by JACK JONES
The Children’s Summer Reading Club Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, Aug. 9 at the Buda Elementary School Kunkel Room. The ceremony for early reader awards begins at 5:30 p.m. and the independent reader awards ceremony begins at 7 p.m. The Texas Teens Read Awards Ceremony and Game Night will take place at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, in the Buda Public Library’s meeting room. Free refreshments will be served at the conclusion of all ceremonies.
•••
Environmental stewardship is a vital part of the Buda Parks and Recreation Department. As we do with our parks in Buda, please limit outdoor watering as much as possible to conserve water. It is estimated that more than half of the water consumption during the summer months is on outdoor irrigation.
Here are a few tips to reduce outdoor irrigation use:
- Check your water meter and bill to track your monthly water usage.
- Use a layer of organic mulch around plants and trees to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
- Don’t water your lawn on windy days. After all, sidewalks and driveways do not need the water.
- Water your plants deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes. Frequent watering causes shallow root growth and will result in a lawn that will not tolerate the hot, dry weather that is typical for this area.
- The next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.
- Bathe your pets outdoors in an area in need of water.
- If you have an irrigation system, make sure it has a rain sensor. There is no need to pay for the water if you get it for free from Mother Nature.
•••
With summer comes an increase in wildlife sightings, especially in park and greenbelt areas. Although most snakes in Texas are not venomous, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, copperheads and cottonmouths (water moccasins) are common in this area.
Here are a few tips to avoid contact with snakes:
- Wear long pants and boots when in areas with tall grass or areas known to have snakes. Be cautious when placing your hands in these areas or under rocks.
- Keep landscape areas free of weeds.
- Be aware of your surroundings when hiking and biking. Keep a look out for snakes that may be on or near trails.
For more parks, recreation and tourism information in Buda, please visit our website at www.ci.buda.tx.us or call us at (512) 295-7170.
