Circle C - January 2022 by Peel, Inc.

Volume 19, Number 01

January 2022

www.circlecranch.com

Circle C Newsletter: January 2022 Important Dates in January: Saturday, January 1, 2022 New Year’s Day HOA Offices are Closed Thursday, January 6, 2022 Epiphany Sunday, January 16, 2022 Tu BiShvat Begins at Sunset Monday, January 17, 2022 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Tu BiShvat Ends at Nightfall Wednesday, January 26, 2022 6:30pm Circle C HOA Board Meeting Holiday Lights and Decorations Reminder All holiday lighting and decorations should be removed by January 15th. This includes decorated trees along La Crosse, MoPac or SH 45. Thank you for your cooperation. CCHOA Board Meeting The Circle C HOA Board of Directors usually meets the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm. The next scheduled HOA meeting is on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Links to the Zoom meetings and meeting agendas may be found at www. circlecranch.com website under the “Resources” tab. Homeowners must be logged onto the site to view agendas and find the link to the Zoom meetings. Homeowners may sign up to speak at the meeting by calling the HOA manager at 512-288-8663 or emailing info@circlecranch.info. Call for HOA Board Candidates: Are you looking for a unique leadership opportunity? Well, look no further! Circle C is looking for leaders like you to join the Board of Directors. In preparation for our Annual Meeting & Election, the Nominating Committee is looking for a slate of candidates. We have three (3) board positions open for the March election. To facilitate the preparation of the nomination slate and to ensure that the process is open to all members, the Nomination Committee is calling for nominations for the open board positions. The elected Candidates will serve for a 3-year term starting March 2022. For more information on the Directors elections and Officer Role, visit the www. circlecranch.com under “News and Announcements”. Characteristics of a Good Director • A member of Circle C HOA • Willing to commit time Copyright © 2022 Peel, Inc.

• • • • •

Rational, prudent and practical Supports proper financing Listens, takes duties seriously Honors rules, regulations and procedures Fulfills responsibilities

Commitment • Typically, two hours per month for monthly board meetings (currently via Zoom) and various email communication. • Attend in-person board meetings – if scheduled • Report any potential conflicts of interest • Maintain confidentiality • Ensure the organization and the board are complying with all legal and regulatory requirements. • Participate in the recruitment of new board members. • Keep up-to-date with issues that affect the organization. How to Request a Candidate Questionnaire Residents who are interested in running for a board position can do so by submitting a Candidate Questionnaire by visiting www.circlecranch.com under “News and Announcements” or emailing info@circlecranch.info. Your ballot and proxy will be printed on the back side of the first CCHOA dues assessment invoice (which will be mailed Feb 1st and due March 1st) or you will be able to vote online using your “unique” voting code. In this Issue: • Karst Features Within Circle C Read a little about karst features in Circle C, their importance, and how they were formed millions of years ago. • Sung Park-Ordaz and Her Facebook Post for Help Many Circle C residents seeking advice or help reach out to our community via one of our Circle C Facebook groups. Resident Sung Park-Ordaz did just that on December 2, 2021. • A Little History About January Did you know that January was originally not the first month of the year? Annual Report to the Membership: The 2021 Annual Report to the membership from the Board of Directors will be printed in the March 2022 newsletter. A copy will also be posted on our website and available at the HOA office during the month of March 2022. Annual Assessments: Annual assessments for 2022 are not increasing and will remain at $740 for the year. Assessment notices will be mailed on the 1st of February Continued on Page 3 Circle C Ranch Newsletter - January 2022

Circle C Ranch Newsletter January 2022

Continued from Cover and are due on March 1st. Ballots and proxies for the election of HOA Board Members will be printed on the back of the assessments, and the election will be held at the virtual Annual Meeting on March 23rd. There are three available options to pay your assessments. • Mail your check to PO Box 163541, Austin, TX 78716 • Make your payment using Bill Pay through your financial institution. • Use the “On-line Payment” option through the Circle C HOA website. (There is a 2% convenience fee for this option) Payments will NOT be accepted at the HOA Office or in the drop box outside the office. Please do not staple your check to your invoice. Please do not postdate your check. If you have questions regarding your assessment, please contact the financial office at 512-451-9901.

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

Electronic Voting The Circle C Ranch Board is pleased to offer electronic voting again this year. Those who have provided email addresses will receive an email invitation to vote; for those who have not provided an email address, please visit the Circle C Ranch website at www.circlecranch.com and click on the “VOTE Here” button. You will enter your “Unique registration code” which is located on your Semi-Annual Billing Statement. You will still be able to return your 2022 Board of Directors Election Ballot and Proxy which is located on the back of your Semi-Annual Statement by March 18th, 2022. Otherwise, you can attend the virtual Annual Meeting via Zoom on March 23rd at 6:30pm using the following link, https://us02web. zoom.us/j/89217893378?pwd=UzBFL1pXdjN4eDFYcGVWM2ZaOGVE QT09 or turn in your ballot or proxy into the CCHOA office (7817 La Crosse Ave) by 5pm on March 21st. Replacement absentee ballots and/or proxies are available by calling the CCHOA office at 512-288-8663.

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

Children’s Holiday Party Recap The weather was absolutely beautiful for this year’s Children’s Holiday Party that was held on December 4th. In past years, years, the weather did not always cooperate with us for the outdoor activities and last year we had to settle for a SANTA parade through the community. Thank you for Sarah and Lauren from Miles of Smiles who graciously took the pictures with SANTA for the families that attended. Thank you to everyone who joined us and brought toy donations for Partnerships for Children’s Holiday Wishes Program! Wastewater Averaging: Wastewater averaging is calculated during winter months when outdoor watering is not utilized so most residential water goes directly into the sanitary sewer system. Water used during the averaging period will determine wastewater charges for most customers for the upcoming service year. All outside watering during this averaging period will be included in the wastewater average. It is best to turn off irrigation systems during these months to avoid extra costs. The wastewater averaging period for Austin spans three consecutive billing periods beginning in mid-November and ending in mid-March. Visit www.austintexas.gov/wastewateraveraging for more information. Lower Your Wastewater Costs: To help conserve water in the winter months and lower wastewater average, follow these basic water-saving tips: • Check for leaks in irrigation systems and turn them off for fall and winter months. • Inspect and repair all leaky faucets and toilets. • Wait for full loads to utilize dishwashers or washing machines. • Take shorter showers. Placing a timer in the bathroom helps. • Look for the Watersense label in all new appliances that use water. • Visit WaterWiseAustin.org to learn more water conservation tips and possible rebate programs. About our Newsletter: 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 Continued on Page 4 Copyright © 2022 Peel, Inc.

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 - January 2022

Around Circle C/Aquatics Continued from Page 3 on the Peel.com website with a search for “Circle C.” However, the most current news and announcements may be found at https://CircleCRanch.com. Please note that, in an effort not to 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 your understanding and for being a part of our community. 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! Request for Nominations: We are always interested in nominations of our wonderful residents for our recurring features below: • “Spotlight on a Circle C Teen”—If you know impressive neighborhood teenagers that might be interested in being featured in an article showcasing their accomplishments, please feel free to reach out to us at the contact information below. • “Angels Among Us”—Also, if you know extraordinary residents that are changing lives in some way, please reach out to us for consideration in our “Angels Among Us” recurring feature. • “Notable Residents”—We would love to feature residents with unique and interesting pasts. Please feel free to reach out to us with nominations of residents whose stories might be of interest to our community. We especially love stories of our veterans. Inclusivity: Our Circle C HOA strives to be inclusive of all our residents. If there is an important religious event or cultural event that our residents wish to see on our newsletter calendar, please contact us at the following email addresses with information about the event along with historical relevance so we may consider adding the event to help spread awareness. Contact Information: Our Circle C HOA manager may be reached by email at info@circlecranch. info or by phone at 512-288-8663. Our newsletter writer may be reached at ccwriter@circlecranch.info.

SANTA PHOTOS are here and available for free downloads! Available now through 1.31.22 for FREE DOWNLOADS from Miles of Smiles Photography. Visit the link below to find your images and step-by-step downloading instructions. Please be sure to download them before 1.31.22, as they will be removed after that time. Enjoy! {Note: For things to work properly, be sure to view and download from a computer - not a mobile device.} Santa Photos & free downloads: https://www.milesofsmilesphotography.com/circle-c-santapictures

CIRCLE C AQUATICS NEWS

LIFEGUARDS – 2022 Looking for a job next summer? The first session of our 2022 Lifeguard Certification Program will begin in late February. Check www. circlecranch.com/aquatics for updates on courses and registration. ADULT MASTERS SWIMMING – REGISTRATION OPEN Masters Swimming is back! Masters Swimming is an adult technique and conditioning program. This program will help you learn how to swim faster and with less effort, in a fun, group environment. This is for adults of all abilities. For more information, or to register, visit www.circlecranch.com/masters YEAR-ROUND YOUTH SWIMMING – OPEN ENROLLMENT Our year-round youth group swimming team, Circle C Select, is currently accepting new and returning swimmers. For more information on our swim team, including information on how to enroll, please visit www.circlecranch.com/select. HOURS OF OPERATION Facility

SWIM CENTER

Schedule Details

OPEN LAP SWIM

JAN 3 - MAR 11 *Lap Swim Only*

Monday-Friday: 6a-9:30a, 4p-8p Saturday: 8a-1p Sunday: Closed

AVAÑA

CLOSED FOR SEASON

GREYROCK

CLOSED FOR SEASON

COMMUNITY CENTER

CLOSED FOR SEASON

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 (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.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter January 2022

Around Circle C Sung Park-Ordaz And Her Circle C Ranch Residents Facebook Group Post

Sung Park-Ordaz, a Circle C resident since 2000, works at a research company that produces benchmarking reports for the production side— not the consumer side—of flat panel display companies. She works from home and has been working for her same manager for fifteen years now. “I’m loyal,” she says. “I tend to stick with one place.” She has a habit of putting an “- er” on the end of equipment tools. For example, a bonding tool becomes a “bonder” to her. An etching tool becomes an “etcher.” One day she received an awkward email from her manager, asking her to please stop doing this with the wet strip tool. Sung was confused and asked why. She’d done that for every other tool before, for years. “Sung,” explained her manager, “a wet stripper means a very different thing over here than I think you think it does.” Sung’s husband passed away in 2004, four years after they moved here. “That was very hard,” she confesses. They had a son who is now a high school senior. “He doesn’t know about this newsletter story yet,” she giggles. “I don’t know if he would like this, but I’m sure he will get a laugh at me.” When told she is a strong woman, she replies, “No, I’m a little bit stupid.” Stupid, she is not, however. Sung is trilingual and speaks Korean, Japanese, and English. When the weather grew a little chilly last Thanksgiving, Sung decided to be proactive in stocking firewood for this winter, so she Googled firewood companies. She found one that had great reviews and purchased $345 worth of wood. “I really like firewood!” Sung emphasizes. “This is one thing that I really like about American houses. The firewood! I have a gas log, but I like real wood in there. I like the sounds and the smokey house smells.” “I called the company and the owner said he would deliver. But he didn’t. I called him again and he said he’s going through a chaotic time because his wife broke her ankle or something. He said he’s not very organized right now.” Sung told him it’s OK, she understood. She asked him to deliver the wood when he could. She waited a while, then called him again, but he did respond to her calls or messages. “I didn’t want to cancel on him because that’s his work and his livelihood. I didn’t want to take that away from him. I think people are in a stocking mood right now because they are scared after last winter’s storm. He must be very busy. I noticed prices went up too, probably for a lot of reasons.” Sung was surprised at his lack of response since the company had received such great comments about his wood and delivery. She grew worried. So, she did what many of us here in Circle C do. She decided to reach out to one of the neighborhood Facebook groups to ask if anyone had heard of the company, being extra cautious to not say anything bad about them. Copyright © 2022 Peel, Inc.

“I thought I would reach out to my neighbors. Maybe someone here knows this company and could help me.” On Thursday, December 2, 2021, Sung Park-Ordaz posted the following question on the Circle C Ranch Residents Facebook Group.

Her first reply was a snickering Kevin Malone from The Office. “I only received a GIF of a man laughing. I didn’t know why he would do that. I was like, ‘I’m serious. I paid my money for that wood. Why would this man laugh at me like this?’” Sung decided to respond to the GIF. Maybe this guy could help her. Maybe he was laughing because he knew the company? It couldn’t hurt to try again.

Sung was then warned by a considerate female neighbor that she might get a lot of laugh reactions because of the company’s name but Sung was still confused. The name? She had found their name to be clever. “I thought, ‘Morning Wood, what an easy name to remember.’” Another helpful neighbor posted the website for Morning Wood firewood company and advised Sung to call them again. If they didn’t respond, she suggested, perhaps her credit card company would reverse the charges. Still confused about the humor in this situation, Sung responded.

“I was worried because I paid him a lot of money for his wood and I never heard back,” says Sung. Another woman commented, kindly reiterating the fact that people are not laughing at Sung, but at the name of the company. She posted a link to Urban Dictionary’s explanation of Morning Wood for better clarification. As might be expected, Urban Dictionary’s first few definitions were a bit crass and quite the wakeup call for sweet Sung. Later definitions on the website were more genteel, however, and Sung quickly got the picture. She gasped. “I thought, ‘Oh NO! And I did this on the Circle C residents’ group, for everyone to see.’ I don’t know what they must think of me now.” Sung grew worried that her post might have offended someone. Then she posted:

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - January 2022

Around Circle C Continued from Page 5 Once Sung realized why others had been amused over the situation, she herself, was able to laugh at the double-entendre in her post and open the floodgates for a few tongue-in-cheek comments from some naughty neighbors. A few people suggested that, if deliveries are too difficult for the mornings, would it be possible for the morning wood to be delivered in the afternoons? No, said another, because morning wood is best for warming things up. One guy said that, with a name like Morning Wood, their wood couldn’t be beat. He was quickly corrected, however, by a woman who told him that it could be. Another man said that he was sorry to hear Sung did not receive her Morning Wood and lamented that he can’t seem to get rid of his. A third man had the strangest suggestion of offering the company a little blue pill if they were having difficulties delivering their morning wood. “Sometimes I say stupid things,” says Sung, giggling. “It happens. It’s funny, you know. English is not my first language. I really like English, though! So, I should know more.” One woman told Sung that she was her new favorite person and others agreed, complimenting Sung on handling this situation with grace, charm, and class. A few bilingual women shared stories of their mishaps with language innuendos. One said she called her 70+ year-old professor super hot. Another woman replied that she might have accidentally caused a Morning Wood incident back then. A Circle C Ranch Residents Facebook Group Admin stated that he almost deleted the post and muted the OP (original poster) for a week. “I’ve never had so many people respond to a question before!” exclaims Sung. ~~~ It turned out that Morning Wood Fire Company is a legit company started by a man named Jeremy that lost his job as a diesel mechanic during COVID. He had worked for many years at the same transmission shop and didn’t know what he was going to do next. Luckily, a buddy had a bunch of land in Bastrop and let Jeremy chop up some wood for firewood. Jeremy did, storing it all in his backyard. When the 2021 winter storm hit, Jeremy and his wife, Jeanette, walked up and down the streets, selling firewood and talking to neighbors. They were told about a mother with twins living without electricity and no firewood, so they brought a bunch to give to her. This mom ended up later telling her story to a mom’s Facebook group. “After that, things blew up,” said Jeremy. “We realized that we had a firewood company.” They decided to name their new company, and Jeanette came up with, “Morning Wood.” “No way!” said Jeremy. Jeanette ignored him, however, and created a website with playful slogans. Soon, they were swamped with business, then Jeanette dropped a big log on her foot and broke her toes. It was all too much for them and they stopped answering their phone. ~~~ While the Facebook group post was an amusing distraction for a day or two, Sung eventually realized that her community was not able to help in this situation, so she would have to take matters into her own hands. Reluctantly, she called them once more. This time, she left a voicemail, asking for her money back. Morning Wood delivered their wood to her the next day. Like most Morning Wood stories should end, Sung’s story has a happy ending. 6

Circle C Ranch Newsletter January 2022

KARST FEATURES IN CIRCLE C: RELICS FROM THE DINOSAUR DAYS What Are Karsts and How Did We Get Them in Circle C?

DINOSAURS IN CIRCLE C?

Imagine Circle C covered in shallow sea water with dinosaurs wading through the cool ocean water. Yes, that really happened. Known as the “Age of Reptiles,” or the “Age of Conifers,” t h e Me s o z o i c E r a ( f r o m approximately 252 to 66 million years ago) was the time in history in which dinosaurs roamed the earth. Sandwiched in between two mass extinctions (the Permian–Triassic extinction and the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction), the Mesozoic Era is comprised of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. ago), as it rested safely in-between the two mass extinctions. Although the Jurassic period (from 201.3 million to 145 million years ago) contained the largest population of dinosaurs, it was the Cretaceous period (from 145 million to 66 million years ago) in which the Central Texas—and Circle C—dinosaurs lived.

THE HOTTEST COOLEST TIMES IN TEXAS

Believe it or not, the land now known as Texas used to be a lot hotter than it is now. Scientists estimate that in the mid- to late-Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era, our earth was up to 57 degrees hotter than today. Imagine Texas summers back then, up to 169°F with no Schlitterbahn to help cool our bodies. Those were some hot lizards! Fortunately, those dinosaurs in prehistoric Circle C did have shallow sea water in which to wade. The higher temperatures caused the ice in our earth’s poles to melt, significantly raising our ocean water levels, and the sea water reached well into Central Texas areas and beyond. The land where our houses now sit used to be under water. However, the sea water in the Cretaceous period wasn’t necessarily a “cool” reprieve for the dinosaurs, more like a hot tub experience. According to a Science Daily article from May 28, 2015, the Cretaceous period, “was one of the warmest periods in the history of Earth,” with ocean temperatures “of up to 35 degrees Celsius [95°F!].” Somewhere in the middle of that 79-million-year heat wave, however, the Cretaceous period experienced a cold snap. The word “snap” used in this instance, however, is a bit of a stretch since the colder weather lasted oh, only about 6 million years (from 112 million to 118 million years ago) before the temperatures rose again.

WHEN A DINOSAUR FARTS

Speaking of rising temperatures, how on earth did the Cretaceous period experience such a drastic climate change when there were no humans around then to wreak havoc upon our world? Our current global warming crisis is caused by a collection of gases like carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide, and water vapor that hover above our earth, trapping the Sun’s heat energy within our atmosphere so the heat builds up and intensifies. This is similar to a car with the windows left up in the hot sun. While burning fossil fuels (gas, oil, and coal) releases harmful Continued on Page 7

Around Circle C Continued from Page 6 methane into our atmosphere, so too does raising an overabundance of cattle for our meat and dairy cravings. This is because cows burp and fart a lot, releasing Biogenic CH4 (methane produced by living organisms) as well as CO2 into the earth’s atmosphere. A typical beef cow weighs around 1200 pounds. Scientists estimate that a Spinosaurus from the Mesozoic Era weighed up to 23 tons. That’s 46,000 pounds for only one dinosaur! If cow burps and farts are a problem today because of their gaseous carbon emissions, it’s no wonder that an earth filled with gigantic dinosaurs for millions of years experienced such an intense global warming in its past as well.

PREHISTORIC SEA CREATURES MAKE GOOD LIMESTONE

In that “Circle Sea” water that once covered our land, also lived prehistoric sea creatures. When those sea creatures died, their bones and shells, rich in calcium, settled at the bottom of the water, mixing with other sediment. Over millions of years, that calcite-rich sediment formed a multilayered, hard limestone. During the Cretaceous period, the longest period of the Mesozoic Era, hundreds of feet of limestone were created and, over time, compacted to fashion our Central Texas bedrock. While our limestone bedrock is indeed strong, carbonic acid (H2CO3), has the ability to dissolve limestone, particularly over millions of years. Remember all those carbon emissions from dinosaur farts and burps? Well, as the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises, some of it is absorbed by the ocean water. Water and carbon dioxide combine to form carbonic acid. H20 (water) + CO2 (carbon dioxide) -> H2C03 (carbonic acid) The excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, even in prehistoric times, makes both our ocean waters and our rainwater more acidic, enough to dissolve our limestone over time.

AND THEN THERE WERE KARSTS

Although the acidic ocean water didn’t do any favors for marine life in the Mesozoic Era and dissolved po°rtions of our Texas bedrock, one positive effect from the holes created by dissolving limestone are our karsts. The National Park Services defines a karst as, “a type of landscape where the dissolving of the bedrock has created sinkholes, sinking streams, caves, springs, and other characteristic features.” When rainfall travels through the holes and cracks and travels underground, “this water is then discharged from springs, many of which are cave entrances.” Not all karsts are caves and not all caves are karsts, however. A karst requires only irregular soluble rock (limestone, marble, or gypsum) permeable enough to allow water to pass through. One of our nation’s most famous karsts is the Grand Canyon. Karsts occupy approximately 20% of the world’s land surface and are important to our ecosystem, providing between 10%–25% of the world’s drinking water. Circle C Ranch is filled with karsts, though we are probably unaware of most of them since much of their presence is underground. What we sometimes see from the top of the ground are usually rocks, or sometimes only grass and landscaping. Copyright © 2022 Peel, Inc.

One karst feature that many residents have likely passed by without noticing is in Circle C Metropolitan Park, southwest to the Escarpment Boulevard and Slaughter Lane intersection, and surrounded by a short stone wall. Another karst feature is southeast of the playground, surrounded by a high wrought-iron fence. Some Karst features connect to wells and springs, replenishing their water supplies. When this happens, the karst also serves as an aquifer, making it a karst aquifer. Circle C Ranch is a karst aquifer as we recharge the Edwards Aquifer. According to the EdwardsAquifer.net website, “The Edwards Aquifer is an underground layer of porous, honeycombed, water-bearing rock that is between 300–700 feet thick.” Our Edwards Aquifer is so large, it extends from Brackettville, Texas to north of Austin, and provides drinking water for approximately 1.5 million people. The development of Circle C in 1982 was fought by several environmental groups (like Save our Springs Alliance (SOS)), in fact, because our neighborhood is a recharge zone: an area where karsts lead to an aquifer. Placing concrete (or any other impervious cover) on an aquifer recharge area can be detrimental to the aquifer, and subsequently, to muchneeded drinking water for millions. Impervious cover is a man-made surface (like a roof or a concrete slab) that does not allow rainwater to filter through. Karst features are environmentally sensitive. Contrary to popular belief, their limestone makeup does not provide filtration of pollutants. Conversely, karsts transmit chemicals and bacteria to our drinking waters. Because our front yards and backyards may contain karst features unbeknownst to us, it is thus important that we only use organic materials eliminate weeds or fertilize lawns. The drinking water for over a million people depends on us.

WANT TO HELP?

Established in 2021, the International Year of Caves and Karst (IYCK) has been extended through 2022. The largest event for the IYCK will be from July 24-31, 2022, in Le Bourget-du-Lac, Savoie, France. Although intended as the closing ceremony for the IYCK, the International Congress of Speleology encourages people—including kids—to plan other in-person events, no matter how small or local. One idea may be to challenge people to look for fossils, like shells, in the limestone of karsts. Or invite a karst specialist to give a talk near one of our karsts in Circle C. A recorded YouTube event could reach a widespread audience and help promote environmental awareness. The IYCK states they will promote any event internationally, no matter how small. For more information, visit: http://iyck2021.org/index.php/contact-us/. Sources used in this article are available on request. Contact CCWriter@ CircleCRanch.info Circle C Ranch Newsletter - January 2022

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January was named after the Roman god Janus who symbolized the subliminal spaces between what was and what will be. He also possessed the key to the door or gate from which we leave our past and enter our future. Therefore, Janus is often depicted with two faces, one facing backward and the other facing forward. Associated with the connection between motion and change, Janus was also the god that presided over doors, doorways, halls, transitions, and beginnings. Janus therefore seems ideal as a representative a for the beginning of each new calendar year, but this was not always the case. In fact, January was not even included in the first lunar Roman calendar. Romulus, the founder and first king of Rome, created the first lunar Roman calendar in 753 BCE with only ten months: Martius, Aprilis, Maius, Junius, Quintilis, Sextilis, September, October, November, and December. This was mainly because life back then essentially centered around food and agriculture. In other words: survival. The first month, Martius (March) marks the beginning of spring, so is when plants first begin to green and fruit again. After months of appearing dead during the wintertime, many of the plants sprout new leaves, showing signs of life again. For Romulus and his ancient Romans, this was important enough to mark the beginning of their year. Romulus named the first month of the year, Martius, after his father, Mars, the god of war. The second month, Aprilis, is closely related to the Latin word, apero, meaning second; however, many believe the month is named after the Latin word, aperire, meaning “to open,” because this was the time of year when flowers bud and bloom. The third month, Maius (May), was likely named after Maia, the goddess of growth and fertility in Ancient Rome. Maia in Latin translated means “she who brings increase,” as crops in May are plentiful. The fourth month, Junius (June), was the last month of the original lunar Roman calendar with a name that means more than just a number that indicates its place in line. This fourth month was named after Juno, the Roman goddess of love and marriage and the protector of the state. She was also the patron goddess of Rome and called “Regina,” indicating she was a queen. The rest of the months were named after their place in line: Quintilis (meaning fifth), Sextilis (meaning sixth), September (septum means 8

Circle C Ranch Newsletter January 2022

seven), October (octo means eight), November (novem means nine), and December (decem means ten). With no crops or reasons to celebrate after December, the remainder of the Roman lunar calendar was considered a dead period lasting roughly 51 days, and apparently that time was not worthy of containing designated months. These 51 days of dead time combined with the 304 days of the ten months to allow 355 days in a year in the Roman lunar calendar. The second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, was the one to add January to the calendar in 713 BCE, along with February. Januarius (January), named after Janus—as stated before—was placed at the end of the year after December. Februarius (February), named after a purification ritual, februa, in which bodies, houses, and tools themselves were cleansed. This was placed at the very last of the year, the twelfth month, so that the new year, beginning in Martius, would begin with a fresh start. The lunar calendar (based on the beginning on the first day the moon was visible) was imprecise with only 355 days in a year, however. High priests were given the task to insert days to each year, but they were inconsistent year after year. The Roman people thus grew confused when celebrations, like harvests, were celebrated before the crops arrived. By 46 BCE, the calendar dates no longer matched the seasons by a difference of up to ninety days. The Romans often didn’t know what month they were in, and these years became known as the “years of confusion.” Julius Caesar, having lived in Egypt for two years, had grown familiar with Egypt’s 365-day-a-year fixed calendar. It seemed to work much better than the fluctuating Roman calendar at that time, so Caesar formed a council of mathematicians and philosophers to create a new, solar-based calendar using inspiration from both Egypt’s fixed-365-day year and the Greek astronomers’ fixed-365 ¼-day year. The time when the beginning of the calendar year was adjusted from March (springtime) to January (wintertime) seems to be disputed among historians. Some claim that it occurred in 715 BCE under the rule of Numa Pompilius, while others state that it happened in 46 BCE, when Julius Caesar reformed the calendar to a solar one. Either way, January feels like an appropriate time to start a new year. Besides the symbolism of Janus and the balancing of our past year with new beginnings, starting each new year in winter—with its longer nights and shorter days—gives us more evening time to celebrate and less daylight time to be hungover.

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Circle C Ranch Newsletter - January 2022

TEENAGE JOB SEEKERS Name

Baby Pet House Yard Age Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

Name

Baby Pet House Yard Age Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

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Mandarin........... .512.569.1823 Parker, Mia...........................15................................. *..................................,,.*....512-565-4480 Patterson, Makena...............19.............. *................. *...................... .................512.506.1225 Marzani, Jackson..................16..............Pressure Washing Service................ 512-521-2474 Salazar, Marisa*.....................19.............. *................. *...................*.................... .. ....512.288.9951 Terracina, Grace................... 19............. *................. *................... .* ...................512.988.7471 Patterson, Makena........... 19...............Tutor Grades K-5.........................512.506.1225 Terracina, Nicholas..............19................................. *................................................5 12.301.3068 Wilson Jake..................... 16.....................Yard Work.............................. 512.695.8278 Trautman, Parker.................14................................. *........................................ .. ....512.299.3117

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Circle C Ranch Newsletter January 2022

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - January 2022

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Circle C Ranch Newsletter January 2022