Lago Vista Life

BIGFOOT

Beat gets

Catty!

Farewell Lago Vista Life…?

Exercise for

LIFE!

Fun Adult

Field Trips!

And Much More…

Lago Vista Life

has been cancelled!

There is NO booklet October, November, or even December…

But Wait!

It’s coming back January 1st, 2014!

You’ll find more local advertisers, High School event/sports

schedules, local baby sitters, and much more!

Help me make Lago Vista Life a true COMMUNITY RESOURCE!

Email me your recipes, nominations for the North Shore

Spotlight, and tell me what YOU want to see most in the booklet!

If you’re a teen that provides a service, or if you have any kind of

club in the North Shore area, email me the details to be included

in the booklet for FREE!

By the way – the October issue IS available at LagoVistaLife.com

– check it out! While you’re there, sign up for the mailing list to

be updated on information!

Sincerely,

ErinJChavez@gmail.com

Remember to keep the

advertisers in mind when

you’re looking for

something worthy to

donate to, or when you

need work done! They are

excellent folks!

The Bigfoot Beat

& Other North Shore Creatures

Below are various comments from Hill Country residents who have seen these

beautiful creatures. If you want to read more sightings, visit

www.texascryptidhunter.blogspot.com.

“I have a place off of RR-165 between Blanco and Henly, TX in the Hill country. When

leaving my north gate one evening back in Sept. I spotted a very tall all-black cat of

some kind walking straight and slow across the distance of my headlights shining

back into the property while I was locking the gate. Judging the distance from where

I saw it walk, It appeared to be about 4-5 feet long and maybe a couple of feet or

more in height. No markings and just walking straight and slow between some

groups of trees. Never had seen anything like it before. Recently my neighbor had

mentioned about something finding about a slain animal and that all of his goats

were staying close to house. Animals are good about sensing danger from 'certain

predators.” Anonymous

“Two years ago, I heard a cougar at night. Once you hear that "scream" you will

never forget that sound. It was during deer hunting season here at my ranch 7 miles

Southwest of Johnson City. TX. We were able to verify it was a cougar by our game

camera that was fastened to a tree near the deer feeder. Then again last fall (2012), I

heard a throaty sound as if having labored breathing. It's difficult to explain, but I

recognized the sound when I heard it this evening at approximately 7:10 pm. Its a

beautiful evening. but my border collie and I both got startled and came into the

house. We all need to be careful out here in the Hill Country.” Anonymous

This sighting is from close to Dallas, but it’s too cool to not add… “We live in Ferris

Texas and our neighbors said they saw a black panther. They also found a goat

carcass in a tree close to a creek in the woods. I don't think a bobcat could drag a

goat into a tree. Any ideas on this?” Proud Army Mom

Jaguar Facts

Most jaguars have orange-brown fur with black spots, but some

have black-on-black coloration. So, are they black panthers? No!

“Panther” is just a general term that comes from Panthera, the

scientific name for big cats. It is also sometimes used to

describe leopards, jaguars, and mountain lions.

As people move into jaguar habitat, these cats have started

feeding on livestock. Ranchers often respond by trapping and

poisoning the jaguars. Logging, mining, and farming also leave

less food and habitat for jaguars, causing them to become

endangered.

More Jaguar Sightings:

“Twice I have seen a black cat looking animal with a thick tail on my Hill Country

property in Ingram, Tx near Kerrville. Initially I thought it was a cat, or maybe a

squirrel. But I ruled out the squirrel because of it's cat like movements and thick

long tail. However it was never seen by anyone but myself.” Carolyn B.

“I am a property manager at an apartment complex in Northwest Austin. Several

of my residents and maintenance staff have spotted a large "black cat" similar to

a jaguar in a large wooded area behind the complex.” Melj

How To:

Celebrate Field Trip Month!

October is National “Go on a Field Trip Month”! It is time to get out and explore

beyond our normal, daily sphere of travel and see what there is to do, and go to fun

places. Sometimes actually finding a place to go can be a bit daunting though. Where

is there to go? How much does it cost? Are you really going to enjoy yourself? Below

you will find something for everybody that is unique to this time of year; and hopefully

will show you how to get out there and take a field trip!

Austin Ghost Tours

Austin Ghost Tours has been featured in “Trailblazer” and has also been featured on

“My Ghost Story” on TV. When you go on a walking tour, an investigation, or a pub

crawl, you will hear the real history of Austin, and the ghost stories of today and

yesteryear. Prices range from $20/person to $60/person. Call 512-853-9826 or go to

austinghosttours.com for more information.

Sweet Berry Farm

It’s “Harvest of Fall Fun” at Sweet Berry Farm! Directly from their website: “Hayrides,

Sweet Berry Express Barrel Train, the Texas Maze, Candy Corn Kid Maze, Sand Art,

Horse Rides, Stuff A Scarecrow, Face painting, Pumpkin Painting, the Pumpkin Grill,

Cut your own flowers, the Berry Bounce and of course ... tons of pumpkins and gourds

to choose from.” Open 8:30am to 5:30pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, &

Saturdays. 1pm to 5pm Sundays. Closed each Wednesday, but open all holidays

throughout the season. Call Don or Gretchen Copeland at 830-798-1462 for more

info, or go to sweetberryfarm.com.

Heritage Weekend in Llano

A weekend filled of old-fashioned Texas history. Enjoy historic reenactments, period

costumes, chuck wagon dinner with music, and all kinds of vendors! This only goes on

for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 18th

– 20th

, so mark your calendars! Call

325-247-5354 for details.

Grape Jam – Annual Fall Wine Festival

Head out to Flat Creek Estate October 20th

, for the festival that sells out every year!

You will enjoy an afternoon of Texas wine, food, and fun. Enjoy wines from six of your

favorite local Texas wineries while mingling with owners and winemakers. Dine al

fresco in the pavilion while relaxing to the sounds of local musicians and gazing at the

picturesque vineyards. Pricing ranges from $5/person to $55/person depending on

how many “extras” you’d like. Since this event sells out each year, make sure to

purchase tickets early for this field trip! Call 512-267-6310 for more information.

Exercise for LIFE! 10,000 Steps A Day! From thewalkingsite.com

"10,000 steps a day - pedometer walking program, walking routine,

beginning walking, beginner walker"

How many steps do you walk each day?

Maybe you have heard the recent guidelines about walking 10,000 steps

per day. How far is 10,000 steps anyway? The average person's stride

length is approximately 2.5 feet long. That means it takes just over 2,000

steps to walk one mile, and 10,000 steps is close to 5 miles.

A sedentary person may only average 1,000 to 3,000 steps a day. For these

people adding steps has many health benefits. I have outlined the basic

10,000 steps program, but also added a commentary below.

A reasonable goal for most people is to increase average daily steps each

week by 500 per day until you can easily average 10,000 per day. Example:

If you currently average 3000 steps each day, your goal for week one is

3500 each day. Your week 2 goal is 4000 each day. Continue to increase

each week and you should be averaging 10,000 steps by the end of 14

weeks.

A pedometer is an easy way to track your steps each day. Start by wearing

the pedometer every day for one week. Put it on when you get up in the

morning and wear it until bed time. Record your daily steps in a log or

notebook. By the end of the week you will know your average daily steps.

You might be surprised how many (or how few) steps you get in each day.

10,000 Steps A Day Continued…

There are many ways to increase your daily steps. Use your imagination and

come up with your own list:

Take a walk with your spouse, child, or friend

Walk the dog

Use the stairs instead of the elevator

Park farther from the store

Better yet, walk to the store

Get up to change the channel

Window shop

Plan a walking meeting

Walk over to visit a neighbor

Get outside to walk around the garden or do a little weeding

Continue to track your daily steps and/or mileage; and keep notes on how

you feel, how your body is improving, or other changes you are making to

improve your health.

If you are in very poor physical condition or at any point you feel that you

are progressing too rapidly slow down a bit and try smaller increases. If you

have any health concerns seek your physician's advice prior to starting or

changing your exercise routine.

Notice: thewalkingsite.com has outlined the standard 10,000 step program

because so many people ask about it. This is a good program to help get

people motivated, or to get sedentary people moving. It is however our

recommendation that most individuals fit 30 to 60 minutes of dedicated

walking (or other exercise) into their routine at least 3 to 4 days a week. You

can start with as little as ten minutes per day and gradually increase your

walking routine.

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

"Seeking an all-American taste in a beverage, I came up with this idea."

says Vivian Levine of Summerfield, FL., about her original Pumpkin Pie

Shake recipe. One online reviewer calls it, "a cold piece of pumpkin pie in

a glass. We have made it 2 nights in a row."

Ingredients

2 cups vanilla reduced-fat ice cream (such as Healthy Choice),

softened

1 cup fat-free milk

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice

3 tablespoons frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Pumpkin-pie spice (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Pour

3/4 cup ice cream mixture into each of 4 glasses. Top each with about

2 teaspoons whipped topping; sprinkle with the additional pumpkin-

pie spice, if desired.

Cooking Light JANUARY 2006

Recipe of the Month

Frozen Pumpkin

Mousse Pie From EatingWell.com

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

30 small gingersnap cookies, (about 7 1/2 ounces)

2 tablespoons raisins

1 tablespoon canola oil

FILLING

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 pints (4 cups) frozen low-fat vanilla ice cream, softened (see Tip)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking

spray.

To prepare crust: Combine gingersnaps and raisins in a food processor

and pulse until finely chopped. Add oil and pulse until blended. Press

evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.

Bake the crust until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool

completely.

To prepare filling: Combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and

nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well. Add ice cream and stir until

blended. Spoon the mixture into the cooled pie crust. Freeze until firm, at

least 2 hours. Let the pie soften slightly in the refrigerator for 20 to 30

minutes before serving.

TIPS

Cover and freeze the pie for up to 3 days. To soften ice cream

quickly, microwave on Medium-Low for 30 to 60 seconds.

“This was an amazing recipe, easy to make, full of taste, the

teenagers loved it as well as the adults!”

Halloween Fright

When Felix Agnus put up the life-sized shrouded bronze statue of a

grieving angel, seated on a pedestal, in the Agnus family plot in the

Druid Ridge Cemetery, he had no idea what he had started. The statue

was a rather eerie figure by day, frozen in a moment of grief and

terrible pain. At night, the figure was almost unbelievably creepy; the

shroud over its head obscuring the face until you were up close to it.

There was a living air about the grieving angel, as if its arms could really

reach out and grab you if you weren't careful.

It didn't take long for rumors to sweep through the town and

surrounding countryside. They said that the statue - nicknamed Black

Aggie - was haunted by the spirit of a mistreated wife who lay beneath

her feet. The statue's eyes would glow red at the stroke of midnight,

and any living person who returned the statues gaze would instantly be

struck blind. Any pregnant woman who passed through her shadow

would miscarry. If you sat on her lap at night, the statue would come to

life and crush you to death in her dark embrace. If you spoke Black

Aggie's name three times at midnight in front of a dark mirror, the evil

angel would appear and pull you down to hell. They also said that

spirits of the dead would rise from their graves on dark nights to gather

around the statue at night.

People began visiting the cemetery just to see the statue, and it was then

that the local fraternity decided to make the statue of Grief part of their

initiation rites. "Black Aggie" sitting, where candidates for membership

had to spend the night crouched beneath the statue with their backs to

the grave of General Agnus, became popular.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE…

From AmericanFolklore.net

Halloween Fright Continued… One dark night, two fraternity members accompanied new hopeful to the

cemetery and watched while he took his place underneath the creepy

statue. The clouds had obscured the moon that night, and the whole area

surrounding the dark statue was filled with a sense of anger and malice. It

felt as if a storm were brewing in that part of the cemetery, and to their

chagrin, the two fraternity members noticed that gray shadows seemed to

be clustering around the body of the frightened fraternity candidate

crouching in front of the statue.

What had been a funny initiation rite suddenly took on an air of danger.

One of the fraternity brothers stepped forward in alarm to call out to the

initiate. As he did, the statue above the boy stirred ominously. The two

fraternity brothers froze in shock as the shrouded head turned toward the

new candidate. They saw the gleam of glowing red eyes beneath the

concealing hood as the statue's arms reached out toward the cowering boy.

With shouts of alarm, the fraternity brothers leapt forward to rescue the

new initiate. But it was too late. The initiate gave one horrified yell, and

then his body disappeared into the embrace of the dark angel. The

fraternity brothers skidded to a halt as the statue thoughtfully rested its

glowing eyes upon them. With gasps of terror, the boys fled from the

cemetery before the statue could grab them too.

Hearing the screams, a night watchman hurried to the Agnus plot. To his

chagrin, he discovered the body of a young man lying at the foot of the

statue. The young man had apparently died of fright.

The disruption caused by the statue grew so acute that the Agnus family

finally donated it to the Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C.. The

grieving angel sat for many years in storage there, never again to plague the

citizens visiting the Druid Hill Park Cemetery.

October is Bat Appreciation Month!

Here are the top 10 most interesting facts about bats:

1. The North Shore area is populated, mostly, with Mexican Free-Tailed bats.

The last part of the tail is not surrounded by the black membrane (as most bats), so

they have a short, mouse-like tail.

2. The structure of bat wings are the same as our hand structure.

3. Most bats are loyal to where they were born, and they will return there to

mate and have their pups.

4. The smallest bat is the Bumblebee bat, and it weighs less than a penny. The

largest bats are called Flying foxes, and they have a wingspan up to 6 feet! (Neither

of which live in the US.)

5. The only biting bat, the Vampire bat, has such tiny fangs that the victim

normally doesn’t even feel the bite! Then, the bat will lap up the blood – not suck

the blood.

6. A typical brown bat can catch between 1,000 – 1,200 small insects per

hour! In Braken Cave (just west of New Braunfels), it is estimated that the

approximate 20 million bats eat about 200 tons of insects EACH NIGHT!

7. Bats digest fruits (bananas/mangos/berries) in about 20 minutes. Now

that’s a fast metabolism!

8. Bats can carry rabies, but less than 10 people in the last 50 years have

contracted rabies from bats in North America.

9. Bat saliva might be the next big thing when

it comes to anticoagulants for cardiac patients!

10. Bats spend hours licking and scratching

each other for cleanliness.

Natural Remedies

To Clean Your Home

There are effective and safe ways to clean your home so you can help protect the

environment, and your health! All natural cleaning remedy ingredients can be

found at the grocery store.

Furniture Polish Recipe

Mix 1 cup olive oil and ½ cup lemon juice in a spray bottle. Shake well and squirt a

small amount to a cleaning cloth. Wipe cloth evenly over your furniture surface.

Turn the cloth over to a dry spot, and polish dry!

All-Purpose Cleaner

Mix 4 tablespoons baking soda, two cups white vinegar, and two cups warm water

in a spray bottle. Make sure to be careful when the baking soda and vinegar mix

because it will foam up! Mix well and use on just about any surface for a clean,

disinfected surface. NOTE: the vinegar smell will go away as soon as it is

thoroughly dried, and will take away nasty, household odors with it!

Naughty Pet?

If you have a pet who can’t seem to hold their bladder until they get outside,

simply apply an equal mix of vinegar and water to the urine spot. Let it stand for

10 minutes, then blot.

Refresh Carpet

For smelly carpets, sprinkle baking soda all over your carpet. Let it sit for at least

an hour (overnight is better), and then vacuum.

Grease Cutter

Got grease on a pan or on your hands? Mix vinegar and salt together to cut the

grease!

Fun Facts about Autumn September 22 is the autumnal (fall) equinox. There are two

equinoxes each year and the other is in March at the start of

spring.

On this date the day and night are each about the same

length. The term equinox comes from the Latin for “equal

night”.

Several cultures have ancient traditions that take place around

this time.

In Greek mythology this was supposed to be the time when

Persephone rejoined Hades in the underworld.

The Chinese celebrate the Moon Festival around this time

with particular emphasis on being thankful for the success of

the summer harvest.

In Japan, this is a time to remember the dead and if there is a

week of Buddhist services during this period.

One of the visible signs of fall is the changing color of the

leaves. This happens because photosynthesis stops during this

period so leaves do not stay green.

Favorite fall fruit and vegetables include apples, spinach,

squash, bell peppers and, of course, pumpkin.

The custom of bobbing for apples originates from Roman

times.

Evergreen trees remain green through the winter because

they have waxy leaves which do not freeze.

During this period birds prepare for winter migration. One of

the longest migrations is the 11,000 mile journey by the Arctic

Tern. However, the bar headed goose is also impressive

reaching heights of 28,000 feet to skim over the Himalayas.

While we call this season ‘fall’, the British call it ‘autumn’. Both

words date from around the same period in the 16th century.

Before these terms came into use, this period was called

‘harvest’.

Spare Money: Must-Do Marketing

You know how to make money – pick what you love, make a plan to make money from doing what you love, and then take action toward that plan. Now you are going to learn the three basic questions you must answer in order to market your money-making idea. When you can answer these three questions, you’ve got it made!

In order to reach the right audience there are three things you need to know:

1) WHO are you trying to reach? Really get specific here. “Middle-Aged Women” is not specific enough. If you are starting a business about how to start gardening, and you want to reach middle-aged women who don’t know where to even start when it comes to gardening – THEY are who you are trying to reach… middle-aged women who want to learn the basics of gardening.

2) WHAT do you want them to know? Do you want them to know how to start gardening in containers? Or perhaps you want them to know how to grow herbs instead of flowers… really decide what you want them to learn about. HINT: this will be what your first product/service is all about. (You can always expand – and you should!)

3) HOW can you get your message to them? You know exactly who you are trying to reach, and you also know exactly what you want them to know. Now, where do those people hang out? Where can you find them? How will they best receive your message – flyers, ads, the internet, community classes…?

After you have answered those three questions, you will have no trouble finding your clients and making money!

Don’t let the restructuring of Lago Vista Life fool you. Even when a business “fails”,

there are tons of things that you will learn and take on to your next venture. This is

one reason to make sure, when you start a business from home, to not become

financially dependent on its success! Structure your business & marketing in a way

that will allow success, without dependence of income! This way, you will be able

to actually enjoy what you do, and allow it to morph into new adventures if the time

arises.

The basic three questions are from Kim Hillman.

Cash, Checks, or Money Orders Accepted.

Make a Difference

Lifelong Friends

Since 1997, Lifelong Friends Pet Adoptions (formerly Lago Vista P.A.W.S.) has

been providing a safe haven for abandoned and abused animals. Over 3,000

animals have passed through our doors and been adopted. We were one of the

first “No-Kill” shelters in the area, which means we do not euthanize animals

simply to make space for more animals at our facility.

Lifelong Friends Pet Adoptions is an independently operated, 501c non-profit

organization. We are mainly staffed by volunteers who dedicate their time and

resources to providing day to day care for the animals. We do not receive any

funding from the City or State. We depend 100% on donations and money raised

through fundraisers to take care of the animals under our roof.

Make a Difference

You can make a difference by: Donating, Adopting, Fostering or Volunteering. We

have an Amazon Wish List where you can purchase items needed to take care of

the animals and have them directly shipped to us. Come down to the shelter on

the weekend and visit with the animals waiting for a Lifelong Home. If you cannot

adopt a pet, why not “Virtually Adopt” (for a small monthly donation). Fostering

an animal is a great way to make a huge difference, especially for animals that

need a little extra socialization or have medical needs. Volunteering requires no

more than a once a month commitment for a few hours, and is more rewarding

than you can ever imagine.

All of this information can be found on our website at www.lifelongfriends.org

and you can also follow us on our Facebook page.

We are located at 20803 FM 1431 in Lago Vista.

Our phone number is 512-267-6876.

Photo by: Jennifer Stamps Photography

Animals are such agreeable friends - they

ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.

George Eliot

Read more at

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topic

s/topic_pet.html#ybY1bdJHMCAbCBSa.99

By Andrea Phillips – Director

Jennifer Karpyshyn - Volunteer

So GOOD, it’s worth another read!

You may not know…

My family and I moved to Austin so our kids, Lee and Ellie could pursue their

creativity and the passion in their lives. In fact, besides adding to our family

income, our kids were the primary factor in creating Lago Vista Life. We are

relatively new to the area, and they needed a way to get the word out about

their businesses!

I wanted to take a moment to brag a little on them…

Ellie is my daughter. She is an awesome photographer and does amazing

conceptual photography. If you are looking for a picture that steps over the

line of typical, Ellie is the one to photograph it! She can have you lying on

clouds, your house surrounded with fireflies, or just about anything else you

can imagine. EllieChavezPhotography.com

Lee is my son. He is a wizard on his guitar. He is ultimately looking to start his

own instrumental band (think Joe Satriani). He is currently playing with any

band that he can find and has found himself very busy! He also can produce

jingle for your business – you know – the ones that get stuck in your

customer’s heads! LeeChavez.com

I know they are my kids and I am supposed to think they are the best at what

they do, but both of them have incredible credentials and testimonials to back

them up. Please keep them in mind!

Brain Puzzle

Can you see the

rabbit AND the

duck?

Can you make out

the word? (Hint: it

is a direction on a

compass!)

Can you see the

young lady AND

the old lady?

Do you believe the

design in this

square is actually a

STATIC picture?!

It’s not really

moving!

October 14th is

Be Bald & Be Free Day!

Love that baldie in your life!

Event Listings

For October Event Listings, Check the Event Listing Page on LagoVistaLife.com!

You will find all the usual happenings at the Library, Flat Creek Winery, Support Groups, plus a whole lot more!

To always be updated on what is going on, visit the Lago Vista and Jonestown Chamber of Commerce website. You can sign up for an

email list that will give you the low-down on upcoming events.

You can also find events on the Lago Vista Library’s website and the Flat Creek Estates Winery & Vineyard website!

There has been one volunteer that has gone above and beyond for Lago Vista Life. Here are two great events that she has going for

October:

Need decorations for the Holidays? October 25th and 26th 8AM-1PM.The street of Champions Circle and cad-u-sacs is having a garage sale. Come into the community on Venture but do not turn until you get to the Water Tower and then turn left on Augusta. Go to the Stop sign and this will be the beginning of the garage sale and just go from

garage sale to garage sale around the circle.

For all you German food and music lovers, Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church is having a fund raiser "October Fest" on October 12th made by real German ladies and others of the congregation. The cost is $12

from 3-6 PM and all the money collected will go to the Wounded Warriors Organization in San Antonio.

Help Support our Lago Vista Special Olympians - Silent Auction. October 11, 2013 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Food, Fun, and lots of items to bid on including: Works by Local Artisans, Golf, Portrait Sessions, Housecleaning, and

LOTS MORE!

Viking Hall 8039 Bar K Ranch Rd. Lago Vista, TX 78645 Amanda Chapman amandachapman1206@yahoo.com