Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc. Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 1

Laurel Oaks

December 2010 • Volume III, Issue XII

OffIcIal PublIcatIOn Of the

Laurel OaksNeighborhood Association

Dear Neighbors, Well, the first annual Halloween parade on 10/30 was a great success! Thanks to all of you that participated and to everyone that volunteered their time to help prepare and host the parade. For those of you that weren’t able to come this year, be sure and watch for the signs in 2011 and join us. Is it just me or does it seem that the other holidays arrive at warp speed once Halloween is over? One of the good things about this time of year is it gives me a chance to slow down and consider the things I am grateful for. This year I was thinking about our neighborhood and how much we have to be grateful for right here at home.

I bet some of these things are on your list too……..1) First, I’ve got to mention the friendly neighbors and good people2) Next, I’ve got to say the abundant and gorgeous oak trees-one of

the reasons I bought a home here3) The list would be seriously incomplete without mention of the

coveted, exemplary schools-another big reason I bought a home here

4) Oakview Park! What a treasure to have this in our neighborhood 5) Every time I take my dogs for a walk, I am thankful that we have a

safe walking and cycling neighborhood 6) Homes tend to hold their value here, even in a soft real estate

market7) I love the fact that so many people walk their kids to and from the

elementary school8) Proximity to Chuys-I have been a big fan for years-I wish they

would sell stock9) Seriously, proximity to all kinds of restaurants, shopping and grocery

stores10) Convenient to all major roads, except IH35-thank goodness!

I think that about covers the major reasons I am grateful for our neighborhood. If I forgot one of your favorites, email me and I’ll include it in the next newsletter. Until then, Happy Holidays!

Best Regards,Ellen Kelsey

LONA Halloween Parade

Thanks to everyone who participated in the LONA Halloween Parade on Saturday, October 30th! The parade started at Kathy Caraway Elementary school. From there parade participants made their way through the park trail and ended at the Oak View Park pavilion. At the pavilion snacks, lemonade, face painting, and arts & crafts were available.

The costumes were exceptional. Costumes included a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich, UT football players, witches, princesses, Superheroes, Pippi Longstockings, Scooby Doo and friends, pixie fairies, pirates, ninjas, a bride, a Rubik’s Cube and more!

Great job on the costumes, everyone! Parade organizers estimate that approximately 100 people

took part in the event.Thanks again to all who participated! We look forward

to doing this again next year! (More Photos on Page 3)

2 Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc.

Laurel Oaks

bOArd Of dIrectOrs

editor Diane Willis ........................................dwpg09@gmail.com Publisher Peel, Inc. ...................................................... 512-263-9181 Advertising................................ advertising@PEELinc.com

President .................Ellen Kelsey - president@laurel-oaks.org1st VP ............................. Julie Holden - vp1@laurel-oaks.org2nd VP ...............................Ellie Brady - vp2@laurel-oaks.org Secretary ...................Diane Willis - secretary@laurel-oaks.orgTreasurer ................... Sue January - treasurer@laurel-oaks.org

Emails sent to LONA_Board@laurel-oaks.org will go to all listed above. Please address your email appropriately. Visit LONA’s website for more information, www.laurel-oaks.org

NewsLetter INfO

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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.

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Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc. Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 �

Laurel Oaks

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� Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc.

Laurel Oaks

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A Great Big Thank You from caraway elementary fall carnival

The 2010 Caraway Fall Carnival was a tremendous success. We had beautiful weather and lots of happy kiddos who enjoyed activities such as the Hogwart’s Howliday House, petting zoo, trackless train, rock wall and cake walk. The parents got to enjoy chair massages!

Thanks to all of the Caraway families who volunteered and made donations. We also had many volunteers from UT, Westwood High School, and Canyon Vista Middle School.

we want to recognize our wonderful business sponsors who helped make the event possible:

Ant’s Eye View Krispy KremeAustin Blinds & Drapery Marie Callender’sAustin Orthodontics Mary “B” Battaglia - Coldwell Banker RealtorAustin Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Midkiff Inc, Financial AdvisorBarb Bittner/Becky Griner, Coldwell Bankers Realtors Northwest PediatricsBlind Outfitters Office Depot (Braker)Brad Brown/Cathie Richard, realtors “Your Neighborhood Specialist”

Pediatric Dental Professionals

Buckman Orthodontics Platinum Carpet RestorationCatfish Parlour Quarries Upwards SportsCupprimo RC Fowler’s Wing Bar & GrillDale Gallagher, DDS Red Barn Garden CenterDr. Clark & Associate Optometrist Starbuck’s (Far West)Einstein Bagels Super Care CleanersEyes of Texas Properties Susan Combs Russell, Edward JonesFabulous Affairs Catering Susan Rader, LMTGreat Hills ENT Sylvan Learning Center, NorthHEB (Braker) Tiff ’s TreatsHjalmar Perez, LMT massage therapist hjalmar.perez@gmail.com/512.750.2359

Treehouse Pediatrics

Jeff O’Neill Racing William Baker, DDSJoseph Goodson, DMD Yo Go SweetKevin Bloodsworth, massage therapist bloodsworthk@yahoo.com/703.728.1286

YMCA of Austin

Kathy Caraway Elementary Carnival is a PTA sponsored event

Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc. Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 �

Laurel Oaks

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� Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc.

Laurel OaksNAture wAtcHFirst Frost, by Jim and Lynne Weber

Accompanying the crunching of fallen leaves and the rattling 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 our area, there is a plant called frostweed (Verbesina virginica),

which is commonly 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 tall and leafy, the top of each stalk crowned by small white flowers in the fall. With the first frost, the water contained in each 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. These delicate flowers of the frost are fleeting in nature, and can only be found in early morning, as the rising temperature melts them away.

Other plants have interesting seed-heads and seedpods at this time of year, providing for a way of self-propagating as well as a winter source of food for wildlife. Goldenrods, gayfeathers, purple coneflower, Maximillian sunflower, inland sea oats, and a few indigenous species of clematis are prime examples. Postpone cutting them to the ground until late winter, as each lends a helping hand to hungry critters and a distinct character to the landscape.

Our generally cool falls and temperate winters do not require most mammals to hibernate, but a few species of butterflies that emerge in the fall overwinter as adults. These butterflies have evolved to wait out the colder months in diapause, a physiological state of dormancy with unique triggering and releasing conditions. In the case of these butterflies, the first frost triggers their need to hide under tree bark or in a wood pile, venturing out only occasionally to

bask in the sun on a warm winter day or take nourishment by feeding on the sap of a nearby tree. The increasing warmth in early spring releases these insects, ready to mate.

The most common overwintering butterflies in our area are the question mark and the mourning cloak. Like other brushfoot butterflies in the anglewing family, the question mark looks quite different depending on whether its wings are open or closed. While the upperside of the wings are colorfully marked with oranges, browns, and pinks, the undersides are a mosaic of drab browns, and along with their jagged edges, provide the perfect camouflage by mimicking a dead leaf. Mourning cloaks, on the other hand, have a handsome purple-black upperside with a wide yellow outer margin with a row of iridescent blue spots on the inner edge of the border. Mourning cloaks prefer the sap of oak trees, and they are known for walking down a tree trunk to the sap and feeding head downward.

On the surface, fall may seem as if nature is shutting down for the winter, but take the time for a second look. The first frost of the season is just another 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, look for our book, NatureWatch Austin, to be published by Texas A&M University Press in 2011.

Frostweed with ‘frost flower’Photo by Melody Lytle Mourning cloak butterflyQuestion mark butterfly

Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc. Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 �

Laurel Oaks

WATCH LIVE services Sunday mornings or view any time at www.ghbc.orgSunday Morning Schedule

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What would happen if every American that celebrates the Big Football Game donated one can of food or $1 to fight hunger and poverty in their local community?

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4. DONATE 100% of your collection to the charity of your choice in your own community.

Learn more at tacklehunger.org.

� Laurel Oaks Neighborhood Association Newsletter - December 2010 Copyright © 2010 Peel, Inc.

Laurel Oaks PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPEEL, INC.

LU

ThankYou

to all the businesses who advertised with us in 2010 and made this newsletter possible.

Merry Christmas!