‘Been thinking about ordering copies of “Mountain City Cooks” for gifts? Now’s the time! $5.00 of the $15 will go to the Hays County Food Drive. Please contact Verlenne Monroe at [email protected]
Mountain City Montage
by PAULINE TOM
Once again, Loving Mountain City will coordinate a Fall Food Drive. Curbside pickup will be available 2 p.m. Nov. 7 or you can drop off canned and nonperishable food at Mountain City Hall on Nov. 8-10. Make checks payable to Hays County Food Bank.
•••
Watch out for vampires and other costumed characters trick-or-treating on Sunday.
It’s hard to know how much candy to purchase. BPC (“Before Plum Creek”), loads of kids came into Mountain City. Now some Mountain Cityians travel to Plum Creek, where they can gather from 5 or 6 houses in the same amount of time it takes to walk from one house to the next in Mountain City.
•••
“Watch out for Energy Vampires,” PEC warns in the October “Texas Co-op Power” magazine. The article lists common appliances and electronics that draw standby power and affect your electric bill. It indicates that it could cost $160 each year on an electric bill, even when the TV is not on.
The article provides a list of tips to avoid wasting electricity which includes:
• Unplug appliances and electronics (including TVs, DVRs /Tivo, DVD players, printers, gaming systems and computers.
• Use power strips to turn off electronics. But, be sure to keep your cable box or modem on a separate circuit to avoid interrupting connections.
• Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products.
• Invest in “smart” power strips which can stop the flow of electricity once devices are fully charged.
• Perform a quick energy audit by determining how much electricity your appliances and electronics use.
•••
Cornell Lab of Ornithology lists “Top Ten Ways to Help Nesting Birds.” Several tips are particularly applicable for fall/winter:
• Keep cats indoors. Cats in the United States kill hundreds of millions of birds each year.
• Make your windows safe. Stretch netting so birds will bounce on impact. Place feeders on windows or within three feet of windows: birds are more likely to notice glass at close distances and don’t have time to reach high speeds if they do hit.
• Stop using pesticides.
• Improve backyard habitat. Plant natives.
• Provide nestboxes and platforms. Many birds nest in cavities but don’t excavate their own.
•••
Does providing nestboxes and platforms seem strange for fall/winter? This is a great time to install nestboxes because birds flying over now will know of the available nesting site. Eastern Bluebirds start claiming nestboxes in January and February.
Does everyone know I can be contacted for a membership bluebird nestbox exchange?
If you join the Texas Bluebird Society for $15, I can give you a “TexasNestbox.” As a volunteer distributor, I sell the nestboxes for $15, plus 7.75 percent sales tax.
•••
Does everyone know my bag is always open for tidbits? [email protected] or 512-268-5678
