“We all seem to be looking for something or looking to get rid of something.  Like the saying goes, one persons stuff could be another’s treasure,” says the group’s creator, Michelle Lasher.  To join Shop N Swap 512, send a request via Facebook to the group (It is a closed group).

Jennette Everett (www.AustinPersonalDriver.com) offers her services as a designated driver. She drives to your home and then drive you in your car wherever you and your friends want to go for the evening.  
 
Her driving costs are very reasonable (start at $15/hour) particularly for Steiner Ranch residents since Steiner Ranch is a very expensive cab ride from downtown Austin, not to mention having to go get your car the next day if you left it there.  Plus with her services there are no parking hassles, parking costs or valet costs — just door to door service.  For more information, you can reach Jennette at 512-630-2227 or via her website.

Stay Safe!

Winter is here, and if you own a wood-burning fireplace, chances are you’re looking forward to spending some relaxing nights at home in front of the warm glow of an evening fire. Although most Texas homeowners use less than ¼ of a cord of wood a year due to our mild winters, there are still plenty of days when it’s cold enough to use a wood-burning fireplace. But before you stock up on firewood, here are some key considerations.

Wood selection
All seasoned wood will burn, but naturally some wood is more suitable than others. Australian pine is a good selection because it’s clean burning, splits well and doesn’t have the sap like other pines. Laurel oak and turkey oak are also good burning woods and each is readily available in Texas.There are some woods you should avoid. Although many people choose live oak, this wood needs to be seasoned for about two years and even then the density of the wood makes it tough to burn. Cherry laurel, which is plentiful in Texas, is an even worse choice because it can emit toxic fumes when burned.

Storing wood
How you store your firewood is vitally important, not only because unseasoned wood needs to dry out before it can be used, but also because improper wood storage can create other problems. Storing wood too close to your house can draw termites, and storing it too close to living trees can be dangerous as well. A recent removal of three large pine trees showed that it had become infested with wood boring insects. The source of these insects was a cord of free firewood that the homeowner unfortunately chose to store near live, healthy pine trees. The “free” firewood ended up costing him thousands of dollars to have the trees removed and replaced by a professional tree service.

Jeannette Peten is the owner of Texas Tree Tamers in Austin, Texas. Texas Tree Tamers has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, Texas Tree Tamers was highly rated on Angie’s List, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses.  Download a free information guide www.texastreetamers.com  “How to Choose The Best Tree Care Company”

 For More Information and Pictures, Click Here

Last year you were nice enough to help me get the word out about my Bikes 4 Kids From Kids program and our community was able to give 25 gently used bikes to kids via the YMCA of East Austin!  I’m doing the donation drive again this year and was hoping you could help me promote it. 

 
If anyone got a new bike for Christmas or Hanukkah and doesn’t know what to do with their gently used bike they outgrew, please give it to another kid to enjoy here in Austin! Since some people had a hard time bringing their bikes to the park last year, this year we will pick up bikes on January 7th if they email us beforehand at Bike4kidsFromKids@gmail.com OR they can drop off their bikes on January 14th at Bella Mar Park. 

Jordan Lamb
10 year old Steiner Resident
 

 
For more information people can go to   www.Bikes4KidsFromKids.com or email  Bikes4kidsFromKids@gmail.com 
 
Thank you,

Nearly three months after wildfires swept through Steiner Ranch, life is starting to go back to normal, even though there are still 23 scarred plots of land where homes once stood not a house is rebuilt yet.

On Sept. 4, wildfires reached the western Travis County subdivision near RM 620, burning more than 100 acres, destroying almost two dozen houses and leaving 20 other homes damaged.

The families whose homes were destroyed have moved in with relatives or into rental properties, waiting until the day they can once again walk through the front door to a new home. Residents said that if anything good has came out of the disaster, it’s a greater sense of community and compassion for other areas affected by the September wildfires, such as Bastrop.

On Sept. 4, Dan Sterns was home with his family when he looked outside and noticed the wildfire starting near RM 620, still a distance from his home. But, in an instant, Sterns said, the wind changed, and he saw flames jump toward his direction. Before he knew it, the fire was across the street from him, and all he could do was grab his cellphone and wallet before leaving his home on Medina River Way for the last time.

For the past two months, his family has been living in a rental home in the Steiner Ranch community. His family has had to start over with only the clothes on their backs and the relief that no one was harmed.

He hopes that in the next four to six weeks, their new home will be under construction — and built in six to seven more months.

“I want those things you can’t get back,” Sterns said. “There’s no house there, but I still remember it as the place where my home was and where my kids would play outside.”

After work, Sterns usually stops at the spot to water the plants left and occasionally sift through ashes.

“Every time I come by, I look around and remember 23 houses lost everything,” Sterns said. “I would trade anything to not have gone through this.”

Two months later, Sterns has gone over the events of Sept. 4 again and again, and he said that if his experience can help anyone in the future, he would tell them to be prepared and take the threat of a wildfire seriously.

“We’re in a situation that we can’t change, where we have to just roll with the punches and stay positive,” Sterns said. “Hopefully by my family’s experience, if one person can benefit from one person who’s gone through it, that will make me feel better.”

Three lots away from Sterns’ is the home of Donna Poursepanj . Hers is one of the three houses left standing at the cul-de-sac on Medina River Way . Her home was spared after a STAR Flight helicopter dumped water on her house in an air drop that helped stop flames and save more than 300 homes.

“When I got here the day of the fire, it felt like Armageddon,” Poursepanj said. But “even as I drove away (from my house) that day, I had calmness in knowing there was hope.”

It wasn’t until later when Poursepanj saw a news clip of the fire damage on CNN taken by a neighbor that she knew her home was still standing.

“After the fact, I’d wish that my house had burnt down because I couldn’t bear that my neighbors, who are like family to me, had lost everything,” Poursepanj said.

Weeks later, Poursepanj started to figure out that she had survivor’s guilt.

There was extensive smoke and soot residue that she said “tinged” the walls with black film, and residue was still circulating in the air. After feeling nauseated from the fumes while simply standing in the living room, she chose to move out until it could be cleaned.

Over the past two months, she has been living in an apartment in the area and dealing with her insurance company.

From baseboards to air ducts, every inch has been cleaned, recarpeted and wiped down so that Poursepanj could be back home by Thanksgiving Day.

“I don’t understand why my home was spared and probably never will,” she said.

As donations and aid began pouring into Steiner Ranch in the days after the fire, its residents chose to pass along items to victims in Bastrop County, where another wildfire destroyed 34,000 acres and 1,600 homes.

“The community is doing pretty well, mostly because they’ve seen how much worse it was in other places,” said Scott Selman , executive director of the Steiner Ranch Home Owners Association. “The focus seems to have turned.”

Shortly after the fire, volunteer and donation aid poured into the community, including $10,000 worth of gift cards, according to Adan Ballesteros , Travis County constable for Precinct 2.

Steiner Ranch residents chose to send extra relief to other areas across Central Texas, including Bastrop.

Into the holidays, Steiner Ranch residents are raising donations through local churches for others in need, even as they continue to recover.

“I think because the fire hit close to home, it brought out a greater level of compassion for those that weren’t in our vicinity but still shared our experience,” said Chris Hurta, Hill Country Bible Church Steiner Ranch pastor.

If you haven’t checked out the Oasis in the past few months, there are several new stores including Austin Java (and they do have some short term parking spaces, so you don’t have to walk all the way from the garage just to get a cup of coffee), Zoltan David Jeweler, Texas Treasures (kind of a home decor store featuring local pieces), and Blue Genie, an art bazaar.  I also heard a rumor that Soliel is closing down and Apatite Cafe is moving over from their Bee Cave Location.  In my opinion, this would be a GREAT addition to the complex.  Their food is delicious and I wasn’t a fan of Soliel’s overpriced food and limited menu.

Holiday’s stressing you out?
Let Chef Reneé and the team at Chefalicious Hospitality make you look like a star!
Order your holiday pies and cakes now!
Homemade desserts baked fresh by our Chef and delivered to you just in time for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

 Pies           Cakes
 Apple - $16        Italian Cream Cake/Cream Cheese-Pecan Frosting – $40
 Pumpkin -$14               German Chocolate Cake/Coconut-Pecan Frosting – $40
 Sweet Potato - $14       Southern Style Coconut Cake/Meringue Frosting – $35
 Pecan – $18        Red Velvet Cake/Cream Cheese & Butter Vanilla Frosting – $40
 Chocolate Chiffon – $25      Carrot Cake/Cream Cheese Frosting & Marzipan Decor – $40

Place order’s by November 16th for Thanksgiving delivery on November 23rd. Place order’s by December 16th for Christmas delivery on December 23rd. Deposit of half down required. All desserts are baked from scratch with organic, locally sourced ingredients.

Other varieties & specialty desserts available upon request. Full holiday dinner’s also available.
Limited Availability! Don’t Delay!
Email or call now. renee.morgan1@gmail.com or 512-300-6128