Idylwood News - July 2022

idylwood News

July 2022

A publication of Idylwood Civic Club

Greetings!

If a 200 year anniversary is a Bicentennial, what do you call the 250 year follow-up?

Semiquincentennial (rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it!). July 4th, 2026 is just around the corner.

For those born before 1970, you’ll remember the Bicentennial celebration. My school mascot was the Patriot, so we were already festooned with red/white/blue gear. July 1976 - Gerald Ford was President, Jimmy Carter was named the Democratic nominee for President, Hank Aaron hit his 755th and final home run and Edwin Moses took gold in the 400-meter hurdles at the Montreal Olympics. Across the world, early on the morning of July 4th, Israeli commandos staged a daring raid on Entebbe Airport to rescue more than 100 hostages. Operation Sail 1976 provided a centerpiece for the Bicentennial when more than 225 sailing ships under thirty-one flags, with thousands of smaller craft beside them, sailed to New York to participate in the Grand Parade of Sailing Ships.

But the 4th is not the only notable day to celebrate in July. There are plenty of other dates to observe and enjoy:

World UFO Day is July 2, the anniversary of the (supposed??) UFO crash in Roswell in 1947.

The Full Buck Supermoon orbits closer to Earth on July 13 than any other full Moon this year. It’s called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer are in full-growth mode at this time.

July 14 is Bastille Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille and the start of the French Revolution. It also happens to be National Mac and Cheese Day.

July 20 is the day the Apollo 11 Space Mission landed on the moon in 1969.

July 23 is National Day of the Cowboy, so dig out those boots and chaps and head over to the Lone Star Saloon for a Lone Star.

July 29 marks the Islamic New Year, which begins with the first sighting of the crescent Moon after the new Moon in the month of Muharram.

Our next Civic Club meeting will be on Tuesday, July 19 at 7:30pm, IN PERSON at the Empower Computer Lab located on the second floor of the Martinez Courthouse Annex, 1001 S Sgt Macario Garcia Drive, Houston, TX 77011 (basically on northbound wayside in between Avenues J and K). We will have a representative from Metro to discuss upcoming area projects.

We will try to broadcast the meeting via zoom as well, but in person attendance is encouraged. Assuming we are able to also use zoom, the link will remain:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83409014075

Meeting ID: 834 0901 4075

One tap mobile

(346) 248-7799, 83409014075# US (Houston)

At our last meeting in Spurlock, a number of people said that they wanted the concrete islands on the Idylwood side of Lawndale painted due to cars hitting them. If you have other feedback regarding feasible improvements that could be made to improve the safety and function of the bike lanes, please let me know by emailing me at [email protected] so I can pass this information along.

A reminder if you are interested to run for an officer or board position, to contact a member of the election committee before the July meeting. The election committee this year consists of Steve Palmer, Richard Schafer, and JoAnn Luco. You can email them at [email protected]. No previous experience is necessary. Time commitment for a board position is attending the monthly meetings from 6:30-8:30pm, plus occasional help for special events like national night out or the park cleanup. If you are interested in knowing what an officer position entails, you can reach out to that officer directly or check out the bylaws here.

Thanks to Patricia Hattenbach and Jim McCallum for their contributions to the Garden Club and Yard Of The Month sections of the newsletter. Please also check out their new feature on Idylwood's Pets of the Month, and consider submitting your furry friend for a feature!

If you would like to contribute an article to the newsletter on a one-time or recurring basis, please contact me at [email protected].

Additionally, help us all stay connected. If you have a new neighbor, please encourage them to be added to the newsletter. They can send their email to [email protected] or pass it along to one of our board members or officers.

Regards,

Laura Manion

President

Idylwood Civic Club

How would you like to have civic club meetings?

All In Person -if possible

Select

All Virtual

Select

Alternate In Person and Virtual- second choice

Select

If in person, where would you be willing to travel for meetings?

Raul Martinez Annex - 1001 S Sergeant Macario Garcia Drive-Yes

Select

Spurlock Park, weather permitting- Yes

Select

Mason Park Gazebo

Select

Magnolia Multi Service Center - likely not available until 2023

Select

Dear Ambie - Idylwood Advice Column

Dear Ambie,

My neighbor is planning to host a professional fireworks display over the 4th. How do I get invited to the party?

Signed, Disappointed

Dear Disappointed,

Fireworks are illegal in the City of Houston and very much against the Nuisances section of the Idylwood Deed Restrictions. You should explain to your neighbor the error of their ways and not encourage them.

Sincerely, Ambie

Idylwood Green

The City of Houston will enter Stage One of the City's Drought Contingency Plan, effective Tuesday June 21, 2022.

During the past month, the City of Houston has had record-setting high temperatures above 90 degrees and a significant decrease in rainfall. As a result, most of Houston’s service area is experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions. These conditions call for implementation of Stage One water conservation measures.

click for Houston Conservation Water Saving Tips

East End Day Trip

July is hot in Houston and outdoor destinations can be sweaty affairs. Searching for something cool (both figuratively and literally!), then head south down Telephone Road just past Airport Boulevard and look for a throwback to another age of travel. The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is housed in a spectacular Art Deco structure designed by noted local architect Joseph Finger that once served as the Houston Municipal Airport. The building is a time capsule of a bygone era full of ambition and design, and is now a protected landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Travel back in time and explore Houston's rich aviation heritage. The North Wing of the Museum is filled with artifacts that highlight Houston’s aviation history. Galleries showcase the timeline progression of commercial airlines from Braniff Airways and Eastern Air Lines to Trans-Texas Airways and Continental Airlines. The South Wing’s current exhibit is titled: Fashion Takes Flight - The Evolution of the Flight Attendant Uniform (on view until October 31) which explores the evolution of uniforms from their beginnings with the first female flight attendant, Ellen Church, in 1930 to today. Located just up the street is the WR-4 Hangar, believed to be the oldest aviation-related structure existing in Houston. It now provides shelter for the museum's collection of aircraft including a Lockheed Lodestar and Cessna Bobcat.

Saturday, July 16th is Open Ramp Day when the Museum opens their ramp on the west side of Hobby Airport as well as access to the third floor balcony of the museum to provide a front row view of the active runways.

Museum Hours

Tuesday through Sunday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Closed Monday

Location

8325 Travelair St.

Houston 77061

If you have a plane, you can always request a Fly-In during museum business hours! Simply tell the tower that you will be "parking at the museum" when you make your request and they will generally accommodate you.

click for more info on the 1940 Air Terminal Museum

Summer Fun

The Greater Houston Police Activities League and Houston Parks and Recreation Department will be offering free youth bike safety classes for kids ages 6-17 years old at Eastwood Park (Jul 11-18) and Mason Park (now until Jul 25th).

Participants will learn basic cycling skills and will be taught bike riding safety. The course will consist of one hour instruction and 30 minutes of mentorship time to build confidence and navigate different terrain.

Online registration is open now and program slots are limited. For more info and to register, click on the logo below:

DEED RESTRICTIONS - REMINDER

Kicking off a home improvement project or hiring a contractor for a remodel? Download a copy of the deed restrictions here so you know the Dos and Don'ts before you make a potentially expensive mistake.

Idylwood Community Exchange is now

Idylwood Neighborhood Exchange

The former Idylwood Community Exchange is now being hosted on Google Groups as the Idylwood Neighborhood Exchange. To request an invitation for this group, please send a request to: [email protected]

Please note that like its predecessor, this group is privately maintained by a resident, and not managed by the ICC Board.

Keep in Touch with your Civic Club

Pay 2021-2022 Dues

Click to Pay Dues

Deed Restrictions

Learn More

Historic Idylwood

Take the Tour

Visit our Idylwood Civic Club Web-page

Hot Weather Safety Tips For Pets !!

from ASPCA.Org

We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry companions, but being overeager in hot weather can spell danger. To prevent your pet from overheating, take these simple precautions provided by ASPCA experts:

Visit the vet for a spring or early-summer checkup. Make sure your pets get tested for heartworm if they aren’t on year-round preventative medication.
Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot or humid outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful not to over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.
Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. Symptoms can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees.
Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.
Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. Not only can it lead to fatal heat stroke, it is illegal in several states!
Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool—not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals.
Open unscreened windows pose a real danger to pets, who often fall out of them. Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed, and make sure adjustable screens are tightly secured.
Feel free to trim longer hair on your dog, but never shave your dog: The layers of dogs’ coats protect them from overheating and sunburn. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. And be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your pets is labeled specifically for use on animals.
When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close to the ground, your pooch’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.
Commonly used rodenticides and lawn and garden insecticides can be harmful to cats and dogs if ingested, so keep them out of reach. Keep citronella candles, tiki torch products and insect coils of out pets’ reach as well. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if you suspect your animal has ingested a poisonous substance.
Remember that food and drink commonly found at barbeques can be poisonous to pets. Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets, as they can cause intoxication, depression and comas. Similarly, remember that the snacks enjoyed by your human friends should not be a treat for your pet; any change of diet, even for one meal, may give your dog or cat severe digestive ailments. Avoid raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate and products with the sweetener xylitol. Please visit our People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets page for more information.
Please leave pets at home when you head out to Fourth of July celebrations, and never use fireworks around pets. Exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns or trauma, and even unused fireworks can contain hazardous materials. Many pets are also fearful of loud noises and can become lost, scared or disoriented, so it’s best to keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area of your home.

Idylwood Pet(s) of the Month

Our 'best' friends now get their turn in the spotlight! They bring us so much love, joy, exercise, human friendships, and truthfully, higher grocery bills!! So, here we go.....

Meet Chester !

Chester is not a pure breed, but he is a pure lover! I found Chester, or rather he found me, in Spurlock Park about 13 years ago. At the time, I had a lab named Jake that had issues with sharing my attention with other dogs; but not Chester.

Chester followed us home and before I could even take any pictures or post them on social media to try and find his owner, Chester and Jake were playing like the best of friends.

Chester had no collar, no chip, and what appeared to be a significant hip injury (probably due to being stuck by a car). No one claimed him. Chester became part of my family.

After a visit to the Vet, I found that he was heartworm positive and had several old fractures to his ribs, pelvis, and right rear leg that had all healed out of alinement and caused him to walk with a pronounced limp. Despite his past injuries he was not in pain and could chase a squirrel like a bullet. Because of his limp I named him after Chester, the good-natured deputy on the 60’s TV show Gunsmoke.

Chester is going on 14+ years now and has slowed down a lot, but is still good natured and friendly to all adults and children. If you see us out walking, please say hi….. he loves to meet new people and other dogs.

Submitted by Larry Brown

Neighbors: Submit your pet(s) to be featured in the upcoming newsletters by sending a 1-3 photos with a short story about your best friend(s) with the subject line: "Pet(s) of the month" to : [email protected]

Garden Club News

Garden Club Web-page

Please watch for email updates for the September meeting from

[email protected].

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Houston Botanic Gardens

Upcoming July Events

Garden Entrance: One Botanic Lane Houston, TX 77017 [email protected]

Mailing Address: 8205 N. Bayou Drive Houston, TX 77017

Ticket Window: 713.715.9675 ext. 100

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History of Mezcal -- Historia de Mezcal

Friday, July 8, 2022 7:00 — 8:00 pm Arts & Culture $85

NOTE: This bilingual presentation will be presented in English & Spanish.

Blending education and tastings, the History of Mezcal will provide attendees with knowledge of and increased appreciation for the cultural history of North America's original spirit. Pours of artisanal Mezcal from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, will be paired with orange slices with agave worm salt and cabuches (the flower of California barrel cactus).

H B Garden members receive a $15 discount.

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Family Bird Walk - Learn to Identify Birds

Wed., July 13, 2022 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Nature & Conservation $45

Della Barbarto, director of education at Native Prairies Association of Texas, will give participants an overview on birdwatching and tips for using binoculars, followed by a 45-minute guided bird walk around the Garden. Afterward, families will make a birdhouse to take home with them.

Attendees of all ages welcome. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

Non-member fee of $45 includes general admission to the Garden and birdhouse to take home.

H B Garden Members receive a $15 discount.

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Meditation with Garden Herbs -- Rose

Friday, July 15, 2022 10:00 — 11:30 am Health & Wellness $25

The Meditation with Garden Herbs series explores some of the herbs in the Culinary Garden that can support meditation and healing.

In the fourth session, Alejandro Chaoul, PhD, founder and director of The Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute, will explore the virtues of rose and demonstrate how it can support meditation and have other benefits to everyday wellness. Participants will also receive recipes featuring rose to take home and try for themselves.

Non-member fee of $25 includes general admission to the Garden.

H B Garden Members receive a $15 discount.

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Seed Starting 101-Garden Guru Series

Sat., July 16, 2022 11:00 am — 12:00 pm Horticulture & Gardening $20

Growing vegetables from seed is not only cost effective, but also often leads to healthier plants. There are a lot of tools, tricks, and tips that can help you get the most out of this gardening endeavor. Dany Millikin, the Garden’s director of education, will walk participants through the basics of veggie seed starting. He will also share some of his favorite tools and strategies for fall plants.

Non-member fee of $20 for workshop includes general admission to the Garden. H B Garden Members attend for free.

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Ecosystem Adventure - Summer BotaniCamp

Monday, July 18, 2022 9:00 am — 2:00 pm Nature & Conservation $225

Why is that flower pink? What is the smallest animal we can find? Science helps us understand what is happening around us, to answer these, and many, many more questions. During Ecosystem Adventure, campers will look at large and small natural phenomena using a scientific lens (literally and figuratively).

BotaniCamp is the Garden’s plant-centric nature camp for K-5 students. The sensory and inquiry-driven curriculum will present many opportunities to go beyond just observation. BotaniCamp-ers connect with plants through thoughtful and diverse lessons and hands-on activities – planting, growing, and interacting with natural environments – while working with scientists and subject matter experts.

Ecosystem Adventure: July 18-22 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (drop-off from 8-9 a.m.)

$225/child per week.H B Garden members save $25 per child per week.

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Arbor-mania - Summer BotaniCamp

Monday, July 25, 2022 9:00 am — 2:00 pm Nature & Conservation $225

What is up in those limbs above our heads? There is so much more than just squirrels, leaves, and the wind. During Arbor-mania, campers will learn all about trees and the amazing role they play in the local ecosystem.

Arbor-mania July 25-29 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (drop-off from 8-9 a.m.)

$225/child per week. H B Garden members save $25 per child per week.

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Summer Break for the Garden Club

Well, it's that time again when we take a break to enjoy sleeping late on the first Saturday mornings of the month. The Garden Club will not have Saturday meetings in June, July and August. We will resume September 10, 2022 - the second Saturday since Labor Day weekend falls on the first Saturday. Have a happy, fun, and safe summer!!! See you in September and tell us your summer tales!!

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A Reminder To Homeowners

That Received New Sidewalks And Curbs:

Please Water The New Grass

Along with the new sidewalks and curbs, the installations included new St. Augustine sod to replace the grass that was removed during construction. It is really being stressed along with your current grass. Please include that area in your watering schedule.The Garden Club has been watering the new grass at the corner of Idylwood and Park by the Spurlock Park sign. Hopefully, we will get weekly summer showers and your new sod will do just fine!

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Meeting Dates for 2022-2023

First Saturdays from 10 am-noon

(except for September;

Speakers and locations TBD)

September 10,2022

October 1, 2022

Begin Annual Poinsettia Fundraiser:Oct.1-24; only $10 each

November 5, 2022

December 3, 2022

Annual Holiday Lunch and Fun Gift Exchange ($15 or less)

January 7, 2023

February 4, 2023

March 4, 2023

April 1, 2023

Election of Officers

May 6, 2023

June, July, August: summer break

For more information, contact the Garden Club President:

Patricia Hattenbach, at [email protected] or at 713-724-9608.

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Vegetable Garden Planting Dates Chart

Do you want to know exactly when to plant vegetables and herbs in your garden? Check out the web link to Texas A&M University's yearly planting calendar for Harris County below! You may want to print this out for future use. Select:

“Vegetable Garden Planting Dates for Harris County" https://harris.agrilife.org/hort/

Happy gardening!

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Remember: COH Tree Trash Gets Turned Into Mulch

When Picked Up on The First Tuesdays of Odd # Months!

Keep in mind that trimmings from trees, shrubs and bushes can be placed on your curb for the city's Tree Trash pick-up on the first Tuesday of odd months.

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Thanks for your membership and love of nature!

Let's keep Idylwood beautiful and safe!

Kind regards,

Patricia Hattenbach

[email protected]

713-724-9608

Welcome the 2022-2023 Officers:

President: Patricia Hattenbach

Vice President: Hugo Banda

Secretary: Richard Vela

Treasurer: Nicole Wood

Thanks again to Jim McCallum for providing the Yard of the Month write-ups and photos. It's wonderful to learn more about our great neighbors!

July 2022 Yard of the Month

The Idylwood Garden Club’s Yard of the Month for July 2022 goes to Terry and Marge Brown of 6641 Rockbridge Lane.

Terry and Marge moved to Idylwood in 1979. While Marge

is a

native Houstonian,Terry, whose father was in the Airforce, lived in various states before finally settling in Colorado. The couple selected Idylwood for their home due to its proximity to downtown Houston, The Texas Medical Center, and shopping malls. The neighborhood’s charm and attractive homes, park, and topology were big considerations as well. “Its manicured yards, clean streets, small park and view of the bayou were appealing” they say.

Margie is the family gardener and over the years she changed and created different landscaping features. “I've used rocks and pavers for landscaping borders and designs,” she says. Recently Margie has added redwood timbers along the driveway with plantings of pink flowering Oleanders.

Commenting on our area’s direct and heavy sunlight, Margie says “I now concentrate more on using natural Texas direct sunlight plants & trees which consist of Crepe Myrtle trees, Sunshine Ligustrum shrubs, Pink Oleander, Red Hibiscus, Aztec Grass and Hawaiian Live Red Cordyline Fruticosa.”

Margie and Terry’s Crepe Myrtles are a special feature of their landscaping and the different colored blossoms, white, red, and fuchsia, create a lovely contrasting grouping. Decorative rocks lining the flower beds accentuate the redwood timbers. A large and interesting floral wreath continues the yard’s color scheme to the home’s beautiful front door. An antique styled lamppost adds a stately look to the sidewalk steps.

Buchanan's Native Plants

click link above for for access to the website

July Gardening Tips

Fall Prep

Prepare vegetable gardens for fall planting – pull weeds & add compost.
Plant pumpkin seeds for October Jack-O-Lanterns. Other seeds to plant: corn, cucumber, okra, black-eyed peas, beans, cantaloupe
Plant vegetable plants: tomato, peppers, squash & cucumbers.
Plant herbs: basil, oregano, thyme.
Deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage a great fall showing.

Pests

Identify insect and fungal problems and treat them with the least toxic solution

Eliminate standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding

Water

Water deeply, especially trees. Don’t rely on your sprinkler system to water adequately in summer.

Check irrigation systems for proper function – may need to extend the watering periods to make sure roots are watered.

Stay hydrated and protect yourself from UV rays (sunscreen/hats/sunglasses).

Birds

Feed the birds. Keep birdbaths clean and filled with fresh water

Keep eyes out for your neighbors!

If going out of town, tell your neighbors but do not post on social media. Please keep an eye out for unusual activity and report to HPD (911) and (713) 884-3131 and the Constable's office (713) 274-3400. Please keep your home and cars locked at all times. Report any incidents to ALL authorities;

more reports = more patrols.

HPD is moving to a National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). To view crimes reported to HPD from Jan-Mar 2022, please go to HPD's website and download the excel file here and sort by zip code or beat. Our beat is 11H10, which includes several zip codes.

A screenshot of last month's crime map is below. To interact with this map, including date ranges and area, go to Community Crime Map.

Jake Goldstein and Steve Palmer co-chair our patrol group and report the group’s collective 30 patrol hours per month to HPD. Please contact Jake if you are interested in volunteering with our citizens patrol group.

Having a patrol presence in the neighborhood is a crime deterrent and a great way to give back to our community.

Please join us! More information on HPD's Volunteer Citizen Patrol is available here.

Upcoming Dates to Remember

07/04/2022: Tree Limbs & Yard Waste
07/11/2022: Recycling
07/19/2022: Idylwood Civic Club Meeting: 7:30pm @ Empower Computer Lab located on the second floor of the Martinez Courthouse Annex, 1001 S Sgt Macario Garcia Drive, Houston, TX 77011
07/25/2022: Recycling
08/02/2022: Heavy Trash

Stay Informed!

IDYLWOOD.ORG

Check out info about the neighborhood, including downloading a copy of the deed restrictions here.

HOUSTONTX.GOV/311

Report a pothole, get your trash bin repaired or replaced, report a problem with a traffic signal, missed trash pickup, and more.

GRAFFITI ABATEMENT

Call the East End District at 713.928.9916 during business hours with the tagged address, intersection, and colors.

Stay Connected!

NEXTDOOR.COM

Great way to connect with East End residents. It’s a great place to report or look for a missing pet, announce a garage sales, put out a crime alert, etc. This site is endorsed and its use encouraged by HPD. Sign up here

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/idylwood

Google Email Group - Idylwood Neighborhood Exchange

If you are not currently a member and would like to join, please send an invitation request to [email protected].