Circle C - November 2021

Volume 18, Number 11

November 2021

www.circlecranch.com

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Important Dates in November: Monday, November 1, 2021 Día de los Muertos All Saints Day Tuesday, November 2, 2021 Election Day All Souls Day Diwali Begins (5 Day Festival of Lights) Thursday, November 4, 2021 Diwali Holiday Sunday, November 7, 2021 Daylight Savings Ends: Set Clocks Back One Hour Thursday, November 11, 2021 Veterans Day The Circle C HOA would like to thank our resident veterans for their service to our country.

Saturday, November 20, 2021 Holiday Times Market at the Circle C Community Center, Featuring Handcrafted Gifts Made by Local Artisans and Small Businesses from Our Neighborhood (see flyer in this edition) November 24-26, 2021 HOA Office Closed November 24-28, 2021 Swim Center Closed Thursday, November 25, 2021 Thanksgiving Day Friday, November 26, 2021 Black Friday Sunday, November 28, 2021 Hanukkah Begins at Sundown Monday, November 29, 2021 Cyber Monday Saturday, December 4, 2021 Kids Holiday Party at the Circle C Community Center (see flyer in this edition for more information) Wednesday, December 8, 2021 Circle C HOA Online Board Meeting, 6:30pm via Zoom Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

CCHOA Board Meeting The Circle C HOA Board of Directors meets the last Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm. Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, the last board meeting for 2021 will be Wednesday, December 8, 2021, via Zoom. Links to the Zoom meetings and meeting agendas may be found on the CircleCRanch. com website under the “Resources” tab. Homeowners must be logged onto the site to view agendas and find the link to the Zoom meetings.

Homeowners may sign up to speak at the meeting by calling the HOA manager at 512-288-8663 or emailing info@circlecranch.info.

In this Issue: • Crime in our ‘Hood!

As crime continues to rise in Austin, what are steps Circle C residents can take to ensure our neighborhood is kept safe?

• Spotlight on a Circle C Teen November’s teen is Rayna Manchala, a recent LASA graduate, now attending Trinity University.

• To Rye or Not to Rye What are the pros and cons of adding winter rye grass to our lawns?

About our Newsletter: The Circle C HOA has partnered with Peel, Inc. to publish our monthly newsletter gratis for our residents. We target our content to keep homeowners updated on appropriate Circle C announcements and notices. In addition to the printed version, residents may find past newsletters on the Peel.com website with a search for “Circle C.” However, the most current news and announcements may be found at https://circlecranch.com.

Articles herein are intended to offer information that might be of use to our residents and to share current or historical events. We do not provide legal, medical, or expert advice but welcome input from our neighbors with expertise. We would love to hear from you!

Request for Nominations: We are always interested in nominations of our wonderful residents for our recurring features below: • “Spotlight on a Circle C Teen”—If you know impressive neighborhood teenagers that might be interested in being featured in an article showcasing their accomplishments, please feel free to reach out to us at the contact information on page 3.

• “Angels Among Us”—Also, if you know extraordinary residents that are changing lives in some way, please reach out to us for consideration in our “Angels Among Us” recurring feature.

Please note that, in an effort not to interfere with our advertisers that fund this publication, we may not promote or mention businesses.

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Continued from Cover

We also do not publish letters or op-eds because we wish to keep our newsletter factual and neutral. Thank you for your understanding and for being a part of our community.

Contact Information: Our Circle C HOA manager may be reached by email at info@circlecranch. info or by phone at 512-288-8663. Our newsletter writer may be reached at ccwriter@circlecranch.info.

Candidate Questionnaire Are you looking for a unique leadership opportunity? Well, look no further!

Circle C HOA is looking for leaders like you to join the Board of Directors.

In preparation for our Annual Meeting & Election, the Nominating Committee is looking for a slate of candidates. We have 3 (three) board positions open for the March election.

To facilitate the preparation of the nomination slate and to ensure that the process is open to all members, the Nomination Committee is calling for nominations for the open board positions.

The elected Candidates will serve for a 3-year term starting March 2022. For more information on the Directors election and Officer Roles, State statue regulating requirements for HOA Directors or to complete a Candidate Questionnaire, visit our website at www.circlecranch.com under News & Announcements.

General Reminders Holiday Lights & Décor This is a friendly reminder that holiday lights and décor should not be installed until the week before Thanksgiving and must be removed no later than January 15.

HOA Mgmt Office................................. info@circlecranch.info or 512.288.8663 HOA Financial Office................................tgiles@mgilescpa.com or 512.451.9901 Aquatics Director....................................... director@ccswim.net or 512.288.4239 Newsletter Publisher Peel, Inc....................................................advertising@PEELinc.com or 512.263.9181 Circle C Amenities Circle C Avaña Pool.........................................................................512.292.1518 Circle C Café...................................................................................512.288.6058 Circle C CDC..................................................................................512.288.9792 Circle C Swim Center......................................................................512.363.5578 Circle C Community Center Pool....................................................512.301.8259 Grey Rock Golf Course (City Owned/Operated)................................512.288.4297 Grey Rock Tennis Club....................................................................512.301.8685 Circle C Grey Rock Pool..................................................................512.291.8398

CIRCLE C GATED COMMUNITIES Enclave off Spruce Canyon Spectrum Management...................................Colleen Pritchard, 512.834.3900 Enclave off of La Crosse Relevant Management................................................... Kim Todd, 512.580.4212 Fairways Estates Spectrum Management...................................Colleen Pritchard, 512.834.3900 Park West Goodwin Management...................................Marilyn Childress 512.502.7509 Hillside Estates Real Manage.................................................. Christine Gamache, 866.473.2573 Avana Estates Relevant Management................................................ Kim Todd, 512.580.4212 Muirfield Real Management.......................................... Victoria Escamilla, 866.473.2573

Trash, Recycling & Composting Carts Please remember to pull your trash, recycle & composing carts back to behind your fence, miscellaneous items out of sight and continue to keep your lawns tidy. Thank you for keeping Circle C the one of the best-looking neighborhoods in town!

Russ Hodes ……........………………………….....……President Natalie Placer McClure………………………........Vice President Michael Chu ……………………………………….......Treasurer Trinh Bartlett…………………………………………...Secretary

Easements, Green belts, Common Areas and City of Austin Drainage Areas If you are planning an improvement or just a spring cleaning of your backyard and you back up to an easement, greenbelt, Circle C common area or City of Austin drainage area, please be aware that you CANNOT enter those areas from any point in order to access your backyard. These areas are vegetated per the City of Austin guidelines. Any owners accessing these areas will be responsible for all cost to repair the damages and returning it to its original condition.

Stephen Bega, Theresa Bastian and Jason Bram—Board Members Contact the Board at: directors@circlecranch.info

Keeping the Curb Line and Street Clean Did you know that City of Austin Code 10-5-43 requires owners/occupants to remove leaves, clippings and litter from one-half of the street adjacent to their property? This is to keep debris and pollution out of the sewer system, to protect our waterways, and to keep our neighborhood beautiful. Please do your part in keeping the street in front of your home clean!

Aging Homes Many homes in the neighborhood are beginning to age and as they do, various features of the home are in need of maintenance, repairs or even replacement. We are often seeing fading and chipping paint on the trim work, eaves, chimneys, and siding. We are also seeing mold and mildew.

If left unattended, these items will deteriorate and rot and result in costly repairs. So, the next time you are out and around your house, take the time to inspect these features to see if your home is in need of any maintenance or repairs.

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City of Austin Solid Waste................................................512.974.1945 Dead Animal Collection....................................................512.974.2000 Abandoned Vehicle............................................................512.974.8119 Pothole Complaints...........................................................512.974.8750 Stop Signs.........................................................................512.457.4885 Street Light Maintenance..................................................................311 Schools

Clayton Elementary..................................................512.841.9200

Kiker Elementary......................................................512.414.2584

Mills Elementary.......................................................512.841.2400

Bear Creek Elementary..............................................512.414.0040

Cowan Elementary....................................................512.841.2700

Bailey Middle............................................................512.414.4990

Gorzycki Middle School............................................512.841.8600

Bowie High School...................................................512.414.5247 UTILITY PROVIDERS Electric Pedernales Elec.................................................... 512.219.2602 City of Austin. .................................................................512.494.9400 Texas Gas Service .............................................................800.700.2443 Water City of Austin ........................................................512.972.1000 MidTex Water Company...................................................866.654.7992 Solid Waste City of Austin ...............................................512.974.1945 Post Office Oak Hill Station .............................................800.275.8777 Circle C Ranch Newsletter - November 2021

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News You Can Use

The title to a recent KVUE Austin online report, “Crime Rate in Austin Rising Faster than Population Growth, Data Shows,” says it all: Austin’s crime rate has superseded our population increase.

In a June 14, 2021 report, investigative reporter Terri Gruca stated that our city’s population has grown approximately 4% in the past 5 years (from 967,629 in 2017 to 1,010,835 as of June 2021). Our crime rate, however, appears to be traveling on State Highway 130 at high speeds. From 2017 to June 2021, the report states, murders have increased 200% (from 9 in 2017 to 27 in 2021); car thefts have increased 77% (from 677 in 2017 to 1,199 in 2021); aggravated assaults have increased 36% (from 815 in 2017 to 1,034 in 2021); and yet, conversely, the rate of burglaries has decreased 9% (from 1,524 in 2017 to 1,388 in 2021).

In 2015, Circle C saw an increase in mailbox tampering and mail thefts. The original plan was to start replacing all the rear opening mailboxes and the main mail center boxes over the next couple of years. Due to the increase in mail theft, the board replaced all the rear opening mailboxes and main mail center at the Swim Center in 2016 for a total cost of $163,000. We had our maintenance folks install the new mailboxes and were able to turn the new mailboxes over to the USPS for maintenance and any repairs.

Still, many residents are concerned about recent burglaries in our neighborhood, particularly car burglaries and porch pirates.

Locking vehicles and installing cameras help, of course, but what else can we residents do to help keep our neighborhood safe?

Below are steps we can take—both as individual households and as a community working together—to prevent crime in our neighborhood.

Steps for Communities Working Together to Prevent Crime: Successful efforts to deter crime in neighborhoods increase significantly when communities work together. Below are some steps that our community can take to prevent crime in Circle C. Safety and Security Neighborhood Committee: Years ago, Circle C Ranch residents formed a committee to improve awareness of crime in our area. This committee held regularly scheduled meetings with our Austin Police District 4

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Representative (DR), Officer Visi, which often had up to sixty people in attendance. Since then, as the Austin Police Department began rotating our Police DRs in and out, our Safety and Security Neighborhood Committee meetings dwindled until the group eventually stopped meeting.

With the holidays approaching and a very likely increase in porch package deliveries, yesterday would be a good time for our residents to work together and form a new Safety and Security Neighborhood Committee. Also, it would behoove our neighborhood to organize a warm welcome for our newly assigned neighborhood police officer, Ryan Cayce.

Officer Cayce has been a patrol officer for 10 years and is excited to be a part of our community. He tells us that he’s not done this before, but he’s ready to learn the ropes and is looking forward to meeting us.

Establishing a strong connection with our police and remaining aware of suspicious activity in our neighborhood is paramount to deterring crime.

1. Neighborhood Watch Programs: A step up from forming a Safety and Security Neighborhood Committee with regular meetings is forming a more heavily organized Neighborhood Watch Program complete with warning signs placed on posts to warn potential burglars that this neighborhood is in contact with police officers and are working together to fight crime.

Registration with the National Neighborhood Watch (NNW) Association is an added option though not necessary. The NNW began in 1972 as an attempt of the National Sheriffs’ Association to involve residents in helping to fight crime. Registering with the NNW is free, but they also offer individual memberships for $32 a person, with group discounts available. Membership benefits include assistance in starting a Neighborhood Watch group, regular newsletters, and sample meeting agendas.

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News You Can Use Continued from Page 4 Regardless of registration with the NNW, however, the City of Austin (CoA) Police Department will work with neighborhoods to form Neighborhood Watch Programs and the AustinTexas.gov Police Department FAQ website states that they do have signs available for neighborhoods but ask that, “50 percent of your neighborhood or block attend one to three meetings where helpful information is shared about personal and property crimes. Tips include how to reduce your chances of being attacked.” In the meantime, a quick search online offered a variety of aluminum signs starting at around $28 a sign. Veronica Saldate is currently the CoA contact person for Neighborhood Watch Programs, and she may be reached at Veronica.Saldate@AustinTexas.gov.

2. Installation of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) Cameras: Finally, an effective—albeit costly and labor-intensive—approach to crime prevention is the purchase and maintenance of ALPR cameras in our neighborhood. An ALPR camera company recently reached out to our HOA Management team to discuss the rental/purchase and installation of their cameras. High quality ALPR cameras—like the ones utilized by law enforcement—are very effective at reading license plates and can thus help capture burglars, so serve as a great deterrent to crime. However, these are accompanied by hefty price tags—up to $10,000 a camera! Less expensive ALPR cameras are an option but have lower resolution, so it’s hard to read the license plates, particularly at night when many of the crimes occur.

Also, it must be noted that the monitoring of cameras is extremely labor intensive. We have at least 14 entrances and exits to and from Circle C homes. Should suspicious activity or a crime occur, we would need people at the ready to scan the recordings for any helpful details. Our HOA would either need to hire people to do this or find volunteers within our community to monitor these cameras—with response times being a factor for notifying the police. With over 5,600 houses in our neighborhood and all our various entrances and exits, this option might be cost prohibitive.

Steps Individuals Can Take to Prevent Crime: 1. Ensure Vehicles Are Locked, Emptied of Valuables, and Parked in Garages: The majority of crimes reported to our Circle C Management involve a vehicle in some way, usually vehicles left unlocked. Often, residents will inadvertently leave purses, wallets, and/ or garage door openers in the car. Burglars especially enjoy garage door openers because those allow access for return visits inside the house.

Remember to remove all items from cars and keep them locked, preferably in the garage. This helps to reduce crime rates within our neighborhood.

We guarantee it!

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2. Ensure All Doors and Windows are Locked and Difficult to Access: Many of us leave our doors unlocked during the day for kids to come and go as they please. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to check they are locked in the evenings. Make it a practice to keep doors and windows locked both day and night if possible, double-checking they are locked in the evenings when most crimes occur.

Also, do not, we repeat, do not leave keys under the mat or anywhere near the front porch. Burglars weren’t born just yesterday, you know.

Add Deadbolts or Flip Locks to Doors and Security Pins to Windows: Drilling holes into the window frames for pins is not too difficult and acts as an added barrier for unwanted access. Deadbolts and lip locks for doors, including ones that lead to the garage, help keep homes more secure.

3. Add Exterior Motion Sensor Lights and/or Dusk-to-Dawn Lighting: Criminals hate to be seen, so darker houses are preferred for burglarizing.

Adding exterior lighting helps to make homes more attractive visually and less attractive to burglars.

If cost for an electrical system is an issue, solar-powered lights, such as the highly rated LEREKAM 40 LEDs spotlight pictured here, are found online for $15 each. They can be staked into the ground or installed on a wall or post. This one in particular is tried and true by a trusted neighbor.

Other solar-powered options include inground lighting or motion sensor lighting with tripod legs that wrap around tree limbs for surprised lighting. All 3 of these solar-powered lights are portable and require very little installation.

4. Install a Home Security System and/or Exterior Cameras Apparently, burglars do not like their pictures taken and shared with neighbors, or worse, the police. So, visible cameras, particularly those with motion sensor lighting, often scare away unwanted visitors.

Integrated smart security systems complete with motion sensing lighting and police notification are available but can be costly.

Cameras such as Ring’s Floodlight Cam and Google Nest’s Cam Floodlight offer motion sensor automated lighting with their cameras but typically require professional installation.

Blink cameras are reportedly easier to install and offer motion sensing, wireless cameras that provide phone alerts and storage in the cloud. A 2-camera kit is currently priced at $180 online.

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News You Can Use Continued from Page 6 An even more affordable, wireless outdoor camera option (with a rechargeable battery and solar-powered panel option) is the Reolink Argus Eco camera. This smart camera also stores motion in the cloud or on an SD card, offers voice-activated commands, and allows talking through the cameras. Reolink Argus Eco Cameras may be found online for $106 for a pack of 2 cameras.

5. Bring Packages inside Immediately or Ask Neighbors to Hold Them for You: If work or travel prevents packages from being retrieved from the porch immediately, particularly during the holidays, consider asking a trusted neighbor that is home to hold packages at their house until you return.

6. Get to Know Your Neighbors and Your Neighborhood Police Officer This should go without saying but taking the time to get to know our neighbors and neighborhood police officers may serve as a benefit to us all by adding extra pairs of eyes and ears to our homes. Also, an agreed upon system of communication for reporting suspicious activity, such as group texts, WhatsApp groups, or even social media groups, adds extra networking measures to keep our homes and families in Circle C safe and secure.

@ the Community Center Saturday, December 4, 2021, 10am to 1pm Visit the www.circlecranch.com for updated information.

This event is open to residents only.

Admission is 1 AWESOME unwrapped, unopened gift for our toy donation drive benefitting the holiday wishes campaign at Partnerships for Children.

Information for this amazing organization can be found at www.partnershipsforchildren.org

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Around Circle C

SPOTLIGHT ON A CIRCLE C TEEN

For our Spotlight on a Circle C Teen this month, we chose to focus on Rayna Manchala. Rayna graduated from the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in the spring of 2020. Because of the pandemic, her last year of high school learning was online. She spoke to us about this experience and where she is today.

Q: How long have you lived in Circle C? What are your favorite things about living here?

A: I’ve lived in Circle C for 8 years. I love how beautiful our neighborhood is! When I was younger, I especially enjoyed the community pool with my sister.

Q: Where did you attend elementary school?

A: For the most part, I attended an elementary school in New Jersey. I went to The Wilberforce School, a Classical Christian private school.

In the winters there, we would get 2–3 feet of snow. During lunchtime, my friends and I would climb over the snowdrifts and slide down them.

We even tried (unsuccessfully) to build an igloo with the snow.

Q: How old are you now?

A: I’m 18 years old.

Q: Do you have any hobbies that you would like to discuss?

A: One of my hobbies is music. I started playing piano when I was 5 years old, and it has become one of my favorite pastimes.

Throughout middle and high school, I’ve participated in band, orchestra, and choir. With my love for music, I also became very involved in my church as part of the worship team.

Q: Which church would that be?

A: My family and I attend the Austin Christian Fellowship of India.

I joined the worship team in 8th grade, and I sang and played the keyboard.

Q: How did the pandemic affect church services?

A: We held our church services online, so worship was also done virtually.

Thus, I had the opportunity to use my musical abilities and knowledge of editing software while serving my community.

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Q: Would you elaborate on the type of editing software you used and how you learned about it?

A: During the shift to online church during COVID, I looked around at how other churches handled their worship services. Then, I came up with a plan. Early in the week, I would send out a baseline recording of my voice and the keyboard to the worship team members. They would send back a video of them either singing or playing their instrument while listening to my recording with headphones. I would stitch the videos and audios together, so it sounded as if we were all singing and playing our instruments together.

Q: You mentioned band and orchestra in middle and high school.

What instruments did you play?

A: When I was in band, I played the clarinet. I played the piano for orchestra.

Q: Do you speak any languages other than English?

A: I actually only speak English. Though both my parents are from India, English is the only language that both of them are 100% fluent in, so it became their default language when they got married.

Q: Where in India are your parents from?

A: Both my parents are from south India. My dad is from a small town in Andhra Pradesh, and my mom is from Bangalore. My parents immigrated from India, while my sister and I were born in the United States. My younger sister, Liana, will be a sophomore in high school at Veritas Academy. In my family, I would be the first to go to college in the United States.

Q: Do you have any extended family (aunts/uncles/cousins…etc.) in the United States?

A: Yes! My aunt (on my mom’s side) and her family live in Dallas, Texas.

Q: Do you have any other interests?

A: I also extensively travel with my family. We have visited Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada, India, the Bahamas, and Yellowstone National Park, to name a few. I enjoy these family vacations, as it gives the whole family an opportunity to spend time together, away from our stressful lives at school or work.

Q: We’ve heard that you are an active volunteer. Do you mind sharing information on your volunteer services?

A: For the past two years, I have volunteered at the Thinkery, a STEAMbased children’s museum that offers summer camps. As a counselorin-training at the Thinkery’s summer camps, I had the opportunity to lead kids in several STEAM-based interactive activities and visit the various galleries. I also had the opportunity to work with other students throughout the summer as we volunteered at the camps.

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Around Circle C Continued from Page 8

Also, in high school, I became one of the key leaders in a club [Health Through Science] that focuses on providing and promoting health sciences research. Through this club, I was able to interact with Title 1 elementary school students, visiting them on late start days, helping them with their science fair projects, and mentoring them in STEM subjects. I had always loved working with kids, and Health Through Science gave me the opportunity to work with many bright minds.

Q: You mentioned visiting Title 1 elementary schools. Do you mind sharing which schools you visited and any significant moments while there?

A: I volunteered for 2 consecutive years at Title 1 elementary schools.

My first year, I worked with the 4th graders. When I returned the next year, I was working with the same kids, who were now 5th graders, and I was really surprised when they recognized us and remembered our names. That’s when I realized how impactful our work was and how much it meant to the kids.

Q: How did you discover Health Through Science?

A: Health Through Science held an informational meeting the summer before I was in 9th grade, so I attended to learn more about the club and to meet more people from my high school. At the meeting, I learned more about what they do, and I really wanted to be involved!

Q: When and/or how did you become interested in health and science?

A: Ever since I was a little kid, I was interested in what doctors do and all the different specialties in medicine. When I was in 9th grade, I had an opportunity to shadow my family practitioner and see what her job looked like. I also attended some health-related camps over the summer that I really enjoyed.

Q: We’ve heard that you are a recipient of the Texas Rising Star Award. Would you tell us a little about that? A: Yes. I was awarded the Texas Rising Star Award in 2019. This award recognizes exceptional leadership to raise health awareness and reduce the burden of obesity, selecting applicants from all over Texas. Through my participation in community service groups, partnerships with various non-profit, educational, and other organizations, and mentorship of Title 1 elementary school students, I was ultimately given this award.

Q: How many people receive the Texas Rising Star award and how did you learn of it?

A: About 2–3 people receive the award in the state of Texas. I learned about the award because some of the other Health Through Science members who were older than me also received it in previous years.

Q: You recently graduated from Austin’s Liberal Arts and Science Academy. Congratulations!

Would you tell us a little about your experiences there? How was your last year attending high school during a pandemic?

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A: I attended school virtually last year. It was strange to not see any of my friends or teachers at school for a whole year, and I definitely missed the in-person school experience. It was a little disappointing to miss a lot of the activities that happened at school, especially since I was a senior and wouldn’t be coming back next year.

Q: You now attend Trinity University. Why did you choose Trinity?

A: I first visited Trinity University in 10th grade in 2018, just as a practice college visit. However, the campus, staff, and students left a significant impression on both my parents and me. We loved how beautiful the campus was, and how friendly the students were. Trinity is a small school with a low student-to-professor ratio, so I knew that if I chose Trinity, I’d be able to connect with my professors. Trinity has also been ranked the No. 1 college in the Western part of the United States for 28 years, so I knew that I’d be attending a school of high academic quality.

Q: What is your intended major?

A: I’m planning on majoring in Neuroscience.

Q: Is there anything else that you care to share with us?

A: I also have a dog, a cuddly yellow lab named Wilbur. He’s named after Wilbur, the pig from the book Charlotte’s Web. *** If you know impressive neighborhood teenagers that might be interested in being featured in an article showcasing their accomplishments, please feel free to reach out to us at either Info@ CircleCRanch.info or CCWriter@CircleCRanch.info. *** Circle C Ranch Newsletter - November 2021

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News You Can Use To Rye or Not to Rye

Circle C is home to many large, established trees, several of which are heritage trees (specific species of trees with a tree trunk diameter larger than 2 feet when measured 4.5 feet from the ground). Beautiful as these trees may be, their wide canopies can steal all the precious sunlight in the yard, leaving our grounds looking sad and defeated.

Without at least 4–5 hours of daily sunlight, our typical warm-weatherloving grasses here in Austin (Zoysia, St. Augustine, Bermuda, and others) suffer greatly. They cannot produce chlorophyll and lose their green color. Their leaves thin out and they become more susceptible to disease. They don’t recover from people or animals walking on them. Eventually, they give up and die, leaving little tufts here and there. This is especially the case in backyards active with kids and/or pets.

When autumn arrives, delivering shorter days and even less sun, the sad, leftover tufts—as well as the opportunistic weeds that have moved in—tend to die out. The ones still alive go dormant for the winter. Those of us with heavily shaded lawns are thus left with mostly bare dirt that turns to mud pits when we receive rain, like in this first picture.

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If the yard in this first picture looks anything like your lawn, or if you have any bare patches at all, you might want to consider adding either annual or perennial rye grass (or ryegrass) in the winter. Or, if you happen to have a healthy lawn and would simply like the color to remain green all year, you would also be a good candidate for annual or perennial rye grass.

Not to be confused with “winter rye” or just “rye” (Secale cereale) —which is not ornamental but instead is a grain utilized for livestock feed that grows up to six feet tall—annual rye grass (Lolium multiflorum) and perennial rye grass (Lolium perenne) are cool weather grasses often used as lawn grasses during the months when our warm weather grasses become dormant.

They coexist peacefully, with one green, active, and growing when the other is dormant or has died.

Both annual rye grass and perennial rye grass contain hardy, fine blades that are soft to the touch and beautiful. In fact, perennial rye grass was chosen to be the main species of turf at both the Augusta National Golf Club (home of the Masters) and the Wimbledon Tennis Club.

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Overseeding or adding annual or perennial rye grasses to our lawns (overseed ing) here in Austin provides many benefits with very few disadvantages.

Benefits of Adding Annual or Perennial Rye Grass to Our Lawns • Annual and perennial rye grasses are bunch grasses, growing vertically and not horizontally so they do not interfere with our warmer weather lawn grasses that spread by runners (rhizomes).

• They naturally die back in late spring/early summer, respectfully at the time when warm weather lawn grasses become active again.

• They may be used as a nurse grass, helping newly established, slowgrowing grasses to strengthen.

• They grow well and flourish in both sunny areas and shady areas.

• They tolerate high traffic and trampling.

• They germinate quickly and easily, just toss the seeds on the lawn in autumn.

• They need very little to no fertilizing.

• They grow in poor or rocky soil conditions and alkaline soils.

• They add nitrogen to the soil, helping the trees and plants around them to better process food and create chlorophyll.

• They fill in bare/empty spots thereby offering weed prevention and germination in the spring.

• They help prevent water or soil runoff on land with an incline.

• They capture and utilize excess nitrogen, preventing nitrate leaching (leaving with drainage water), then when they die off in the spring or are mowed, their leftover leaves provide fresh organic matter, including nitrogen back into the soil for our warm weather lawn grasses.

• They survive extreme cold weather when followed by warm weather.

(Ours survived the 2021 Snowpocalypse!)

• They are relatively inexpensive ($1.79 per pound for annual rye grass seeds and $6.39 per pound for perennial rye grass seeds at the Natural Gardener).

• They keep the lawn aesthetically pleasing and green all year and the plants around them thriving.

Disadvantages of Adding Perennial Rye Grass to Our Lawns • They need an occasional mow in fall, winter, and spring.

• They would benefit from light fertilization.

Differences Between Annual and Perennial Rye Grass • Annual rye grass thoroughly dies after its growing season is complete—it does not return—whereas perennial rye grass theoretically returns every year.

• Annual rye grass is significantly less expensive than perennial rye grass.

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News You Can Use Continued from Page 11

• Because annual rye grass has a short life span, there is no long-term commitment, so it would be a good choice as a trial run for those hesitant about overseeding.

• Annual rye grass grows to a lighter green color with more coarse blades than perennial rye grass.

• Annual rye grass grows up to 6” tall whereas perennial rye grass grows up to 12” if left unmowed.

• Annual rye grass germinates more quickly than perennial rye grass.

• Annual rye grass is slightly more cold tolerant than perennial rye grass.

The best time to overseed annual or perennial rye grass is in late October or November, or anytime when temperatures are 75 degrees or below.

That would be about now. So, if you have family or company headed to your home for the holidays and want to show off a lush, green lawn that helps to keep warm weather grass and surrounding trees healthier while allowing a soft groundcover for kids and pets to run and play freely, then annual or perennial rye grass might be a good option to consider.

At no time will any source be allowed to use the Circle C Ranch Newsletter's contents, or loan said contents, to others in any way, 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 Circle C Ranch Newsletter is exclusively for the private use of the Circle C HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: The Circle C (HOA) has partnered with Peel, Inc. to publish our monthly newsletter gratis for our residents. We target our content to keep homeowners updated on appropriate Circle C announcements and notices. In addition to the printed version, residents may find past newsletters on the Peel.com website with a search for “Circle C.” However, the most current news and announcements may be found at www.circlecranch.com.

Articles herein are intended to offer information that might be of use to our residents and to share current or historical events. We do not provide legal, medical, or expert advice but welcome input from our neighbors with expertise. We would love to hear from you!

If any of our residents have an idea for an article or would like to nominate a neighborhood teenager or volunteer for a featured article, please feel free to reach out to our HOA manager at info@circlecranch.info or call 512-288-8663. Please note that, in an effort to not interfere with our advertisers that fund this publication, we may not promote or mention businesses. We also do not publish letters or op-eds because we wish to keep our newsletter factual and neutral.

Thank you for being a part of our community.

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Circle C Ranch Newslette November 2021

Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Around Circle C

Wildflower Notes Submitted by Amy McCullough, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Here’s what’s likely to be blooming, fruiting or setting seed in Central Texas and beyond this time of year. Look for these native plants around town, at the Wildflower Center, on Texas trips, and perhaps in your own backyard!

Smallflower Groundcherry (Physalis cinerascens)

Smallflower Groundcherry (Physalis cinerascens) Photography by Peggy Romfh

Fall is a time of harvest, and those of us with garden-tending tendancies are thinking about edible plants. One that might not readily come to mind is smallflower groundcherry, a relative of the ubiquitous — and poisonous — roadside perennial, silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium).

Both are in Solanaceae, the potato (or nightshade) family, and both have fruit that look like tiny yellow tomatoes. But you can eat smallflower groundcherries; some even say they are quite tasty. All other parts of this low-growing southern native are toxic, however, so be certain of your ID and (as with all edible wild plants) proceed with caution. Its fruits reside within a husk, creating a charming, lightbulb-inside-a-lantern scenario that is reminscent of miniature tomatillos (another in the Physalis genus). This humble plant also has interesting, star-shaped flowers that are pale green with dark centers, but they tend to point downward, so consider yourself lucky to spot one — maybe even make a wish!

Pecan

(Carya illinoinensis) A far more common Texas commestable is the well-loved pecan.

Another type of fruit, the pecan tree’s versatile nuts are just one perk of the largest of hickories. Handsome slate-colored bark, flutter-ready compound leaves, and fragrant lime green husks on immature fruits are all likeable traits of this water-loving, deciduous tree. But, of course, it’s hard to ignore the many delicious things that can be done with pecans. From salty-sweet snack mixes to sticky-rich pie filling and nutty caramel chews, the yield of Texas’ state tree is popular for a reason. One thing you might not know is that the Wildflower Center uses an industry byproduct in its gardens: On your next visit, take a look in our cultivated beds and you’ll find crushed pecan shell mulch. It’s attractive, effective and geographically appropriate! Now we just have to find a good groundcherry-pecan recipe to bring this fall bounty pairing together.

Find these plants at the Wildflower Center and learn more about them at wildflower.org/plants-main.

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) Photography by R.W. Smith

Forts, Lights & Native Plants As our neighbors, you’ve surely heard that Fortlandia is back with a whole new batch of fantastic forts. Check them out in our Texas Arboretum while the weather is wonderful. If gardening is your passion, don’t miss our Fall Native Plant Sale, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 7. Plus, Luminations, our winter lights festival, is just around the corner (opening night is Dec. 2, and Thursdays are just for members!). Stay apprised of all the happenings at at

wildflower.org/featured-events Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - November 2021

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TEENAGE JOB SEEKERS

Name

Baby Pet House Yard Age Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

Abrameit, Kyle.....................17................................. *...................*...................... ...512.999.0337 Aguilar, Jacob........................15................................. *...................*...................... ...619-713-4469 Artigas, Emilio......................16................................. *.......................................... ...512.634.7416 Baird, Olivia.........................14.............. *..................................................................5 12.773.5443 Brauer, Nina ....................15..................................*..................................512.565.4480 Campsmith, Lucy ...........13..................................*..................................512-852-9846 Chatelain, Christelle*...........18.............. *................. *.......................................... ...512.963.3218 Cox, Claire*^........................18.............. *................................................. ...........512.644.4550 Cox, Ben*^...........................16.............. *................. *.. ............*.................512.963.9464 Eis, Ella*^.............................15.............. *................. *......................................... ...512.550.3422 Franke, Caroline*^...............15.............. *............................................................. ...512.590.1112 Havranek, Katie...................19.............. *................. *...................*...................... ...512.940.1671 Hoard, Jed*^........................19.............. *................. *...................*...................... ...512.656.0836 Hurd, Palmer........................ 16............. *................. *...................*... .................512.423.0737 Kaplan, Ben........................ 14............ *.................*..................*....................512.296.7548 Lim, Jacy *^..........................19.............. *................. *...................*.................... .. ....512.744.7338 Mahoney, Nicholas*............16.............. *................. *...................*.................... .* ..512.569.1823 Marzani, Jackson..................16.............. *................. *...................*.................... .. ..512-521-2474 McCurdy, Summer*+..........14.............. *...................................... .. ..................832.683.7759 Melsa, Olivia.........................19.............. *................. *...................*...................... ...512.576.9225 Mermis, Ana*^.....................17.............. *................. *...................*...................... ...512.529.7458 Mouw, Ella*..........................19.............. *................. *.......................................... ...512.987.0421 Parker, Mia...........................15................................. *..................................,,.*....512-565-4480 Patterson, Makena...............19.............. *................. *...................... .................512.506.1225 Salazar, Marisa*.....................19.............. *................. *...................*.................... .. ....512.288.9951 Terracina, Grace................... 19............. *................. *................... .* ...................512.988.7471 Terracina, Nicholas..............19................................. *................................................5 12.301.3068 Trautman, Parker.................14................................. *........................................ .. ....512.299.3117

Name

Baby Pet House Yard Age Sit Sit Sit Work Phone

Waltuck, Ella........................ 15............. *................. *.. ............*............512.658.4554 Wilson, Jake.......................... 16............. *................. *.. ............*...........*512.695.8278

OTHER SERVICES Name Age

Services

Phone

Aguilar, Jacob......................15.............. .Yardwork & Power Washing............ 619-713-4469

NOT AVAILABLE Brauer, Nina........................14.............. .MH/Tutor K-5 all subjects............. ...512.565.4480 Cox, Ben...........................16.........................Tutoring...........................512.963.9464 ONLINE

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Circle C Ranch Newslette November 2021

Andrusiank, Sophia............15...................Mother's Helper............................ 512.634.7416

Hurd, Palmer......................15.......Clarinet/Piano/Math Tutor K-8.. ............512.423.0737

Kissinger, Aspen.............. 19..................... Tutor K-7............................... 512.961.2267 Laird, Caden.....................16...............Powerwash Services.......................5 12.468.7678 Latawa, Pari.......................17...............Tutor K-8th................................. .7 13-972-2217 Mahoney, Nicholas.......... 16... Tutor grades k-5; Beg. Mandarin........... .512.569.1823 Marzani, Jackson..................16..............Pressure Washing Service................ 512-521-2474 Patterson, Makena........... 19...............Tutor Grades K-5.........................512.506.1225 Wilson Jake..................... 16.....................Yard Work.............................. 512.695.8278

Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.

Circle C Ranch Newsletter - November 2021

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Circle C Ranch Newslette November 2021

Copyright © 2021 Peel, Inc.