FALL, JUST OUTSIDE SPANISH OAKS

FISH CAMP

Here's the pier, which gives you an idea of the size of the pond... or lake... it's very large.

ROAD WORK

The back road is progressing VERY nicely. Here are some pictures as testimony. On November 24th they were scraping and rollering the roadbed, which to my uneducated eye looked very close to ready for the asphalt. The manholes are in and covered. The curb concrete is in... and note the wall and railing just SW of the area where the road meeets SO Blvd at the top of the East side hill.

COCKER-TAIL PARTY

Last Sunday, Pecan Grove was filled with happy dogs and owners as we celebrated man (and woman's) best friend/s.

A dog race team was on hand to show us how untrained our dogs really are!

Good eats, doggie treats (see Jessie who had just scarfed some!)

More pictures on the HOA website.

ZOO TRIP

If you haven't seen Austin's Zoo, you are missing an unusual zoo experience. This is as far off the end of the scale as you could get from, say, San Diego's World Famous Zoo. In fact, it's a private affair, a refuge for abused or discarded animals.



It's really cool in a funky way: better than it sounds when you think private refuge, with much more infrastructure, though fewer species. It seemed like you could get closer to some of the animals than in other zoos we've seen.


There are chickens roaming around, looking for whatever you drop. A flock?covey?gaggle? of Peacocks, but even bears and tigers, a leopard, a black panther (flashback to the 60s) and lions.




What's also interesting is you can see here from there. And our visit solves the question of why we can hear growls roll over the Preserve valley, mornings and evenings... it's the big cats being fed!

To get there, go up the hill past SW parkway, eastbound on 71, turn right at the first real traffic light (watch out for police - 35mph is enforced!) then go till you hit a T with circle drive. Turn right. The Zoo is on your right in maybe 1/2 mile.

EAST ENTRANCE ENHANCED

It seems they figured out a way to bring the welcoming home smell of burning wood to the east entrance by way of a chiminea. They were firing up that bad boy as I drove in today.

An extension to the jogging trail was being built today, up from SO blvd to... whatever is up that hill... La Barzola? Not sure.

Traffic yesterday at 6PM was backed up westbound from 620 to SW parkway. It's apparently been that way for some time. Hopefully the completion of the back roadway will help us out soon.

Lowes is in full Christmas decorama! It's too soon, people.

GOBLINS, WITCHES INVADE SPANISH OAKS

Halloween sets on Spanish Oaks ! Actually, witches, pirates and what have you... they met at Los Ninos Park and were seated on a hayride which then went on its candy-seeking trick or treat route... slowly.

This was one of the events which felt more like a neighborhood than many other more involved activities. A bunch of proud parents standing around, kids having fun, excited by the sugary treats to come!






A sight that was too cute: all of the children had glowing necklaces on... so you could see them in the dark (great idea) - and as the truck slowly pulled the 'wagon' out of the circle, a little boy was running as hard as he could to catch it. We didn't see if he did, but it sure was cute. I thought of Charlie Brown for some reason.




I think someday when we are at 400 homes, those of us who were "there' will think back to these early settler days as among the best. And it sure was great to be a kid last night!