Northwoods Tahoe Fall 2022

TAHOE

Serving Truckee & Tahoe

with new art for your home

in the Aspens 10” by Scott Thompson

“Mountain Aspen Grove” by Olof Carmel

“Genoa Rainbow” by Aaron Jones

Writer: MarkMclaughlin

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Captain Barter Hermit of Emerald Bay

By Mark McLaughlin

West of South Lake Tahoe is a spectacular, glacially carved basin known as the Desolation Wilderness. Scalloped in eons past by flowing ice, the polished granite now cradles countless alpine lakes. Towering above the shattered cliffs and glacial debris looms Dick’s Peak, elevation 9,974 feet, standing stoic and solitary in this region of rugged extremes. The obdurate mountain is a fitting monument to Captain Richard “Dick” Barter, a man whose remarkable feats of survival have withstood the test of time.

A retired British sea captain, Dick Barter shipped into Tahoe when he was hired by the son of famous stager, Ben Holladay. One of the wealthiest men in the West, Holladay’s stage line ran 2,000 miles, from the Mississippi River all the way to Placerville, California. The most direct, overland route to California gold fields passed through South Lake Tahoe.

In 1862, Ben Holladay pre-empted the unoccupied land surrounding picturesque Emerald Bay and built a two-story, five-room villa. The following year he turned the property over to his son who hired Captain Barter to “keep things ship-shape” at the estate during the harsh winter months.

The decision to employ an old sea captain to protect a remote mountain hideaway made good sense. When deep snow blanketed the Sierra, the only way in or out of the bay was by boat. To survive the winter at stormswept Emerald Bay, a caretaker had to be seaworthy. Captain Barter was definitely the right man for the job. The role of winter caretaker at Emerald Bay suited the grizzled old sailor just fine. He didn’t mind that he wouldn’t see any other humans for weeks or months at a time.

Barter’s solitary life at Emerald Bay was full of hardship and danger, but for 12 years the captain lived the life of a recluse at Holladay’s isolated cottage. The old sailor was a real-life Robinson Crusoe who possessed a fatalistic spirituality. When asked about growing old alone at Emerald Bay, the hermit said, “Somehow or other, I feel that my time to die is drawing near — so I am going to make a coffin, hang the lid on hinges, and put it in position [on Fannette Island in Emerald Bay]. When I am called, I’ll just come out here, get in this coffin, shut down the lid, and then, goodbye Old Dick.”

Capt. Barter lived a life of isolation and visitors to Emerald Bay were rare. Despite his eccentric lifestyle, the venerable sailor gained a reputation as an easy going old salt who enjoyed the taste of bourbon whiskey. An 1875 article published in the Sacramento Daily Record-Union newspaper noted, “[Capt. Dick] loved the lake, and for hours at a time drifted about in his boat. At times he drank heavily, and when he felt the stupor of intoxication stealing over him he would row toward the middle of the lake, lie down in his boat and drift with the waves until he became sober.” When “Uncle Dick” was docked at the bar, customers were treated to ribald tales from his seafaring days. If Barter craved a drink and conversation during the snowbound winter, he sailed for it. It was 16 miles from Emerald Bay to the saloon in Tahoe City, and a risky voyage in a small boat. But neither distance nor danger deterred Barter’s efforts to reach his favorite watering hole.

In January 1870, Capt. Dick almost met his maker when a sudden gust of wind upset his little boat, which tossed him into the lake two miles off Sugar Pine Point. He struggled in the cold water, but finally succeeded in getting back into the boat. The weather was intensely cold and deadly hypothermia was setting in, but Barter refused to give up. Realizing that he would freeze to death in the subfreezing temperatures, he apparently tied

the boat’s bowline around his chest, dove back into the water, and began swimming towards Emerald Bay 10 miles away, pulling the skiff behind him for a time. Fortunately for the struggling sailor, his flask of whisky floated within reach. The slugs of alcohol numbed the pain of the chilling water. After what seemed like an eternity in the numbing lake, the 65-year-old skipper climbed back into the little dinghy and wrapped himself in thick wet blankets. All night he sculled against the biting wind and freezing spray, shouting, “Richard Barter never surrenders! Richard Barter never surrenders!” Barter’s grim determination saved his life.

The half-frozen sailor rowed into Emerald Bay at daybreak. But his ordeal was far from over: Months later he recounted his story to a visiting journalist from the San Francisco Chronicle: “And so, after many hours’ labor, I reached my landing, crawled into the house, and for 11 weeks I never left; ‘cause you see, my feet and one hand was froze and I couldn’t get out.” Since he couldn’t walk on his feet he tied a small cushion to each knee in order to get around. Despite his serious injuries, the old captain wasn’t idle. During his three month solitary confinement Barter used pieces of wood to meticulously craft a seven-foot long scale model

Capt. Barter with his dog and scale model sailing ship.

Courtesy California State Library

Capt. Barter built a chapel on Fannette Island in Emerald Bay.

Courtesy California State Library

of a man-o’-war steam frigate. He showed it to the newspaper reporter who noted that it was a marvel of workmanship. Every rope, block, and sail was in its proper place; a wind-up clock hidden in the hold drove the running gear and propeller. On the deck of the wooden vessel stood 225 crew members, officers, marines, boatswains, and sailors, all hand-carved from small pieces of wood. One newspaper article described it as “a masterly piece of workmanship in the shape of a full rigged man-of-war, with men, guns and all the usual appurtenances and appliances.”

It was an amazing feat, but the self-reliant recluse had also built and rigged a full-sized boat. No small replica, the ship weighed four tons, which he launched by himself. Not a single person had visited him throughout the whole winter. After examining the two boats and appreciating the physical challenge their construction required, the journalist was a bit skeptical that the old sailor had really experienced that near-fatal ordeal the previous winter. To prove his case, Barter limped over to a dressing table in Holladay’s cottage and removed a small jewelry box. He lifted the lid and handed it to the newspaperman. “Them’s my toes!” Captain Dick exclaimed proudly. Inside the little box were several of the captain’s frostbitten toes that he had amputated and then salted to preserve as a memento of his fearful night on Lake Tahoe.

Capt. Barter knew that his luck on Tahoe wouldn’t last forever. On Fannette Island he chipped out a burial crypt in the granite and erected a small wooden chapel over it as his final resting place. But he would never get the opportunity to use it. Fate finally caught up with Capt. Barter in October 1873 while he was sailing back from South Lake Tahoe where he had spent the evening drinking. A sudden wind came and overturned his boat, sending him to the depths of Tahoe. Portions of the wrecked boat were salvaged off the rocks near Emerald Bay, but Captain Barter’s body was never recovered. For many years after that, Tahoe locals called the island in Emerald Bay, Captain Dick’s Island. And in Desolation Wilderness, a Lake and a Pass have been named for the plucky skipper.

Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlin is a nationally published author and professional speaker. His awardwinning books are available at local stores or at www. thestormking.com. You can reach him at mark@ thestormking.com. Check out Mark’s blog at www. tahoenuggets.com.

Fall Specials & Christmas Trees

On-trend hues reflect cOmfOrting lifestyle design

Upgrading your home design is an opportunity to tap into new color schemes. Knowing what shades are trendy and how different hues can work together for a cohesive design is an important step in creating an attractive design aesthetic.

Color Trends to Consider

Many of this year’s popular natureinspired designs are all about finding comfort, embracing a flexible lifestyle, rediscovering joy and leaning into the growing DIY movement. The most trend-worthy, forward-thinking and livable colors reflect specific facets or emotions of life so you can update your well-used spaces with thoughtful colors that evoke positive energy and lasting change.

Comfort and Contentment: If your goal is to create a space that envelopes you in a sense of comfort, consider a white with a yellow undertone that makes a space cozy like a soft blanket, like Cozy White from Valspar. Complement the softness with a muted clay that brings in brown undertones that suggest gentle contentment.

Calming Restoration: Tap into the calming tones of nature with a hazy green that has duality, which brings in both the calm and liveliness of the great outdoors. Another option

is a deep midnight blue used as an elegant calming shade to restore mind, body and home.

Healthful, Mindful Living: Create an uplifting space where your wellness is a priority. Evoke a greater sense of health consciousness with a light blue that has a dose of softness used as a fresh neutral with uplifting qualities of a modern pastel, like Valspar’s Rising Tide. Reinforce the benefits of mindful living with a cool gray that is balanced by the warmth of the yellow undertone, a natural hue like a cotton muslin cloth.

Connections and Joy: Establish spaces where you can celebrate relationships with others, the world around you and happiness in your being. Consider hues like a white softened by a violet undertone, a harmonious shade promoted by digital connectivity. Evoke joy with a

dependable classic tan that features a yellow undertone suggesting new life with uplifting qualities.

Natural Balance: Bringing hints of the outdoors into a well-loved living space creates a soothing ambiance. Consider a warm neutral brown tone inspired by the shades found in nature or a cooled down blue that strikes a beautiful balance between cool and warm shades in your design.

Inspirational Thought: A workfrom-home or crafting space needs color to inspire great thinking. Try a faded natural terracotta that sparks individuality and warmth or a deep blackened olive, an on-trend neutral that embodies charm and sophistication.

Explore the Valspar Color-verse tool and find more colorful ideas at Valspar.com

Support Brain Health add to your wellness routine

When most people think of wellness, diet and exercise are the first things that come to mind. Brain health is another essential element of your overall wellness because it affects your quality of life in many ways.

Brain health is the foundation of your ability to live a productive and successful life by communicating and solving problems. It’s the driving force behind your daily function.

Give your brain extra support with these tips:

Stimulate Your Mind

Like any muscle, your brain needs exercise. Your workout equipment for your brain can include activities like puzzles, reading, learning an instrument, taking up a new hobby or learning a new language.

Focus on Brain-Supporting Foods

What you eat doesn’t just affect your physical health; it affects your

brain health, too. One example is the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, which is the result of more than 20 years of data collected by researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Harvard School of Public Health.

It follows the Mediterranean style of eating whole foods with minimal processing and includes an emphasis on plant-based foods, including leafy greens, whole grains and heart-healthy legumes along with some fish and smaller amounts of poultry. The MIND diet aims to build on these principles and emphasizes antioxidant-rich berries, dark leafy greens and fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines.

A dish like Kale and Quinoa Bowl with Salmon reflects the MIND diet guidelines and is a delicious and smart way to support your brain with good nutrition. (page 12)

Sleep Well

While you catch up on your rest, your body is hard at work rejuvenating all your systems, and your brain is no exception. Getting plenty of sleep each night gives your brain time to repair itself so you wake feeling sharp and

focused.

Add a Supplement to Your Daily Routine

Most people fall short of reaching recommended nutrient levels with their diets alone. Supplements can help fill the gap. An option like Neuriva Plus can help support the key indicators of brain health: reasoning (think and understand things in a logical way), focus (zoom in and filter out distractions), accuracy (react with greater speed and precision), memory (record and recall stored information), learning (retain new information) and concentration (concentrating on tasks for longer periods).*

Manage Stress

Keeping your stress in check is good for your mental well-being, but it also affects your physical and cognitive health. Practicing yoga, meditation or listening to music are some ways to reduce stress while improving your cognitive function and performance.

Connect with Others

Personal interaction also sharpens your brain, as it encourages you to practice communication and other cognitive skills. You can protect and improve your brain health by creating and nurturing connections with friends and family.

Keep Moving

Your brain needs plenty of oxygen for good function. Physical activity burns calories and builds muscle while increasing oxygen flow and stimulating nerve cell growth.

For more ideas to support brain health and wellness, visit Neuriva.com and download the Neuriva Brain Gym app

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Continued on page 12

Photo: Tom Lippert; Pilot: Laurel Lippert

Continued from page 10

Kale and Quinoa Bowl with Salmon Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown on behalf of Neuriva Servings: 4

Kale and Quinoa Bowl:

1 bunch lacinato or “dinosaur” kale, stems removed and cut into ribbons (about 4 ounces, stemmed) 1 bunch (1 1/2 ounces) flat leaf parsley, stems removed and roughly chopped 2 shallots, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 lemon, zest and juice only 2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt

4 ounces firm feta cheese, divided 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) walnuts, toasted and lightly crushed, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups cooked white quinoa

1/2 cup dried cherries freshly ground black pepper

Salmon:

2 skin-on salmon fillets (around 1-inch thick and 5 ounces each)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons light olive oil

To make kale and quinoa bowls: In large bowl, toss kale, parsley and shallots with 2 tablespoons olive oil; set aside 10 minutes.

In bowl of food processor, puree remaining olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, yogurt, 2 ounces feta, 1/3 of the walnuts and salt.

Pour dressing over greens then fold in quinoa, remaining walnuts, cherries and remaining feta.

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving with several grinds of black pepper.

To make salmon: Wrap fillets in paper towels then heat large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes.

When skillet is hot, season fillets with salt. Add oil to skillet and carefully tilt to evenly cover bottom. When oil shimmers, slide fillets in, skin-side down, pressing each fillet firmly down with spatula.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 3 minutes then cover and cook 2 minutes.

Carefully flip fillets, cover and cook 1 minute, or until fillets reach desired doneness or internal temperature of at least 130 F** on thermometer inserted into centers.

To serve, separate kale and quinoa mixture into four bowls. Slice each fillet in half and place on top of kale and quinoa.

**The United States Department of Agriculture recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Content courtesy of Neuriva

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (woman doing a puzzle)

Photo courtesy of Lynne Calamia (Kale and Quinoa Bowl with Salmon)

GMOs EXPLAINED

Many consumers are curious to learn more about the purpose and safety of GMOs.

“GMO” is a common term used to describe foods made from organisms (plants, microorganisms and animals) that have been created using technology called genetic engineering. Genetic engineering allows scientists to copy a gene with a desired trait from one organism and put it into another.

Purpose of GMOs

Humans have modified crops and animals to suit their needs and tastes for thousands of years. Crossbreeding, selective breeding and mutation breeding are examples of traditional ways to make these genetic changes, and they have been used to create crops like modern corn varieties and seedless watermelon. These methods often involve mixing all the genes from two different sources. For example, today’s strawberries are a cross between a strawberry species native to North America and a strawberry species native to South America.

Modern technology allows scientists to use genetic engineering to take a specific beneficial gene, like insect resistance or drought tolerance, and transfer it into a plant without also transferring undesirable genes, which sometimes occurs in traditional plant breeding. The reasons for genetic modification today are similar to what they were thousands of years

ago: higher crop yields, less crop loss, longer storage life, better appearance, better nutrition or a combination of these traits.

Some GMO plants have been modified to improve their nutritional value. An example is GMO soybeans with healthier oils – higher oleic acid – that can be used to replace oils containing trans fats. Scientists are continuing to look for new ways to develop foods with increased nutritional value and other useful traits.

Safety of GMOs

Multiple agencies within the United States government work to regulate GMOs, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Each agency plays a part in ensuring GMOs are safe for human, plant and animal health. For example, the FDA makes sure foods from the GMOs it regulates meet the same safety standards as the nonGMO version. The three agencies also monitor the impact of GMOs on the environment.

Research shows GMO foods currently on the market are no more likely to cause allergic reactions than nonGMO versions of the same foods. Most food allergies are caused by allergens found in just nine foods: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, sesame, shellfish and fish.

The way GMOs are created allows scientists to know precisely which new proteins are produced in a plant. Scientists perform tests to make sure these new proteins are not allergens. This type of testing, called allergenicity testing, is always part of the process for developing GMOs. As part of this testing, developers consider whether any substances added to the food have characteristics of allergens, such as whether they come from an allergenic source.

Learn more about GMOs and their impact on your health at fda.gov/ feedyourmind.

Updated Food Labeling

Certain types of GMOs have a disclosure that lets you know if the food is a bioengineered food.

Bioengineered food is the term that Congress used to describe certain types of GMOs when they passed the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard

The Standard establishes requirements for labeling foods that humans eat that are or may be bioengineered and defines bioengineered foods as those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.

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