LTWCA Newsletter - October/November 2008

Who-o-o-o’s Knocking at Your Door?

Trick-or-treaters!  Want to know more?

All ghost, goblins, witches, monsters, spirits and wild beasts!

Man your doors, light your lanterns, we are coming to trick or treat!

Our gang of little creatures is bringing All Hallow Eve back to the woods.

We would love to have you trick us or give us something good!

We may surprise you, when you least expect it on October thirty-first.

So start decorating and concocting, our appearance is unrehearsed!

Bo-o-o,

Your friendly neighborhood munchkins!

p.s. There will be a haunted house at 1124 Los Trancos Rd. for those who dare to venture there.

Poetically submitted by Jane Leibowitz

A few years ago Halloween was a time for neighborhood children to be out in force.  Many would invite their friends to join them on “the best route ever” around the Circle.  There used to be houses famous for their decorations and eerie sounds, like 151 Los Trancos Circle, or home baked cookies and lemonade courtesy of Cynthia Gibbs.  The community cherished this time when all shared in the delights of childhood whimsy.  Halloween is coming up and we invite all families to get out into the neighborhood and discover the joys of trick-or-treating locally.  Residents, we challenge you to supply the fun and treats.  Make sure you leave the light on.  Who-o-o-o’s knocking?

Sudden Oak Death Update

Pruning and Removal of California Bay Laurel Trees to minimize Sudden Oak Death (SOD):

Bay Laurel control is of equal, if not greater, importance than treating your Oaks with Agri-Fos. Right now, before the rainy season, is a great time to get this done.  The LTC Water Board is providing us with an ideal opportunity to get our bay trimming done.  They have arranged for another FREE chipper day on Monday, 27 October.  Let’s reduce SOD infection and our fire risk by trimming those bays!

Sudden Oak Death, caused by the fungus, P. ramorum, has become a substantial and increasing problem in our community.  A major risk for Oak infection comes from the close intermingling of Bay and Oak.  A careful study carried out by the USDA forest service and published this year suggested pruning back Bays.  Their recommendations, verbatim, are as follows:

“The risk of P. ramorum canker and the severity of the disease can be greatly reduced, but not completely eliminated by:

1.  Removing Bay from within 2.5 m (8.2 ft.) of the trunk of a susceptible Oak

2.  Extending Bay foliage-Oak trunk clearance to 5 m (16.4 ft.) where possible, especially in the direction(s) from which storm winds blow.

3.  Pruning low branches to obtain up to 5 m (16.4 ft.) of clearance in the lower canopy even if upper canopy Bay branches are present at closer horizontal distances

4.  Eliminating poison oak climbing at canopy level within an Oak or in adjacent tree within 2.5 m (8.2 ft.) of the Oak trunk.

For more information please contact Amanda at president@vistaverdeca.org, or Linda at 851-1787.

Submitted by the Sudden Oak Death Task Force

Emergency Preparedness News

The autumn Earthquake Drill will take place on Saturday, October 25 from 9:00 - 11:00 AM.  Los Trancos Woods will be focusing on radio communications within the neighborhood and coordinating with the Vista Verde Emergency Operations Center (EOC).  In the coming weeks we will be contacting members of the Team to update the telephone tree and organize for the Drill and the Preparedness Team's ongoing activities.  Please contact Arthur Nielsen at 851-9152 to get involved.

Arthur Nielsen, LTW Emergency Preparedness Coordinator

Remembrances of Nelson Dake

Nelson - a dog walker, a dog lover, a traveler, a swimmer, a joker, a congenial host, a neighborhood contact, a storyteller, a companion wine drinker.  Those of us who knew Nelson will miss all those characteristics and more.  Nelson died in a swimming accident at Lake Tahoe in early August.  Nelson had long been a fixture of our walkable neighborhood with his lovable golden retrievers.  He and his wife, Joan, moved up here in the ‘80s while he was still teaching high school.  When he retired in 2001 he joined the LTWCA Board as the District 2 Representative and served for a number of years and even hosted many of the meetings.  For those who knew Nelson and wish to share in a celebration of his life, you are invited to his house at 1074 Los Trancos Rd. on Saturday,

4 October at 2 p.m.  Our hearts and thoughts are with Joan and the family.

Submitted by Linda Drey-Nightingale

District 1 News

Congratulations to Gaya and David Frampton who welcomed their second child and son Evan Jonathan on June 16, 2008.   

"Ray"  Raymond F. Smith, a long time resident of Los Trancos Woods, passed away on August 16, 2008.  Born on November 21, 1921; Ray was reared in San Bruno and spent most of his life here on the peninsula.  During WW II he served his country as a member of the Navy CB's (Seabee's).  He spent his career as a carpenter and built his home on Ramona Road 45 years ago.  Ray was riding his motorcycle and enjoying life just before he entered the hospital on April 14th.  He was a proud American.  Our sincere condolences to his widow Rosalie and their families.

Submitted by Julie Duncan

Neighborhood Notes

- Attention hikers, dog walkers, neighborhood wanderers!  We need a replacement for the indomitable Cynthia Gibbs who kept the “Doggie Poop Bag” container filled.  You only need to check the container once every two weeks, so the job is a cinch.  Please volunteer at 851-1787.

- In a wonderful display of concern for the well being of our neighborhood, Mike and Dodie McVey have foot the bill to have a 175’ tall eucalyptus removed near the corner of Foxwood and Los Trancos Rd.  Precariously located near power lines, phone lines, houses, and parked cars, if any part or all of the tree had fallen there would have been serious damage and possible loss of life.  To boot Mike had discovered at a fire prevention meeting that eucalyptus trees are torches waiting to ignite during a fire.  We cannot thank you enough, Mike and Dodie, for your commendable action!

Next Meeting - There is no meeting scheduled.  Please see the LTWCA Web Site for past minutes.

Los Trancos Woods Community Association Web Site

The web site address is:                    The group e-mail list is:

http://lostrancoswoods.org/ ltwca@yahoogroups.com

Thanks to Jerry Jensen for maintaining this site.        AND        Thanks to Shan Wang for copying our newsletter.