What: Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano, April Monthly Meeting  

Where: 5228 Tennyson Parkway; Plano  

When: Tuesday, April 10th; 9:30 Refreshments; 10:00  

Meeting Program: Karen Jordan and Janye Anderson present the play "Lettice and Lovage."  

Visit the official website for further information regarding this women's social club. 

The first Annual Frisco Dog Park Charity Golf Tournament will be held Friday, April 13th with an 8 AM shotgun start and 4 man scramble at Frisco Lakes Golf Club. Golfer registration is now open. Space is limited, so be sure to register soon - first come, first served! The event will include: shotgun start, breakfast, lunch, 2 drink tickets, contests, raffle, silent auction, golfer goody bags with 2 free golf passes & other prizes, and an awards reception following the tournament. You will also have an opportunity to compete for Hole-in-One Prizes: $25,000 CASH, Electronics, Golfer Package, and a Vacation for Two! Click here for more information.

HOLY TEMPLE CATHEDRAL OF PRAISE:

Holy Temple Cathedral of Praise invites you to join them at their Sunday services each week. They're located in Plano at 909 Spring Creek Pkwy, Suite 350 Plano, TX 75023. Find out more about them here.

NEW - SPECIAL OLYMPICS NEEDS VOLUNTEERS: 

It's easier than you think to be a part of something special!

Every athlete needs support when they train and Special Olympics athletes are no different.

The Frisco Flyers participate in several sports throughout the year, including bowling, track and field, swimming and basketball. We are currently seeking volunteers to help make this possible.

One hour a week has never meant to so many!

Please contact Dee Hall at  or 847-542-2291

Help keep our kids smiling!

Frisco Lacrosse will be hosting Wounded Warrior Weekend 2012 with over 1,000 lacrosse players from North Texas and Oklahoma competing on May 5th & 6th  at BF Phillips Park. Money raised will benefit The Wounded Warriors Project. There will be 32 games played each day starting at 9am. Come out and watch the fastest growing sport in Texas and support our troops returning home!

UPDATED - COLLIN COUNTY SONGWRITERS & MUSICIANS TO PERFORM AT ARTS IN THE SQUARE THIS WEEKEND: 

 

March 31 - April 1 Frisco Square

Frisco Square Development announce the Frisco Arts Collin County Songwriters Association are providing the musical entertainment for Arts in the Square 2012. Members of the CCSA and colleagues from Dallas Songwriters Association are bringing their music to this event both March 31st and April 1st, 2012, from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. on two stages both days.   

CCSA performances also include musical entertainment for the associated Arts Gala at Frisco's Discovery Center and Black Box Theatre from 8 p.m. until midnight on the evening of March 31st in the Gala's VIP Lounge.  Scheduled performers include: Anna Eadie (Variety), Casey Graham (Folk), Dr. O's Medicine Show, Crosswinds Jazz Band, Delaney Watts (Country), Gary Burch, Curtis Box and the Santa Fe Line (Country), Matt Nix, Michael "The Mudcat" Reames (Big Band and Blues), NAMS Student Bands (Rock and Variety), Nelson Miller (Rock, Country and Pop), Rod Ballou (Country), Ryan Michael Galloway (Folk-Jazz, Classic Rock), Steve Anderson (Blues), and Todd Terrill (Rock, Americana). The entire line-up of musicians can be viewed here. 

CCSA was founded in 2006 to promote and support the development of songwriters and musicians, with a focus on Collin County, Texas. In addition to music industry education, they work to help local songwriters reach a wider audience, locally and globally, and foster relationships between songwriters and musicians.  The performers will play a wide variety of music, including Americana, Texana, Pop, Country, Rock, Blues, Big Band Jazz, Folk, and Bluegrass-both cover and original songs.

Frisco Arts Fever,  a 1970's style disco and casino night,  takes place at the Frisco Discovery Center on Saturday, March 31st from 8PM to midnight.  Tickets are $100 each with free valet parking for all guests. Members of Frisco Arts are eligible for a 20% discount.

Admission includes food, beer, wine and signature drink by Margaux's Bridge Bistro; starter chips for Poker, Craps, and Black Jack tables (exchangeable for a raffle ticket), costume and dance contest, live music and comedy in "Studio 8004" Lounge, complimentary photograph by Silver Star Pictures, and a take-home gift.  Additional raffle tickets and a cash bar with mixed drinks will also be available.  Tickets are limited, so purchase early! All proceeds will benefit the arts in Frisco.

The Frisco Discovery Center, located at 8004 N. Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX, is managed by Frisco Association for the Arts, a non-profit organization supporting and promoting the arts in Frisco. Follow us on our Facebook page, or Twitter (@Frisco_Arts) for details on upcoming events.   

Contact (972)668-5180 or visit friscoarts.org for more information.

Collin County Ballet Theatre and The Westin Stonebriar present the

Cinderella Tea 

Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 2:00-4:00 p.m.

$30 per person
Cinderella Tea Reservation Form  

Rescheduled: Primaries, Caucuses, Conventions & Texas Politics...Everything You Ever Thought You Wanted To Know!  

Join the Texas Democratic Women of Collin County on Thursday, April 5,  7-9 p.m., at Collin College - Frisco Campus, 9700 Wade Blvd, Building J, Rm. J113 for an evening of exciting discussion regarding the ever-changing Texas Primary and conventions!

Learn how the new maps will affect you!

Find out how you can become a delegate at the County Convention on April 21st without going to a precinct caucus and find out about the Primary Election scheduled for May 29th.

The session is free and open to the public - RSVP here.

TDWCC is a dedicated group of Democratic Women, working to EDUCATE Collin County citizens, ACTIVATE voters, and ELECT Democrats to local, state, and federal offices. The group meets every 4th Monday at Collin College. Meetings are open to the public.

NEW - LANDSCAPE DESIGN/DETAIL (Early April):

             SUBMITTED BY: Glenn Everett Kopanski, United States Navy (Retired)

Glenn Kopanski

As we head into April the weather will begin getting hotter and working outdoors will begin slowing down. So, now is the time to get going as far as an outdoor plan. You can still do some minor pruning now so take a good look at your trees and look for dead branches; get them pruned off at this time. If you see sap running you may want to apply a healing compound and seal the area affected and we do that to protect it from insects. If you have trees staked I would remove them because it is 'babying' the tree; it needs to sway naturally, without that the trees' trunks will be weakened, so in my own opinion (and some with differ from me) I would remove any stake from any tree. Planting trees at this time is acceptable however if you wait until late April you may likely put that tree in jeopardy of dying, so if you do plan on planting any trees later than April 15th I would hold off until November. Iron deficiencies can show up on alkaline soils, fertilizers can still be applied mainly on most Pines and Oak Trees. You can pound in fertilizer spikes especially on older Trees, it equals nutrients which most Old Trees seek, but do not wait too long time is running out. If you have plans on fertilizing topically with Miracle Gro the fertilizer you hook up to a hose, ensure you go behind that watering everything you just applied off any leaves, the intense sunlight can burn leaves. As far as your Perennials some have finished blooming, I have a little secret for you, give that plant a nice haircut pruning off all prior blooms and you just might get a second bloom. This is most noted on Phlox and Candy turfs my two favorite flowers. Mine keep on blooming as I de-head and prune off old blooms. Keep a very close eye on your Perennials insects will now be playing a part of their survival. If you see a Powdery Mildew you have an issue, most noted on Ornamental plants then anything. Caterpillars and Beatles are the two responsible for Mildews. If you see any Insect damage then my recommendation is to spray a Bacterial soap or a Fungus Control Aid. You may also begin to see another issue with a gray mold (Botrytis) will attack the leaves on most flowers due to a wet weather pattern that can cause tissue to Brown and rot with a gray, fuzzy growth, apply soap and wash the plant off when done using rubber gloves to do the work.

Lesson of the Week: The Importance of Fertilization

Plants and Trees make their own food without fertilizing called Photosynthesis which utilizes the energy of the Sun to create sugar from carbon dioxide and water. We as humans have developed food to assist our Landscape look to its best. Of the thirteen essential nutrients, three of them are from Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen is obtained from our Water and Air. The second necessary Nutrients come from Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur and these are used more so then most Nutrients Plants need. If your Soil is acidic it is missing Calcium and Magnesium. Next we come to Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium these are the Macronutrients or primary elements. We tend to over use these elements and this is why elements like these come in short supplies. It is essential to have good soil, without the Nutrients your true potential whether it is Turf or into the Garden they will never show off themselves the way that they should. I highly recommend you have your soil tested every 2-3 years. Any further questions please contact me at my home's email address below in my signature line. Always more than happy to assist if needed.

My Two Weekly Landscape Terms and Descriptions

I do this so you can have the overall knowledge of a true Landscaper's language and we cannot fool you, so here goes for this week.

Landscape Term#1: Drip line

The distance from a tree's Trunk to the outer tips of the Branches

Landscape Term #2: Harden-Off

The process of gradually acclimating Plants from an Indoor environment to an outdoor one.

My Weekly Tree - Shrub - Flower - Ornamental Grasses & Groundcover:

For new subscribers: I do this so you can have options and can rely on these selections I give can take this weather we get in this part of the country. Selections can all tolerate drought conditions within reasons and extended heating periods. Keep in mind, please, that our weather seems to be changing, and we must change with it, so here goes for this week.

Tree of the Week: Desert Willow

This is a Small Ornamental Tree with an open airy form that begins showing off it's beautiful Trumpet shaped Flowers borne in the mid Spring lasting all Summer into the Fall. Pink, White, Rose or Lavender colors are all available. Excellent for long Drought and can survive with very little water at all. If you love Hummingbirds or Monarch Butterflies this is your Tree, you will have a lot of those if chosen. Planting a little further from the house is advised. Height: 25ft Spread: 15ft Width.

Shrub of the Week: Abelia

This beautiful Shrub has graceful arching branches with bronzy new growth and delicate bell shaped flowers during the summer months. Nice Plant for areas that are empty and need something that will grow into a Ball shaped. Little to no maintenance. Height: 4ft Spread: 4ft Width.

Flower of the Week: Mexican Bush Sage (Perennial)

Long slender variety in deep Purple or deep Rose with small white flowers in the fall can sure spruce up any kind of Landscape theme. Can be used in Planters but looks great in any Rock Garden.

Ornamental Grass of the Week: Sweet Flag

Evergreen Grass like Plant with glossy green leaves. Tiny Flowers tend to pop up as this ages. If used next to a water source or Pond it can look great. Height: 12in Spread: 12-14ft Width/Depth.

Groundcover of the Week: Cotoneaster

This is a low growing groundcover that spreads gracefully. Leaves turn an Orange color to Red in the fall and look great along any Walkway or in Shaded areas. Great addition if used wisely. Height: 2ft Spread: 6in Width.

That is this week's report for you. If you have questions or need more selections contact me at my email address below. Please remember that our soil is still quite saturated and needs no more water at this time. The drought has let up but the restrictions continue and for reasons. Like I say all the time, we must stay in a conservation level due to increases populations and building with no new lakes in the works so it benefits is all to not waste. Keeping our city free of trash and cigarette b utts not only keeps our city beautiful but keeps home values up in a big way. Frisco is fast becoming the place to live, if we keep it that way the possibilities are endless. This is going to be my 7th year doing this for you. Both Matt & Erika support my mission in our Schools and are both very good people I am forever honored to know. I am a Disabled Veteran and Naval Retiree with an uncertain future due to blood flow in my legs slowing down, and amputations are looking more and more real, so having this to do for you all means a lot to me. I believe in our Country and our Community and bringing us all as equals, that is what makes America so great!!!

Comment of the Week: Caring

I have a 70+ neighbor who is a Widow and alone, recently I walked down with my shower chair and bag and dug out a ton of weeds that got out of control, on day three of doing so another neighbor came down and joined in then another couple dipped into the soil as well, in one hour it went from me doing so alone to six of us helping this very nice woman, to step one up my direct neighbor mowed her lawn and spread Weed &Feed over the entire lawn. This is called unity and respect and I am honored to know each of these wonderful people in Frisco Lakes. I may be 54 but I love each neighbor who are my seniors but they treat me with dignity; what a way to finish my life out. Maybe we should all try this in each of our communities to someone in need that is "America" I know and fought for.

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