villages of decker oaks - august 2016

Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc. Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - August 2016 1

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKS

AUGUST 2016 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 8

August 23, 2016September 19, 2016

October 17, 2016Meetings start after executive session at 7pm.

Please note the signs will no longer be used and will be posted in the newsletter and online.

Please go to SCSGO for official community news as the newsletter will not be the official posting space as

information may change after production.

UPCOMING BOARD MEETING DATES

2 Village of Decker Oaks Community Newsletter - August 2016 Copyright © 2016 Peel, Inc.

VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKSIMPORTANT NUMBERS

ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT CO.:SCS Management Services, Inc.Phone: ............................................................. 281-463-1777Fax: ................................................................ 281-463-0050 ..................................................... 7170 Cherry Park Drive ...........................................................Houston, TX 77095Website: .........................................................www.scsgo.com Association Manager Jessica Smith .................................................... 281-500-7129 Service ManagerJessica Riggs .................................................... 281-500-7111Deed Restriction CoordinatorSusan Spratley ................................................ 281-500-7118

HELPFUL NUMBERS Montgomery County Constables ................... 281-356-3883 WCA ............................................................. 281-766-1914 Enviro Waste Systems .................................... 936-264-3001 Hughes Natural Gas ...................................... 281-356-8241 Quadvest ....................................................... 281-356-5347

BASHANS PAINTING & HOME REPAIR

• Interior & Exterior Painting • Wallpaper Removal • HardiPlank Replacement • Wood Replacement • Sheetrock Repair • Interior Carpentry• Cabinet Painting • Wallpaper Removal &• Pressure Washing Texture • Fence Repair/Replacement • Garage Floor Epoxy• Custom Staining • Roofing

• Gutter Repair & Replacement • Faux Painting • Crown Molding

NO MONEY UP FRONT

281-347-6702 281-731-3383 cell

Commercial/Residential ~ FREE ESTIMATES ~

20 Years Experience • References Available

[email protected]

u Fully INSuREd

By GRWNot all plants do well in the Houston area, but some do. The

Hamelia Patens (Fire Bush) does. We cut ours back in the fall, and they grow to about 30” during the summer. Ours are in full sun. They require 8 to 10 hours each day. Once established, the plant is drought tolerant and likes well-drained soil. Over-watering can kill this plant. It will usually have reddish-orange flowers from early summer to late fall. Mexicans use its fruit for a fermented drink. Hummingbirds and butterflies love this plant.

Plant of the Month



Chinch bugs often appear in Texas lawns during hot, dry conditions. Usually damage starts in sunny locations or near driveway and sidewalk areas. Damage appears as irregular dead patches in the lawn surrounded by yellowing or dying grass. Chinch bug damage can be mistaken for other lawn problems like white grubs or fungal diseases, so confirmation of chinch bug activity is needed before choosing proper treatment.

So how do you tell if you have chinch bugs? The easiest way is to look for the insects. One way to look is to cut both ends out of a can, push it into the ground using a twisting motion and then fill the can with water for about 10 minutes and wait for any bugs to float to the top. Another way would be to get down on your hands and knees and part the grass to look for the insects. For both methods, samples should be taken in the damaged (yellowed grass), not dead, grass areas.

Chinch bugs are small (about 1/5 of an inch as adults; immatures are smaller). Adults are black with white wings containing triangular markings. Nymphs, or immatures, are yellowish or pinkish with a light colored band across their body. Nymphs do not have fully developed wings.

Treatment is usually a liquid or granular formulation. Liquid

formulations are often bottles that attach to the end of the garden hose or concentrates that you mix with water in a tank sprayer. Granular formulations are applied with push spreaders and need to be watered in after treatment.

Treatment should be applied to the area where damage is occurring and several feet out from the damaged area; the entire yard does not have to be treated. All label instructions should be read and followed before and during the treatment.

For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600.

Dead spots in the lawn? Look for chinch bugs

Check out my blog at:www.urban-ipm.blogspot.com



Easy Online Sign-Up at

USE “NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSLETTER” AS REFERRAL

BrilliantElectricity.com

BRILLIANT ENERGY = SERIOUSLY LOW RATES

BRILLIANT ENERGY’S ELECTRICITY RATES CHALLENGE THE RATES OF EVERY OTHER PROVIDER IN TEXAS!

LOCK-IN A LOW ELECTRICITY RATE FORUP TO 3 YEARS

Brilliant Energy Texas OUC #10140

BRILLIANT ENERGY IS RECOMMENDED BY TEXAS ENERGY ANALYST, ALAN LAMMEY THE HOST OF THE “ENERGY

WEEK” RADIO SHOW ON NEWSTALK 1070 KNTH!

Ask the “Energy Analyst”281.658.0395

GREAT BUSINESS RATES TOO!

The directors are trying to make some changes in the neighborhood and we really could use some help from you. We are looking for volunteers to help us with some upcoming committees: Event, Welcoming, Yard of the Month, and Newsletter. We have not decided all the particulars, but here is a general description of the committees.

Event CommitteeWe hope to bring more events to the community. Our last

event, the Spring Eggstravaganza, was quite a success. It gave residents an opportunity to come together and have some fun. Committee members would help coordinate future events including, but not limited to, advertising for the event, planning a menu, ordering/gathering food, planning activities, set up and clean up. If you have a knack for party planning or if you just want to help bring some fun to the neighborhood, this is the committee for you!

Welcoming CommitteeDo you like meeting new people? Are you a people person? If so,

then this committee is for you! What better way to say “Welcome to Our Neighborhood” than with a small gift basket?! We are hoping to begin giving a small gift along with a community information packet to new homeowners. Committee members would help decide what gift to give and gather all material to include in the information packet. Members would also be responsible for delivering the welcome package to each new homeowner.

Yard of the MonthIn an attempt to keep yards tidy and well-kept, we will begin

having a Yard of the Month contest. We hope that the positive reinforcement, along with the prospect of a nice gift card, will help improve the look of our community. Committee members would drive (or walk) around each street of the neighborhood and judge each yard by cleanliness, visual appeal, and overall appearance. They would then vote on which yard they deem best suited for the Yard of the Month and present that homeowner with a gift card. If you have an eye for beauty and design, the Yard of the Month committee is for you!

Newsletter CommitteeWhile I enjoy being the voice for the community newsletter, I

really could use lots of help here. I would love for the newsletter to be more well-rounded with different views. Committee members would write articles for the newsletter thus transforming

Your Neighborhood Needs YOUby Barbara Ballard, HOA Treasurer

the newsletter from a very general and impersonal circular to a relevant, community bulletin. If you enjoy writing and want to help keep your community well-informed, please do not hesitate to sign up for the Newsletter committee. The more the merrier! Also, please note that you can still submit articles without being on the committee. You would just submit the article to me at [email protected].

All we are asking for is your time and your input. All approved expenses for these committees will be paid for by the association, so please do not feel like you have to put in any of your personal money. I truly hope that many of you will help us make the community better. Winston Churchill was spot on when he said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”



512.263.9181Call today for more info

QualityPrintingOfAustin.com

ELECTRICAL SERVICES SERVICING ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL NEEDS

713.467.1125 or 281.897.0001www.WiredES.com

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED

• Panel Upgrades• Home Inspections• TV Install/Mounting• Troubleshooting• Remodeling• Landscaping Lighting• Home Generators

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIALLICENSED & INSURED

24-7 SERVICE

Take $25.00 Off Your Next Service Call

TECL 22809 Master 100394

Blue Jays are easy to recognize because of their crest and their beautiful blue, black and white markings. They are also one of our larger birds, some reaching a foot long. Although beautiful, some consider them a nuisance because they can be aggressive. Aggressiveness towards humans can occur when a Blue Jay is protecting its nest. They’ve also been known to dive-bomb cats and dogs. They can imitate the sounds of the Red-shouldered Hawk and often do this to keep predators away from the nest. Because they are such good parents and very protective, TWRC Wildlife Center rarely receives any eyes-closed nestlings at the Center.

Did you know that Blue Jays aren’t really blue? The color we see is the result of the inner structure of the feathers. There are two types of color in birds—pigmented and structural. The cardinal looks red because the feathers really are red. This is pigmented. Blue and green are unique colors in the animal kingdom and are considered

structural colors. To explain as simply as possible, the blue in the Blue Jay is caused by microscopic structures in the feather that refract light like a prism. When the light passes through a dark

layer of melanin, some wavelengths are filtered out, and the bird looks blue. Feathers look blue for the same reason the sky looks blue.

In late summer you may see a bald Blue Jay. Don’t automatically assume that it is sick or has been attacked by another animal. Blue Jays, as well as Cardinals, go through a complete molt of their head feathers but they do grow back.

During the spring, TWRC Wildlife Center admits hundreds of Blue Jays,

both adults and babies. They are admitted to our on-site care program and require daily care. If you’d like to learn how to feed and care for Blue Jays, volunteer and become a part of our Baby Bird Program. It’s fun, it’s rewarding and you’ll be helping our wildlife. For more information go to www.twrcwildlifecenter.org.

BLUE JAYS ARE NOT BLUE?By Cheryl Conley, TWRC Wildlife Center


VILLAGE OF DECKER OAKSAt no time will any source be allowed to use the Village of Decker Oaks 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 the Village of Decker Oaks Homeowners Association and Peel Inc. The information in the Village of Decker Oaks Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Village of Decker Oaks residents only.

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.

NOBODY IS DROWNPROOFWATCH KIDS AROUND WATER

COLIN HOLST

PREVENT drowningwww.colinshope.org/quiz

TAKE the Water Safety Quiz

LEARN more at www.colinshope.org

BECOME a Water Guardian for your child

THESE WATER SAFETY TIPS CAN SAVE LIVESDROWNING IS PREVENTABLE

61 Texas children have already fatally drowned in 2016

WATCH KIDS & KEEP IN ARM’S REACH

LEARN TO SWIM

WEAR LIFE JACKETS

MULTIPLE BARRIERS AROUND WATER

KEEP YOUR HOME SAFER

CHECK WATER SOURCES FIRST

PRACTICE DRAIN SAFETY

BE SAFER IN OPEN WATER

LEARN CPR

1oz. of sunscreen should be applied to entire bodyOnly broad-spectrum SPF 15+ should be usedLimit your time in the sun from 10am-4pm

You still need sunscreen on a cloudy day

Summer Sun Safety Tips



Attention KIDS: Send Us Your Masterpiece!

back

school

2VDO

Color the drawing below and mail the finished artwork to us at:Peel, Inc. - Kids Club, 308 Meadowlark St, Lakeway, TX 78734-4717

We will select the top few and post their artwork on our Facebook Page - Facebook.com/PeelInc. DUE: August 31st

Be sure to include the following so we can let you know!

Name: _______________________________

(first name, last initial)

Age:________________



VDO

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPEEL, INC.

villages of decker oaks - august 2016

Documents