Her Voice Magazine: Fall-Winter 2021-22

By Women. For Women. About Women.

A Brainerd Dispatch Publication

“God planted me here" Alyssa Gawboy's road to success had a few bumps, U-turns and pit stops but she knows she's where she's supposed to be.

! s u l P

Fall/Winter 2021 + Thank You for Giving Me Life

+ The Woodhouse Six and the Armistice Day Blizzard

+ 1% Survival Rate

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CONTENTS

Fall/Winter 2021

My Voice Blessings Abound 4

7

Her History

By DeLynn Howard

Las Sobras The Leftovers

For Her

By Jan Kurtz Jan Kurtz takes us on a walk through her family cabin which she now owns.

Reach Out and Touch Someone 6

By Michelle Oie

Her Lifestyle “God Planted Me Here” 14

By Sheila Helmberger

Her Story Grandpa’s Girl and the Barbie Pole 18

By Theresa Jarvela

Her Health

22

On the cover— Alyssa Gawboy learned first-hand that real wellness takes a balance of good physical, mental and spiritual health. Submitted photo.

Her Table

Her Travels

Comfort Foods

Focus: Pantanal, Brazil 42

By Sue Ready When the seasons change, it’s time to change up the menu, too.

By Gail Clifford On a trip to Brazil, Gail Clifford learned to work on her focus in more ways than one.

Roxanne Cibuzar’s Health Journey with Celiac 36

By Sue Ready

Her Family

Her Story

Her Miracle

“Thank You for Giving Me Life” 24

The Woodhouse Six and the Armistice Day Blizzard 10

1% Survival Rate 32

By Sue Smith-Grier A woman’s journey to finding her birth mother.

By Carolyn Corbett Mavis Galligher describes the “adventure” she and her siblings went on during the Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940.

By Jen Salvevold Jen Salvevold’s daughter, Skylar, is a miracle in every sense of the word.

Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 3

VOICE

MY VOICE

By women. For women.

About women.

PUBLISHER

Pete Mohs ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Susie Alters Eller

SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR/ COPY EDITOR

DeLynn Howard

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Katie Hastings PHOTOGRAPHER

Joey Halvorson

Next Issue of Her Voice: Spring 2022 - publishes Brainerd Dispatch and Echo Journal: February 2022 You can also find Her Voice Magazine in over 100 Discover Rack locations in the area or read it online at:

www.BrainerdDispatch.com (Magazine Rack Tab) Advertising: (218) 855-5895 Advertising@BrainerdDispatch.com Comments/story ideas:

218-855-5850

delynn.howard@brainerddispatch.com Mail: ATTN: Her Voice Brainerd Dispatch, P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401

Quarterly publication of the Brainerd Dispatch.

Printed by Forum Communications. copyright© 2003 4 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

Blessings Abound

BY DELYNN HOWARD

I can’t believe we’ve entered the fall season already. It seems like summer just arrived and then, BOOM! It’s done.

The leaves are turning, the weather is getting cooler and it’ll be Thanksgiving before we know it.

Giving thanks is a theme you will recognize throughout this edition of Her Voice. Our cover story features Alyssa Gawboy who had literally hit rock bottom, losing her job, living in her car and having only $3 in her checking account.

But following God’s guidance for her life, Alyssa came out on the other side.

Her success story is amazing.

Mayva Kottke reached out to me a few months ago asking if I’d be interested in her adoption story. She proceeded to explain to me that at the age of 76, she found her birth mother, still alive, at the age of 97! What a blessing! And speaking of blessings, Jen Salvevold tells us the story of her “butterfly,” Skylar, who was born with Mosaic Turner Syndrome, and had only a 1-2% survival rate. Jen shares the health journey Skylar went on and how now at 23 years old, is absolutely thriving. What a miracle!

Writer Carolyn Corbett thought our readers might want to hear the miracle that was the Woodhouse Six and the Armistice Day Blizzard. What a story she tells after talking with Mavis (Woodhouse) Gallagher. Mavis and her five siblings got caught in the Armistice Day blizzard near Pillager and ended up staying five days with a family they didn’t know but who was willing to take them in.

This edition also includes a local woman who is successfully managing her Celiac disease, a story about a family cabin and its treasured belongings, a little girl and her Barbie fishing pole and much more.

I’m so thankful for the writers who are willing to tell the stories of so many amazing women in the Brainerd lakes area, those amazing women who want their stories told and to all of you, our readers. Thank you for your continued support for Her Voice, a magazine by women, for women, about women.

May blessings abound in this upcoming holiday season.

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EssentiaHealth.org Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 5

FOR HER

Reach Out

AND TOUCH SOMEONE

BY MICHELLE OIE

I was ashamed to admit it, but it had been 11 years. I had no excuse for not having been to a family reunion since 2010.

2020 reminded me that nothing in this life is guaranteed, so I went. I ate. I laughed. I learned.

I had fun. But most of all, I felt reconnected to my family who loves me. It’s a family that, if needed, would be by my side no questions asked. It felt wonderful to be there. I’m glad I went.

Being part of a community such as family, friends, a volunteer group, coworkers or neighbors, feeds our human need to connect. Connecting with others makes us feel cared for and loved. We need to know that our life matters and that we have worth and value. We want to know that there is a wonderful reason we exist. And there is — to care for and love others.

Life can be lonely — very lonely. Isolation is a slow death. The catch-22 is that the more alone we are, the more down we feel. The more down we feel, the more we want to be alone. The end result of this spiral is having no connection with anyone.

We start believing we don’t belong anywhere in the world and that no one cares. This belief can have disastrous outcomes.

“Connecting with others is more important than you might think. Social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy and actually improve our immune system. By neglecting our need to connect, we put our health at risk. While technology seems to connect us more than ever, the screens around us disconnect us from nature, from ourselves and from others.” (Canadian Mental Health Association).

After my family reunion I started thinking about my own need to connect with others. Since I work from home full time, I definitely lack connection. I know this because A. I talk to my pets a little too much and B. I am way too excited to see someone I know at the grocery store.

How can we connect more with those we care about? Reach out to friends on the phone and talk to them… with your voice… live. Texting and messaging doesn’t count. (Remember when “Reach out and touch someone” was AT&T’s jingle?) I always feel good after a phone conversation with family or friends. Go to lunch or dinner with someone who also needs to get out and see people. Attend events around town or travel to a new place. My husband and I road-tripped to New Ulm to take in their Bavarian Blast. We took in some great live music plus it was fun, social time.

We are not meant to live alone in solitude for long periods of time. (That’s why solitary confinement is an effective punishment.) We are meant to rely on each other and help each other out when needed. Every one of us has had moments of despair. It’s not weakness to ask for help, it’s human.

Besides, allowing someone to help you brings them joy. Deny someone the ability to help you, and you deny them joy.

As the holidays come around and as we navigate social distancing and working from home, know that it’s a human need to connect with others. If you’re feeling blue, call a friend and talk.

Better yet, go to your next family reunion. If there isn’t one planned yet, what better opportunity for you to bring the gang together?

Michelle Oie is an inspirational speaker, blogger, coach, freelance writer and soon-to-be author whose passion is helping people find their unique life purpose. She loves Jeep Wranglers, peanut butter and hitting all green lights driving through Brainerd. Learn more at www.michelleoie.com.

6 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

HER HISTORY

BY JAN KURTZ Las Sobras is the name we finally settled on for the family cabin. Loon-n-Tick was already taken, as was my second favorite, Ne’er Dun. This place was a gleam in my daddy’s eye before I was. He was raised in a small, northern Illinois hamlet with a creek meandering through the corn fields out back. In 1937, aged 12, he began trapping. This hobby later put him through college.

It was at North Central that he met the professor who owned some land bordering the Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin.

One summer, a tornado went through and Dr. Harr asked some students to go up and

help him bushwhack back into his property.

Dad, and fellow seminarian-basketball player, Ed, took on the challenge. They chainsawed their way into the north woods and, theoretically, never left. No, they didn’t move there. They joined funds and bought the already old, primitive, palisade log cabin on the Point.

The short story speaks of the two families outgrowing the cabin and there wasn’t enough room. Dad also mentioned that Ed’s father had a problem with boundaries. Herb walked around in his bib overalls, fishing pole and a habit. He didn’t clean up after himself.

He’d hand over the dead snappers to his

continued on page 12

Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 7

continued from page 7 saintly wife, Alma, for soup. Alma means soul in Spanish, and it fit. Before long, Dad and Ed worked out a land split which moved the four of us to a ledge he bulldozed out of the esker. The descent on the steep hill caused warranted fears of being stranded until the advent of the four-wheel drive. Ed got the old place on the coveted peninsula, with lake view on three sides.

I am now in the precarious stage of life called La Tercera Edad, Spanish for “Third Age.” Of the aforementioned adults in this story, I am the only survivor. I now own my family’s cabin. This is my first spring opener alone. Dad taught me about all the locks, which gas for the mower, how to light the stove, and set me up with help for the dock. However, walking into the cabin as a first time orphan hit hard.

Jan's Grandpa Don’s desk from college, four embroidered animals by her great-grandma Edith and Jan's squared afghan, are among the leftovers. Submitted.

The entry room released a familiar scent of everything inside. I lifted the window blinds and watched two geese swim around the bend of the east bay. Sun shone over the tablecloth Mom fashioned from leftover curtains. In the coming days, I would switch out the old green, white trimmed dishes for Mom’s everyday set and box them for the Honduran asylum family. I’d cull out sheets and towels.

I’d paint the brown paneling a cream color. I would have the urge to call her, a daily habit I had before she died last fall. I even caught myself going for the phone, before stopping and feeling that pang in my heart.

Then, my son arrived to help.

“What is this for? Do you use it? Do we need that?” he began.

“Yes, I use that desk. It was your grandfather’s from college.”

“And, these four embroidered wall pieces of the chipmunk, squirrel, raccoon and bunny?”

“Those were done by your great-grandma, Edith. Ever notice all the embroidered pillow cases? All hers.”

“How about the embroidery by the sink?”

“Oh, I did those decades ago. Like them?” I winked.

And, so it went. I hadn’t realized the family lore had stopped with me.

“The boathouse was once our garage on Rudolph Road,” I launched into a story. “Grandpa took it apart a piece at a time, labeled them and reconstructed it up here.”

“How about the table on the porch? It takes up a lot of room.”

“Grandpa found it at his rental place. Refinished it. I prefer eating out there.”

“Look!” I heard him yell out, “Under their bed!”

A sign (made by local artist Mary Rosenberg) hangs over the remodeled door including glass work from a rental property, hand painted Welcome Gate (Jan's work) and Take off Shoes art, by Jan's granddaughter, Ella. Submitted.

8 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

I got to the door as my son held up, or should I say down, two shotguns.

“Whew,” I breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought you found something dead!”

By day’s end, he learned that the wood box had once been Grandpa’s baby bed, the yellow dishes with the barn and cherry tree pattern were Grandma’s favorite, the rag rugs were from 1940s pant scraps like the quilt he has at home from great-grandma Nellie.

Leftovers. Sobras. Recycled, Repurposed. Reimagined. A family that handed down their Great Depression habits – all remarkable. But now what?

“Should we sell and buy a place closer?” he ventured. “This is a seven-hour drive. It doesn’t even have indoor plumbing!”

The evening lake stilled. The two geese screeched into takeoff. The spring peepers were delightfully deafening. A soft rain tapped on the roof. We were tired and hungry.

“What should we have for supper?” he asked.

“Leftovers,” I responded. “Let’s use the leftovers.”

Jan, and her brother, Steven, in the box that was once their father’s cradle in Illinois, converted to a wood box in the “new, 1957's” cabin. Submitted.

Jan’s roots are in the north country, but Spanish continues to add extra dimensions to her life’s journey. Since retiring from teaching Spanish, her travels cycle between family, the Wisconsin cabin and the occasional foray across borders. She is writing a book about the surprising places and unexpected adventures opened to her by virtue of speaking Spanish. Find her writings at: www.janetkurtz.com.

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Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 9

HER STORY

The Woodhouse Six AND THE ARMISTICE DAY BLIZZARD

BY CAROLYN CORBETT Nov. 11, 1940, started out rather mild in mid-Minnesota, Mavis Galligher remembers.

However, the weather changed quickly and unexpectedly. The wind became stronger and the snow heavier as the powerful winter storm intensified. And so the Armistice Day Blizzard began.

Mavis Galligher. was Mavis Woodhouse back then, a 10-year old youngster with five siblings. The children had gone off to the Pillager school that day as usual. First the weather was misty, then came the snow. An unprecedented and unforecasted amount of snow. At about 10:30 in the morning the

continued on page 12

10 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

school buses were called to take the students home.

Frank Yezek was driving the bus going east of Pillager and brought along another man as a helper. The Woodhouse kids — Mavis, Francis, Joyce, Muriel, Herb and Helen — loaded onto the bus for the 7 mile trip home.

Four other students were on the bus, including Harold Peterson and Phyllis Livley.

As Mavis looked out the bus windows, snow drifts were building along the edge of the road. Soon drifts ran right down the middle of the highway. She and the other students were not scared. For one thing, they didn’t realize how serious the situation was.

They’d been in snow storms before. Plus, Frank had been their driver for a long, long time and was taking good care of them. They were well-behaved children who did as they were told without making a fuss.

When Charlie and Mabel Woodhouse got word the school bus was leaving Pillager to bring their children home, Charlie left with a team and sleigh to meet the bus, while Mabel prayed for the safety of her family. Their homestead was two miles east of the Sylvan Town Hall. The Woodhouse kids didn’t know

Mavis at age 90 last Christmas. Submitted.

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Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 11

The Woodhouse Six pictured here in 2000 include Muriel (left), Joyce, Helen, Mavis, Francis (back, left) and Herb. As young children, these siblings experienced the Armistice Day blizzard of 1940. Submitted.

The older ones played cards into the night, while the younger ones were put to bed.

The five girls slept crosswise on the bed so they would all fit. Some of the others slept in easy chairs and still others on the floor. They were comfortable being with the Andrews and rather thought they were having a party. No one was worried, upset or crying. They were just being good kids.

continued from page 11 their dad made it as far as the town hall when he saw the tail lights of the bus leaving to go back to Pillager. Charlie had no choice but to go home without his children.

With the storm raging stronger by the hour, the bus ended up in the ditch just a mile and a half out of town. It was a blessing they saw lights on in a house not far from the road. It was the Andrews’ farmhouse. Frank got permission to bring the youngsters in from the bus, having no idea how long they would end up being there.

The driver told the high school boys to carry the little ones to the house. Once the children were settled in, Frank and his helper took to the railroad tracks to slog through the snow on foot back to Pillager.

For five days and five nights, the threeroom farmhouse sheltered the 10 young people from the bus, along with their hosts, the Andrews family. Mrs. Andrews found games, puzzles and cards for the children.

12 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

“Mr. and Mrs. Andrews and their 10-year-old son, Russell, were so kind to us and so protective,” says Mavis, who is now 91 years old. “Where Mrs. Andrews found food to feed us all, I’ll never know. We never went hungry.” Mavis remembers breakfasts of oatmeal or cream of wheat along with fresh baked bread. Her sister Muriel still recalls the mashed potatoes at supper.

Ten-year-old Mavis in 1940.

Submitted.

On the fifth day, snow plows broke their way through 5- to 6-foot-high drifts. Soon after, Charlie arrived to take his family home. Back at their house, as Mabel gave each of her children a grateful hug, she

said, “Thank you, Lord, for bringing my children home.”

Mavis grew up and 12 years later married Ronnie Galligher, her high school sweetheart. They raised four beautiful children – two boys, Tim and Tom, and two girls, Debbie and Roxanne. The couple had 34 years together before Ronnie passed away.

Mavis worked at the Staples-Motley Bank for 21 years before retiring in 1991. “Two years before I retired from the bank, a man came in one day and asked if I remembered the big blizzard,” Mavis recalls. It was Harold Peterson.

Harold said, “I carried you from the bus that day.”

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“God Planted Me Here"

14 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

HER LIFESTYLE

BY SHEILA HELMBERGER Alyssa Gawboy is a successful business owner with a knack for helping others on their health journeys. She learned first-hand that real wellness takes a balance of good physical, mental and spiritual health. While others were struggling through the shutdown, she started a company called Limitlyss Wellness, a holistic health coaching company. But the road to her success had a few bumps, U-turns and pitstops.

She went to school to be a registered dietician and exercise physiologist and got her master’s degree in Nashville.

“I always had a passion for helping people, but I knew I didn’t want to work in a clinical setting like a hospital. I wanted to work with people who were being proactive about their health and not with people who were already in the hospital,” Alyssa said.

She landed a job at one of the big gyms in the Twin Cities and then one in Brainerd that required the Menomonie, Wisconsin, native to travel north about four years ago.

Then, two years ago, Alyssa was on vacation celebrating her birthday and got a call that she had been let go from her job.

“It was pretty traumatic,” she said. “I hadn’t been let go from a job before.”

When she lost her job, she had no idea what she wanted to do next. She says long hours had left her burnt out and had taken a toll on her own physical and mental health. She had recently gotten out of a bad relationship.

“Those were some dark, dark days for me,” she said. “God took everything away from me.

My job, relationship and friends, but truly He was rebuilding the foundation.”

Alyssa was unemployed for six months and lived in her car for a while. Her family won-

continued on page 16

Left: Taylor Wallisch (left), Dani Sutin and Alyssa Gawboy make up the Limitlyss Wellness team. They take a look at the whole person and design programs around your spiritual, mental and physical health.

Above: Alyssa Gawboy freely shares everything she has been through and because of it, her clients relate easily to her.

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continued from page 15 dered why she didn’t just move back to her hometown in Menomonie.

“I didn’t have a job here. I didn’t have a support system,” she said. “But still I felt like God wanted me here. On that part of my journey, I was buried. I had three dollars in my checking account. I had blind faith. Nothing is tangible when you are living out of your car.”

Alyssa put her energy into volunteering at church.

“I had all the time in the world to volunteer. I looked at my relationship with God. He got rid of so many things and pulled my focus more toward Him and started walking the true path He put me on. I got involved with the worship team and volunteered in children’s ministry. I started working with the youth on Wednesday nights. I really took care of myself. I started taking care of my spirit. I started nurturing and nourishing my soul,” she said.

She landed a part-time job working at Essentia in mental health while doing other side jobs like babysitting and working at a boutique.

Combining her physical training with what she was learning about mental health, Alyssa realized how closely the two were connected. “I had just come through some dark, dark times. Many times, I wanted to take my own life. I was at the bottom, and I didn’t see how things could work out.”

Then COVID hit. And the gyms closed and Alyssa had former clients contacting her again. “They asked if I would train them online, they’d say, they were gaining weight, or in a bad spot. I was working in mental health and I was happy. I didn’t want to go back to an industry that had completely burned me out. I didn’t want to coach anymore. I didn’t want to tell people what to eat anymore.”

Bored at home with COVID, she says she talked to God and asked what she should do. She decided to take a few clients on the side. “I let them know it would be a completely different thing than when they worked with me in the past. “‘I’m not only going to tell you what to eat and how to exercise,’ I told them, ‘I will be asking about your emotional health, your spiritual health, and your mental health because that is just as important, if not more important, than what you put in your mouth.’”

Then I started developing the programming we use and it started to get a lot bigger. People started getting results and more people wanted to join.

Alyssa realized she could help people again, but do it online and in a different way.

16 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

Above: Alyssa Gawboy appreciates everything she went through and knows God was planting her right where she needed to be.

Right: Dani Sutin (left), Alyssa Gawboy and Taylor Wallisch take a holistic approach to lifestyle coaching.

She freely shares everything she has been through and because of it, her clients relate easily to her. “When I lost my job, I promised myself I would start being more authentic with people. I would never take back that dark period of my life, the hills and the valleys. I came up with this entire program. It took time. It’s not Weight Watchers. It’s not Keto or Noom,” said Alyssa.

Alyssa says with realistic expectations she gives clients a workout plan they can manage.

“If you work out at home and only have dumbbells, we can work with that and we know most people won’t follow a meal plan their entire life.” Today she has clients from California, Australia and Wyoming and has hired two additional coaches. Alyssa says a lot of her clients come from referrals, which means they’re happy.

She appreciates everything she went through.

“I know, now, God was planting me,” she said with confidence.

Sheila Helmberger lives in the Brainerd area and is a frequent contributor to Her Voice.

Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 17

HER STORY

Amera helps Grandpa steer the pontoon on a fishing excursion.

Grandpa’s Girl STORY AND PHOTOS

BY THERESA JARVELA “Look what I bought for Amera!” my husband announced as he rushed through the front door and held up a pink and blue Barbie fishing pole. “Now she will have her own rod and reel.”

And it’s pink and blue, I thought. Cute, but will it catch fish? To me it looked like a rod Ken or Barbie would use. However, I kept those thoughts to myself and smiled.

I didn’t want to burst his bubble.

Our daughter, Mary, and three-yearold granddaughter, Amera, were travel18 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

AND THE BARBIE FISHING POLE

ing from Pennsylvania to visit us and we couldn’t wait for them to arrive. While my mind wandered to house, meal preparation and fun things to do, my husband had other thoughts on his mind. As far as he was concerned a trip to Minnesota meant one thing — fishing. After all, don’t most 3-year-olds contemplate catching the big one? I didn’t think so.

Not long after their arrival plans were underway for a fun day on the lake and when that day arrived, excitement filled the air. After we gathered everything we needed for our adventure we loaded the

pontoon. Grandpa hooked the trailer to the truck and off we went.

Lake Edward sparkled under the hot July sun while we waited on the dock ready to board. When it was Amera’s turn, she marched onto and across the deck, Barbie pole in one hand and Grandpa’s hand in the other. As she stood there, grinning ear to ear, I wondered if she would catch a fish or be disappointed. I hoped she wouldn’t be disappointed.

Once aboard we headed out to our angling spot. As soon as we arrived, anchors

continued on page 20

Amera, gripping her Barbie fishing pole, enjoys night fishing with her grandpa.

Amera proudly displays her first catch as it dangles from her Barbie fishing pole.

We are

Proud to power your life

Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 19

continued from page18 were dropped, hooks baited, and lines cast or thrown overboard. Then, silent and patient, we waited for someone’s bobber to bob or go under.

Water lapped the sides of the pontoon and rocked it back and forth while the minutes ticked by. And then, “Amera’s got a bite!” Mass confusion reigned. We all crowded around her, eager to be part of the excitement. Grandpa grabbed the

landing net and together they landed the fish, grinning ear to ear.

My granddaughter caught most of the fish that day. No keepers but that didn’t matter to her. No way. She had a blast and proved she could angle with the best of them.

Amera is now grown, loves to fish and, yes, she’s still Grandpa’s girl. She told me he taught her many things about the sport, like how to take a fish off the hook

and how to bait a hook but most of all, he taught her to be patient, which a good fisherman needs to be. And when asked who the go-to person is when she has a question about the sport, she answered without hesitation, “Grandpa.”

Not only does Amera try to catch the big one in Minnesota but in Pennsylvania, too.

At home during the summer she attempts it from shore or her kayak and in the winter on the ice in the Poconos. She prefers warm weather angling and it’s no surprise Minnesota is her favorite location to fish.

I recently asked Amera what she liked least about the sport and she replied, “I don’t like it when the line breaks and I

Amera, now grown, still loves to fish and is still Grandpa’s girl.

Look what I bought for Amera! have to redo it all over again.” And when asked what she likes most, she replied, “It’s so relaxing.”

Thinking back 16 years, I admit I was wrong about the Barbie pole. I recall on the way to shore that day my crewmates sang praises to it, but I’d like to think it wasn’t just the Barbie pole that deserved credit for her catch. Perhaps those little fish, knowing full well they weren’t keepers, spread the word among them that on the other end of the shortest line in the water was a little girl named Amera, who had traveled all the way to Minnesota to catch her first fish and they didn’t want to burst her bubble.

Amera (right), pictured with her grandpa, has since retired her Barbie fishing pole.

20 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

Theresa M. Jarvela, freelancer and author of the cozy mystery series, “Tales of a Tenacious Housesitter,” makes her home in Brainerd, Minnesota.

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Comfort Foods HER TABLE

BY SUE READY

Comfort foods are those foods that provide “consolation or a feeling of well-being,” especially emotional comfort that’s heightened by our senses of taste, touch and smell. Comfort foods are more likely to be sweet or salty than sour or bitter. They’re foods that tend to be associated with our childhood or with home cooking and frequently prepared in a simple or traditional style. Fall and winter seasons are generally associated with comfort foods.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CINNAMON BUTTERNUT SQUASH with Pecans and Cranberries INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS How to Roast Brussels Sprouts Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts • 3 cups Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, outer leaves removed (about 1 pound) • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to taste

Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and outer leaves and slice Brussels sprouts in half.

In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Squeeze lemon juice over the sprouts.

Place on a baking sheet cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.

• Lemon squeeze • Grated Parmesan cheese Roasted Butternut Squash

Grate Parmesan cheese over the top.

• 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 tablespoons maple syrup • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • Red onion slices

OTHER INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves • 1 cup dried cranberries • Optional 1 cup halved red grapes

How to Roast Butternut Squash

In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded), 2 tablespoons of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, red onion slices.

Toss to mix.

Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 2025 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.

In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans and cranberries and mix to combine.

Optional: For more sweetness, add 2 extra tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 1 tablespoon, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.

Cook’s Notes

Cooking Tips

This dish is packed with vegetables, rich in fiber, gluten free and oh so good for you. It makes for a lovely presentation. Halved red grapes make a nice addition. Pair the veggie dish with roast chicken, turkey, pork or duck. Much of the preparation for this dish can be done ahead of the actual roasting.

• Brussels sprouts can be halved with outer leaves removed. Place in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate until needed.

22 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

• Roast Brussels sprouts and butternut squash in the oven at the same time but on different baking sheets.

• As a time saver, buy prepared butternut squash cubes.

• Toast pecans at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Spread out on a plate until needed.

• If adding halved red grapes, mix in with veggies right before serving.

• Recipe from www.juliasalbum.com and serves 4-6.

CHEESY POTATO BAKE with Scrambled Eggs

Cook's Notes The ultimate comfort brunch food for a crowd. Love your cheesy potatoes? Love your scrambled eggs? Toss in some chopped broccoli, onions, tomatoes and spices for added flavor and you've got a winning combination from BHG Brunch and Breakfast Publication.

Skip the bacon and it's a vegetarian dish.

INGREDIENTS • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup) • 2 tablespoons butter • 5 teaspoons all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups milk • 8 ounces sharp cheddar, Pepper Jack cheese or Mexican Four Cheese, shredded (2 cups) • 5 cups shredded hash browns, thawed • 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli • 8 large eggs • 1/3 cup half and half • 1 tablespoon parsley flakes • 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard • 1-2 large tomatoes diced and drained on a paper towel • Salt and pepper to taste • Optional dash hot sauce • Optional 6 bacon slices , crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large frypan cook onion in butter over medium heat for 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir in milk; whisk and cook until slightly thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted. Add in hash browns and chopped broccoli to the cheese mixture.

In a 2-3 quart baking dish, grease and add in cheesy potato mixture. Cover lightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Uncover stir and heat 10 minutes more uncovered.

Remove from the oven and recover with foil.

In a blender place eggs, parsley, dry mustard, and salt and pepper.

Mix well and return to the same skillet cheesy potato mixture was in. No need to wipe the pan clean. Scramble eggs to your personal preference. Place egg mixture over cheesy potato mixture and add in more tomatoes if needed. Serve immediately and top with bacon if using.

CARAMEL APPLE CUPCAKES Cook's Notes Recipe makes 14 cupcakes and was adapted from tasteandtellblog.com Cooking tip: Optional substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice for the allspice, nutmeg, cloves spice measurement.

CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 large egg 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 cup milk 2 cups chopped tart apples (I used one large Granny Smith and 1 large Honeycrisp)

ICING INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups powdered sugar • 1/4 cup caramel sauce with sea salt (prepared jar found in store ice cream section) • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 2 tablespoons melted butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 teaspoon maple extract or 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup • Milk or half and half if needed for spreading consistency • Finely chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth.

Add in the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and cloves.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture.

Mix until combined. Add half of the milk, mix, then 1/2 of the remaining flour, the remaining milk and then the remaining flour, beating in-between additions. Stir in the chopped apples.

Divide the mixture between the prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until the center springs back when touched, about 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Frost with icing and sprinkle with nuts. Optional a stick inserted to resemble a candied apple.

Sue Ready is a freelance writer, poet, food writer, book reviewer and former middle school teacher. She is the president of the Northwoods Arts Council in Hackensack and one of the chairs for the Annual August Northwoods Art and Book Festival. Sue blogs at sockfairies.blogspot.com with recipes, up north living and travel adventures. Her book reviews are posted on Facebook under EverReady Book Reviews and on her blog.

Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 23

HER FAMILY

Mayva Kottke (left), sits with her birth mother, Marsella Hinz Mackereth (middle), and Mayva’s daughter, Shelly. It was the first and only time Mayva met Marsella. Submitted.

“ Thank you for giving me life"

BY SUE SMITH-GRIER One look at Mayva Kottke and you can tell she is an outdoors woman, good looking and rugged. Her smile is warm and inviting. The sparkle in her eyes reflects happiness. As she recounts her life’s story, it is obvious that her appearance emulates a life well lived.

A Happy Childhood Mayva always knew she was adopted.

Her parents made sure she felt special.

“They said they walked down rows of babies and picked me because I had big beautiful brown eyes and smiled at them.

24 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

That always made me feel wanted and special,” she said. In those days, babies were not adopted at birth. They were kept for a few months to make sure they were developing normally before being eligible for adoption. Mayva was four months old when her parents took her home. Her parents also adopted another girl, Katie, two and a half years later. This time they picked one with big beautiful blue eyes.

Growing up on a farm, Mayva enjoyed the outdoor life, always working with her father and going barefoot, “ . . . except for the chickens. It’s hard to walk barefoot in a chicken coop and miss the poop.” Since

there were no boys, she became the boy of the family. “I spent every moment outside and helped in the barns and in the fields and loved every minute of it,” Mayva said.

She was driving a tractor and working the fields by the time she was 11. “I would stand up and drag the field and sing at the top of my lungs. I just loved it.”

Surrounded by a loving family, her grandparents lived with them in the farmhouse, her aunt and uncle only a mile away, Mayva had an idyllic childhood. “I really enjoyed living and growing up there. We were blessed financially so never lacked for much,” she reflected.

Married Life Don Kottke and Mayva were best friends and high school sweethearts.

They married in 1960 when Mayva was 18.

The first three years of married life were spent in Morocco, North Africa, where Don was stationed. He was in the Navy.

Their first two children, Sherri and Don Kottke lll, were born there. Shelly, their third daughter, was born in Minnesota.

Mayva Kottke’s certificate of baptism with her birth name, Ann Marie Hinz, written on it.

Photo by Joey Halvorson.

Don and Mayva bought a campground in Brainerd and operated it for 41 years.

Don also did accounting and taxes in the winter. Mayva drove a school bus for 27 years. In 2012 they finally retired. “I loved doing it all and loved the kids. I loved the campground life and when we retired in 2012 at the age of 71, I was very sorry to sell it and would have loved to just keep on. But Don was ready to be done,” Mayva said.

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Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 25

irth mom

b Marsella, Mayva’s

age Mayva at a young

A collage of photos showing the similarities between Mayva Kottke and her birth mother, Marsella Hinz Mackereth.

26 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

continued from page 25 tion on top of the original one. Mayva’s daughter, Shelly, pressed her to find out all she could about her birth mother.

After much prodding, she finally relented.

Mayva contacted Lutheran Social Service, the organization who handled the adoption, and asked for non-identifying information. They sent the information her mother had given them at her birth. Although her mother had given more information than most, including her birth name of Ann Marie, Mayva was still not able to get what she needed to make contact, not even her birth mother’s name.

“Then God intervened,” said Mayva.

By chance, a woman named Valorie was camping at the campground and she and Mayva ended up talking a bit. Valorie explained that she looked up birth parents for people as she really liked doing that type of thing. “So, one thing led to another and I gave her all the information I had,” Mayva said. For a year, there were no results.

Mayva went through ancestry.com for a DNA test then contacted Valorie again.

She was able to find Mayva’s birth father and continued searching until finally she found a woman she thought might be Mayva’s birth mother, Marsella Marie Hinz Mackereth.

“This pillow was made by my mom in early 1941 while she was at the Harriet Walker maternity home in Minneapolis, waiting for me to be born.

She kept it all these years. The bookmarker was made by her in her later years and she loved butterflies so this was a pin she wore, given to me by sister, Janet,” Mayva explained. Photo by Joey Halvorson.

A Happy Day In April Thanks to Valorie’s persistence, Mayva was finally able to realize her dream of meeting her birth mother. Valorie was sure she had found Mayva’s mother. At the time Mayva was 76 and her birth mother was 97. There were also half-siblings — six brothers and a sister. Valorie offered to call one of the siblings to see if a meeting could be scheduled but Mayva said she had to think about it overnight.

With Mayva’s permission, Valorie made the call and spoke with Bryan, one of Mayva’s half-brothers. Her siblings knew nothing of Mayva. Bryan told Valorie that his mother still lived alone, and he needed to think about how to approach her with the news. Mayva recounted the story.

“It took him two weeks and one day he went to her and said, ‘There’s someone looking into the Hinz family.’ She said, ‘Oh who would that be?’ He said, ‘A gal born in June 1941,’ and she said, ‘Oh, that’s my daughter.’ He talked to her a

continued on page 28

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continued from page 27 little bit about it. I still get goosebumps.” Bryan asked his mother if she was willing to meet Mayva and she agreed.

Bryan spoke with two other brothers and they decided that their mom was up to the meeting.

Bryan called Mayva and they spoke for 45 min-

28 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

utes sharing information, including that which he had gotten from his mother. Their mother had shared with him the circumstances leading to her having to give up her baby in 1941.

The two and a half hour meeting took place April 22, 2017. Mayva was accompanied by her husband Don, daughter Shelly, and Valorie, who had done all the research. She wanted to bring

something special for her mother, so Mayva brought a book she had made for her with pictures and the story of her life. She included pictures of her children and grandchildren.

“We met and the very first thing she said to me was, ‘I never thought you’d want to meet me.

I thought you hated me.’ I said, ‘How can I hate you? I’ve always wanted to tell you, thank you,

thank you, thank you!’ The day was absolutely perfect. She sat next to me. We held hands the whole time. She talked to me open and freely,” Mayva remembered. Her birth mother shared how she had been sent to the Harriet Walker Maternity Home in Minneapolis to have the baby

continued on page 31

Not only did Mayva Kottke meet her birth mother, Marsella, but she also met her half-siblings.

Pictured are Mayva (left), Dale, Jon, George, Janet, Alan, Bryan and Joel.

Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 29

Mayva Kottke stands on the steps of her home. Mayva always knew she was adopted. She was blessed to find her birth mother still alive at the age of 97. Photo by Joey Halvorson.

30 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

Mayva Kottke sits on her deck, staring at a photo of her and her mother, Marsella Marie Hinz Mackereth, taken the day they met, April 22, 2017. continued from page 29 and how adamant her parents were that she give her child up for adoption.

“She said over and over that she just couldn’t believe that I would want to meet her and that I didn’t hate her. I told her that all I ever wanted to do was to tell her thank you for giving me life and that I had never, ever hated her or thought of her in that way. She told Bryan that the hardest day of her life was when her parents came to get her and take her back home. They told her

she was to never ever bring up the baby again and it was never to be talked about.

She said to leave me there was a horrible experience,” said Mayva.

arms.” They gave Mayva the baptismal certificate their mother had kept and a pillow she embroidered while waiting for Mayva to be born.

Pictures of Mayva and her birth mother are uncannily similar; they almost look like twins. Her siblings often comment on how Mayva has mannerisms just like their mother. Mayva chats regularly with her sister Janet and is included in the family get-togethers.“They all treat me very nice.

They’ve really welcomed me with open

She only saw her mother that one time in April. Marcella Marie Hinz Mackereth passed away seven months later, Dec. 5, 2017. After decades of wondering about meeting her birth mother, Mayva finally realized her dream and was able to say to her face to face, “Thank you for giving me life.”

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Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 31

HER MIRACLE

1% SURVIVAL RATE STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEN SALVEVOLD

One percent survival rate. It sounds like a tabloid headliner. But for our family it is a quiet and sometimes unspoken topic. Today, I will be vulnerable because as the holidays are upon us, I am grateful and blessed.

If I’m being straight forward, my oldest daughter is lucky to be alive. She was born with a condition called Turner Syndrome.

According to available research, Monosomy X is present in 1-2% of all conceptions, leaving about 99% of affected baby girls miscarried or still born. Statistics show 1 in every 2,500 newborn baby girls have Turner Syndrome (Monosomy X), leaving this disorder in the rank of being rare.

My butterfly, a nickname for Turner Syndrome girls, is a twin also. Turner Syndrome is a female chromosome disorder. My twins were boy/girl. So, all through my pregnancy it was a joke that her brother was taking all the food and that is why she was smaller. Their size difference was talked about throughout my pregnancy. Baby “A” was recognized as the big strong boy and baby “B” was always recognized as healthy, just significantly smaller. I had morning sickness all day long my first 26-plus weeks. I had lost 20 pounds in the pregnancy, so again a concern, but not a great one.

continued on page 34

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continued from page 33 The doctor wanted to see me weekly and at a larger hospital an hour away.

On week 28 they found I was having contractions during an ultrasound. So, weeks 28-29 I was allowed to be home, but it was 10 days of injecting Terbutaline into my thigh and I was on bed rest with a monitor tracking my contractions. The middle of week 29 contractions became worse and I had an ambulance ride from Willmar to Abbott Northwestern Hospital. I was hospitalized there until I delivered the twins in week 34, still six weeks early.

It was May 19, 1998. My preemies were born naturally just after midnight. Baby “A” was born weight 5 pounds. Baby “B” was born breech at 3 pounds, 13 ounces. She was diagnosed with apnea as her lungs weren’t fully developed and she needed oxygen. Both babies were jaundiced but otherwise healthy.

My son was released from the hospital after a week. My daughter was hospitalized for six weeks. She had a weight requirement to hit and needed stronger lungs before she was sent home with an apnea machine for two months after that. We had one fright with her breathing level getting too low after we were home that required an overnight at our local hospital. But otherwise, year after year and appointment after appointment, it was just always that she was so little.

My butterfly, also known as Skylar, was a healthy baby/child once we got her lungs developed fully. But in first grade, her teacher had a sit down with me as she believed Skylar may have ADHD. After tests and seeing the pediatrician, she was in fact diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication. A side effect to the medication is a stunt in growth.

So that was always the reasoning as to

Skylar on her BIRTHday.

34 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

why she was so little. At 16, it was once again a teacher that approached me. He was concerned with her height and the sensitive subject that she hadn’t hit puberty, as he saw that my husband and I and Skylar’s siblings are tall; and also, the comparison to Skylar’s classmates.

So, I took her once again locally to our doctor, but this time the doctor set up a bone scan, which led to an appointment at Children’s Hospital that finally led us to an answer we’d been after all along.

In a matter of 5 minutes, I was told my Skylar had Mosaic Turner Syndrome and that she survived my pregnancy with a survival rate of 1-2%. It was a moment where my heart stopped and I was in complete shock. All these years of wondering and being questioned by almost everyone we met and all the doctor appointments yet no significant answers.

Finally, it made sense. Within those next few months she went through several tests to check her heart, kidneys, thyroid, ears and vision and female reproduction. Through her upper teen years, she was on hormone and growth therapy until she turned 18.

This topic is bigger than I can fully express or share in one article. But what I can say is, she is our miracle. And, now at 23 years old, Skylar is thriving.

Her health has been good. The toughest news was that she was told she may never be able to carry her own children.

So therefore, Skylar enjoys the idea of someday adopting. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about the mothers and fathers that have lost their butterflies. It’s a condition and topic that needs to be recognized and diagnosed earlier in these girls’ lives and then celebrated.

At the end of the day, my Skylar Alexis is a miracle that survived some pretty tough odds. This holiday season and always, we are blessed.

Twins right after delivery at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

Sky, age 17, and I at one of her Children’s Hospital appointments in Minneapolis.

VIRGINIA KNUDSON Attorney-at-Law Jen Salvevold is a wife of 27 years and the mother of 23-year-old boy/girl twins and also a 20-year-old daughter. She is the owner of {Photojenic} Photography, is employed with Evolve Vacation Rentals as their Minnesota photographer, is a CNA for elderly veterans with Comfort Keepers in home care and runs an online Etsy Shop. Jen enjoys the busy lifestyle and fits in family, friends, physical fitness and crafting every chance she gets.

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HER HEALTH

EMBRACING A NEW

Lifestyle

Roxanne Cibuzar was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, Stage 4, in 2010. Since then, she has adhered to a strict eating plan and has started a Celiac Support Group in the Brainerd lakes area. Submitted.

36 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

BY SUE READY Roxanne “Roxie” Cibuzar’s adult life has included multiple military moves, teaching school and raising her daughter, Katherine, with her husband Paul.

Roxanne has always considered herself a high energy person but then there came a five year period where she was exhausted all the time. Her family physician simply wanted her to take drugs to improve her health. Finally, when her body began to swell, she was losing weight rapidly and experiencing major brain fog, she was desperate for answers. Managing multiple health issues proved to be a challenge while also maintaining a junior high English teaching job in the Pillager Schools.

His diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Stage 4, was a breakthrough, offering her a new lease on life with needed answers.

Since discovering her Celiac Disease, Roxanne “Roxie” Cibuzar made a full replacement of kitchen items as cross-contamination can be a problem. She uses her own toaster, cooking utensils and has replaced porous cookware. Submitted.

WE ARE FITQUEST 2010 found Roxanne at the cusp of deteriorating health with symptoms of anemia and a body unable to hold much food. Her intestines were not absorbing B and C vitamins as well as an iron deficiency which led to depression. Prescriptions for hormone drugs and depression obviously were not the needed answers with her major organs shutting down. On a Friday at 4 p.m. she was sent to St. Joseph’s Cancer floor and the hematologist doc-

continued on page 38

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Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 37

A meal created by Roxie. Roxie says she gets her cooking inspiration from her two favorite television food stars, Ree Drummond and Ina Garten.

EMBRACING A NEW LIFESTYLE

38 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

continued from page 37 tor said, “I will find out what is wrong with you.” On that Monday morning, Dr. Sachs, a gastronomical specialist, biopsied her lower intestines. His diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Stage 4, was a breakthrough, offering her a new lease on life with needed answers. Mayo was her next appointment to learn how to navigate her disease. “Those doctors are indeed my heroes,” proclaimed Roxanne.

Another hero in her story is her husband, Paul. “He has carried me literally through every critical moment giving me courage to go forward. He made sure in many social settings people understood the seriousness of the disease. He readily adapted to the total change of our eating patterns.”

Since cross contamination can be a problem with those having wheat intolerance, Roxanne made a full replacement of kitchen items. She uses her own toaster, cooking utensils and has replaced porous cookware.

Adopting a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, chicken, fruits and vegetables and some whole grains ensures she and her husband can share the same meals. Roxanne loves cooking and has been able to come up with many substitutions while still using recipes from her two favorite television food stars, Ree Drummond and Ina Garten. She also finds her daughter, Katherine and granddaughter Emma’s cooking an inspiration. Eight months of iron therapy and three years of Roxanne adhering to a strict plan of eating no foods containing wheat or barley today have contributed to her improved health.

Roxanne is a member of the Crow Wing Food Co-Op in Brained. Angie Fox, general manager, is educated on Celiac and follows strict procedures on gluten intolerance in the co-op kitchen. Roxanne notes, “Here you’ll find an abundance of Celiac safe food offerings. And a bonus if you are an area member you can order special GF items.”

“Do your research,” says Roxanne, when trying to navigate the restaurant scene and/or eating at someone’s house. “Call ahead to look for safe portions or go online. Consider carrying a small card that lists foods you can and cannot eat to give to the chef. Be

continued on page 40

Lakewood Evangelical Free Church in Baxter posts women devotionals on its Facebook page. Roxie was asked to write devotionals during the “shut down” since they were unable to meet in person on Sundays. Her online presence is called “My Real Life.”

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Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 39

Did You Know? continued from page 39 sure that those in charge of food preparation understand your diet is Celiac, not GF, which necessitates a different necessary safe food prep which includes changing knives, boards and gloves. Be prepared to bring your own food to someone’s house if unsure what is being served.”

In 2021 Roxanne started a Celiac Support Group in the Brainerd lakes area. Currently the group has six members, but is always looking for new members who want to learn more about their autoimmune condition. The support group recently worked 40 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

Celiac disease sometimes is an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Eating gluten triggers an immune response to one’s small intestine. Over time, this reaction damages the small intestine’s lining and prevents it from absorbing some nutrients. The intestinal damage often causes diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and anemia and can lead to serious complications.

with Jerry Jenkins, a clinical psychologist, on how to work effectively. The group is a safe haven to share stories, concerns and learn from one another. Zoom meetings kept them afloat during the pandemic and they are just starting in-person meetings.

Sheltering in place for many months produced an unexpected benefit for Roxanne. Lakewood Evangelical Free Church in Baxter posts women devotionals on its Facebook page. Roxanne was asked to write devotionals during the “shut down” since they were unable to meet in person on Sundays. Her online presence is called “My Real Life.”

Roxanne noted, “I write to ignite in women a desire to run to God so they can live brave lives and experience real joy.”

Roxanne has embraced a new healthy lifestyle and maintains an exercise regime of walking and strength training to ensure she remains that way. She no longer has to take any prescription drugs. Every two years her new doctor draws blood to make sure Roxanne has the proper absorption of nutrients. Roxanne’s tenacity, resourcefulness, positive attitude, willingness to help others navigate the Celiac Disease scene and her faith are much to be admired.

Roxie Cibuzar recommends those who have Celiac Disease to carry a small card that lists foods you can and cannot eat to give to the chef at a restaurant.

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Sue Ready is a freelance writer, poet, food writer, book reviewer and former middle school teacher. She is the president of the Northwoods Arts Council in Hackensack and one of the chairs for the Annual August Northwoods Art and Book Festival. Sue blogs at sockfairies.blogspot.com with recipes, up north living and travel adventures.

Her book reviews are posted on Facebook under EverReady Book Reviews and on her blog.

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30581 Patriot Ave. 218-568-5001 www.pequotlakessupervalu.com Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 41

HER TRAVELS

42 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

Focus: Pantanal, Brazil STORY AND PHOTOS BY GAIL CLIFFORD The Pantanal, encompassing the world’s largest tropical wetland area, is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, thousands of species thrive there, including jaguars, anaconda, toucans, the imperiled hyacinth macaw, gi-

ant river otters and animals you’ve maybe never heard of — caiman and capybara.

When I travel solo to a new place, I enjoy the safety and comfort of an all-inclusive

continued on page 44

Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 43

continued from page 43 travel package from a reputable group. Great Escape Publishing meets those criteria and their itinerary helps me focus on what’s important to me.

In this case, it was learning to become a better photographer. With no humility, I freely recognize that I was the worst photographer of the bunch. That didn’t mean I couldn’t learn more, as long as I could keep my frustration levels under control.

After all, even a broken clock is right twice a day, right?

Our photographers for this trip were Emmy-award winning photographer Joe Sindorf and National Geographic featured photographer Bonnie Caton.

We 14 met our guide and interpreter in Cuiaba, lunched and boarded a coach to our first stop, Santa Tereza.

On arrival, they sent us right into the dark for our first cat viewing and Ana, the ocelot, did not disappoint. We were told she had two cubs and the food provided at this photographers’ blind, supplements what she kills and reduces her stress to nourish those babies better. Win-win.

I looked at my photos and saw about 90% were blurred, only a few could be blamed on Ana’s graceful movements. The problem was how I managed my camera settings.

It’s as if she was speaking directly to my heart. My entire life I’ve focused on accomplishing my professional goals as a physician. As I consider retiring, and with the kids out of the house, I have to focus on what I want to do next. My hobbies have never been at the forefront.

But now, I have the opportunity to

My hobbies have never been at the forefront. But now, I have the opportunity to pursue other passions.

pursue other passions.

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all there is to learn about DSLR cameras. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, are absolutely critical, and any one of them being off causes problems. You can leave them all on AUTO but then your photos can look flat.

I’ve written articles, screenplays and unpublished books. I’ve started a workbook for hospitalized patients to help ward off boredom.

I’ve helped my daughter with a couple great children’s books. And been road blocked at the last steps a lot of the time. I needed someone to help me climb the final hurdle.

Something else draws my attention away, and it’s left in the To Do pile.

Bonnie was able to help me with settings and made what seemed a really basic suggestion, “Work on your focus.”

The first jaguar we spotted was one that had not been seen by scientists in the region — so we got

44 | Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021

So, I worked on my focus.

to name him. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” or “Flash” for short, joined Mick Jaguar. Despite the ground cover and landscape obstructions, and with my limited skills, I was able to capture a few great photos of him.

By the third day, Bonnie and Joe had me well enough trained with this camera that they could shout out camera settings and I could change them.

Photo reviews became less frightening. One photographer there said she never submitted photos. She didn’t want anyone seeing her photos — didn’t even look at them herself until she went home. Not me. What do I have to lose? My photos aren’t as good as people that have been doing this professionally or for years? Big surprise. Embracing where you stand at this moment in a particular skill, when you have a desire to improve, is a wonderful thing.

And I embraced it. I took notes on what Joe and Bonnie said about my photos. And I adjusted. I worked hard at focus. I even captured a bird in flight. When Bonnie and Joe said it was worthy of fine art, I was shocked. Is the resolution good enough? They checked my numbers. It just made it. Wow. I didn’t know how good I could be. And I don’t manage it all the time. Sometimes it’s just luck. But my focus on objects has gotten better. It’s one thing I can do that makes everything better.

If you find something like that, hold onto it.

Taking the time to explore new locations and old or new hobbies is especially important as we face other life changes, like an empty nest. Meeting new people with similar interests helps expand my horizons. All play a role in reinventing oneself and preventing stagnation. With your focus fixed, fun things are more easily found on the horizon.

Despite the ground cover and landscape obstructions, and with my limited skills, I was able to capture a few great photos of Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” Gail Clifford said.

Gail Clifford, a physician for more than 30 years, has traveled to five continents and all 50 United States. An avid traveler, she happily goes on new adventures, especially on birthdays. She enjoys inter-generational and solo travel focused on learning a new skill. When traveling locally, she enjoys digging deeper into history to discover new things about old experiences. Her articles have been published in area, national and international magazines and websites. She divides her time between Ireland and the U.S.

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CONTACT US 13540 Ironwood Drive • Brainerd, MN 56401 | HOURS Monday - Friday 8am-5pm Her Voice Fall/Winter 2021 | 45

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