure and avoid giving him any food or treats in the car.

Make an impact. 6

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013

Stone Canyon At no time will any source be allowed to use the Stone Canyon HOA Newsletter contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from the Stone Canyon HOA and Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Stone Canyon HOA residents only.

RUN-DOG PET SERVICES

Professional dog running, walking & pet sitting for small animals. RESERVE NOW FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

info@run-dog.com (512) 903-8494

www.RUN-DOG.com

Serving Round Rock and Cedar Park.

Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

Reaching youR neighboRs • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Avery Ranch Barton Creek Bee Cave Bella Vista Belterra Canyon Creek Chandler Creek Cherry Creek on Brodie Lane Circle C Ranch Courtyard Davenport Ranch Forest Creek Hidden Glen Highland Park West Balcones Hunter’s Chase Jester Estates Lakeway Lakewood Legend Oaks II Long Canyon

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

and many others...

Lost Creek Meadows of Bushy Creek Meridian Pemberton Heights Plum Creek Ranch at Brushy Creek River Place Round Rock Ranch Sendera Shady Hollow Sonoma Steiner Ranch Stone Canyon Teravista Travis Country West Twin Creeks Villages of Westen Oaks West Lake Hills Westside at Buttercup Creek Wood Glen

512-263-9181

www.PEELinc.com advertising@PEELinc.com

Peel, Inc. community newsletters

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013

Stone Canyon 308 Meadowlark St. Lakeway, TX 78734-4717

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PEEL, INC.

Stone Canyon Homeowner's Association Newsletter - December 2013