October, 2003 editor: Larry Ames
Fall General Meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 12, 7 PM
Willow Glen
United Methodist Church
(on Minnesota at Newport)
topic: “Zoning,
Planning, and
How it Impacts your Quality of Life
in Willow Glen”
Guest Speakers:
Laurel Prevetti, SJ Deputy Director Planning Services;
Ken Yeager, Councilmember, SJ Dist. 6
Zoning may sound like a dry subject, but it affects the quality of life here in Willow Glen. It is what we on the WGNA Board spend the most time on, and also (coincidentally?) it is the number one issue of our members, as indicated by the membership forms.
Zoning continues to be a hot issue: can this business operate past midnight? Can someone build five houses on that lot where one house once stood? Should the high-density housing at the edge of Willow Glen be six or eleven stories tall? What about the infrastructure: parks, schools, streets and traffic? And the alphabet-soup representing indecipherable jargon! CUP, CEQA, NegDec; Planned Development, Conditional Use Permits, Negative Declarations, etc., etc., and so forth.
Well, come to our annual Fall General Meeting! Laurel Prevetti from the City Planning Department will explain all! And District 6 Councilmember Ken Yeager will speak on the “lessons learned” from the recent Alma Bowl Site planning exercise for part of the Tamien Station Area. All that, and you get to meet your neighbors and greet your WGNA representatives!
See you on the 12th!
Letter from the President
Helen Solinski
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association who voted in the June election. The WGNA board is made up of a diverse group of experienced volunteers, dedicated to providing support and direction to our members. I believe it is an honor to serve our community and I will work hard to achieve our goals.
We have a busy year ahead of us. WGNA is focusing its efforts on Planning and Land issues such as the Tamien Development, the future Alma Bowl and Elks Club projects, the new larger Albertson’s on Bird Ave, and the Measure F dollars soon to be spent on our local schools. WGNA supports “smart growth”, encouraging input from the surrounding neighborhoods. San Jose is expanding and this growth makes WGNA’s involvement in the planning process critical.
Aside from planning issues, WGNA is busy positioning ourselves on other committees such as, Parks & Rec, Airport Curfew, WGHS/WGMS Foundation, Beautification, Lincoln Ave Parking Committee and many more. We feel our presence is important. Involvement will help us stay on top of what’s happening in our community.
In between WGNA meetings, my husband and I welcomed our first child into our lives. Our son Carson is 3 months old and already a veteran of many WGNA events. I look forward to raising him in Willow Glen, and hope some day he will be as passionate as I am in the preservation of our wonderful city.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!
Helen Solinski, WGNA President
Lincoln Avenue Improvements
by Councilmember Ken Yeager
There have been many great improvements on Lincoln Avenue that I want to highlight for you. I hope residents have noticed the street looking cleaner and more attractive over the past year.
Many of the enhancements focused on pedestrian safety. One of the more noticeable additions included installing pedestrian yield signs in the median of the street. By making Lincoln Avenue a test site for this new kind of signage, residents were able to benefit from pioneering approaches to traffic management.
We were pleased to be able to bring portering and power washing to Lincoln Avenue last year. These services were important to clean up the sidewalks from dirt, grime, and trash, making store frontage more appealing. It was a wonderful service, which we had to temporarily halt due to the City’s current budget restraints. I am committed to bringing these services back, once a new source of funds can be found.
In an ongoing effort to remove trash from Lincoln Avenue, we identified 50 trash receptacles to replace and supplement 30 old receptacles. We also added Saturday pick-up to the normal collection service along the length of the business district. This additional service has corrected most of the overflow problems experienced on the weekends.
Much time and attention was devoted to re-landscaping the City’s planters, including planting a type of garlic known to discourage pigeons. The City worked with members of the Business Association (WGBPA) on other ways to rectify pigeon problems in front of their businesses.
In an effort to increase lighting levels, new floodlights were installed at eight of the archways along Lincoln Avenue to better illuminate the crosswalks. This, coupled with the replacing of numerous existing light fixtures on Lincoln, makes it easier and safer to stroll the storefronts at night.
These lights will use new types of light bulbs that burn brighter and are more commonly available. This replacement plan will continue as the older lights burn out so that lighting levels will be consistent along Lincoln Avenue.
No street improvement project would be complete without examining the infrastructure. In this case, the City was able to inspect, repair, and clean the storm drain system embedded in Lincoln Avenue.
One project that will take place in the next six months is the instillation of pedestrian uplights. Funds for this safety improvement were approved by City Council in for two locations on Lincoln Avenue. Uplights utilize flashing lights embedded in the roadway. When a pedestrian enters the crosswalk, they trigger a motion detector that engages the lighting bordering the crosswalk.
Of course, keeping innovative and prominent retail on Lincoln Avenue remains a major focus. The City’s Office of Economic Development worked with the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association (WGBPA) to conduct a study of retail needs on Lincoln Avenue, including business recruitment in the future.
As always, please feel free to contact my office at 408/277-5166 or at Ken.Yeager@sanjoseca.gov if you would like to discuss this or any other issue. To find out more about what is happening in Willow Glen, visit the District 6 website at
www.ci.san‑jose.ca.us/council/dist6.
Alma Bowl Site
Ken Yeager, SJ Dist. 6
On September 30, the San Jose City Council held a public hearing regarding Tamien Place, a proposed housing development featuring two 11-story towers located on Alma Street just east of Highway 87. The City Council heard from many members of the community, including representatives from WGNA and NWGNA. While there was strong opposition to the project voiced by a coalition of neighborhood associations, the Council approved the zoning for the project. I was the only councilmember voting no.
My strongest objection to the Tamien Place project is that it does not fully meet Smart Growth or Transit Oriented Development principles. One of the basic elements of good transit oriented development is a mix of uses. Buildings need to be oriented to the street. Building setbacks must be minimized, and the design must include a high level of architectural detail. Transit must be fast, frequent and reliable. Tamien Place fails on most of these counts.
A very important aspect of Smart Growth is that the development is integrated into the existing neighborhood. It should be part of its surroundings, not separate. Tamien Place, with one vehicular access into an underground parking garage, and interior private open space doesn’t meet these principles.
As proposed, the towers’ conceptual design does not create a ‘landmark quality’ gateway entry. Councilwoman Chavez agreed with this, and in her motion required that Barry Swenson use an outside architect with expertise in mid-rise residential design to redesign the project to a more suitable appearance.
One of the main objections to Tamien Place voiced by community groups was that no clear plan was developed for the creation of parkspace as required by the Tamien Station Area Specific Plan. Kudos go to Councilwoman Chavez for her success in negotiating with the VTA for purchase of adjacent land that makes park development a reality rather than a dream.
We know how to build appropriate transit oriented development. The Crossings in Mountain View, or Almaden Village in Almaden Valley are excellent examples of projects that are high density, appropriate for the area, and well received by residents and buyers. Tamien Place was not in this category.
I am in complete support of well-planned transit oriented development. We owe it to current and future residents to create interesting, functional, beautiful, and accessible places to live. I will work hard to make sure that future transit oriented development meets these requirements.
Turning Your Trash into Treasure
Blanca Alvarado, County Supervisor Dist. 2
Find out what
the County’s Home Composting Program can do for you!
Did you know that nearly 35% of what Santa Clara County residents throw into the garbage or place into yard waste recycling could easily be composted at home?
The County of Santa Clara Home Composting Education Program wants to show you how to use this valuable resource while simultaneously reducing the solid waste that ends up in our local landfill.
What is
Compost?
Compost is a dark, crumbly, sweet-smelling soil mixture that can be added to your garden to improve plant and vegetable growth. Compost is made up of partially decomposed plant material and other organic wastes that include fruit, vegetable, and yard trimmings.
Home Composting Helps You
and Your Plants
Not only does composting help the
environment, its benefits around the house have led gardeners to call compost
their “black gold.” Compost saves you
money by lowering your garbage bills and replacing your store-bought garden
conditioners. Compost also helps garden
and house plants by improving the fertility and health of your soil.
Homemade compost
is not the same as the multipurpose composts that you buy in garden centers. Store-bought composts add non-organic mixtures
to your yard such as fertilizers and other chemicals. Store-bought composts can also cost a gardener $50 a year. When you compost on your own, the only
things you need are kitchen scraps, yard trimmings, and a little time to
produce a healthy organic soil.
Learn to Compost
The County of Santa Clara Home Composting Education Program offers fun and interactive classes that teach the basics of successful composting.
The workshops are free and take place in most cities throughout the county.
To find a schedule of upcoming workshops, visit the Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission’s website at www.ReduceWaste.org and click on “Home Composting.”
Master Composter Volunteer Program
The Home Composting Program also has a Master Composter Volunteer Program to increase community outreach within the county. The training is free and includes workshops on the art and science of composting, field trips, certification, and all training materials.
Upon graduation, Master Composters can do public outreach projects throughout the county including ‘Composting Basics’ workshops for adults, worm composting classes for children, and dozens of large and small conferences, seminars, and table displays.
The application deadline for the Master Composter Volunteer training program occurs each year on January 1. For 2004, classes will begin on January 7 and continue through March 10.
If you would like to attend a workshop, become a Master Composter, seek composting advice, buy a compost bin, or ask any other questions about this unique County service, call the Home Composting Education Program ‘Rotline’ at (408) 918-4640.
County of Santa Clara
Household Hazardous Waste Program
Cathy Marshall
Reduce
Buy non-toxic alternatives if available.
Buy only what you need.
Use the products completely.
Store the products to prevent spoilage.
Re-use
Give products to someone who can use them.
Visit the County's Re-use Program.
Recycle
Bring wastes to the HHW drop-off events. It is unsafe to dispose of hazardous waste with regular trash. Improper disposal increases harmful contaminants in local landfills, causes environmental degradation, pollutes the bay, endangers refuse workers, and increases risks to public health and safety.
Collection of Hazardous Pesticides
- 408-299-7300 or visit the “What's New” page on the HHW website at www.hhw.org
Oil Recycling Services
- For the location nearest you, please call 1-800-C-L-E-A-N-U-P or visit the website at www.1800cleanup.org
Restrictions at HHW Drop-off Events
- For information on proper disposal of waste that are not acceptable (and to see what those are) at the drop off events please call 408-299-7300
What if I Have Business Waste?
- Please call 408-299-7300
Other Programs and Services - Please call 408-299-7300
- HHW Re-use program
- City Programs
- Storage of hazardous chemicals in closed, leak-proof containers
- Transportation of hazardous waste
Neighborhood Street Trees
Helen Solinski
Who maintains my street trees? It's the property owners responsibility to maintain street trees but the city does provide some assistance for property owners such as the removal of dead trees, trimming for vehicle clearance on a 10 year cycle and advice on street tree maintenance.
What if I can't afford to do the work? The city provides financial assistance to low-income seniors and disabled residents in owner occupied homes. To see if you qualify, please call 408/277‑2762.
How do I make sure it's done correctly? Free permits are required for street tree pruning, removal or planting. The permits provide information on how to do the work correctly. For street tree services call 408/277‑2762.
What if I don't get a permit? Tree removal or pruning without a permit or improper pruning with a permit can result in a fine of $150.00 to $1,000 depending on the size of the tree and the extent of damages. Prune trees for structure and clearance. Quickly treat any diseases and insect problems you find. Well-maintained street trees increase property value and make our neighborhoods safe and attractive for all to enjoy.
Guide for Old House Preservation
Hugh Graham
Check out the San Jose Planning web site at:
http://www.ci.sj.ca.us/planning/sjplan/. It is continually updated and there is a lot of information of potential interest to Willow Glen residents.
One item of interest to owners of older houses is “Your Old House: Guide for Preserving San Jose Homes”. This is a set of design guidelines that describes how to rehabilitate the exterior of San Jose’s old homes in a way that is sensitive and thoughtful in order to maintain the character of individual homes as well as neighborhoods. The guidelines are available to any San Jose resident contemplating rehabilitation work to their older or historic home. The Historic Landmarks Commission will use the guidelines as a basis for the review of Historic Preservation Permits for modifications or alterations to City Landmark homes. The City Council approved the guidelines on August 19, 2003.
Caution; this is a 144 page, 47.6 MB adobe acrobat document and took me 21 minutes to download even on a DSL line. Hard copies should be available from San Jose Planning by the end of October. A price has yet to be determined.
Other items of possible interest include:
§ draft of the city’s proposed new “Public Outreach Policy” for proposed development projects of significant neighborhood interest,
§ an updated copy of the City General Plan and map,
§ the new Zoning Ordinance and zoning map,
§ information for building / land use permit applicants, and the proposed “Beverage Service Business” ordinance.
Trails Updates
Larry Ames
If you go back thru the past editions of this newsletter, you’ll see that for nearly twenty years I’ve been writing about how the City is planning in the next year or two to extend the Los Gatos Creek trail on to Downtown. I say that again. However, this time it looks like it will happen: the money is allocated; engineering drawings are to be completed sometime this month (including a stream-crossing that utilizes the old wood train trestle pictured in the last newsletter); the environmental review is to be done in Feb. ’04, and bid, award, and construction is scheduled for June ’05 to Oct ’07.
Another good sign: concrete is actually being poured now on one portion of the trail extension: the foundation is already in place for a bridge that will connect the Los Gatos Creek Trail at Lonus (near Lincoln and Coe) over to Fuller (near the Gregory Tot Lot, north of the Palm Haven district). The estimated completion date is Jan. ’04.
In an earlier newsletter, I wrote that the Guadalupe River Trail was built under I-280 by the Children’s Discovery Museum, but was still fenced off while a flood-control project was constructed. Well, the project is still under construction and the trail is still fenced off, but it looks like it will eventually be open one of these days: check for a notice on the eList.
Yves Zsutty, Trails Coordinator for the City of San Jose, recently hosted a public hearing about a month ago to present alternative plans for extending the Guadalupe River Trail southward. The plans he showed has the trail on the west side of the river (so that the project won’t be dependent on the timing of SCVWD flood-control projects), extending upstream (south) to the old Willow Street at 87, from whence it spirals up and over the busy new Willow Street and connects to the existing bike trail along highway 87. For more information, contact Yves at 408/794‑1302 or by email at yves.zsutty@ci.sj.ca.us.
And progress is also being made on the “Willow Glen Spur” Trail, a “Rails to Trails” conversion of the WG Spur line that once served the canneries downtown. This trail will connect the Los Gatos Creek Trail (near Lincoln) to the Guadalupe River Trail (by Alma Bowl and the Elks Lodge), and on to the Coyote Creek Trail (at Kelley Park). The news is that Santa Clara County Parks has contributed $2 million from their Park Acquisition fund to help San Jose acquire the railroad right-of-way for recreational trail use. The Open Space Authority is adding a million dollars to the fund, as part of their parks within urban areas program. And the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) is contributing another $300k, as part of their streamside trail grant program. Toss in a couple million from the City’s parks funds and it’s enough to save the trail corridor! This is truly an amazing project: thanks to grassroots community activism and the support and efforts of Councilmember Ken Yeager, once the opportunity presented itself with the closure of the rail line, this went from a line on some strategic plan to a funded trail project is under a year!
Xmas Trees
Wish your block could join in on the tradition of decorating for the Holidays? The “how to” article from a few years back has been updated and posted on the www.wgna.net website, or call us at 294‑WGNA and we’ll mail you a reprint.
WGNA Board Election Results
Larry Ames
As this is the first news letter since the May election, here are the official results: more than a quorum of the WGNA membership voted (thanks!), and each of the candidates got a majority of the votes cast. Thank you for giving us the “official stamp of approval”!
President: Helen Solinski
1st VP: Larry Ames
2nd VP: Ellen Santomauro
Treasurer: Margaret Hardy
Secretary: Cathy Marshall
Elected Board: Charley Luckhardt, Edward Rast, Mary Salcido, and Jim Spence.
The President also appoints between two and four additional member to the Board: Helen has appointed Hugh Graham and Matt Hall.
Welcome, all, and congratulations.
The Willow Glen Beautification Project
Mary Salcido
There’s nothing like strolling down Lincoln Avenue, enjoying the sights and delights of our downtown. It's always a fun pastime… and the “past times” will soon be the focal point of a new project of the Willow Glen Beautification Project. “Signs of the Times” features historical photographs of our local business district. These photos have been made into 4" ´ 4" ceramic tiles and will be mounted on various locations on the Avenue. The street scenes with vintage cars and businesses are like windows into our past.
“Signs of the Times” is the latest addition in an impressive list of community art sponsored by the Willow Glen Business & Professional Assoc. (WGBPA). Their efforts have led to the three sculptures on Lincoln Avenue and the whimsical pieces in both Willow St. - Bramhall Park and Wallenberg Park. The beautiful tile mural in the patio of the Willow Glen branch library was another WGBPA project, utilizing the talents of artist Nina Koepcke and the local children from the library’s Story Hour.
The dedicated group of individuals on the WGBPA is always looking for fresh ideas and faces to join the committee. They hold meetings on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 P.M. at the Willow Glen Coffee Roasting Company on Lincoln Avenue.
WG Middle & High School Foundation
Ellen Santomauro
Just in case you haven't marked your calendar yet - - now’s the time. The Willow Glen Middle School and High School Foundation is holding the second annual wine-tasting benefit on Sunday, November 9th from 2 to 7 PM at the Grapevine on Lincoln Avenue. Last year's event, which featured tastings of excellent wines, hors d'oeuvres, music by guitarist Kris Johnson and an exhibit of student art, was a great success raising $5,000.00 for the schools. This year's benefit will include all that and a silent auction as well. It's an opportunity to chat with friends, meet faculty members and purchase wine for the holidays. Tickets (which are tax deductible) are $35 per person. Buy your tickets today by calling Donna Lovell, 267-0605 or send a check payable to WGMS & HS Foundation: P.O. Box 8096, San Jose, CA 95155-8096 and pick up your tickets at the door. See you there!
The Holidays Are Coming
Ellen Santomauro
Plans for the 2003 Downtown
Willow Glen Holiday Program are underway! The Willow Glen Business and
Professional Association has started planning for another successful and enjoyable
program. Hoping to build on the success from the 2002 program, the 2003 program
will include an expanded number of days for the Horse and Carriage Ride, Carolers,
Ornament Making, Cookie Decorating, a Santa House and weekly drawings. Please
watch for more details in the coming weeks. For questions, contact Norma at info@downtownwillowglen.org.
Happenings on the eList
Larry Ames
The WGNA electronic-age equivalent of town-crier and chat-with-the-neighbors-over-the-back-fence continues to thrive. (If you haven’t signed on yet, all you need to do is send an email message to admin@wgna.net with the words “add elist” in the subject line, and we’ll subscribe you and send you an informational “welcome message”.) The eList is a stream of messages from your neighbors: notices of garage sales, recommendations for local suppliers and services, neighborhood alerts, and an occasional tall tale (see below).
Various community recommendations have been collected in a “page” on the www.wgna.net website: just click on the “community recommendations” tab in the left column. The webpage is now an indexed file some 20 pages long, covering topics ranging from plumbers and roofers (well, we have a lot of old houses in Willow Glen) to DSL providers and web-designers (hey, this is Silicon Valley). And, if you like the service you receive from someone, tell your friends and neighbors. Include “okay to quote” in the text, and we’ll add it to the recommendations webpage.
Note: the “community recommendations” are just that: recommendations made by folks in the community. They are not official WGNA endorsements, and there are no guarantees. You are free to email those who made the recommendations if you wish to ask follow-up questions, but you decide whether or not to hire any particular service provider.
*****
Not everything on the eList is serious, and neither is life in Willow Glen, so why should the newsletter be all news? Herewith is a reprint from a message David Sarasua posted on the eList.
“We
had a bug problem in the san jose area and to get rid of the bug - roaches, we
asked several people on what they would do. Everyone was spraying and we try to
be environmentally correct. It really bothered me to hire a bug company. I have
a passion for gardening and was extremely troubled with this. It was not the
money it was the idea that once you start spraying you are condemned to spray
all the time.
Anyway, one of the people we asked was Andy Mariani of
Mariani Orchards. They have chickens and the purpose was to keep the bug
problem in bay. I thought this was a great idea. What harm could a chicken
do. Well things did not work out as
planned. Most of the neighbor hood hired the bug company.
Well,
I drove down to Gilroy to purchase these chickens. They where only a dollar
apiece so I bought 12 chickens. No big deal.
First of all they where a joy in our lives. They lived in our yellow
recycling box. We had no clue on how to take care of these animals so we turned
to Andy Mariani and he stated that it was important to keep the baby chickens
warm. The joy was to watch our daughter take care of the animals. Actually that
is not true. I changed their towel each morning. Made sure that they had water
and food and took one out every once in a while and really enjoyed their
company. Our daughter would hold one once in a while. They lived in the guest
bathroom.
I was very proud of myself in that for
$12 dollars I solved our bug problem. The only drawback was that I had to care
for these animals for a while and that I could not eat chicken. How could you
eat your daughter pet? I would drive past Colonel Sanders and think how
horrible a place that was. They are eating these lovely creatures. I remember
going to a friends house. They had a bucket of chicken. How terrible I thought.
I just could not bring myself to eat.
When
we put them out in the back yard they ate the whole back yard. I am not kidding
when I say this. They ate the grass, Agapathus, pacific coast iris, and
anything else they could get their beaks into.
They ate about $10,000 worth of landscaping. We would run to the store
and buy them a case of cabbage a couple of times a week to try and keep them
from eating the back yard. We failed.
If
you want to have a good laugh, try buying a case of cabbage from safeway. They
look at you very strange. The first time they did not know how to deal with the
situation. There are ten people in line and you have two cases of cabbage. Well
cabbage is usually sold by the lb so they tried to weigh the cabbage. After
much embarrassment we agreed on $30 a case.
When
we first bought the house, we thought of hiring a goat to demolish the back
yard but instead hired a landscaping crew to deal with the problem. I was
concerned that I would not be able to control a goat. I thought what harm could
a chicken do. After they devoured the back yard, no big deal. You cannot cry over spilt milk. No more
problems. Well. not true. I used to feed them hot dogs. They where usually on
sale at the super market for $1 a lb. Very inexpensive. Well when I used to get
home they would peck on the back door. Lets be honest - they did not peck, they
bang on the back door. We have a sliding glass door. Or should I say had a
sliding glass door. Well one day I came home and the door was broken. A $1,000
dollar door. Try explaining to your insurance company how the door got broken.
I thought about lying to the insurance broker and decided it was not a good
idea. My thought was to state that the door was hit by a base ball. Instead I
decided to be honest. My insurance broker is still laughing on this issue. They
did pay the bill but it was not worth all the ridicule that we took. My agent
stated that you need to put up a sign "Beware dangerous chickens in the
back yard - Enter at your own risk." Remember these where all hens. No
roster. What harm could hens do. Boy was I so naive.
Well
we stopped feeding them hot dogs.
These 12 chickens became 5 over their
life time. Not only having roaches, we have raccoons. We did not know we had
raccoons. Well once in a while we would hear the god awful noise. A raccoon
would jump our fence and the chickens would run for their lives. We never knew
we had raccoons. Apparently they use the sewer system to move about through the
city.
So
now we are down to 5 chickens. Well our five chickens are pretty old now -
about eight years old so they do not lay. We have no more wandering chickens as
they all stay in the back yard. If I open the gate, I am always careful to
close the gate. We learn to deal with
the raccoons and these old chickens eat the bugs and all is well. Well not
true. My wife loves the eggs. According to her and everyone else the eggs are
very good. They are very different from
the ones that you buy in the store. When you crack open an egg, the white does
not run and the yoke is high up on the skillet. I have a difficult time eating
eggs as I was not so familiar where a egg came from. Every egg my mother got
was white and ran over the skillet like it was suppose to. These did not do
that and to be honest, I was suspicious when I saw something new.
Do
you really know what an egg is? To be honest, I never thought of this that much
as it was something that we had for breakfast. It come in an egg carton and was
very good. I sort of correlated the fact that an egg was a unborn chicken but
once I got that correlation worked out, I could not eat an egg. If you never
seen a chicken lay an egg, it is an experience. They lay all over the back yard
and that is why we have easter egg hunts to see where these birds decided to
lay there eggs.
There
is one chicken that sticks her head in a one gallon pot - the pot is laid on
the side and she drops her egg. Not sure why she sticks her head in the pot but
she does. This makes it very easy to watch her drop her egg.
We
as human beings are taught a lot of things. A chicken has a lot of instincts.
For example, when it gets dark, they look for height and safety. If it is dark
and you are the tallest thing around. They will jump on your head and roost.
Chickens
run in gangs. There is safety in numbers. They are quite passive in gangs but
quite agitated alone.
Well
we do not have any landscaping in the back yard and we learn how not to feed
the chickens hot dogs. Because my wife loves the eggs, I had to go out and buy
six new baby chicks.
I
no longer have a problem eating at Colonel Sanders. I also have no problem
eating eggs but I buy mine at costco and they are in an egg carton. My wife and
child eat the brown ones and I eat the ones in the carton. I would take up
spraying now that I have been through all this but the spray would kill the
chickens. Hmm!!”
~ David Sarasua
Snickerdoodles
Helen Solinski
one of my favorites for the holidays!
Ingredients:
|
1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 1/3 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 3 cups all purpose flour |
1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cream of tartar 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cinnamon 3 Tbsp sugar |
In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and the 1 1/3 cups sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt, gradually add to butter mixture, blending thoroughly.
In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and the 3 Tbsps sugar. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Place at least 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Enjoy!
