HometownGeorgetown.com

I first moved to Texas in 1993 and, if I remember right, that was the same year the Minnesota Northstars became the Dallas Stars. A professional hockey team had followed me south. (Although I lived in Wisconsin, the nearest big city was Minneapolis, so people in my neck of the Northwoods were very disappointed to lose the Northstars.) Now we’re getting a semi-pro branch of the team here. (Do they call it a “branch”? I guess you can probably tell I’m not a sports girl.)

For all you hockey fans out there… The Texas Stars will play in Cedar Park, just a quick drive from Georgetown, less than a year from now. There are still advertising opportunities for local businesses who’d like to have permanent signs on display at Cedar Park Center.

This week, a lady helping to organize the Center came to the meeting of a networking group to which I belong, and she said they’re planning to also host events such as Disney on Ice and the Ice Capades. Williamson County is getting another fantastic venue for entertainment.

Welcome, Texas Stars!

Recently, I happened upon a hidden gem here in Georgetown, a secret street with several wonderful businesses on it. This magical street is called Industrial Park Circle. (For my regular readers, I don’t know whether this street has any “aka’s” or not.) My husband needed a hard-to-find rechargeable battery, so I brought him to Battery Wholesale yesterday. They had to special order our battery, so we assumed it would be at least a week before we heard from them. Would you believe they called us today? We picked up our battery just 24 hours after placing the order. I found the same battery online, but for 50% more than we paid right here in Georgetown. Excellent customer service, reasonable price, and you keep your money circulating locally. What could be better than that?

Williamson County has announced an open house, cohosted by the Federal Highway Administration, to get public feedback on improvements to Williams Drive (aka RR 2338). The particular segment under discussion will stretch from FM 3405 on up to Ronald Reagan (aka Parmer). The open house will take place on December 2 at 6:30 p.m. in Ford Elementary School.

 By the way, has anyone else noticed how many darn “aka’s” roads have around here?! Can’t we all just pick one name and stick with it?

My husband and I have been on a waiting list for about a year for a maple tree from Love Creek Orchards in Medina, TX, which is primarily an apple orchard. The folks at Love Creek wrote recently to say that the colors this year were spectacular, so we decided to hop in the car with our dog and drive down to Lost Maples State Natural Area. (I’m not sure why they don’t just call it Lost Maples Park, but there you have it.) Lost Maples is about a three-hour drive from Georgetown, and well worth the trip, this time of year especially. I have to warn you, though, that we weren’t the only ones who thought so. The park was busy when we arrived at 9 a.m. yesterday (Saturday), and extremely busy when we left at about 12:40 p.m. In fact, when we left, traffic was backed up for about two miles. We stopped for gas in Bandera, about 40 miles away, and a man at the gas station said “the law” was going to go out there and direct traffic. “Those city people don’t got no patience,” the man said. I don’t consider myself to be a city girl, but I’ll admit that my patience would’ve been tried if we had arrived to find a two-mile back-up just to get into the park. If you can go during the workweek, do. If you must go on the weekend, arrive as early as you can. We stayed overnight in the area. The first couple of places had no vacancies, but Backroads Texas helped us to make a reservation at a dog-friendly ranch. If you enjoy camping, you can do so right within the park.

After paying our entrance fee of $6 per adult - the dog entered free - we headed out on the 4.6 mile East Trail, which we were told had the best colors. The terrain started out pretty easy, but even then, we had to step carefully.

The colors were amazing. In one tree, you’d see a thousand variations of yellow, orange, and red, with tiny spots of green still showing through. Most of the trees in the park were evergreens, which made the changing maples look even more brilliant against the forest backdrop. In spots, the trees had already lost their leaves, and these freshly fallen leaves beneath our feet released a scent that transported me back to my childhood in Wisconsin.
There were two very significant slopes we had to contend with during our hike along the trail. The slopes themselves were challenging, and the loose rocks made them even more so. Be sure to wear comfortable, rugged shoes. Also, don’t forget to bring water, as the stretches between rest areas were long.
Texas can’t compete with New England for fall colors, not even close. But if you don’t have the time or money for a trip to Vermont, you can still get a color fix right here in the Hill Country. Just remember to go as early in the day as possible to avoid the long lines. Either that, or leave your city folk impatience behind.

In the email in which I announced the new listing at 1603 S Main Street, I forgot to mention the incredible virtual tour. This tour is really cool. I love how the photographer pans some of the unique, stylish details throughout the house, such as the rain chains and the old-fashioned letterbox.

On this election day, our minds should turn to our civic responsibility to give back to the community at large. There are many ways you can make a contribution. The city of Georgetown is now accepting applications from citizens interested in serving on one of its many boards and commissions. Click here for more information. I serve on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and it’s been a wonderful experience. Go out there and get involved!