Jester - December 2022

Jester Estates

December 2022 Volume 17, Issue 12

Request for Zoning Change

6711 Jester Blvd to Condo/ Townhouse/Duplex

By Eric Cohan, JHOA President

There have been questions and concerns raised about the request for the rezoning of 6711 Jester Blvd from SF-2 to SF-6. For the official explanation, you can view the City of Austin Guide to Zoning at the link below. As a point of reference, the homes on Jester Wild are zoned SF-6.https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/ Planning/zoning_guide.pdf).

Although 6711 Jester is not part of the Jester subdivision nor subject to Jester HOA oversight, several members of the HOA board met with Kurt Cadena-Mitchell (Chief-of-Staff for Alison Alter) on October 31st to better understand the situation. In addition, joining us in that meeting was a representative from 2222 CONA (2222 Coalition of Neighborhood Associations) which coordinates the community response to development across the entire 2222 Hill country Corridor (2222cona.org).

JESTER HALLOWEEN PARADE

By Carol Philipson

Another fun filled Halloween Parade was attended by around 200 Jester neighbors. Kids had plenty of games, prizes, stickers and, of course, candy to enjoy this gorgeous fall day!!

Thanks to all of the hard work of volunteers from the National Honor Society and Jester residents including members of the Jester Social Committee and Jester Firewise Committee. Also, thanks to Jester Club for always allowing us to use their facility. BUT - the most thanks to Teresa Gouldie, Planner and Parade Marshall for over 20 years, who organized all of the festivities except the actual parade. Teresa's grandson and granddaughter’s playoff games were unfortunately scheduled at that time, but Teresa squeezed in time to set up and organize before she had to leave. Yeah Teresa!!!

Be sure to look for news about the next upcoming family event on December 10th- Santa On A FireTruck!!

Copyright © 2022 Peel, Inc.

Kurt shared a high-level review of the re-zoning process, which can be found on page seven in the Zoning Guide. There have been several people inquiring about challenging the zoning request. That information can be found on page eight; however, it is important to note that only property owners within 200 feet of the proposed change can be considered on the zoning petition.

Other than the request for a zoning change, no other intentions of the property owner are known at this time. Going forward, 2222 CONA and representatives from the HOA will stay close to this situation and share relevant information when it becomes available.

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See more details on page 4.

Official Publication of Jester Homeowners Association, Inc.

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Welcome New Jester Social Committee Volunteers

By Carol Philipson

We are all looking forward to more Jester social events to bring our community together again, so let’s welcome Mari Rodriquez, Luma Simmons, Lee Sherwin and Johna Douglas to our Social Committee who have volunteered to help us get things going again!

Mari and her family, Rafael, Carlos and Rafa, moved to Jester two years ago from Mexico, and were warmly welcomed by Jester neighbors. Luma, her husband Jason with children Leo and Sofia, originally from Alaska, moved in 2019 from South Austin to be closer to their jobs. Great idea considering Austin’s traffic! Lee is a long time resident and neighborhood pet sitter who made Jester her home in the early 1990’s. Lee actually helped out this year at the 4th of July parade. She stepped up to the plate when we desperately needed help! Finally, Johna and her husband, Kevin, son Dax and their Great Dane, Brandy, moved from Dripping Springs in 2013. After searching for a year, they finally found the perfect place to raise a family here in Jester. It was unanimous, “We were lucky we found Jester, and are so glad Jester is our home,” Johna shared. We also need some “big and strong” and “not so strong” men and teens to help out too. How much time will you have to give? It’s up to you.

Whatever time you can spare is appreciated! Contact me if you would like more info or would like to help spread the fun—just send me at firewise@jesterhoa.com.

FOREST THERAPY

By Cheryl Conley

Do you ever feel overwhelmed and swear you can’t take one more phone call, wash one more load of clothes or cook one more meal? Do you ever want to tell your co-workers to take a hike? Well, maybe you should follow your own advice and take a hike. Can taking a walk in the park or a nearby forest really be beneficial to our mental and physical health?

Numerous studies have been conducted concluding that a mere walk in the woods does wonders for our overall health. One such study was done by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin. Researchers devised the study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRi) involving a small almond-shaped structure in the center of the brain called the amygdala. The amygdala is involved with stress processing, emotional learning and the fight-or-flight response. Adult volunteers were asked to fill out questionnaires and perform memory tasks. Some of the activities were designed to create stress. While performing these tasks, they underwent MRI’s. Some of the participants were then asked to take a 1-hour walk in either a busy urban area or a forest. After their walk, each volunteer was given another stress-inducing task and completed another questionnaire while undergoing another MRI. The volunteers who took a walk in the forest showed reduced activity in the amygdala indicating less stress.

“The results support the previously assumed positive relationship between nature and brain health, but this is the first study to prove the causal link,” says environmental neuroscientist Simone Kuhn, head of the Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. This study gives some of the clearest evidence yet that stress can be reduced by simply getting out and enjoying nature.

Research has found that adults and adolescents in the U.S. spend over 90% of their time indoors and more than seven hours per day looking at screens (EPA, 1989; Moody, 2022; Rideout, Foehr, & Roberts, 2010). Do yourself a favor and spend some time with Mother Nature. Bask in the sunshine, breathe in the fresh air and put that phone away!

President

Eric Cochan

Treasurer

Board of Directors

www.JesterHOA.com

eric@jesterhoa.com

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

Copyright © 2022 Peel, Inc.

Teenage Job Seekers

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Baby Pet House Yard

Name Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

Anderson, Layla*+

• • 512-496-6536 Anderson, River

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Ware, Sonoma • 512-796-4013

Werth, Amanda* + • • • 217-398-2833 Wright, Brooklyn + • • • 737-465-9459

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).

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 400 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.

Jester Estates

NatureWatch- Frost Flowers

by Jim and Lynne Weber

Accompanying the crunch of fallen leaves and the rattle of seed pods drying in the breeze is the arrival of the first frost. This marks the seasonal change from our relatively warm autumn to the cooler days of a mild central Texas winter. How does frost, this sparkling layer that sometimes covers the fall landscape, form? When the temperature of the air reaches a point where the water vapor in it can condense out into water, it is called the dew point. The frost point is when the dew point falls below freezing, and rather than producing dew, it creates frost. Consisting of tiny, spike-like crystal structures called spicules that grow out from a solid surface, frost generally forms on surfaces that are colder than the surrounding air. Even the size of the crystals can vary, depending upon the amount of time they took to grow, the relative changes in temperature, and the amount of water vapor available. Cold air is denser than warm air, so quite often lower areas become colder on calm nights due to differences in elevation. Known as surface temperature inversion, this phenomenon forms ‘frost pockets’, or areas where frost forms first, due to cold air trapped against the ground. It is here, in these areas, that you can find a rare and wonderful spectacle of nature called ‘frost flowers.’

While many plants can be damaged or killed by freezing temperatures or frost, this varies by the type of plant and tissue exposed to these conditions. In central Texas, there is a common plant called Frostweed (Verbesina virginica), which is found in low-lying areas near streams, creeks, canyon bottoms, and in dappled shade at woodland edges.

Much of the year, Frostweed goes unnoticed while it grows 5 to 8 feet tall and leafy, the top of each stalk crowned by a cluster of small white flowers. Its stalks are oddly square-like, with fleshing green flanges. Frostweed begins to bloom in the August heat, and continues until first frost, well into the fall. These flowers provide late-season nectar for

many insects, including bees, beetles, flies, wasps, and even migrating hummingbirds and Monarch butterflies. It is also a host plant for Silvery Checkerspot and Bordered Patch butterflies.

With the first frost, however, the water contained in each Frostweed plant stem expands, causing the stems to crack. Via capillary action, more water is drawn through the cracks, freezes when it hits the cold air, and forms long curls of ice like petals of a flower, ribbons, or other delicate, abstract sculptures. Most often, they consist of longitudinal bands of fine ice threads at right angles to the stem. These delicate flowers of the frost are fleeting in nature, and can only be found in early morning, as the rising temperature quickly melts them away. Only a few species of plants exhibit this unique phenomenon, which has been called ‘crystallofolia’ by Bob Harmes at the University of Texas, from the Latin crystallus or ‘ice’ and folium or ‘leaf’. Much is left to be discovered reading the purpose of this process, but further research by Dr. James Carter at Illinois State University has concluded that the ice formation often far exceeds the amount of moisture locally available within the plant’s stem, so it must be augmented by water drawn up from the roots.

On the surface, fall may seem as if nature is shutting down for the winter, but take the time for a second look and you just might be surprised. The first frost of the season is another intriguing part of the ongoing cycle of life and renewal for our native plants and animals. 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 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.

Bordered Patch

Frost Flower

Frost Flowered Stalks

Frostweed

Silvery Checkerspot

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Halloween in Jester!

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