Baby Steps Focus Group at Heartsong Music

the baby walk, originally uploaded by zen.

Oh, i sooooo wish Beck were at this stage. He's super close. He can pull himself up but he still doesn't quite know what to do with his feet.

If your little one is at that almost walking stage, Heartsong Music in The Village on Anderson Lane will be hosting a focus group study on Wednesday, July 2nd. It sounds like a fun (and easy) way for you and your baby to earn $100.

Here's the scoop:

CWT Group is conducting a focus group for moms, dads and their babies (ages 9-16 months) to test a new product that helps infants and parents during the "learning to walk" phase. The focus group will host two sessions on Wednesday, July 2nd from 9:30am-11:00am and 11:30-1:00pm at Heartsong Music. Parents will only need to attend one session. They will receive a $100 Visa gift card and product for participating. If you are interested and have a baby who pulls-up and hangs onto things to walk, or can take a step or two, e-mail Lydia at walkinginfo (AT) gmail (DOT) com or call (512) 968-6642.

To see more details click here.

via http://www.babyscoopaustin.com

Favorite Photo Friday: Pillow School Art Tiles

Guess What We Have Growing in Our Backyard?

More to come...

Favorite Photo Friday: Neighborhood Turtles

Did you realize we had turtles in the neighborhood? You can find these little guys in the inner courtyard of the Village Shopping Center, near the Academy of Oriental Medicine (AOMA).

Photo credit: catwommn on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

Cheryl's Wildlife Habitat Tip-- #1 Water for Wildlife

Allandale's Neighborhood Habitat Steward, Cheryl Silver, is writing a series of tips to help us turn our backyards into certified wildlife habitats for the City of Austin Habitat Challenge. Here is her first tip:

One of the steps required to make your home a certified wildlife habitat is to have at least one water source for wildlife in your yard--water for drinking and bathing. I thought I would bring this up now because
it is hot and rain has been scarce......

About ten days ago I made it a priority in my own home to ensure there
is water in the birdbaths and I set up a shallow pan with a flat rock
in the middle under one of my oaks in the front yard---I can see it from
my living room and it has been soooooo busy--quite gratifying. I have
decided to set up a butterfly puddling area.

I have set my own birdbath/shallow pan in areas where the birds can
access the water safely.

Here are some types types of water sources mentioned in the wildlife
habitat application:

- birdbaths--- keep an eye on these as they will dry up quickly (if they
heat up, add some ice cubes)
- lake
- stream
- seasonal pool
- ocean
- water garden/pond
- river
- butterfly puddling area (watch for more butterfly puddling info soon!)
- rain garden
- spring

Please, let me know if you take the step to add any water features to your yard.
Contact Cheryl Silver at csilver2 (AT) austin (DOT) rr (DOT) com.

For more information visit our previous post here.

Keep Austin Cool Summer Fan Drive

It is summertime and it is HOT. Temperatures have been at or near 100 every day this week and it's still only June. As I posted before I am a heat wimp and I have curtailed my walks and trips to the playground accordingly. If we're not at the pool, Beck and I tend to stay inside playing in air conditioned comfort.

But can you imagine not having an air conditioner to help you cool off? Many Austinites are living in the heat without any means of relief right now. Not only is that miserable; it can also be deadly.

KXAN, The Austin Diagnostic Clinic, ME Television and The CW are working together to address this health issue with the 2008 Summer Fan Drive benefiting Family Eldercare. Volunteers will be delivering 100s of fans to people in need -- especially the elderly and disabled.

You can help by dropping off a fan at one of  ADC's locations, donating money or volunteering your time.

For more information on how you can help, click here.

If you know of an elderly person that needs assistance - below is a list of local resources:

• Area Agency on Aging
  
• Austin Groups for the Elderly (A.G.E.)
  
• Family Eldercare
  
• Meals on Wheels Austin
  

What's Wrong with This Picture?

Ah, the end of a nice Pillow Playdate swinging in the park.
Time to go home...

What's wrong with this picture?


Does anyone know what type of snake this is?

Favorite Photo Friday: The Dude Abides

jara at highland lanes, originally uploaded by Mr. Wright.

I haven't been to Highland Lanes on Burnet Road in a long time -- maybe I'm overdue for some bowling. I found several great shots of the bowling alley on Flickr this week, which are now available in the Life in North Shoal Creek pool for your viewing pleasure.

If you got the reference in the title, and are as big a Big Lebowski fan as we are at our house, you might get a kick out of this blog: The Big LOLbowski. Which has nothing to do with our neighborhood, but it sure is funny.

Favorite Photo Friday: Swing

Beck's favorite thing -- to play in a swing.

Artist Trunk Show this Sunday on Stanwood

Artists Mickie Bellah and Zanna James will be hosting a trunk show from 12:00 - 5:00 this Sunday, June 15th at Mickie's home at 3111 Stanwood Drive. This unique cultural event is located right here in North Shoal Creek and we hope you'll all come out to view the art and meet the artists.

Mickie creates surrealistic and vibrantly colored abstract oil paintings. She describes her painting process as Spirit guided and writes that, "the energy of the colors sets off a tone that resonates with the person viewing the canvas. As the viewer begins to see the ‘hidden’ images, their vibration increases and they connect with the painting.

"I call them Intuitive Surrealistic Abstract Images. I am guided to the colors of paint to use and how to apply them. In a meditative state I will see shapes of images which have no meaning at the time but develop on the canvas. On occasion, colors will also come to me the same way."

To view more of her work visit her website.

Zanna James is a jewelry artist residing in Wimberly. She works with mixed media including metals, stones, glass and fibers to create one-of-a-kind original designs. Her delicate designs draw upon a natural flow; a flow she calls her Sacred Intuitive Artistry. She is inspired by the earthiness of her Hill Country surroundings and the animals she loves.

"Zanna is acting in response to a very loud voice within, one which was echoing the small voice that had called her since she was a child called her to listen to that impulse to create beautiful objects which have voices of their own, using a bead, a swirl, a pendant as words to communicate spirit, love and wonder."

To view more of Zanna's work visit her website.

Due to the unique and fragile nature of the artwork, the artists have requested that this remain an exclusively adult trunk show so that these delicate pieces will not be damaged.

[thanks to Mary Arnett for the tip]

Take the Neighborhood Habitat Challenge

views from our backyard on Shoal Creek

The City of Austin and the National Wildlife Federation are challenging Austin neighborhoods to create homes for wildlife. It's a challenge for each neighborhood to certify the most number of yards as wildlife habitats to help Austin earn points towards becoming certified as Texas' first National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat.

The challenge began on May 1st and it ends on October 31, 2008. 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes will be awarded to the top three neighborhoods. Neighborhoods that take the challenge must also organize a community invasive plant removal and promote gardening for wildlife through neighborhood newsletters and websites in addition to certifying the highest number of yards as habitats during the contest period.

For more information visit the Habitat Challenge page on the City of Austin's website or Wildlife Austin.

So how do you create a wildlife habitat in your own backyard? Actually it's pretty easy and to help us along the way, Allandale resident, Cheryl Silver, has been training to become a Habitat Steward. She's been posting tips on the Allandale listserv and has graciously (in fact, enthusiastically) agreed to let us reprint them on our blog. I'll post her first tip soon.

Here is what the City has to say about creating your own wildlife habitat:
"It's easy to create wildlife habitat! Yards that provide food, water, cover, places to raise young for wildlife and practice sustainable gardening practices are eligible for NWF wildlife habitat certification. Creating habitat is as simple as planting native plants that provide nectar, pollen, seeds, and berries year round, including a reliable water source to attract a variety of critters, and providing places for cover and rearing young such as planting evergreen shrubs, leaving brush and rock piles or putting up a birdhouse."

Jeff and I have decided to certify our yard as a wildlife habitat so I'll be posting our progress along the way.

Last Chance on Early Voting

Tuesday (June 10) is the last day for early voting in the City Council Place 4 run-off election.

Turnout has been low, which means your vote counts more than ever. It also means there haven't beeen any lines, and you'll probably be able to zip right on through.

Here is the article I blogged last week with more info: Early Voting Starts Today

Alert on Rabies Exposure

Local officials have issued an alert on a possible rabies exposure in our neighborhood, and have asked for help locating three children.

Some Austin-area boys may have been exposed to rabies, and Austin/Travis County health officials need your help identifying them.

Three boys were seen playing with a bat at the Northcross bus stop around 4:15 p.m., Wednesday, June 4.

Read the full story at News 8 Austin: Possible rabies exposure worries health officials.

11pm update: More details are posted at the Allendale Reporter web site, including text of the notice issued by Austin/Travis County Health & Human Services: Urgent Notice

Join Us at the DQ for a Blizzard

Please join us at 2:00pm tomorrow at the Dairy Queen on Burnet Road.
Let's meet our neighbors and eat some Blizzards.

Come take a break from the heat and stop by to say hello.

We can't wait to see you.

Favorite Photo Friday: Behind the Terra Toys

terra toys, originally uploaded by me and the sysop.

This photo, found on the Life in North Shoal Creek Flickr group, shows the back of Terra Toys on Anderson Lane. Who knew the toy store was cute even in the parts we never get to see?

APD Traffic Survey Online

Looking for an easy way to feel like you're doing something to help solve Austin's traffic problems? Looking to do it from your couch? Or at least without having to venture into traffic...

The Austin Police Department would like you to participate in an online traffic survey. Let's hope it helps!

Here's how it starts:
"There are a lot of bad drivers on the road."

And here's the link to the survey:
https://www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/apd_traffic/apd_survey.cfm

June 'Austin City News' published

The June edition of the Austin City News has been published. This e-newsletter is published monthly by the city and distributed to all neighborhood associations.

Topics in this issue range from the red light camera program to code enforcement issues.

You may view the current edition here: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/citynews/acn_08june.htm

We Voted

Early Voting Starts Today

Today is the first day of early voting in the June 14 runoff election. Early voting runs now through June 10.

We'll be voting on just one thing in this election: the City Council Place 4 seat. The choices are Laura Morrison and Cid Galindo. They are the two highest vote-getters for Place 4 in last month's general election.

There is an early voting location convenient to our neighborhood. It's the Ben Hur Shriners Hall at 7811 Rockwood Lane, right across the street from Sun Harvest. Hours are 7 am through 7 pm Monday through Saturday, noon to 7 pm on Sunday.

Did you know:

• You can vote in the runoff election even if you didn't vote in the general election. (Just so long as you are a registered Austin voter.)
• You can early-vote at any of the available early voting locations. (But on election day you must go to your assigned precinct polling place.)
• If you don't have your voter registration card you can still vote. Just be sure to bring along proof of residence such as a driver license or current utility bill.
  

For more information, including a sample ballot and other early voting locations, visit the Travis County Elections Division.