Yard Contest

Nelson and Natalie have been residents of the Settlement for 10 years and 3 months. They have six children, three boys and three girls, from 18-27 years old. They currently have two girls at Texas A&M and are newly empty nesters.

Natalie works in new home sales for DR Horton. Nelson is enjoying his retirement. They both love entertaining friends in their new outdoor kitchen.

The Grubbs enjoy the neighborhood for its location, older architecture, and established trees. They appreciate great neighbors and the feeling of safety within the community.

They recently remodeled the outside of their home and yard. Their beautiful landscaping was inspired by the entrance of one of her D.R. Horton neighborhoods and the result is stunning. They also recently remodeled their backyard as well where they are enjoying their outdoor kitchen and pool.

Congratulations to the Grubbs Family for being the recipient of the Yard of the Month for January 2022. Your home's beautiful contribution to the Settlement is greatly appreciated by all.

Chris and Shannon have lived in Williamsburg Settlement for the past 20 years. They have enjoyed our neighborhood for many reasons, but most importantly for the large yards, mature trees, and peacefulness it provides.

Chris has been the proud owner of a landscaping business named “Lawn Solutions” for the past 29 years. It’s no mystery as to why his yard looks as gorgeous as it does! In his spare time, Chris enjoys hunting and traveling. Shannon has been in the funeral industry for over 17 years. She too enjoys traveling, true crime mysteries, and spending time with her close friends. The Henderson’s have one “dog-ter” named Heidi, whom they both love and adore.

Their beautiful yard includes pine trees, blue ice cypress trees and maple trees. It’s further adorned with an array of colorful alyssums, pansies, and snapdragons planted throughout. The beautiful landscaping was done by Chris’s business, Lawn Solutions, and is nothing short of spectacular.

Congratulations to the Henderson Family for being the recipient of the Yard of the Month for February 2022. Your home’s beautiful contribution to the Settlement is greatly appreciated by all.

The Barnettes have lived in the Settlement for 38 years and have five grown children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mike is now retired and has been enjoying his retirement for the last four years. In retirement he has been delighting in his hobbies where he works on classic cars and is a self-proclaimed model railroad fanatic. Peggy works as a Paralegal and has worked downtown for the past forty years. In Peggy’s free time she enjoys weaving and knitting. Peggy also spins her own yarn!

The Barnette’s yard is beautifully landscaped with two live oaks and a large sago palm which are original to the house. Unfortunately, their other sago palm was lost in the freeze of ’21. Their flowerbeds are embellished with purple heart, agapanthus, foxtail, and asperagus ferns. You will also find variegated ginger, assorted ornamental grasses and flowering annuals, currently pansies.

The Barnettes have loved living in the Settlement all these years in part due to their great neighbors. Mike and Peggy find joy in visiting with their neighbors while walking their dog and remarked that “raising a family here was a real joy.”

Congratulations Mike and Peggy Barnette on receiving our Yard of the Month award for March 2022. Thank you for contributing to the beauty of our neighborhood for so many years.

Bob and Merrye Gratzer have lived in the Settlement for the past year and a half and have been residents of the Katy area for the past 44 years. Mr. and Mrs. Gratzer have three grown children and five grandchildren, four of which are in their teens. The beautiful pool and patio in the backyard keep their grandchildren coming for frequent visits to their beloved Grammie and Poppa Bob’s house.

Bob Gratzer is a retired law-enforcement officer and is semi-retired from his landscaping business. He maintains his and Merrye’s gorgeous yard and gets occasional help from his old crew on the heavier work when needed. Mary is a retired KISD teacher who still subs in several junior high schools in the district. She’s in charge of planting and maintaining flowers in the yard, changing out the seasonal yard décor, maintaining and growing the vegetable garden, and maintaining the pool. These two obviously stay quite busy!

The Gratzer’s love the friendliness of our neighborhood. They met several of their neighbors within the first week of moving into the Settlement which was a pleasant experience for them. They like how the residents will wave or say hello when walking by and were equally happy to see the children in the Settlement do the same while making their way to the bus stops in the mornings. They also discovered many of their friends lived in the neighborhood, a bonus of being longtime residents of the Katy area for the past four decades. Bob and Merrye can’t help but wonder why they didn’t move to the Settlement sooner.

They feel fortunate to have inherited a beautifully landscaped yard when they moved into the neighborhood. Like many of us, the Gratzer’s lost many plants in last year’s freeze but have diligently been working on bringing their yard back to life.

The front beds are beautifully adorned with blue plumbago and spirea (bridal wreath) throughout. Bob and Merrye put in several new Japanese Yews that line the back fence and love watching their Leopard plant bloom with beautiful yellow flowers at the end of the summer. Merrye changes out the flowers with each new season for added color and texture. She urges the neighbors to stop by and admire the yard in later spring when her flowers and Crepe Myrtles are in full bloom.

You might catch Bob and Merrye sitting on their relaxing front porch enjoying time together in their rocking chairs. If you do, be sure to stop and say hello!

Randy and Cathie Lusby have lived in the Settlement for 41 years. Mr. and Mrs. Lusby have two grown children and two grandchildren. Both of their children are married and reside in Old Katy. Their daughter has 2 girls, one has graduated from Katy and is a Junior in college, the other is a Junior at Katy High.

Cathie and Randy are both retired and live in the same house they’ve lived in since moving here. Their dog, Baxter, shares the house with them (actually, he thinks it’s his house). He’s pretty spoiled, and you might see them in their silver SUV driving him around for his daily ride. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lusby stay busy with volunteer work and getting together with family and friends. Randy also serves as a director of MUD 61. Randy is a long-time season ticket holder of Katy football and also enjoys going to various Katy ISD baseball games.

The Lusby’s always regarded this neighborhood as one of the best kept secrets in the area. In today’s terms, lots are big and the houses are roomy. It’s a tight knit neighborhood with good people living here.

They regard their yard as fairly simple and try to keep it well groomed. Their home and trees are well lit in the evening and at night. The front yard is highlighted by several large trees. One is a pine that was an original tree from the builder. They also have a large live oak and an elm tree. Even though it’s in the backyard, the top of a very large oak can be seen above the roof of the house from the street. The tree has a history. It was hand dug from a friend’s farm in Brenham, TX and had been growing under a canopy of larger oaks. It was located by an old confederate well on the property. It seems to have found a nice home on their lot for at least the last 35 years.

Congratulations Randy and Cathie Lusby on receiving our Yard of the Month award for May 2022. Thank you for contributing to the beauty of our neighborhood.

Ron and Karen have lived in the Settlement for 30 years - since 1991! They have two adult sons, Jason and Cameron. Jason lives in Katy and is a lighting/sound designer for a variety of entertainment venues. Cameron, his wife and baby live in Topsfield, MA where he is a computer engineer with a large company. They have one beautiful granddaughter who is 8 months old.

Ron and Karen are enjoying retirement. Ron enjoys reading, walking, biking, outdoor work, and traveling. Karen enjoys playing Pickleball, walking, biking, swimming, and gardening of course! Karen continues to play competitive Tennis and has done so for almost 30 years and absolutely loves it. Of course, they also both enjoy visiting and playing with their grand baby.

The Maces were drawn to our family-friendly subdivision with its mature trees, and having the Elementary school within the subdivision for their boys was a big plus. They’ve seen many changes over 30 years and still enjoy how quiet and accessible everything is to the subdivision. Karen especially enjoys being able to play on the Tennis league within the Settlement.

Since the “big freeze” of 2021, their yard has gone through many changes. After losing many mature plants (evergreens) they started redesigning their front yard last year by edging all the front flowerbeds with bricks. Only a few plants survived - ligustrum cones, Japanese blueberry trees, and two large yupon holly bushes. This year, newly planted boxwoods and coral drift roses are placed along the front of the house. Begonia’s and dusty miller fill the giant urn, which belonged to Karen’s parents, and now has a new home. Pentas, begonias, snapdragons, vinca, blue salvia, geraniums, amaryllis, agapanthus, and a firecracker plant provide color throughout the year.

Thank you, Ron and Karen Mace, for your many years of helping to maintain the beauty within the Settlement. Congratulations on being Williamsburg Settlement Yard of the Month for June 2022.

Kyle and Michelle Baker came to the Settlement in 1997 and have been residents here for the past 25 years. They have three wonderful children, Morgan, Allie, and Dalton. They also have two amazing sons-in-law, Jon, and Kevin, as well as three beautiful grandchildren, Harper, Hayes, and Emilia.

The Bakers recently purchased an RV and enjoy traveling to nearby state parks and making new memories. When they aren’t traveling, they enjoy gardening and spending time with loved ones.

Kyle and Michelle chose to move to the Settlement all those years ago because of its uniqueness; they fell in love with the style of the homes, the large yards, and the beautiful, mature trees. Michelle said they’ve stayed because of the relationships they have with their wonderful neighbors.

The Baker’s yard is beautifully adorned with sago palms, beautiful tropical hibiscus, and boxwoods. For added color, you can find various lilies, firecracker, and iron plants throughout the landscape.

Thank you, Kyle and Michelle, for your many years of helping to maintain the beauty within our neighborhood. Congratulations on being Williamsburg Settlement Yard of the Month for July 2022.

Glenn and Barbara have lived in the Settlement for many years and have raised two grown children. Their son, Kyle, lives in Seattle and works in IT while their daughter, Mara, lives in close by and works for Katy ISD.

The Millers are also parents to their two wonderful pups. They have a 13-year-old mini dachshund named JP who may be small but is definitely mighty! They also have sweet Lil Miss Maggie Mae, a 1 ½ year old mix whom they adore and rescued from Belle’s Bud Rescue in nearby Brookshire, Texas.

Glenn and Barbara are enjoying their retirement these days. Glenn is a retired Houston Fire Fighter and now enjoys spending his time puttering in the yard, working on jigsaw puzzles, and taking the occasional trip to Louisiana to try his luck at the casinos. Barb retired from Katy Independent School District and enjoys her time by relaxing and reading a good book, watching movies, and traveling.

The Millers love the Settlement and refer to it as the ‘hidden gem’. They love the convenience of being near major roads and businesses while being tucked away from the hustle and bustle. They also love that the residents take pride in their homes and that they are so friendly.

Glenn and Barb’s yard is beautifully manicured giving off an English Garden feel. The pine trees are surrounded with a variety of plants that include a mixture of plumbago, lantana, Mexican heather, vincas, and begonias. You’ll also find hibiscus added into the mix providing the landscape with an explosion of color. The beautiful hues of blue, pink, red, purples, yellow, and white, is certainly a sight to behold.

Our Thanks to Glenn and Barbara for contributing by adding so much beauty to the Settlement. Congratulations on receiving the Williamsburg Settlement August Yard of the Month.

Brian and Marcia Boggs are longtime residents of the Settlement having lived here for the past 20 years. They enjoyed raising their two children in the Settlement, Ashley now 36 and Lee now 35, and are now proud grandparents to 5 year old Abigail who they love having over to spend quality time at their home.

Brian works for Howden and Marcia has worked for Katy ISD for 28 years. They have spent most of their life slowly fixing up their home, working on their family’s ranch, and now enjoy traveling.

Originally, they were drawn to the Settlement because of the unique homes and large trees. As time went on, they came to realize how lucky they were to be part of such a caring and friendly community. They love their cul-de-sac “family” where they know and look out for each other. They love seeing new friendly young families move into the neighborhood and lovingly making their new homes their own.

The front yard has generous, colorful flowerbeds around the front porch with white azaleas, boxwoods, bright pink vinca, foxtail fern, hydrangea, and a pair of Japanese blueberry bushes that flank the house. At the mailbox, there are two additional flowerbeds with pink spray roses, vinca and coleus. All the beds are outlined in stacked stone. Each season, the perennials are changed out, so the colors and plants are constantly evolving. The front porch has a cozy swing, bistro set, and the upper balcony has a pair of rocking chairs.

The backyard is a shaded oasis with large oak trees, shrubs, and crepe myrtles, as well as hydrangea, ferns, and other ground coverage. For entertainment, there is a deck for dining under the trees, an iron fire pit, and a large, covered patio. Patio lights are strung through the trees for a dreamy night-time atmosphere.

Congratulations to Brian and Marcia Boggs on being selected as our September 2022 Yard of the Month award winner. Their yard makes an outstanding contribution to the appearance of our neighborhood, for which we all are grateful!

Glen and Jane are long-time residents of the Settlement having lived here for the past 33 and a half years.

As luck would have it their daughter Katie, son-in-law Jacob, and grandsons Harrison and Nash, are also neighborhood residents and have a home right around the corner on Carters Grove. Their son Chris and a daughter-in-law Chandler also live in the Houston area thus allowing frequent gatherings of the whole family.

Glen works for a local television station as a sports cameraman filming major sporting event for the Astros, Rockets, and the Texans. He is also involved in filming various college sporting events.

Jane enjoys gardening and by looking at the Thomas’s yard, it’s evident that she has a green thumb! However, her greatest joy is spending quality time with the family, especially her grandchildren.

Both Glen and Jane feel like the Settlement is a great family neighborhood. The fact that their daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons are just down the street is an added bonus for them.

Their yard is a beautiful sight to see when entering into our neighborhood. The front beds are adorned with limelight and oakleaf hydrangeas and are bordered by magnolia crepe myrtles, gardenias, Cuban sky flowers and caladiums. Surrounding the pine trees are colorful geraniums, snap dragons, and additional caladiums. The mailbox is enveloped by spirea, and the two tall planters on each side of the walkway contain croton, sweet potato vines, and snap dragons.

Congratulations to the Thomas family for being the recipient of the Yard of the Month for October 2022. Thank you for your hard work and for contributing to the continuing beauty of the Settlement. We couldn’t be more grateful!

John and Angie have lived in the Settlement for three years and have two children, Daniel and Abby. Daniel (18) is a freshman at Lonestar College, and Abby (17) is a junior in high school.

John’s mother, Kay, also lives with them in a self-contained apartment at the rear of the house. John preaches for the Katy Church of Christ. In his free time, he enjoys chess and wood working. Angie taught elementary school before beginning to homeschool their children. Her hobbies include gardening and quilting.

You can see Angie’s love of gardening when looking at their beautiful front yard. In the front they have crepe myrtles, encore azaleas, camelias box woods, daylilies, Aztec grass and pansies for the border. Along the side they have Esperanza’s, a vitex tree and driftwood roses, and their flower beds contain a beautiful variety of plants.

Congratulations John and Angie Baker on receiving the November 2022 Yard of the Month. The beauty you add to our neighborhood is greatly appreciated.