February - April 2018 Our Neighborhood Newsletter is produced quarterly and is intended to provide news, reminders, and even some activities for our younger readers. If we are overlooking something you would like to see contained in it, please let us know. We want this to be something you look forward to receiving. We’d love to have your feedback. Send comments to Nancy. Don’t forget…we have a website! www.sweetwaterspringshoa.com Click on Contact to find info on current Board members. Also on the site are sections on by-laws, covenants, past newsletters, and many other items.

Annual HOA Business Meeting We had a good turnout for our annual meeting, and many other folks sent proxies, ensuring we had a quorum and could conduct business. After some good discussion on roadways, gates, and dues, we moved on to election of Directors to the Board. The three Directors with expiring terms were nominated and re-elected. The 2018 Board of Directors and Officers are: President – Stan Clark Treasurer – Steve Poe Secretary – Nancy Hilsgen Member – Steve Gibson Member – Joe McIninch Member – Wes Bennett Member – Garrett Green And if you happened to miss out on signing up for a committee, there is still time. Let Nancy know you are interested. BTW, the MOST FUN committee is the Recreation Committee…just sayin’...

Sweetwater Springs

sweetwaterspringshoa.com

PEE-YOO, What Smells! If you are out walking and encounter a big stink, it very well may be related to a septic system. After all, everybody out here has one. So chances are good that either someone is sprinkling their yard from one or someone needs to have one pumped out. Remember that septic systems do need maintenance. In fact, they really like to be pampered. They are very picky about what they eat, and if their chemical balance gets out of whack, you may as well get out the checkbook. Both aerobic and standard systems need periodic tank pumping, and connecting pipes and lateral lines need routine inspection for damage, particularly in our expanding and contracting soils. Pumping out runs close to $300 for one tank, and our aerobic systems have multiple tanks! But with some careful use, you may be able to put off calling the pumper truck so often. For instance, put kitchen garbage in the trash…not down the garbage disposal. If we lived in Massachusetts, we’d be banned from even having a garbage disposal if we had a septic system. Use biodegradable cleaners; never clean paint brushes and pans in the sink; keep fats out of the drain. Conserve water to minimize the amount of liquids in your drainage field or in the tank that feeds your sprinkler. Remember that anything going down your drain is going into your septic system. For more info, here is a starting place: http://www.deq.state.ok.us/factsheets/local/septictanks.pdf or https://www.epa.gov/septic/how-care-your-septic-system or http://www.dummies.com/home-garden/plumbing/toilets/how-to-care-for-your-septic-system/ On the Other Hand…

Don’t confuse the smell from a septic system with that of Pepe Le Pew. We’ve got those out here as well. Apparently, we’re a regular wildlife sanctuary!

Speaking of Wildlife Don’t forget that April 28, 2-5 pm, is the Baby Shower Event at WildCare, the facility that rescues, rehabs, and releases injured

critters. What a great experience to see the babies born over the winter! Well worth the drive to 7601 84th St., Noble. Bring a baby gift like a cuddly blankey, stuffed animal, or baby toys. Let’s all go!

Breaking News! Easter Bunny Sighting! We have received an anonymous tip that the Easter Bunny was seen inspecting the Sweetwater Springs official Easter Egg Drop Zone to make sure it is getting prepped for this year’s EGG-stravaganza. Can this mean he does plan to hop on over for the event? Absolutely! So put it on your calendar…Saturday, March 31, 2 pm, corner of Sweetwater Drive and Berry Ridge. Bring your Easter basket and a big hug for our Big Bunny! Watch for more details later. Knock Knock. Who’s There? It could be anyone, but you can get some ideas from the Knock Knock Jokes for Kids book in the Sweetwater Springs Sharing Library. Come check it out (no pun intended)! Recreation Committee Tentative Calendar for 2018 There are a few new faces on the Committee, which means a few new ideas. Don’t worry…we wouldn’t dream of dropping any of our more spectacular events. So here is our roughed out the schedule of events for the year, subject to adjustment if necessary. More details will be coming out as we finalize plans. For now, though, you can note these events on your calendar. We hope we have something for everyone and that you will be able to participate in at least a couple things. 3/31 – Easter EGG-stravaganza hosted by the Easter Bunny 4/12 – SPRING NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE – **new event** 4/20-22 – Tree Debris Container – site TBD since there is a house in the way now 4/21 – Help Your Neighbor/Earth Day/Road Clean-up 5/19 – Spring planting at the entrance – pretty posies all in a row 5/?? – May Movie Night – Details when/if we can get it together 6/2 – Big Summer Bash & Swim Party - Halleck-Babb Hacienda 6/24 – Ice Cream Social – 2-4 at the park bench and T box on Redbud Valley 7/4 - 4th of July Parade – 9 am, and yes, we throw candy 8/11 – Back to School Bash – games, food, fun! 9/21-22 – Fall Neighborhood Garage Sale 10/20 – Fall planting at the entrance 10/31 – Halloween Hot Dog Party and Trick-or-Treat Send-Off – at Spooky Town 12/1 – Holiday decorating at front entrance, and Help Your Neighbor Decorate 12/6 – Christmas Caroling – “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and much more

Hello, My Name is Fido I wandered off, and I’d like to go home now. My parents are worried about me, and I miss my cozy bed, and it’s almost supper time. I know you would like to help me, but the address on my ID tag is wrong…or in some cases, there is no tag at all. How I wish my parents had gotten me a brand new tag with new information on it. It would make things so much easier for all of us. And they need to fix my gate so I can’t open it…I’m very smart, you know. (Tags can be made

at Walmart or the pet stores, or you can order online from many places, including Safe-T-Pet at http://www.safe-t-pet.com ) Dues Due Reminder Annual dues are due by March 31st. If you haven’t yet paid, you can mail your $365 check to Sweetwater Springs HOA, PO Box 954, Edmond, OK 73083. Help! I Need Somebody

Our event last year turned out to be work, but lots of fun too. We eliminated several problem trees, packed a pile of tree debris into the container, cleaned up a bunch of trash along the road, and even acquired a nice couch for the back of the Hilsgen pickup (temporarily). But more than anything we helped some good folks who needed a little bit of TLC around the house. We are ready to go again on Saturday, April 21, the day before Earth Day. If you need help with tasks that don’t require a professional, let Nancy know so she can add it to our list

and coordinate setting up the SPECIAL DAY! And since this was so useful to folks, we have decided to expand on the theme by doing a Help Your Neighbor Decorate as part of our Christmas Decorating tasks on December 1. If you need a little help with your outdoor lights or wreaths, keep us in mind. More on this later. A New Garage Sale Date? Yes, indeed. We thought we’d give it a try. One line of thought is that the September event has become too saturated with all the surrounding neighborhoods having sales at the same time. Plus some folks just have too much sale stuff to wait a whole year. We will do the same advertising and signage, and the Lazy E is having a Barrel Bash that same weekend, so we will still benefit from that traffic. All you need to do is set up and open the garage door. Start thinking about it, and watch for the flyer coming out soon.

May Movie Night As noted, this is still in the planning stage. We have been able to show “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory” in the past, and everyone enjoyed the outdoor events. We would

love to continue this great tradition, if we can come up with a good venue and the required technology. If anyone out there can work with us to make this happen, please let Nancy know.

Architectural Committee Reminder Just a quick reminder that before you get too far along on that outbuilding or swimming pool, you need to check in with the Architectural Committee for approval. The Committee is interested in maintaining property values for us all, plus the Committee can offer advice on things you may not have considered. So before you dig, and before you call OKIE, get in touch with Stan Clark, 282-1009 (fingrp57@yahoo.com) or Steve Poe, 282-1232 (spoe@flotekind.com).

We hope you enjoy it here as much as we do! See you around the neighborhood! Galen & Cheryl Wolfe 12129 Whispering Pines Judd & Nancy Tate 4350 Raccoon Creek

Brendan Hope & Chelsea Curtis 12500 Smokey Ridge Dave Throckmorton & Sharon Shuler 5270 Buffalo Hill

WHO YOU GONNA CALL

Register your new storm shelter (so we know where to search…just in case)

Stan Clark 282-1009 fingrp57@yahoo.com

Gate transmitters, gate problems, special codes Nancy Hilsgen 282-3737 nhilsgen@yahoo.com

Architectural Committee approval of plans for outbuildings, fences, storms shelters, etc.

Stan Clark 282-1009 fingrp57@yahoo.com Steve Poe 282-1232 spoe@flotekind.com

Culverts Since we recently experienced that odd phenomena known as rain (even if it was freezing), culverts and the way they divert water away from foundations and roadways should come to mind. Culverts clogged with leaves don’t perform well. And they make good habitat for critters that we’d prefer not to have around…like rats, skunks, and snakes. Remove the leaves and the habitat goes away, and so will the rain water. Events around Edmond/Guthrie and OKC There’s always something going on around the area. Art, music, museums, kids’ events and some for adults too. UCO has weekly musical events in the Jazz Lab and in Mitchell Hall. Weekends are busy at the Lazy E. Edmond and Guthrie are gearing up for Spring festivities. And don’t forget our sports teams. We’ve noted just a small sample of things on the following calendars; for more info and for other events, check out http://visitedmondok.com http://guthrieok.com/upcoming-events www.visitokc.com/events/ www.okstate.com (for OSU sports), www.soonersports.com (for OU sports), www.nba.com/thunder (for OKC Thunder), www.milb.com/index/jsp (for OKC Dodgers)

MARCH

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Continuum – A Group Art Exhibit

Melton Gallery, all

month

1 TEC Pro-Am

Team Roping Lazy E

2 3 UCO

Chambers Library Comic

Fest

4 5 6 Storytime

Science, Science

Museum OK, kids 6 &

under, every Tuesday

7 Karaoke Night,

HeyDay Entertainment 8 pm every 1st

Wednesday

8 SW Reined Cow Horse

Assoc. Show, Lazy E, 8th –

11th

9 OKC Auto

Show, State Fair Park, 9th-

11th

10 Guthrie Flea

Market, Beacon Drive

In Theater, every

Saturday

11 Daylight Savings Begins

12 13 Finding

Neverland, Civic Center

Music Hall 13th-18th

14 Reading

Wednesdays at Myriad

Gardens, 10 am story time

15 Staatskapelle

Weimar, An Evening with

Brahms, Armstromg Auditorium

16 USTRC

Oklahoma Team Roping,

Lazy E

17 Heard on

Hurd in Edmond

18 19 20 First Day of

Spring

21 Early

Explorers, Science

Museum OK every Wed.

22 Bingo at the

American Legion,

Guthrie, every Thurs.

23 24 OKC Toy

Show, Crossroads

Events Center

25 26 27 28 29 “Mousetrap” Mitchell Hall

Theater, 29th-31st

30 USTA OK

Championship, Kickingbird,

3/30-4/1

31 HOA EGG-

stravaganza

APRIL

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

Easter 2 3

Storytime Science, Science

Museum OK, kids 6 &

under, every Tuesday

4 Early

Explorers, Science

Museum OK every Wed.

5 Bingo at the

American Legion,

Guthrie, every Thurs.

6 7 BrickUniverse

LEGO Fan Convention

Cox Conv. Center 7th &

8th

8 Discovery

Series – Superkids & Music, Civic

Center Music Hall

9 10 11 Reading

Wednesdays at Myriad

Gardens, 10 am story

time

12 13 MAC Park

Movie Nights showing

Ferdinand, Mitch Park

14 HOA Spring Garage Sale

Edmond Farmers Market

Opens, every Saturday

15 16 17 Guthrie 89er

Days Celebration,

Logan Co. Fairgrounds

17th-21st

18 19 20 21 Guthrie Flea

Market, Beacon Drive

In Theater, every

Saturday

22 Mutts &

More 5K Run & 1 Mile Dog Walk, Mitch

Park

23 24 OKC Festival of the Arts,

Bicentennial Park, 24th-

29th

25 26 27 OK Vs. KS

Border Bash Rodeo, Lazy E

27th-29th

28 WildCare

Baby Shower

29 OKC

Memorial Marathon

30

MAY

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

Storytime Science, Science

Museum OK, kids 6 &

under, every Tuesday

2 Karaoke

Night, HeyDay Entertainment 8 pm every 1st

Wednesday

3 Red Dirt

Reining, Lazy E, 3rd-6th

Bingo at the American

Legion, Guthrie,

every Thurs.

4 40th Annual Downtown

Edmond Arts Festival. 4th-6th

The Music of

ABBA – Arrival from Sweden,

Civic Center Music Hall, 4th-

5th

5 Guthrie Flea

Market, Beacon Drive

In Theater, every

Saturday

6 Sonic Free Family Day

at the Museum of

Art

7 8 9 Early

Explorers, Science

Museum OK every Wed.

10 Glenn Miller

Orchestra – A Legend Lives

On, Armstrong

Auditorium

11 Jr. Moto X

Supercross, Lazy E, 10th-

12th

12 Mothers’ Day

Celebration, Orr Family

Farm

13 Mothers’

Day

14 15 16 Reading

Wednesdays at Myriad

Gardens, 10 am story time

17 18 2018 OKC

Whitewater Festival,

Riversports Adventures

18th-20th

19 HOA Spring

Planting Front Entrance

20 21 22 23 24 25 James Taylor &

His All-Star Band,

Chesapeake Energy Arena

26 2018 Paseo

Arts Festival

27 28 Memorial

Day Pelican Bay

Aquatic Center Opens!

29 30 31

Kidz Korner

Help the Easter Bunny by decorating these eggs!

Spring is in the Air…or it will be as soon as the groundhog’s 6 weeks is up. So here are some words that are, or could be, spring-related with another word(s) to go along with them. How many words can you think of to go along with these beginnings? Can you think of at least 5 for each? Apple Bird Blue Chocolate Cow Easter Game Heart Milk Rain Red Shot Snow Spring Sun Wind WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND? ONLY MY OPINION By Christina Rossetti By Monica Shannon

Who has seen the wind? Is a caterpillar ticklish? Neither I nor you: Well, it’s always my belief But when the leaves hang trembling, That he giggles, as he wiggles The wind is passing through. Across a hairy leaf. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by.

Apple – sauce, blossom, pie, core, butter, cider, dumpling, juice, fritter, of-my-eye Bird – cage, bath, seed, house, brain, dog, of prey, of paradise Blue – bell, bonnet, ribbon, sky, cheese, berry, cross, moon, bloods, heeler, jay. Jeans Chocolate – chips, milk, bar, covered cherries, pudding, kiss, éclair, fudge Cow – boy, bell, hide, poke, girl, catcher, patty Easter – bunny. bonnet, parade, island, seals, egg, basket, Sunday, lily Game – ball, face, plan, day, clock, boy, room, warden, night, of Thrones Heart – throb, beat, attack, murmur, valve, worm, healthy, rate Milk - shake, dud, money, crate, glass, carton, and honey, of magnesia Rain – drop, coat, storm, water, fall, barrel, check, bow, clouds, gauge Red – bud, bird, shirt, head, hot, velvet cake, carpet, lobster, beans and rice Shot – clock, gun, put, blocker, maker, down Snow – cone, shoe, ball, fall, flake, shovel, white, blower, globe, pea, tire Spring – time, fever, break, training, forward, semester Sun – shine, bonnet, dress, dial, burn, glasses, dried tomatoes, kissed, flower, screen Wind – tunnel, pipe, sock, mill, power, farm, breaker, chill, gust, turbine

In Memory of

Johnny Bullard Jr. December 1, 1938 - January 22, 2018

Obituary

Johnny Bullard Jr. was born on Dec. 1, 1938 in Porum, OK to

John Bullard and Lorene Hughes Bullard. He died Jan 22, 2018 in Edmond, OK. Johnny served in the Air Force for 21 years and

after retirement worked at Oklahoma City University for 27 years. Johnny had a love for life and was happiest working in his garden, feeding the wild birds or going to his weekly bowling games.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years Edith; daughters Karen Wilson & husband Larry and Laura Bullard; grandchildren Cressie Rubin, David Wilson, Ryan Wilson and Bailey Rubin. He is

preceded in death by his parents; sisters; and brothers. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Wounded Warrior Project or the Susan G. Komen fund. Visitation will be Friday,

February 2 at Baggerley Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be 2:00pm, February 3, 2018 at Baggerley Funeral Home (Edmond) with interment to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.