Circle C - September 2021 by Peel, Inc.

Volume 18, Number 09

September 2021

www.circlecranch.com

Circle C Newsletter: September 2021 Important Dates in September: Monday, September 6, 2021 Labor Day. (The first Monday in the month of September) HOA offices are closed. Tuesday, September 8, 2020 International Literacy Day Saturday, September 11, 2021 20th Anniversary Commemoration of September 11 On September 11, 2001, 2,977 people in the United States of America lost their lives to terrorist attacks. Thousands were injured. On the 20th anniversary of this horrific day, we would like to take a moment to remember and honor those whose lives were lost and their surviving family members. Sunday, September 12, 2021 Grandparents’ Day Friday, September 17th Food Trailer Night Friday, September 17, 2021 Constitution Day Tuesday, September 21, 2021 International Peace Day. The International Peace Day was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. In 2001, the day was officially designated at a day of non-violence and cease fire. Peace Day always falls on September 21. Wednesday, September 22, 2021 Autumn Equinox: Fall Begins! For the Northern Hemisphere, the Autumn Equinox will be at 2:20 PM Friday, September 24, 2021 Native American Day Monday, September 28, 2020 National Good Neighbor Day Tuesday, September 28, 2021 National Voter Registration Day Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021 CCHOA Online Board Meeting 6:30pm New Swim Center Phone Number The new phone number for the Circle C Swim Center is 512-3635578. Please check our website at www.circlecranch.com for pool operating hours. COVID-19 waivers are required and may be found online via the Circle C Aquatics tab. Circle C Community Wide Garage Sale (Recycle/Shred/Donate at the Community Center) Mark your calendars! The CCHOA will host the second Community Wide Garage Sale this year on Saturday, October 16th. Homeowners are encouraged to host their individual garage sales on this date. We will be advertising the event (in print and on the internet) from 8am-5pm. You will also be able to add your address to the garage sale map at http://gsalr.com/n/circle-c-hoa-austin-tx. (Please note that this link is not live yet) In addition to the garage sale, the following services will be available at the Community Center from 10:00am to 2:00pm: >Electronics collection provided by R2 Resource Recycling >Paper shredding by Intel Armor >Donations collections by Salvation Army We will publish details of what items will be accepted during this event on our website, www.circlecranch.com closer to the date of the event. CCHOA Board Meeting The Circle C HOA Board of Directors meets the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm via ZOOM. Homeowners are able to join the meeting using the ZOOM link that is posted on the website. The Board of Directors welcomes questions during the homeowner’s forum. Questions can be submitted to the HOA office by close of business on the Monday prior to the meeting and we will answer at the end of the meeting. Homeowners may also sign up to speak during the Homeowners Forum by calling the HOA manager at 512-288-8663 or sending an email to info@circlecranch.info by close of business the Wednesday before the meeting. Homeowners are given 3 minutes to address the board and will need to provide an emailed written copy of their concerns. The Board of Directors will discuss the concern and respond at a later date. Continued on Page 3

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - September 2021

Circle C Ranch Newsletter September 2021

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Food Trailer Night Join us Friday, September 15th at the Community Center (corner of Spruce Canyon and La Crosse) for good food, fun activities and great company! Please remember, glass is not permitted at this event. We encourage neighbors to walk or ride to the party but ask that scooters, bikes, skateboards, etc not be ridden through the parking lot for the safety of those in attendance. More information about this event, such as the Food Trailer lineup, will be posted on are website at www. circlecranch.com under the Stay Connected/News & Announcements tab as soon as it becomes available. Bobcat Sightings Circle C has experienced recent bobcat sightings, particularly around the Veloway and the LBJ Wildflower Center or crossing MoPac Expressway. Bobcats are native in our area and are generally not a threat to humans. However, please exercise caution and keep small animals indoors to ensure their safety. Fun facts about bobcats: • • • • • • • • • • • •

They are the smallest members of the lynx family. Bobcats are fast! They can run up to 30 miles per hour. They are expert climbers and can jump up to ten feet in the air. They mostly eat rodents and rabbits (good rat control!) When hunting, bobcats run in a “bob-like fashion”—with their hind feet landing in the same place as their front feet—hence, their name. Bobcats also have shorter tails that look like they were cut or bobbed. Bobcats live in one main den, called a “natal den,” but share other dens as well They typically do not share dens with members of the same sex, however. Bobcats are territorial. A male’s territory can reach 25 square miles while a female’s territory is usually around 6 square miles. Female bobcats deliver litters up to six kittens. Mothers begin teaching their young to hunt at only one month of age. By the eleventh month, babies are kicked out of the den and are on their own.

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: The Circle C Homeowners Association (HOA) has partnered with Peel, Inc. to publish our monthly newsletter gratis for our residents. We target our content to keep homeowners updated on appropriate Circle C announcements and notices. In addition to the printed version, residents may find past newsletters on the Peel.com website with a search for “Circle C.” However, the most current news and announcements may be found at www. circlecranch.com. Articles herein are intended to offer information that might be of use to our residents and to share current or historical events. We do not provide legal, medical, or expert advice but welcome input from our neighbors with expertise. We would love to hear from you! If any of our residents have an idea for an article or would like to nominate a neighborhood teenager or volunteer for a featured article, please feel free to reach out to our HOA manager at info@circlecranch.info or call 512-288-8663. Please note that, in an effort to not interfere with our advertisers that fund this publication, we may not promote or mention businesses. We also do not publish letters or op-eds because we wish to keep our newsletter factual and neutral. Thank you for being a part of our community.

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......................................................................512.363.5578 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 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 Stephen Bega, 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 - September 2021

Our lovely neighborhood is filled with a plethora of amenities: top-rated schools; several swimming pools (that we may once again use—woot, woot!); playgrounds; a large park containing a professional disc golf course, soccer fields, volleyball and basketball courts; dentist and orthodontist offices; a veterinarian office; hair salons; dry cleaners; dance studios; a movie theater; a large grocery store; and a handful of great restaurants. What more could we want? Try a community garden!

“Community gardening is a more than a century old tradition in the United States, and is still just as needed today,” explain Carrie Draper and Darcy Freedman in their 2010 study, “Review and Analysis of the Benefits, Purposes, and Motivations Associated with Community Gardening in the United States,” published in the Journal of Community Practice. “The emergence of community gardening in modern US history is often attributed to World War I. However, the original movement began in the 1890s. As a result of the social, environmental, and economic climates of the time, school gardens and vacant-lot cultivation projects began to take form.” What are the advantages of community gardens? Community gardens bring with them many benefits for neighborhoods. The very creation of a community garden requires vision, organization, and cooperation. Residents participating in community gardening meet new neighbors and learn new skills. One neighbor might have strong organizational skills, but not know how to grow a tomato. Another might have knowledge in companion planting, but may not be familiar with the vegetables that grow well in alkaline soil. The give and take from learning and teaching each other helps to create stronger bonds among the participants.

In addition to the adults, children who participate also learn. They learn about compromise through watching the adults negotiate. They learn how important teamwork is. Inevitably, they will witness some participants that do not contribute their share of work, causing others to compensate by contributing more than their share for the good of the garden. They may take part in sharing or receiving the fruits of crops in abundance, thereby dabbling in commerce and experiencing the joys in giving. They also learn about the value of hard work by experiencing the amount of detailed prepping that goes into growing food that is good for you. Both children and adults that work in community gardens profit from outside time as well, breathing in the oxygen-rich air and soaking up some vitamin D from the sun. Light exercise is a byproduct of gardening, and soil contact provides beneficial microbes (Mycobacterium vaccae) that have been proven to be extremely effective warriors against depression. Last, studies have shown that those who garden in community gardens tend to eat healthier diets, likely through repeated exposure to fruits and vegetables, working with them, and snacking on them. Continued on Page 6 4

Circle C Ranch Newsletter September 2021

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - September 2021

Continued from Page 4 With all these advantages, why doesn’t Circle C have a community garden? One resident is trying to change this. A former environmental regulatory and due diligence consultant for clients like the City of Austin, LCRA, TXDOT, and The Nature Conservancy, Dave Edmondson now works as a property manager and real estate developer for a private family office. He moved to Austin in 1991 and relocated to Circle C in 2007 when he and his wife decided to start a family and wanted Circle C schools for their children. He lived on Redmond Road until he and his twin boys moved to Circle C North, near Gorzycki Middle School. Like many other Americans, David discovered a newfound love for gardening during the pandemic. “I really got into gardening as a way to pass time during quarantine,” he tells us. “I wanted to try to grow things I could experiment with in making different dishes and craft cocktails. I got my sons involved and we were relatively successful in growing different herbs, fruits, and veggies, and then it sort of manifested into an ongoing project that just kept expanding. This season I’m producing more vegetables than I can eat so I give a lot of it to my friends and family all over the city. I was inspired to explore how I might scale up my efforts with greater outreach potential to impact a wider base. That led me to inquire with the Austin Parks and Rec Department” Since then, David has been busy working with both the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) and the Austin Parks Foundation (APF) to start a community garden in the Circle C Metropolitan Park on Slaughter Creek. APF is the nonprofit that will be sponsoring this garden project. “Aligning with a nonprofit sponsorship is a requirement to getting the city to grant approval,” explains David. Since 1992, APF has an established relationship with the City of Austin PARD, mainly focusing on fundraising and sponsorship and not on the approval process or site planning. Where will this community garden be located? Before David even contacted the city, he had already picked out a few potential sites within the Circle C Metropolitan Park. The first two were disqualified “because of their proximity to the Slaughter Creek tributary floodway and its sensitive riparian corridors.” His third choice was “situated on the opposite side of the woods from the soccer field in the back right, southwestern most (if you’re south facing) corner of the park.” David liked that location because it was only a 1–2 minute walk from the playground parking lot. Sadly, he recently received word that the City of Austin did not approve the third location because of the water tap. “Unfortunately, the water tap for the garden would have to have its own submeter line run off the main.” Although David did find an irrigation meter, it turned out to be only a submeter. “We can’t sub off a sub,” David laments. He is not dismayed, however. The City of Austin, he tells us, is “confident in finding another spot in the park.” “From the beginning, everyone [at the City of Austin] has been very supportive, helpful and excited about the prospect of this project,” says David. 6

Circle C Ranch Newsletter September 2021

What will the name be? Initially, David had hoped to name the garden the “Mary Gay Maxwell Community Garden.” He had learned about her while working on his various environmental consulting and real estate projects with the city. “The 646-acre Slaughter Creek Management Unit and Hike and Bike Trail System that overlays the City of Austin Water Quality Protection Land adjacent to Circle C Metro Park was dedicated and renamed in her honor in 2018. You can see that land looking west from the park so I thought it would be a good focal point of inspiration for the garden.” Although he had never met her, David’s respect for Mary Gay Maxwell is apparent: “In addition to being a fierce advocate and ambassador for environmental causes in our city, Dr. Maxwell was also an educator and a mental health professional. She positively impacted a lot of lives and places in the city and I thought her legacy was worthy of another opportunity to be memorialized.” Ultimately however, they determined that in order to adopt the name of Mary Gay Maxwell, it would be appropriate to first obtain permission from the estate. Since APF wanted to move forward with the application, they’ve decided to formally name it the “Slaughter Creek Community Garden.” David states, “They said we could try to rename it later and getting permission would be up to the steering committee.” Wait. Did he just mention a steering committee? Yes. David is currently in the process of putting together a steering committee. “The city PARD community garden program recommends 3–4 people, but I imagine more could be involved.” What type of people is he hoping will help? “I bring 20 years of conservation practice and property development and management experience to the table, but I’m a lowly novice gardener. It’s important to feature a broad range of skill sets on the steering committee.” “Ideally there will be a Facility Manager, or Director, an Assistant Director, an Event Coordinator, perhaps a Secretary and a Treasurer, but the most important need, I feel, is a Technical Director. My hope would be that our Technical Director would really be the eyes and ears of the institution.” David believes that the technical aspects of growing should be the ultimate focus of the steering committee. What about a water source? With a background in environmental regulations, consulting, and real estate development, David has a clear vision of this community garden. “Our irrigation plan would feature a system that utilizes multiple rain catchment barrels and/or totes that feed multiple distribution points affecting a gravity led drip system. Ideally the site would eventually be able to accommodate a larger complete rain catchment cistern.” “As a truly sustainable site, our goal would be to supplement irrigation needs with methods that reduce municipal water consumption as much as possible,” David explains. This forethought not only helps with environmental issues but helps to keep future costs down for the gardeners as well. Although the city will help with materials, planning approval, and some of the labor for the installation of the water tap, “the garden community is responsible for paying for the water usage once a tap is established.” Who will pay for the water use? “All of the community gardens in Austin are non-profit and rely on donations/gifts from fundraising sources to stay open,” explains David. “The recommended model for fiscal sustainability is to ‘rent’ a portion of the beds in the garden to folks from the community that want to participate in the collaborative spirit as individual contributors to the garden community. Of course, the understanding is that those who rent beds are strongly encouraged to ensure they’re also participating in the ‘community’ centered mission of the garden.” Continued on Page 7 Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

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So, although the gardeners will maintain their own private garden beds, their rental fees will cover the cost of the water for both the community garden section and the private beds. “Interestingly, almost all of the gardens in the city community garden network are on waiting lists for bed rentals, and many of those lists are extensive,” says David. How will the rules be established? This is still to be determined, according to David. “The City of Austin has a pretty specific list of maintenance and upkeep requirements for the community gardens, but individually the garden operators—tenants, guests, and community volunteers led by the steering committee—will be responsible for designing and deploying an appropriate maintenance plan.” “One certainty is that we will not be utilizing any chemicals or pesticides in the management practices. The site will be 100% organic.”

“A very important segment of the site will feature pollinator conservation installation featuring native blooming plants, ornamentals, and wildflowers that will hopefully end up being home to all of our bees, butterflies, and, of course, their non-pollinator friends the dragonflies, who eat all of the pesky mosquitoes and gnats!” David plans to elevate the entire garden boundary. In addition to raised beds, he hopes to raise the equipment storage structures (including the water storage tanks) and the compost areas. Maintaining soil stability and erosion control are a primary focus. The Edwards Aquifer is also of much importance to this environmentalist. “Everything we do on this site will be centered on preserving the surrounding lands and protecting the groundwater.” For those interested in helping with this project, feel free to contact David at: Preservationlands@yahoo.com.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - September 2021

Deep within our neighborhood live oak trees lives another type of plant mostly hidden inside the canopy. This plant species, known as ball moss, holds a murky reputation and is often blamed for causing destruction to our cherished oak trees. But does this shy plant deserve its infamous notoriety? First of all, some clarification might be in order. Ball moss is not even a moss at all. Mosses are small, simply developed plants that lack the internal structure of a vascular system: a xylem to transport water from roots to leaves and a phloem to translocate sucrose and other organic compounds to needed areas throughout the plant. Without the internal structures of these components, mosses are not strong enough to grow tall, so they remain short and usually spread laterally. Mosses also lack true leaves. Instead, they possess simpler leaf-look-alikes, called phyllids, that are usually only single sheets of cells with no air spaces. Mosses are flowerless and do not have seeds. Ball moss, on the other hand, is more of a true plant that produces both flowers and seeds. The proper Latin name for ball moss is Tillandsia recurvata (named after the genus and species in the classification system) and its relatives are the pineapple and ornamental bromeliads. Neither is ball moss a parasite, so it does not directly rob trees of nutrients in any way. As far as ball moss is concerned, in fact, the oaks and other shade trees should theoretically not even realize they have guests concealed within their branches. This is because ball moss obtains all of its nutrients and moisture directly from the air, so it does not take from the tree. It simply lies there, hidden in the thick of the canopy, in an effort to avoid the hot sun. Ball moss does not have roots, so soil is not needed for nutrition. It has evolved to move away from the ground and upward, using rootlike structures to wind around branches of trees for stabilization. These structures are thus sensibly called “holdfasts”. Because these holdfasts allow ball moss to live on trees, the ball moss falls into the class of epiphytes. 8

Circle C Ranch Newsletter September 2021

Epiphytes The word “epiphyte” stems from the Greek language (epi = on top; and phyte = plant) and is reserved for plants that live on (or in) other plants. As stated before, epiphytes do not take anything away from the tree. Even their holdfasts do not puncture the tree branches (although sometimes their grip can be strong). For the most part, ball moss demonstrates a healthy respect for its host trees. Because epiphytes are not anchored to soil or the ground via a root system, and instead obtain their nutrients and moisture from the air, epiphytes are commonly referred to as “air plants”. In a sense, air plants are the gypsies of plants. They can move around and live almost anywhere (as long as there is enough moisture). As of late, air plants have discovered themselves placed in stylish glass globes with side openings beside bedroom windows of Gen Z’ers as the subject of one of the latest trends. “Hey now,” retorts a Circle C Gen Z’er with whom we recently spoke. “These air plants aren’t just for show! They take the carbon from inside our houses to photosynthesize, so we end up with fresh oxygen for our brains and bodies. They also remove cancer-causing toxins in our homes. Check out the NASA Clean Air Study from the 80’s, bro. You Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers could stand to place a few more indoor plants in your bedrooms, ya know.” Touché. So, we looked it up. It turns out that our Gen Z’er is indeed correct. In 1989, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted a study led by environmental engineer, Dr. B.C. Wolverton, to see if various plants could remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pollutants from indoor air. The specific chemicals tested were benzene (a carcinogenic substance typically found in plastics, detergents, pesticides, and tobacco products); trichloroethylene (found in cleaning solvents and refrigerants); and formaldehyde (found in pressed wood products such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard adhesives). All three of these VOCs have been proven to be cancer-causing and are not filtered out by fine grade filters. Air purifiers are designed to target VOCs, but unfortunately some of them (known as ozonators) generate ozone at levels that Consumer Reports have warned is potentially harmful to inhabitants. Side effects from using ozonators include throat and/or lung irritation, coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, or increased risk of respiratory infections. Clearly, we humans need a natural and organic way to save us from ourselves. The NASA Clean Air Study revealed that certain indoor plants do, in fact, help to clean the air in concealed spaces. Plants standing out as the winners for cleaning the biggest varieties of pollutants are peace lilies, parlor palms, lady palms, and florist’s chrysanthemums. Barberton daisies (gerbera jamesonii) were among the most effective at targeting benzene specifically. At least one plant per 100 square feet (9.3 m2) of space is recommended for efficient air cleaning. It seems that our Gen Z’ers might be onto something. So, with all the air cleaning qualities of ball moss and no direct harm to our trees, why do so many people want to get rid of them?

Continued from Page 8 Aesthetics: Because ball moss tends to collect in dead or barren areas of the tree, their presence has become somewhat synonymous with dead branches. They look unsightly in those spots where bright green leaves should be. Homeowners generally prefer the cleaner, more uniformed look of branches full of leaves. Overcrowding: Ball moss produces seed year-round. Wind and birds pick up the small seeds and carry them to other branches, trees, or fences where they stick and germinate, forming new “pups”. Thus, ball moss has a tendency to spread easily. Moderate amounts of ball moss do not harm a healthy tree, but when they proliferate quickly, they can make branches heavy and crowd out room for new growth. Tree experts seem to disagree on whether ball moss becomes a pest at this point. In general, new growth of trees occurs on the ends of the branches, where ball moss tends to avoid because of the brighter light. If ball moss infiltrates the trees enough to spread to the ends of the branches where new buds are normally formed, then they should be controlled. How do we control ball moss on our trees? There are three main ways to control the amount of ball moss in our shade trees. Before beginning any of these methods, it is recommended that homeowners first apply a slow-release fertilizer and feeder for trees along with deep watering to prepare them for any pruning or changes to their ecosystems. Good options are: MicroLife Hybrid Organic Biological Fertilizer, Osmocote Smart Release Plant Food Plus, Jobes Tree Fertilizer Spikes, or Scotts Continuous Release Evergreen Flowering Tree and Shrub Fertilizer. 1. Tree Pruning: In pruning barren branches from trees at the correct times to prevent the spread of oak wilt (preferably September through January), most of the dead branches are removed. Because it is the dead branches where ball moss seeks refuge, ball moss will naturally become an unwitting casualty from the act of pruning. Be sure to scour the ground around the trees to ensure all ball moss is picked up and taken away, else the seeds will spread and start new colonies. Also, because of the heavy oak wilt problem in Circle C, it is best to use oak wilt certified arborists to trim trees. A list of oak wilt certified arborists can be found here: https://isatexas.com/for-the-public/texas-oak-wilt-qualifiedarborists/ 2. Physical Removal: Physically removing ball moss by picking them off can be tedious, but it works and can target the removal of ball moss without using chemicals, especially if trees do not need pruning. In larger trees, the crown is much higher, so accessing the ball moss can be difficult and sometimes dangerous. Some home gardeners have had luck using high pressure washers to spray them down, but only use cold water as hot water can damage the tree. Spraying with high pressure washers can damage small branches, so should be done during the less active growth period for sap beetles to prevent oak wilt spread (from September through January). Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

3. Fungicide Sprays: If the above methods for removing ball moss are not effective or if the infestation is too heavy, homeowners can resort to using chemical sprays to kill the ball moss. Gloves and goggles are a must for applying fungicides to protect the person applying (who will be facing upward). Before applying fungicides, make sure to deeply water the trees the night before using a soaker hose wrapped loosely around the tree on the ground for a slow release. This helps ensure the tree is at its optimal health. Immediately before applying the fungicides, spray a light coat of water on the ball moss so the moss begins the process to absorb the liquids and is thus primed to accept the fungicide. Two effective fungicide choices for killing ball moss are as follows: Baking Soda Mixture: Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is a favorite of home gardeners to help rid plants of mildew, mold, fungus, and some pesky insects. (Some gardeners even swear that baking soda and water applied in mild doses sprayed on the leaves one evening makes tomatoes taste sweeter.) When using baking soda to kill ball moss, the concentration is much higher than used in the garden and should be applied with a spray bottle so only the ball moss is saturated. Home-made baking soda formula used to kill ball moss: Mix one standard 8oz box (½ pound) of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with 1 gallon of water and use a spray bottle to saturate ball moss. This is best done in the spring when the vascular system of ball moss is most active, but it can be applied anytime of the year. It may take several weeks to see results, but this is a tried and true method for many. Copper-based Fungicides: Copper-based fungicides (such as Kocide 3000) are very strong and toxic to neighboring plants. All shrubs, trees, grass, cars, lawn furniture, houses, structures, and concrete driveways as well as pathways should be covered to prevent damage or staining. This option should only be used as a last result and should be applied by a professional. Of course, our Gen-Z’er would likely balk at the thought of this last option of using fungicides for controlling ball moss. Perhaps it is a bit disrespectful to kill a live organism benefiting our own health and planet. To humor this Gen-Z’er, we asked her what she would recommend we do with the ball moss that we don’t want in our trees. There are certainly too many for glass globes beside bedroom windows. “That’s easy!” She replies with a casual shrug. “Mix it with a few mosses and make a living wall board! Then frame it and put it on your front door, your living room wall, your entry hall, wherever there’s a window or a grow light.” She tilts her head like a curious puppy before asking, “Why wouldn’t you want free air purifiers for your house?” We Googled living wall board ideas and discovered that one of the top designers lives right here in South Austin. Articulture Designs on Manchaca Road, owned by Monique Campanelli, has some interesting and fun displays on her website that might inspire Circle C residents when we next prune our trees and suddenly find ourselves with more ball moss than we can handle. She also has Do-It-Yourself kits to make beautiful displays such as these images here. The question of ‘what to do with all the leftover ball moss’ just might turn out to be a fun family project! Circle C Ranch Newsletter - September 2021

TEENAGE JOB SEEKERS Name

Baby Pet House Yard Age Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

Abrameit, Kyle....................17................................*..................*................... .. ...512.999.0337 Aguilar, Jacob......................15................................*..................*................... .. ...619-713-4469 Artigas, Emilio....................16................................*...................................... .. ...512.634.7416 Baird, Olivia........................14............. *...............................................................5 12.773.5443 Blackburn, Danielle*+^......19............. *.................*..................*............. .............5 12.623.9994 Brauer, Nina ....................15...............................*..................................512.565.4480 Campsmith, Lucy ...........13...............................*..................................512-852-9846 Chatelain, Christelle*.........18............. *.................*...................................... .. ...512.963.3218 Cox, Claire*^......................18............. *............................................... ...........512.644.4550 Cox, Ben*^.........................16............. *.................*.. ............*.................512.963.9464 Eis, Ella*^............................15............. *.................*......................................... ...512.550.3422 Franke, Caroline*^.............15............. *........................................................ .. ...512.590.1112 Havranek, Katie..................19............. *.................*..................*................... .. ...512.940.1671 Hoard, Jed*^.......................19............. *.................*..................*................... .. ...512.656.0836 Hurd, Palmer...................... 16............. *.................*..................*... .................512.423.0737 Kaplan, Ben...................... 14.............*................*................ *....................512.296.7548 Lim, Jacy *^........................19............. *.................*..................*................... .. ....512.744.7338 Mahoney, Nathaniel...........19............. *.................*..................*................... .* ..512.569.8339 Mahoney, Nicholas*...........15............. *.................*..................*................... .* ..512.569.1823 Marzani, Jackson.................16............. *.................*..................*................... .. ..512-521-2474 McCurdy, Summer*+.........14............. *....................................... ..................832.683.7759 Melsa, Olivia.......................19............. *.................*..................*................... .. ...512.576.9225 Mermis, Ana*^...................17............. *.................*..................*................... .. ...512.529.7458 Mouw, Ella*........................19............. *.................*...................................... .. ...512.987.0421 Patterson, Makena..............19............. *.................*..................... .................512.506.1225 Salazar, Marisa*...................19............. *.................*..................*................... .. ....512.288.9951 Sugrue, Michael.................. 18............. *.................*..................*.. ..................773.706.2829 Terracina, Grace.................. 19............. *.................*.................... * . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1 2 . 9 8 8 . 7 4 7 1

Circle C Ranch Newsletter September 2021

Name

Baby Pet House Yard Age Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

Terracina, Nicholas.............19................................*.......................................5 1 2 . 3 0 1 . 3 0 6 8 Trautman, Parker................13................................*.......................................5 1 2 . 2 9 9 . 3 1 1 7 Waltuck, Ella....................... 15............. *.................*.. ............*............512.658.4554 Wilson, Jake........................ 16............. *.................*.. ............*...........*512.695.8278

OTHER SERVICES Name Age

Services

Phone

Aguilar, Jacob......................15.............. .Yardwork & Power Washing............ 619-713-4469 Andrusiank, Sophia............14...................Mother's Helper............................ 512.634.7416 Brauer, Nina......................14..................Mother's Helper..... ....................512.565.4480 Cox, Ben...........................16.........................Tutoring...........................512.963.9464 Hurd, Palmer......................15.......Clarinet/Piano/Math Tutor K-8.. ............512.423.0737 Kissinger, Aspen.............. 19..................... Tutor K-7............................... 512.961.2267 Laird, Caden.....................16...............Powerwash Services.......................5 12.468.7678 Latawa, Pari.......................16...............Tutor K-8th................................. .7 13-972-2217 Mahoney, Nathaniel........18..............Tutor up to 11th Grade..................512.569.8339 Mahoney, Nicholas.......... 15... Tutor grades k-5; Beg. Mandarin........... .512.569.1823 Marzani, Jackson..................16..............Pressure Washing Service................ 512-521-2474 Patterson, Makena........... 19...............Tutor Grades K-5.........................512.506.1225 Weller, Karsten.................... 19...............SAT Math Tutoring....................512-920-7479 Wilson Jake..................... 16.....................Yard Work.............................. 512.695.8278

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - September 2021

PO Box 1148 Round Rock, Texas 78680

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PEEL, INC.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter September 2021