Chicz - March/April 2022 by Echo Press

From doodles to drawings

TO ART

March/April 2022

The best

DEVILED EGGS

2 Chicz March/April 2022

March/April 2022

In like a lion...

As we prepare this Chicz issue for you we are in the middle of a winter storm, but we are looking ahead to sunnier days and warmer weather. And as we plan for the upcoming months, we've incorporated some articles that can give you ideas on how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras and Easter. Or how about activities to enjoy for Earth Day and planting trees to celebrate Arbor Day? Yep, we've included those as well. We have a story on the psychology behind overeating and weight loss from Karen R. Liddell, PhD, a licensed clinical pastoral counselor and executive coach and an article by life coach Shannon Swenson on the battle between a person's desire to be perfect and living a happy life. In Real Chicz of Douglas County, Celeste Edenloff spotlights Alexandria senior Amya Hagen, whose artistic talents have landed her a spot in an elite animation program at a private college. Jeff Beach is back and brings you a recipe for a simple, one-pot meal in The Jeff Beach Diet, and Andy Mellgren highlights the varieties of rum that give everyone an option in Andy's Choice. Lowell Anderson gives you ideas on tracking your learning in The Learning Life, and Al Edenloff brings you reason's to enjoy a glass of Merlot or Rosé. These stories and many more are just waiting for you in this issue of Chicz. Enjoy! Lori Mork, Chicz editor

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN

PLANT A TREE FOR ARBOR DAY

Inside this issue The Jeff Beach Diet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Learning Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Bathroom hacks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Puzzle and games. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 CREATE YOUR OWN COFFEE CENTER

Food and drink

Jeff Beach Diet: Searching for a simple recipe? Bing! Here you go!. . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Celebrate Mardi Gras with a New Orleans classic: Beignets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Don't dismiss Merlot or Rosé. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Andy's Choice: A rum for every taste. . . . . 17

Life/Wellness

It's that time of year again. Taxes? No, weight loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Learning LIfe: Keeping track of your learning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The battle between perfection and happiness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

JAZZ UP YOUR DEVILED EGGS

Home

DIY: Create your own coffee center. . . . . . . 11 Bathroom hacks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Family

Mommy and me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Puzzles and games. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Holidays

Decorate your table for Easter. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jazz up your deviled eggs this Easter. . . . . . 8 St. Patrick's Day fun facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Activities to teach kids about the environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Plant a tree for Arbor Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Your writers

Chicz contributing writers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

To advertise in Chicz call 320.763.3133

Diann Drew, Publisher Lori Mork, Editor/Designer

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Send your feedback to:

chiczmag@gmail.com

Real Chicz of Douglas County PAGE

4 March/April 2022 Chicz

real chicz of douglas county

From doodles, to drawings, to Alexandria senior’s stories come to life By Celeste Edenloff With her Apple Pencil in hand and iPad Pro tablet on the table in front of her, Amya Hagen sketched the face of Nadya, a character she created, in about 10 minutes. Hagen, who was born and raised in Alexandria, is an artist who loves to draw using a digital software app called Procreate. Procreate, according to its website, lets artists create sketches, paintings, illustrations and animation. The program lets artists use hundreds of different brushes and other artistic tools that come to life when using a wireless stylus pen, like the Apple Pencil.

This is an illustration of Nadya and Bastian, characters created by Alexandria Senior Amya Hagen. She said it was inspired by a part of their story when Bastian is trying to help Nadya get off the island she is trapped on. “They have a moment of understanding one another and that they may not be so different,” she said. “A sense of hope sparks between the two of them that they can help and be there for each other. For the first time in a long time, Nadya doesn’t feel alone.” Hagen, 18, is the daughter of Roxanne and Derek Hagen, and sister of Ethan. She is a senior at Alexandria Area High School. She recently found out she was accepted to Lipscomb University, a private college in Tennessee that has an incredible, hard-to-get-into animation program, according to her art teacher, Nathan Knick. Knick called Hagen an amazing artist who is working toward going into illustration and who would love to work for Pixar or Disney someday.

Hagen was super excited to get into the program and really wants to go to the school, but also said it is expensive and her parents are concerned

Her character design was very random and it just came to me. Her own story is inspired by a lot of different fantasy stories and even fairy tales. Who she is and what she has been through reflects how she looks. From why her hair is the way that it is to even her scar on her face. This is a character design sheet of Nadya, a character created and drawn by Amya Hagen, a senior at Alexandria Area High School. 4 Chicz March/April 2022

AMYA HAGEN

Alexandria artist

about the debt she would have. She hasn’t quite made up her mind on whether or not she is going. She said it would be an amazing opportunity to not only learn and grow, but also to network as people at Lipscomb have connections in the illustration world. And as much as she would love to someday work at an animation company like Pixar or Disney, Hagen said she wants to work on stories and characters that are impactful for people, that are not necessarily the big money movies or television shows, but that are stories that mean something and have an impact. “I would love to work at an animation company or even just freelance,” she said. LEARNING TO DRAW Hagen’s love for art, specifically drawing, just seemed to hit her, she said, in about eighth grade. She always seemed to doodle and loved to draw landscapes and animals, but she wasn’t very confident in her abilities. She would use a sketchbook and either markers or pencils, but it was mainly just doodles and nothing significant. She decided to start saving up for an iPad and Apple Pencil and ending up getting them for Christmas one year. Being able to draw on the iPad using Procreate helped Hagen hone her skills and her love for drawing grew exponentially. INSPIRATIONS In the evenings, she will now spend anywhere from two-and-a-half to three hours drawing. She draws inspiration from many different places, people and things, but said as a devout Christian, one of her biggest inspirations is God, and the world is her canvas, she said. She also follows many different artists on Instagram and Pinterest and lets her family and friends inspire her. “With some people, something just sparks,” she said, adding that as an avid reader, she draws inspiration from books, too. “Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars,” and “Divergent”are some of her favorites, as well as anything Marvel. She loves fantasy and anything dystopian, which she said is being grounded on Earth. HER CHARACTERS Hagen not only has a passion for drawing, she has a love of storytelling and the two have helped her create not only her character, Nadya, but also Bastian and a sea of other characters in the story she has mostly written – some on paper, some in her head. With her Apple Pencil, Hagen has not only created Nadya and Bastian, but has made them come to life. “I love Nadya’s story,” said Hagen, whose eyes light up when she talks about her. Nadya’s story, she said, is inspired by a lot of different fantasy stories and even some fairy tales. She said her character design was random and that she “just came to me.” “Who she is and what she has been through reflects how she looks,” said Hagen. “From why her

This drawing by Amya Hagen was based off a photograph of someone wearing a flower dress. “I got really inspired by the look of it and went from there. I just ended up liking the overall design of her dress and her other features,” said Hagen.

Alexandria artist Amya Hagen said this is just a moody cat doodle. “It was really random, but I really liked it,” she said. “I just saw a picture of a grumpy cat and went from there. The cat honestly reflects what Mondays feel like.”

her Artist Amya Hagen said this piece was influenced a lot by n heave both ents faith in God. The bright door opening repres that from comes life how show s and God. The plants and flower and opening. The water is representative of tears and sorrow of go letting and the person represents Hagen going to the Lord past. the in everything that has happened March/April 2022 Chicz

Amya Hagen (below) uses an Apple Pencil and iPad Pro and a digital app called Procreate to draw one of her characters. Celeste Edenloff / Alexandria Echo Press

A sketch of a Nadya (above), a character created by Amya Hagen, that she drew in about 10 minutes. Celeste Edenloff / Alexandria Echo Press hair is the way that it is to even the scar on her face.” Hagen has created many scenes and some characters from Nadya’s story, including the castle Nadya lives in, what her room looks like, what the island she lives on looks like and so many other aspects of her story. Hagen doesn’t know exactly what will become of Nadya’s story and all the concept drawings she has of her and other aspects of the story, but maybe someday people will watch her story come to life on the big screen.

ADVICE When asked if she had advice for those interested in becoming an artist, Hagen said to practice and practice a lot. “If you do nothing, nothing is going to happen,” she said. “Practicing is so important.” She also said taking art-related classes in school has been very helpful. In middle school, Hagen said she took all the normal art classes that were offered. And then in high school, she took as many art-related classes as she could, including photography, digital foundations, digital art, animation, art and design 1 and 2, pottery, 3D movie making and many more. “Learn from life, too,” she said. “And just keep at it. Practice. Practice. Practice.”

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This digital painting, “Beautiful Chaos,” was created by Amya Hagen. She painted it using a digital software app, Procreate, on her iPad using an Apple Pencil. She used various digital brushes, textures and manipulated it through different settings in Procreate. “It was a lot of trial and error. I didn’t expect the colors and the clouds to turn out the way they did,” said Hagen. “That’s the beauty of it because of how spontaneous it was creating it. The process was very fun and reflected almost how my brain works when I’m digital painting. Along the process that became my biggest inspiration. I started to wonder what my creative side of my brain would look like. The space behind the clouds represents the rest of my mind or parts that are left to be filled. The clouds themselves reflect my ideas, stories and my overall creativity.”

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1922

weight loss It’s that time of year again. Taxes? No,

By Karen R. Liddell

Why do we do this every year? We binge eat all winter then seem amazed that our jeans don’t zip, again. Like it’s a surprise… Well, as my grandma used to say, there’s no sense crying over spilled egg nog. What are we going to do about it? Binge the gym? Starve? Feel stressed and then stress eat? How often do you eat to deal with feelings? Most of us eat to avoid feelings we don’t want to have, like anxiety, boredom or loneliness. We eat to get a feeling we do want to have like comfort, love or fun; like when Grandma made cookies or daddy took us out for pizza. We eat because of

the anxiety of childhood rules like “clean your plate” or “don’t waste that because children are starving.” We eat because we’re stressed. And that is why you can forgive yourself. Stress really does make you eat. Stress increases hunger and fat storage. Stress creates those feelings you don’t want to have so that you eat to push them down. Obviously, the easiest, fastest and most effective way to lose weight is to lower stress. Ask yourself, what is one thing I can cut from my schedule? Now do it. Who is one person I can forgive and stop letting them have free rent in my mind? Choose to forgive and let your feelings

catch up later. What is one thing I can do today that will move me in the direction of losing fat or gaining muscle? What is one nutritious food that I eat more of with this meal? When and where can I take a walk today? It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress in the preferred direction. Weight loss, health and fitness don’t happen in one day, but each day you can be more fit than you were the day before.

So, what is one thing you can do today, that will bring you closer to your health and weight loss goals? What’s stopping you from doing it? Do you want that to continue to limit you? Define your goal now. What’s the smallest action you can take today in that direction? Write it down, check it off, and feel good! Tomorrow - do it again and tell yourself, “Well done!”

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Decorate your table for

Easter

If you’re bringing family and friends together for an Easter meal, here are a few tips to help you decorate your table for the occasion.

tablecloth, experiment with a colorful table runner or napkins. If you’re good with your hands, try folding the napkins to look like rabbit ears.

TABLE LINENS Find a pastel tablecloth or one with a chick, rabbit, egg or floral pattern. If you opt for a busy pattern, decorate minimally to prevent the table from looking overcrowded. If you choose a plain

CENTERPIECE Spring flowers like tulips and daffodils make great centerpieces. You could also place a few colored eggs around the table or in small baskets. Don’t forget to put a chocolate

Jazz up your deviled

eggs

at each place setting and decorate the table with candles and greenery. DISHWARE Easter is the perfect time to dust off your festive glasses and plates. Dishware with polka dots and flowers or glasses with hand-painted landscapes and animals are ideal. If you have plates and bowls in a variety of bright colors, feel free to mix and match.

this Easter

The classic deviled egg is always a favorite at Easter, but if you're looking for something a little different, why not spice up AVOCADO DEVILED EGGS FILLING your eggs with some avocado, bacon or maybe smoked salmon. Here are some recipes to spice up your eggs this year. INGREDIENTS: Flaky sea salt, for serving 1/2 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS and mashed (about 1/2 cup) DIRECTIONS: Add avocado, lime juice, Juice of 1 lime (about 5 teaINGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS: sour cream, chopped cilantro spoons) 12 hard-cooked eggs, peeled Cut eggs lengthwise in and 1 tsp. salt to egg yolks. 6 Tbsp. mayonnaise or salad half. Slip out yolks and mash 2 Tbsp. sour cream Mash until combined and dressing with fork. Stir in mayonnaise, 1 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro smooth. Fill eggs and sprinkle 1 tsp. ground mustard mustard, salt and pepper. Fill Salt lightly with cayenne and sea 1/4 tsp. salt whites with egg yolk mixture, Cayenne pepper, for serving salt. 1/4 tsp. pepper heaping it lightly. Sprinkle with BACON DEVILED EGG FILLING Paprika, if desired paprika, if desired. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or up INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS: to 12 hours. 4 Tbsp. mayonnaise Add the mayonnaise, chives, mustard and bacon to yolks Each of the following recipes, mixed with the yolks of 12 hard- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives and mash until creamy and boiled eggs, will fill approximately 24 egg halves. Mix filling and 2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard 8 strips cooked bacon, well combined; season with fill egg whites as you would for classic deviled eggs. crumbled salt and pepper. Salt and freshly ground black pepper SMOKED SALMON DEVILED EGG FILLING INGREDIENTS: 6 oz. smoked salmon, minced 3/4 cup sour cream 1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt 3 ounces cream cheese, at 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black room temperature pepper 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise DIRECTIONS: 1-1/3 Tbsp. lemon juice Add all ingredients to yolks 3 Tbsp. minced fresh chives, and mash or process until plus extra for garnish creamy and well combined.

8 Chicz March/April 2022

Easter gifts that aren’t chocolate

Do you want to spoil your loved ones for Easter? If chocolate isn’t the ideal option, here are five gift ideas to consider.

figurines and stuffed animals are great gifts for little ones. Additionally, these trinkets can be incorporated into your Easter decor.

A BOOK. Give your little one a collection of Easter stories or a book starring a bunny. If you want to buy a gift for someone who loves baking, a cookbook is a great option.

FLOWERS. Bouquets of flowers and potted plants are simple gifts that show you care. Tulips, lilies, daffodils and hyacinth flowers are classic Easter blooms.

A BOARD GAME. Pick out a board game that features rabbits, chickens or eggs. A game with an egg-hunting or seek-and-find concept is also suitable. TABLEWARE. Easterthemed tableware is sure to please. For example, you could give your loved one a cute rabbit mug or a set of pastel egg cups. A DECORATIVE OBJECT. Hen, chick and rabbit

Find these and other great gifts by visiting your local stores.

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March/April 2022 Chicz

Searching for a simple recipe? By Jeff Beach When I am searching for a recipe on the Bing (my brother-in-law works for Microsoft so I can’t say Google), I usually include some of the same search terms every time: Simple. One-pot. Economical. Easy. Super Easy. Five ingredients or less. Knowing that putting commonly searched words in your recipe title will help people find it, I decided to call this dish “Simple, One-Pot, 5 Ingredients + 1, Economical, Super Easy, Savory, Yummy, Healthy, Chicken with Rice and Beans.” So I was trying to keep it to five ingredients and came very close. Plus I cheated by calling for seasoned chicken. I don’t think Bing will catch on. Here goes: SIMPLE, ONE-POT, 5 INGREDIENTS + 1, ECONOMICAL, SUPER EASY, SAVORY, YUMMY, HEALTHY, CHICKEN WITH RICE AND BEANS INGREDIENTS: 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 Cup uncooked brown rice 1 15 ounce can black beans 1 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes with chilis

Here you go!

The

JEFF BEACH

diet

Jeff Beach has spent a lifetime on the The Jeff Beach Diet and is still kickin’.

10 ounces water 3 to 4 chicken leg and thigh quarters, seasoned DIRECTIONS: As I said, this might be cheating but I said to start with seasoned chicken. What kind of seasoning? Whatever you like. My go to is Old Bay, but it could be taco seasoning, Cajun or anything with a little bit of zing. Or I sometimes can find chicken already seasoned at the store. And I specified legs and thighs but really you can use whatever cuts of chicken you want and I have even used a whole flattened chicken. (Don’t know what a flattened chicken is? Bing it.) Once you have your chicken seasoned, get out a large pan

or skillet with a lid that you can put in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. While the oven is preheating, put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium and add the olive oil. When oil is hot, add the brown rice, stirring and toasting the rice slightly. Drain and rinse the black beans. (Don’t work too hard at this, remember, this is super easy.) Add the beans and the Rotel to the pan. Fill the 10-ounce Rotel can with water, slosh it back and forth with the now mostly empty can of beans.

(Remember the economical part? We don’t want to be wasteful.) Stir the rice, beans and tomatoes until mixed evenly. Add the seasoned chicken on top of the rice, bean, tomato mixture. Then cover and put in the oven. Cook until done, about an hour. There, see? That wasn’t so hard. In fact it was simple and super easy. Plus it’s economical, yummy, savory and probably even healthy. Bing!

Celebrate Mardi Gras with this New Orleans classic: BEIGNETS

Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday this year, landing on March 1. If you're planning a Mardi Gras celebration, why not give beignets, an iconic breakfast food in New Orleans, a try. They are deep-fried dough generously covered in powdered sugar.

BEIGNETS INGREDIENTS: 3/4 cup lukewarm water 1 tsp. active dry yeast 1/4 cup sugar 1 egg beaten 1/2 cup evaporated milk 3 1/2 cups bread flour 1 tsp. salt Vegetable oil for deepfrying 1-1/2 cup powdered sugar Chocolate syrup for dipping optional

INSTRUCTIONS: In a large bowl add the warm water and yeast.

10 Chicz March/April 2022

Let sit for 10 minutes until it starts to proof. In another bowl whisk together the sugar, eggs, and evaporated milk. Whisk the egg mixture into the yeast mixture. In a separate bowl add the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture one cup at a time to the yeast mixture until the dough starts to come together. Remove the dough from the bowl and lightly flour your surface. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and shape into a ball. Add

it back to the bowl and cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled 1-2 hours. Preheat oil in the deep fryer to 350 degrees. Roll the dough into a large rectangle and cut into 2-inch squares. Carefully drop each square into the oil and let it get golden brown on each side 1-2 minutes. Remove with a metal spider strainer. Let the beignets cool and toss in powdered sugar. Serve with chocolate or caramel sauce if desired.

Create your own

DIY coffee center Is the coffee area in your kitchen messy and unorganized – mugs in one cupboard and coffee pods and sugar in another? If so, here are a few ways to bring organization and a fun look to your own coffee center. A simple way to gather all your coffee items in one area is to use a table or a free-standing shelf or cabinet against a wall, then add two

or three wall shelves above it. Drawers in the cabinet can be filled with coffee pods, sugar packets, napkins and stir sticks, or you can use small baskets on top of the cabinet to hold various items. Air-tight canisters can be used to hold coffee beans or grounds, and the shelving on the wall can be used for coffee cups. Of course, your coffee maker should be easily accessible on top of the cabinet, and, if there's room, tuck in a few decorative items, signs or plants to personalize your space. If you don't have room for a free standing cabinet, try designating a portion of your countertop or island to hold your coffee station. If it's open

above, you can add some shelves for cups, plants and photos. If you have cabinets above your coffee maker, try adding cup hooks. An antique tiered stand can hold cups, napkins and other small items, making it useful while adding a touch of homeyness. If you have a drawer below your coffee maker, redesignate

it for your coffee pods by adding some inexpensive clear small boxes. You can add tea bags and hot chocolate packets, creamers and stir sticks as well. Don't forget to leave space to store regular coffee grounds or beans. Whatever you decide, be sure to personalize it to fit your style and enjoy that cup of coffee.

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By Melanie Danner

EGG CARTON GREENHOUSE (Pinterest)

SUPPLIES: Egg carton Soil Flower seeds Spoon Paper Markers Hot glue/glue Scissors

ROBOT TOILET PAPER ROLL

INSTRUCTIONS: Use the spoon to add soil to each slot (Pinterest) in the egg carton. SUPPLIES: Poke a hole in each slot and add a few TP rolls seeds. Aluminum foil Cover with soil and add a little water. Pipe cleaners Create some flowers on paper and glue Buttons, fruit loops, gems, etc. to the inside of the lid. Hot glue/glue Water a spoonful of water to each to Scissors keep the soil moist. INSTRUCTIONS: Now you have a beautiful garden while Tear a piece of foil large enough to you wait for the real flowers to grow. cover the TP roll and tuck in the ends. Create a face with markers. Use the glue to attach the pipe cleaners and accessories.

Beep, beep!

DIY DRUMS

(Pinterest) SUPPLIES: Two Pringles® Cans Duck tape Paper Yarn or string Hot glue/glue Scissors

INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the cans in half. Wrap the cans with paper to add a pop of color. Make sure the closed ends are facing the same direction. Tape around the sides twice to hold them together. Punch a hole in the two outer cans with the scissors. Through the hole, thread a string long enough to reach to the side the drums and hang about belly height.

Let’s play some music! SUPPLIES: Yarn Felt Googly eyes Hot glue/glue Pen Scissors

12 Chicz March/April 2022

YARN BUNNY (Pinterest)

INSTRUCTIONS: Wrap the yarn around your fingers several times in a circular motion. This will create several circles. The more you wrap, the fluffier the bunny will be. Tightly tie a piece of yarn in the center of the circles to create a bow effect. Cut the loops on each end. This will create a pom pom. Shape the ends with the scissors. Repeat the steps above using three fingers and then a third time using one or two fingers.

Now you should have three pom poms of various sizes. Glue the two larger ones together and the smallest on the largest one for a tail. Cut two ears out of felt and glue to the top of the medium pom pom for ears. Glue googly eyes on the medium pom pom for eyes.

Let’s get hopping!

Don’t dismiss Merlot or Rosé They can be the star of your next meal

By Al Edenloff For one reason or another, some wines get unfairly dissed. They’re made fun of, scoffed at, or regarded as “inferior” to other types of wine. We saw it happen with Merlot, possibly because of a movie, Sideways. One of the lead characters declared his distaste for the wine, mostly because his ex-wife liked it, by saying, “No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any.” Some blamed the movie for hurting Merlot sales, which dropped about 2%, while sales of Pinot, which received high praise in the film for its complexity, increased 16%. Merlot, though, is a smoothly satisfying varietal with low acidity

and lower tannin levels than other red wines. People like it for its black cherry flavors and chocolate notes. It’s also very versatile with food, pairing well with everything from pizza to barbecued chicken. Another wine that’s received a bad rap is Rosé. It’s often criticized for its bubble gum, pinkish color. Detractors say this proves that it’s not a “serious wine” like red or whites. It’s often dismissed as just a light and fruity summer staple – kind of like Kool-Aid. But that unfair criticism is being challenged by more and more wine sippers. Celebrities and Millennials are big fans of Rosé, which has helped its popularity, making it one of the largest growing wine categories in the U.S. Tim Gaiser, a writer with Fine Cooking magazine, described Rosé this way: “With a low to medium alcohol level, wonderfully perfumy nose, bright acidity, and refreshing blast of red berry flavors,

rosé wines are charming. … When you’re drinking, that mouthwatering zing of acidity brings you back for another sip, and when you’re eating, it sets you up for another bite of food that captures the magic of what eating and drinking is all about.” So in the spirit of spring and renewal, why not uncork or unscrew a Rosé with one of these five pairings? A charcuterie board that includes goat cheese with fruit jams, prosciutto with asparagus or melon. Rosemary flatbread with blue cheese, grapes and honey. A picnic featuring tomato-feta pasta salad. Grilled chicken breast with blackberry corn salsa. (It can even be on the spicy side because Rose can handle the heat.) In the mood to splurge? Try Rosé with lobster tails served with garlic lemon butter.

March/April 2022 Chicz

The Learning Life

Keeping track of your

LEARNING By Lowell Anderson

There are a few lucky people who just seem to remember everything they read or see. But for the rest of us, we need some tools to help us keep track of thoughts and ideas. This information can take many forms, such as to-do lists, goals, plans, random thoughts and telephone numbers. However, having a reliable way to record things is especially important when you are actively learning something. In addition to storing information so we don’t forget it, we also probably need to organize it so it makes sense, as well as being able to find what we need to review later. So, how do you keep track of all this information? There

are a variety of methods, ranging from digital, to paper and pencil. Which one you choose will depend a lot on your personality and how comfortable you are with technology. It may also depend on what you are learning and what your goals are. You may even decide to use a combination of the following tools. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY Some people like to do everything on a computer or phone. They may learn from videos or from online tutorials and may seldom use any old-fashioned paper or books. For them, some kind of note taking or journaling app or online service will probably be necessary. As an alternative, they could store thoughts and information with a voice recorder. However, the best option to avoid interruptions and app switching, may be to have a paper notebook to use along with the digital tools.

paper notebook. But depending on how you feel about books, there is another option, which is to use the book itself to store information. People who see a book as a tool often mark up their books with underlining or highlighting and write notes or thoughts in the margins. NOTEBOOKS The nice thing about notebooks is that they pair well with any learning method and can be customized to fit what you are learning. For some people, just the act of hand writing notes helps them to remember better. With paper, it’s very easy to quickly draw arrows and diagrams that may

help you understand the big picture of what you are learning. JOURNAL AND COMMONPLACE BOOK For people who enjoy journaling, a journal can be a great place to write about what you are learning each day. The downside is that it may be hard to find specific information later, especially if it is mixed in with other topics. A commonplace book is a notebook (although it could also be digital) in which the owner writes down anything he or she is learning or thinking about, as well as any other random information to be remembered.

BOOKS Some people enjoy reading and like to learn from books. Although you could use a digital tool to take notes while reading, many book lovers are more comfortable using a

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St. Patrick's Day

fun facts

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day by wearing green, drinking green beer and attending a parade are just a few of the ways we enjoy this Irish holiday. Here are some interesting fun facts about St. Patrick and the traditions that go along with it.

The world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade is held in an Irish village. It lasts only 100 yards, between the village’s two pubs. (Source: livescience.com) Legend says that each leaf of the clover has a meaning: Hope, Faith, Love and Luck. (Source: goodlucksymbols. com)

The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston (1737). (Source: cnn.com)

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Beer, especially Guinness, is one of the most widely consumed beverages on St. Patrick’s Day. (Source: livescience.com) Shamrocks are the national flower/emblem of Ireland. (Source: cnn.com) The color of St. Patrick’s Day was originally blue. (Source: livescience.com) 1962 marked the first time Chicago dyed their river green for St Patrick’s Day. (Source: nationalgeographic.com)

Wendy Oksness LPL Financial Advisor D: (320) 460-7488 E: wendy.oksness@lpl.com 405 50th Ave W, Alexandria MN mmfcu.org Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union (MMFCU) and Mid Minnesota Investment and Retirement Services (MMIRS) are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using MMIRS and may also be employees of MMFCU. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from, and not affiliates of, MMFCU or MMIRS. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

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We’re Open so You Can Close! ABSTRACTS | TITLE INSURANCE | REAL ESTATE CLOSINGS 2209 Jefferson Street, Suite 301 • Easton Place II, Alexandria, MN 56308 320.763.3311 • IntegrityTitleInc.net March/April 2022 Chicz

The battle between

PERFECTION and By Shannon Swenson

Perfectionists refuse to accept any results short of perfection. The urge to be perfect can be a huge disadvantage. Most perfectionists are anything but happy. When your standards are unreasonably high, you’re unlikely to have many moments in your life when you’re satisfied and content. Perfectionists often admit that they are stressed, worried, and exhausted. It’s not easy trying to be perfect all of the time! As you read the list below, consider where you could spend your time in a way that would create more happiness in your life. See how perfection and happiness don’t fit well together: 1. The need for perfection guarantees failure. Perfection can never be attained; by choosing perfection, you’ve chosen to fail. Happiness is more challenging to achieve when you’re failing.

happiness

2. Perfection creates anxiety. You worry all the time when perfection is the only acceptable result. It’s hard to be happy when you’re anxious. 3. Perfection is the enemy of progress. Perfection is tedious and slow. 4. Perfection forces you to spend too much time on things that just don’t matter very much. There are plenty of things in life that require results far beneath perfection. 5. Perfectionists are more likely to procrastinate than the average person. The drive for perfection creates anxiety and consumes a lot of time. 6. Perfectionists notice what’s wrong, rather than what’s right. Perfectionists quickly forget their successes and fixate on their failures, making them unhappy with their work, home life, and themselves. 7. Perfectionists find it challenging to complete anything because there’s always something they could improve.

It’s a struggle to complete anything and move on. Having a lot of unfinished tasks is stressful and dissatisfying. 8. Perfectionists expect others to have equally high standards. Perfectionists are hard to be around. They are often critical of others and consequently, are often lonely which impacts happiness. It’s not easy being a perfectionist! While it’s important to give crucial tasks the necessary attention, spending too much time and attention on something is a waste of your time and mental energy. Taming your tendencies that cause you to try to be perfect can be hard! Any change like this starts with small steps. By saying yes to perfection, you are saying no to something else; ask yourself “What am I saying no to?” the next time you want to make something “perfect."

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HOME DECOR • AREA RUGS • INSULATION

is...

Andy’s Choice

RUM for every taste By Andy Mellgren

Rum is one of the oldest distilled spirits in the world. Most rum is produced in the Caribbean as well as North and South American countries. There are a few styles of rum which can vary depending on the place of origin. Common styles of rum are white (Blanco or Clear), spiced, gold (Amber), dark (Black) and premium or aged for sipping. Another offering is Cachaça (kah-SHA-sah) which is unique to Brazil. Although rum is produced around the globe using different standards and grades, all rum is produced by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. White rums are clear and generally have a sweet flavor. These rums can be aged,

but generally for a short time, typically 8 months up to two years. If aged, they are usually filtered after the aging process to remove any color defects and the final product remains clear. Spiced or flavored rums are those that have spices added before the bottling process. This includes coconut rums. Each producer adds their own blend of fruits, spices, or other ingredients to develop the final product. Gold rums tend to have a fuller taste and body as compared to clear rums, but not as strong as dark rums. Gold rums are usually aged in white oak barrels, typically two years or longer. During the aging process, barrels transfer color, hence the name gold rum. Dark rums are aged longer, generally more than two years with some upwards of

Some of the most popular rum cocktails around the world include: Pina Colada Mojito Mai Tai Hurricane Rum & Cola Dark ‘n’ Stormy Daiquiri Bahama Mama four or more years. Charred white oak barrels are commonly used for aging dark rum. These rums tend to have more flavor and complexity than either white or gold rums. Often dark rums have aromas and flavors of spice, molasses, and honeyed caramel. Premium or aged rums for sipping are usually aged at a minimum of two to four years, some much longer. As with dark rums, charred white oak barrels are commonly used for the aging process. Each producer creates a distinctive rum. Sipping rums tend to have flavors and aromas of cherry, gingerbread, brown sugar, vanilla, caramel and toffee.

Cachaça is a rum-like spirit, unique to Brazil, distilled from fermented sugar cane juice. When muddled with lime juice and sugar, Cachaça makes the quintessential Brazilian cocktail, the Caipirinha. There is a rum style to fit every taste preference and budget. Whether you are making simple two ingredient or more complex cocktails there is a rum to fulfill your entertainment plans. If you prefer to enjoy neat or on the rocks, there is a rum for that. I recommend that you invite some friends and family, assign each a different style of rum, make some cocktails and memories! Cheers!

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EARTH DAY APRIL 22

Activities to teach kids about

the environment

Do you want to teach your children about the importance of protecting the planet? Here are four fun activities you can do as a family.

plastic bottles, toilet paper rolls and other recyclable materials. A quick online search will provide plenty of inspiration.

GARDENING. Whether you grow herbs on a windowsill or plant a vegetable garden in your backyard, this is a handson way for children to learn about responsibility and how food grows.

EXPLORING. Children can learn a lot simply by getting close to nature on a hike or bike ride. Alternatively, you can visit a local farm, botanical garden or wildlife refuge. Many places also offer virtual tours.

PLANTING A TREE. Once it’s in the ground, encourage your kids to observe how their tree changes with the seasons and provides a home for animals. They can even give it a name. CRAFTING. Challenge your kids to make art out of cardboard boxes, bottle caps,

Regardless of which activity you do, make sure to use the opportunity to start a conversation with your kids. Depending on their age, you can talk about how the environment affects their lives, why it’s important to respect nature and the ways they can help protect the planet.

PLANT A TREE FOR ARBOR DAY

Friday, April 29 is Arbor Day in Minnesota and Arbor Day Month is May. Minnesota became the fourth state to adopt the tradition of celebrating Arbor Day in 1876, and in 1978, began celebrating Arbor Month in May. Here are a few of the trees that the Minnesota DNR recommends for the climate in west central counties and communities like Alexandria or St. Cloud: Hackberry American Elm Boxelder Jack Pine Black Oak Bur Oak Shagbark Hickory Black Walnut Cottonwood Silver Maple

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BATHROOM Hacks For a fresh, clean room

The most used room in your house, the bathroom is also the hardest to keep clean and fresh-smelling. Here are a few tricks that can help you achieve a clean-smelling bathroom. TOILET PAPER. Using your favorite essential oils, drop a few drops on the cardboard tube inside your toilet paper roll to help add a fresh scent to your room. VENTILATION. Open a window or door to increase the air flow in your room. This will help keep mold and mildew from growing in your room. No window? Try using a dehumidifier if you don't have an exhaust fan in your bath. This will help remove moisture that can lead to bacterial growth.

VINEGAR. Add a cup of vinegar to your toilet tank and allow it to sit for 12 hours. You can flush the tank and then scrub it to get rid of any buildup like rust, mold, mildew and bacteria. The vinegar will also help remove tough stains in the toilet bowl as well. FABRIC SOFTENER. Add some liquid fabric softener to your toilet tank. It will release its scent when mixed with the water. BLEACH. Bleach is a strong substance, so it should be used with care. But sometimes a cleaning job calls for a little extra help. Add a 1/4 cup of bleach to a 16-oz. spray bottle, then fill it with cold water and shake well. You can use this to clean your toilet and the floor around it if it's tile. Use

sparingly and rinse afterward with cool water. Not only will this work on many stubborn stains, but it will help keep the room smelling fresh. Using 1/2 cup bleach in the bowl, letting it sit and then scrubbing will clean those stains. Just make sure NEVER to mix bleach and

ammonia-based products, or bleach and toilet bowl cleaner. The mixture can release toxic gases. CANDLES. A tried and true freshener, scented candles not only smell good, the smoke can also kill bacteria that causes odors.

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CROSSWORD

CLUES ACROSS 1. One who regrets 5. Time zone 8. Subway dweller 11. Bend in a river 13. Alias 14. Isodor __, American Nobel physicist 15. Very (music) 16. Zero 17. Phil __, former CIA 18. Competitions 20. Unwell 21. Puts in place 22. Gets rid of 25. Allows light to pass through 30. Climbed quickly 31. We all have it 32. There's a North & South 33. Emaciation 38. Supervises flying 41. Very dark colors 43. Unwanted 45. Grants 48. Three visited Jesus 49. Wife of Amun 50. Broadway actress Daisy 55. A Spanish river 56. I (German) 57. French opera composer 59. Six (Spanish) 60. Last letter 61. Spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation 62. Noah had one 63. Make a mistake 64. Tall plant

GREEN THUMB WORD SEARCH

CLUES DOWN 1. Computer memory 2. 'Et __': 'And wife' (Latin) 3. Ancient Syrian city 4. College army

SUDOKU

AERATION COMPOST CONTROL CRABGRASS DROUGHT ENRICHMENT FERTILIZATION GRASS

GREENERY GRUBS HOSE IRRIGATION LEVELS MOLD MOLES MULCH

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PESTS PLANTS PRUNING RAINING RESEEDING SOIL WEEDS YARD

5. Cassava 6. Talented 7. Capital of Estonia 8. Finger millet 9. In a way, assists 10. Men's fashion accessories 12. Misery 14. Skin disorder 19. Selling at specially reduced prices 23. Good friend 24. Stationary portion of a generator 25. Expression of disappointment 26. The 17th letter of the Greek alphabet 27. Where birds fly 28. Midway between north and northeast 29. Chaotic states 34. Comedic actress Gasteyer 35. Kids' dining accessory 36. Snakelike fish 37. Midway between south and southeast 39. Assign lifelike qualities to 40. One who cites 41. Midway between east and southeast 42. North wind 44. One or the other 45. Cavalry sword 46. Of the Hungarian language 47. Life stories 48. Flat tableland with steep edges 51. Swiss river 52. Plant that makes gum 53. French cleric 54. One point east of northeast 58. Free from

March/April 2022 Chicz

contributing writers Lori Mork of Lowry is a mother, grandmother and dabbler in all things food, photography and decor related. Lori Mork

Celeste Edenloff

Al Edenloff of Alexandria and his wife, Celeste, were married in the heart of California wine country and enjoy sipping wine on their weekend date nights. Al Edenloff

Celeste is a reporter for the Echo Press. She enjoys perusing her social media accounts, running and participating in races with her husband, Al.

Lowell Anderson is a photographer at the Echo Press newspaper. Lowell Anderson

Karen Liddell

Karen R. Liddell, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor and Executive Coach. She is currently training her brain to compete in the Ms. Minnesota Fitness and BodyBuilding Competition at 55 years old.

Melanie Danner of Alexandria is an at-home mother and craft lover. Melanie Danner

t Service! Low Prices! Huge Selection! Grea Andy Mellgren is the Director of Operations for Plaza and Downtown Liquor. Andy Mellgren

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Alex’s Largest Selection of Cold Domestic, Import & Craft Beers, Jeff Beach has spent a Plus Wine, Liquor & Much More! lifetime on The Jeff Beach

Shannon Swenson

Co Rd 42NE

Shannon Swenson is a Life Coach at Encompass Coaching in Alexandria. She enjoys cooking and reading and is a nature, animal and classic car lover.

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Articles inside

Bathroom hacks

The Learning Life

Puzzle and games