Circle C - June 2021 by Peel, Inc.

Volume 18, Number 06

June 2021

www.circlecranch.com

News & Announcements Important Dates in June: Monday, June 14, 2021 National Flag Day: Celebrate the adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777. Sunday, June 20, 2021 Father’s Day Monday, June 21, 2021 Summer Solstice: The first day of summer and the longest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. Wednesday, June 30, 2021 6:30pm: CCHOA Board Meeting Front Yard Guidelines: The Circle C Homeowners Association is tasked with monitoring the neighborhood to ensure compliance with Circle C Ranch’s Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions. Please be aware of the following items to help keep your front yard properly landscaped and uncluttered: • Shrubs must be trimmed so that at least 2/3 of the front windows of the home are visible. • Front yards or porches should not contain any of the following: plastic pots (original garden containers), artificial flowers, no empty pots, no pots within10 feet from the curb (right of way), and no pots randomly placed in the yard. • No signs are allowed within 10 feet from the curb and signs may not be nailed or otherwise attached to trees. • Front yard art (including fountains, statues, gazing balls, and bird houses) must be minimal and integrated into the landscape. Please move extra yard art to the backyard. • Front yard patio changes must be approved by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC). Patios must have approved surrounding landscape screening (no invasive plants) and limited furniture (two chairs and one small table). Other patio furniture must be approved by the Architectural Control Committee. • Front door and window screens may be removed if desired. If kept, all screens must be in good condition (with no holes, faded coloring, sagging, fraying, or rips). The average life of a screen is seven years. • Any color changes to doors, trim, or screens must first be approved by the ACC. • Lounge chairs, fire pits, or extended front yard patios are not allowed. • Homeowners wishing to convert front yards to a waterwise plan must first receive written approval by the ACC and must contain sufficient landscape plants (not merely crushed granite). • All landscaping trees, shrubbery, and grass must be alive, attractive, and neatly maintained with no visible weeds. Grass must be kept mowed. Trash Cart Reminder: Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

The HOA receives numerous calls about visible trash and recycling carts. Please remember to store your trash and recycling cans in your garage or out of sight from the street after trash/recycling is collected. Watering Restrictions: Please visit your water provider’s website to view current watering restrictions. City of Austin: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/watering-restrictions Midtex: (South West Water Company): https://swwc.com/texas/drought Irrigation After the Rain: If you see high spraying of water near retention ponds after a heavy rain or storm, it is likely recirculated water being sprayed further into the landscape to prevent stagnant water in the watershed. Circle C has multiple City of Austin watershed retention ponds that capture stormwater and use that water to irrigate the surrounding landscape. Circle C Aquatics—Operations are Changing!! Swim Center Pool at offers weekday (M-F) lap swim lane reservations 4:00pm - 8:00pm. Reservation information can be found at www.ccswim.net. Open Lap Swim—Monday-Friday: 6:00am-10:00am; Saturdays: 7:00am – 6:00pm & Sundays: 1:00pm – 6:00pm Open Recreational Swim—Saturdays: 10:00am – 6:00 pm & Sundays: 1:00pm – 6:00pm It is recommended you call 512-288-6057 before going for capacity verification. **Please note that the Wade Pool will not be open at this time. Avaña Pool is now open for recreational swim Saturday and Sunday 11:00am – 7:00 pm. Please call the pool office at 512-292-1518 before going for capacity verification. This pool has a beach entry and spray features so it is great for families with younger children. Grey Rock Pool is now open for recreational swim Saturday and Sunday 11:00am – 7:00 pm. Please call the pool office at 512-291-8398 before going for capacity verification. Community Center Pool currently still waiting for repairs from the freeze to be completed before opening. Detailed additional information as well as the online waiver form can be found at www.ccswim.net or under the Aquatics tab at www.circlecranch.com. The summer schedule will expand on June 8th. To make reservations, residents must be active in our membership system. Proof of residency must be submitted prior to booking a reservation. Proof of residency may be emailed to: coordinator@ccswim.net. Feel free to call 512-288-6057 for questions or concerns. To receive general information text messages from the Circle C Aquatics, text CCAQUATICS to 84483. Circle C Ranch Newsletter - June 2021

Circle C Ranch Newsletter June 2021

Pool News and a National Lifeguard Shortage

It’s true: Circle C is opening our pools for the summer. This past spring, we opened both single lap lane and family lap lane options at the Swim Center pool and available weekend time slot options for the Avaña pool. The Greyrock pool is the most recently opened one for recreational swim and once the necessary repairs to damages from the winter storm are complete, we hope to open our Community Center pool as well. Since the pool use will be limited to Circle C Residents in good standing (No Guests), a valid Proof of Residency (POR) must be on file for each member of the household. For more detailed POR information, please view the Membership and Guest Policy under the Aquatics tab at www.circlecranch.com. Proof of residency may be emailed to: Coordinator@CCSwim.net. Feel free to call 512-288-6057 for questions or concerns. Lifeguard Shortage Please note, however, that pool availability is dependent upon staffing the pools and our nation is currently experiencing a lifeguard shortage. “One of our major challenges right now is staffing,” explains Brody McKinley, Aquatics Swim Director at Circle C. “We are actively recruiting, hiring, and training lifeguards to prepare for the season. However, due to the pandemic, there was a long period of time where lifeguard training ceased throughout the country, which is why we are all experiencing this shortage now. The best thing residents can do to help this issue is get their teenagers and friends to apply!” To properly manage the four pools with normal operating hours during the summer season, Circle C needs 145 lifeguards on staff. “No experience is necessary,” Brody declares, “and we can train anyone, with strong swimming skills, ages 15 to 115 to be a lifeguard!” Why is there such a national lifeguard shortage now? Brody refers us to the following statement by the American Lifeguard Association: According to the American Lifeguard Association, there are a few reasons why there’s a shortage across the country: • Lifeguard training and certification programs are backlogged because the pandemic resulted in class cancellations. Plus, certification programs — like American Red Cross Training — can cost up to $275. • Travel restrictions have limited the number of seasonal college and foreign exchange students. • Older lifeguards and swimming instructors are retiring early. • Overall interest is declining. Another article in the April 20, 2021 edition of Aquatics International addresses the lifeguard shortage as well. In her article, “Staffing Poses Biggest Challenge for Post-Lockdown Facility Reopenings,” writer Rebecca Robledo captures the sentiment of many aquatic directors with her byline: “While 2021 promises more facility openings than last year, operators’ staffing fears have come true.” The article offers possible reasons for the lifeguard shortage: “Most facilities seem to be facing this problem, coming up significantly short on hires as summer looms.” Ms. Robledo continues, “Former lifeguards have turned down offers for a number of reasons outside normal attrition. Some are concerned about infection. But most found other jobs, especially in thriving businesses such as grocery stores or food-delivery services. Some moved to competing aquatics programs that opened in 2020. These former employees feel settled, secure and, in some cases, are better paid.” The article also quotes Ashley Wells, Aquatic Program Manager for the City of Austin (CoA). She explains that the CoA is short 600 lifeguards this summer. “We have developed a tiered opening schedule based on how many lifeguards we train and hire. . . . If we have 200 lifeguards, we’ll open certain pools. If we get 250, we’ll open another set of pools.” Maintaining Safety Regarding water safety measures: Brody reminds parents to be vigilant with children and water: “With regards to water safety, we still want to emphasize that parents must remain within arms’ reach of any weak or non-swimmers.

HOA Mgmt Office................................. info@circlecranch.info or 512.288.8663 HOA Financial Office................................tgiles@mgilescpa.com or 512.451.9901 Aquatics Director....................................... director@ccswim.net or 512.288.4239 Newsletter Publisher Peel, Inc....................................................advertising@PEELinc.com or 512.263.9181 Circle C Amenities Circle C Avaña Pool.........................................................................512.292.1518 Circle C Café...................................................................................512.288.6058 Circle C CDC..................................................................................512.288.9792 Circle C Swim Center......................................................................512.288.6057 Circle C Community Center Pool....................................................512.301.8259 Grey Rock Golf Course (City Owned/Operated)................................512.288.4297 Grey Rock Tennis Club....................................................................512.301.8685 Circle C Grey Rock Pool..................................................................512.291.8398

CIRCLE C GATED COMMUNITIES Enclave off Spruce Canyon Spectrum Management...................................Colleen Pritchard, 512.834.3900 Enclave off of La Crosse Relevant Management................................................... Kim Todd, 512.580.4212 Fairways Estates Spectrum Management...................................Colleen Pritchard, 512.834.3900 Park West Goodwin Management...................................Marilyn Childress 512.502.7509 Hillside Estates Real Manage.................................................. Christine Gamache, 866.473.2573 Hillside Estates........................ Christine Gamache, HILESTAT@CiraMail.com Avana Estates Relevant Management................................................ Kim Todd, 512.580.4212 Muirfield Real Management.......................................... Victoria Escamilla, 866.473.2573

Russ Hodes ……........………………………….....……President Natalie Placer McClure………………………........Vice President Michael Chu ……………………………………….......Treasurer Trinh Bartlett………………………………………………Secretary Theresa Bastian and Jason Bram—Board Members Contact the Board at: directors@circlecranch.info City of Austin Solid Waste................................................512.974.1945 Dead Animal Collection....................................................512.974.2000 Abandoned Vehicle............................................................512.974.8119 Pothole Complaints...........................................................512.974.8750 Stop Signs.........................................................................512.457.4885 Street Light Maintenance..................................................................311 Schools Clayton Elementary..................................................512.841.9200 Kiker Elementary......................................................512.414.2584 Mills Elementary.......................................................512.841.2400 Bear Creek Elementary..............................................512.414.0040 Cowan Elementary....................................................512.841.2700 Bailey Middle............................................................512.414.4990 Gorzycki Middle School............................................512.841.8600 Bowie High School...................................................512.414.5247 UTILITY PROVIDERS Electric Pedernales Elec.................................................... 512.219.2602 City of Austin. .................................................................512.494.9400 Texas Gas Service .............................................................800.700.2443 Water City of Austin ........................................................512.972.1000 MidTex Water Company...................................................866.654.7992 Solid Waste City of Austin ...............................................512.974.1945 Post Office Oak Hill Station .............................................800.275.8777 Circle C Ranch Newsletter - June 2021

Around Circle C

Has anyone else missed our Circle C Summer Food Truck nights as much as we have? Well, they are back! Woot, woot! Thanks in part to Chad Goldwasser and Pure Gold Realty, they will include live music in a monthly concert series this summer. The Armadillo Den is helping to sponsor the stage for the bands, and Deep Eddy Vodka is contributing as well by sponsoring cocktail tasting events. As is our tradition, HelloNabr is organizing this event for free to all Circle C homeowners and residents. So, come join us, grab some good grub, listen to some live music, and taste some fun, delicious cocktails. If cocktails aren’t your thing, there will also be free monthly craft beer 4

Circle C Ranch Newsletter June 2021

tastings provided by local breweries such as: Family Business Brewing, Rentsch Brewing, Infamous Brewing, and Last Stand Brewery. Please do have a driver’s license or some other valid form of ID with you in case you are lucky enough to look young and the providers need to check that you are at least 21 years of age. HelloNabr will also provide games for kids in a “Kids Zone” area with candy for prizes, and Circle C resident Leo is known for his fun dance parties. Also new this year is the addition of an easy, online ordering option through BestFoodTrucks.com. All food trucks at our monthly events will be set up with them for easy ordering and to help cut down on long food lines. A big thank you goes out to HelloNabr and our sponsors: Chad Goldwasser with Pure Gold Realty, Armadillo Den, and Deep Eddy Vodka for bringing back these fun evenings to our neighborhood again. Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Continued from Page 3 With everyone being out of the pools for so long, many children's swimming skills are not as great as they once were. So remaining vigilant and keeping a close eye and close contact with those weak swimmers is essential.” Regarding COVID-19 exposure: Brody assures us of precautions taken: “The pandemic has caused a lot of fear, and there are a lot of parents that don't want their kids out there working, especially because our particular workforce is not yet vaccinated. However, we do have several safety protocols in place to protect our staff and patrons and to help decrease the potential spread of COVID-19 while at our facilities.” Keeping Informed Based on staffing shortages, the opening of pools this summer will therefore remain fluid. Brody requests that residents check for updates: “As we make decisions for our operations, updates will be posted on our website and Facebook page, and the HOA will be sending out blast notification emails to those that have signed up.” To receive general information text messages from the Circle C Aquatics, text CCAQUATICS to 84483.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - June 2021

Around Circle C

You may have noticed the April edition of Texas Monthly featured story entitled, “How My Grandmother’s 1940s Wedding Dress Found a Second Life on TikTok,” by Jen Hamilton Hernandez. The tagline below the title reads, “Regan Wells, a.k.a. @ReaganRetro, turned my family’s history into an actual history lesson for thousands of TikTok followers—and helped me process my grief.” What you may not know, however, is that Reagan Wells, a.k.a. @ReaganRetro, lives right here in Circle C, and is a TikTok rising star. Currently, Reagan has over 38,000 followers. TikTok begins paying their stars once they reach 1500 followers. Reagan was kind enough to answer some questions and share a little bit about her story with us. Q: How old are you? A: My birthday is in August and I’ll be turning 19 this year. Q: How long have you lived in Circle C? A: Essentially my whole life, we moved here after I was born but my memory only consists of this house. Q: What are your earliest memories here in Circle C? A: I think I can remember my 3rd birthday party, which was hosted in my backyard. We used to have a playhouse and there were tons of other kids I’ve grown up with and there were lots of bubbles. Q: You were part of the very first inclusive preschool class offered at Kiker, correct? What was that like? A: I was a part of the early preschool program, and while I can’t really remember all of it. I do remember that the association with the group followed me throughout my experience at Kiker and even after I graduated from high school. When Ms. Peggy passed years later, our preschool class became part of the representation of her life and experience at Kiker. I made a video for the graduating class of 5th grade last summer when I graduated from high school, likely due to my connections at Kiker. Q: Who were your favorite teachers at Kiker? What are some of your favorite experiences there? A: Obviously, my mom [Diane Wells] was my favorite teacher at Kiker. I enjoyed being able to go to a school in a very close community, which meant that play dates and friends were super accessible because they lived really close to me, in my neighborhood. Q: What are your thoughts on your years at Kiker? A: I spent a lot of my time at Kiker, even after I moved on from 5th grade. My mom was a teacher at Kiker, and I found myself in her classroom for hours after school ended. I enjoyed the sense of community after hours, where I could wander into teacher’s classrooms and observe them. Q: What were your feelings about attending a school where your mother taught? What was it like to be her student? A: I was never in her homeroom, but I was part of her school day rotation. I got 6

Circle C Ranch Newsletter June 2021

to call my teacher, “mom,” and not feel embarrassed by it. It was actually really nice to have my learning needs met because I was being taught by someone who understood me. Q: What was your impression of middle school? You went to Gorzycki MS, correct? A: I did go to Gorzycki. Middle school was initially very scary, but you quickly get swept up with this sense of individuality that the fear slowly subsides. Q: What were your favorite classes there? Who were your favorite teachers? A: There were a lot of teachers I enjoyed. Most classes I enjoyed were arts-based. Q: How was the transition to high school? Was Bowie your first choice? A: I didn’t really have a first choice; I never found myself looking for an alternative school to attend. Q: What were your favorite classes there? A: I actually really enjoyed my gym class, freshman year, despite being a highly anxious and awkward student. The cohesive desire within the class to not actually participate in athletic activities united a lot of us and I ended up spending the rest of my time at high school around a lot of those students. Q: Were there any classes or teachers that inspired you in any way? A: Absolutely. My sophomore and senior year math teacher [name intentionally withheld for privacy reasons] quickly became a source of security and support when I needed it. Q: What advice would you have for kids starting Bowie next year? A: Let yourself just exist. Sometimes just being a bystander in a big crowd can be fun. No one can always be the center of attention in such a massive school, so it’s totally okay to not even be in the foreground amongst your peers. Everyone has something to set themselves apart from everyone else. Q: You are currently taking classes at Austin Community College, correct? Which classes are you taking? A: I’m taking a lot of science classes this semester to clear some necessary credentials for transferring. I enjoyed my architectural history class and my prehistoric art history class. Q: How did you become interested in vintage clothing? A: I actually don’t have an exact story, there were many instances where I found certain things at thrift stores that I generally liked the image of, or I stumbled across old photos and sought out similar images: things like that. Q: Do other vintage items speak to you? Or is it mainly clothes? A: I actually love just about any vintage thing! Furniture, houses, and jewelry mostly, besides clothes. Q: Judging by the article in Texas Monthly, you seem to have a reputation for recognizing authentic, quality items in the world of estate sales. What have been your favorite finds? A: I got an original 1950s two-piece skirt suit with a fur collar from an estate sale for only $15! I do a lot of thrifting as well, and shop online at Etsy and eBay. I enjoy all of my finds, so it’s hard to categorize them into favorites. However, I do have more rare finds: a 1950s swimsuit, 1950s playsuit, 1950s taffeta swing coat, and a 1940s two-piece skirt suit. Q: How did you get started going to estate sales? A: My mom and I started right before the pandemic hit. She’s been going to them for a while. Q: Do you have any crazy or funny experiences while shopping estate sales? A: I can’t really think of anything crazy, but I’ve made a couple of friends through estate sales and it’s always really special to run into them when I make my rounds for estate sales. Q: What do you do with these wedding dresses and other items you purchase? A: I wear most of everything I own, but because I don’t really have very many fancy events to be attending right now, they sit in my 1950s wardrobe. Q: They have a life on TikTok, but what about after? Do you keep them? Do you resell them?

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - June 2021

Circle C Spotlight Continued from Page 6 A: I do plan on selling some of my items that I come across, but for the most part I keep them and intend to wear them for as long as I possibly can. Q: How did you get involved in TikTok? A: I joined TikTok about 2 years ago. I never intended on making videos when I first got the app, but eventually I got around to making videos. I mostly started making videos about my dog. Q: How long are your average videos? What is the limit? A: The limit is 60 seconds, and a lot of my videos end up being around that length. I try to aim for less than that, though, because videos that are 60 seconds often don’t get fully watched, according to my account analytics. Q: How many followers do you have? A: Currently, I have 38.4 thousand followers. Q: Have you connected with any of your followers? A: I try to answer about every comment that I get. I have connected with some of my followers and found a friend who also lives in Austin. Q: Do you plan to make a career out of TikTok? A: No, not really. I don’t think that would be viable and I hardly find any time to film, so it wouldn’t really work for me. Q: What advice would you have to people interested in getting into TikTok? A: For quick attention, you have to follow trends and timing as well as use of hashtags. But sometimes mass amounts of attention garners some attention that you may not want. It can be overwhelming if you’ve never had this experience before. Q: Do you feel any pressure being a TikTok celebrity? What are the positives/negatives of having so many followers? A: Sometimes I feel like I’m not producing enough content, and sometimes I get mean comments because people feel entitled to comment on things they come across. However, I get a lot more positive attention than negative and it’s really nice to have conversations with commenters. Q: Do you do other forms of social media? YouTube? Instagram? Twitter? A: I have an Instagram account but hardly use it because it requires a lot of photography-based content about my clothing, and I don’t really have a photographer or really anywhere to go these days. Q: What type of music do you like? Do you like retro music? A: I actually don’t really listen to older music; I can definitely appreciate it, but it’s not my most listened to music. I mostly prefer alternative rock. Q: What about books and movies? A: I’m a fan of horror. I don’t often watch a lot of movies, though. I enjoy things that are really well written. Q: What are your other interests? A: I like art history! I also spend quite a lot of time sewing.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter June 2021

Circle C HOA’s Paycheck Protection Program Loan

The question was posed in a Circle C HOA Board meeting: “Why don’t we apply for the government’s PPP loan?” The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is part of a $2.2 trillion United States economic stimulus package funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020. The largest economic stimulus package in the history of the United States, the CARES Act covers assistance funding for state and local governments, corporations, unemployment benefits, small businesses, and individuals or families that submit tax returns. In an effort to specifically aid small businesses with retaining employees, the PPP loan is forgivable and backed by the United States Small Business Association (SBA). Interest rates for this loan are 1%, and neither collateral nor personal guarantees are required. Fees are not charged by either the government or the lenders. To originate the loan, a small business owner or manager must first find a community financial institution that has chosen to participate in the program. These include SBA Microlenders, Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), or Certified Development Companies (CDIs). These may all be found via the SBA.gov website: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/ paycheck-protection-program This spring was the first time that the Circle C HOA had applied for the PPP loan, so it is considered a “First Draw.” To be eligible for loan forgiveness from a First Draw loan, a small business must apply at least 60% of the loan toward payroll costs, maintaining the established employee and compensation levels. As per the SBA.gov website, this includes employer contributions to employee health insurance and retirement plans. Other than payroll costs, eligible small businesses applying for forgiveness may apply the remaining 40% of the loan toward utilities, rent, mortgage interest, worker protection costs related to COVID-19, uninsured property damage costs caused by vandalism or looting in 2020, and certain supplier costs and expenses for operations. Copies of invoices, receipts for payments, cancelled checks, account statements, and other proofs of payment are necessary when applying for loan forgiveness. During 2020, the Circle C HOA Board made the decision to close the pools in an effort to keep our residents safe from COVID. The decision was a difficult one to make and has been controversial, but the Board Members chose to err on the side of caution. Because of pool programs, swim teams, guest fees, and facility rentals, our Circle C swim center usually generates an income of over $250,000 per year. In 2019, that income was $278,073.04. The community center also generates an income due to room rentals for private parties, meetings, or other events. In 2019, that income was $67,345.68. Because Circle C halted the room rentals inside our community center and because our swim center did not host swim team events, swim lessons, or facility rentals, the Circle C HOA lost a significant amount of money in 2020. A PPP loan would significantly help with the lost income. So, under the advice of the HOA Board, our property manager, Karen Hibpshman, applied for the loan in mid-April. The loan was accepted soon after and funded in the first week of May for $399,000. This PPP loan funding will allow us to continue paying employment costs and utilities without having to raise assessment dues for our homeowners. We would like to thank Karen Hibpshman for the extra work she put in to obtain this funding and for all the extra work she continues to do for our homeowners. Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - June 2021

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* -- CPR Training + -- Red Cross Certified ^ -- First Aid At no time will any source be allowed to use the Circle C Ranch Newsletter's contents, or loan said contents, to others in any way, 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 Peel, Inc. The information in the Circle C Ranch Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of the Circle C HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: 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.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter June 2021

Here’s what’s likely to be blooming, fruiting or setting seed in Central Texas (and beyond!) this time of year. Look for these native plants around town, at the Wildflower Center, on Texas trips, and perhaps in your own backyard! Whitetop Sedge (Rhynchospora colorata) Step aside, rain lilies. There’s another water-loving, white-tipped beauty in the neighborhood. Whitetop sedge, a bog-loving perennial, is not only deer resistant; its six-pointed structure adds a decidedly celestial look to rain gardens and other wet-tending terrain. The showiest parts of Rhynchospora colorata are its spiky, white bracts, which are tipped in green, creating a fresh, lively scene wherever they grow. Though sedges are typically wind pollinated, this unique species attracts insect pollinators, making it a welcome addition to wetland gardens. It’s especially pretty en masse and can help achieve that aesthetic since it spreads easily by rhizomes. Add this grasslike native plant to a low, water-retaining area of your yard in sun to part shade and look forward to starry days ahead. Tuberous Grasspink (Calopogon tuberosus) Tuberous grasspink was on to the beard-growing trend long before COVID made scruffiness necessarily en vogue. The genus name “Calopogon” comes from the Greek for “beautiful beard,” and what a beauty it is! The prominent hairs on the lip of this vibrantly colored orchid are responsible for the name, but it’s not hard to see the whole bloom as a flowing, luxurious beard of bold pink petals (they do come paler shades, as well). You won’t see them in Central Texas; this hirsute stunner prefers the wet pineland bogs of East Texas and was recently spotted in Big Thicket National Preserve. (Follow our dedicated Texas Wildflower Watch Instagram account, @TexasWildflowerWatch, for timely flower observations from around Texas.) Sounds like good reason for a quick road trip and flower-spotting hike to us! Find these plants at the Wildflower Center and learn more about them at wildflower.org/plants-main. Submitted by Amy McCullough, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Photography courtesy of Lee Page (starrush whitetop) and Carolyn Fannon (tuberous grasspink) Tuesday Twilights Continue Through June Due to the overwhelming response we've gotten from guests and members, we're extending our popular Tuesday Twilights happy hours through June 29 to bring you even more time for evening exploration and enjoyment at the Center. With live music, adult beverages, local artists, food trucks, and plenty of wide-open spaces for picnicking and lounging, it’s a can’tmiss series. Reservations required. Find details and reserve your spot at wildflower.org/featured-events. Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - June 2021

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Circle C Ranch Newsletter June 2021