Jester Estates - November 2022

Jester Estates

Official Publication of Jester Homeowners Association, Inc. November 2022

Volume 17, Issue 11

Jester Holiday Lights Contest Time to unbox your holiday lights and decorations. The annual Holiday Lights Contest is nearly here! In order to honor the winners in the January print edition of The Warbler, judging will end by December 15th. Prizes will be given to the top 3 winners. If you would like to get involved OR would like to donate a prize, please email Carol Philipson at firewise@jesterhoa.com. Also, to nominate a home, please email Carol with the subject "Holiday Lights Contest".

Good luck!

Get Emergency Warnings Regarding Jester By Carol Philipson Do you know about the statewide emergency warning system? It is imperative that you know! www.WarnCentralTexas.org is an automated emergency notification tool which enables authorized public safety personnel to notify citizens, only in an emergency situation, where property or human life is in jeopardy in your area. It will not notify you of silver, amber, etc. alerts.

HO! HO! HO! Santa is Coming to Jester Aboard a Firetruck!

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10TH 9:00 am – JESTER CLUB (You do not have to be a member to participate) The Austin Fire Department has graciously agreed to send Santa aboard a firetruck to visit with our Jester children and grandchildren.

ACTIVITIES, CAROLING & MORE! BRING YOUR CAMERAS!

Register today to receive alerts via text, email or phone. Early notification could make a lifesaving difference in case of a wildfire or other disaster. Register your cell phone, internet or otherwise.

Warn Central Texas will only contact households directly that have land line telephones. Find additional info here: http://www. traviscountytx.gov/emergency-services/emergency-notification.

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Jester Estates No Need to Panic During WildfireKnowledge is Power

Jester HOA Social Committee in Need of Volunteers

And you don't have to be a member of the Jester HOA

By Carol Philipson Jester HOA used to sponsor many social activities for all ages, but these were postponed the past few years. Well, it's time to have some fun again, like we did at the recent 4th of July Parade. Meet Your Neighbors and enjoy more social activities. To be able to continue planning community events, the Social Committee needs a little help from YOU!

By Carol Philipson A Firewise Evaluation will give you the knowledge you need to avoid panic in case of wildfire. During your evaluation you will learn about evacuation in addition to techniques that will help you protect your home from flames and embers. Massimo Pedetti learned many tips on how to prevent wildfire damage to his home during his Firewise Evaluation, and even more importantly, he learned how to keep his family safe. As the photo demonstrates, JHOA’s Firewise Committee Member, Brad, shows Massimo that the soffit vent is plastic, which will easily melt. It is much better to have metal with 1/16" screen behind in order to prevent embers from entering.

Knowledge is power— Schedule your Firewise Evaluation today!

It only takes 45 minutes, and it may even save you money on your home insurance. Email us to schedule at firewise@jesterhoa.com.

Time spent with the committee is a lot of fun and helps you easily make new friends, plus it brings the entire Jester community together.

It doesn't take too much of any one person's time when we share the duties & responsibilities. If you can't help in one event, maybe you'd be available for another. Volunteers of any age are welcome to help too, including teenagers!

------- IT'S WHATEVER TIME YOU CAN SPARE-----We all know how wonderful Jester Estates is, so help bring us together again and make new friends of all ages!!

Email me at firewise@jesterhoa.com with contact information to volunteer or for more information.

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Firewise evaulation Darcy & Massimo Pedetti

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Board of Directors www.JesterHOA.com

President Eric Cochan...............................................................eric@jesterhoa.com Treasurer Phil Ponebshek.......................................................... phil@jesterhoa.com Landscape Committee Chair Margaret Hutchinson.........................................margaret@jesterhoa.com Social Committee Chair Teresa Gouldie........................................................teresa@jesterhoa.com Safety Officers Carol Philipson........................................................carol@jesterhoa.com Phil Ponebshek.......................................................... phil@jesterhoa.com Architectural Control Committee Chair Candace Wong................................................... candace@cwaplusd.com Firewise Officer Carol Philipson....................................................... carol@jesterhoa.com Board of Directors Charles Wolchansky............................................. charles@jesterhoa.com Restrictions Violations Committee Chair Cyndi Means ........................................... cyndi.means@goodwintx.com Jester Club....................................................................... 512-794-8867 ................................ jesterclubmanager@yahoo.com, www.jesterclub.org Homeowner's Association Mgmt - Goodwin Mgmt Cyndi Means............................................. cyndi.means@goodwintx.com Office: 11149 Research Blvd, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78759

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 203310 Austin, TX 78720-3310

Newsletter Information

Editor Hope Teel........................................................... hopeteel@gmail.com Publisher Peel, Inc.......................................www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Advertising........................advertising@PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181

Jester Estates

Teenage Job Seekers

Baby Pet House Yard Name Sit Sit Sit Work Phone Anderson, Layla*+..............•........... •.....................................................512-496-6536 Anderson, River.............................. •.................................... • ..............512-502-2073 Beach, Annika.....................•........... •.......... •.........................................512-839-0387 Ferrens, Ashley ...................•........... •.....................................................512-767-3003 Fricke, Samantha+ .............•........... •.......... •.........................................512-948-2717 Gerrie, Jack.........................•........... •.......... •.........................................210-290-3842 Gerwels, Emily............................... •.....................................................512-795-9270 Gilliam, Ava*+....................•........... •.......... •.........................................512-633-3664 Hayes, Alice.................................... •.......... •.........................................512-952-0512 Hull, Carter*+.....................•........... •.......... •.........................................512-963-3254 Johnston, Roisin.................•..................................................................512-587-5025 Kellar, Allison.....................•........... •.....................................................512-902-1009 Moore, Kaitlin....................•....................... •.........................................512-739-7652 Orton, Claire......................•........... •.....................................................512-346-0434 O'Toole, Emily...................•........... •.....................................................512-917-9397 Pantaleoni, Nicholas...........•........... •.......... •.........................................310-200-6006 Parouty, Ava........................•........... •.......... •.........................................512-298-9160 Popps, Adrian................................. •.......... •......................... • .............512-960-7305 Reed, Emery.......................•..................................................................512-592-2141 Shafer, Owen.................................. •.......... •.........................................512-786-2378 Schoffler, Isabella* .............•........... •.....................................................512-804-8047 Thibodeaux, Medeline........•........... •.....................................................512-619-0291 Trautman, Colin.................•........... •.......... •.........................................512-342-2422 Tuttle, Morgan................................ •.......... •.........................................737-247-8558 Ware, Sonoma....................•..................................................................512-796-4013 Werth, Amanda* +.............•........... •.......... •.........................................217-398-2833 Wright, Brooklyn +............•........... •.......... •.........................................737-465-9459

NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

*-CPR Training +-First Aid Training

If you would like to add your name, send email to hopeteel@gmail.com with the jobs that interest you,your age and phone number (MUST be a teenager).

BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS Classified Ads

Business classifieds (offering a service or product line for profit) are $65, limit 40 words, please contact Peel, Inc. Sales Office @ 512-263-9181 or advertising@PEELinc.com.

ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Interested in submitting an article? You can do so by emailing hopeteel@gmail.com or by going to: www.peelinc.com/articleSubmit.php.

All news must be received by the 12th of the month prior to the issue.

JESTERHOA.COM Visit www.jesterhoa.com for HOA documents and info on the neighborhood!

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Jester Estates Facebook Group Reminder Hello Neighbors, Just a friendly reminder to join our Jester HOA Facebook group if you haven’t already! The page is still growing, with over 300 members now. It is a great platform to help quickly spread time sensitive information in our community, to ask for or offer neighborly help and an overall resource intended for facilitating quick and easy communication. Just do a quick search for “Jester HOA” on Facebook, and please answer the questions in order for approval into the group.

Please understand that we need the questions answered in order to approve your request for the group as this is a private group to our community. Thank you!

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

LANDING YOUR

YOUR

BUSINESS IN HOMES

EMAIL: ADVERTISING@PEELINC.COM

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AD HERE

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Jester Estates NatureWatch- Madrone Mysteries

by Jim and Lynne Weber

A striking small tree, to 30 feet, the Texas Madrone (Arbutus xalapensis) occurs in protected canyons and mountain slopes of Big Bend, but its range extends eastward to the Edwards Plateau in Travis County. It is a rare native tree, but can be locally common in the right habitat, preferring grasslands and open oakjuniper woodlands on rocky limestone slopes.

It has simple, pointed oval, leathery leaves, 2 to 5 inches long, evergreen and medium green on top and lighter beneath.

In spring, clusters of small, fragrant, bellshaped white flowers appear above the leaves, Juniper nurse tree protecting Madrone seedling developing into bright red-orange fruits in late fall. These fruits are relished by many species of birds and mammals and are reported to be edible by humans.

One of the first mysteries of the Texas Madrone is its bark.

Bone-white and smooth when young, with age it becomes scaly and turns to shades of pink, red, and brown. This older bark peels away in patches and strips, revealing a smooth reddish bark underneath, and gives the tree some of its more colorful, old colloquial names such as Lady’s Leg and Naked Indian. But why does the bark exfoliate?

The most commonly accepted theory is that it is an evolutionary development to rid the tree of lichens and parasites such as wood boring insects, preventing their buildup and reducing the chance of disease.

While it is one of the most interesting and beautiful native trees of Texas, another mystery of the Texas Madrone is that it is extremely temperamental to grow. Its propagation requirements are complex, and it is very difficult to successfully transplant from the wild.

Madrones have a fine root system that is easily damaged, and even slight root damage is usually fatal to the tree. Additionally, new seedlings require the protection of a ‘nurse tree’ to become established.

A nurse tree is a larger, faster-growing tree that safeguards the seedling while it gets established by providing shade, shelter from the wind, and protection from grazing animals. For the Texas Madrone, its nurse tree is most often the native Ashe Juniper (Juniperus asheii).

Adding to its temperamental nature, this tree is slow-growing, taking more than a century to attain a fully mature height.

Texas Madrone trees flower from late February to early March, while their fruits don’t mature until late November to late February. Like several species in the genus Arbutus, the fruits begin to form in mid-spring but fruit development is delayed for several months so that the next spring’s new flowers begin to appear while the previous year’s fruits are ripening. This timing delay results in a short period of time when both fruit a n d f l owe r c a n b e simultaneously present on a tree, yet another intriguing characteristic of the mysterious Texas Madrone!

Send your nature-related questions to naturewatch@austin. rr.com and we’ll do our best to answer them.

If you enjoy reading these articles, check out our books, Nature Watch Austin, Nature Watch Big Bend, Native Bark of the Madrone Tree Host Plants for Texas Butterflies, and Native Host Plants for Texas Moths (all published

by Texas A&M University Press), and our blog at naturewatchaustin. blogspot.com.

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Jester Estates Best Houseplants – Shoal Creek Nursery Houseplants are a great addition to any space, from small work cubicles or a simple apartment or condominium to a large, multistory house, a classroom, corner executive office, ranch home or luxury suite. No matter where they will be placed, however, if you've never had a houseplant before, it's best to start with hardy plants that are great for beginners.

Benefits of Houseplants Houseplants offer many benefits that can appeal to anyone, no matter how brown their thumbs may be. Houseplants can…

become quite large, ideal for filling in a space.

• Christmas Cactus: A popular succulent with glorious red, pink or orange blooms, these plants can grow quite large and live for years even with less-than-perfect care.

• Dumb Cane: These plants are botanically known as dieffenbachia and are hardy, upright growers with broad, drop-shaped leaves that often show lovely variegated patterns.

• Parlor Palm: For a tropical touch, the parlor palm is an easy houseplant to grow and was a staple in many Victorian-era homes.

• Clean and purify the air as well as increase humidity to combat dry skin • Promote relaxation and lower stress levels, reducing depression and improving moods • Improve concentration and focus to increase productivity Even just a few houseplants can provide these benefits, so why not get started?

Today, it is making a glorious comeback.

No matter which plant you choose, always research a houseplant's basic water, sunlight and temperature needs to be sure it is suitable for your home and lifestyle. Before you know it, your thumb will be green, and your home will be filled with hardy houseplants!

Top 10 Houseplants for Beginners Not all houseplants are the same, and their general needs for water and light levels, fertilization, growth space, air circulation, and pruning can vary greatly. The best plants for beginners are those that are hardy even when inadvertently mistreated or ignored, and that adapt well to a variety of climate conditions. Beginning houseplants are easy to grow, resistant to most pests and don't generally require specialized care other than good light and somewhat regular watering.

The best plants for beginners, those that are most likely to forgive novice mistakes, include…

• Spider Plants: With long, dangling leaves and a habit of creating many sprouting offshoots that can be planted themselves, these are great hanging plants for windows or kitchens.

• Snake Plants: Also called mother-in-law's tongue, these are some of the hardiest plants available, with spear-like upright foliage in a variety of variegated green shades.

• Succulents: These plants have fleshy leaves and are very drought resistant, so they need very little watering. Aloe is a popular succulent great for beginning houseplant growers.

• Cacti: Another great plant that doesn't need watering, cacti come in a wide range of shapes and colors, but the spines can be sharp, and the plants should be kept out of reach of young children.

• Dracaena: These plants have lovely foliage often with shades of green, yellow or red, and are often sold as "angel" or "indestructible" plants because they require very little care.

• Lucky Bamboo: Technically a type of dracaena, this upright plant can thrive in just a vase of water, and it is a favorite for office plants either as single shoots or in groups or clusters.

• Peace Lily: Lush and vibrant, this lily has glossy green foliage and sprouts graceful white blooms. This plant grows quickly and can 6

The Jester Warbler - November 2022

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Jester Estates DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CWD? By Cheryl Conley You don’t have to get too far out of the city to see white-tailed deer.

They are highly adaptable and are thriving in most of the suburbs around Houston. I realize everyone’s idea of beauty is different but I believe most people think deer are beautiful. For me they represent gentleness. If you’ve ever seen a close-up photo of a deer face, you’ll notice the beautiful eyes and long eyelashes. They are among the most graceful of all hoofed animals. Even though I see them every day in my neighborhood, I still feel in awe when I see them. They give me a sense of peace.

Sadly, there is a disease that threatens many of our hoofed species including North American elk or Wapiti, red deer, mule deer, blacktailed deer, white-tailed deer, Sika deer, reindeer, and moose. It’s called Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD. It’s a neurological disease and is fatal. It was first recognized in captive mule deer in 1967 in Colorado and has since spread to captive and free-range deer in 30 states, in Canada, Finland, Norway and South Korea. It is believed to be caused by prions which are misfolded proteins that disrupt the nervous system of the host.There is no known vaccination or treatment for it. Scientists aren’t sure how the disease is spread but believe it’s spread through exposure to contaminated body fluids or tissue, or through food or drinking water. Once exposed, it may take years before the animal shows signs of the disease.

So what are the signs of the disease? The deer experiences drastic weight loss or wasting. You may see them stumble, have drooping ears and appear listless. They may drool, experience excessive thirst or urination and have a lack of fear of people. Based on these symptoms, it is still hard to diagnose the disease since these symptoms are also present in other diseases. To get a definitive diagnosis, laboratory testing is required.

State agencies in Texas are very concerned about the disease and how it could affect the $2.2 billion hunting industry. With no

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vaccination and no treatment, it could easily get out of control.

CWD has been found in 7 areas of Texas and hunters in those areas are required to bring their animals to a CWD check station within 48 hours of harvest.

Here is a link to help you determine the exact locations in the areas of concern. https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/ hunting/cwd/cwd-zones Hunters need to remember that it takes a long time before symptoms appear in the deer. The deer may look normal but could be carrying the disease. That’s why it’s a requirement to get the animal checked.

As new cases are discovered, more zones may be added. A hunter who is outside a CWD zone and wishes to have an animal tested for CWD should contact a wildlife biologist. Here’s a link to help you locate one. https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/land/technical_ guidance/biologists/ Researchers have found no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans or domestic animals.

If you see a deer in your neighborhood or park and suspect that it may have CWD, you should report this to the nearest Texas Parks and Wildlife, Wildlife Division or Law Enforcement Division office immediately. You can call this Austin toll free number if you need help finding the numbers. (800) 792-1112 and enter 5 for wildlife and 1 for general wildlife. Make sure to document the location and take photos if possible. If you’re a hunter, make sure you become familiar with information about CWD as well as practical tips you can use in the field to help prevent the spread of CWD. Here are two helpful links: www.cwd-info.org www.tpwd.texas.gov/cwd

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Jester Estates PO Box 1148 Round Rock, Texas 78680

JE

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