Yard of the Month - May goes to the Sloans at 931 Ridge. Their colorful front yard is bright and lovely. A combination of junipers, decorative kale, snapdragons, pentas, pansies and more provide an eye catching burst of beauty to the passerby. Melinda and Chris's meticulous renovation provides a seamless transition for the original bungalow into a 2 story charmer. The view from the front including their precious daughter is just icing on the cake!
Tip O' the Trowel to the Sloans!!
- Allison Hartzell, Director of Beautification
Summer Road Trip Readiness /
Is Your Car Road Trip Ready?
A Checklist for Peace of Mind
With summer just around the corner, a lot of us are looking forward to a well-deserved vacation. For many people this means a great, American road trip!
Before hitting the open road, make sure your car is road trip ready with these tips:
1) Plan Your Route and Pit Stops
Be sure your favorite spots have reopened so there are no last minute surprises. Also be sure to check that you have up-to-date registration and insurance paperwork in your glove box.
2) Perform Scheduled Maintenance
Refer to your owner’s manual to see your car’s list of scheduled maintenance listed by age of car and/or mileage. Be sure you are up-to-date to avoid unwanted surprises.
3) Top Off Fluids
Check all fluid levels: oil, coolant, brake, and windshield-washer fluids. As applicable, also inspect the power-steering and transmission fluid levels. Be sure to get an oil change if you are due.
4) Check Tire Pressure & Tread for each Tire
Be sure to check the spare too! Follow your vehicle’s manufacturer recommended tire pressure, found on the front door jamb or in your owner’s manual. It’s also a good idea to check for signs of abnormal or uneven wear, cuts, or sidewall bulges.
5) Change the Air Filter and Cabin Filter
Clean filters help the engine run better, and increase air quality. A filter that is overdue to be changed can increase your fuel cost by 10% and can add stress to other vehicle components.
6) Buy New Wiper Blades and Fill the Washer Fluid
Windshield wipers typically last about 6 months, if they are a few months old consider replacing before a long trip.
7) Check Your Lights
Be sure to check that your headlights, fog lights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals are all working properly, and that the lenses are clean.
8) Check Your Battery
Check terminals and cables for corrosion, and that the battery is securely attached to the vehicle.
9) Get a Road Trip Inspection
One of the easiest, and best, ways to have peace of mind before a road trip is to bring your vehicle to a trusted automotive repair shop to have all systems inspected. Some things your technician can inspect are the radiator and hoses, brakes, belts, suspension, A/C, and check engine light.
10) Have Fun, Drive Safe, and Enjoy Your Road Trip!
By Chris Shute - Owner of Open Road Automotive located at 400 West Crosstimbers St., Houston, TX 77018. They can be reached at (832) 409-6621
Friends of Woodland Park Update /
Lights Out for Birds Until May 7: Thank you to all our neighbors who have observed Lights Out Nights to help our birds safely migrate. Please continue to turn off non-essential exterior lighting from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. to help create a safe migratory space for our bird population.
Save the Dates: Friends of Woodland Park will host our Annual Meeting in the park on Wednesday, May 19th at 7 p.m. Agenda and more details to follow but please BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair.)
We will also be hosting a virtual Happy Trails and Hot Dogs in conjunction with National Children’s Day on June 13th. Family friendly activities and more details to come.
So Many Birds: Our April birding event was incredible, with over 50 species recorded. The list is so long you need to visit our Facebook page to see them all: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfWoodlandPark/ If you would like to join in the fun, our next birding event will be Saturday, May 15 at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome.
Trash Bash Wrap-up: We had over 100 people join us to clean up trash for our Annual Trash bash, so thank you to all the neighbors, families and Scouts who turned out, even in the rain. The amount of trash that was removed was incredible, and all the animals that inhabit Woodland Park thank you, too.
For more information or to join Friends of Woodland Park, please visit our website: https://www.friendsofwoodlandpark.org/membership
- FWP Board
WHCA SECURITY REPORT - MARCH /
Security Report
If it wasn’t for COVID, I probably wouldn’t be in this board position. I don’t like talking in front of people I don’t know. I find it difficult sometimes to get my point across without too much emotion. :) Surprisingly, Zoom made it easier. I’m embarrassed to say I never went to an in-person general meeting before I was on the board. I had my opinions and felt strongly about them, however I did nothing. So I guess I'm making up for some lost time. I have been in this position for almost a year. My first communication in the newsletter started with "Be someone…. be someone who participates in this program…. be someone who tells their neighbors the benefits of having two constable shifts…. be someone that lets the program coordinators know what needs to improve." Thank you to those of you who have been someone who believes in the mission of this program and the benefits it brings to our neighbors and families. There's still work to do, but it's been a year full of progress and lots of familiar and new, friendly neighborhood faces. Thank you to all who have come out to see us!
Sign up now at:
https://www.woodland-heights.org/store
-Margaux Poizat, Director of Security
security@woodland-heights.org
Below is our March Security Report:
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