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I had a very productive meeting in February with our Council Member Joaquin Martinez (District I). We discussed some issues specific to Idylwood including derelict properties (which have now been flagged by the City), speed cushions (still in the pipeline for 2026), gunfire on the bayou (see update below), and the “new” heavy trash system (still pending roll-out). We also talked about the safety nets now being erected at the Gus Wortham Golf Course along Wayside (FORE!).
Our next Civic Club meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 17th, 7pm at the Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery located at 6900 Lawndale. We selected this venue because Forest Park is an historic landmark in the East End (and our very quiet neighbors). The meeting will take place in the Events Space and will begin with an informative history of the cemetery presented by the Forest Park staff. We will have a Rule Proposal presentation and discussion by the Deed Restriction committee (see below) followed by break-out committee sessions, so please plan to join in. All committees are open to new participants, and it’s never too late to get involved!
We are well short of our goal to engage 50% of Idylwood households as dues-paying members in 2026, so please consider your donation today. Your dues are used to enforce our deed restrictions, sponsor social events & fund community improvements. Extra donations for those purposes are always appreciated!
As your new Civic Club President, I invite you to please reach out to me personally if you ever have any concerns or questions regarding our neighborhood.
My email is: president@idylwood.org
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Looking forward to seeing all of our neighbors at the March ICC Meeting!
Doug Lawson
President
Idylwood Civic Club
| | Primary Voting - New Location | | |
Head out this Tuesday, March 3rd and vote in the Texas-wide Primaries. Your closest Voting Centers are located at:
Eastwood Park Community Center, 5020 Harrisburg Blvd, 77011
HCC Southeast, Bldg C Parking Garage, 6960 Rustic, 77087
You could even meet a few of your Idylwood neighbors (1/2 of the Election Workers at the Eastwood Park location are from the neighborhood!).
Please note that JP Henderson Elementary will not be a Voting Center for these Primaries.
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Council Member Martinez's office has shared an update from HPD requesting more patrolling by the Bayou.
“We currently have officers on both our squad (DRT) and CST officers patrolling both Mason Park and the walking trails along the bayou with the ATV. We will make sure to extend our coverage to the bayou area along Idylwood, the apartment complex at 6113 Gulf Freeway, and the Red Carpet Inn.”
| | Ladles & Spoons & Spatulas. Oh My! | | |
The Centennial Cookbook Committee has been hard at work on the forthcoming Idylwood cookbook, Flavors of Idylwood: A Culinary Stroll Through the Neighborhood, and we are relying on you, our neighbors, for contributions!
Please send us your favorite recipe or stories/memories about Idylwood.
There are 4 ways to submit recipes and neighborhood stories:
- Recipes and stories can be sent easily via email (idylwoodcookbook@gmail.com).
- You can drop off a copy of your recipe or story in the mailbox at 6701 Meadowlawn.
- You can text a copy or photo of your recipe to either Amy Lawson (281-250-5001) or Richard Vela (713-202-0950) and we will submit your recipe for you.
- We are also happy to stop by your home and take a photo of the recipe you would like to submit.
This cookbook will bring together not only treasured dishes but also the stories, memories, and traditions that make our neighborhood unique. If you could please take a moment to contribute, we would greatly appreciate it.
| | Deed Restrictions Rule Proposal | | As announced at the February General meeting, the Deed Restrictions Committee and the board will be presenting the following Short-Term Rental Rule to the membership at the March meeting for discussion and approval: | | |
(from Idylwood neighbor John Segovia) “I would love to see peeps from our neighborhood enjoying a chill time at my Hot Rods Festival. We hold this event every year to raise money for local charities in the East End. Here are the details. Hope to see you there!”
Get ready to rev your engines and slip on your heels! 🔥
The Segovia Foundation is throwing its 5th Annual Hot Rods & High Heels Festival on Saturday March 28, and it’s shaping up to be their biggest year yet. They’re thrilled to announce that Mission One USA (501c3) will be this year’s event beneficiary. Learn more about their incredible work at: https://missiononeusa.com.
With an expected crowd of 2,500+ attendees, the festival will feature live music from five bands, a PinUp Model Contest, and jaw-dropping Classic Car and SuperCar competitions. Add in amazing vendors and food trucks, and you’ve got a full day of horsepower, style, and fun. Main Info: https://www.hotrodshighheels.com/
Segovia Studios Fairground
5959 Harvey Wilson Dr. 77020
(just off Wayside & Clinton Dr.)
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We’re excited to share an opportunity for families in our community to celebrate Earth Day in a meaningful and hands-on way.
Through a partnership with Neighborhood Forest, children can receive a free tree to plant and care for at home. This initiative is a wonderful way to promote environmental stewardship, connect families to nature, and help grow a greener community.
To participate:
• Click anywhere on the flyer (above).
• Select Option #1: “Register my child for a free tree.”
Neighborhood Forest will ship the trees to Sustain4Ability ahead of Earth Day (April 22). Once the trees arrive, they will contact registered families with pick-up details. Families will also receive species information and planting instructions. Additional details are available at: www.neighborhoodforest.org/info.
Once you have completed the application please drop an email to Juan Pablo Cabello (CM Martinez) or Claudia Vargas (Sustain4Ability) for their awareness. Together, we can make this Earth Day a celebration of growth, sustainability, and community impact.
| | Barrio Dogs - "Sweet Sixteen" | |
- Mar 02: Recycling
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Mar 03: Texas Primary Election Day
- Mar 06: WALK30
- Mar 08: DST - Spring Forward!!
- Mar 10: Harriet Tubman Day
- Mar 13: WALK30
- Mar 16: Recycling
- Mar 17: Civic Club Meeting @ 7pm, 6690 Lawndale (Happy St. Patrick's!)
- Mar 20: Vernal Equinox
- Mar 20: WALK30
- Mar 21: Alcatraz Prison closes (1963)
- Mar 27: WALK30
- Mar 30: Recycling
- NOTE: Heavy Trash/Tree Waste - 1st Tuesday of the month for the time being
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If you have something you would like to see published in the Newsletter, drop us a line. Comments or concerns?
Let us know how we're doing.
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Birdee is my name and fun is my game !
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Hi!! My name is “Bird Dog RheaEllyn Sowa”, but my friends call me Birdee. I was born Jan. 12, 2024 in Gig Harbor, Wa but I got to Texas as soon as I could! On my eight week birthaversary my new mom Kelly, my aunt Rhea and my Granddad Joe scooped me up and drove me to Texas. I didn’t know then but Mom and Aunt Rhea had come to Washington to move Grandpa to Houston. So yeah, I’ve been to six states, visited Craters of the Moon National Monument, Arches National Park, and I might have eaten a piece of salt along the shore of the Great Salt Lake.
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As for my very big name… my mom surprised grandpa and took him to the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa, Idaho. They let me sneak in too ‘cause I was so small. All of this so mom could get a picture of dad in front of a “Bird Dog”, that’s what he flew in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller.
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My middle name comes from my Godmothers Rhea and Ellyn who conspired to have mom meet me before leaving Washington. Those sneaky ladies slid a phone to mom and said talk to this lady - she has puppies! Mom is a huge proponent of rescue pups! So even though I was an “accident”, I like to think she rescued me from the shivering temps of the PNW!
| | | I love Idylwood and all the pups I have met since I’ve been here! Woody was my first nose boop through the fence. He kind of scared me at first but now I think of him like my uncle. My bestest friends in all of Idylwood are McKee and her people. If you see us doing zoomies in her front yard don’t be scared, come play and join in the silly fun! | | |
Lastly, I have to mention my housemate Blú, he is a genuine Idylwood rescue. Mom says he was rescued as a tiny baby on Sylvan and bottle fed! I don’t know what they fed him but he’s still bigger than me! We love to chase and play, and then take long naps. He’s the best big brother a pup could have, even if he does try to steal my food…
Narrated to Kelly Sowa by Birdee
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Neighbors: Submit your pet(s) to be featured in upcoming newsletters by sending 1-4 photos with a short story about your best friend(s) with the subject line "Pet(s) of the Month" to: phattenbach@gmail.com
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Friendly Reminder From The Pets
For the health and safety of all neighborhood pets and people,
please keep us on a leash and scoop our poop -
even along the bayou trails !
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Garden Club 2025-2026 Calendar
Usually the First Saturdays of the Month from 10 am-noon !
(Exceptions may be for Labor Day, New Year's - then 2nd Saturday)
New members are welcome to join!! Yealy dues are only $20.00!!
(Easy to pay: Zelle Treasurer Peggy Wallace (Stark) at: pwallace7820@yahoo.com)
Meeting dates for our 2025-2026 year!
Sept. 6: Hosts: Amanda Cai and Dave Martin-6652 Merry Lane; Speaker: Briony Gannon- Texas Master Naturalist
Oct. 4: Free Field Trip and Guided Tour of Finca Tres Robles;
5715 Canal St, 77011; 10am-noon; if you have not rsvp'd, there is still room to join the tour, just meet the group at the farm at 10 am.
Nov. 1: Hosts: Nathan Reedy and Josh Espinedo - 6670 Meadowlawn; It's a Double Header Meeting !!
Speakers:
1. Jaime and Joseph - Owners of Bloom Handcrafted Beauty Products (using botanicals) AND
2.Fern Specialist Darla Harris will show and tell us all about ferns for our area.
Dec. 6: Hosts: Patricia Hattenbach and Jim McCallum - 1404 N MacGregor Way; Holiday Pot Luck Brunch and Fun Gift Exchange ($15 max)! 10 am - noon; poinsettia pick up from noon - 1:00pm
Jan. 10: Host: Nicole Wood - 1725 Idylwood; Speaker: Janice Brown - Girl on the Grow!
Feb. 7: Hosts: Irma Nino and Carmen Martinez - 6625 Meadowlawn;
Speaker: Chevvy Tang, Master Gardener; Topic: Permaculture
March 7: Fieldtrip: Edith L Moore Bird Sanctuary - 440 Wilchester Blvd 77079; Members will carpool leaving at 9:50 am
April 4: Date Change!!! Host: Amy Dinn and Jake Goldstein - 6724 Sylvan; Speaker: Houston Botanic Garden Representative
May 2: Neighborhood Plant Sale- Host: Sally Lehr - 1704 Idylwood
June, July, & August 2026: members and meetings take a summer break.
For more information, contact the Garden Club President:
Patricia Hattenbach at phattenbach@gmail.com or at 713-724-9608
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Nature News
Coltivare Chef has a Truffle dog in training!!
You must check out this story of how Chef Ryan Perry and his wife Lori Choi have high hopes for their dog Mochi to sniff out truffles!
I guess they will end up on the menu! Yummy!!
To learn more, clink on the link below:
Truffle dog in training
Gardening Tips from Neil Sperry
This January 31 Chronicle article gives handy tips regarding a pomelo citrus tree, bermuda grass in the zoysia lawn, plants for a west-facing flowerbed,
and using 'water spikes effectively.
To learn more, click on the link below:
Tips from Neil Sperry
More Tips from Neil Sperry
Getting info on noninvasive natives trees, planting bur oak and live oak acorns, using ajuga as perrennial ground cover, and planting sod in the dog run all get Neil's attention in this February 14 article.
To learn more, click on the link below:
Crape myrtles, ajuga, and sod!
Six Great Houseplants For Your Home
Houseplants do more than look pretty in your home. They freshen the air you breathe, lift your mood, and inject life and color all around! Anna Baluch of realtor.com offers great choices of plants to have in your home!
To learn more, click the link below:
6 houseplants for homeowners
Who Is Liable if a Tree Branch Damages a Parked Car?
With all of the trees in Idylwood, this infomation from Ronald Lipman's Chronicle column on Feb. 24 might be of help.
To learn more, click the link below:
Who's liable for a falling tree branch?
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| Nature In The Neighborhood | | |
Yes Virginia...there are EAGLES in Idylwood!!
The first time I saw our neighborhood bald eagle, my daughter Hazel and I chased it down the bayou until it lit in the top of a pine tree. After I had taken several photos, it locked its eyes right onto the two of us. After a couple of minutes of being glared at, we started to get a little nervous and headed home!
Submitted by Brandon Young
Neighbors: If you have a photo of nature in action in Idylwood (animal or plant), send me a photo and a short story to: phattenbach@gmail.com.
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Going Native !!
Tips from Buchanan's Native Plants
Incorporate Texas Natives into Your Landscape!
Native plants. The term has different meanings for different gardeners. There are Texas natives, US natives and those plants that act like natives. All in all, what most of us want in our garden are low maintenance plants that are attractive and functional. Plants that are not invasive and are a benefit to wildlife.
When you plant a garden, it is not just for you – it is a habitat for all living things around you. So, with that in mind, here is our top 10 native plants for Houston that do just that. Many are heat and drought tolerant – cheerfully returning year after year in your garden.
Click here to learn more: Buchanan's Top Ten Native Plants.
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Houston Botanic Gardens - March Events
Bayou Blues Festival
Music in the Garden
March 8, 2026 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Live music, arts, crafts, face painting, games, vendors, and more!
Ikebana: Japanese Floral Design
Exclusively for Girl Scouts
March 14, 2026 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Wild at Heart
The Secret Life of Texas Native Cats
March 14, 2026 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Storytime in the Garden
With Park Place Regional Library
March 20, 2026 10:30 am - 11:00 am
March for Monarchs
Celebrate An Incredible Journey
March 21, 2026 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Raptor Show
Habitat of Flight
March 22, 2026 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
*Be sure to confirm all events' details & fees by clicking the link below*:
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Vegetable Garden Planting Dates Chart
Do you want to know exactly when to plant vegetables and herbs in your garden? Click here: TAMU Harris County for Texas A&M University's
yearly planting calendar for Harris County.
You may want to print this out for future reference.
Tree Planting Guide For Houston
As our Idylwood trees age, succumb to disease and storm damage, and grow too close to our homes and power lines, we sadly see these marvelous companions disappear. Now is a good time to start researching the best trees for your yard to properly fit your needs, desires and space.
The Houston Area Urban Forestry Council has a fabulous planting guide for trees in the Houston area. This guide is packed with all the basic info you need when considering planting new trees.
Houston Area Urban Forestry Council - Tree Planting Guide
Happy gardening !!
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Thanks for your membership and love of nature!
Let's keep Idylwood beautiful and safe!
Kind regards,
Patricia Hattenbach
phattenbach@gmail.com 713-724-9608
2025-2026 Officers:
President: Patricia Hattenbach
Vice President: Nicole Wood
Secretary: Amanda Cai
Treasurer: Peggy Wallace
Thanks again to Jim McCallum and Patricia Hattenbach for providing the Pet and Yard of the Month articles and photos.
It's wonderful to learn more about our great neighbors!
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Yard of the Month
6629 Merry Lane
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Minimal can be marvelous!
Andrea and David Ancira are native to Houston and in particular to the East End. In October 2005 they were feeling the lure of the location and the feel of Idylwood. The park, bayou, and homes were calling to them. They did not have to travel far to find a home that satisfied their wishes - just a short hop from the other side of Lawndale on Satsuma Street!
| | Based on a traditional color scheme of turquoise, deep terra cotta, soft yellow, and white, the chairs, benches, and planters just pop and invite you to relax on the porch. The beautiful agave plants are perfectly nestled in beds of multi-hued earth tones of stone which provide the space for them to grow as large as they can! The effect of simplicity in the front has been very successful. | | Andrea sets claim to being the gardener and tries to do her best. They originally had azaleas in the front beds but there was not much direct shade. So, the decision was made to use agaves which love the sun. Succulents and Cacti are some of their favorite plants. In the back yard, there is a mix of Aloe Vera, Rosemary (also in the front verticle planters), various Cacti, Red Bleeding Heart vines, and more Agaves. A couple of years ago Scouts planted two additional trees in the front along the easement. Very nice!! | | |
Buchanan's Native Plants
(click the link above for access to their website)
March 2026
Planting Guide
- Plant tomatoes by the middle of the month for a spring harvest. Plant peppers, okra, cucumbers, eggplant, climbing spinach and more. Use Cottonseed Meal or a liquid organic fertilizer like MicroLife Ocean Harvest for an abundant and healthy harvest.
- Plant fruit trees, shade trees, and ornamental trees. Be sure to apply mulch around the root zone to keep moist and avoid weeds. Make sure trees are watered regularly during first few years of growth, while tree is getting established. Add mycorrhizae to planting hole to also aid establishment of the tree. Use Super Thrive or Root Stimulator every few weeks for the first three months after planting.
- Plant shrubs such as roses and azaleas. Use Super Thrive or Root Stimulator every two weeks for the first few months after planting.
- Plant Sun Perennials Shasta daisy, rudbeckia, gaillardia, verbena, coreopsis, lantana, perennial salvias, bee balm, porterweed, mist flower, jatropha, skullcap are some of the many we offer.
- Plant colorful shade perennials like firespike, shrimp plant, Persian shield, leopard plant, cat whiskers, ruellias, turk’s cap, sweet potato vine, creeping jenny, and many more!
- Plant color annuals such as marigolds, fuchsias, petunias, osteospermum, perilla, bachelor buttons, coleus, forget-me-nots, dusty millers, annual phlox, geraniums, impatiens, begonias and more!
- Start seeds or set out plants for spring flowers and herbs. Plant now and get established before heat sets in. Good herbs to plant include basil, dill, chives, cilantro, fennel, oregano, mint and parsley. (Come on in and see our wide selection). Use a dilute solution of MicroLife Super Seaweed to improve vigor.
Lawn
Mow lawn to help eliminate weeds. Keep weeds cut back to prevent flowering and re-seeding. Fill bare patches with St. Augustine sod. Apply lawn food after three mowings. At this time the grass will be actively growing and it is a good time to apply Micro Life or other lawn fertilizer.
Pruning
Prune roses. Now is the time to begin applying rose food on a monthly basis. Use Rose Glo, an organic fertilizer we keep in stock.
Prune trees and shrubs while dormant. If you need assistance with the proper way to prune your crepe myrtles, let us know~!!! Don’t butcher the poor things. Prune spring-flowering shrubs such as azaleas, spireas, and redbuds after they’ve bloomed. Feed with Nutri Star or Micro-life, once after they bloom and then again in June.
Birds
Clean birdbaths and feeders. Keep feeders full!! Birds are hungry. We sell feeder cleaning supplies in the bungalow.
Put out hummingbird feeders. We are expecting our first sighting any day now! To keep birds at your feeder, maintain a fresh nectar supply, and empty and wash the feeder each time you refill. Hummingbirds remember where they find a reliable food source –so if your yard is one of them, they’ll often return year after year.
Pests
Apply dormant oil to smother insects before they become a problem. Apply to hollies, magnolias, and camellias for scale. Release Lady Bugs to control insects like aphids and whitefly.
Houseplants
In mid-March, move houseplants outside into shade and repot if necessary. Feed with an organic liquid fertilizer like MicroLife Ocean Harvest and MicroLife Super Seaweed.
Fertilizing & Mulching
Feed Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Plumeria, with Nutri Star. This will help plants to put out new lush growth and plenty of blooms.
Spread a fresh layer of mulch around trees, shrubs, and beds to protect roots, retain moisture, and prevent weeds.
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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.
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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.
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Stay Informed!
Check out info about the neighborhood, including downloading a copy of the deed restrictions here.
Report a pothole, get your trash bin repaired or replaced, report a problem with a traffic signal, missed trash pickup, and more.
GRAFFITI ABATEMENT
Call the East End District at 713.928.9916 during business hours with the tagged address, intersection, and colors.
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Stay Connected!
NEXTDOOR.COM
Great way to connect with East End residents. It’s a great place to report or look for a missing pet, announce a garage sales, put out a crime alert, etc. This site is endorsed and its use encouraged by HPD. Sign up here
FACEBOOK
Google Email Group - Idylwood Neighborhood Exchange (residents only)
If you are not currently a member and would like to join, please send an invitation request to Barc.Lee2020@gmail.com.
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Idylwood Officers and Directors 2026
PRESIDENT: Doug Lawson (Merry)
VICE PRESIDENT: Suzy Harrington (Lindy)
TREASURER: Nicole Wood (Idylwood)
SECRETARY: Danika Murphy (Rockbridge)
Directors: Class A (two-year terms ending in December 2027):
Roberto Gomez (Park); Patricia Hattenbach (N. MacGregor); Jeff Hinderer (Park); Tim Johnson (Wildwood); Blake Mudd (Meadowlawn)
Directors: Class B (two-year terms ending in December 2026):
Beth Barrette (Meadowlawn); Chris Casey (Sylvan); Amy Dinn (Sylvan); Jeff Klemm (Merry); Paul Leggett (Merry); Laura Manion (Meadowlawn)
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Post Office Box 9225
Houston, TX 77261-9225
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