May-June 2010 - Spruce Creek Trail Association

SPRUCE CREEK TRAILS ASSOCIATION
NEWSLETTER
May/June 2010
SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Your Trails Association has started
working on our trails; Danny Hatcher
and Ricky Rains have really put in a lot of work
this year and the trails are looking much
better. The weather has been cooperating
which allows us to really get off to a good
start. Now, if we could get our membership
up we would be in great shape for this year's
work. Most of you know that a load of gravel
costs around $300 and dozer and skid
steer work is expensive. We get a lot of value
for our money from Danny and Ricky.
If you know of someone who hasn't yet
renewed their membership or if you have a
new neighbor who might become a new
member, encourage them to send in a check
for $35 (emailed newsletter; $39 if it needs
to be sent snail mail). Our trails are very
important to Spruce Creek Acres and we
need your participation. My thanks to all who
have sent in their dues for this year!
Also, we need your help on the Board of
Directors. Please consider serving
on the Board. Just notify any current Board
member that you would be interesting in
serving and we will add your name to the
ballot for the May elections. Sharon
JEFF CROUCH RETURNS
This is the speed limit sign you see as you
enter this equestrian community. Many
residents have dogs, and there are usually
riders alongside the road yet vehicles speed
up and down Spruce Creek Drive. There is a lot
of construction so there are workmen,
flatbeds with earth-moving equipment,
trucks with lumber, cement trucks, dump
trucks, deliveries etc. and these drivers may
not be as mindful as residents of the need for
caution. If you are having work done, please
remind service providers to drive slowly here.
A big thanks to Ricky Rains who has arranged
to bring Jeff Crouch back to perform at the
Spruce Creek pavilion on Sunday, May 30, at
7pm. Many of you know that Jeff is a very
popular "One-Main Band," and those who don't
know are in for as treat! See ya' there!
CONDOLENCES
Sincerest condolences to friend and
neighbor, Linda Laws, upon the sudden death
of her daughter, Ryan, on April 23rd. Cards
may be sent to LInda at 325 Twin Parks
Drive, Jamestown TN 38556.
BURN PERMIT
Don't forget that you need a burn permit
here in Jamestown from May through
October, which is the driest part of the
year when the fire hazard is greatest.
You can get one by calling (931) 8797173.
Thanks to photographer, Sue Neff, for
the fabulous picture of her "burn pile"on
the left.
The road sign was seen on a Canadian
highway and emailed to me; it made me
laugh, and I thought it might amuse you,
too.
www.sprucecreektrails.com
UGH...IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!
BUG-OUT HORSE HEADNET
ns
a
Have
you
ever
m d!
o
e
wanted
to
Y
na covere
quit the ride
n
o
B s it
because you
ha
couldn't stand
seeing your
horse bitten by
flies? On those
days when your
horse is being
tortured by
biting flies the
fly mask makes
the difference
between
enjoyment and frustration. Fits comfortably over
face, ears and neck. It snugs down with elastic-based
velcro and can be used with repellents. Available in 3
sizes Medium for COBB/ARABIAN, Large for
QUARTER/THOROUGHBRED and X-Large for DRAFT. I
got mine at South Fork Tack in Oneida but you can also
order online at scs-mall.com. Look for "Pet and
Veterinary Supplies, Item Number: B5461." $15.95
FLY WHISK
Ever admired those nice fly
whisks that other riders
carry? Here's where you can
get one: www.nationalbridle.
com or call 800-2513474. The whisk is 16" long,
has a natural wood body with
leather wrapped handle and
wrist loop. End is of genuine
horse hair that is 22" long. I
don't think you can specify a
"choice" of color, but that's
not the important thing!
Made in England. The price
is $34.90 and it's Item
1-4390.
CROCHET
FLY BONNET
Perfect for keeping the
flies off the face and out
of the ears while riding
and driving. Allows for
excellent visibility. Made
of cool cotton so it's
lightweight, and durable.
Practical and effective,
it features ear covers
and tassels that whisk
away flies as the horse
moves his head.
Available locally at
South Fork tack in
Oneida but Chicks
Saddlery (has a wider
selection of colors, (if
that's important) including
blue, light blue, red, pink, peach, purple,
lavender, Hunter green etc).
www.chicksaddlery.com or 800-444-2441.
HERE'S AN INTERESTING IDEA
I saw this online somewhere and it caught my eye (no pun intended). Seemed
interesting, so I thought I'd pass it along.
"We went with some friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast, and
we sat in the enclosed patio section beside the house. We happened to
notice a couple of zip lock baggies pinned to a post and a wall. The bags
were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped
shut. Naturally we were curious! Ms Sweety told us that these baggies
kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious! We actually
watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the window
sill, and then fly out again. And there were no flies in the eating area! This morning I checked
www.sprucecreektrails.com
this out on Goggle. Below are comments on this fly control idea. I’m now a believer !
Many people swear that a zip-lock bag filled half-way with water and attached over entryways will repel flies. No one yet knows how or why it works, but there is speculation that it
has something to do with the way the moving water refracts light.
I did tried the ziplock bag and pennies this weekend. I have a horse trailer and the flies were
very bad while I was camping. I put the baggie with pennies above the trailer door . NOT ONE
FLY came in the trailer. Not sure why it works but it does!!!!!!!
Fill a ziplock bag with water and 5 or 6 pennies and hang it in the problem area. In my case
it was a particular window in my home. It had a slight but significant passage way for insects.
Every since I have did that, it has kept flies and wasps away. Some say, that wasps and flies
mistake the bag for some sort of other insect nest and are threatened by this.
I swear by the plastic bag of water trick I have them on side porch (our house entry) and all
around the basement door. We saw these in northeast MO at an Amish grocery store & have
used them since. They say it works because a fly sees a reflection & won’t come around.
Regarding the science behind zip log bags of water? My research found that each of the
millions of molecules of water presents its own prism effect and given that flies have a lot of
eyes, to them it’s like a zillion disco balls reflecting light, colors and movement in a dizzying
manner. When you figure that flies are basically prey for many other bugs, animals, birds, etc.,
they simply won’t take the risk of being around that much perceived action. I moved to a rural
area and thought these “hillbillies” were just yanking my city boy chain but I tried it, worked
immediately! We went from hundreds of flies to seeing the occasional one, but he doesn’t
hang around long.
MORE HELPFUL HINTS
Put olive oil on ticks and they will release.
Put olive oil in ears and massage to smother ear mites.
DON'T FORGET...
One of last year's helpful hints is worth repeating! Use a sheet of Bounce to remove dead
bugs from your windshield and the front of your car. I tried it and it REALLY WORKS!!!
THERE ARE MOUNTING BLOCKS 'MOST EVERYWHERE!
Surprising enough, the demographic in the equestrian communities
near Big South Fork National Park are people in their 50's, 60's and 70's,
for the most part. Fit, active people who spend a lot of hours in the
saddle but…let's face it….that's a lot of arthritic hips, knees and ankles.
An old injury has rendered my left knee so weak it won't support my
weight as I attempt to mount from the ground and I have to use a
mounting block. I have a lightweight plastic mounting block with a wide,
sturdy base, designed for just that purpose, one at home and in my
trailer so mounting up and riding off is no problem. But what happens at
the lunch break or when we dismount to tie up at hitching rails so we can
walk out to one of the many scenic overlooks in Big South Fork?
I lived for a very brief time in Florida…flat, sandy Florida. I actually had to carry a little
three-legged stool, designed for mounting. Once I was back on the horse, I would pull it up with
the attached cord, fold it and put it back in its little carry bag, which snapped onto one of
the dee rings on my trail saddle. I hated it but it sure was the right tool for the job and many,
many people who saw it asked where they could get one.
Those days are gone. Here in the Big South Fork, there are "mounting blocks" everywhere
you look. Logs! Tree stumps! Rocks! If worse comes to worst, the terrain is so rolling that you
can always find somewhere stand your horse on the low side while you mount from the high
ground.
Renee Pearce
Bryan Brenner
www.sprucecreektrails.com
Janice Brenner
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY THANKS FENTRESS COUNTY
The Best Friends dinner and auction was the most successful
fundraiser in the 9-year history of Best Friends—by far!!! Best
Friends President, Donna Kiser, says "Praise the Lord and thank you to
the sponsors who donated over 200 items and funds for the
auction. We appreciate all of you who came out for dinner and an
evening of entertainment and fun with Darren Rudd. We also thank
our members, their families, friends, and neighbors who were
recruited to help and provided the energy and spirit of cooperation.
The funds raised will help to spay/neuter the pets of low income
families of Fentress County and help to finance our animal rescue
program."
Don't forget that you an support Best Friends all year by leaving your
aluminum cans in the bag at the Spruce Creek pavilion....bring them along when you come to
the monthly potlucks!
BEE SAFE!!!!
It''s barbecue season and alot of grills have been sitting on alot of decks here in Spruce Creek,
with protective covers through the winter. Can you imagine what would have happened if the
owner of this grill had just whipped the cover off?! The horrified homeowner discovered a large
honeycomb so it was obvious that they had taken up permanent residence!
Bees and wasps also favor hot tub covers, so exercise caution when you're lifting the lids!
SPRUCE CREEK SUGGESTION
With so many new residents moving into Spruce Creek or
coming up to ride as weekenders, there are more and more
people on the trail and it might be time to put a "Lost & Found"
box at the pavilion so that anyone who finds horse shoes,
protective horse boots, articles of clothing that have worked
loose and fallen off a saddle will have a place to return the item...
and the person who has lost it won't have to search.
Ricky Rains has asked me to put in the newsletter that we would like to welcome Mr.
Raymond Poe. He bought a lot from South Fork Properties. He is from Indiana and is going to
move here full time in a few years. He is immediately going to be building a home and a 32x62
barn.
TIME-LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY
This cabin has been under construction for the past few months, on the corner of Crockett
Creek and Crockett Crest. The photo on the left was taken at the beginning of January, the
middle photo at the beginning February and the picture on the right at the beginning of April.
www.sprucecreektrails.com
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GEM CAR AT BANDY?
This car is certainly the right tool for the
job, according to rangers at the Bandy Creek
camping area in Big South Fork National Park
here in Jamestown, Tennessee. It clearly is
some sort of environmentally-friendly car and
what better place for a super-efficient "green
car" than a national park!
It's called a "GEM Car" because it is made
by a division of Chrysler called Global Electric
Motors, which is headquartered in Fargo,
North Dakota and which has been in
operation for ten years. They weren't "street
legal" until 1998 when the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
designated a new class of motor vehicle, the
low-speed vehicle, also known as the
Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV). This
allowed the GEM Car to be driven on public
roads if it met certain safety criteria.
You'll find GEM cars in cities in cities, where they present a solution to congestion and
fossil-fuel emission issues, in planned communities, universities and colleges, industrial
complexes, airports, state and government agencies, resorts....and national parks. They have
a top speed of 25mph and can legally be driven on public roads posted at 35mph or less in
nearly all 50 states. They can travel 30 miles on a charge and can be re-charged in about 6-8
hours. Customers around the world are discovering how affordable and cost-effective it is to
own and operate a battery-electric vehicle. GEM cars plug into a standard 110-volt outlet
to recharge and don't require the usual maintenance, such as oil changes, that a
regular gasoline-powered vehicle needs. In addition, GEM vehicles are eligible for incentives
and tax credits from clean-air districts and other governmental
agencies.
SPEAKING OF CARS...
Spencer Bailey knows auto repair as he did it for years before the
electronic age. He recently had to have his car repaired in Jamestown
and he found someone who really knows his business and is really
reasonable. There's nothing like a satisfied customer and a solid wordof-mouth recommendation, so you yourself need auto repair at some
time, you might consider Sharps Auto Repair, 511 West Central Ave
(toward hospital), Jamestown, 879-367. If anyone else has a
recommendation for a local business, let us know!
If YOU NEED LANDSCAPING...
With so much new construction in Spruce Creek, there is a
definite need for landscaping so here are my thoughts on the subject:
I've bought my last plant from Walmart! I learned the lesson long ago
that you get what you pay for but, once spring arrives and they start
putting the plants out and I'm already down there at that end of the
store in the dog food aisle....well....
Well, forget that! It looks good in the store but the plants all seem
to eventually wither and die. Now I go straight to Jim Green at
Greentree Nursery, just off 127N on Pearl Hinds Rd, for bushes and
shrubs. If Jim doesn't have what you want, he'll get it for you. Be sure
to make a trip up+ to Wolf River Growers in Pall Mall for annuals,
perennials or herbs. They have a fabulous selection and are very
knowledgeable. The greenhouse at Muddy Pond also has big, healthy
plants at very reasonable prices and their roses actually SMELL like
roses should!
I much prefer to talk to a nurseryman and ask questions, which you
just can't do at Walmart or big box stores with garden departments.
THE DIRTY TRUTH
A horse weighing 1,000 lbs produces an average of NINE
tons of manure every year...and that's NOT a load of
happy
www.sprucecreektrails.com
A RARE
SIGHT...
Here's Irene Mann,
ready for church on
Easter Sunday
morning. We don't
often see dresses
in Spruce Creek!
FLOWERS IN AND AROUND BIG SOUTH FORK
These are some of the flowers you're likely to see as you
ride in Spruce Creek and in Big South Fork, or on the
roadsides as you're driving along. Tennessee is known for
its wildflowers and is the state that can boast the most,
along with Kentucky.
Bluets, Quaker ladies, Innocence
Common in this area in May
Butterfly Bush
Seen on Duncan Hollow Road
in June
Lenten Rose
Seen at
Charit Creek Lodge
in April
Crown Vetch seen at Bandy Creek in June
White Milkweed
Seen on
Duncan Hollow Road
in June
Spotted Wintergreen
Seen on Duncan Hollow
Connector
in June
Fire Pink
Seen On
North White Oak
In May
Rare
Yellow
Ladies Slipper
can be seen on
Station Camp trails
in May
Trillium
Also called
"Stinking
Benjamin"
Seen between
East Laurel Road
and O&W
in May
Wild Geranium
Seen on O&W
in May
Galax
Seen on
Duncan
Hollow
Connector
in June
CLASSIFIEDS
FREE TO A GOOD HOME: Wooden pallets. Ideal for storing hay on. I have about 20 that I no
longer want. Leslie Helm, (931) 752-8102.
HORSE TRAILER FOR SALE: 2007 American Spirit LQ three-horse trailer. Excellent
condition. Can be seen where it is parked at the end of Walking Horse Drive. Property also for
sale (2.3 acres with water and electric). Meriwether Montgomery (256) 497-6180.
FOR SALE: 20 cinder blocks; only used indoors to support bookshelves. $10 takes all! Ned
Helm, (931) 752-8102.
FOR SALE: Tacky Too saddle pad; black ultrasuede upper. Used twice. Retails at Jeffers for
$74.95 plus shipping. $35. Leslie Helm, (931) 752-8102.
FOR SALE: TREK 4600 mountain bike, 19½-inch super light aluminum frame and SRAM
shifters. Has about 100 miles on it. $300. Ned Helm, (931) 752-8102.
FOR SALE: Diamond G/Dream Coach LQ trailer, hauled only 2,000 miles, immaculate and
loaded. 33ft long, 9ft short wall, automatic foot, must see to appreciate. Donna/Steve
Drochak, (931) 752-8388. $28,000
FOR SALE: Stubben gaited pleasure saddle, black leather, 18" seat. Includes girth, irons,
additional irons and leathers. $1,300. Also Hotpoint gas range 30", white $75. China
cabinet, walnut, top half has 3 shelves and glass door. Bottom half has wooden door. It is
76" H x 46"W. $75. Bath vanity 25" w/white sink top and faucet. Mirrored medicine
cabinet 24" x 24'. Lite fixture, 4 bulbs 24" L, $80. 16' fiberglass canoe square stern,
patched, $250. '96 Suburban 4WD, $1800. Call Renee Pearce at (931) 879-4450.
CABIN RENTALS
KICKING BACK CABIN. Sleeps 6-10, fully-equipped kitchen, washer/dryer, fireplace, Jacuzzi.
Very comfortably furnished. See website for pix, availability and rates.
htttp://www.kickingbackcabin.com
Brenda Lawson is renting the cabarn next to her house on Saddle Drive for a VERY reasonable
rate. It's $35 for the "ca" which is an efficiency with a queen bed and stalls in the "barn" part
are included. There are also two RV/LQ hookups for $18 per night. To check on availability or
to make a reservation, call Brenda at (931) 879-1958.
SERVICES
PET ADOPTION, Donna Drochak is a volunteer for Best Friends Sanctuary. If you need a barn
cat or a new dog, call her at 752-8388.
CUSTOM SEWING; Embroidery, slipcovers, curtains and window treatments, cushions, trailer
accessories. Call Joan; (931- 752-7643.
MOWING & WEED EATING. You choose price to fit your budget! JUST RITA; 931-879-6835.
EMERGENCY HORSESHOEING; 15 years experience. Specializing in gaited horses. Call Rita
Rosshirt, (931) 879-6835.
SPRUCE CREEK NOTARIES; Leslie Helm,752-8102; Connie Ross, 752-8920; Lorrie Sloan, 752-5855.
ODD JOBS: Mowing, weedeating, tree removal, critter sitter...all kinds of odd jobs including car
repair. We take pride in our work; references available. Call Jeff or Connie at Weedwhackers:
931-397-7678 931-397-1760 OR 931-879-2857.
DIRECTORS
Ron Brinkerhoff, (931) 752-5169, [email protected]
Beverly Chase, (931) 752-5355, [email protected]
Tracey Hatcher, (931) 4549, [email protected]
Brian Matchette, (931) 879-5312
Tom Pickard, (931) 879-6784, [email protected]
Roy Sillman, (931) 879-0508, [email protected]
Cathy Roberts, (931) 879-2002, [email protected],
OFFICERS
President: Sharon Vaughn
898 Spruce Creek Dr, Jamestown TN 38556, (931) 879-7537, [email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer: Roy Sillman
749 Deer Haven Trail, Jamestown TN 38556, (931) 879-0508 [email protected]
NEWSLETTER
Leslie Helm, (931) 752-8102, [email protected]
Donna Smith, [email protected]
2010 Membership Application Form
Mission Statement: The Spruce Creek Trails Association (SCTA) is chartered for the sole
purpose of the creation, development & maintenance of horse trails in the Spruce Creek Acres
development.
NAME:__________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS:______________________________________________________________
CITY:_____________________________STATE, ZIP___________
PHONE:___________________________E-MAIL________________________________
DUES and/or DONATION:_________________________________
($35.00/YEAR if Newsletter sent via e-mail. $39.00/YEAR if Newsletter sent by US Mail.
Send Check to: SCTA, PO Box 564, Jamestown TN 38556
Class Applying For:
Property Owner______Commercial______
Lot Number:_________
QUESTIONS:
 Would you like to receive the Newsletter via E-mail?
Yes______No______
 What is your email address (please print)? _____________________________________________
 Do you use the Web Site? Yes______No______
 Would you be willing to serve on the Board of Directors?
Yes_____No_____
 Would you be willing to serve on a Committee? Yes_____No_____
Mail this form with your check to :
Roy Sillman, SCTA Treasurer
PO Box 564
Jamestown TN 38556