The board is proceeding with developing a plan to repair the wall which has fallen on Frankford Road. The engineer we retained delivered a preliminary report today, Monday June 15.

 

The next step is to request a dig test which will tell us what utilities are in the easement between the wall and the street. When we know where we can dig, we can then choose the best solution which can be employed in that space.

 

We should have the results of the dig test later this week. At that point we can ask for bids for the job that will work in the space available to us.

 

  

 Weather Extremes in Last Week's Storm

 

Chris Crook's weather recorded the rainfall and wind from the storm the brought high winds and flooding last week. These were records on his system since it was setup last fall.

 

Check it out for yourself on Chris' weather station.

 

More details about the weather station are below.

 

 

The storm that passed through Country Brook on Wednesday night and Thursday morning caused damage throughout the neighborhood with both limbs and entire trunks of trees toppled to the ground.

 

The other half of the large willow on the north end of the Quail Hollow island was knocked down by the wind.

 

Another large native Texas willow tree on the Quail Hollow island was knocked down Thursday morning.  These large native willow trees are estimated to be 100 years old. Because of the proximity to the water the soil is damp most of the year and the trunks of these old trees have rotted away and are mostly hollow. The hollow trees provide shelter for birds and squirrels and are nesting sites for many birds. We will cut away the fallen trunk and leave the base there to see if the willow will regrow. Chances are it will with such a large root system.

 

This willow had been "topped" by the wind several years ago, but regrew new limbs and was thriving.

 

We are planting new trees on the greenbelt; twenty-five have been planted on the Quail Hollow greenbelt in the last eight years. We have, however, lost nearly that many trees in the last two years to the storm of April, 2008 and others.

 

The board will be planning additional tree planting throughout the greenbelt so that when an older tree dies, a younger one will be growing nearby and ready to take it's place.

 

 

 

Go to the Crime Watch page of this website for more information.

 

Chris Crook  has installed a weather station at his home on West Creek. The data from his weather station shows both current conditions as well as summaries for today, this week, this month, and the year.

 

We will find a place for Country Brook weather on the website soon. In the meantime check it out for your self.

 

Click here for Chris Crook's weather display live.

 

A few hints:

If you have any questions, you may eMail Chris Crook.

 

 

Check recent events in the Crime Watch section of the website. You will  have to be a member and have an ID and password to view the crime watch section.

  

 

 

 

A snapping turtle has been seen on Quail Hollow in the mornings. It is common for these turtles to look for a sandy place to make a nest and lay their eggs this time of year. We never see the snappers sunning on the banks with the painted turtles, but large snapping turtles have been seen near the cypress island near the Quail Hollow bridge.

 

 

The snapper can be identified by the large claws and bird-like beak.

 

The snapping turtle can be very unpleasant and no attempt should be made to pick it up. The beak-like mouth is very powerful and can easily remove a finger or toe.

 

More information on the common snapping turtle is in Wikipedia.

 

 

As discussed below, Mike Ricciardelli has set a trap in his yard to catch the raccoon that bit his wife, Joan. Mike caught an opossum in the live trap and animal control came out and removed the animal. They checked her and found that she had babies in her pouch. The catch and release of the opossum was conducted as shown in the YouTube videos linked to below.

 

The large raccoon has been spotted throughout the neighborhood. Joan Ricciardelli has had to have the series of rabies shots after being scratched by a raccoon in her yard (see details below). If you are scratched or bit by an animal it is typically caught and quarentined for a time to determine if it has rabies; if the animal can't be caught or observed, the rabies shots may be called for.

 

 

 

Each spring the rain and warm weather change the patterns of the animals that live on the greenbelt and in the pond.

 

 

When the water level in the pond raises during a rainstorm, the snakes head for higher ground which is often your yard. They will return to the pond as soon as the water level recedes, but in the meantime you may have a snake in your yard. There are poisonous snakes in the pond, notably the cottonmouth. In general they like you less that you like them and they will avoid humans (and their pets) if possible.

 

 

Not exactly making friends with the snake.

 

You can call Animal Control (dial 3-1-1) and they will remove the animal if you can assure them it will still be there when they get to your house. This is usually only possible if you can trap it in a cage or other container.

 

Read more information about the cottonmouth in Wikipedia.

 

 

A raccoon has been spotted around the neighborhood with three or more babies in tow. When approached the babies hiss and are quite agressive. The mother is also agressive and scratched Joan Ricciardelli on her leg aftere 10 p.m. the other evening in her back yard.

 

Mike Ricciardelli has ordered a Have-A-Heart trap from Animal Control to try to trap the raccoon. This trap will catch them live and then Animal Control will remove them and let them go in a park somewhere.

 

The raccoons are active in the evening and tend to sleep during the day. They use the sewer system to move around without being seen.

 

Be careful . . . the raccoons only look cute. They are wild animals and will scratch or bite if they feel threatened.

 

 

The barking dogs in the neighborhood announce the movemenet of the opossums each night. Unlike a squirrel or raccoon, the opossum can't jump from tree to tree or tree to roof. They can, however, climb up a fence or brick wall and can easily get into your backyard to sample your vegetables in your garden. If you leave dog or cat food outside they will also eat that too.

 

Opossum have also been seen during the day, which is very unusual. Animal Control said that while it is unusual to see a oppossum during the day, they will be out looking for food during the day if they are very hungry.

 

Ditto with the cuteness of the opossum . . . however they have another trick to make you leave them alone: they play opossum. When they are playing opossum they lay down and appear dead, but they are very much alive and will use their teeth and claws if they feel threatened.

 

If you have a raccoon or opossum that you want to get rid of, call Animal Control at 3-1-1 to borrow a Have-A-Heart trap or send Mike Ricciardelli an eMail to see if he caught his raccoon yet.

 

How to set a Havaheart trap (a 4 minute YouTube video).

 

Opossum in a Have-A-Heart trap being released (49 second YouTube video).

 

 

This time of  year the ducks move into our yards to make nests and lay eggs. We haven't had too many ducklings on the pond and this may be due to the raccoons and opossums eating the eggs in the nests.

 

If you had ducks in your yard and you think that there may have been a nest in your bushes or around your pool, you should check to see what is in the nest. If the mother duck is not sitting on the eggs, or has been away for many hours, you can assume that the eggs are not going to hatch. If you don't clean up the eggs now, you will a big mess to clean up in a few weeks when the eggs turn rotten. Cleaning up the rotten eggs is a smelly job which you can avoid if you do it now.

 

 

 

As discussed at the annual meeting in March, a portion of the wall along Frankford behind the homes on the Country Brook cul-du-sac is leaning towards Frankford Road. A section of the wall fell on Thursday, May 14 at about 6:45 a.m.

 

 

Looking from the inside to Frankford road

 

The bricks will be saved to rebuild the wall. A temporary plastic fence will be installed to keep the dogs in and the humans out.

 

The wall has been leaning for years, but recently has appeared to be so far out of its original position that it could fall and fall it did on Thursday morning.

 

 

 

The view from Laurie Sabel's back yard.

 

We have bids from three contractors and hope to have a plan of action soon. As the cost will exceed the board's spending limit, we will bring you the details of the planned repair so that the neighborhood can approve the plan.

 

Contact a board member or block captain if you have any questions or comments.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Yard of the Month winners for June 2009 are Scot and Paola Kielblock at 4215 Country Brook. 

 

 

Please login to view and vote in our survey.