Gators in Nellie Gail

With summer closing in, it is nice to live in a community that offers plenty of activities and since we are in southern California, swimming ranks high on the summer activity list. The Nellie Gail Ranch Swim Club at 25281 Empty Saddle has been newly renovated and features a 7 lane, 25-Meter pool as well as a jacuzzi, locker rooms with restrooms, showers and lockers, a pro shop and clubhouse.

The swim club is host to the Nellie Gail Gators Swim Team. Formed in 1995, NGSV Gators is a rising team in Southern California, producing Junior Olympic, Sectional and National Champions. We compete in local, regional, national and international competition sanctioned by USA Swimming, the national governing body for amateur swimming. We are proud members of Southern California Swimming, the local swim chapter of USA Swimming. The Gators have had swimmers compete at every level of swimming including a gold, silver and bronze medalist in the Olympics.

Our swim club offers year-round instruction, training, and competition to young people of all abilities. For more information contact Coach Louis Demetriades (949)831-6660 or coach@ngsvgators.com or visit their web site by clicking here.

Mama and Papa Duck

Yes, we have had the Ducks over a lot while they are in town and they do have names, Mama Duck and Papa Duck. They typically come over to our house late every afternoon for hors d'oerves but will often pop by for breakfast or brunch as well. Fortunately, their unannounced visits do not require much last minute food preparation, just a slice of bread or two makes for a nice informal get together which is usually followed by time in the garden eating grass and bugs. We typically prepare a bath for them as well. It seems very appreciated. They cool their feet or tummies, drink from it and occasionally splash around in it.

We have gotten so accustomed to the Duck's daily visits that we worry when they do not show up at their usual times. Perhaps they will bring their children (ducklings) to visit soon.

Nellie Gail Ranch Board Meeting - Agenda

Nellie Gail Ranch Board of Directors will be meeting this Wednesday, May 21, 2008 7:00 PM. The Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Association welcomes you to this meeting. Your participation is encouraged. If you wish to speak on an agenda item, please submit a completed Speaker Form to the Operations Manager. If you wish to speak on a matter not on the agenda, you may do so during the Public Comment period at the close of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, no action shall be taken on any item not appearing in the agenda. To review the agenda, click here.

Major agenda items include:
Old Business - Cell Tower Proposed Resolution: Proposal from Crown Castle offering a new purchase price to the Nellie Gail Ranch Association to convert the current lease into a perpetual easement with monthly lease at $4,840.72 for one time lump sum payment of $825,000. Crown is increasing its offer from $775,000 to $825,000.

New Business - Tom Brockmiller Proposal: Approval of a 4th of July Activity Program in the Park to include the "World War II" Radio Review Band, hot dogs, balloons and dancing on the 4th of July from noon – 2:00 PM at an expense of $4,250.00. Funds will be spent from GL 5430, Promotional Activities, which has an annual budget of $51,500.00.

List of Candidates Who Qualify for the Official Ballot Who Submitted Applications by the Deadline May 16th at 5pm: Bob Bettey, Jim Cormie, Bill Enholm, John Frank, and Bill Frey.

Keuylian Open Space Variance Request

Board discussion Items: (a) Web-Site Improvements Update; (b) Research and Review Stall Rental Fees for Possible Increase of $100 per month

From Nellie Gail Ranch to SMU

Stacy Yokum with Player

Nellie Gail Ranch resident and Laguna Hills High School senior, Stacy Yokum, will be leaving her parents, Tom and Bev, as empty nesters this summer to attend Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas. Congratulations, Stacy! Stacy will be missed at the barn where she can be found riding and jumping and her horse, Player.

SMU is home of the Mustangs. So it is not surprising that she would choose to attend.

Go Stangs!

Now we are sure to see more of Tom and Bev at the barn with Player though they would like to find Player a good home. If interested, email: nelliegailranchers@gmail.com.

Earth Day - Every Day

With the proliferation of electronic commerce and media, we seem to be moving towards a paperless society. In some ways this is evidenced by the decline in readership and revenues at all of the major newspapers. I am not sure how great that really is for the environment. Biodegradable paper from renewable resources (trees) seems far superior than toxic electronic waste from non-renewable resources.

CR&R Waste Services, our local waste collection company has long provided pick-up containers for recyclables: paper; plastic; aluminium; and glass. They also will pick-up your electronic waste and other bulky items. Electronic waste (E-waste) is an item such as a computer monitor, television, cell phone or other like materials. Due to the high amounts of lead and chemicals found in E-waste, they are not allowed into local landfills. Refrigerators contain Freon and other chemicals which require special handling as well. CR&R will collect these items from your curbside for free.

Items that cannot fit in your automated containers, such as a chair or a couch, are considered "bulky items." A bulky item is an object that can be handled by a two-person crew and may include washers, dryers, sofas or other large materials. To make arrangements for a bulky item pick-up on your regular refuse collection day.

Contact the local office 24 hours prior to collection day (877-278-0446) to schedule pick-up of E-waste or Bulky Items. Each household is entitled to two free pick-ups per year without charge.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Information
It is illegal to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) through the automated residential collection program. HHW must be disposed of at a certified hazardous waste collection center. For the nearest collection center can be found by clicking here.

Household Hazardous Waste includes, but is not limited to:

Used Motor Oil
Solvents
Batteries
Cleaning Products
Wood Preservative
Old Paint
Pesticides
Pool Chemicals
Printer Cartridges
Old Road Flares
Fluorescent Lights

Thanks to CR&R, we can help make every day an Earth Day!

Gypsy's Colt

Gypsy and her colt were moved from the pipe stall on the hill to inside the barn to insure no coyotes would make a meal of the little guy. It's only been a week since birth and he is running around like a champion. He has a name now as well, thanks to the Yoder's 8 year old grandaughter, Erica, who has named him "Coco Bean".

NELLIE GAIL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN

It is important that Nellie Gail Ranch residents be prepared for possible disasters or other emergencies which can strike suddenly and at any time. Cities are mandated to prepare disaster emergency plans to allocate and dispatch emergency services such a fire, police, rescue services etc. However, in the case of major emergencies there is little that government and other agencies, such as the Red Cross, can do during the first 24-72 hours because of disruptions in communications and transportation. Most help will come at the community level where neighbors will help neighbors provided they are prepared to give that help. Neighbors Helping Neighbors has developed a 5 step preparedness plan and a meeting agenda form so people can implement the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program in their neighborhood. One form of a Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program also was displayed in the last two issues of the “Pony Express” and an article about this program was also featured recently in the Orange County Register.

Given the importance of early emergency preparedness the Board of Directors adopted in a general way the Neighbors Helping Neighbors approach at its March Board Meeting with encouragement of individual home owners to “be a neighborhood instigator” in their own neighborhood. As a “how to” aid to homeowners and to facilitate communication, the Board of Directors has authorized the creation of a “Homeowners Emergency Preparedness Committee” to be Chaired by Dr. Bryant Rossiter, a long-time resident of Nellie Gail. Please direct inquiries to him at 643-2015 or bwr@ni.net.

Rose Garden Tour

Rose Society Members Elizabeth Smith with Trudy and Erwin Berg

Saturday's Rose Garden Tour hosted by the Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain was an undeniable success with ideal weather and about 360 tickets sold (up from 300 last year). The turnout for this event was incredible with parked cars lining the streets around the tour houses and the gardens bustling with rose enthusiasts. It is difficult to imagine another plant that could draw such a crowd. Then again, it could have been the beautiful estates and gardens themselves that drew the multitude of admirers. Though I am quite sure that a cauliflower tour would not cause so many people to spend their Saturday touring gardens.


Those interested in joining the Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain or learning more about their monthly meetings with knowledgeable guest speakers, refreshments and raffles; their monthly newsletter, "The Saddleback Rose"; and their special summer and winter social events should contact Marty Hammond (949-830-3478 or blooms365@cox.net) or Rose Olivares (714-531-8186 or roa-mew@pacbell.net). Thanks to all those who participated in this event.

The Llamas are here to serve and protect

Nellie Gail Ranch is not only an equestrian community but seems to be a fine llama community as well. The llama family living in the back of the Brockmiller's home can be easily viewed from Nellie Gail Road near Oso Parkway. They seem to have adapted quite well to the hills of Laguna from their native Andes Mountains. These furry four-legged relatives of the camel are here for a reason . . . They are guard llamas and they are here to protect the Brockmiller's goats from the coyotes that roam these parts. Those are some lucky goats!

US Olympic Dressage Trials

US Olympic Dressage Trials, Dressage Festival of Champions on the Road to Hong Kong, are being held June 20-22 and June 27-29 at the Oaks Blenheim/Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park in San Juan Capistrano. This event will feature some of the world's top horses and riders as they compete to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics being held in Beijing and co-host city, Hong Kong.

The USEF Selection Trials for Dressage will also feature the National Championships for Intermediaire I, Young Adult "Brentina Cup," Young Rider, and Junior divisions.

Those interested tickets and further information click here.

Winter Migration

It seems that mallard ducks like Nellie Gail Ranch. Each year a few of these beautiful waterfowl decide to stick around to nest rather than make the migration back up to their nesting grounds in Alaska and Canada. Last spring we had a pair living in the Broken Bit area with about a half dozen ducklings waddling close behind as they would feed on the grass or swim in the pool.

This couple was nibbling on some grass and seemed a bit camera shy. They would turn and walk away from me at all angles so the best I would get was this picture from behind.


These birds migrate each year from Alaska and Canada to Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley and Mexico during winter months. This migratory route is known as the Pacific Flyway and is used by many migratory birds. The mallard duck is thought to be the most abundant duck on earth.



Mallard groups can often be seen head dipping or completely upending in the water dabbling for invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and a variety of plants. They also graze on land, feeding on grains and plants. They normally lay about a dozen eggs with an incubation period of just under a month. It's nice to see that some of these hearty travellers appreciate the fine living found in Nellie Gail Ranch!

Rose Garden Tour

The Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain is hosting the Elegant and Enchanting II Rose Garden Tour this weekend. The tour offers a rare opportunity to view private gated estates and gardens with five exceptional gardens in Nellie Gail Ranch and The Hunt Club in San Juan Capistrano.

The event is being held on Saturday, May 10th from 10AM to 4PM and is a self-guided tour. Tickets are $25 each with proceeds going towards two Saddleback Valley Community College Horticulture scholarships. Those interested should contact Irwin Berg 949-643-8487.

The Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain meets the second Thursday of every month at the Santa Margarita Water District from 7 to 9 PM with no meetings held during summer months (June, July and August). The meetings host accomplished rose experts as speakers on a variety of topics ranging from plant care to genetics. Annual membership fees are $15. You can visit their web site by clicking here: http://www.rssm.org/Home.aspx

Spanish Dressage Trainer Alfredo Hernandez Clinic

Alfredo Hernandez, the renowned Moorpark-based Spanish dressage trainer, will be hosting clinics this week at the Nellie Gail Equestrian Center dressage arena. The clinics will be held on Thursday, May 8th from 12:00 to 4:00 PM and on Friday, May 9th from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Alfredo trained in Jerez, Spain where he trained horses not only for dressage but also for bull fighting. Here in the USA he specializes in the piaffe and passage using original Spanish techniques.

The piaffe is a dressage movement with the horse moving in a highly collected and cadenced trot in place or nearly in place. The piaffe was originally used in battle to keep the horse focused, warm, and moving, ready to move forward into battle. In modern times the piaffe is mostly taught as an upper level movement in Classical dressage and as a Grand Prix level movement.

The passage is an upper-level dressage movement, in which the horse performs a highly-elevated and extremely powerful trot. The horse is very collected and moves with great impulsion.

Alfredo is the trainer for many Olympic and Grand Prix riders and has come to Nellie Gail to train FEI (International Equestrian Federation) dressage riders seeking to improve their skills for international competition. All are welcome to audit his clinic.

Cinco de Mayo Foal

Gypsy and her Cinco de Mayo baby


Got the call this morning . . . Gypsy delivered a foal last night. No one was there for the blessed moment. Mom did it all on her own. The little guy was running around the stall when Manuel went to check . . . a pleasant surprise. He looks about 20-25 lbs and about 18 inches tall at the whithers (almost all legs) with no teeth. He is a handsome miniature miniature horse. No name yet.

Owners, Brice and Tay are thrilled and no doubt will be able to sleep a little more soundly now that baby is here. Congratulations Brice, Tay and Gypsy!

Around the Ranch

NEW LITTLE NEIGHBORS AT THE EQUESTRIAN CENTER

New residents, Brice and Tay Yoder, have brought their miniture horses, Freda and Gypsy, to the Equestrian Center. The horses are a lofty 33 and 35 inches tall and come from champion Falabella (Argentine) and American Miniture bloodlines. Both of these little mares are pregnant with Gypsy due to deliver last week and Freda in about 6 weeks.

The Falabella miniature horse is one of the smallest breeds of horse in the world, 28 t0 34 inches in height. The Falabella is a rare breed, with only a few thousand existing worldwide. Falabella foals are very small, standing eight inches tall at birth.

While owners, Brice and Tay, can be found anxiously waiting the new arrival of Gypsy's four-legged bundle of joy, mother Gypsy seems to be basking in the attention with no concerns for due dates and no immediate intention of having a new little miniture miniture horse at which time the attention, of course will shift to her little darling. Gypsy knows these things because this will be her seventh foal. (You would never know by looking at her . . . perhaps a benefit of being miniture!)

Needless to say the entire barn is waiting and every morning the barn regulars go there with one question in mind, "Did it happen?" Of course, when it does come, we will post a full report with pictures. We can only hope it happens soon since Brice and Tay are diligently working on adding a barn to their backyard where the minis can finally come home!

Celebrating 16 years of service on HOA Board

Jan with her horse, Whiz Kid

Jan Curtis, one of Nellie Gail's early settlers (1980), has been the longest running member of the Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Association Board serving 16 years including several years as president. Sadly, she has decided that she will not run for re-election to the board at the end of this term. Her accomplishments and contributions to community are numerous. Visit any of the community's common areas, parks, trails, or tennis, swim and equestrian facilities, and it is very likely that Jan was involved. Her involvement was not limited to board meetings but included sweat equity with members of the board and the community often pitching in to build, plant and maintain some of the parks and trails that can be found throughout our community. These amenities have brought many families to Nellie Gail and, while appreciated, are easily taken for granted.

With this in mind, Jan was honored by some of her friends and supporters with a small luau on Saturday night. She was presented with a plaque to acknowledge the appreciation for her dedication and service to the community. While Jan will undoubtedly have more time to spend with her husband (Chuck), travel, judge dressage at equestrian shows and train some of the area's most accomplished dressage riders, she will be missed for her wisdom and wealth of knowledge regarding Nellie Gail Ranch, its governance and its people. Fortunately, we have a lasting reminder of her love and devotion to the community every time we see the wonderful amenities that she helped bring to Nellie Gail Ranch for this and future generations.

So on behalf of all those who enjoy the benefits of the Ranch . . . Thank you Jan!