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And the winners are ... (click here to go to the gallery)
What really happens during Tree Delivery
Friday night I left my husband in the Balcones Club bar to have dinner and I went to the parking lot. About 40 Bethany volunteers were lined up behind a HUGE semi. They wore gloves and were dressed for the not even slightly chilly weather. Each person, young and old, was handed a tree and carried it about 20-30 feet to the grass and then got back in line. It was like ants at a picnic.
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Two counters with clickers stood at the truck and made sure we get what we ordered. 625 plus a bit over just in case. I took some pictures, and carried one large tree (I go to the gym, but that didn't seem to be enough - trees are heavier than they appear.) Went back in the bar, had a glass of wine with my husband and was prepared to say I'd seen the trees. I wasn't able to sleep that night - some of you who are older may relate to this. And so, there I was at 5AM, awake.
At 6:30AM I was still awake. (You know how you can't sleep all night, then about 6AM you're out like a light! That didn't happen.) OK. I'll just drive over to the club and watch the loading of the trees to deliver to the neighborhood. I can be back in bed by 7:30. Take a few pictures for the website.
Showered. (Note to self - there is no need to shower to see 643 trees on a curb.) And arrived at the club. Jerry Lozano has been in charge of the trees for several years. It is now a refined, organized process! Jerry and all the organizers before him should have a shrine in their honor! The Balcones Country Club provides breakfast tacos and coffee and hot chocolate in exchange for some trees. There were five pickups this year to deliver and numerous volunteers to load, drive, direct, and toss! Five trailers were leased for the pickup trucks. When I got there two trucks had already left for their first round. I took some pictures and ... could I ride in one truck and direct the tossers where to toss the trees? Ah, well, I was going to ...
At 6:30AM I was still awake. (You know how you can't sleep all night, then about 6AM you're out like a light! That didn't happen.) OK. I'll just drive over to the club and watch the loading of the trees to deliver to the neighborhood. I can be back in bed by 7:30. Take a few pictures for the website.
Showered. (Note to self - there is no need to shower to see 643 trees on a curb.) And arrived at the club. Jerry Lozano has been in charge of the trees for several years. It is now a refined, organized process! Jerry and all the organizers before him should have a shrine in their honor! The Balcones Country Club provides breakfast tacos and coffee and hot chocolate in exchange for some trees. There were five pickups this year to deliver and numerous volunteers to load, drive, direct, and toss! Five trailers were leased for the pickup trucks. When I got there two trucks had already left for their first round. I took some pictures and ... could I ride in one truck and direct the tossers where to toss the trees? Ah, well, I was going to ...
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Jerry handed me three pages of addresses with the number of trees each one should get. I climbed in Craig's pickup with four guys on our trailer and about 70 trees. (Now it's probably a good thing I showered.)
We have to drive v e r y s l o w l y due to people and trees in trailer. VERY SLOWLY. And we have to find the right houses. PEOPLE - CAN YOUR HOUSE NUMBER BE SEEN BY AMAZON/EMS/LONG LOST RELATIVE? I found it easier to get out of the pickup and walk to look for addresses. (Walked two+ miles! One hip is still a bit cranky about climbing in and out of a pickup.) It is surprising how many address number are not visible due to leaves, wear/tear and just not being there. (One house had NO number anywhere - how do they get home each day?) We made three trips to finish our list of 144 trees. One house ordered five! Our four tossers (not the British definition) did very well with houses on our right. Tossing across the street was a little sketchy. Everyone is in and out of the trailer. I'm trying to find house numbers. Craig, our driver, is trying to keep track of us. Fun time!
I got home a little after 10AM. Almost four hours after I left my bed, which I was going back to. Spent the rest of the day hacking the 6" trunk of my tree to fit in the 4" PVC pipe. Finally a kindly neighbor came over with a saw and muscles and took care of the problem. I took a nap.
Now some of the trees were huge and some were not. Some of the trees were very full and some were not. Some of the trees fit neatly in the PVC pipe and some did not. Your tree was simply the luck of the draw. We did not have the time to judge each tree before tossing it to your curb. Although there were a couple that were deemed just too short even for Charlie Brown. Those were not tossed, but returned to the club curb as extras. When wrapped every tree looks full and tree shaped and lovely. (Don't we all.)
Not to mention the trees are priced below retail and are delivered to your front yard. Nobody does that except your HOA! There is no profit in this for the HOA. Believe me.
Note for next year - If you want the best tree you can get, then volunteer to help load, deliver, drive and/or toss on Saturday morning. If you can't volunteer, but receive a 'special' tree, contact the Tree Person IMMEDIATELY. Do not wait days and expect there to be replacement trees available. We will do what we can, but we can only do what we can. (That's profound, if I do say so myself.) These are trees. They are not all the same. Love the tree you're with. (There was song about that ...)
Enjoy your tree. Enjoy the holidays. Drive through the neighborhood tonight. And check your house numbers for visibility! Thank you.
Sue Schupbach
outgoing President, Balcones Village/Spicewood HOA
We have to drive v e r y s l o w l y due to people and trees in trailer. VERY SLOWLY. And we have to find the right houses. PEOPLE - CAN YOUR HOUSE NUMBER BE SEEN BY AMAZON/EMS/LONG LOST RELATIVE? I found it easier to get out of the pickup and walk to look for addresses. (Walked two+ miles! One hip is still a bit cranky about climbing in and out of a pickup.) It is surprising how many address number are not visible due to leaves, wear/tear and just not being there. (One house had NO number anywhere - how do they get home each day?) We made three trips to finish our list of 144 trees. One house ordered five! Our four tossers (not the British definition) did very well with houses on our right. Tossing across the street was a little sketchy. Everyone is in and out of the trailer. I'm trying to find house numbers. Craig, our driver, is trying to keep track of us. Fun time!
I got home a little after 10AM. Almost four hours after I left my bed, which I was going back to. Spent the rest of the day hacking the 6" trunk of my tree to fit in the 4" PVC pipe. Finally a kindly neighbor came over with a saw and muscles and took care of the problem. I took a nap.
Now some of the trees were huge and some were not. Some of the trees were very full and some were not. Some of the trees fit neatly in the PVC pipe and some did not. Your tree was simply the luck of the draw. We did not have the time to judge each tree before tossing it to your curb. Although there were a couple that were deemed just too short even for Charlie Brown. Those were not tossed, but returned to the club curb as extras. When wrapped every tree looks full and tree shaped and lovely. (Don't we all.)
Not to mention the trees are priced below retail and are delivered to your front yard. Nobody does that except your HOA! There is no profit in this for the HOA. Believe me.
Note for next year - If you want the best tree you can get, then volunteer to help load, deliver, drive and/or toss on Saturday morning. If you can't volunteer, but receive a 'special' tree, contact the Tree Person IMMEDIATELY. Do not wait days and expect there to be replacement trees available. We will do what we can, but we can only do what we can. (That's profound, if I do say so myself.) These are trees. They are not all the same. Love the tree you're with. (There was song about that ...)
Enjoy your tree. Enjoy the holidays. Drive through the neighborhood tonight. And check your house numbers for visibility! Thank you.
Sue Schupbach
outgoing President, Balcones Village/Spicewood HOA
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Around the Yard in November December by Reeve Hobbie now available!
Did you know it's illegal to feed the deer? Read on ...
http://www.austintexas.gov/department/deer-feeding-ordinance
http://www.austintexas.gov/department/deer-feeding-ordinance
Did You Know that YOUR
Balcones Village/Spicewood Homeowners Association
funds important services to the entire neighborhood
HOA Members Only Services
Join YOUR HOA Today!
$25 annual dues
Balcones Village/Spicewood Homeowners Association
funds important services to the entire neighborhood
- Constable Patrols to Curb Speeding
- 4th of July Parade
- Neighborhood Spring & Fall Garage Sale Advertising
- Contributions to Local National Night Out Events
- Low Cost Christmas Trees (front yard delivery!)
- Coordination with Architectural Control Committee
- www.BVSHOA.com website
- Welcome packets to new homeowners
- Representation on Balcones Country Club Board of Governors
HOA Members Only Services
- Neighborhood Yahoo Group
- Christmas Lighting Contest Prizes
- Oak Wilt Infestation Contributions
- Voting Privileges HOA Board Elections
Join YOUR HOA Today!
$25 annual dues
A Reminder From Your ACC on Parking/Storage of RV's, Boats, Etc.
Constable Patrols
In response to the 2016 Neighborhood Traffic Study, the HOA is funding a program with the Travis County Constables to include:
The HOA Board receives monthly reports regarding:
Remember the speed limit on Balcones Club, Spicewood Parkway and Pickfair Drive is 30 mph.
Other residential streets have a 25 mph speed limit.
Remind the drivers in your family.
- Random patrols in the Balcones Village/Spicewood area
- Focus on speeding and stopping for school buses
The HOA Board receives monthly reports regarding:
- Number of tickets written
- Reason for tickets (speeding or other traffic violations)
- Streets where tickets written
- BV/S residents or from outside neighborhood (no names)
Remember the speed limit on Balcones Club, Spicewood Parkway and Pickfair Drive is 30 mph.
Other residential streets have a 25 mph speed limit.
Remind the drivers in your family.
