M c G o u g h & C o ... W h e r e M o n ta na G e t s E n g ag e d www.McGoughandCo.com
131 Central Avenue Whitefish, MT 59937 406-862-9199 800-862-9199
406 contents 406
love
26. Anthony & Emily - Eureka Wedding
health
42. Skincare Answers - Coconut Oil & Dietary Sugar 44. Health Care Answers - Gardasil Vaccine 46. Dental X-Rays 64. For You (and your baby's) Health 68. Heart Fair
28. Watching Love Happen Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton
wellness 50. Fitness
54. Smack Back Attack
Fashion 52. 114 West -
Style Inspiration Boards
food & flavor 16. The Art of Tablescaping - Spring Time Tea
family
32. Recipe for Success - Vietnamese Pho Soup
56. Spring Cleaning
34. In The Panty - Kentucky Derby Eats
60. SAT Tests
36. Serving Up Spring - Asparagus 38. Wine - Time in a Bottle 70. FoodCorps - Dinner Gets Real
Non-Profit
72. Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center
w o m a n
406
publisher
Cindy Gerrity
cindy@montanasky.net
business manager Daley McDaniel
daley@montanasky.net
executive editor
Cover Girls
Kristen Hamilton
montanakristen@hotmail.com
director & design Sara Joy Pinnell
sara@mrsandmrpublishing.com
photographers
Darlene & Maya Buckingham
Celebrating Mother's Day, our cover features beautiful mom Darlene with her daughter, Maya, who is a freshman at Glacier High School. Happily married to Jason, Darlene is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the out. Between Maya's and her son, Kyle's, activities, she likes to stay active and involved...always setting a great example. photo by: Scott Wilson ( www .S c o t t W i l s o n -P h o t o g r a p h y ) makeup by: Britlee Moore – La Vita è Bella at 33 Baker Salon in Whitefish hair by: Courtney Christine Harmon design, clothing and accessories by: Karma Wilson
Scott Wilson- Scott Wilson Photography Daniel Seymour- Sharpe Eye Photography Carrie Ann - Carrie Ann Photography Rachel Spray - Jeremiah & Rachel Photography Danella Miller - Danella Miller Photography Brooke - Brooke Peterson Photography D. L. Hammer - dennis-hammer.artistwebsites.com Daley McDaniel Photography
Published by Skirts Publishing six times a year 6477 Hwy 93 S Suite 138, Whitefish, MT 59937 info@406woman.com Copyright©2014 Skirts Publishing
View current and past issues of 406 Woman at w w w . 4 0 6 W o m a n . c o m
Becky Anderson
Becky is living the Montana dream. After a 21 year career with Blackfoot Technologies she recently retired to take care of her Montana ranch and travel with her husband. She was voted the Face of Skin Chic 2014 because she is not only beautiful but a wonderful promoter of local business with great life experiences. Read her story in our business section. photo by:
VioletRay Photography by Katrina Weingart (www.violetrayphotography.com) makeup by: Jennifer Clouse - Skin Chic hair by: Allison LeProwse - The Total Look styling: Jennifer Clouse, Katrina Weingart, Cindy Duncan
Want to know about great events, open houses, and more? Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/406 Woman 406 Woman is distributed in Bigfork, Columbia Falls, Kalispell, Missoula, Whitefish and every point in between. Check out www.406woman.com for our full distribution list. Have a great story idea or know someone that we should feature? Email us with your comments & suggestions. Interested in increasing your business and partnering with 406 Woman? Check out www.406woman.com.
contributors
406 Erin Blair
''
Our Talented
Contributor’s Corner Mom's do so much! Tell us about a fond
memory you have when you think about your mother this Mother's Day.
Licensed esthetician and owner of Skin Therapy Studio
Delia Buckmaster
Certified in pilates and an active health coach, owner of Exhale Pilates Studio Lawyer and national best selling writer of 'The Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries'
Cris Marie Campbell
Master certified Martha Beck coach and consultant, co-owner of Thrive! Inc.
Susan B Clarke
Faculty at The Haven Institute for 20 years and co-owner of Thrive! Inc.
Brian D’Ambrosio
Accomplished writer and newly published author of 'Reservation Champ'
Thomas deHoop, MD
Board certified OB/GYN with Kalispell OB/GYN
Jen Euell
Program Director for the Women’s Foundation of Montana
Courtney Ferda
Owner and blogger of www.114-west.com providing expert fashion advice
C our ney Ferda
Leslie Budewitz
''
This has been a special year for my Mom and I. Planning my wedding has brought us closer, not just as Mom and Daughter, but as friends. One memory that I will always cherish is going dress shopping with my mom, drinking champagne and laughing at the giant tulle dresses.
Kari Gabriel
Exec Dir or Flathead CARE plus wildlife rehabilitator and educator
Gwenda C Jonas, MD Gretchen Knuffke
Motherhood and parenting expert, owner of Maternal Instincts
Marti Kurth
Public relations and marketing expert for organizations in the arts and music
Cara Lard
Owner of Goldfinch Events & Design and Mum’s Flowers
Kristen Ledyard
Executive Chef and Owner of John’s Angels Catering
Jessica Manly
Montana FoodCorps leader connecting kids to real food to grow up healthy
Jill Seigmund
Entrepreneurship Coordinator at FVCC; Accomplished writer and editor
John Miller, DDS
Specializing in general dentistry, Dr Miller provides expert advice
B r it lee Mo ore
Board certified OB/GYN with Kalispell OB/GYN
A fond memory that I share with my mom is that every few years my birthday happens to fall on Mother's Day! It's pretty special that I get to share my special day and her special day on the same day!! It just so happens that this year my birthday is on Mother's Day!!
Britlee Moore
Naomi Morrison
Talented writer and Community Relations Coordinator at North Valley Hospital
Gwen Sutherland
Owner of Marketing Bits, writing and design business
Kelly O’Brien, Esq.
Business law specialist with Measure Law Office, P.C.
Chad Phillips
Professional architect helping people achieve their dream home
Kristen Pulsifer
Writer, editor and owner of Whitefish Study Center
Karen Sanderson
Wine expert and owner of Brix Bottleshop in Kalispell
Rabbi Allen Secher
Rabbi for 50 years, an Emmy award-winning television producer, and a family man
Miriam Singer
Talented writer and songstress, promoting music as Singer & Simpson Productions
For full bios for our contributors, please visit www.406woman.com. 12
G wen Sut her l and
Licensed Esthetician and makeup artist, owner of La Vita è Bella
My mother could talk with anyone for any length of time. There would usually be a joke or a pithy saying involved in the conversation, too. From the business she ran from our home, there was always lots of commotion with phones ringing and typewriters clicking. One day, she had been talking on the phone for an unusually long time. After she hung up, my father asked her who she was talking with. She laughed and responded, "Oh, it was just a wrong number!" My mom gave me that gift of gab and it has served me well.
Checking
In
At 406 Woman, we're ready for spring! After a long winter, we already notice the change in moods – maybe it’s the longer days and more sunshine – of not only ours but everyone around us. Of course, snow shoveling is now replaced by mowing the lawn and gardening but no one seems to mind that as much. What’s most amazing is the flurry of activities around the valley - softball, baseball, track, golf, fishing, rafting, soccer, biking and hiking. It’s time to get outside for sure! Our personal vow is to get outside more this spring and summer and enjoy the area as we know it does a world of difference in just about ever aspect of our lives. Whether you are participating or watching the opportunities (and stress relieving benefits) are endless. With Mother’s Day upon us, this issue of 406 Woman is dedicated to mom’s everywhere! Our beautiful mother-daughter cover models (Darlene & Maya Buckingham) pay tribute to all moms’ do. Thank you! Very Sincerely, Cindy & Kristen
What did we learn after reading this issue?
{
The Senior Mobile Home Repair Program has worked on over 185 projects in the Flathead Valley since 2005. Naomi Morrison talks with one of the beneficiaries of the program who is very grateful for the caring support of the community around her. See her story on page 16 of our Business Section. Jill Seigmund interviews Jen Frandsen with Old Town Creative Communications and she shares a great story about her amazing call and follow up meeting with Jack Dangermond. Read about this successful 406 Woman in our business section, page 10. Are you planning a Kentucky Derby party? If so, be sure to check out “In the Pantry” with Kristen Ledyard and learn how to make some Derby favorites on page 34.
D r. Sarah N a r gi
whitefish plastic surgery & med spa board certified
Whitefish Plastic Surgery & Med Spa Menu of Services Cosmetic surgery - Injectables including Botox, Juvederm, Voluma - Sclerotherapy Facials & chemical Peels
Laser Hair Remover - Laser Skin tightening Laser skin resurfacing - Tattoo Removal - waxing (all types)
Mark your calendars!
May 15th Annual Spring Fling 6-8 pm Raffle for Non-Surgical Face Lift and other prizes! Proceeds to benefit Humane Society of NW Montana and The Flathead County Animal Shelter.
w h i t e f i s h p l a s t i c s u r g e r y. c o m
Call now for same day appointments. 406-862-6808. Conveniently located by Montana Coffee Traders off Hwy 93.
food}tablescaping
Written, Photographed, and Styled by: Cara Lard of Goldfinch Events & Design and Rachel Spray of Jeremiah and Rachel Photography
Although April and May are often considered the "shoulder season" here in Montana, there are plenty of opportunities to use holidays as an excuse to throw a simple spring party. Whether its planning Easter dinner, May Day gifts, or Mother's Day Brunch these fun ideas are sure to inspire a little spring into your parties at home.
In this issue, we chose to design a family springtime tea with my gorgeous mother, my beautiful sister, and her adorable oneyear-old son. We kept the color palate to simple whites and soft minty greens with pops of fuchsia, yellow, and red. We made easy live green moss chargers stuffed with fresh pussy willow, and set the table with vintage china, hot tea and scones and an incredible test tube chandelier overflowing with tulips. We hung the chandelier above our heads so that we could talk beneath it across the table, but still low enough to enjoy. As we looked up we could almost see the tulips opening in the sunshine. Rachel made fun Tea Cookies using a simple shortbread recipe, dipping chocolate, and tea bag tags.
It was so much fun to borrow live chicks for this shoot from North Valley Ag. It was so cute to see my precious nephew admiring a fluffy little yellow chick. They snuggled up in teacups and peeped at us as we sipped our tea, which absolutely must be served with scones, clotted cream, and fresh raspberry preserves. 17
food}tablescaping
1. Gather supplies: You will need Scissors, tape or craft glue, hole punch, narrow ribbon, heavy craft paper {Cut thick craft paper in 7" squares to start}
2. Roll into cone-shape and secure with tape or glue
5. Tie a bow at the top and this will serve as your hanger.
6. Fill with lovely spring blooms from your local florist. {We filled ours with ranunculus, seeded eucalyptus, and hot pink baronia - my all time favorite spring blooms, famous for their delicately sweet scent and tiny little bell flowers}.
18
3. Punch holes along top edge of cone, roughly 1 inch apart
B
4. Thread a pretty narrow ribbon through the holes and
y May it's really beginning to feel like springtime in Montana. I've always loved the May Day tradition of filling homemade paper cones with flowers and hanging them anonymously on neighbor's doorknobs or sending them with sweet notes to friends. These random acts of kindness in addition to the soft blooms, offer the rewarding promise of spring.
C redits :
Photography: Jeremiah and Rachel Photography Styling & Design: Goldfinch Events & Design Vintage Rentals: Twig & Gather Floral Design: Mum’s Flowers Chicks: North Valley Ag
 19
Anthony & Emily Photographed by Carrie Ann Photography www.carrieann-photography.net
Who are you? Emily: Freelance PR professional who loves
all things romantic and cheesy. I love horses, dancing, family, cowboy boots, God, the color pink, friends, the South, chocolate, my hubby and our three adorable dogs. I'm happiest on the back of my horse under the sunshine enjoying the gifts that God has bestowed. Anthony: Anthony (Ant) is a Montana boy currently serving our country as a Green Beret. He loves horses, hunting, fishing the outdoors, family, his dogs, and spending time watching the History Channel with Emily. How did you meet? We met while Anthony was stationed in North Carolina (my home state). I was obsessed with two-stepping and line dancing at a local country hotspot. We met in between dances, and I made him two-step with me. After the bar closed that night, we went for a late-night breakfast at the IHop across the street. We’ve been together ever since! The Proposal? August 15, 2012 We took a two-and-a-half week trip out to his home in Montana. The journey out was anything but perfect. We elected to drive the 39-hour trip instead of fly because we thought it would be more fun! It turned out to be more of a challenge. I got sick the day we left and Ant's truck broke down at 3:00 a.m. in West Virginia due to faulty mechanic work! We had to overnight in Charleston, W.V. and pick up a rental car the next day. We finally made it to Montana two days later. Ant ran to town for a few things upon our arrival, so I got started unpacking our bags while on the phone with my mom. She was convinced Ant was going to pop the big question in big sky country, but I knew better because I had already unpacked every, single item from that boy's duffle bags and didn’t find a ring.
We had two of the best weeks of my entire life out there. Just a couple of days before we were supposed to head back east, he said that he wanted to go riding after dinner to an apple orchard he frequented as a kid. We saddled our horses as the sun was setting and hit the trail up the mountain. It was an adventure right out of the gate. Our good friends, Sara and Cote, called to meet them behind their house because there was a black bear sitting
406 love}
Wedding
 25
About the Magical Day
PhotographyCarrie Ann Photography VenueRiverstone Family Lodge CakeMiss Patti Cakes
MusiciansEric Caldwell, Sonic Pulse RingsFox Jewelers HairThe Mane Event, Eureka DressPoffie Girls, Gastonia, NC- Paloma Blanca Bridesmaid Dresses Dillards TuxesMimi's Bridal Kalispell CatererPiggyback BBQ
What is love? Emily: Two imperfect people coming together perfectly…I saw that somewhere and it struck a chord. This is something else that has always stuck with me—I had a professor who said that you know you love something if you’re We made it to the apple orchard on top of invested unselfishly. In this case, I’d rather the mountain just after sunset. We tied the do something for Ant than do something for horses and walked around for a while before myself. deciding that it was time to head back down to the barn. I lingered behind a little to take Anthony: Love is a force of nature. However some pictures, and he started back to where much we may want to, we can not change love the horses were tied about 100 yards away. By any more than we can change or control the the time I had gotten there, he was kneeling wind or rain. It is an unstoppable feeling. down on the far side of my horse with her foot in his hand. What do you love most about each other? in the top of a tree RIGHT beside of the trail we'd have to take to get up the mountain. We met up with them and their two adorable girls where the bear was and took a few pictures before heading on our way.
"Smokey has a cut on her foot," he said. In my mind this was completely plausible, as she had gotten tangled up in some wire on the ride up.
As I moved closer to him, he said, "And I also found this." Expecting to see a sharp rock, he actually held out a ring! For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why that might've been stuck in her foot. Then, he said those four words that every girl dreams of hearing from the man she loves. Oh, and by the way...the ring was hidden in the toe of a pair of his cowboy boots...sneaky sucker! 26
across the table from me. Yes, it was the first night…but when you know, you know!
Anthony: When I knew I did not want to spend my life with any other woman.
Fun facts We got married at the same orchard he proposed! He also frequented the orchard as a child with his mother. It’s a special spot.
Honeymoon plans Uncle Sam doesn’t give Anthony a whole lot of time off, so I went out to Colorado for a miniHoneymoon while he was out there for some extended training. Our real honeymoon is still Emily: Anthony is a solid, true-blue, genuine in the works! person and he’s my rock. I’m not the most logical or practical person, and Ant brings Wedding details that into my life. My daddy always said that I We wanted everyone to feel comfortable… was like a June bug on a string and needed an including us! Although we asked that everyone anchor to tie my string to—that anchor is Ant! dress for the occasion, we encouraged them to come in their boots. Anthony: I love the joy Emily brings into our life. Her outlook on life is 180 degrees different Although our wedding was on top of a mountain at a serene apple orchard, our from mine and it is a perfect fit for me. reception was just off the mountain at a lodge run by some of our closest friends. Riverstone When did you know you were in love? Emily: I wouldn’t say I knew it was love, but I Family Lodge is a fantastic venue, and they’re knew during that first late-night breakfast that ultra-accommodating! I had a future with the blue-eyed Montana boy www.riverstonefamilylodge.com
406 love} Watching Love Happen
Elizabeth Taylor & Richard Burton! As told by Rabbi Allen and written by Ina Albert My phone rang one day in my study in the Mexico City synagogue. The gentleman on the other end identified himself as the press agent for Richard Burton. He explained that he was traveling with Richard while he was filming the “Night of the Iguana” in Puerta Vallarta. It was during the time when his torrid love affair with Elizabeth Taylor was all over the news and everyone was very much aware that the couple was in Mexico. “Richard wants to get married,” his agent told me and then asked, “Could you do the wedding?”
Dear Reader, Life cycle events are exciting and wonderful, but they are also filled with emotion. Even the most ideal situations have moments of tears, joy, anger and frustration. Everyone has their dream of what their wedding should look like, and they usually don’t look the same to everyone. I want to help you through these challenging times. So send me your confidential questions. I will protect your privacy and not identify you by name. Meanwhile, Readers, I look forward to hearing from you and to helping you and your family make the wedding everything you dreamed it should be. Best thoughts and blessings, Rabbi Allen Secher Sech1818@gmail.com 406 863-2333 28
My grip on the receiver got so tight that I my whole body felt wired to the telephone line. “Could I? I’m thrilled.” “What arrangements have to be made?” he asked.
My excitement screeched to a halt. “But here’s the problem.” I said. “The synagogue’s Bet Din, rabbinic court, has to approve the wedding. There’s no problem with Elizabeth. She went through a very public conversion to Judaism before her marriage to Mike Todd. Richard is the problem.” “How do we get around it?” he asked.
“I read somewhere that Richard has Jewish ancestors. Find out for me which Jewish ancestors and whether they were on the maternal or paternal side of the family. According to Jewish law the lineage must come through the maternal side. If his lineage is through a female our problem is solved.” We hung up with his agreement to get back to me. Two or three days later the agent called to tell me that Richard’s great grandmother on his mother’s side was Jewish. Therefore, according to Jewish tradition Richard was Jewish. Again the agent said he’d get back to me and confirm arrangements. I immediately told the Bet Din the news and they were ecstatic. In the meantime, I held congregants
back from launching a membership drive based on this wedding. They probably thought they could make their budget for the next six years on sales. Unfortunately, I never heard from the agent again.
Sometime later I picked up the newspaper to read that Richard and Elizabeth had flown to Montreal where an Episcopal minister married them. To this day the rudeness and embarrassment of that incident upsets me. A similar incident with Hollywood’s false hopes, egos and arrogance after I moved to Los Angeles re-enforced the pain. At that time I was excited about making a holocaust film.
I left the pulpit rabbinate and set about making a feature film about Terezin, the Germans’ show place concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. The Reich brought visitors and representatives of international organizations to Terezin to disprove accusations of genocide during World War II. The prisoners were musicians, professors, artists—the cream of European Jewish intellectuals who organized a thirty-three-piece string symphony orchestra, a jazz band, schools and art classes in the midst of devastating cruelty. But no matter what the Germans told visitors, Terezin was actually a way station to the Auschwitz death camp.
I discovered the story of Terezin through a book of poems and drawings and the opera, “Brundibar,” all written and produced by the children in the camp. After the war, their work was compiled in a book called, “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” It was the children’s stories that I wanted to make into a film, so I hooked up with two Hollywood talents who became my partners. We knocked on doors all over Hollywood but the answer was always the same. “No one will ever come to see a holocaust film.” Every time I tell the story I have to laugh. How many holocaust films have been successful since
then? Almost too many to count. But we were ahead of our time.
While we searched for backing for the film, I took a job working for the Short Film Division of Universal Studios. A doctor friend of mine suggested that I might have a lot in common with one of his patients, a young fellow who was the new fair-haired director at Universal. He had made a movie for television called “Duel” and was about to direct his first feature with Goldie Hawn. Steven Spielberg. He and I arranged to have lunch at the Universal commissary and as people do, we talked about our dreams. I laid out my holocaust tale for him. And so for more than three years with chutzpah born of absolute conviction, we haunted every potential backer in Hollywood. My partners and I pushed our way in to see studio executives, famed producers and directors. We even got agreements from a number of stars to play roles in the film. Yet we continued to get the same answer, ”Nobody will ever go to see a movie about the holocaust.” I wonder if they ever told that to Spielberg? But there was one incident that remains indelible. We had presented our film treatment to the president of a Beverly Hills bank. Shortly after that my phone rang at four in the morning. It was the banker. ”I’ve been up all night crying. Your treatment, this story is so powerful. It must be made. You must be in my office at nine o’clock promptly so we can work out the details.”
Showing more restraint than the banker, I waited until seven, called my partners with the news and promptly at nine we marched into the president’s office.
The rest of the scene was even better than a Hollywood film. The banker sat on one side of the desk, the three of us lined up on the other. ”This story is brilliant.” With that he stood up.
“I have never read anything so moving in my life.” And with that he stood on his chair.
“I cried all night.” And with that he stood on his desk waving the treatment.
”This movie must be made and we will make it.” The bank president promised to call us as soon as he made further arrangements.
Convinced we had finally scored, the three of us left his office and headed for a celebratory breakfast and to plan our Academy Award speeches.
That office visit was the last time we spoke to the banker. Maybe he returned Spielberg’s calls,
but he never returned mine. We finally had to back off the project. Many years later I finally managed to make a holocaust documentary, “Choosing One’s Way” with Ellen Burstyn. It appeared on PBS and won numerous awards. It was the same year as Spielberg’s “Shindler’s List” appeared at every local movie theater in the U.S.
I wrote Spielberg to congratulate him on his Academy Award and to remind him of our lunch that I was sure he had completely forgotten. He did respond to my note through one of his assistants. As I write this story, the list of holocaust films continues to grow. Q: We’re Paying for Our Own Wedding on a Very Limited Budget. What Can We Do to Keep the expenses Down and Still Have a Memorable Moment?
A: Let’s continue the discussion we started in the last issue. At that time we talked about keeping the expenses down around the wedding ceremony. Now let’s talk about the reception. In our next issue I’ll be discussing other cost-conscious suggestions about the time of day you hold the wedding. Reception: A home wedding, especially outdoors, is a more intimate setting than a hotel room or rented facility. If a member of the family or a close friend is willing to have the ceremony and reception at home, lots of money can be saved. Limiting the alcoholic refreshments to wine and beer can also make a difference.
Lots of people plan their weddings outside in our wonderful Montana landscape. The food can be more casual (barbeque, etc.) and we have seen lovely picnic meals prepared for the guests with lots of unusual goodies inside beautifully decorated boxed dinners.
Western theme music by a local group, folk singers or a disc jockey, depending on your taste, are real fun. In less formal settings, the expense of bridesmaids dresses, tuxes, etc. is eliminated. People are relaxed and usually mingle more easily than in more formal settings.
food}Vietnamese Pho
Recipe forSuccess By Denise Lang
Vietnamese Pho Soup
There was a point in my life when I made a conscious decision to become a good cook. I came from a southern family and learned early the difference between food that fills the gap and food that feeds the soul. When both my boys were young they would “help” me in the kitchen by stirring batter, licking beaters and eventually making their own little creations in the toaster oven from leftover dough. Since then, they have both made the culinary arts their careers, Eric in Norway and Drake here in Bigfork. For me, learning new recipes was fun, but more importantly, I wanted my family to “experience” food. As you already know
Above photo by Lucy Williams. From left to right is Drake Doepke, Denise Lang and Tiffany Newman. 32
from my last Recipe for Success article, I started my boys with Grandma’s potato salad and from there, the world became our palate, but perhaps more importantly, it brought us together as a family. No matter what was going on, we sat down to dinner together. In this particular article I’d like to talk about my youngest, Drake, and perhaps give a glimpse into his path to becoming a chef. Drake was a colicky baby and a finicky eater. In some ways that can be a curse, but when it came to eating it meant that he was and still is able to discern many different nuances in food that others may not notice. As he got older and adopted a sense of bravery to trying different foods, his enthusiasm grew exponentially.
Photo by Daley McDaniel
Now Drake and his lovely girlfriend, Tiffany, own and operate a Sushi restaurant in Bigfork, SakeTome Sushi. Many people ask him why he decided to open a sushi restaurant way out here in Montana. His response is always that he loves it here, and that it’s a great place to hone one’s skills. Sushi is something that he learned to do in Colorado, Bozeman and Hawaii on the north shore of Kauai. Although he worked in all different kinds of restaurants, he really found a calling when it came to Asian-inspired cuisine.
Drake, Tiffany and their staff at SakeTome infuse their food with quality, always catering to the best in people. Occasionally, a customer comes to SakeTome with a negative preconception about sushi. That mental paradox of fearing the unknown is common in many people. Drake encourBeyond exposing Drake and Eric to excel- ages his sushi-timid customers to eat lent and nutritious home-cooked meals what they are NOT used to eating. In time, and excellent restaurants, my two sons with enthusiasm and perseverance, the were greatly influenced by their inter- nuances of flavor will begin to unfold and national travels. The initial travels began a deep appreciation will result. as young teenagers to China and Nepal while their father was on university Drake will tell you one of his favorite teaching sabbaticals. things about food is that it is consumed with all five senses. It’s fleeting and imDrake recalls that first trip to China, “It permanent. And in the best cases it nourwas a pivotal point in my food experi- ishes the mind, body and soul. In that way ence. Every hole in the wall, even if it food is a meditation for the cook and the had just one table sitting on gravel, had guest. With that in mind let us look forbetter food than any Chinese restaurant ward to another Asian staple and one of I had ever been to in the United States. Drake’s favorites--Vietnamese Pho. I remember thinking then and I still believe that the most immediate way to ex- Pho (pronounced fuh) is a popular street perience a culture is through the food. It food in Vietnam, primarily served with is the legacy that is passed down through beef, pork or chicken, differing from North to South Vietnam in style and flavor the ages.” profile. The southern pho is a bit sourer
# You consume it with all five senses. It’s fleeting and impermanent and in the best cases it nourishes your mind, body and soul.
5 lbs beef bones (20% leg and 80% knucklebones) 1-pound ox tail One pound either beef brisket, back-strap, shoulder, or flank 1 large yellow onion 3-inch chunk of peeled raw ginger 1 tbl coriander seed 1 tbl fennel seed 5 pieces of star anise 6 pieces of clove 1 cinnamon stick
and usually comes with more spice. The Northern Pho is an Umami broth. Having travelled extensively as an adult in Vietnam, Drake had many opportunities to enjoy Pho Soup, usually eating it every day, just after his Café sua nong (single-serving French press coffee with sweetened condensed milk).
lợn (pork) or gà (chicken). The broth is an important basis for the soup, generally made by boiling bones with a collection of spices for several hours to release the nutritious marrow within. From there, more spices, leafy greens, sprouts and noodles are added. If made with beef, very thin slices are laid in the bowl and the pouring of “Vietnam is a beautiful meld- the hot broth over the meat ing of the Chinese and French cooks it to a rare perfection. cultures,” Drake explains. “War-ravaged and occupied With a few more chilly for much of its history, its collective pain has grown into a spring days ahead of us, stunning resiliency and like the art of making Pho nowhere else in the world, Soup is a great dish to try these two culinary jugger- at home and ward off nauts have come together in this little strip of land in the the chill. Most of the insoutheast Pacific and their gredients can be found love-child is Pho.” here in the valley. It is
First, start by toasting all the spices except the cardamom pods in a pan on medium heat. Toast until spices are fragrant being careful not to burn them. After toasting, remove from the pan to cool. Once cool, add the cardamom pods to the toasted spices and put the spices into a mesh bag. Bones are parboiled first for a good 10 minutes in rapidly boiling water to remove the impurities like blood particles and extra fat. You’ll see gray foam float up to the surface as you boil. After 10 minutes, dump out all of the water, rinse out your pot, rinse the bones, and refill with clean, cool water. I know it’s an extra step, but this will give you pure, cleantasting broth.
2 cardamom pods 1 packet of vermicelli noodles 1 bottle of fish sauce ½ cup of raw sugar 1 red onion 1 jalapeno 1 bunch of bean sprouts 2 limes juiced with seeds removed 1 bottle sriracha (Thai hot sauce) 1 bottle of hoisin sauce 3-5 stalks of cilantro
While the broth is cooking you can prepare your meat and vegetables to add to the soup. To easily cut the meat into very thin slices put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes before slicing. Slice the red onion thinly and coarsely chop the cilantro leaves. Remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno and slice finely or just finely slice the whole pepper if you like it hot. Do not slice the bean sprouts. Place the vegetables on a plate in separate piles so they are easy to add to the soup. Boil the vermicelli noodles until al dente.
Once the broth is finished, place cheesecloth over another pot and pour the soup into the new pot. All the ingredients should be caught Cut the yellow onion and the ginger by the cheesecloth only the broth in half and cook in a skillet at a high should remain in the pot. heat to a medium dark brown. Refill the pot with 3 gallons of water and If eating immediately bring the bring to a boil. Once boiling, add broth to a boil again. Once boiling, the clean bones, onion, ginger, and ladle the broth into a bowl. Add noothe spice sachet. Lower the heat to dles, beef, all of the bean sprouts and a slow rolling boil and let cook for onion and cilantro and jalapeno as about three hours uncovered to re- desired. The sriracha, lime juice and duce the stock. As the broth is cook- hoisin are sauces that are added to ing periodically add the fish sauce taste. I recommend trying it without and sugar in small amounts until the sauces first and then using them flavored to your taste. Remove any to your liking. If eating later, cover excess foam that may appear on the the pot and place in the refrigerator surface of the stock with a slotted once it has cooled down a bit. When spoon to keep the flavor clean. ready to eat follow the instructions for eating immediately. Enjoy!
sure to warm your belly and your soul. Take it from me. SakeToMe Sushi On Electric Avenue in Bigfork Village 406-837-1128
If you have a tip or a recipe you would like to share contact me at DeniseLang@nationalparksrealty.com.
Photo by Daley McDaniel
Denise Lang Your Recipe for Success
Photo by John Stalowy
The northern Pho is a great representation of Umami, the 5th flavor sense, loosely described as “savory” or “brothy.” Pho consists of one of three meats in most cases, sometimes you’ll see vegetable or seafood renditions, but usually it's thịt bò (beef), thịt
Vietnamese Pho Soup
Denise Lang, Broker National Parks Realty 8270 MT. Hwy 35 Suite 5 Bigfork, MT 59911 DeniseLang@nationalparksrealty.com. Local 406-837-1249 Cell 406-249-1758
In the Pantry
Photo by Alisia Cubberly
food}
Best of Kentucky Derby Eats with a Twist Spring is in the air and with that comes the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is a day of tradition, excitement, amazing hats, and an all American spirit. People come together to cheer on their favorite steed and enjoy the specialties of the day. The Kentucky Derby would not be right without diving into a Hot Brown or sipping on a Mint Julep. We are going to get your taste buds ready to pick a winner. We have to start off with the famous Hot Brown. The original Hot Brown is accredited to Fred K. Schmidt in 1926 at Louisville’s Brown Hotel. It was created to replace the late night ham and egg dinners. The open-faced sandwich starts with white bread layered with sliced turkey, bacon, and topped with gravy. That is the basic traditional recipe, but I like to put a little twist on it by adding some extra flavor choices. Try the following recipe to surprise your guests. It is a simple recipe with basic pantry ingredients, but packs a punch. 34
By Kristen Ledyard Owner/Executive Chef of John’s Angels Catering LLC
Twisted Hot Brown
*This recipe is for four people 6 slices of bacon 1 Diced Onion
2-3 tablespoons flour 1 ¼ cup milk
1 ¼ cup chicken broth
1 ½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese 1 to 1 ½ cup Shredded Monterey Jack
Favorite hot sauce to taste 4 slices crusty white bread sliced medium thick
Favorite mustard for spreading
until transparent. Add the flour, let cook for a minute (continue stirring constantly through this whole process) and add the milk. Let it thicken slightly and add the chicken stock. Continue to stir until sauce is thickened to gravy at a boil (about 6 minutes). Reduce heat to a simmer and add the cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper to your liking. Once melted, keep on low. Spread mustard on the bread and place on a baking sheet or individual bowls if they can be broiled. Pour a little of your sauce on top and the sliced turkey. Add more sauce, and then place under the broiler until golden. Sprinkle with the bacon (2 slices per person) and fresh parsley. Early Times Mint Julep
Chopped fresh parsley for color
Make simple syrup by boiling 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water together. Add 6 sprigs of fresh mint, cover and refrigerate overnight if possible.
Cook your bacon until crispy and set aside. In a sauté pan cook the onion
In a sterling cup filled with crushed ice, add 1 tablespoon of simple syrup and 2 ounces of Early Times Mint
Good handful sliced turkey (use roast beef for a twist) Salt and pepper to taste
Julep Bourbon. Stir quickly without touching the outer edge of the cup until it is frosted evenly and garnish with fresh mint sprig. Maker’s Mark Mint Julep Lemonade
Muddle 2-3 mint sprigs and 2 ounces of simple syrup in 8-ounce glass. Fill with crushed ice and add 2 ounces of Maker’s Mark Bourbon, 1-ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice and top off with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and lemon wedge. “The fastest two minutes in sports” brings tradition and excitement from the first running in 1875. Celebrate by hosting a Derby Party. Have your guests dress for the day and bring a rose to honor the event. Do not forget to sing “My Old Kentucky Home” before the race begins. Create your own traditions for a yearly party and here’s to WINNING! Happy Spring from John’s Angels Catering!
food}
taste
SERVING UP SPRING—AT LAST Forget tulips or daffodils. The first signs of spring in my childhood home were the tiny spears of asparagus poking up through the lawn. Our house was one of the first in a subdivision created out of a truck farm on the west end of Billings, Montana, surrounded by an abandoned orchard, horse pastures, and Rimrock views. And for those of us lucky enough to live on the old asparagus field, little green jewels that, decades later, still taste to me like the essence of spring.
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There’s some debate whether Pasta Primavera—or Springtime Pasta—is the dish Botticelli’s models ate, as I’d like to think, or the 1970s invention of a New York City restaurateur. As long as it’s yummy, who cares? I first discovered the dish in the early 1980s, when I was fresh out of law school and teaching myself to cook. My sweet hunny calls the slender green stalks “sparrow girls,” and I’ve long called them “sparrow grass,” but the word actually has Greek origins. It is diuretic, and eating lots of it will create that familiar tangy odor in the restroom—so when you boil or steam asparagus, don’t save the cooking water for your vegetable stock.
By Leslie Budewitz, Author/Lawyer
Erin Murphy, the half-Irish, half-Italian amateur sleuth in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, loves pasta of all variety. I’m super-glad about that—more opportunities and excuses for me to play with food!
After our looooong winter, we’re all in the mood to celebrate spring—and now that asparagus is in the groceries and starting to appear in our gardens, this is the perfect dish.
Pasta Primavera aka Springtime Pasta
Assemble your ingredients in advance, so you can mingle with your guests, and then dazzle them as you make the sauce while the pasta cooks. You can sauté the veggies and let them sit, in the pan but off the heat, before you start cooking the pasta and sauce—this sauce cooks quickly. 1/4 cup butter
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced—try a mixture of button and crimini
½ pound asparagus; snap the ends, cut the stalks into 1" pieces, and leave the tips whole 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced 1 medium zucchini, diced
1/4 cup slivered prosciutto (optional) 3 green onions, including tops, sliced
½ cup tiny peas, frozen and thawed 1 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper—use white pepper if you have it ½ pint whipping cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces fettuccine or linguine Additional Parmesan and chopped fresh flatleaf (Italian) parsley for serving
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add mushrooms, asparagus, carrots, and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add prosciutto; cover and cook another 2 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot large enough to hold the pasta and sauce.
To the vegetables, add the green onions, peas, basil, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add the cream and increase the heat; cook until the sauce boils and forms large, shiny bubbles. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour sauce over pasta, lifting and mixing gently to coat the pasta. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and gently mix
After our looooong winter, we’re all in the mood to celebrate spring—and now that asparagus is in the groceries and starting to appear in our gardens, this is the perfect dish.
again. Serve in a warm bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with additional Parmesan. Makes 4-6 servings.
Crime Rib, the second installment in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, is coming from Berkley Prime Crime, a division of Penguin Books, this July; available for pre-order now. When the annual Jewel Bay Steak Grill-off ends in murder, Erin must investigate—to keep the town from going up in flames.
Bio:
"It takes a village to catch a killer." Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, starting with the national bestseller Death al Dente (2013), a nominee for the Agatha Award for Best First Novel, and continuing with Crime Rib (July 2014). The light-hearted mysteries feature Erin Murphy, proprietor of The Merc, a market specializing in regional foods, located in her family's century-old former grocery in Jewel Bay Montana. Erin's passion for pasta, retail, and huckleberry chocolates lead to an unexpected talent for solving murder. Leslie lives in Bigfork with her husband, Don Beans, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their Burmese cat, Ruff. Visit her at www.LeslieBudewitz.com
food}
wine
Time in a Bottle
How to Understand Vintage Dates on Wine Labels By Karen Sanderson
When you shop for a wine, what are the first things that attract you to a bottle? The elegant script? The humorous animal logo? Most of us tend to gravitate towards the image on the label first, and then try to warp our heads around the information on the front and back of the bottle. But does anyone ever look at the year it was produced, i.e.: the “vintage?”
What is the significance of the YEAR on the Bottle? The year on the bottle represents the year the grapes were picked. It is not when the wine was bottled. For example, a 2012 red wine was picked in 2012, and most likely bottled in 2013. It would hit the shelves anytime after it was bottled. White wines and rosés are usually bottled sooner, so a 2013 Pinot Gris would be picked in 2013, bottled in early 2014 and shipped out soon after. There are no strict rules on when to drink a bottle of wine, but buyers should know that all wines are constantly changing in the bottle. That’s what makes them so alluring and intriguing to aficionados. Most wines aren’t meant to age. The majority of bottles are distributed within 2 years of being bottled and are then consumed within 6 months of purchase.
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White Wines:
Almost all white wines are meant to be consumed within 2 years of their release. Right now, most 2011 and 2012 wines are just at their peak, and the 2013’s will be hitting the market within the next month or two. Newer vintages are great, but how do you know which is best for your palate? It depends on what you desire in a white wine. If you like higher acidity, complexity and fruit, then reach for the most current vintage. As white wines age, they starts to lose that acidity and ultimately lose their luster. But guess what? If you prefer lower acidity and less zippy fruit, then a slightly aged white might be just the wine for you.
Exceptions: Well made Rieslings, Chenin Blancs, Rhone blends, and high end Chardonnays can age beautifully and become more elegant as they get older. These wines become creamier and even more luscious as they age. The fruit qualities will change in mysterious ways that are highly desired among collectors. These wines will still be amazing 5-15 years after bottling, assuming they have been stored properly. **HOMEWORK: The best way to distinguish the differences between vintages/ aging is to buy 2 bottles of a brand new release. Drink one now and hold the other for 6 months to a year. Take notes on both and note the differences. You’ll be amazed at how much that same bottle has changed!
Red Wines:
Most red wines are made to be consumed within 2-4 years of bottling. Grocery wines, and any under $20 would fall into this category. They won’t go bad after that time, but will gradually lose their fruit, tannin struc-
food}
wine
ture, and acidity. Wines that are meant to age will usually be more expensive. Ageable wines are made in a specific way and meant to be cellared in consistent temperatures for 10-20 years. If consumed early, these fine wines will taste very young, tannic and probably oaky. After a few years, these once tannic wines may become silky smooth and develop more complexity and finesse.
that once thinking I was smart by putting 2 cases of special wines in my cold basement crawlspace during a hot summer. The wines were indeed kept cool all summer, but sadly, were ruined from the heat of the furnace during the winter. And yes, I’m still heartbroken about it.
Does Vintage Matter? Yes, most definitely. One vintage might not taste the same in the next. Viticulture is a different kind of agriculture. There usually isn’t much climate difference in the banana growing regions, but grapes are finicky. Certain varietals only thrive in certain regions. If the year is too hot, you get “hot” wine. (i.e.: high alcohol, extra juicy fruit, overly dense) In a rainy or cold growing season, the grapes may not ripen enough and produce wines that are a little light, acidic, and “green.” The goal of a winemaker is to make a wine as consistently as possible. A difficult vintage is a great indicator of what separates the novices from the pros. Pros have the winemaking know how to make adjustments to make a challenging wine delicious. How do you know which vintages and pros work the best magic? That’s what your wine shops are for. They usually know all that geeky stuff.
tips; hot kitchens are the worst
How to not age well: Just like how the
sun damages our skin, heat will damage wine. Did you know that wines should be stored in cool temperatures, no more than 70 degrees? Any wine that is stored in higher temps will age more quickly and can become “cooked” within a year. Sadly, I did
Contrary to popular decorating places to store wine unless you plan to drink it within a few months of purchase. Otherwise, the constant
temperature
fluctuations
(especially heat) will severely alter the intended characteristics of the wine.
Vibration will wreak havoc
on wine as well, so it’s also best to keep your wines away from running appliances. Now, not to confuse you, but some whites taste amazing with a little age, and some reds are fantastic with dates that are older than you. Really! When to drink a wine depends greatly on the grape variety, region it comes from, the winemaking style, the way it is stored, and your wine preferences. The best way to discover that information is to ask your local retailer. Cheers!
Karen Sanderson is the proprietor of Brix Bottleshop at 101 E Center St #102 in Kalispell. (406) 393-2202, www.brixbottleshop.com
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health}
skincare answers
C oconut O il and D ietar y S ug ar By Erin Blair, Licensed Esthetician + Certified Health Coach
Q:
I’ve been hearing so much about coconut oil lately. Everywhere I turn, it seems like the cure all for anything, even acne. What is the benefit of coconut oil for the skin? Do you believe it helps with acne?
A:
I’ve noticed the coconut oil trend seems to be gaining more and more momentum. Nearly every client I see has a sister-in-law who just swears by it, and online research turns up lots of support in favor of coconut oil for the skin. I agree it’s great to eat, and I recommend using it in place of other fats during cooking. I also consider it beneficial for some topical uses, but NOT for acne. Coconut oil is highly pore clogging
If you have ‘that’ sister-in-law, please read on. Coconut oil has long been recognized as pore clogging (comedogenic) by cosmetic chemists. The problem, as with most comedogens, is that it can take weeks or even months for the breakout to become apparent. For this reason, people often unwittingly continue use, not realizing that trouble is brewing deep inside their pores.
As true with all acne rules, this does not apply to someone without the genetic predisposition to break out. These people are typically free to use most anything and won’t be bothered by it. For them, this may be a lovely moisturizer. But do pay attention, because if breakouts start showing up, the coconut oil could be to blame. But some people say it HELPED their breakouts
There are other conditions that mimic acne, a common one being fungal folliculitis that causes small raised bumps often mistaken for pimples. I have a theory that, due to its anti-fungal properties, coconut oil is effectively clearing this condition. It would be an easy mistake to make. I see clients who regularly present with this fungal rash-like condition, and they always think it's acne.
I can see how someone might notice an improvement in their fungal folliculitis rather quickly, and not develop increased acne lesions until a month (or two or three) later. At that point, it would be easy to miss 42
the connection between the coconut oil and the acne. Instead, they’d want to keep using the oil, thinking ‘It cleared me up before, so I’ll stick with it.’ After all, Google and the sister-in-law are both insistent that it works…
My best advice is to not use coconut oil topically where you tend to break out with acne, and if you choose to use it elsewhere, wash your hands with soap afterward to prevent unintentionally transferring to your face, chest or back.
Q:
Does sugar have any effect on skin health?
A:
Yes, sugar intake is a major factor in both acne and aging. Thankfully, due to the recent recommendation of the World Health Organization to lower dietary sugar, more people have become aware of just how much they eat. The new recommendation for an adult of typical body mass index is only 25 grams of sugar per day. When I personally began paying close attention to labels, I was blown away by the amounts in even ‘healthy’ food. Added sugar is an insidious threat to our health at many levels, and I can’t go into all of them here, but I will say… Sugar is aging
We all know sun exposure is aging us, but few realize that sugar is a major player in the wrinkle brigade. The simplest explanation is that sugar attacks and weakens collagen and elastin proteins, in a process called glycation. This makes skin more prone to wrinkles, sagging, and loss of textural tone. It’s a difficult, if not impossible condition to correct, and cutting back on foods high in sugar is the best prevention.
Sugar promotes acne Many factors contribute to acne, and blood sugar level is among them. Elevated amounts of sugar, brought about by a high glycemic diet, lead to the hormonal chain reactions and inflammation that helps fuel acne.
In each of these examples, I’m not only referring to added sugar in sodas or candy. Keep in mind that alcohol is high in sugar, as are processed foods, refined flour (think bread, crackers, pasta, pancakes) and any food with a high glycemic load. A Google search will give you a reference list. We live in a culture of sugar
It truly is an addictive substance that wreaks havoc on our bodies, and I’m continually disappointed by the amount that’s offered to our kids at school. There is so much ‘drug awareness and prevention’ being taught, yet our children are constantly offered their drug of choice: sweets. They’re rewarded with it. It’s available at all events, and the focus of many school fundraisers. Sleepovers and parties are all about sugar. Camping brings sodas and S’mores, skiing brings hot chocolate. Every holiday and celebration has a sugar focus. We just begin to recover from Halloween in time for Christmas, and then the kids are bringing home boxes of Valentine’s candy, followed right up by their Easter basket. Most of us grow up with this prevailing theme, and pass the addiction on to the next generation. For acne and aging, and for untold other health reasons, it’s my hope that awareness will increase, and people will take more opportunities to ‘just say no’ to what I’ve come to call The Other White Drug.
Erin Blair, Licensed Esthetician and Certified Health Coach, is the owner of Skin Therapy Studio, a place for total skin wellness. She takes a ‘whole person’ approach to difficult skin concerns. Visit SkinTherapyStudio.com for more information or to submit questions for this column.
health}
Answers
health care answers By Thomas deHoop, MD Kalispell OB-GYN
Q: A:
"I have teenagers (a son and a daughter) and I keep hearing about the Gardasil vaccine. Generally speaking I'm not a fan of every vaccine available so is this one mandatory to protect my children? What are the possible side effects and is it worth the risk?" - Sincerely, A Concerned Mother
This is a good question commonly asked by parents after being offered the vaccine by their pediatrician or gynecologist. Since it’s approval in 2006, Gardisil (and Cervarix in 2009), the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine has been administered over 50 million times initially to young women and now men. Despite widespread use, a lot of questions still remain about the vaccine. What is HPV and why is it important?
The human papilloma virus (HPV) is a common virus that is easily spread by skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity with another person. Less than 5% of people with HPV have symptoms, so it is likely that a person with HPV is unaware making it possible to unknowingly spread the virus to another person. Certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) can cause cancer, of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus and throat.
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Each year in the US, cervical cancer is diagnosed in more than 12,000 women with HPV associated with almost all of them. The human papilloma virus is also believed to be responsible for 2,600 cases of
vulvar/vaginal cancer, 4,300 cases of anal cancer and more than 8,400 cases of throat cancer. There are about 120 types of HPV but only about 13 types have been shown to cause cervical cancer with approximately 70% of all cases caused by type 16 and 18. These two types are also responsible for 70% of anal cancers, 70-80% of HPV related penile cancers, 60% of vaginal cancers, and 35% of vulvar cancers. In addition, there are at least 360,000 cases of genital warts each year also caused by HPV.
What vaccines are available?
In the US there are currently two vaccines available: Gardasil and Cervarix. Gardasil was approved for use in 2006 and protects against four strains of HPV. Not only does it protect against type 16 and 18, it also protects against two of the low risk types (6 and 11) that are responsible for up to 90% of genital warts. Cervarix, a lesser-used vaccine, was approved in 2009 and only protects against type 16 and 18. The vaccines offer protection against the previously mentioned cancers as well.
How effective are the vaccines?
Excellent antibody responses have been reported following immunization with both vaccines. In studies where Gardasil was given to women without previous exposure to HPV, it prevented significant
precancerous lesions in almost 100% of those who received it. In the overall population study (women with or without prior HPV exposure), the efficacy of Gardasil was approximately 44%. This reduction in efficacy reflects the fact that the majority of the participants were already sexually active and many had been previously infected with the types of HPV the vaccine was designed to prevent. Because the length of time between the infection with HPV and cervical cancer is so long (10 or more years), data on its prevention is still forthcoming. Similarly, clinical trials in men showed an efficacy of over 90% in preventing external genital lesions associated with the HPV types covered by the vaccine. Similar findings were seen with Cervarix.
Who should receive the vaccine and when? Most of the early studies were on women aged 12-26, which remains the target population. The current recommendation by the US Advisory Committee in Immunization Practices, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Practice and the American College of Ob/Gyn is that the vaccine be given at age 11-12 to both boys and girls. For adolescents and young adults who didn’t receive the vaccine at 11-12, they should receive a catch-up vaccination before age 26. Primary reasons for such
health} an early age of administration are; one, the antibody response to the vaccine is as much as three times greater in younger aged females versus those 16 years old and above resulting in greater efficacy. Two, the efficacy is greater when the vaccine given before a person is exposed to HPV. So, receiving the vaccine early, before exposure and with enough time to develop an immune response is the key to the vaccine’s success.
The vaccine is scheduled as a three-shot series over six months. It is given at 0, 1-2 and 6 months. There is no indication that if the series has been disrupted, it needs to be restarted, it just needs to be completed. The vaccine neither treats nor accelerates the clearance of preexisting HPV infections or related disease.
What are the risks with the vaccine? With over 50 million doses given, it has been found to be as safe as any other childhood vaccine. While common reactions such as soreness or redness at the injection site, nausea and headache do exist, there is no evidence of more serious or dangerous outcomes. Many parents have been concerned that administration of the vaccine may lead to an increase in sexual activity among adolescents. Numerous studies of sever-
al thousand children followed into adolescence after being given the vaccine found that HPV vaccination was not associated with an increase in sexual activity or sexual activity related outcomes. It may provide an opportunity to discuss an adolescent’s sexuality.
Who should not get the vaccine? The vaccines are not currently FDA approved for individuals older than 26, so it shouldn’t be routinely given. There may be some benefit to off-label use that must be decided on a case-bycase basis. Although the vaccines do not contain a live virus, it still should not be used in pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding as it has not been adequately studied in these populations. Studies have shown that those women who inadvertently received the vaccine while pregnant appeared to be at no greater risk of harm to their pregnancy. Lastly, because a woman has been exposed to HPV or has had an HPV related, is not a reason to withhold the vaccine as it is unlikely that someone has been exposed to all of the strains of the virus the vaccine is designed to protect. It will likely benefit those women. Testing for HPV is not a prerequisite to administering the vaccine.
Questions & Answers
Why should I vaccinate my child? Like many other vaccines; Hepatitis B, Chicken pox or Whooping Cough, we want to make sure that if exposed at any time in their life, our children are protected. While it is very important to talk to your children about the risks of unsafe sexual practices, at some point in their life they are likely to become sexually active. Even if they only have one lifetime-partner, if that partner has been sexually active in the past, they could harbor the human papilloma virus and potentially expose and transmit the virus. With a vaccine that is nearly 100% successful in preventing transmission of a virus responsible for a majority of anogenital cancers or precancers and genital warts in people who are vaccinated years before becoming sexually active is may be just as important as having “the talk” with your child and offer protection long after they’ve left the nest.
Erratum: We regret that last issue’s article on Exercise in Pregnancy was credited in error and was written by Thomas deHoop, MD. Dr. deHoop has been writing, publishing and lecturing about the female athlete for almost two decades.
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health}x-rays
Dental X-Rays what we're really looking for by Dr. John F. Miller DDS
It’s that time of year again. Memories of our amazing Montana winter bittersweet, and yearnings for summer impatient. I appreciate all of your beautiful and bright Montana smiles joining mine out there on the slopes this past winter. I make an effort every winter to take my snowboard somewhere new, and whether its Squaw Valley, Austria, or Park City, nowhere puts together a total package of great people, charm, and conditions better than Montana. I keep my mouth shut however, in my attempts at becoming a true local I’ve learned the unspoken rule that we keep our treasure secret. Your mouth is also full of secrets. Most of these secrets are not visible to the human eye. As an Oral Health Care Provider, I have a valuable tool in the form of dental radiography (x-rays). These images allow me to complete an accurate and detailed assessment of my patient’s oral condition. In fact, a patient’s x-rays tell the majority of their story and it would be impossible to
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provide high-quality dentistry without them. If you have read my column before you know that I like my audience to be well informed on dental topics and potential investments that they might make concerning their own oral health. The routine dental patient typically receives some type of dental x-ray every year. So let’s get to the business of producing well-informed readers on the topic of dental x-rays. How is an X-Ray image produced? Don’t worry, I’ll be brief. Electromagnetic radiation, not unlike visible light, at a specific energy wavelength is called an X-Ray. X-rays differ from visible light in that they can penetrate the soft tissues of our bodies. An X-Ray image called a radiograph is produced using an X-Ray sensor and an X-Ray producing source. In the case of dentistry, the teeth and supporting tissues is placed between the X-Ray source and
the X-Ray sensor. When an X-Ray reaches the sensor it produces a dark spot, as a result harder objects such as teeth and bone appear white on a radiograph because they block more X-Rays than the surrounding softer tissue (lips and gums). Even within the tooth itself one can see the difference between enamel (the hardest tissue in the human body) and the less dense underlying dentin.
other words, without bitewing x-rays these cavities would likely not be identified before it was too late. Bitewings are also used to evaluate the bone health around the teeth and identify hardened plaque deposits below the gumline.
Types of Dental X-Rays
The Periapical X-Ray: The What: A periapical radiograph shows the entire tooth from the crown to the end of the root including the surrounding bone.
The Bitewing X-Ray: The What: A bitewing x-ray shows the upper and lower back teeth and how they contact each other in a single view. The Why: Bitewings allow the dentist to identify cavities between teeth (the area where you would floss...you are flossing right?). The contact area between teeth is the most common location to develop tooth decay. These cavities are not visible in the mouth. In
The When: Taken at the patient’s initial visit and then once per year following that.
The Why: Periapical radiographs provide detailed images below the gumline and in the jaw. While the most common pathologic finding in periapical radiographs are dental root infections (abscesses), other common findings include impacted teeth, cysts, tumors, and bone changes associated with gum disease.
health}x-rays The When: A full series is taken at the patient’s initial visit and then again every three to five years. However, patients who present with dental pain typically receive a single isolated periapical radiograph to aid in diagnosis. The Panoramic X-Ray: The What: Panoramic radiographs show a broad view of the jaws, teeth, sinuses, nasal area, and temporomandibular (jaw) joints. The Why: Panoramic radiographs during early childhood provide information on the developing teeth below the bone. During the teenage years information concerning impacted teeth such as wisdom teeth is provided. And throughout the patient's entire life, bone abnormalities, cysts, solid growths (tumors), infections, and fractures can be visualized in a panoramic radiograph. Any pathology identified on a Panoramic radiograph is followed up with a Periapical or Bitewing radiograph because they produce a much more clear image for proper diagnosis. The When: Taken at the patient’s initial visit and then again every three to five years. What About Radiation Exposure: Radiation in any form is concerning, especially for all of us from the “Cold War” era when nukes were all the rage. This concern prevents some patients from receiving dental X-Rays. This section will educate the reader on the actual levels of radiation received from dental X-Rays relative to other common radiation sources. The average set of bitewing X-Rays, that are taken annually, result in 0.038 mSv of radiation exposure to the patient. Just the simple act of living for a year exposes a person to approximately 3.5 mSv of radiation from sources such as outer space, mother earth, food, other humans, etc. A cross-country flight is the equivalent to almost 2 sets of bitewings, any flight attendants in the audience. I’m not trying to make these items out to be dangerous, I just want the reader to understand that radiation is part of life and receiving dental X-Rays amounts to little more than 1/100 of total radiation exposure. So what’s the deal with the heavy lead apron? Why does the Doctor and Hygienist always leave the room when X-Rays are being exposed? The answers are "Why NOT?" and "Because they do it all day" respectively. If you are still with me, Congratulations!! You not only made it through another dental article, but a dental article focused on XRays. Keep these things in mind the next time you visit your friendly neighborhood Montana Dentist. Take an active role in your dental exam and inquire about your X-Rays and have the Doctor point out his findings. Blow his mind and ask, “Is there evidence of interproximal caries on my bitewings kind Doctor?” Remember that dental X-Rays provide the bulk of your oral information and excellent gold standard dentistry simply cannot be performed without up-to-date X-Rays. As always, continue smiling Montana. For we have every reason to. Thank You!!
health}
fitness
Mixing it Up By Delia Buckmaster Photos by Scott Wilson Photography
Do you want to take your fitness to the next level but you don’t know how? You consider yourself to be better than average. You run a few days a week and do something fun and athletic on the weekends. Friends come to town and you decide to give them the Montana experience. A hike in the park and a maybe some paddle boarding on the lake and you feel like you’ve been run over by Glacier Park Jammer. What’s going on? Its not to say you are not in great shape, for the exercise you do routinely. But if that’s all you do, day after day, you might be setting yourself up for injury or boredom. What can you do to prevent injury and fitness plateaus? Cross training.
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I wish I had discovered Pilates a long time ago. Because, there is no doubt in my mind that it would have made me a much better athlete. In my opinion, every athlete should find a mindbody practice to cross train their bodies. Cross training in the form of yoga or Pilates can build core strength and stability, which leads to more power for the athlete. Pilates is founded on core strength. The mat and equipment exercises strengthen not just the outer muscles of the center of the body but also the deep inner stabilizing muscles of the pelvis, abdomen, and back -- the core muscles. Core strength supports the back and neck, giving us healthy posture and freeing the joints to allow a natural flexibility of the limbs. This kind of strength and flexibility training translate well into all kinds cross training activities.
"With Contrology (Pilates), you will develop muscular power with corresponding endur-
Cross training may help you:
Become Stronger: The goal of most athletes is to become stronger, improve performance, and avoid injuries. It is difficult to achieve all play strenuous games, to walk, run or travel of these goals by training in one sport alone; for long distances without fatigue or men- “cross-training” can add the missing link. As a new approach to an athlete’s workout routal strength. And this by no means is the tine, cross training can increase power, add end." -Joseph Pilates flexibility, build stability, and increase motivation. Overdosing on one type of exercise, however, is unhealthy and can result in overtrainThe term cross training refers to a training ing injuries, metabolic imbalance, and mental routine that involves several different forms of fatigue. exercise. While it is necessary for an athlete to train specifically for their sport if they want to Become More Motivated: One of the best excel, for the average person, cross training is ways to remedy boredom in your workout roua beneficial training method for maintaining a tine is cross training. Cross Training is not inhigh level of overall fitness. For example, you tended to replace your primary training, but it may use both biking and swimming each week can be beneficial when supplementing it here to improve your overall aerobic capacity, build and there. If you’re training for a marathon, overall muscle strength and reduce the chance for example, your training plan should lay out of an overuse injury. Cross training limits the crucial workouts, such as your long run; tempo stress that occurs on a specific muscle group runs; and speed workouts. Those other daily because different activities use muscles in runs might be good candidates to substitute an slightly different ways. alternate activity or take a rest day when you’re ance, ability to perform arduous duties, to
health}
overly tired or on the mend. The benefits of cross training are subtle but can really enhance your performance and give an edge on race day. If an exercise program does not involve a passion, such as runners and bikers often feel, the routines can get boring. Cross training is a great in breaking things up. A little of this and a little of that can keep your exercise routine spiced up and challenged with the variety. In addition, a good diverse workout regimen will provide strength and flexibility in every part of the body, while allowing other strained muscles to rest. Repetition can lead to boredom, making our workout routine stale and bothersome. Alternating our training injects a change-of-pass and excitement, and can sharpen our competitive nature. By adding in this element of change every so often, our alternate workouts can keep us fresh and focused on the more critical workouts we must do.
Develop Core Strength: Core-strength allows for central stabilization of the body, which enables the maximum force to be ultimately generated by our extremities. You'll gain crucial shoulder mobility, build lower-body stability, and tap into your full upper-body power. The TRX™ and other similar suspension training equipment add an extra dimension to quad training for runners by increasing the stability, flexibility and balance demand of the classic lunge exercise. Running requires balance. Performing squats using a BOSU™, a hemispher-
fitness
Above photo: Marlow Schultz, Junior at Whitefish Hight School. Track: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m
ic stability ball will challenge your balance, strengthen your quads and help eliminate any left-to-right strength imbalances. A strong core will enhance your performance in swimming, biking, running and all types of endurance sports. The same is true for the push off of running, the pull of swimming, or even the golf swing. Why is it that we swing our arms when we sprint? It’s because they help us to balance and drive our legs. We need strong and stable core muscles in order to transmit power through our kinetic chain.
ity exercises. The most notable cross trainers perform all these events in the triathlon, where they bike, run and swim. Anyone can incorporate cross training into his or her workout. Find three things that interest you. It could be three sports, such as the triathlon participants do, or it could be three different types of group classes at a fitness studio or gym. The key, as with any exercise, is to choose three things you think you'll enjoy.
Condition Your Overall Body: Training effectively for endurance sports is about more than endless base miles. It’s about a functional fitness program that incorporates core strength, mobility, flexibility and injury prevention. Using running as an example, the hamstrings and calf muscles see most of the strain and are usually a runner’s strongest muscles. During races, many runners can lose steam because of sore quadriceps, or weak abs that make them hunch over when they tire; or arms that swing in an uncontrolled & fatigued state across their bodies. These other muscles can help pull a runner through in a race.
Prevent Injury: Cross Training gives your primary muscles a chance to rest and recuperate. For example, running primarily uses the hamstring and calf muscles. Many runners that experience injuries do so because they overtrain. When you chose an alternate activity, you allow the primary muscles to heal and rebuild and other supporting muscles to get stronger. A lack of cross training can lead to injuries from over-use and muscle imbalance. If you want to be a better runner, there is no substitute for running…. so make sure that you don’t overly focus on alternate training and strength building methods. So try rounding out your And most of all… routine a bit…. it may just be the difference in Cross training in new ways can prolong your achieving your goals. ability to participate in the activities you love most, and give you the satisfaction you crave Improve Fitness Levels: Cross training is usu- from the sports that are your passion. ally done in three phases that involve aerobic training, strengthening activities and flexibil-
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fashion}
114° west By Courtney Ferda - www.114-west.com Photos by Brooke Peterson from Brooke Peterson Photography.
When it gets to this time of the year while the weather is as random as late night television and maybe you are tired of every piece of winter clothing you own, that little bit of inspiration for daily outfits is hard to find. I know I have really struggled the past few weeks picking out an outfit for the day and spend way to much time standing in front of my closet hoping that an outfit will jump out at me and I will suddenly be excited about my wardrobe again. Something that I do to battle the clothing blues is to check out my “Style Inspiration” Pinterest board and remake an outfit from another blogger or magazine. It is so much fun to look through the pictures and “pin” pictures of outfits that you love to your board. Whether it is because of a specific clothing item in the picture or you just love the style the person is wearing, you can create a board of ideas that fit you and your closet uniquely. I know it is easy for me to spend time on Pinterest pinning beautiful pictures of gowns, bathing suits and wedding dresses but sometimes it’s good to take a minute for just scouting out some everyday outfits!
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I remember the first outfit I ever “pinterest copied” was of a maxi skirt and sweater combo from a blogger I adore from Tennessee (Check her out! blog name: Happily Grey). This was not long before I began my blog 114 west°. I started really enjoying the challenge of taking outfits off of Pinterest and using my own clothes to recreate a look. It has helped me many days when I do not know what to wear and I have
used to it to help style photoshoots and even help my friends. My first ever 406 Woman contribution was helping Cara Lard (from Mum’s flowers) and Rachel Spray (from Rachel and Jeremiah Photography) pick their outfits and we did it using Pinterest ideas and then recreating the look we wanted with their own wardrobe. For those of you who do not have a Pinterest, what are you waiting for! Take the plunge, we won’t judge! Start a “Style Inspiration” board and spend a few minutes searching through the “women’s fashion” sections finding ideas and inspiration. If you are not interested in making a board yourself head on over to mine and steal ideas off of there!
I am using this idea of creating Pinterest style boards to offer style advice and help with senior pictures this upcoming year. I have begun working with Brooke Peterson (from Brooke Peterson Photography) creating a great package for seniors which includes free style consultation from yours truly! Don’t be intimidated, it just means that I will meet you for coffee and we will take a look at my “senior outfit ideas” Pinterest board and decide on some looks that you want to go for! Then I will either go shopping with you to help create these looks or come over and help you recreate the looks out of your own closet! It is so much fun to help people get ready for beautiful pictures and I am excited to see how this adventure goes! If you are interested in having help styling photos head on over to my blog (www.114-west. com) and check out my options
fashion}Courtney Ferda
for photo styling! I would love to help you make your senior pictures, engagement pictures or family pictures look even more amazing!
This outfit is from a picture I found on my “Style Inspiration board,” I loved how this particular stylist had paired a patterned dressy skirt with a plain white top. It was classy yet totally comfortable for day in meetings or even just running errands. I copied her idea of wearing ankle booties, which was perfect because the day that Brooke and I went to shoot these pictures it was raining and puddles were everywhere. I added a jean jacket (my favorite spring addition to my wardrobe, a great jacket to have to throw on over a sundress or even pair it with a flannel and a dark pair of jeans!) and as you can see the outfit didn’t turn out exactly like the one from Pinterest, but it is close, and I didn’t have to put much thought into it. I also did not have to go and buy a bunch of new clothes to make this look, all of these items I already had in my closet and had never thought of pairing them together before! I hope you feel inspired to go out and create an awesome “Style Inspiration” Pinterest board and try and copy a few outfits for yourself! I know there are days that we find ourselves standing in front of our closets and wishing we had someone there to style us and learning to recreate an outfit with your own clothes can do just that! Good Luck and let me know how it goes! Stop by www.114-west.com and share your inspiration!
xoxo Court
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wellness}
smack back attack
Smack Back Attack Written by CrisMarie Campbell
Do you ever have one of those days when you are feeling so good about yourself that you are just beaming? Maybe you have on a new outfit or one that you think you look particularly awesome in. Maybe you posted lots of selfies on Facebook, having such a jammin’ time with your girlfriends. Maybe you just wrote an authentically honest blog, or finished a piece of artwork that you just love, or felt electric on stage giving your presentation. And you’re getting some great feedback, too! But then someone pops up with the antithesis of warm and fuzzy. Instead, what comes at you is some biting, critical comment or sarcastic retort: “Well, how much did you spend on that outfit?”
“Does it always have to be about YOU on Facebook? Please!“ “You know, we don’t need to know everything about your life on your blog!” “Really? People pay you money for that so-called art?” “So glad you presented my idea!”
Having experienced this myself, and coaching other people through it, quite frankly it is hard to take. It is what I call the Smack-Back-Attack. Often it comes from someone whom you think would be your biggest fan: your sister, best friend, mentor, or parent.
Sally’s Experience I was working with Sally, who had studied with a healer for over a decade. She respected her mentor and had graduated from working with him. As she started her own practice, she had written a book based on what she had learned. She took well over a year to write her manuscript, and when she showed it to her mentor, he said, “You can’t publish this. It’s my work.” 54
Sally was shocked. She had written the book because of the respect she had for the work and her
mentor. She was crestfallen with his response. She immediately acquiesced, believing her mentor was right. Who was she to write her own interpretation of his work? She wound up apologizing profusely. That is when I got a call from Sally.
Deer in the Headlights Sally had done what I often do: she had reacted like a deer in headlights. Often, when we get a Smack-Back-Attack, we are speechless. Our brains freeze, unable to respond to the incoming information, especially when it is from someone we think will be a supporter. I have to admit when it happens to me, I am usually so stunned inside that I simply accept what the person says and start to believe it. I usually cringe inside and think, “Wow, I guess she’s right. This outfit is a bit much.” Sometimes, I am hit so hard that I actually wind up saying something selfnegating like, “Wow, thanks for your feedback. I really appreciate it.” (BTW, I don’t recommend this approach.)
Coming Out of a Fog It isn’t until after about 24 hours of feeling like a complete loser (or sometimes after weeks or months) that I finally connect with something else inside me that says, “Wait a minute! What I did (wore, said, created) wasn’t so bad. Why am I believing this one person, especially when I heard all this positive feedback from lots of other people?” It is like I am coming out of a fog and landing back in my own shoes. My view of my world shifts back into place. At this point, I usually wind up connecting to my anger and think of 100 better responses than how I had initially responded. Of course it’s too late. However, it is still fun to think of what I could have said in the safety of my own home. There are other options, though.
Take-That! For some who are quicker and more willing to defend than me, there is the Take-That! retort. If the comment is about my outfit, it might go some-
thing like, “Well, at least I wouldn’t be caught dead in what you’re wearing.”
This strategy, however, devolves into tit for tat. You may feel good for a split second, but it is like putting gasoline on a fire. It will only grow, and everyone will get burned in the end, saying meaner and meaner things. So I don’t recommend this strategy.
Being Real There is another way to respond, which is to say how you feel. It can be as simple as, “Ouch!” or “That hurts.” When we feel attacked we are usually surprised and just react automatically. Being real requires that we pause, connect to our body, notice how we feel, and then be vulnerable and courageous enough to speak up honestly. Here is what Sally did. Sally went back to her mentor and said, “Wow, I am really surprised that you don’t want me to publish this. I am not claiming it as my own. In the writing I share how I learned it from you. I am simply sharing my interpretation. I think that getting this out to a wider audience may also bring more students to you.”
Her mentor retorted, “You can’t do it. I have it trademarked, and I am working on my own book.” Sally replied, “Well, I am sad that you feel this way. I hope you do publish your own book. I am still going to publish this, though, because it is based on my experience, my interpretation of our work together. I hope you will see that I am not trying to take anything away from you.” In the end, Sally ended her close relationship with her mentor and published her book. True, you don’t always have happy endings, but what Sally walked away with was something more than a relationship. She walked away with her self-respect, which is priceless.
406 family}
spring
Spring Cleaning by Gretchen Knuffke O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind? ―Percy Bysshe Shelley
Spring is the traditional time of rebirth. It is the season that we clean out the old, dirty and worn out and replace it with clean, beautiful things. One of my goals for this year was to get my home completely organized. A recent study at Princeton Neuroscience Institute found that clutter limits your brain’s ability to process information and restricts its ability to focus. Clutter is the number one reason that American homes are disorganized. Too much stuff limits our ability to function well and raises our levels of cortisol and thus, our anxiety.
So, for our brains to function properly and our stress levels to be low the first thing necessary is purging the clutter. You can either use a box system (trash, donate, keep) for closets or rooms or you may have to just go with a whole house declutter. For me, it was time for a whole house makeover. So, one room at a time I got rid of stuff. Americans are all suffering from affluenza and that is the number one reason we have clutter. I had extra dishes, coats, books, toys, and clothing that all needed to go. Getting rid of stuff is the best first step because it opens up the room and gives you space to find solutions. Chic Boutique in Whitefish even paid me for getting rid of clothes! After I got rid of extra stuff, I also scoured the internet and Pinterest for the best home organizing tips and tricks and here is what is working for me. Tote Bag System I found Thirty One Bags to be the best solution for corralling stuff for me. One thing I really needed under control was sports equipment. I love that these totes are big and stand up alone. I filled them with little kid ski boots and helmets and only needed to grab the bag on Saturday! Another bag holds all the ski gloves, goggles, masks and hats. It was an easy solution for something that was really creating a lot of clutter in my laundry room. With spring here, it is time to put all of that ski stuff in a storage bin and replace it with baseball equipment. In summer, all swimsuits and lake things will go in the totes. Totes are a great solution for library books, baby gear, road trips, and outings. Just find the tote that works for you and keep it filled with what you need. Store it in the closet and just grab and go when you need it. Basket system Baskets are perfect for magazines, books, toys, and throw blankets. These are the things that clutter up the living areas. Target and TJ Maxx have some great 56
baskets with chalkboard labels on them that are extremely durable and cute. Kids can easily clean up their own messes when a label is right on the basket! In the dollar section, they also have some cute plastic bins that are perfect for first aid items, hair items, toiletries, pantry items, craft supplies and more. I also bought some wire baskets to hang on the wall by the door. Mail goes in here and important school papers that need to go right back. A basket on a table by the door holds keys.
File system I love this idea for keeping paper organized. It is genius! Buy a file box for each child. Have files for birth certificates, shot records, school information, and best of all, favorite art work and cute things from your kids. At the end of each school year, take out the art and school stuff and keep your favorites.
Some other useful ideas I found were color coding your kid’s towels, cups, toothbrushes, etc. and hanging plastic hooks at kid height in the closets so instead of throwing jackets and sweatshirts on the floor, they can easily be hung by your child. Spending the last few months purging and organizing my house has reaped so many benefits. No more frustration while trying to get ready to go somewhere, everything was in its home and no more buying new things because we couldn’t find the old ones. There are no longer coats thrown on the floor of the coat closet thanks to hooks hanging down low. Spring cleaning will be a snap now that there is not so much random stuff cluttering up my house!
These delicious potatoes are amazing with brunch. They are a real crowd pleaser! Who doesn’t love a fireman?
Fireman Potatoes Ingredients 2 lbs. frozen hash browns (thawed) 1 stick margarine 1 chopped onion 1 can cream of celery soup 1 12 oz. sour cream 1 tsp. salt 1Â 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt 1/2 lb. grated cheese DIRECTIONS Mix ingredients and put in a 9 x 13 pan.
Topping: 3/4 stick margarine 1/2 small box rice krispies Place on top of potatoes Cook for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Summer Camp Registration Glacier Institute- From educational groups to youth camp to family camp, Glacier Institute has some great summer opportunities for families and kids. www.glacierinstitute.org
Glacier Camp- Daycamps, overnight camps, and even horse camp! Register for some fun on the shores of Flathead Lake. www.glaciercamp.org Ravenwood- All kinds of outdoor educational opportunities. Getting kids outside for safe, hands-on learning adventures. www.ravenwoodolc.org
family} education
SAT Tests are Changing for the Better
By Kristen Pulsifer, Whitefish Study Center
S-A-T. Most high school students, across the nation, cringe when they hear those letters said aloud. To a high school student it means, ‘test – a very long test… vocabulary- very difficult vocabulary’. And, worst of all, half of a Saturday spent in a classroom somewhere taking that excruciatingly long test. The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized test that is required for a majority of college admissions across the United States. It is owned and Published by the College Board. The test is in fact long and challenging. The SAT takes 3 hours and 45 minutes, is timed by section, and includes a variety of different sections that test a student’s basic skills, that should have been a part of their schooling from seventh grade on through high school.
The test currently is broken down into three parts- Critical Reading, Writing and Math. The Critical Reading section is broken down into two sections. One is the Reading Comprehension section, which consists of several tedious reading passages that students are instructed to read and then answer several multiple choice questions. The questions range in type from main point questions to more specific questions about what particular lines in the passage are trying to say. The other part of the critical reading section is called Sentence Completions. In this section the student is asked to complete a sentence with one or two of the words listed as multiple-choice options below the sentence. This section proves challenging, I believe, because the vocabulary is quite rigorous and not commonly used in curriculums taught in most schools.
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Another section is the Writing Section. This section tests students on their grammar and composition skills. This part is broken down into a multiple-choice section that consists of three different ways to test a student’s understanding of basic grammar and composition organization skills. The other part of the Writing section is the essay. The Writing section is the newest section of the SAT, introduced to the SAT format in 2005. There has been a great deal of controversy over this section, because many colleges and students do not believe the essay to be a fair way to test a student’s true writing skills. A student is given twenty-five minutes to construct an essay on generic questions about every day values and/ or concepts…. Honesty, technology, communi-
cation… The grading of the essay is based primarily on a student’s ability to organize their thoughts and stay on task enough to insightfully respond to the given ‘prompt’ or question. Students truly struggle with this section, but not because of either a lack of skill or intelligence, but because of the pressure of time and space to express and write their response.
The math section is fairly straight forward, and it has not changed significantly over the past 20 to 30 years. The Math section tests students on basic math skills covering Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry. While challenging, this section is a bit easier to prepare for before the test is taken.
Each of the sections is worth 800 points. The total would then be 2400 points. If students are scoring in the mid to high 600’s and 700’s, per section, they are achieving scores required by many top colleges and universities in the country. The average score ranges from 515 to 550 points per section. Now that I have you all up to speed on the current SAT, I can tell you that the SAT format is changing! Yes, changing. By 2016, there will be a new SAT. By 2015, students will be able to view the new SAT format through their PSATs. The SAT format is changing because of consistent criticism. The frustration from parents, students and colleges, with the current SAT, is that it only tests a student’s ability to take the test and does not accurately represent a student’s true understanding of solid challenging curriculums presented and taught to them throughout their academic years. Because of this, not all universities and colleges require the SAT. So, the College Board has gone back to the drawing board to figure out how to better represent what students know. “The redesigned SAT will focus on the knowledge and skills that current research shows are most essential for college and career readiness and success.” The new SAT format is working towards reflecting work done in the schools and classrooms. The new SAT will revert back to a 1600-point scale, and the essay will be optional. “Overall, this SAT reflects an emphasis on problemsolving instead of rote memorization, as well as a closer alignment to the type of material and instruction seen in high school courses.”
The sections will consist of Math, EvidenceBased reading, Writing and the Essay. The math section will have math problems that apply to real-world scenarios, and mathematical logic that will apply to the sciences and social studies. The SAT will add trigonometry, which is not part of the current SAT format. Overall, the math will be more challenging but more relative to real life situations and what many students are currently studying in their math classes.
Critical reading and Writing will be tied together and therefore scored together. The sentence completion questions will no longer be a part of the test. Students will be asked to decide the meanings of words based off of context and how they are being used in the context given. And, the reading passages will be more realistic to what students encounter every day and what students have studied in school. For example, one passage in each SAT will be a significant historical text such as Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, or Founding documents such as the “Declaration of Independence”. It is refreshing to see the relevance of the material that will be on the new SAT, to the material that is consistently taught in so many school systems. Lastly, the Essay section will truly evaluate a student’s ability to write about a passage given and ask the student to provide evidence from the document to support their opinions about the passage. Their reasoning skills while writing, and stylistic elements of their writing, are what will be scored. And, again, this time the essay is optional. So, for those students that are not strong writers or are intimidated by pressured writing situations, can show their strengths in other areas and simply have the option to opt out of the writing section.
I have taught SAT prep courses for the past 12 years. I am not a huge fan of standardized tests, so I work very hard to diminish the fear of the SAT. I teach students the skills they need to better understand the SAT, which therefore alleviates their anxiety over these standardized tests. I have hope that this new SAT format will work to better test students on their true intelligences and what they have worked to accomplish academically.
*Information on new test formats gathered from The Summit Educational Group and the College Board website.
health}
time to quit
For YOUR (and your baby’s) HEALTH A cigarette with your morning coffee, another after breakfast then again after lunch, and a couple at night while you are out with friends. You may average 6 a day but really never more than 10 a day. Regardless, you’ve thought about quitting for a while but for one reason or another, the timing isn’t quite right. Now, you are pregnant – the timing couldn’t be better to quit for your health and the health of your baby. Did you know? Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is associated with the following health problems: Pregnancy complications Preterm delivery Low birth weight infants Stillbirth Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant have weaker lungs than other babies.
Nicotine may cause constrictions in blood vessels to the umbilical cord and uterus, which decreases the amount of oxygen available to the fetus.
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Only about 30 percent of women who smoke stop smoking when they find out they are pregnant. Smoking and Motherhood – Create a healthier
home for you and your baby. If you can quit smoking, you and your baby can enjoy these benefits: Healthier breast milk
Less chance of your child having allergies Fewer coughs and colds for you and your baby Less risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Less risk of your child having acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma A better chance of enjoying a long and healthy life together Pregnancy and Postpartum Program with the Montana Tobacco Quit Line offers extended benefits: Free and confidential coaching calls with a Personal Quit Coach 6 weeks of Nicotine Replacement Therapy during pregnancy 6 additional weeks of Nicotine Replacement Therapy postpartum Text message reminders postpartum Call the Montana Tobacco Quit Line TODAY at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669).
health}
Heart fair
it’s all about the heart By Nancy Kimball
One thing you can say about the 2014 Heart Health Fair in Kalispell – it wasn’t your granny’s fair anymore. Kalispell Regional Healthcare just wrapped up its fourth annual edition of the free community health fair, held Feb. 20 at Flathead Valley Community College. As has happened every year since the event started, the snow fell that day. And, as always, hardy Montanans showed up for free lipid, glucose and bloodpressure screenings, great educational talks, cooking demos, and real-life tips on how to keep your heartbeat strong.
But a spunky new focus riveted the crowd during an hour-long panel presentation that had people taking a stab at qigong, contemplating the possibilities of art therapy, and clearing out the clutter so they can stop stressing over it. Six experts each spent 10 jam-packed minutes taking the crowd into their respective worlds. At the end of the hour they entertained questions jotted on notepads during their talks:
· Dr. Brad Roy shared a secret that all competitive athletes know: building a workout plan with bursts of intense energy alternating with less-intense effort is the key not only to high-performance training, but to improving overall health. · Judith Thurman got the crowd on their feet and trying out a few fire element qigong movements that nourish and protect the heart, something the ancient Chinese healing masters knew thousands of years ago and Judith is teaching people today. · Roxanne Taylor drew them into the world of sweet dreams with tips on what to do and what to avoid in the quest for that elusive good night’s sleep. And she shared the lowdown on why restful sleep is so important to the heart. 66
· Allyson Norwood Bush used her art therapist eye and a catchy title – “Finding your Ta-Dah! Using Creative Expression to Unhook Anxiety and Depression” – to help the crowd click into their right-brain mode and change perspectives. · Dr. David Keim made sure nobody left without a new toothbrush and a new understanding of how daily flossing, daily brushing and regular dental checkups play into cardiac health – something he shares with patients in his Kalispell dental practice. · Deb Harding shared the two-minute rule for busy people (delete those emails or accomplish what you can in the precious two minutes you do have) and the 365 giveaway (reduce clutter by giving away one thing each day of the year) – to regain power over hearthindering stress. A talk on healthful nutrition and free food samples kicked off the day’s presentations. Free chair massages donated by local massage therapists were wildly popular in their debut at the Heart Health Fair. The massages were positioned overhead from a cooking demo focused on using local and heart-healthy ingredients to liven up menus. Down the hallway
was a “sidewalk CPR” station to get visitors in the rhythm for offering potentially life-saving chest pumps in case someone surprises them with a sudden heart emergency. For the first time this year, people went online and phoned to schedule appointments for arguably the fair’s biggest draw – free cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose and blood pressure screenings. It solved the problem of daunting waits in line from past years, and helped usher visitors straight into the Ask A Nurse station to have their numbers explained in greater detail. Together, they were a mini heart-health physical, all for free. The very anchor of the Heart Health Fair – Kalispell Regional’s physicians – came through in flying colors once again this year. Cardiologist Rob Mitchell, MD, electrophysiologist Ilyas Colombowala, MD, and neurologist Kurt Lindsay, MD, gave people what they need to know about plaque build-up, heart rhythm problems and stroke risks. But the bottom line is you. This entire service would be for naught if it weren’t for the intense interest from the community, and your determination to do everything you can to protect your healthy hearts. If you have questions on resources available to you, please call Rocky Mountain Heart and Lung at 257-8992.
Above photo: Health and Wellness Coach Deb Harding, from The Summit, on the left, taking a blood pressure reading for Louretta Milne.
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parents
When it becomes time to take care of Mom or Dad By Linda Hitchcock, MD Board Certified Geriatrician, Hospice and Palliative Care It all began when your mother started forgetting where she put her car keys. But how were you to recognize an issue when you, as a busy mother, wife and full-time worker, misplace your keys all the time too? And there was that time when your mother left her stove on after cooking Sunday’s family meal. No big deal, right? She must have thought you turned it off. All the small signs of your mother declining really went unnoticed, until she fell and broke her arm. In the United States, the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s dementia doubles every five years after the age of 65. After age 85, the risk rises to 50% of all seniors. It’s common today to be in your 40s and 50s and taking care of an elderly parent, or two. Sometimes, a parent’s home is thousands of miles away. But even with distance, listening to your parent(s) plays a vital role in understanding their health needs. Let’s begin with signs of dementia. There are several observations that can demonstrate signs of memory loss in seniors. · Increased phone calls asking the same questions
· Difficulty balancing the checkbook or paying bills · Getting lost when driving · Leaving the stove burners on · Food left out or stored improperly · Inappropriate dress (ex: wearing three sets of underwear) · Withdrawing socially (a very early sign that happens about two years prior to a diagnosis) · Change in emotion such as easygoing to short-tempered · Sexually inappropriate 68
If you recognize one or more of these indications of decline, it’s important to start having conversations with your parent(s). I discuss this process in further detail later in the article.
Another lesser-known, yet significant, factor in elderly decline is Post Hospital Syndrome from recurrent hospitalizations and Emergency Department visits. For every day in the hospital, it takes four days to recover. Imagine what spending a week or more in the hospital could do to his or her psyche. These signs point out cues from this syndrome that could indicate a problem. · Loss of one or more activities of daily living (toileting, bathing, transferring from bed to chair, and grooming)
· Falls accompanied by loss of mobility · Weight loss · Insomnia If you recognize signs of memory loss or Post Hospital Syndrome, evaluate if the person in question can stay at home with a friend or relative or do they need to go to an assisted living facility. Sometimes a nursing home may be needed for their security or a skilled nursing home may be a better fit for rehabilitation services especially if they are coming out of a hospitalization experience. Unfortunately, changes in environment can be detrimental to these same patients. Stable environments increase their comfort level and make it easier for them to adapt to a daily routine. Another factor that could result in longterm issues with the elderly is multiple medications. This means a combination of 10 or more prescriptions, over-the-counter and herbals combined. The combination of certain drugs could make them unstable by creating dizziness which may promote falls; loss of appetite; confusion and more. Many times people think that vitamins and herbals are harmless and don’t talk to their pro-
vider and pharmacist about them. However, when taken with other medications, there could have adverse reactions. When making doctor appointments for an elderly person, please make sure to bring all prescription and over-the-counter medications for evaluation.
Before there’s a crisis!
It’s important to have discussions with your parents before there’s a crisis. It’s extremely stressful making decisions for a loved one when you’re not entirely sure of their wishes. Have a sit down with the whole family and think ahead so the choices present themselves. Some items to consider:
· Identify who has the medical power of attorney (multiple can be disastrous). · What are the goals? · Discuss ways that transitions can be made gentler. · Complete Advanced Directives. · Know the alternative home options: Assisted Living, Independent Living and Skilled Facility. Visit them with your parent(s) so it relieves fear. · Discuss after death considerations. Taking the time to answer these challenging questions prior to an incident provides clear-headed discussions and heartfelt decisions. Being prepared will relieve the stress of both caregiver and the elderly who are transitioning into a new period of change. Both sides greeting this transition as just another stepping stone of life will make it easier and more enjoyable for everyone.
In the next issue of 406Women, we will discuss ways for caregivers to function in their new role and how to avoid burnout.
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FoodCorps
Dinner Gets Real: connect your kids to healthy food in a hurry by Jessica Manly, FoodCorps Service Member, Kalispell, Montana Photo by Kelly Campbell for FoodCorps / Via foodcorps.org
It can be a challenge getting my kids excited about eating healthy food, especially since I usually have 20 picky eaters at the table. No, I am not the matriarch of a Hollywood super-family; I am a FoodCorps Service Member, charged with the mission of connecting the approximately 6,000 students in Kalispell District 5 to real food so they can grow up healthy. Though Montana recently edged out Colorado for the title of least obese state in the nation, according to 2014 Gallup-Healthways data, Montanans still weigh in at a collective 19.6% obesity rate. The struggle to get kids to eat their fruits and vegetables seems as old as agriculture history, but the enticing sweet and salty developments in food science, the proliferation of fast and convenience foods, and limited time to exercise or prepare home cooked meals have all added to our current health crisis.
There are ten FoodCorps Service Members in the state of Montana, and each of us is working to promote whole food over fast food in three ways: access, knowledge, and engagement. We build school gardens, teach nutrition and cooking classes, and work with food service staff and local farmers to get healthier, local food onto school lunch trays.
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Our lessons in the classroom, garden, and school kitchen become galvanized in a child’s mind when they are reinforced at home. Try out FoodCorps’ three pillars in your own kitchen and watch your family’s health, happiness, and relationship to food transform.
ACCESS After a long day in the office, chauffeuring the kids to sports practice, cleaning, and running errands, by the time dinner rolls around, it can be tempting to order in or heat up a frozen pizza, but filling your refrigerator with whole, healthy foods, and cooking together with your children makes an enormous impact in your children’s relationship to food, as well as their long-term health. Only 2% of the children in our country eat enough fruits and vegetables per day, and 1 in 3 children born in the year 2000 are on track to develop diet-related diabetes. Cooking from scratch is the best way to ensure you’re meeting your daily nutritional needs, and to keep away excess fat, sodium, sugars, and preservatives. Yes, produce shopping and home cooking take more time than ordering in, but as Jenny Montague, the Food Service Director in Kalispell District 5, has found in her lunch rooms, switching to whole ingredients and training her staff to cook from scratch actually saves money in the long run. As Montague says, when you do the math, “A premade corndog with breading costs substantially more than a local lentil and ground beef chili.” And the chili will be much more nutritious, and support our local agricultural economy to boot.
Knowledge Let the kids cook! It can be tempting at the end of a busy day to plop your children in front of the TV while you quickly whip up dinner, but I urge you to involve them in the process. What may feel like more work at first will, in the long run, connect the dots between their food sources and their plates (even if it’s only from the refrigerator to the table at first), and eventually speed up the cooking process for you. For younger children, have them wash produce, peel carrots or potatoes, help crack
eggs or grate cheese, or stir the pot. My fourth and fifth graders are also supervised while using sharp knives. Give them a lesson in knife safety and keep an eye on them as they get comfortable to help avoid injury (the sharper the knife, the safer—dull knives can easily slip).
As I’ve seen almost weekly, if a child participates in the making of their meal, they are much more likely to try it and enjoy it. When I ask my students about their favorite food memories, most often their happiest moments have been when they have helped a loved one to prepare a dish, even one as simple as a batch of cookies. Engagement Talk with your family about where your food comes from and say thank you to the farmers and workers who brought that food to your plate. You would be amazed at how many kids have not yet made the connection that the food we eat is grown in the earth. Spending a moment during a meal discussing that the bread your breaking was ground from wheat that grows across the state of Montana, or that your yogurt is made from milk from mother cows can be a revelation for a child.
One way to make this connection without planting an organic garden in your back yard—though this is a great idea too!—is to plant some herbs, like basil or rosemary, or a tray of alfalfa sprouts, in your kitchen window with your kids. Watching something grow from seed can be miraculous and thrilling for young people—it still is for me!
After a busy cooking class, with carrot peels on the floor, yogurt smeared across the tables, flour everywhere, when the oven buzzer finally goes off
Here’s a kid-tested and approved recipe that delivers four of the five food groups, Montana-grown ingredients, and that can be on the table in less than an hour. Local Lentil Mac and Cheese
Ingredients: Kosher salt Canola or vegetable oil 1-pound whole wheat elbow macaroni or rotini 1-quart skim or 2% milk (organic or local) 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1/2-cup whole wheat flour 12 ounces Gruyere or Manchego cheese, grated (4 cups) 8 ounces extra-sharp part-skim Cheddar, grated (2 cups) 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2-teaspoon nutmeg 1 1/2 pounds cooked black or red lentils (Timeless local) 1 1/2 cups raw greens (spinach, destemmed kale or chard) or chopped, steamed broccoli, zucchini, bell pep pers, or any other favorite veggie
Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. In a large pot, melt butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked pasta, lentils, and veggies and stir well. Place the mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
To follow FoodCorps Montana’s work in your community, visit our blog at www.montanafoodcorps.org/ or email Jessica at Jessica.manly@foodcorps.org for information on how to get involved.
it can be tempting to let the kids to gobble it up and run to the buses. But I have realized that to do this would be skipping the reward, and ultimately missing the point of all this hard work we do.
As Michael Pollan says in his In Defense of Food, “The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual of family and community, from the mere animal biology to an act of culture.” The table is where all the work in the garden, in the office earning our wages, and all the many thousands of hours of child rearing gets celebrated. If you are lucky enough to have a family or friends to share a meal with, or good food on your table, make a point to savor it. Whether you have a religious faith or not, the nightly ritual of taking pause before we dive into our meal can help the experience take on true value, and will strengthen our families and communities rather than just our bodies. In our cooking classes we use a ritual shared by FoodCorps service member Erin Jackson in Bozeman, and we say “Cheers!” before trying a recipe together. Say cheers to the meal, to each other, to the farmer that grew your spinach, or to a fictional holiday you’re celebrating (“Cheers to Broccoli Mondays!”). Or “shake the love around” before eating, as FoodCorps service member Maggie Harkins does in Billings, Montana. Hold hands around the table and shake and wiggle and feel connected (and a little silly) before picking up your forks. Making the act of trying new foods a celebration can help picky eaters to get excited about new taste experiences, and it can also remind us of how lucky we are to have food to share with each other.
Meet Jessica
Jessica Manly moved to Kalispell in September 2013 to serve School District 5 as a member of FoodCorps, a growing nationwide team of leaders connecting kids to real food so they can grow up healthy. She works to get healthier food into the school cafeterias, builds and maintains school gardens, and teaches health, nutrition, and cooking classes to students from kindergarten through high school. Prior to moving to Montana, Jessica lived in Charlottesville, Virginia, New York City, and San Francisco, where she worked to promote local food systems, create community, and connect people to their food sources through writing, farming, teaching, and cooking up a storm.
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mwwrc
Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center Written by Kari Gabriel Images by D.L. Hammer dennis-hammer.artistwebsites.com In the last issue of 406 Woman, you learned a bit about Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center (MWWRC), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that takes in injured and orphaned wildlife, located in Kalispell. MWWRC’s mission is twofold: caring for injured and orphan wildlife, and returning as many as possible to the wild, as well as providing public education. Those that are not releasable, and have the right disposition for handling, enter the education program. They are worked with and trained to become education ambassadors. MWWRC volunteers and our bird ambassadors provide education programs for schools and the general public. . How Can You Help? Since the last issue of 406 Woman, we have received several inquiries from folks who want to volunteer with our organization, so we thought it would be great to tell you about what our volunteers do! MWWRC receives 100 plus injured birds in the region annually - everything from robins, waxwings, woodpeckers and waterfowl, to all species of raptors, as well as small mammals, like orphaned squirrels. Baby season is quickly approaching, and we will have nests of baby birds that require feeding and care, as well as injured raptors. We have a crew of dedicated and experienced raptor rehab volunteers to take care of our sick and injured birds of prey, but we can always use help feeding and caring for little orphans during baby season. Our volunteers do everything from picking up injured 72
birds, taking care of their immediate medical needs (sometimes that means simple first aid, and sometimes that means a trip to a veterinarian), feeding, cleaning (lots of cleaning), making public appearances with birds, and caring for our educational ambassadors. If you are interested in helping, visit our webpage and shoot us an email or visit us on Facebook and send a message. We will have you fill out a volunteer information form, to gauge your interests and experience. Meet Duke and Sweeney We are very excited to introduce our newest education Ambassadors, Duke and Sweeney, who flew 1062 miles in just under 12 hours from Wickenburg, Arizona to Kalispell, on Thursday, March 13th! Duke, a gorgeous Peregrine Falcon, and Sweeney, a beautiful Swainson’s Hawk, arrived at Glacier Jet Center, courtesy of three very generous private pilots that fly animals in need across the country, as members of Pilots N Paws. Dr. Michael Pardis, of Helena, MT and the third pilot in this cross-country trip, delivered Sweeney and Duke to Beth Benjamin Watne, MWWRC Director that evening about 5 PM.
unsuccessful due to a compromised blood supply from the injury, so the wing had to be amputated below the wrist, rendering him un-releasable. He was a first year bird when the injury occurred. Duke is now undergoing training with handlers to be a part of MWWRC’s education program, and will soon be visiting schools and events, thrilling audiences everywhere. He still has his juvenile plumage, so it will be fun to watch him change during his next feather molt!
Duke is a male Peale’s Peregrine Falcon, and is approximately 1 ½ years old. He arrived at Liberty Wildlife in December, 2012, as a first year bird. He was seen hitting a window of a business building in Scottsdale, and fractured his left metacarpals (wing.) He underwent surgery to repair his wing, but the surgery was
Sweeney is a *male Swainson's hawk, and is also approximately 1 ½ years old. He arrived at Liberty Wildlife in October 2012, from Sierra Vista, AZ, with an older fracture of the left carpus (wing). It was some type of impact injury, and surgery was not an option due to the location of the fracture. He
was a first year bird when injured probably during his first migration. (*We may never know for sure if Sweeney is female or male, due to his weight – he is right at the inbetween weight that distinguishes males from females.) Duke and Sweeney’s journey began at about 4 AM in Wickenburg, AZ, where Beth and her husband Bob Watne, spend part of their winter. Nate Rydman and his Dad Allen, flew their 1950 Cessna 170 A Model from Moab, UT to Wickenburg, on Wednesday afternoon and stayed with Bob at the Watne’s home that night. Unfortunately, Beth had flown home earlier in the week to deal with a foot of water in the basement of their Kalispell home. At first light on Thursday morning, Nate, Allen and Bob loaded the birds in the plane, and the
2nd Annual Baby Shower
ful birds of prey flying thousands of miles in that one beautiful day, and three incredible, philanthropic pilots who volunteer their time, fuel and planes to give animals a second chance. Duke and Sweeney are a wonderful gift from our friends at Liberty Wildlife Center in Scottsdale, AZ, and we are also very grateful to them for allowing us to give them a permanent home.
Rydman’s took off on the first leg of the journey to Heber, UT. Once they landed in Heber, they handed off Sweeney and Duke to Nathan Smith, another private pilot. Nathan is from Idaho Falls, ID, and flew his 1967 Piper Cherokee 180 into Heber to pick up the birds and fly them back to Idaho Falls. Michael Pardis and his daughter Allison, flew from Helena to meet Nathan in Idaho Falls, and then transferred Duke and Sweeney to Michael’s 1967 Beechcraft Bonanza, for the final leg of the journey into Kalispell. Did you follow all of that? One rare March bluebird day with unusually cooperative weather through several mountain ranges, two beauti-
About Paws N Pilots and the Private Pilots Nate Rydman lives in Moab, UT, and is a full time pilot, flying for Pilots N Paws (PNP) in his spare time. This was his third trip for the nonprofit organization, and he said PNP is similar to another group that uses long haul truck drivers. This was the first trip he participated in where he met up with other pilots, and also the first involving birds! Nate and his Dad both fly for PNP, and sometimes are able to fly together. Nathan Smith owns his plane with several partners, and he has been registered with PNP for about 6 years, and has flown about 6 flights and several trips by car for PNP. He enjoys flying, and this is a great way to build hours and help animals in need. Mike Pardis is a retired Chiropractor, and enjoys flying in his spare time for a good cause. He and his daughter Allison jumped at the opportunity to combine
their love of flying, animals and the opportunity for a quick hello to his son, Alex, on their way through Kalispell. Mike said, “My first experience with a Peregrine Falcon was while I was in high school and climbing in the Gates of the Mountains, near Helena. I had a Peregrine dive at me while I was climbing near a cliff, and then he did it again!” All three pilots are able to monitor the PNP website (www. pilotsnpaws.org) for flight opportunities and choose those that are a good fit for them, this being PNP’s first mission with birds. All three pilots all had incredible weather for flying, and mentioned how rare that is for the distance they traveled that day. Some of Nate’s pictures taken on his flight from Moab to Wickenburg, and also of Nathan Smith taking off for Idaho Falls are included with this article. "This is a labor of love for everyone involved with Pilots N Paws. Our pilots take a special interest in providing rescue flights for animals with injuries. We commend the efforts of the Liberty Wildlife Center and Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center for continuing to provide the care necessary for recovery. We were thrilled to provide the flight needed to bring Duke and Sweeney to their new home." said Kathleen Quinn, Executive Director of Pilots N Paws.
We want to invite everyone to our second annual “Baby Shower,” taking place on Saturday, May 17th, at Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Regional Headquarters conference room, on 490 North Meridian Road, from 12 - 3 PM. This year promises to be bigger and better, and we are very excited to invite the public! Last year, we held a small event by invitation only on Facebook, and this year we are inviting everyone that would like to come. We will have many of our raptor ambassadors on hand, as well as education presentations, a silent auction, and a kid’s craft area. The idea is to have everyone bring an item from our “wish list”, that you can find on our facebook page, and also on our website. Many of these items may be lying around at home or at your office, and don’t have to be brand new. The things that we need right now more than anything are paper towels, garbage bags (tall kitchen and 30 gallon), disposable gloves, dishwasher safe knives, shears and cutting boards, Esbilac powdered puppy milk replacer, (25) 8 ½ x 11” clipboards, copy/printer paper, and gift cards from Petco, Cenex, North Valley Ag, Murdoch’s, Home Depot or Lowes. A couple of local classrooms have actually adopted MWWRC and collecting items from our wish list to help, and we think this is a great idea! Teachers or parents can contact us about setting this type of school activity up in their own school. During “baby season,” we really want to emphasize that folks need to leave baby birds alone and watch for the parents, who are likely close by and feeding their young. Parents will have to leave the nest to hunt and sometimes people think the nest is abandoned. The same goes for fledglings that you may find on the ground. Look around, the parent is likely not far away and watching over their youngster. The same goes for small mammals. If you are certain that the birds have been orphaned, then give us a call. 73
mwwrc
Kari Gabriel
non-profit}
Beth Benjamin Watne, MWWRC Director, stated, " We are overwhelmed with the generosity of Liberty Wildlife Center, the Pilots N Paws organization, Nate Rydman, Nathan Smith, and Michael Pardis. Raptors are not allowed to fly inside the cabins on commercial flights, so private charter was the only way to get them from Arizona to Montana. We couldn’t do this work without our wonderful volunteers or the help we receive from FWP, local veterinarians and eye doctors, and the monetary contributions to help buy food for our birds.” How Can You Help? MWWRC operates solely on monetary contributions from individuals and organizations, food donations from the public and FWP, and veterinary services from local veterinarians. MWWRC volunteers spend their own money on needed supplies, food and gas, and occasionally medication, for resident birds. FWP fisheries personnel bag and donate fish for our eagles, and sometimes transport birds for us. The mice, which the majority of the residents require, are purchased, and cost the center .50 to 1.00 each. Approximately 25 mice are fed daily to the owls, so it adds up pretty quick. If you would like to support the work of MWWRC, please visit our website and send us an email, or give us a call at 406-249-7800 or 406-250-1070. For more information, visit: www.wildwingsrecovery.org Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center Kalispell, MT www.libertywildlife.org Liberty Wildlife Center Scottsdale, AZ
www.pilotsnpaws.org Pilots N Paws organization
MWWRC Volunteer Profile:
Kari Gabriel began rehabbing in Sitka, Alaska, in 1992, at the Alaska Raptor Center. She gained her experience working primarily with bald eagles, where she spent 6 years caring for and training the resident birds, and extensively traveling the country on behalf of the center, making public appearances with a bald eagle named “Buddy”. Kari has appeared on Good Morning America, and orchestrated appearances on CNN and several live newscasts across the U.S., as well as in Montana. Kari contacted Beth Benjamin when she relocated to Kalispell in 1997, and has been volunteering with her ever since. Kari has her state permit through Montana FWP, and works under Beth’s federal USFWS permits. She trains education birds and takes care of sick and injured birds for MWWRC, as well as taking calls from law enforcement, FWP and the public regarding injured birds. She also serves on the board of MWWRC and is the organization’s Public Relations Director. Animal rehab is a family affair at Kari’s house, with her husband Grif, and daughter Ariel, pitching in and helping as well. The joke at her house (not really a joke), is “you never know what you’re going to find in Ariel’s bathroom,” which is the warmest, quietest and safest room in the house. In her spare time, Kari is the executive director of Flathead CARE, a nonprofit organization that helps prevent underage drinking and drug use; a public relations practitioner; member of several nonprofit boards, and is also serving in her 3rd term on the Kalispell City Council. She tries to live life to the fullest with her family, including her horse, 2 dogs, and 3 cats. When not feeding and caring for birds, sitting in city council meetings, hanging out with her family or working, you will most likely find her with Peggy Sue and one of her riding buddies, blazing trails out in the woods.