Idylwood Snow Day

Our January Civic Club meeting was cancelled due to the unusually cold weather (for Houston at least). Therefore, our next Civic Club meeting will be on February 18 at the home of Carmen Martinez & Irma Niño, 6625 Meadowlawn St. The agenda will change slightly from the program originally planned for January. Our speakers will be from Emancipet (low cost vet care), and the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word with the WALK30 program.

I will also be making “Idylwood Hero” Awards. I’m encouraging anyone who hosted a Civic Club meeting in 2024, block captains, anyone who has participated in neighborhood cleanups or helping with social events, or is a member of the committee - show up for your award! This amazing (partial) list of the various volunteers demonstrates why we have such a great neighborhood - many thanks to all.

A reminder to pay your yearly $40 dues for 2025. Idylwood Civic Club dues are voluntary but they support neighborhood social events, deed restriction enforcement, and community improvement efforts. Our goal is 50% of households’ participation. I would like to encourage people to contribute more than the $40 dues, particularly if they wish to support certain committees or activities that the Civic Club undertakes. I’d also like to encourage you to contribute extra to help support activities that you find important to you and your family.

Finally, the Civic Club needs someone to help with regular updates to our new web site. We estimate this will take an hour or two a month (e.g. notices of upcoming events, adding minutes of meetings). If you have the skill set and the interest, please contact Amy Dinn at acdinn@gmail.com.

Best Regards,

Diane Schenke

President

Idylwood Civic Club

What: Friday Morning Walks

Where: Brookdale Village Leasing Office (#157)

When: 8:30am Every Friday

Citywide Health Campaign #WALK30

#WALK30 is a health campaign that encourages everyone to walk (or move) at least 30 minutes every day for good health. Fit Houston organizes weekly walking groups all over Houston in many languages, and are grateful for partnerships like the one we have with Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Idylwood Civic Association, and District I.

February means Super Bowl time! If you're like me, it's all about the food and the halftime show. Whether you're looking for a healthier twist on party favorites or a delicious weeknight meal for your home team, my slow cooker pork carnitas are a game-changer.

For maximum nutrition, choose pasture-raised, bone-in pork, which is packed with essential vitamins and proteins. Plus, you can use the leftover bones to make your own bone broth—recipe coming soon!

No matter how the game ends, your taste buds will score a big win.

In Health, 

Candace- your friendly neighborhood nutritionist

(click the image below to view the full recipe)

As a member of the Idylwood Garden Club, Joan regularly attended the monthly meetings over the years. She was eager to share her gardening experiences (successes and failures) and to seek new information to add to her enjoyment of Mother Nature. Her gift of conversation, whether related to gardening or to a myriad of topics (music, dance, acting, world cultures, travel, fashion, theater, art, just to name a few) always added the right amount of knowledge, humor, spice, spunk, perspective, and positivity. One always felt lighter, inspired, and happier after being with her. And her sense of fashion and style was spot on, enhanced no doubt by her experience as an actress and dancer, as you can see in the photo of her arrival at one of the Garden Club meetings!

Joan moved to Idylwood in 1988 and lived on Wildwood Way with her daughter Pamela Green. In earlier years she lived in New York City and traveled extensively throughout her life. Much of Joan’s life journey centered around her family, gaining knowledge, and sharing that knowledge. Take a breath… she was a professor of Hispanic Studies at Rice University, taught French and Spanish at TSU, taught at HISD, New York University, studied at Queens College, Middlebury College, UH, UT Austin, The New School for Social Research, and NYU. Add to this formal list all her lifelong experiences that produced a unique, delightful, interesting, provocative, curious, compassionate, and inspiring woman! 

Joan really knew how to catch our eye and keep us on our toes. Her very recent Facebook post on her December 27, 2024 birthday read: “Finally made it to 95! Abrazos a todos.” See, there’s that desire, delight, and love all wrapped into those two sentences. Well said and lived!

Our sweet Joan passed away on the morning of January 19, 2025, surrounded by her loving family in Plano, Texas. We will miss her spontaneous and joyful spirit as she always engaged in conversations to explore, encourage, and delight in the wonder of life, the world, and the people she encountered. We are blessed to have had Joan in our midst. Abrazos a ti!

A Celebration of Life for Joan will be held in the next few months. If you would like to honor her, please consider a donation to the Houston Food Bank or the National Wildlife Federation.

Submitted by friend and neighbor Patricia Hattenbach.

Thanks to all the entries received so far - keep ‘em coming!!

Name That Cookbook!

The neighborhood of Idylwood was established in 1928. A significant anniversary – 100 years – invites us to look at our history and gives us a wonderful reason to celebrate. One of the ways we will commemorate our centennial is to publish a historic Idylwood Cookbook. Not just any cookbook. This one will, of course, include good recipes, but it will also include facts, stories, and myths about our neighborhood.

We're looking for a catchy title for this collection. So think: historic homes, fun facts, yummy recipes, roaring twenties, bathtub gin, old photos, outlandish characters, beloved original owners. The winner will receive, along with bragging rights and credit in the book, a FREE COOKBOOK! So put on your thinking caps and come up with a title!

• Feb 02: Groundhog Day
• Feb 03: Recycling
• Feb 04: Heavy Trash
• Feb 07: WALK30
• Feb 11: Thomas Alva Edison was born
• Feb 14: Valentine's Day / WALK30
• Feb 17: Recycling
• Feb 17: Presidents' Day
• Feb 18: Civic Club Meeting @ 7pm, 6625 Meadowlawn
• Feb 18: Spring Training - Astros Full Squad
• Feb 21 & 28: WALK30
• Mar 03: Recycling
• Mar 04: Tree Limbs & Yard Waste

Story submitted by Patricia Hattenbach

Friendly Reminder From The Pets

For the health and safety of all neighborhood pets and people,

please scoop our poop- especially along the bayou trails !

Nature News !!

How to Help Your Garden Recover from a Freeze and Prepare for Extreme Weather

By: Samantha Page

As the current deep freeze grips our region, gardeners are faced with the challenge of protecting and reviving their plants. Freezing temperatures can cause significant damage, but with quick action and proper preparation, your garden can recover and thrive. Here are some tips to help your garden bounce back and safeguard it against future weather extremes, including droughts, floods, and heat waves.

Post-Freeze Recovery Tips

1. Assess the Damage: Wait until temperatures rise before inspecting your garden. Frost-damaged plants often look wilted or discolored, but not all are beyond saving.

• Gently check for pliable stems and green tissue under the bark.
• Leave damaged foliage in place until the threat of further frost has passed, as it can provide temporary insulation.

1. Prune Carefully: Remove dead or mushy plant material once it’s clear the freeze is over. Avoid cutting back too much, as some plants may regrow from their roots.
2. Hydrate Wisely: Water your garden deeply but avoid overwatering. Frozen soil can restrict water absorption, and plants need time to recover their root function.
3. Fertilize Later: Avoid fertilizing immediately after a freeze. Plants need time to stabilize before receiving nutrients.

Preparing for Future Freezes

• Mulch and Cover: Apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of plants to insulate roots. Use frost cloths, burlap, or even old sheets to cover vulnerable plants during cold spells.
• Choose Hardy Plants: Incorporate native or cold-hardy plants that are better adapted to local conditions.
• Invest in Protection: Install windbreaks, cloches, or cold frames to shield your garden from icy winds and frost.

Tackling Drought, Floods, and Heat Waves

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, and a resilient garden requires year-round planning.

Drought

• Efficient Watering: Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to minimize water waste.
• Drought-Tolerant Plants: Select species like succulents, lavender, or native grasses that thrive in dry conditions.
• Soil Health: Incorporate compost and organic matter to improve water retention.

Floods

• Elevated Beds: Build raised garden beds to improve drainage.
• Rain Gardens: Create areas designed to capture and filter excess rainwater.
• Amend Soil: Add sand or organic material to improve drainage in heavy clay soils.

Heat Waves

• Shade Solutions: Use shade cloth or plant strategically to create natural shade for sensitive areas.
• Water Timing: Water early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation.
• Resilient Varieties: Opt for heat-tolerant plants such as sunflowers, zinnias, and peppers.

By taking proactive steps, you can protect your garden from the challenges of extreme weather and ensure it remains a source of beauty and sustenance. Whether you're recovering from a freeze or planning for future climate challenges, a well-prepared garden can weather any storm.

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Native plants bring pollinators to urban gardens

You can be a great help to the bees, butterflies, moths, and many other insects. Molly Glentzer's January 4, 2025 Chronicle article provides great tips, habitat information, and much more.

Join in on thoughtfully managing your garden to enhance our pollinators!

Click on the link below to learn more:

Native plants bring pollinators to urban gardens

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Embracing majestic oaks

This is a must read to learn about the ecosystems within the mighty oaks. Molly Glentzer's January 25 article explains the biodiversity provided by the different oaks, what is suitable for the space in your yard, and so much more. Always research the recommended distance between oaks and from your house for each kind of oak you are considering.

Click the link to learn more:

Embracing majestic oaks

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Feeders with cameras spark interest in bird-watching

Get a front row seat to the ongoing performaces of the birds that are in our neighborhood. Holly Ramer explains in her January 19, 2025 article how to do that with camera-equipped bird feeders!

Click the link below to learn more:

Feeders with cameras

National bird of U.S. found in Texas cities- including Houston

The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the U.S. We are lucky to have them here in Houston. This article provides some history of how this majestic bird became a national symbol.

Click the link below to learn more:

National bird of the U.S.

In the spirit of the Great Snow Day in Houston,

the YOM goes to all of the neighbors !

The park and everyone's home and yard looked beautiful!

Here is a sampling of Idylwood in snow!!

If going out of town, alert your neighbors and request a Vacation Watch from Precinct 6 Constables. Click HERE to access the form.

Please keep an eye out for unusual activity and report to HPD (713) 884-3131 and the Constable's office (713) 274-3400. Please keep your home and cars locked at all times. Report any incidents to ALL authorities; 

more reports = more patrols.

To view crimes reported to HPD from through Jan 2025, download the HPD Excel file here and sort by zip code or beat. Our beat is 11H10, which includes several zip codes. 

Click here to view the Community Crime Map. Enter 77023 in the search window and filter by date range.

Jake Goldstein and Steve Palmer co-chair our patrol group and report the group’s collective hours per month to HPD. Please contact Jake if you are interested in volunteering with our citizens patrol group.

Having a patrol presence in the neighborhood is a crime deterrent and a great way to give back to our community.

Please join us! More information on HPD's Volunteer Citizen Patrol is available here.

president@idylwood.org