January - February 2021

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Manager's Corner

Hello Tara Woods!

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Kwanzaa, Feliz Navidad, and Happy New Year! Thank goodness 2020 is gone and in our rear-view mirror; I have a feeling 2021 is going to be a great year!

I have now been in the community for almost six months, settling in and I am so happy to be here. As I’ve gotten accustom to the community, there is one thing I’d like to highlight - mosquito control. My first week here at Tara Woods, I noticed that when I went outside, I was attacked like a hamburger at a picnic. I reached out to Lee County Mosquito Control and they sent someone out to test the area and assess whether or not it needed to be fogged. Within a week they came out and within days they sent a fogger out into the community. We are happy to be able to keep an eye on this issue and make everyone as comfortable as possible in the community.

I must say the residents here do a phenomenal job of keeping their homes and home sites looking fantastic. That will certainly make my job much easier as I venture out to do inspections soon.

Sincerely,
Karen Lawson
Community Manager

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Sales Update

Know someone looking for a new home? Send them over to Tara Woods for a double win with our resident referral program! You get to have friends as neighbors and you get a referral check from us! How can you go wrong?

If you’re looking to sell your home, while it’s hard to say goodbye, and believe us, we hate to see you leave, we hope you consider listing with us. We have all the tools at our disposal to get you a great deal on the sale of your house, so you can relax and leave the hard part to us as your resale listing authority!

In September we sold four brokered homes, and in October we sold two new homes and four brokered homes. With construction on two new homes just about done, we look forward to continuing serving the community and help new families find their dream homes!

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Happy Update

This month, we have a rich, delicious recipe for chicken cacciatore that you can make in your crockpot. Read on for the full recipe for this elegant dish that’s sure to impress all your dinner guests.

Chicken Cacciatore in the Crockpot

Ingredients:

• • 3 tbsp. olive oil
• • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• • 4 chicken thighs
• • 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• • 2 onions sliced
• • 2/3 cup red wine
• • salt and pepper
• • 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• • 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• • 14oz. canned chopped tomatoes

Directions:

• 1. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the chicken portions and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes until golden all over. Use a slotted spoon to transfer chicken to crockpot.
• 2. Add the onions to the skillet and cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until softened and just turning golden. Stir in garlic, tomatoes, paste, wine, and all spices. Stir well and bring to a boil.
• 3. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken and stir to incorporate and cover the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours so the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with pasta and a loaf of good crusty bread for dipping in the sauce.

ENJOY! BUON APPETITO!

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Resident of the Month

This month's residents of the month are Dave and Frankie Lindon. They are originally from Hoover, Alabama, and while living there would vacation on Sanibel Island annually for 30 years. They were driving up to Punta Gorda to go to the muscle car museum when they came upon an open house sign in front of Tara Woods. They decided to stop and take a look at the community. They both said from the first impression at the gatehouse, and the attendant on duty who made them feel welcome, they were getting great vibes from the community. As they drove around and saw their future neighbors outside waving and saying hello to them, they immediately felt comfortable and safe here. Within 48 hours they found their beautiful house and moved in.

They can't say enough about the love and friendliness of our community. Their favorite part of living here is walking or taking golf cart rides in the nature areas. Frankie is an avid photographer and enjoys taking pictures of the beautiful areas around Tara Woods. They love the fact that the walking areas are geared towards seniors with easy walking trails.

They are both lowkey people, but that doesn't mean they aren't involved. They are always the first to lend a hand with a project for a fellow resident. Dave can be seen building handicap ramps or helping out someone who needs an extra set of hands. He also enjoys BBQ and makes some of the best smoked meat and sauce around. We are so glad that the Lindon’s chose Tara Woods as their home. We look forward to many more years as neighbors.

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Veteran Appreciation

We say “thank you for your service” to veterans all the time, and recently we chose to thank a resident for their service in a very special way. A generous donation from one of our vendors, Joshua Tree, was presented to the Horton family on November 10. They were extremely surprised, and tears were shed all around. Josh put together a landscaping package of their choice to let the Hortons decorate the outside of their home however they wanted.

Howard and Barbara Horton moved from Killen, Alabama after residing there for 36 years. They choose Tara Woods for the beautiful area, warm weather, and welcoming community.

Howard was a Marine (Oorah!) who served from 1971 to 1973 in Vietnam. Howard’s favorite part of Tara Woods is the amenities, with the pool at the top of his list. He is disabled and swimming is great therapy for him. They reside with their sweet little rescue dogs, Annie, Abbie, and Nickie, who may be small, but we know who’s really in charge.

They have two children, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. We love our residents and we love to see them smile, and we were so glad we were able to make their day with this gift.

Congratulations Howard and Barbara Horton. Thank you for choosing us!

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Create Your Own Zen

Looking for a way to relax and get-in-touch with nature without doing difficult yard work? Try your hand at a DIY mini Zen Garden! Sand, stones, and some small plants are all you need to start your journey to mindfulness and tranquility.

First, let’s look at where Zen Gardens originated. While there have been many versions of them throughout the centuries, the one you’ll most likely recognize is from Buddhist Zen Monks in the Muromachi Period. After anxieties regarding civil wars during the Heian period, people wanted gardens that reflected the Buddhist beliefs of the never-ending cycle of life after death. The always altering state of the Zen Gardens reflect life as the Buddhists know, and it brought them peace.

Interested to see if your own Zen Garden will bring you tranquility like the monks? Here are a few tips get you started:

• Use calming elements such as black and white sand, smooth stones, and small plants, but feel free to customize and add your own flares, such as essential oils, as well!
• Use a container to match your style. Wood boxes are more natural, while glass adds an elegant flare.
• Don’t forget your mini rake! Raking the sand is a great way to release stress and start your journey to finding Zen.

We hope creating your Zen Garden gives you not only a new, creative hobby, but also one that brings you some inner peace.

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Recreate Your Childhood

While there are some recipes we can happily leave in the past (looking at you, meat jelly), there are many classic recipes that we would love to see make a comeback. Trying new recipes is always fun, but sometimes nothing can satisfy your craving for a classic, home-cooked meal that brings back all the nostalgia of childhood. Whether you’re looking for some inspiration or are simply curious to compare your family recipes with someone else’s, we have some ideas for you.

A throwback appetizer that is sure to be a hit at your next potluck are Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs - they’re sweet, tangy, simple, and delicious. If you’re looking for something to feed the whole family, try Tuna Casserole or Beef Stroganoff. They both have a hearty egg noodle base and are great served fresh and as leftovers. For dessert, try an elegant Baked Alaska. With a mouth-watering pound cake on the bottom and a fluffy meringue top, your guests are sure to be impressed by this unique dish.

Have you tried any of these recipes, or will you be trying any? Whether you’ll be recreating them or not, we hope we brought back some childhood nostalgia for you with these blasts from the past.

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Black History Month

In 1926 Dr. Carter G. Woodson instituted the first week-long celebration to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to history. Prior to this time, little information could be found regarding African American history. Important achievements were left out of history books, and there was a general misconception that African Americans had made little contribution to U.S. society or history. 50 years later, the week became a month, and today February is celebrated as African American History Month. The month of February was chosen because it celebrates the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, both of whom dramatically affected the lives of African Americans. Frederick Douglass (1817-1895) was a writer, lecturer, editor, and civil rights activist who escaped slavery at age 21 and went on to campaign for the abolition of slavery, establish a newspaper, and hold the office of Minister to Haiti. He was a major voice in the anti-slavery/civil rights movement of his time. Abraham Lincoln (born February 12, 1809), as the sixteenth president of the United States, issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, thereby declaring that all slaves within the Confederacy would be permanently free. Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, founded by Dr. Woodson, sets the theme for the month.

Source: Diversity Central