ONE OCTOBER MORNING

GATE MAKEOVER

Apparently the bigs weren't satisfied with the new East entry gate and it's been fancied up. Now we can guess why they only did one side. It was a sample. Here's the latest gateway to paradise.

THE RELENTLESS MARCH OF PARK PROGRESS

Indeed. They've already begun to go to work on the next park - the one at the top of Musket Rim. Earthmoving as I write this!

HALLOWEEN 2006

The question has been raised... what if some parents organized, in effect, a car pool and drove their kiddies around to homes participating in treating the little ones?

Can we quickly figure out who in our community would be open for the visits? Who would volunteer to drive/oversee?

E me and I'll pass along: this is WITHIN SO only. Thanks rwood24@Austin.rr.com

COPS

I've been meaning to post this but kept forgetting - beware if you try to shortcut through the HEB shopping center lot, to avoid traffic backups on 71 West in the AM - there are motorcycle cops there "especially for you" as Bob Eubanks used to say on the Newlywed Game.

A NEW GATE A NEW DAY A NEW PICTURE

We've been away. Interesting to see what has or hasn't happened in a week. Actually, the hands of time move slowly sometimes, and so do the wheels of progress.

Several homes are being outfitted with so-far scrawny landscaping as construction finishes. We see the truck loads of sod ready to claim more vista for turf. Time will tell if they bring in the trees, but so far it looks like mud, sod, and scrub. You can look up nature in the design guidelines and decide for yourself how to interpret 'the natural look.' Guidelines are on the website for owners.

And then we have one new gate... entrancing owners will realize the new look. Exiting owners will remember the old look. Perhaps the other side is on order, or the other other side is a test?

East Entrance Gate Du Jour

Here at Stately Wood acres, just yesterday I planted millions of seeds which will have been rained into the ditch by now. Look forward to beauty of wildflowers next spring - all the way to the drainage grate.

A thought: if you are bringing in an expert for something, maybe you could post it and several like-minded folks could get a group deal or rate? Just a thought.

Also, at the rate blogger downloads/uploads pictures, every one you see in this blog is a miracle in patience and computerwerks. Even low res small files load like time has stood still.

SPANISH OAKS OWNER WEBSITE OPEN

With a little "ta" and a lot of "daaa" the website is up and running.

Ah, but there's always a catch, right?

The board wanted a secure site. So here's how that will work: Each time I send out a weekly E-mail to those who have opted in, it will include the active address of the website.

If you're not on that list and wish to be, then E me at rwood24@Austin.rr.com We will verify all as owners, then add you to the list.

Simply copy and paste the address into your browser, or click on it. Once in, you can visit the various sections and are welcomed to contribute too. If necessary, periodically we might change the site entry, so you want to get those E mails.

At this time there are several empty pages; yes, we are working on those and others. And for some reason, the residents pictures don't work yet. I will get to those as soon as possible.

Also, if you would like to see your home or some feature as the header picture or elsewhere in the site, E me. I need to stock up and anticipate a site that changes headers at least seasonally, if not more often.

FISH CAMP - 'LAKE SPANISH OAKS'

Man, is this ever BIG! As I wrote before, the cedar tree dump has been removed. First impression is one of size. Doubt if you can see me in this picture... the top is a blowup of the bottom - in it I am tiny and would have been deep underwater. The camera just can't capture the size of what will become a large lake. The lens just isn't wide enough.

THE LONG AND WINDING (BACK) ROAD

Hiked back there today. First surprise: it doesn't quite follow the old road - at least not through the second gate (if you remember that). From the top of SO Blvd, the road goes more to the left than you will remember. It's a whole different route, and progress is obvious. They've got it pretty well scraped, and what appears to be some utilities in, in certain places. A lot of work to be done, for sure, but quite a lot has been accomplished!

WHERE THERE"S SMOKE...

...there's smoke. Yestrday the area was notably smokey yet no fire could be seen. It appeared to have come from as far as beyond 290, in a heavy wind from the southeast.

Hey - here's a great idea - but unfortunately I don't know how to make it happen - a web camera focused up the hill toward the shopping center. Once the back road is in, you could pop on and see if you would use the east or west entrance/exit to go that direction. Lately that journey up the hill has been backed up - seriously backed up, apparently due to construction at the top. Other Texas cities have cams you can view, but if Austin does, I can't find them online. (I do note cams at 71 and Bee Caves Road, though they don't appear online.)

The HOA website may be up soon. Cross your fingers.

WHITE/NOT WHITE

Several posts below I was reporting white rock on a new build wall... well, lo and behold, the builder dyed, stained, or voodooed it into a more earthtone color. Amazing! Much better!

CEDARS UNDER WATER

As work is progressing on the (manmade) lake for the Fishing Camp, I was happy to hear that they've taken out all the cedars they had dumped in the hole. Don't know how fish like Cedars, but that was a huge snag waiting to happen!

We need a name for the lake. I'll bring it up to the HOA.

NEW PARK

Looks complete. Swing set is up. Turf. Cement. Plants. Nicely done, though spartan. I guess it's a great place for widdle kids to ride their trikes on the concrete ribbon without traffic worry.

Also a new path down from Paraiso to the creekbed.

Next up will be the park at the top (circle) of Musket Rim.

ANYTHING CAN BE FIXED

We all experience much of the same experiences moving into a new community and our newly built homes.

1- It never completely ends.
2- There's always something.
3- Warranties expire just before something breaks.

I wax cryptic. What I am really saying is - amazingly to me - the builders can undo, redo, rebuild or fix anything. Like when the big trash container-on-truck smashed into our roof under construction.

We watched a concrete pour down the street. A day or so later they were taking it out with hammer thing on back of tractor. (You can tell I have the lingo... I am helpless around all but a screwdriver and hammer.)

Just out of warranty our upstairs (TV room) frig lost its thermostat. Service call to diagnose. Wait for parts. Service call to replace. Replaced unit defective. HAPPILY a spare on the truck. (The law of steady state luck: the total amount of luck in the universe is a constant - means...) someone else will have something on order, and not working, for way too long - oh wait - it's us - we've been trying to get the sparker on our outdoor grille replaced since, oh, forever. CERTAINLY since the match hit the gas and took the hair off my right arm.

We are not alone. Your contributions of move-in joy are encouraged. It's like group therapy. Names can be disguised if you wish. But they can and likely eventually will fix anything and everything. So take heart.

WHITE ROCK

I should drag out my design booklet and read up, because I am certainly laboring under a misconception. I believed that the new goal was to be at one with nature (sarcasm mine) and with earthtones and landscaping to reflect such a vibe.

I noted a home under construction with white rock surrounding the front of it (mostly in view from the house itself; little from the street) and believed it to be out of guideline spec, but I find I was wrong. I am told: "The guidelines do not totally prohibit white stone. It is prohibited as "the predominant material" only. ...The DRC will be especially conscious of this when reviewing the landscape plan."

Wouldn't you love to see what they actually have rejected?

So we have basically three design plans affecting our little slice of heaven as I see it: Daniel Porter 1, Daniel Porter 2, Discovery 1.

But why the DRC would allow a home IN EARTHTONES to be bordered? by white rock is beyond my ability to understand design. Does that seem consistent to you?

SPEED BUMPS?

East entrance... or should I write - EXIT - speed bumps have been removed! Reflexively I hit the brakes anyway.

Time for a pool - which truck will hit the gate first!? It isn't necessarily a matter of raw speed - if there's gravel or sand or debris, you can skid if you brake too hard.

Old settlers will remember the first try of warnings - glue on dealies - which didn't stick very well.

You have to wonder what's next - if anything? In today's regulated world it really is nice to see a 'restriction' go away.

..... more thoughts.....

As I headed down the chute today several trucks which preceded me had opened the gate, but it might close - so I gun it and catch it just as it begins to close.

But hey, any cross traffic had better watch it: cross behind the guard house and you risk getting T-Boned!

GO FISH!

Whistle the Mayberry theme, only Andy and Opie will be replaced by you and yours... happy to announce that ground has broken on the fish camp, and it's expected that you'll be fishing next spring!

The community center should be ready by Fall 2007.

RIBIT

Neighborly frog came visiting during recent rains. Is a night time camera flash a religious experience for a reptile? It did puff up as I approached.

ANGELITA PARK

I think I spelled that right - we took the dog up there this morning to check out how it's coming along. From the circle on S.O. blvd., take Paraiso, then left on Musket Rim then right, then right. Already kids were playing on it. And not unlike the time the kid enjoys the box more than the present, one little boy was greatly enjoying a dump load of gravel.

Clearly it isn't anywhere near finished, but quite a lot of work has been done: a concrete bike/walk patch goes around the outside of a large sodded area. There's a crushed granite pathway through a maze, outlined with very small rocks... some new obvious planted areas which haven't yet been planted... but the kids were already having fun.

I had hoped to have the plans up on a new website for you but that all is lost in the rare atmosphere of The Board as they consider whatever it is they consider.

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An interesting test case of the board's teeth will soon be shown as a home builder is clearly violating the spirit and letter of the design guidelines (according to me, in my opinion, etc.) If you walk the area and know the guidelines you'll see what I mean.

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We understand that the "Chalet" off Musket Rim - which is the huge home under finishing construction - also has a barn, water tower and guest house - will have horses and lama. They are clearing the bottom of their property of cedar and appear to have a service road back there. This is a piece of land landlocked by Spanish Oaks, but ISN'T Spanish Oaks, so they can do what they please. This property has great views as they sit high on the bluff overlooking Barton Creek.

END SLAUGHTER OF AMERICAN HORSES

Cathi Rustmann, S.O. landowner, asks that we all be aware of the bill which is up for consideration. Here's a link to the American Humane Society and all the info you need to call or E your representative. The vote is Thursday.