April 2016 The Good Life by The Good Life

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Contents

ACCESSORIZE for Spring!

page 14

working on the mule train

Mule wrangler and writer Lance Stegemann Features

Smacking down type 2 diabetes

Chelan doctor designs seminar to make people healthier

9 student helps leavenworth green up

Some people think about a better world, Joseph Winters is making it happen

10 family goes on a wild mushroom hunt Watch where you step, there could be a delectable underfoot

16 the japanese experience

Check out new cabins at Lincoln Rock State Park

Very nice people, great food, clean and natural places, but hey, what’s up with the crazy translations?

18 the rv lifestyle

Touring the country while never missing your own bed

21 spring travel planner

Cary Ordway is back with fun places to visit in Central Washington

26 A tale of two houses

When two couples wanted the same house, the builder offered a suggestion: He could build a near copy right next door

ART SKETCH

n Dance instructor Adrienne Pratt-Rubio, page 34 Columns & Departments 13 Pet Tales: A goat just right for the hand 30 June Darling: Finding your purpose 32 The traveling doctor: Drowning in plastic 34-38 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 37 The night sky: Mercury shines bright 39 Bonnie Orr: Cooking with weeds 40 History: Gold in the local hills? 42 Alex Saliby: Local wines have quickly improved April 2016 | The Good Life

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, April 23

3 p.m. — follow the signs from the park entrance Enjoy tours, fun and light refreshments. Enter to win a free night’s stay. Details on facebook.com/ ChelanPUD and at (509) 661-4551. Another public power benefit from Chelan PUD

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OPENING SHOT

Year 10, Number 4 April 2016 The Good Life is published by NCW Good Life, LLC, dba The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 PHONE: (509) 888-6527 EMAIL: editor@ncwgoodlife.com sales@ncwgoodlife.com ONLINE: www.ncwgoodlife.com FACEBOOK: https://www. facebook.com/NCWGoodLife Editor/Publisher, Mike Cassidy Contributors, Marc Dilley, Dr. Amy Hutton, Marlene and Kevin Farrell, Lance Stegemann, Dr. David Weber, Sr., Dr. Susan Weber, Indigo TriggHauger, Maureen Stivers, Cary Ordway, Donna Cassidy, Bonnie Orr, Alex Saliby, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin, Peter Lind and Rod Molzahn Advertising manager, Terry Smith Advertising sales, Lianne Taylor and Donna Cassidy Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Dianne Cornell Ad design, Clint Hollingsworth TO SUBSCRIBE: For $25, ($30 out of state address) you can have 12 issues of The Good Life mailed to you or a friend. Send payment to: The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 For circulation questions, email: donna@ncwgoodlife.com BUY A COPY of The Good Life at Hastings, Safeway stores, Walgreens, Mike’s Meats at Pybus, Rhubarb Market, Martin’s Market Place (Cashmere) and A Book for All Seasons and Dan’s Food Market (both Leavenworth)

Lilies in the canyon By Marc Dilley

amously, the first Leavenworth Glacier Lilies appear at the Ski Hill, followed by south facing slopes above the city, then more shaded slopes and so forth. The Ski Hill remains a popular destination for wildflower photographers but I prefer the wild settings in the Icicle Canyon, scrambling off-trail and discov-

ering things that I, at least, have not seen before. On the day I took this photo, I was poking around a large granite dome that was draped with bright, green moss and little gardens thick with Glacier Lilies. I spent many hours there with my camera carefully composing a few exposures (I don’t believe massive numbers of exposures gives good results. I prefer a slow, careful approach) and this image was by far my favorite. To shoot the scene the way I envisioned it, I needed to “compress” the stone picture elements. To achieve that I slapped

ADVERTISING: For information about advertising in The Good Life, contact advertising at (509) 8886527, or sales@ncwgoodlife.com WRITE FOR THE GOOD LIFE: We welcome articles about people from Chelan and Douglas counties. Send your idea to Mike Cassidy at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

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April 2016

on a telephoto lens then backed away from the scene (not too hard to do as it was about 15 feet over my head). This shot is a rather unusual flower composition, at least for me. Instead of the flowers defining the frame, the little stone canyon and the moss on the sides gently cradles the few Lilies in a frame defined by the sunlight on the stone.

On the cover Kevin Farrell took this photo of mushroom hunter Sherri Schneider with her stored jars of delicious fungi.

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

FREE UMBRELLA

Oh joy: The thrill of the find A

s a kid, I could spend a fun Saturday pecking through the ditches along the roads around our rural home, searching for recyclable containers I could redeem for pop and candy money. This was great fun. I got the thrill of the hunt, the joy of the find and the reward of a Mounds bar and a Coke. I learned lessons (which later would help me greatly in life), such as: Don’t get easily discouraged because after a long dry patch a cache of cans could be just ahead; that for some cosmic wondrous reason, where you’ll find one success, you’ll find more, and finally, all that talk from the other side of the road from my buddy didn’t mean diddly, the proof of success was in the sack we each carried. There was also a strange joy of profiting from what others didn’t value… you know what I mean, found money feels more valuable. When I got a little older, my dad and I would search through the forests in the fall for fir tree cones, a gunnysack of which would fetch $5. Again, there was the thrill of discovery. (Here’s the dirty secret of cone hunting. It is too labor intensive to try to pick enough pitchy cones while standing on the ground, and just plain nuts to climb fir trees because the best cones are near the top, and always far out on branches. So we were looking for a tree where squirrels had clipped off the cones in preparation of storing them for the winter. A bonanza was finding a tree where the ground was littered with hundreds of cones, thanks to our hard-working furry friends. To this day, I feel a little

guilty when I confront a squirrel in the forest, his little jaw working, his dark eyes sizing me up. I think the legend of the Great Cone Thief still lives in the collective brains of these critters.) These days, I have a neighbor who is out almost nightly in his garage, refashioning the lumber from salvaged wooden pallets into furniture, which he then sells on Facebook. My sisterin-law and her husband do the same thing and tell me scooping up discarded pallets and then repurposing them is a satisfying business. I once interviewed a woman who painted scenes on hubcaps that cars tossed off along the road, which she then collected, decorated and sold at markets. My wife picks up pennies from parking lots. It’s good luck, she says, but I think there’s a deeper impulse. It’s found wealth, treasure hunting without a map, realizing value to what others pass by. We are the descendants of finders — cave men who found game and their mates who found the good growing stuff. “Look what I found!” is one of the most ebullient phrases to pass our lips. In that light, we present a fun wild mushroom hunt story this month by Marlene Farrell. And in the true spirit of many finders, she and her family went into the world, they found treasures, and then they feasted. Because part of a great find is enjoying the booty afterwards.

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fun stuff a full LISTING of what to do begins ON PAGE 35

Much to do about April

original score and captivating cinematography. Cost: $15-$30. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Info: numericapac.org. 7 p.m. Saturday, April 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 10.

“Hey,” you might say,

“with spring busting out, we’re looking for something different, something earthy, something even shiny to do. What do you have?” Well, look no further, friends, the What to Do calendar is jammed packed with new adventures this month. Here are just a few eye-catching events: Historical Walking Tour —

A 1-2 hour walk around the town of Leavenworth and find out what the town was like before 1960. Find the depot and where it was. Tour guides Bobbi Ferg and Bob Stroup. Upper Valley Museum, Leavenworth. Cost: $3 donation. Info: uppervalleymuseum.org. 10 a.m. Saturday, April 9.

Lake Chelan Earth Day Fair

— Garden vendors, garden demonstrations, flea market, children’s activities, DIY exhibitors, music, entertainment food and so much more. Riverwalk Park Shelter area. Info: chelanearthdayfair.org. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, April 16. Learn about panning for gold at the Gold, Treasure and More Show in Cashmere, April 23-24. Voortex Live — The show is a film concert in collaboration with Voortex Productions. This compelling, cinematic experience will showcase the diversity of natural landscapes set to live symphonic music performed by Wenatchee Valley Symphony. The film concert will feature an

Leavenworth Ale-fest —

Beer tasting with brews from numerous micro-breweries, popular Northwest bands and delicious foods. Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. Cost: Friday: $20 advance, $25 at the door, Saturday, $25 advance, $30 at the door. Info: leavenworthalefest.com. 6 – 10 p.m, Friday, April 22 and 1 – 9 p.m. Saturday, April 23.

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April 2016

Gold, treasure and more show — This year’s show is

bigger than ever with 56 vendors. See the latest in prospecting and rock hound supplies, dredge equipment, metal detectors, gold and silver jewelry, ceramics, gems and minerals, collectable coins, motor sports equipment and more. Learn how to pan for gold. Enter the big club raffle for 4 big prizes. There will be a free metal detecting hunt with paid admission on Saturday, 10 a.m. Coins, metal tags for prizes and gold vials will be buried on the fairgrounds for this event. Door and raffle prizes too. Food will be available. Chelan County Fairgrounds in Cashmere. Cost: $5; children 12 and under free. Info: 860-1145. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, April 23-24. Apple Blossom Starts — The opening of the food court at Memorial Park kicks off this year’s community celebration. Thursday, April 28.

My TAKE

Trying to smack down the rising tide of diabetes If the trend continues, 1 in 3 adults will have type 2 diabetes by 2050 By Dr. Amy Hutton

I have been a family physi-

cian at the Lake Chelan Clinic since 2002. I love my job, but over the years, it has become clear to me that what I am doing in my 15-30 minute visits with patients who have lifestyle-related illness like hypertension, diabetes and obesity is not doing enough to help them actually create health and wellness. Their numbers may look good, but they don’t “feel” much better. Many of my patients make changes that lead to weight loss and improved health, but there is almost always a “bounce back” to their previous weight/ state of health. It is such a frustrating cycle for them. In speaking with my colleagues I know this is not only an issue with my patients — what we are doing in our current medical system isn’t doing enough to help create healthier lifestyles. And, in particular it isn’t slowing down the trend of Type 2 diabetes. There is a very frightening Type 2 diabetes trend occurring right now in our country. And, if this current trend continues, by 2050, one in three U.S. adults will have Type 2 diabetes. As it stands right now, 37 percent of U.S. adults over 20 years old have pre-diabetes

(only 11 percent know it) and 12 percent of U.S. adults over 20 have Type 2 diabetes. That is 49 percent of U.S. adults who have either pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Amy Hutton And, the thing is, with the right lifestyle changes almost all of these people could be on no, or at the very least, much less medication. So, faced with the discouraging outcomes Fletcher Ellingson at work and the ever-increasing patients we are seeing with these problems, I would come home at night and lament to my partner about my concerns and wonder if there might be a better way. In bigger cities there are clinics that are incorporating cooking classes, exercise, health coaches, and the like. But what could I do in Chelan? My partner is Fletcher Ellingson, who is an inspirational speaker and provides personal coaching. Together, an idea was born to pair up and create our own seminar designed in the style of a personal development program for people with Type 2 diabetes or people who are at risk, such as people with diabetes while

}}} Continued on next page

April 2016 | The Good Life

WRITE ON THE RIVER

WRITERS

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SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MAY 14-15, 2016 AT WENATCHEE VALLEY COLLEGE

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ADVANCED FICTION WRITING SEMINAR WITH

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Choose from 19 hands-on breakout sessions for feedback, discussion and sharing writing

MEET THREE NYT BESTSELLING AUTHORS AND LITERARY AGENT

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PLUS Pre-Conference first-page critique session and social event with conference presenters

Big D & Bubba Mornings More Music Workdays Paula Deen Cooking Tips Randy Roadz Afternoons Country Concert Connection Win Watershed Weekend Passes

H o m e t o w n www.ncwgoodlife.com

R a d i o

Diabetes smackdown }}} Continued from previous page pregnant, pre-diabetes, obesity, and the like. The seminar focuses on having people discover what has been stopping them in the area of their health, creating a new personal vision of their lives that inspires them and then getting them into action to make those changes. We inspire, and then empower the participants to see that they are the source of their own health and how to make lasting changes in their mindset and therefore their long-term success. I feel there is a lot of information out there on healthy diet and exercise. There are books and classes and professionals in our area to help people with that. Therefore, our seminar doesn’t focus on specific diet advice. What it does is inspire people to take action and take responsibility for their health and life and find what works in each person. Our first Diabetes Smackdown seminar was held on Nov. 14 in Chelan. We had 54 people in attendance and received support from the Lake Chelan Community Hospital Foundation, Confluence Health and Chelan Fresh. Some 94 percent of the attendees said they would “recommend this course to others.” It was really a privilege to get to know the participants a bit and to see what they have been dealing with that has been preventing them from reaching their goals. The day is comprised of lecture, sharing and coaching. We do not offer any medical advice nor recommend specific health products. A common statement from people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is, “I don’t know how this happened to me.”

TOP 3 LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO PREVENT OR ease TYPE 2 DIABETES 1. Exercise. Use both aerobic-like walking, Zumba and swimming and resistance training like weights, resistance training and Pilates. Muscle increases your metabolism so you will burn more calories and muscle is more sensitive to insulin, so it can improve your diabetes. We lose an average of 5 percent of our muscle mass every 10 years after the age of 35, so it is crucial that improving muscle tone is part of your weekly routine. Our bodies are meant to move. I recommend three to four days a week of aerobic exercise and two to three days a week of muscle toning. It is ideal to exercise six days a week. You will see an improvement not only in your body, but regular exercise improves mood and sleep as well. Use a trainer if you are new to exercise to establish a safe and effective routine. 2. Cut down on unhealthy carbs. If you are over 50 The seminar allows adequate time for discovery of what led a person to actually developing the disease and what to do about it. Participants will see what we call blind spots — unseen forces that are constantly influencing our thoughts, decisions and actions. They ultimately are responsible for the results we have in our life whatever those results are. However, once these blind spots are seen and understood, people suddenly have access to new actions, new opportunities, possibilities and therefore new results. Because Type 2 diabetes is largely the result of lifestyle, the best solution for curing it or significantly reducing the

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years old or have any glucose issues, your body isn’t going to be able to manage carbohydrates as well. When you cut down on carbs, you will see a decrease in your blood sugars and likely your weight. One simple method of cutting back is to not eat any carbohydrates after lunchtime. A short list of carbs: sugar, fruit, breads, pasta, tortillas, rice, potatoes, juice and corn. For dinner eat lean chicken or fish, a salad and vegetables. 3. Practice stress reduction. When your body is in a state of stress, it releases hormones and chemicals that save your calories for later. Your body is working hard all the time to keep you alive and well. That is, if it senses a potential threat, one of the survival mechanisms it uses is to store fat in case you need it later. What your body doesn’t know is that the stress may

A common statement from people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes is, “I don’t know how this happened to me.” amount of medication needed is to change one’s lifestyle. Sounds simple yet not necessarily easy. We have to go deep into people’s thinking to affect this type of change. This is exactly what is at the core of the seminar and is what allows for people to get new results.

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April 2016

One simple method of cutting back is to not eat any carbs after lunchtime. be from an upset at work or with a family situation — you don’t need fat to help manage those. It isn’t a drought or some other natural disaster. So, a few things to help keep your body’s stress hormones down are to exercise regularly, practice deep belly breathing and meditation. If you practice deep breathing, you can actually feel your palms get warm — that is due to relaxation of the blood vessels by activating the more “relaxed” part of your nervous system. You can find resources online about breathing techniques and meditation tips and practices.

Many of the attendees at the first seminar have successfully lowered their weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and their blood sugars level. They have begun and are sticking with exercise and healthier eating. They report feeling overall more alive and engaged. A group of them have signed up for their first triathlon this summer. This seminar is not just for people with diabetes, but anyone looking to make a life change in the area of their health. The next Diabetes Smackdown is April 9 at Campbell’s Resort in Chelan. The cost is $75 which includes lunch and a snack. For information, visit www.diabetesSmackdown.com.

High school student invigorates Leavenworth sustainability By Indigo Trigg-Hauger

oseph Winters is not your average 18-year-old. I know people say that all the time, but being only a few years out of teenage-dom myself, I should know. Joseph is confident, selfassured, and despite his early success, modest. You wouldn’t guess he’s been driving sustainability awareness and initiatives in Leavenworth for the past four years. In his freshman year of high school (he’s a senior now), Joseph decided to participate in the Greenpeace “I ‘heart’ Arctic” campaign, which was aimed at raising awareness about the shrinking arctic ice, and the many threats it faces. Every year Leavenworth is host to the Earth Day Fair, when people gather to celebrate the planet and learn more about sustainability and the environment. There’s food, activities, an auction and music. The Earth Day Fair planning committee heard about Joseph’s project, and naturally it clicked with them. He rounded up a boom truck, and took a picture of volunteers spelling out “I ‘heart’ Arctic.” At the fair he also had a booth, explaining why we need to save the Arctic. Months later, Joseph received an email newsletter from the Greenpeace, soliciting stories of how climate change affects different communities. He wrote a short paragraph — seemingly on a whim — and then, he said, “I got an email back saying, ‘Congratulations, your story has been selected to be featured on our website.’” The project was called “Post-

Joseph Winters: “I think a lot of those kind of sustainability things are a lot easier than people think they are.”

Earth Day Fair theme: ‘Cool the Earth’ This year’s theme of the Leavenworth Earth Day Community Fair will be “Cool the Earth. Your Actions Matter,” intented to explore various sustainability practices to daily living to secure a healthy climate future.   The goal is to create a familyfriendly event educating around this theme of sustainability. There will be fun and educational booths, hands-on activities for kids and adults, music by Holly Blue and Friends and Recycled Rhythms, plus a silent auction. Electric vehicles and yard equipment will also be on display. The fair is noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 24, at the Lions Club Park, next to the swimming pool in Leavenworth. For more information, see www.leavenworthearthday.org. cards from Climate Change.” Greenpeace sent a videographer to put together the story, featuring Joseph and his friend Claire Seaman explaining how climate change has affected skiing conditions in Leavenworth and the surrounding area. Joseph had to get his drive and enthusiasm from somewhere, and his parents, Stan and Vânia, are both passionate about growing their own food, keeping a garden with local plants, and, of course, recycling. Vânia is especially enthusiastic about reuse in the form of thrift shopping, Joseph’s sister, Olivia, mentioned, rolling her April 2016 | The Good Life

eyes good-naturedly. But hey, who doesn’t love thrift shopping? Everyone in the family mentioned the importance of sustainability through homegrown food. They all participate in growing an herb garden and tomatoes in the backyard, and Vânia bought a bee box at last year’s Earth Day Fair auction. Joseph’s dad said while most people are simply interested in being earth friendly, Joseph puts his words into actions. “I think I’d sum it up by saying, we care a lot about it, but Joseph actually does stuff… he devotes time to it. That’s the difference between a lot of people, there’s action people and people who just think about it.” Last year, Joseph took initiative by creating Bike Leavenwww.ncwgoodlife.com

worth. If you ride your bike into and around town, there are now tangible incentives like a free piece of fruit at Dan’s Food Market, or double punches at coffee shops. Joseph says he likes to call it a win-win-win. The bike riders are healthier, they have motivation from the businesses, and it’s good for the town’s parking and traffic situation. It’s possible to make a difference leading by example, said Joseph. “I think a lot of those kind of sustainability things are a lot easier than people think they are.” Even if it’s just by biking to work a few times a week, or recycling, those actions can change people’s minds — and the world. It’s what people do collectively that matters. “One of the biggest goals is just… getting people to become more aware,” Joseph said, not without some weariness. Clearly he has come up against significant apathy. “Even I’m subject to feelings of hopelessness,” he told me. But it doesn’t keep him down for long. “You have to embrace all the little things that you can, and then work towards the bigger things.” Indigo Trigg-Hauger is a freelance writer and full-time Earth-lover traveling the world.

Alice (her mushroom nickname: Yellow Foot) carves her initials in a bracket fungus. If she comes back later, she’ll find her name emblazoned on the fungus’ now firm skin.

A family goes hunting for

mushrooms in the wild

were immediately given walkie-talkies and mushroom nicknames. Porcini (Sherri) and Jack-o-Lantern (Mary) helped us pick colorful names from the go-to guidebook, All the ast fall when Sherri Schneider agreed Rain Promises and More: a Hip Pocket Guide to take my family out for a day of mushroom to Western Mushrooms. hunting so I could write an article about this Armed with the new names, Shaggy Stalk, uncommon outdoor pursuit, she insisted Angel Wings, Blue Knight and Yellow Foot, that our hunting grounds remain undiswe hopped into two cars. As we raced up closed. Icicle Road to some prime hunting grounds “We ‘shroomers’ are a secretive bunch,” she the kids practiced coded radio lingo so as to explained. not reveal our “secret mission.” Despite her words, Sherri proved throughClose to our first location, the cars slowed out the day that she is a generous teacher. to a crawl, and we rolled down the windows. The tips came faster than I could write — Like eager dogs, we hung our heads out, about mushroom habitat, weather and how looking for “shrumps” (humps of disturit relates to timing, effective hunting techbance in the soil). nique, identification, general lore and culiLast year was a tough year for mushrooms. nary tips. So, without spying a shrump, we parked and We met Sherri and her mushroom buddy, started hunting on foot. Mary Woods, at a parking lot and we — myThe reason for the walkie-talkies became self, my husband and son and daughter — apparent as the kids scurried ahead. Sherri

By Marlene Farrell Photos by Kevin Farrell

said, “With beginners I strap a walkie-talkie to their jackets, because they tend to keep their heads down in their excitement over finding mushrooms and completely forget where they are.” We took our cues from Porcini and Jacko-Lantern. We walked slowly, fanning out. I looked for a typical toadstool, with domed cap on top of a thin stalk. But following Sherri, seeing what she sees, was a lesson in changing my search image. Some edible mushrooms, like honey mushrooms, do have that typical shape, but many lie flat or have chubby stalks. No matter the shape, they all grow extensively underground and erupt when mature, so the key is to spot dark patches of disturbed soil surrounding something pale (or red or brown). To add to the challenge, the ground is often covered in thick layers of leaf or needle litter, as well as low-lying vegetation. Hence the search for shrumps that are then prod-

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Double checking a Tamarack Jack against the guidebook.

it’s covered in bright white, fragile icicle-like spines that seem to light up the trees overhead when dusk falls. And I love porcinis!” Her excitement over all things mushrooms, revealed by such comments, was both palpable and contagious. It all began over 20 years ago, when Sherri was living in Germany. “I started with simple Quentin (Blue Knight) plucks some edible club picture guidebooks while out walking my mushrooms. baby and would load up his pram with edible weeds and plants and a few mushrooms. I didn’t know enough at that time to eat any ded with a foot, or, for Sherri, her trekking of the mushrooms, but I was hooked.” pole. She said, “It’s slow going: take three to She moved to Wenatchee in 1995 and had five steps, look around, look up, down and another son. Hiking with her small chilbehind, dig under a suspicious bump, move dren, she found mushrooms everywhere but some leaf litter, take another five steps and couldn’t identify them. She finally got help repeat.” from friend and botanist, Julie Sanderson. We reaped some rewards early on. Blue “Julie was the person who set me on the Knight found a mushroom with a pink stem, path of learning mycology when she taught that, when snapped, broke cleanly, like a Jack-o-Lantern, Porcini and Angel Wings gather me how to use an identification key. Julie piece of chalk. That is characteristic of the around the basket of mushrooms at the end of the also taught me to ‘Never eat any mushroom Russula family, and Sherri identified it as hunt. unless you are 100 percent sure of your idenan edible shrimp mushroom, named for its tification.’ And, ‘Evolution has given humans taste. a strong sense of revulsion for rotting things substrate that always covers the base. We Yellow Foot and Jack-o-Lantern found — use it.’” couldn’t agree on the smell but decided it several beautiful specimens of matsutake. Sherri has had many mentors, whose was a mix of cinnamon and wet dog. It’s identified from other poisonous white knowledge she readily applies. She spent That incongruity of opinion over the look-alikes by its cinnamon-stained cap and seven weeks guiding David Arora, one of the aroma of matsutakes is one reason why stalk. We felt the feathery ring around its Sherri loves them. When I asked about other world’s leading mycology experts, through stem that looked like a skirt. It used to be the eastern Cascades. She repeats his opfavorites, she mentioned, “I love the prince attached to the underside of the mushroom for its beauty, rarity and utterly decadent al- posing advise: “Only a very, very few mushcap, but split off to allow spores to dis}}} Continued on next page perse. A final key feature was the dusty gray mondy aroma. I love the bear’s head because April 2016 | The Good Life

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Hunting for

mushrooms in the wild }}} Continued from previous page rooms would kill me, so learn definitively and be open-minded and ready to taste the rest. Worst case scenario, you get a little case of the ‘runs’ and then ‘runs’ off into the woods.” Sherri’s time with David honed her skills as he taught her “marker species,” the plants associated with the ideal growing conditions for certain mushrooms. For instance, chanterelles can be found near kinnikinnick, Oregon grape and huckleberry. Those plants made up the dominant understory when we found our biggest crop of chanterelles that day. I had to step carefully in case my foot smushed a shrump, all the while looking for a bit of white or pale gold, like a tiny iceberg protruding from the litter and dirt. When we found one clump, I scraped away the leaves and dug carefully around it. The chanterelles have delicate frilly edges, but once plucked, I could see a hefty stem. After dusting off some dirt with a paintbrush, it joined the other mushrooms in our basket. Sherri said they use any breathable materials for carrying out mushrooms, like can-

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Matsutake always have a dusty gray base.

I had to step carefully in case my foot smushed a shrump, all the while looking for a bit of white or pale gold... vas or netted bags and wicker baskets. “All of these allow the spores to fall out onto the ground. Wherever we pick, we are spreading more mushroom spores.” After four hours of hunting in many spots along Icicle Road, it was time to take home our bounty. We had a basket-full. In a bumper year, like 2013, which enjoyed a relatively cool, moist summer, we would have collected a car-full. But our family was content. The diversity of growing conditions for different mushroom species means a diversity of cooking options once the mushrooms are home, definitively identified and cleaned. The matsutake can be cooked

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April 2016

in broth or in an Asian style to preserve its unusual flavor. The chanterelles have an affinity for butter and cream, so a little of both are used in cooking them down to a hearty sauce for meat, potatoes or pasta. We expect to conclude our culinary adventure with the neon orange club mushrooms, fried and sprinkled on ice cream. Porcini and Jack-o-Lantern went to one more location after we left, and they’ll be back other days until the snow is over three inches deep. And Sherri will be coaxing beginners out in the woods, sharing her knowledge and passion. She said, “I especially enjoy taking local chefs out into the woods. They love talking about food and I love hearing them. I want to make sure they know the basics of mushroom identification in case someone brings a box of “mixed wild mushrooms” to the back door of their restaurant.” After this winter, when Sherri spent time cooking with the preserved delicacies from her cellar, she now waits for the snow to recede and morel season to begin.

PET tales

Tells us a story about your pet. Submit pet & owner pictures to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

This is Haley Bush and her

atti Cheek holds J.J., a three-week-old Pygmy goat that weighs in at an estimated five pounds. Patti has about 30 registered Pygmy goats, a pen of chickens that gives her a steady supply of fresh eggs, four cats to keep down the mice and a 39-year-old horse on her five acre mini-farm not so far from Wenatchee Valley College. Her parents bought the original land in the ‘60s, and they kept adding on bits of property when they became available, she said. “We did run cherries, but when the schools moved in, it became difficult to spray, so I said ‘Forget this,’ I’m going to raise Pygmy goats instead. It’s a lot more fun, a lot more fun.” Patti has long had a 4-H group, with the kids frequently at the farm, caring for the goats. Plus they do occasional petting zoos at feed stores and sometimes at community events. “I love my goats,” she said. “My son bought me a tee-shirt that says it all: ‘My favorite kid lives in the barn.’”

dog Molly. The Bushes got Molly when Haley was just a little girl and this was one of her graduation pictures from last year. Even though Molly was the family dog, she always slept with Haley so she was a special friend to Haley. Molly loved her family and was a delight to them all. She loved to lick their toes and could be heard in her later years, snoring away a lazy afternoon on her doggy bed in the living room. She was a kind and gentle little dog. Sadly, Molly passed over the Rainbow Bridge a couple of

months ago and the Bush house is not the same with her gone. — Melanie (Bush) Davis

Colin Bonnett DVM is accepting new patients at Bavarian Village Veterinarian 509-548-5896 and Cascade Veterinary Clinic 509-663-0793.

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Lance Stegemann leads a string of mules loaded with supplies for volunteer trail crews through Meander Meadows on a rainy day.

Working the

MULE TRAIN Story and Photos By Lance Stegemann

hewing methodically, ears erect, and eyes focused with intent, nine discriminate heads follow me suspiciously as I make my way across the muddy corral at the Forest Service barn in Leavenworth. It’s time to go to work and everybody knows it. This is a herd of nine government mules and horses used to pack trail supplies to remote areas of wilderness where the

Each supply trip starts early before a long day on the trail.

means of motorized or mechanized equipment is prohibited. They know I’ve come to catch them up by the halters and ropes slung over my shoulder. Milley is the first to take notice, and bobs her head impatiently, recognizing the familiar routine. Milley is a 14-year-old molly (female) mule and a little guarded. She’s been in the herd for about three years now and has learned to be a little more trusting. She is one of my favorite mules, in part because of her temperament, but also because

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of the progress she’s made since being here. There was a time when it could take a good part of the morning just to catch her, and she would throw her head defiantly whenever a bridle or headstall came within view. Cooperation was not in her nature. Lucky for us, she had enough good traits to outweigh all that. It took some time, but she was a quick learner. Trust is something that has to be earned with mules or horses and it requires time and patience. At first, it

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April 2016

was the small things, like moving a hand slowly around her neck and head or scratching lightly behind her ears. Maybe reaching down to pick up a foot or curry her long coarse mane. She would look at me apprehensively, like most animals not quite sure of your intentions, but over time, she started to gain confidence. It wasn’t long before other things improved too, and with it, a newly found loyalty that schooled us both. I’ve read a mule will wait 20

years to find the right opportunity to adorn you with a nice U shaped tattoo if they aren’t too smitten with your demeanor; and they don’t often miss when that time comes. I don’t know about all that, but I believe a more loyal animal is hard to find if the opposite is true. That kind of sums up the rapport I’ve tried to achieve with all our mules and horses. You have to be able to rely on one another when out in the middle of nowhere. There’s plenty of opportunity for things to go wrong and each situation has the potential to go from bad to a whole lot worse. The last thing you need is a bunch of skittish animals that don’t trust the one that’s Loaded mules cross a dry river bed in the Cle Elum District. supposed to be leading them. That’s where all the training and and secured in place. ing at the long string of animals time spent together really pays On a really good day, the sun headed in his direction. off. is out, the sky is blue, and the There was a mix of surprise Having reliable animals is only scenery extends as far as the eye and elation, that lit up his entire part of the equation in a packcan see. Mountain wildflowers face, and must have momening operation. Once the winter carpet the landscape in a palette tarily rendered him speechless. snows start receding and the of colorful splotches and snow I’ll never forget his words once trails open up, it’s time to get covered peaks rise precipitously he finally was able to speak. It the tools, food and materials out above the valley floor. It’s easy was one of the most honest and to the trail crews that need to forget this is supposed to be sincere reactions I can rememthem. Some crews are out as work. ber, and I’m picturing it all again long as two weeks at a time, and There are other perks to the as I continue to type. will need enough supplies and job as well, and I rarely meet I don’t think he’d ever seen equipment to support them long people on the trail that don’t anything quite like that before enough to complete the projects. share the same sentiment when in his life. All he kept saying That might include reestablishit comes to appreciating remark- was “wow,” then a few seconds ing trail tread in an avalanche able country. I like to say, trail later, another “wow,” and finally chute or burn area, erosion con- work is one of the most gratify“WOW!” trol or drainage on a steep slope, ing jobs you can possibly find. Then for a few moments, he tree and root removal from People love their trails, and just stood there blankly, kind of seasonal storms, or maybe even anyone helping to maintain that, taking it all in. replacing an old bridge. has the luxury of being showFinally, in all sincerity, he simA single mule can carry up to ered by frequent compliments. ply declared, “You must have the 20 percent of its body weight, I remember when I met a COOLEST job EVER!” and with each animal weighing young teenage hiker, maybe I smiled at him as we rode close to a 1,000 pounds, mul16 or 17 years old, as I ambled by, the mules kicking up a little tiplied by six or seven animals down the trail with a full string dust and curiously eyeballing a trip, equates to a whole lot of of animals and heavily loaded. the stranger standing quietly supplies. He didn’t notice me right away, beside the trail. I wished him a When the last load’s hitched maybe lost in his own thoughts good trip in, and he thanked me. and ready, it’s time to get going. at the time. As we continued down the Swinging up into the saddle, The sound of clanking mule trail, I was convinced, he really we start our journey, each mule shoes must have caught his atdid believe this was the coolest bobbing its head in unison, ears tention, and he looked up, a bit job ever, and in truth, I really flopping like metronomes down startled, as he came to an abrupt couldn’t find an argument to the trail, with loads all balanced stop. He stood motionless, look- prove him wrong. April 2016 | The Good Life

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Three Wenatchee Yankees in Emperor Akihito’s Japan By Maureen Stivers

Volumes have been writ-

ten about travel and tourism in Japan. I am not here to repeat their contents but rather, to share what impressed my husband, daughter and me most during our recent visit.

Japanese people are very nice to tourists

The combining of a tradition of politeness and kindness with the recent “culture of hospitality” designed to attract tourists, has resulted in about the most pleasant foreign country I have ever visited. In restaurants, not only is the entire floor staff welcoming but everyone in the kitchen leans or comes out to greet you. They are happy that you have come and it is rare to hear “no.” People stop you on the street to ask if you need assistance finding or understanding something. A smiling postal worker, repeatedly stepped out from behind his position to come to the desk where he had politely seated me, to make sure all was going well with the complicated customs form I was filling out. There is speculation that the Japanese are actually laughing behind the backs of tourists. This may be true in some cases but it all seemed sincere. Anyway, they made us feel so good that we really didn’t care.

Japan is clean, orderly and calm

When you live in the world’s largest city of 33 million, it is to everyone’s advantage to cooperate.

People drive extremely reasonably and cab drivers do not raise their voices at anything. Trash and homeless people are never seen on the streets and sidewalks. (One hopes that the latter are cared for and not just hidden away.) When the cleaners of a train or the ground crew at an airport have completed their duties, they wait, stand in a line and bow before departing single file. Upon reaching the top or bottom of an escalator, there will likely be a friendly person bowing, gesturing and telling you something you do not understand but appreciate just the same. Everybody lines up for everything and respects the queue. No one bumps into or shoves you.

Two teenage girls in traditional kimonos, wielding a selfie arm.

they are quite accustomed to and protected by humans.

JAPAN IS A MIXTURE OF ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND NEW TECHNOLOGY

NATURE IS VERY IMPORTANT IN JAPAN

When we think peaceful gardens, quiet forests and hypnotic streams, we think of Japan. They love growing things and respect the natural world. Nowhere did we find a better example of this than at Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture. Thousands of tourists visit this park, especially in winter, where the macaques bask in the onsen, the natural hot springs, to escape and tolerate the cold. These are the world’s northernmost wild living primates. But it did not start out this way. These onsen were built in a remote part of the forest for the enjoyment of a lucky group of humans. But one day a snow monkey came and jumped into the warm pool. He went back

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A snow monkey visits the springs.

to the wild, informed his family and friends of this great place, and large groups of monkeys began to arrive. Rather than drive them away, the owners ceased using the onsen themselves, created a National Park in cooperation with the government, and allowed the troops of monkeys to make this haven their new home. They are still wild as there are no fences and the monkeys come and go as they please. We were fortunate to see and almost interact with them as

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April 2016

Many rituals and traditions are sacred here. People still visit temples on designated days to honor the holy beings and their ancestors. They also worship their Sumo wrestlers. This is also the land of electronic innovation and craziness. Toshiba. Sony. Toyota. The list goes on. Japan gave the world the Tamagotchi, the virtual pet that signals the owner when its electronic needs require attention. Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, with its giant video screens up to 80 feet wide, is the most audio-visually overstimulating place I have ever been.

THE FOOD IN JAPAN IS HEALTHY AND FANTASTIC

Japan cares about its food as much as any country in the world. Everything is fresh, nicely

prepared and delicious. The only exceptions are the attempts to imitate Western cuisine. But if you stick to Japanese specialties, you can’t go wrong. I could describe much, but I’ll confine the discussion to my latest addiction: mochi. Mochi, in its most basic form is sweetened glutinous rice paste. I tried it many ways but my favorite is its pairing with sweetened azuki bean. I never thought my favorite apres-ski food would turn out to be sweet azuki bean soup with a big blob of mochi plopped in the middle. And so fun to eat!

TRANSLATIONS ARE A CONSTANT SOURCE OF AMUSEMENT

Everyone has his or her hilarious Japanese-to-English translation story. Some phrases are just made up. I mean, who would name a bar “Club Gas Panic Now” in Japanese? But that is exactly the English language name of an establishment we saw in Tokyo’s bustling Shibuya Crossing district. While the phenomenon of awkward interpretation is not unique to Japan, it seems to be particularly prevalent. In graduate school and at my first job, I had the pleasure of working with several visiting physicians from Japan. They all insisted on doing their own translating and would accept few suggestions for change. I chalked it up to the honor thing, losing face if you couldn’t do it yourself. I don’t know if this is the root of it but there are lots of English laughs to be had.

area where everyone stopped below a balcony. A kind Japanese man informed us that the Emperor would soon be out to greet us. And lo and behold, there he was, flanked by the royal family. He said a few words and then we all waived our little Japanese flags and yelled “Banzai!” None of us had ever seen a reigning monarch. Now we can say we had an audience with the Emperor of Japan. Along with 80,000 other people. But who’s counting?

What???

JAPAN IS RACIALLY HOMOGENEOUS

If you shop here (above)... then you would probably order this menu item (at right). we soon found ourselves following an enormous crowd and were ushered into a roped off area by officials. We then passed through security where we were searched and wanded. The uniformed officers directed us to a sort of corral with the number 8. My husband Carl spotted a foreign tourist

and asked him why there were so many people. He told us the palace gardens were only open twice a year: the Emperor’s birthday and January second. This was accidental tourism at its best. After waiting in our sector, we took our turn to enter the palace gardens. We were herded to an

Japan is into purity. Its immigration laws are strict to the point of making it nearly impossible to move there from somewhere else. The minister of immigration is urging, with little success, reforms to “save Japan” which has an aging population. The only mixed couples we saw were a Western man with a Japanese woman, never the other way around. There are a few other ethnicities such as restaurateurs, but the population is almost exclusively Japanese. Coming from one of the most racially diverse nations on earth, we found this a bit unsettling. But this is one of the things that makes Japan Japan. The land of the Rising Sun will evolve as it will. I look forward to our return, when we will see the changes for ourselves. Or not.

THE KING AND I

On January second, we went to the main train station in Tokyo to purchase our tickets to go to Nagano. This accomplished, we looked on the map to see what of interest was nearby. Three blocks away was the Royal Palace and gardens and it was a beautiful sunny day. As we neared the entrance,

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An inquisitive young mountain sheep in Zion National Park.

Curious about an RV lifestyle? There are the vistas, the open road and sleeping in your own bed... and the breakdowns, missed turns and fuel costs plus fees that add up and up Story by Dr. David Weber, Sr. photos by dr. susan weber

h yes, the lure and romance of the open road... The nostalgia of Route 66. Undiscovered, quaint places. We’re tooling down the road and life is good and we just know that there will be fun stuff around the next bend... Dearest wife, what do you mean we took a wrong turn and we’re 50 miles out of our way? Really! Yep, that happens, so welcome to life on the road. My wife, Susan, and I have been enjoying traveling in our motor home now for about five years and have really enjoyed our trips. We’ve traveled a lot, learned a lot, and had our share of misadventures. Overall it has been great but there are some

things I wish we would have known about before we bought and launched. Recreational Vehicles (RVs) come in all sizes from small pop up campers to multi-million dollar land yachts. Class A models look a lot like a bus and can be up to 46 feet long. They have all the amenities — do they ever. Class B vehicles are built using a conventional van with a raised roof. Class C units are larger and built on a truck chassis. There are also trailer types that are towed behind a pickup truck, either tongue mounted or 5th wheel. With a pickup truck-trailer combination you eliminate the need to tow a car behind your RV. So what have we learned? For one thing, every RV, including the very expensive ones,

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Camping in Makoshika State Park in Montana.

invariably come from the factory with numerous defects. You can count on it. They should all have a label that says, “Some assembly required.”

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April 2016

RVs are complicated, especially the higher end ones. For example they have three interrelated but complicated and distinct electrical systems. This

I know of new owners who came back after their first outing with a list of 25 to 30 things that needed fixing...

Spirals at Bryce Canyon.

Looking out over Canyonlands National Park.

Dave and Susan in Bryce Canyon.

is a house bouncing down the road with all the jarring and vibration that never happens to your land-tethered house. The result is that there are all sorts of things that can and will go on the fritz.

It’s wise to rent before buying. You may find after one trip that this is not for you. And buy from a reputable dealer and make certain your purchase includes at least a 90 day warranty because you will

April 2016 | The Good Life

likely be back many times to get things fixed. I know of new owners who came back after their first outing with a list of 25 to 30 things that needed fixing, some quite major. Our dealer was in Junction

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City, Ore., and our motor home was there for weeks while they worked on numerous electrical problems that required multiple trips from Wenatchee. Not fun. It’s very important to learn all you can about your RV. We found the owner’s manual to be woefully incomplete but still worth reading. Good information is available on the Internet and one good source is www. irv2.com. Others are member associations and clubs for the specific RV that you own. It’s not essential but very helpful to have at least some basic mechanical and electrical knowledge. With that knowledge you can save a lot of expensive trips to the RV dealer. You should have at least a basic toolbox plus some zip ties, duct tape, and other repair items. More is better when it comes to tools and supplies. A Class A or C RV is not like driving a car. It’s a bigger vehicle with a larger turning radius, is wider on the road, and hard to back without the help of some-

}}} Continued on next page

The RV lifestyle }}} Continued from previous page one who can spot for you. Depending on your past experience and what type rig you have you may wish to sign up for a driving school. A commercial driver’s license is not required for an RV. It’s less stressful if you have a traveling companion who can act as copilot and navigator. Whoever that is, spouse, friend or other, it’s helpful if they are competent in reading maps and reasonably familiar with GPS. Their help will free you up so you can devote your full attention to driving. Cell phone service and Internet access has made traveling much easier and it’s highly recommended that you have these resources when on the road.

Traffic snarls, construction, low bridges and dead end streets are all things you need to know about and avoid. There are smart phone apps that can provide excellent and important information about highways, interstate exits, fuel options and RV park information. Don’t expect travel in an RV to be a cost-saving move. True, you will eliminate motel costs and you don’t have to dine out, but fuel mileage is meager and repair and maintenance costs can be high. You can choose to dry camp (also called boon docking) but you forego the amenities that an RV park provides. RV parks range in price from $25 and up. State and national parks are your best bargains. To the extent possible, try to plan ahead for break stops, refueling and overnight stays. Even the best marriage is challenged when you arrive at the park in which you had planned to stay and find out at your 9

Many travelers have had a bad road experience and we’re no exception. p.m. arrival that there’s no space available. Not good. Think about what you might need to do in a roadside emergency. On many RVs you can’t change a tire by yourself. If you have to be towed it may take a special type of tow truck. AAA (www.aaa.com), Coach Net (http://www.coach-net.com/), and Good Sam (https://www. goodsamroadside.com) are three companies that can provide such services. Many travelers have had a bad road experience and we’re no exception. We had parked in the parking lot of the Hiawatha trail (a great bike trail, BTW) in Idaho and well off the main road. When we returned to our RV we noticed

an ominous pool of fluid under the front of the rig, which we found was leaking from the power steering unit. The unfortunate part was, on our RV, there is a combined fluid reservoir for both the brake system and the steering so we were losing brake fluid too. We cautiously drove to Kellogg while checking the fluid level every few miles and then got a tow truck to take us to Spokane. So, four hours later in the middle of the night and after a harrowing ride in the less than clean sleeper compartment of the tow truck, we arrived at the repair shop thinking we were OK. However, the next morning we found that the tow truck had caused extensive damage to the front end of the RV including the generator slide-out and that the drive shaft, which was detached from the transmission for the tow, had been dragging along the pavement for 150 miles. Lots of damage, time in the shop and travel back and forth between Wenatchee and Spokane before all was fixed. Fortunately the tow truck insurance coverage covered all the damage. That, however, didn’t erase the bad memories. And a couple of added thoughts about RV travel. First, it’s as much about enjoying the journey as it is getting to the destination. If that’s your approach to travel you will likely enjoy it. And finally, RV travel has an advantage. As my wife says, you always sleep in your own bed. And you get to take along all your favorite toys as well. If you choose to travel by RV, may your travels be safe and enjoyable. While they’ve traveled widely, Dave and Susan Weber of Wenatchee decided to see more of America and they chose to do this in an Alpine motor home. They love sleeping in their own bed every night and taking their pets and toys along on every trip.

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April 2016

s ’ y a w d r O y r a C CENTRAL

WASHINGTON

Experience

Travel!

of snow is either gone or severely fraying around the edges. Spring is here. And with it comes one of the best menus you’ll find anywhere in the country for fun travel adventures – an incredible smorgasbord of cool towns, events, getaways and outdoor recreation that reminds people why they love calling the Wenatchee Valley home.

Big, beautiful NCW awaits your exploration by Cary Ordway

n a year when the snow was piled high and sometimes patience came up a little short, a lot of North Central Washington residents are only too happy to bid adieu to the Winter of 15-16. That pretty, but sometimes annoying, blanket

The view from Lake Wenatchee State Park is picture-postcard perfect Cary Ordway is publisher of NorthwestTravelAdvisor.com and host of Exploring the Northwest, heard at 6:27 a.m. and 4:27 p.m. weekdays on KPQ 560 AM, Wenatchee. Central Washington Experience is made possible by the sponsors appearing in these articles. Email: getawaymediacorp@gmail.com; Twitter: @getawayguy

Unless you just got off the downtown bus, you already know that there is amazing mountain scenery and Alpine charm in Leavenworth. And you already know that Lake Chelan, with its 55 miles of water and mountain backdrops, has the look and feel, in Continued on page 25

Look a salmon in the eye • Steer a steamboat • River Ramble D3 Geocache Challenge • Picnic lunch at the park

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SPRING 2016 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

Wenatchee River

Thrill ride or calm float, Osprey Rafting has done it for 25 years

High Adventure Happy Hour – This 5:30 p.m. trip is for the thrill-seekers who get two fast runs down the Wenatchee River’s Class 4 rapids Triple Shot, Tenley Falls and the Bull Ride. We also offer one trip down the longest continuous Class 3 rapid on the Wenatchee River, the reputable Boulder Bend. You are back at your car in two hours. Price: $56.

he Wenatchee River is the most popular rafting river in the state and home of Osprey Rafting Company. Gary Planagan, an avid outdoorsman from Idaho, moved to Leavenworth in 1977 where he met his wife, Janice Turner, a longtime goldsmith and now librarian at Cascade High School. The beautiful Cascades offer an outdoor playground of skiing and rafting that they both embraced. In 1991 Gary and Janice, with their four children, started Osprey Rafting Company in their backyard in Leavenworth. “I was logging during the week and we were rafting on the weekends,” Gary remembers. “We took our neighbors rafting and our kids helped operate the company.” “I loved being a raft guide,” Gary explained, “taking people on a river adventure, we would blast through a rapid and then share their enthusiastic laughter as they conquer the river. The river is unbiased and brings people together to feel excitement, see natural beauty and, for some, it’s a once in a lifetime experience. Clients, especially their kids, are thrilled when they see the wildlife on the river; ospreys, bears, otters, beavers, mink, bald eagles, and salmon jumping. It is important to me that people have this experience.” Osprey Rafting is a family-run business. In the early years, Janice booked the trips, prepared all the food and drove the shuttle. Sons Tim and Sergio spent a decade or more as guides and their daughter, Sommer, helped with waivers and finances, while their son, Otis, worked as a photographer on the river (before digital). Gary admits he never really wanted to be a businessman -- it

Wenatchee River is the most popular rafting river in the state

“The river is unbiased and brings people together to feel excitement, see natural beauty and, for some, it’s a once in a lifetime experience...” -- Gary Planagan just happened and took about eight years for the business to take off. Today, he’s very thankful to the local community for helping him make his business successful. In 1995 Osprey moved out of the family’s backyard to the corner of Icicle Road and Highway 2. The family worked to build their business to the point that Osprey took more than 8,000 people rafting, paddle boarding, or tubing in 2013. The Wenatchee River is home of the largest Class 3 waves in the state during mid-May through mid-June. The river starts to slow down and the water warms up in July. At the end of July the family floats, inflatable kayaking, and river tubing are popular. Osprey will provide all the safety equipment you need, including wet

suits (needed in early season) and floatation devices. All clients, from rafter to tuber, receive instruction from their guide on safety procedures and details of their trip.

here are numerous trips offered by Osprey Rafting Company. These are some of the most popular (tax not included in prices): The Main Event – This trip runs 15 river miles from Leavenworth to Cashmere jammin’ through several rapids; Rock and Roll, Drunkards’ Drop, The Suffocator, and more. The trip ends with a barbecue party at Huck’s Landing, a private beach and recreation area with live music on Saturdays. After mid-July, the river slows down which allows clients the option to hop off the rafts into kayaks in sections of placid water. This trip takes 4.5 hours. Price: $78.56

SPRING 2016 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

Wenatchee River Family Float – This is a great scenic trip with a small splash and safe for the very young and old. The group meets at Huck’s Landing, a private location in Cashmere. This guided float trip will bounce through the lower Wenatchee River and meander through the estuary on the Columbia River. Trip totals three hours, BBQ included. Price: $55.45 for age 8 plus, $27.72 ages 4 to 7. River Tubing and Shuttle – Price: $20 & $30 with barbecue. Paddleboard Rentals and Instruction – Paddleboard the Horan Estuary at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers and enjoy serenity and the wildlife. Osprey operates the Paddle Shack at Walla Walla State Park. Paddleboards and kayaks rent for: one hour, $25; two hours, $35; all day, $50. Guided paddleboard trip with lesson through the Estuary is $65. Amazing Guided Paddle Boarding-Icicle River -- $75. Osprey Rafting is based in Leavenworth, Washington and was named Best Rafting Company by the Wenatchee World newspaper. For more information, please visit www.ospreyrafting.com or you can telephone 888-548-6850.

Family

Chelan State Park.

Old-fashioned fun at Watson’s Haverene Resort

here was a time when the ultimate lake vacation was a simple cottage not far from the water’s edge with some open lawn nearby for volleyball or putt-putt golf, and outdoor barbecues always at the ready. No one had even heard of a mega-resort back then.

rentals, the resort probably could fill a lot more cottages during that magical time of the year when Lake Chelan shimmers in the sunlight and visitors are awash in boating and other lake activities.

For a lot of folks, that kind of a lake holiday still is the best experience ever and there’s plenty of evidence of that when you look at how busy a place like Watson’s Harverene Resort is during the peak summer season at Lake Chelan. With only seven nightly

Watson’s is a family resort – run by a family for families – and co-owner Robert “Bub” Watson intends to keep it that way. People from all over the Northwest have brought their families to Watson’s for decades, enjoying its amazing waterfront adjacent to Lake

The summer scene at Watson’s is one of laughing children, the tantalizing scent of barbecue in the air, dads playing catch with their kids and, off in the distance, the sounds of boat engines idling as ski boats wait two or three in line to get gas pumped at Watson’s dock. It could be any family lakeside retreat in the country, except that in this case the backdrop is the pristine, clear water of 55-mile-long Lake Chelan, which stretches far to the northwest, snaking into the heart of the majestic Cascade Mountains. It was Bub Watson’s great grandfather who had the foresight to post a claim on the Watson’s lakefront property. It was back in the 1890’s and J. Howard Watson was not just

a good real estate investor – he also co-founded the Spokane Spokesman which later became today’s Spokesman-Review. The property became a resort in the 1920’s. All of the resort’s advertising emphasizes the family appeal of the resort and Bub’s even been hosting concerts and musical performances at the Outback Stage on property adjacent to the resort’s Alpenhorn Restaurant, Lake Chelan’s attractions are many. But guests to Watson’s Harverene Resort are perfectly content to soak up the sun and frolic by the lakefront and marvel at the mountain and lake views that first mesmerized J. Howard Watson more than a century ago. These visitors are no doubt happy to be unofficially part of the Watson family. For more information, please visit www.watsonsresort.com or phone 509-687-3720.

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‘Summer Camp’

Horseback riding Lots of families and novice riders show up for the trail rides at Mountain Springs Lodge, where guests are guided along those same trails that were used for snowmobiling in the winter. The trails take riders to some beautiful vantage points and old-growth forests, and the rides are popular with all ages.

Activities at Mountain Springs Lodge sure to bring out your inner kid

ou might say that working at Mountain Springs Lodge -- for Thom Walcott anyway -- is a little like perpetual Summer Camp. The fun outdoor activities are never in short supply, and Thom gets to guide visitors on activities they’ll probably remember the rest of their lives. As Walcott describes it, he’s “a little more than a guide, a little less than in charge” at Mountain Springs, the Plain resort that has grown dramatically over the years to become the go-to spot near Leavenworth for outdoor fun and a Northwest lodge experience. This time of year Thom is putting the snowmobiles away and getting ready for the wave of visitors who will be coming to ride horses on the resort’s extensive trail system or try out the ziplines that were added to the resort property in 2014. Officially known as Leavenworth Ziplines, this exhilarating adventure will open weekends in April, weather permitting. May then will be a busy month, said Walcott, as the zip lines go full time and the higher elevation trails are

dried out enough to offer horseback riding. As you might expect, there is also lots of hiking available on an expansive trail system in the valley near Plain. Walcott came to the Leavenworth area from the Midwest – Wisconsin to be exact – where he grew up in a rural community enjoying a wide variety of outdoor activities. He moved out here in 2007 to guide wilderness trips and challenges for Youth Dynamics. Now 35, he’s settled into a position at Mountain Springs that allows him to take advantage of his affinity with the Great Outdoors. Among those activities: Leavenworth Ziplines The pristine, forested hillsides just behind Mountain Springs Lodge are ideal for what is one of the Northwest’s highest ziplines – about 200 feet in the air at some points. There are a total of eight lines, with the longest being 650 feet. A typical experience at Leavenworth Ziplines takes two to three hours altogether, depending on the number

Leavenworth Ziplines is in third year

of people in your group (which can be up to eight people). You make advance reservations to go in one of two groups each day during weekdays, and up to six different groups on weekends. Each group has two experienced and well-trained guides – one that sends, one that receives the participants or guests. The eight lines start out with lines that are not as high – in fact, there is a separate line that is close to the ground that you can try just to get the feel of how your harness attaches to the line and experience what it’s like to “zip” along the line. You do have to be within a certain weight range – between 70 and 270 pounds – and kids must be at least seven years old. Interestingly, lots of older folks enjoy the ziplines. ”We do get a fair number on the older side – some in their 80s,” Walcott said, adding that most riders are not lodge guests.

Mountain Springs Lodge is located in Plain, about a half-hour from Leavenworth

For more information, please visit www.leavenworthziplines.com or phone 800-858-2276. Prices range from $75-$95 for adults and $65$85 for children (7 to 15) based on which tour is chosen.

SPRING 2016 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

It’s important, Walcott says, that the horses are easy to ride. “All of our horses are gentle,” he said. “If we don’t have a gentle horse we don’t keep it. We want a horse that anyone can ride.” Riders are given basic instruction. The trail rides at Mountain Springs Resort are offered in different lengths – two miles, four miles, 6 miles, 8 miles and a 10-mile trip to the top of a mountain where the riders have a picnic. The number of participants varies with the time of week and, if it’s mid-week, there’s a good chance it will just be your party on the ride. The minimum age is eight, but there is no limit as to how old you can be to ride. The shorter rides are fairly level while the eight-and 10-mile rides offer higher views. There is a combination of narrow trails and wider trails through woods, while riders also will enjoy meadows with wildflowers and riding alongside a stream. Prices range from $27 per person for two miles to $135 per person for the 10-mile ride and picnic. Riders can also get a lesson for $45, which includes two miles of riding, in depth instruction and practice in an arena. Located at Plain, WA, Mountain Springs Lodge has log cabins and other lodging units available for rent in addition to such activities as zip lines, hiking and swimming. For more information on Mountain Springs Lodge and lodge activities, please go to www.mtsprings.com or phone 800-858-2276.

Big, beautiful NCW awaits...

than motel rooms. And just outside your door is the Twisp River with its calm, sleep-inducing sounds and scenic splendor.

Continued from page 21 places, of a European fjiord. Those are easy calls, and both areas beckon tourists from the entire Pacific Northwest and beyond. But there are many other fun options you might not have heard about, or just haven’t gotten around to even though you have lived here so long you were born in the Deaconess Hospital. (Does that make anyone feel old?). For example, the Twisp River Suites (www.twispriversuites.com) is a great option in the Methow Valley because of its fun and scenic location along the river. The 16 well-appointed suites are more like condo units

Oh, did we mention the breakfast? We’re talking fresh baked quiche, bread pudding, fruit, hardboiled eggs, toast and English muffins, and build-your-own yogurt parfait with a variety of toppings. This part of the Methow Valley, by the way, is perfect for outdoor exploration, whether you’re hiking or fishing or visiting the western-themed town of Winthrop, just nine miles away. And then there is this sometimes forgotten gem: Lake Wenatchee. Tucked in between mountain landscapes that might as well be the Bavarian Alps, the lake is only a one-hour drive from Wenatchee and an especially good option if you want to hike, fish or just explore the scenic backcountry. It’s also a great area to rent a vacation home.

Check out Majestic Pines (www. destinationleavenworth.com), a vacation home that offers everything you need, from the mountain lodge feel down to 4,000 feet of space you need to bring along all the relatives you want -- and even some you don’t want. Using the Majestic Pines as a base of operations, you can explore trails, rivers, the big beach at Lake Wenatchee State Park and lots of back roads that take you even deeper into the gorgeous Lake Wenatchee wilderness. If you’re up for a little longer drive, you could do no better than the North Cascades Highway. Normally impassable in winter, the highway is cleared for travel generally sometime in April and is an ultra-scenic way to get from Wenatchee to Seattle. Yes, it’s a six-hour drive, but worth it. You’ll see towering peaks and

wonderful scenic vistas combining the mountains, forests, lakes and streams that are often pictured on popular postcards of the region. Heading out from Wenatchee, you skirt the Columbia River all the way to Pateros and then head northwest on Highway 153 toward the Methow Valley and the Wild West town of Winthrop. From there it’s only a half hour before you reach some of the highest mountains in the state and travel over Washington Pass where the most spectacular site of your journey will be the view of 7600-foot Liberty Bell Mountain. Further west, you’ll enter the North Cascades National Park and, just a few miles into the park, you come across the overlooks above Ross and Diablo Lakes, ideal stops for taking great pictures. The road takes you ribht by the spectacular 540-foot-high Ross Dam.

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Only a few building lots remain in the quiet neighborhood. Not one bit “cookie cutter,” these two Malaga homes share an interesting provenance and have made friends of their owners.

tale of two houses Story by Susan Lagsdin Photos by Donna Cassidy “We knew the minute we walked in the door it was just what we were looking for!” The happy climactic moment in a classic couple-meets-house story. Like a romance, it involves the yearning, first viewings that disappoint, the crush that didn’t work out, the serendipitous “one last listing” in an unexpected neighborhood and the realiza-

Barb Nilson and Dana chat with guests in Dana’s much-used kitchen. She’s an avid baker, and their big counter, she admits, “Isn’t for eating — I’ve usually got stuff all over it.”

tion that this is the one. Two couples, both new to Wenatchee and eager to settle, each have a tale to tell about finding the perfect house. The hitch? It was the same house. Newly relocated to Wenatchee with the U.S. Forest Service in the spring of 2014, Bob MacGregor and his wife Dana Courtney readied for their big move from Wisconsin. This

AT RIGHT: Dana Courtney’s entryway features tiled flooring set into hardwood and this whimsical Wisconsin dairy cow, an homage to her and Bob’s most recent roots.

| The Good Life

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April 2016

would be their fifth home purchase as a couple, so they felt confident that in the small window of time (two days in April) with their real estate agent they could find a house and make an acceptable offer. Craig and Barb Nilson were contemplating a Stage #2 retirement move (stage #1 was moving from the Seattle area, where he worked for Boeing and she taught school, to their small

ranch north of Winthrop). They had looked in Wenatchee that winter for a smaller place and a cluster of urban amenities that would suit their circumstances. Here’s where their stories converge. Travis Hofstetter of H&H Construction had custom-built in 2011 a “dream house” on a culde-sac in the Three Lakes area of Malaga for a couple who had since revised their dream and needed to downsize. The 2,800 square foot home on 1/3 acre was listed for sale. When Craig and Barb visited the tall Craftsman-style house on its tidy suburban street they liked it immediately. Barb said, “It was in a small neighborhood, already built up and with just enough open country around it to feel peaceful.” But realistically they knew that their Winthrop ranch, not even on the market yet, might not sell in a timely manner, and they felt uneasy straddling two mortgages. Bob and Dana, on the other hand, were ready to buy, and on

TOP: The (original) house #1 has a short archway wall, good for bookshelf and table placement. The long serving counter and wine cooler were an unexpected amenity. AT LEFT: Black and white tiles and soaking tub with oldtime elegance in the master bath reflect some creative design choices made by the previous owners.

the second of their two allotted house-hunt days fortuitously took a drive with their agent to Three Lakes. “We had seen 11 houses in two days,” Dana said. “None of them came close to being right.” They decided to forego the big yard requirement, figured the location was close enough to town, and more importantly, they were totally taken with the look and feel of the house itself. April 2016 | The Good Life

OK — Here’s the dicey part. You’ve been here if you’ve bought a few houses. The Nilsons thought a long time (too long?) about the view, the big front porch, the high quality materials, the open plan living area, and they reconsidered. They went to make an offer but OH NO! The house had already sold. However, Hofstetter promised the couple he could build www.ncwgoodlife.com

the same house on the lot right next door to the home that Bob and Dana unknowingly had snatched out from under them. The Nilsons bought the lot right away, designing and sketching and recalculating spaces through the summer. Their Methow Valley property sold, they moved to a Wenatchee rental, and then from February to September of 2015 the new

}}} Continued on next page

tale of two houses

}}} Continued from previous page house took shape, a perfect visual partner to its once-coveted neighbor. Meanwhile, back to the Wisconsin emigres: Moving in by May, Bob played bachelor for a while, commuting to work at dawn and dark during the horrific fire season of 2014. Dana finished up some of her work (she’s a buyer for a national book distributor), handled the sale of their home, packed the household into a moving van and in August team-drove with her sister to Wenatchee, looking forward to new dryland terrain for biking and hiking and their big beautiful new house. Here’s a first-day moment that both women like to re-tell. Dana recalled, “The van was in the driveway. My sister checked off an inventory list while the guys lugged everything into the house, and I was in the kitchen unpacking boxes.” Barb jumped in to continue, “I was over at the lot, saw the van and I figured finally somebody’s really moved in to the place next door. I just went over and said, ‘Hey — I really like your house — do you mind if I look around a little more?’” Through the year of Bob and Dana settling in and the Nilson’s building, the couples became good friends — yard chatting, tool-sharing, cup-of-sugar, dinner party friends.

Barb Nilson’s entryway shows part of a lithograph of a famous Morgan stallion “Black Hawk” — part of a larger collection of prints and paintings that fills the walls.

Barb said, “It’s really nice to have them close — this is a good neighborhood, but the other homeowners are mostly young, with kids. We have so much more in common.” Dana praised her next-door neighbors’ thoughtfulness. “The builder wanted to add five feet to their garage, but Craig said it wouldn’t be fair to us — so now we have a clear view to the east. The same with the heat pump; he had them push it back so we wouldn’t see or hear it.” The irony of the story comes in the difference in details. The

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ABOVE: The Nilson kitchen is often used for dining, and a more open archway leads into the living room. Barb and Dana only recently noticed their different cabinetry. AT RIGHT: The second house has a prominent fireplace surround and pale sage walls. The Nilsons display, (“On rotation,” said Barb) a large collection of horse-themed Western art and collectibles.

homes are definitely not mirror images. In the almost two years from seeing the first house and moving into their own, the Nilsons made some changes that Bob and Dana appreciate; some they kind of envy. The rooflines and square foot-

age are different. The Nilsons didn’t need the 300-square-foot bonus room Dana uses for her

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TOP: French doors mean less counter space but lots of sunshine. Barb believes that lighting fixtures are a home’s jewelry and especially enjoys this glitzy take on the common work lamp. AT LEFT: The chosen location of a combined laundry and mechanics room meant a smaller master bath on the first floor, but house #2 has equally nice bathing facilities.

full-time office and home gym, and their loft sitting area is smaller. A garage behind the house severely cuts down southfacing yard and garden space at Bob and Dana’s; the Nilsons’ is nearer the front, leaving room for a pool. The driveway configuration creates some other differences: the back door into Dana’s kitchen, from a walkway near the garage, opens to no closet and no place for boots and bags, but their mechanical room and laundry are compact and separate. Barb’s French doors lead to the outside yard, while one long

mud room, laundry and mechanical room comes straight off the garage. “Love at first sight” came with the qualities that remain the most similar: an above-grade site with a view of the Columbia and the south curve of Badger Mountain (and more from the upstairs). A warm welcoming open area, defined just enough for cozy living room conversation. A big, well-equipped kitchen with plenty of storage space. Tall ceilings. High qualApril 2016 | The Good Life

ity wood floors and a luxurious master suite downstairs. Dana and Bob bought an existing home that was welldesigned and meticulously maintained, with good interior design decisions already made (soft gray paint, long counters, gorgeous bathroom fixtures) and that continue to please them. Barb and Craig fell in love with that house, but had time to make their own choices, like soft sage wall color, distinctive cut glass light fixtures, carpeted www.ncwgoodlife.com

stairs, a porch railing. Even today, they look around at each other’s homes, eyeballing a few clever uses of space, a few artworks that look perfect, note a more open archway or a flatter fireplace, or the difference in sunlight with a railing or halfwall for the loft space. Here’s what’s clear: Bob and Dana and Barb and Craig are happy with their choices, and they are definitely pleased with the wealth of good friendship that came from their simultaneous and serendipitous househunting. Their tale of two houses still makes them smile.

column moving up to the good life

june darling

Finding your purpose in life

Come take a tour and see for yourself the life you can put back in your years, Let us take care of the small things like cooking and housekeeping. Freeing your time up for some fun! Walking groups, exercise classes, Facebook and e-mail classes, games, social and happy hours, group bus trips to different destinations, making new friends and so much more.

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“Without knowing what I am or why I am here, life is impossible.” — Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina his July my mother will be 86 years old. She is highly engaged with life and continues to work. She lives in Tennessee and I’ll see her this month. I already know one thing she’s going to mention... again. “I’m just not sure what my purpose is at this stage of my life,” she’ll mutter looking back and forth to me and my husband. Then she’ll lift her head up toward the sky as if searching for answers somewhere, anywhere. But this time, I’ll stop wincing. I do not doubt the general benefit of having at least one valued, mega-goal which incorporates our smaller goals, energizes us, taps our skills and strengths, and gives direction and meaning to our lives. It feels great and makes sense. More specifically a strong sense of purpose in life has been found to build a variety of positive psychological outcomes — higher levels of overall well-being, hope, optimism, self-esteem, life satisfaction and resilience. It also is associated with less depression, anxiety and substance abuse. A greater sense of purpose decreases the likelihood of mortality in adults of all ages. Purpose has been associated with a gigantic reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Higher purpose also seems to positively affect optimal immune functioning and cardiovascular health. Purpose is pretty potent all through life it

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April 2016

I’ve seen people in tears when they were looking for their purpose and couldn’t find it. seems. So what’s the big deal? Finding one’s purpose seems like a nobrainer, right? What has given me pause in the past, as I thought about my mother searching for her purpose, is the potential psychological pain and anguish. You don’t just look in the yellow pages, find your purpose, and have it delivered the next day. It can be downright hard for some folks to find. And that situation of wanting a purpose, but not being able to find it can feel pretty yukky. Maybe worse. It can create a lot of anxiety. I’ve seen people in tears when they were looking for their purpose and couldn’t find it. Some people pay thousands of dollars and fly around the world to find their purpose. If you find that a useful process somehow, fine; stop reading here. If you’d like a way around that rigmarole, however, for yourself or someone you love, read on. First of all, we make finding one’s purpose mentally overwhelming. A leading researcher on purpose, Carin Rockind, says the first thing you should do is just relax; don’t overcomplicate it. As long as you are using your abilities in ways that feels meaningful to you (which usu-

... having a useful direction in life that lights you up and serves others, has tremendous benefits... ally means toward the benefit of others) you can reap many, maybe all, of the benefits of having a purpose. You don’t have to be able to say it in a sentence or two. Nor do you have to have only one purpose. It is helpful to notice in yourself, however, what feels meaningful, what you care about, what excites you, what you look forward to — to know yourself well. If you are somewhat of a stranger to yourself, then you can take a few assessments online, ask your friends what seems to excite you, or go out into the world and try different activities. Be curious, see what touches you. Notice what you enjoy giving to the world. Make it fun. Second, you don’t necessarily need to change anything you are doing to increase your sense of purpose. You only need to change how you think about it. A simple way to do that is by what’s called “laddering up.” Remember the old parable of the three bricklayers? They were each doing the same thing, but one saw himself as simply laying bricks, the other saw himself as taking care of his family, the third saw himself as building a great cathedral which could make the world a better place. That’s laddering it up. When you ladder up, you think about what you are doing in the most meaningful, noble way. Let’s say that what you are doing is pruning apple trees. When you ladder it up, you might look at what you are doing as feeding the world. If you have people

over to dinner, you might think of it as making the world a more loving, hospitable place. If you wave hello to strangers, you might think of it as making your community a nicer place. Years ago I met a lady from Wenatchee named Shirley Crist. She was 97. I asked her to tell me a little about herself. She said something like, “I help old folks feel better.” What Ms Crist was physically doing each day was shopping for, writing, or delivering get well cards to people in the hospital. She had also won some award like woman of the year. Shirley was overjoyed to have found something to do for others that really mattered to her, that uplifted others as well as herself. She was making a dent in the universe. Tolstoy seems to have been on to something. Having a sense of why you are here, having a useful direction in life that lights you up and serves others, has tremendous benefits even when we’re older. We can go for it by not making it so darn complicated. How might you move up to The Good Life by finding your purpose no matter how old you are? (For a deeper look at meaning and purpose within the larger framework of happiness and success, google June Darling + “Hitting the Sweetspot of Success and Happiness”)

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June Darling, Ph.D. can be contacted at drjunedarling1@gmail. com; website: www.summitgroupresources.com. Her books, including 7 Giant Steps To The Good Life, can be bought or read for free at Amazon.com.

>> RANDOM QUOTE

Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them. Marcus Aurelius April 2016 | The Good Life

Escape into a beautiful environment and cultivate your sense of calm. The Aspen Leaf Day Spa, nestled amid the Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort, is the ideal respite from the every day. Peruse our menu Stop by of spa services at SleepingLady.com. O’Grady’s for a Leavenworth, WA | 509.548.6344 delicious bite to eat! www.ncwgoodlife.com

column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Drowning in plastic One of my all time favorite

movies was the iconic groundbreaking 1967 movie, The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards, made Hoffman a star and was accompanied with songs by my favorite music group, Simon and Garfunkel. Benjamin (Hoffman), a recent college graduate, was confused, alienated, adrift with the social and sexual mores of the ’60s as well as the Vietnam war and the possibility of being drafted. He was worried about his future. At his graduation party Benjamin receives advice from a family friend, Mr. McGuire. Mr. McGuire: “I just want to say one word to you — just one word. Are you listening?” Benjamin; “Yes, I am.” Mr. McGuire: “Plastics.” Ben: “Exactly what do you mean?” Mr. McGuire: “There’s a great future in plastics. Think about it.” Ben: “Yes, I will.” I am quite certain Mr. McGuire had no comprehension as to the magnitude the plastic industry would become or the ecological damage that would enfold in the next 50 years due to plastic pollution. By 2015 the global plastic consumption had reached 298 tons. Plastic produced from oil uses 4 percent of all the world’s oil production. We have a love affair with plastic. It is lightweight, flexible, strong, moisture resistant and inexpensive. Since it is durable and slow to degrade, and except for the plastic that is incinerated, becomes waste that stays forever. That is staggering.

All sea creatures, large and small, are swallowing seawater laden with toxic chemicals from this plastic decomposition. Discarded plastic products have caused a lethal environmental problem worldwide. Multiple tons of plastic debris of various size are discarded every year everywhere on land, in rivers, coastal areas and in our oceans. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that this plastic ocean debris kills 100,000 marine mammals and millions of birds and fish annually. Plastic is not biodegradable but can break down into small plastic pellets, which now have spread across the world’s seas. These tiny particles float around and are ingested by marine mammals, fish and plankton, which are a diverse group of organisms that provide a crucial food source for all marine life. All sea creatures, large and small, are swallowing seawater laden with toxic chemicals from this plastic decomposition. Worldwide humans are eating fish that have eaten toxin saturated plastics. Some 93 percent of Americans over the age of six test positive for the plastic chemical BPA, (bisphenol A). Bisphenol A is a synthetic organic compound that is poorly soluble in water. It is used to make plastics clear and tough. In 2011, 10 billion tons of BPA were produced for the manu-

| The Good Life

facture of polycarbonate plastic, making it one of the highest volume chemicals produced worldwide. Since BPA exhibits hormonal properties it raises concern about its suitability in consumer products and food containers. It is unclear and controversial as to the actual medical effects from BPA, but intuitively I can’t think that high levels of a synthetic chemical that has estrogen-like properties will enhance our health. Half of the plastic we use, is used once and then thrown away. In the Los Angeles area alone, tons of plastic are carried into the ocean every day. Americans throw away 35 billion plastic bottles every year. Worldwide, 500 billion plastic bags are used. Who are the biggest plastic polluters you might ask. In a recent list of the top 20 plastic trash producing countries, China creates over 30 percent of the total and no one else is even close. The rest of the top five are Indonesia, Philippines, India and Nigeria. The United States ranks 20th. As countries develop, they use more plastic so India, with its booming growth and economy, might soon move up to vie with China. No matter who the polluters are, dealing with plastic waste and its environmental impact is a daunting task. There are no easy solutions. The problem is pervasive. It seems to be a nearly unsolvable problem… or is it? Plastic recycling seems like an answer to the problem with plastic pollution. Unfortunately, it is not that clear cut. Much of the plastic collected for recycling is shipped to countries with lower environmental

www.ncwgoodlife.com

April 2016

standards and regulations. Of the plastic scraps from the U.S. and Europe, 56 percent is shipped to — yes — China. Most of it is incinerated for energy in plants with low pollution controls, releasing toxic fumes and ash into the atmosphere. The rest ends up in landfills or it makes its way to the oceans. There has to be a better way to deal with this environmental disaster. I started thinking about this issue and its environmental and potential health effects because I read an inspiring story in the Puerto Vallarta Mirror about a young man in Puebla, Mexico. Puebla is one of the poorest areas in Mexico. When Carlos Gonzales grew up there, he became very concerned about the extreme poverty, the plastic trash that was everywhere and the deplorable conditions where many of the poor lived. In Mexico, about 10 percent of the population or 11.5 million people, live on less than $1.25 a day. Some 64 percent of Puebla’s population are considered poor. In 2013 Gonzales founded a company called EcoDomum to build affordable houses with recycled plastic. His vision is to make a change by cleaning up the environment and helping people have a dignified life. EcoDomum pays plastic trash collectors a better-thanaverage wage for their work collecting plastic. The plastic is melted down and used to make panels that are four feet by eight feet and one inch thick. These panels become the walls and roofs of houses that are 430 to 460 square feet in size.

... is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and it covers an area twice the size of Texas. The houses have two bedrooms, a bath, living room and kitchen area. It takes 80 panels of the repurposed plastic to build a house. EcoDomum sells the panels to local governments and organizations, which in turn take care of constructing these subsidized houses. Each house is built in seven days. Families pay $280 USD for a 430-foot square home. Gonzales is dedicating the rest of his life to this cause. I am also encouraged when I read about people like Boyan Slat, a 21-year-old genius at the Technical University of Delft, Holland. As a young inventor, entrepreneur and aerospace engineering student, he is founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. While scuba diving near Greece, he was shocked at the waste in the ocean. He started working on ways to remove plastic from ocean waters. His invention is, in a way, like a giant vacuum cleaner pulled behind a boat. The device screens the plastic as the seawater flows through it. After giving a Ted Talk on his ideas, GoFundMe dollars started flowing in toward his project. He now directs a team of over 100 engineers and scientists. Because of the ocean currents, trash and plastic collect in giant clusters called gyres. The one in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii is called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and it covers an area twice the size of Texas. Slat estimates it will be possible to remove eight tons a day of plastic waste from gyres like that near Hawaii. His invention, the largest floating structure in world history, is scheduled to deploy in

2016 at Tsushima Island in Japan where one cubic yard of plastic pollution per person is washed up each year. It will be interesting to see how they will dispose of the waste that is collected. Google him to watch his Ted Talk. In this country we are starting to see companies using recycled plastics including a Wisconsin company called Recycled Plastics Industries that manufactures recycled plastic “lumber” that has a myriad of uses in building and lawn and deck furniture. I just bought a rug at Costco for our deck and was happy to see that it was made from recycled plastic. It feels like a regular rug to me but it is mold resistant and very durable. What else can the average person like me do to help and not be such a big part of the problem? When we got home from Puerto Vallarta, I went to the grocery store here to stock up. I realized I had 10 plastic bags filled with various items. I was mad at myself as I had three reusable bags in my car that I forgotten. Recently, we were in Southern California. In all the grocery stores when we went to check out they asked if we wanted bags. They charged between 10 and 25 cents per plastic bag if you didn’t bring your own. It wasn’t long before I always took my own bag into the grocery store. I noticed a majority of the shoppers were bringing their own bags to check out. As they say, you can change people’s behavior with the proper incentives. In some California cities, plastic bags are not allowed at all. These are some positive, yet controversial, steps to deal with the problem. We each can do our part in this area to try to preserve our environment. Jim Brown, M.D., is a retired gastroenterologist who has practiced for 38 years in the Wenatchee area. He is a former CEO of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center. April 2016 | The Good Life

Arbor Day,

Imagine the fun you could have!

April 23 - Saturday

Distribution sites/times:

Wenatchee Walla Walla Pt. Park 10 am - 3pm Cashmere Martin’s Marketplace 10 am- 1pm

LOCAL EVENTS CALENDAR

WENATCHEE VALLEY’S

NUMBER ONE

HEALING POWER OF STEM CELLS Y EVENTS CALENDAR

MAGAZINE

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WENATCHEE VALLEY’S

NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE

September 2015

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Price: $3

June 2015

Open for fun and adventure

(tiny) TRAILER LIFE

Riding an invisible river of air exhilarates Cashmere flyer

Our

100th issue Best Days

5 readers tell their favorite stories

Ed’s Boat

They Built This City

Who made Wenatchee the livable city it is

Subscribe to The Good Life for yourself or a friend.

Entiat City Hall 10am- 1pm Orondo Market Place 10am-1pm Trees and shrubs $2 donation Japanese Red Leaf Maple Eastern Redbud Common Lilac

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Turning 65 or new to the area? Come to a FREE Health Alliance Medicare Seminar We’ll walk you through our Medicare Advantage plans in person. Learn how we can save you money and provide one easy-to-use package for your medical, prescription drug, dental and vision care needs. Confluence Health April 14, 11:00 a.m.

Miller Street Conference Room 1000 N. Miller, Wenatchee

Call us today to reserve your spot. 1-877-561-1463 or TTY 711, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. A sales person will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-877-561-1463. Health Alliance Medicare is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Health Alliance Medicare depends on contract renewal. med-ageinsemad-0515 | Y0034_15_28225 www.ncwgoodlife.com

Price: $3

LOVING THE LIFT

Tree wanted to be a beautiful dory

Leavenworth Fish Hatchery 10am-1pm

Western Larch Mock Orange Incense Cedar Rugosa Rose

U AT

FE of

Dance

moves taught with

lessons for life

By Susan Lagsdin

ou know you’re firmly established in the local dance community when you find yourself teaching “grand students,” the children of those first little kids who dipped and swayed at the barre, tumbled across the floor and bowed to the crowds in their tiny tutus. Adrienne Pratt-Rubio, at 39 a veteran of years of taking and teaching dance classes, is one of those “grand-teachers.” She’s had plenty of her own experience on and off the stage. Starting at Carolyn Kenoyer’s studio in Cashmere as a toddler, apprenticing with her and finally branching out on her own, she’s choreographed and staged dozens of holiday shows and May-June recitals, where the region’s dance students customarily perform at the end of the school year. Adrienne started her first studio in Cashmere, but she met for this interview in her Grant Road mini-mall studio space, a branch she opened just over two years ago. In a region that highly values both children and the performing arts, Adrienne gambled that plenty of East Wenatchee families would appreciate a closer-in commute for young dancers. She

It’s not all teaching for dance instructor Adrienne Pratt-Rubio, she still loves to dance and perform. Photo by Phyllis Simons/Simply Simons Photography

was right. Married and a busy mother of two young boys, she often works from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, coaches specialty solos and twosomes on the weekends and does the staff managing, marketing and accounting required of any small two-site business — and also preps Cashmere’s Apple Blossom Royalty. It all keeps her running fast. Adrienne radiates positive energy. Her personal goal for her students is that they learn the value of hard work, of sticking with something that matters to them, even when it gets tough. She realizes that contemporary kids may lack motivation and feels, “We need to encourage and inspire kids, so they can take the negative gracefully and learn from it.” A few of her dance students go on to dance professionally; others teach or choreograph. But almost all find lifelong benefits not only in a never-quit work ethic but in poise, confidence

| The Good Life

“We need to encourage and inspire kids, so they can take the negative gracefully and learn from it.” and collaborating skills. Working together to perfect a routine in the studio or on the performance stage at competitions definitely makes dance a team sport. All of her choreography each year is original. Adrienne said, “I love to create stories and execute them through dance, music and costuming.” When her mother died, she turned her sorrow to art, creating dramatic pieces on the theme of losing a loved one. Adrienne is proud of her Teacher of the Year award at the national competition, 5678 Showtime. “My studio has done very well

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April 2016

at competitions,” Adrienne said, “Even though that isn’t our main focus.” Adrienne is respectful of her dance colleagues, most of whom share a similar philosophy but may offer different dance experiences or have different views on competing. Many of her peers grew up with the same fine teachers like Kenoyer, Joan Shelton and Gigi Partridge and share a tradition of excellence. And she respects dancers’ parents (recognizing some “Dance Moms” have the same protective instincts as Little League moms, skating moms or horse show moms). She’s instituted a “watch week” each month for their viewing pleasure, and a fun use of those involved parents comes every spring when she includes them dancing in an all-company opening number. Some, remember, danced those shows as youngsters. Many children are born and raised in dance. Her youngest students are toddlers who try

easy movements, then four- to five-year-olds who do tumbling, baton work and basic ballet. By age eight, they start focusing on one style of dance and may stay with the studio, some as assistants, until graduation. A dream that she thinks could come true with enough people power is a regional performing arts facility that offers music, dance and theater facilities for children — purely for the enrichment of their lives. She can envision “endless programs for kids, including camps yearround, even weekends, breaks and summer.” In the near future, in her own studio, Adrienne would like to expand her offerings to help more special needs children with movement and dance. She recently found some old school memorabilia and remembered, “When I was in high school I said I wanted to be a special education teacher and teach dance in my own studio. I am so lucky to be doing both.”

Rock On!

Geology Tours

WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

NCW Blues Jam, every second and fourth Monday, 7 p.m. Riverside Pub at Columbia Valley Brewing, 538 Riverside Dr., Wenatchee. Info: facebook.com/NCWBluesJam. Weekly Club Runs, every Thursday check in between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at Saddle Rock Pub and Brewery. Either a 5k or 10k walk or run on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. Complete 10 weekly runs and receive a free shirt. Cost: free (other than a smile). Info: Joel Rhyner 387-0051. Game Night, every fourth Friday, 7 – 9 p.m. Board games, card games or any games you would like to bring. Open to all and all ages. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org. Wenatchee Farmers Market, every Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Pybus Public Market. Pack Walks, every 4th Saturday at 9 a.m. Bring your friends and dogs on leashes and walk the riverfront trail. Meet on the loop trail

behind Pybus Public Market. Info: wenatcheefido.org. April Fool and Goodbye Bill, 4/1, 5 – 8 p.m. WVMCC exhibits coordinator Bill Rietveldt is retiring. His last day is one of his favorite holidays, so look for April Fool’s gags throughout the museum and come wish him well in retirement. Refreshments served. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: free. First Friday: nTwo Rivers Art Gallery, 4/1, 5 – 8 p.m. Featuring the paintings of the Wenatchee Watercolor Society. Live music by jazz pianist Patrick Thompson. Local wines and complimentary refreshments. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: 2riversgallery.com. nMerriment Party Goods, 4/1, 5 – 8 p.m. Melinda Rose Design trunk show. Melinda is a local artist who specializes in wedding veils, hair adornments and lingerie. Her designs have been featured in the Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and many more. Snacks and beverages. 23, S Wenatchee Ave. Cost: free. Info: facebook.com/merrimentpartygoods.

nTumbleweed Bead Co., 4/1, 5-7 p.m. Meet Jeana of The Fox and Stone Jewelry. She has spent her years traveling to different corners of the earth and has used her experiences as inspiration for her raw, soulful line of jewelry. Refreshments served. 105 Palouse St. Cost: free. Info: tumbleweedbeadco.com. nSmall Artworks Gallery, 4/1, 5 p.m. Regional High School Art Show artists works will be on display at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: free. Info: wvmcc.org. Norman Baker, 4/1, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org. Opera Series: Madama Butterfly, 4/2, 9:55 a.m. and 4/3, 2 p.m. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $22 advance, $24 at the door. Info: icicle.org. Wenatchee River Appreciation, 4/2, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Learn about water quality education, weed removal and native plantings on the banks of the Wenatchee River or Chumstick Creek. Cascade High

Leavenworth

BirdFest

May 19-22, 2016

Cataclysmic floods, traveling rocks, sweeping vistas!

Discover the natural beauty of Central Washington!

Seven 2nd-Saturday guided tours: April 9 — 9 a.m. to noon May 14 — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 11 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 9 — 9 a.m. to noon

Aug. 13 — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 10 — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 8 — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 509-888-6240

LeavenworthSpringBirdFest.com April 2016 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

}}} Continued on next page

WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

}}} Continued from previous page School in Leavenworth. Info: 4361601 or amanda@cascadlacd.org. Taste Leavenworth, 4/2, 3, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. A culinary stroll through town. Buy a passport that is packed with coupons redeemable for locally made, locally sourced, or pear-inspired delights throughout Leavenworth. Cost: $30 online or $35 day of event. Info: leavenworth. org. Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, 4/2, 7 p.m. An ethnically diverse group of young and veteran performers. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $22 advance, $24 at the door. Info: icicle.org. US Army Field Band Jazz Ambassadors, 4/2, 7-10 p.m. The band plays big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals and patriotic selections. Town Toyota Center. Cost: free. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Breakin’ at the Lake Event, 4/4-

presents:

Fun, Folk & Film!

Novelty numbers, folk songs,

and music from the big screen!

Friday, April 29, 2016, 7:30 pm

Saddlerock Evangelical Presbyterian Church Monday, May 2, 2016, 7:30 pm

Snowy Owl Theater Tickets available at Numerica PAC or at the door (Tickets for Leavenworth performance are additionally available at A Book for All Seasons)

17, all day. Two weeks of activities from sports and youth activities, family scavenger hunts, fashion shows, baking and cookie decorating classes, wine tasting and hiking at Echo Ridge. Lake Chelan. Info: lakechelan.com. Horse Lake Trail Run, 4/6, 13, 5:30 – 7 p.m. Join Adam Vognild and learn the lay of the land and get tips with this trail run at the Horse Lake property during prime wildflower season. RSVP: cdlandtrust.org. Film series: Les Liaisons Dangereuses, 4/7, 7 p.m. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $12 advance, $14 at the door. Info: icicle.org. Stunt Dog Experience, 4/8, 6:30 p.m. Chris Perondi and his rescued dogs perform tricks, big air stunts, comedy antics, dancing and athletic feats. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Info: numericapac.org. Erin McNamee, 4/8, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket. org. Geology Tours, 4/9, 9 a.m. - noon. Cataclysmic floods, traveling rocks and sweeping vistas. Guided tours by Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Info: 888-6240. Historical Walking Tour, 4/9, 10 a.m. A 1-2 hour walk around the town of Leavenworth and find out what the town was like before 1960. Find the depot and where it was. Tour guides Bobbi Ferg and Bob Stroup. Upper Valley Museum, Leavenworth. Cost: $3 donation. Info: uppervalleymuseum.org. Voortex Live, 4/9, 7 p.m. and 4/10, 3 p.m. The show is a film concert in collaboration with Voortex Productions. This compelling, cinematic experience will showcase the diversity of natural landscapes set to live symphonic music performed by Wenatchee Valley Symphony. The film concert will feature an original score and captivating cinematography. Cost: $15-$30. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Info: numericapac.org. Trails in Motion Film Festival, 4/12, 7 p.m. Presented by the Volyn Law Firm, the event features seven trail running films shot around the world with themes ranging from adventure and endurance to personal discovery and community. Total running time for the seven films is two hours. Prizes, beer and wine served at intermission. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Cost: $12. Info: runwenatchee.com

| The Good Life

Sweet Hearts for Kids Luncheon, 4/13, noon – 1 p.m. Westside High School Principal Dr. Kory Kalahar will be the keynote speaker. Benefit for Children’s Home Society of Washington, which supports Wenatchee children. Wenatchee Convention Center. Cost: $30. Info: 663-0034. Bird ID SKILLS BUILDING, 4/13, 27, 7:30– 9:45 a.m. Come along with naturalist Susan Ballinger on this bi-monthly outing for birders of all levels. Hone your field ID skills and learn to contribute to the online birding tool ebird. Walla Walla Park (meet at the north end of the park near the restrooms. Info: cllandtrust.org. Movie on the big screen: Carrie, 4/13, 6:30 p.m. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Cost: $3. Info: numericapac.org. Girls Night Out, 4/14, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Purchase a sway bag for $25 at Merriment Party Goods. Bag includes goodies from participating stores, a map of businesses and coupons. Receive one raffle ticket for each $10 spent. Info: wendowntown.org. PackSmart-Packing Demonstration, 4/14, 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Learn how to pack like a pro at this workshop with Kathleen Collum, AAA Travel Store buyer and packing coach. She will share smart tips on how to make the most of your packing space and fill you in on the latest accessories, including gear to help you comply with new flying regulations. All travel gear will be 15% off on the day of the show. AAA Wenatchee, 221 N. Mission. Cost: free. RSVP 665-6299. The Big Burn by Timothy Egan, livestream, 4/14, 7 p.m. Tickets to see Timothy Egan live at Numerica PAC are sold out. However, see the livestream of the program at the Wenatchee Convention Center. Cost: free. Info: numericapac.org. Film series: Cartel Land, 4/14, 7 p.m. In this Sundance awardwinning film, the director, Matthew Heineman and executive producer Kathryn Bigelow, gain unprecedented, on-the-ground access to the riveting stories to two modern-day vigilante groups and their shared enemy – the murderous Mexican drug cartels. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $12 advance, $14 at the door. Info: icicle.org. Ron Fowler, 4/15, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.

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April 2016

org. Transformative Stories: Jill Bolte Taylor and Carrie Newcomer, 4/15, 7 p.m. Jill Bolte Taylor, internationally recognized neuroanatomist and author of the bestselling My Stroke of Insight, and critically acclaimed singersongwriter Carrie Newcomer, have come together to create an unforgettable evening of story and song, language and music, image and information, humor and human experience. Presenting on the same stage, author and songwriter weave a seamless story of insight into the wonders of the human brain and the resilience of the human spirit through their own stories of change and transformation. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $28 advance, $32 at the door. Info: icicle.org. Opera Series: Roberto Devereux, 4/16, 9:55 a.m. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $22 advance, $24 at the door. Info: icicle.org. Write on the River Writing Workshop, 4/16, 9 a.m. – noon. For those who are new to writing, or it’s been a while, get your creative juices flowing with guided, interactive writing exercises with instructors Susan Blair, Susan Lagsdin and Steve Scott. Wenatchee Valley College. Cost: $15 for members/$50 for non-members. Info: writeontheriver.org. Lake Chelan Earth Day Fair, 4/16, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Garden vendors, garden demonstrations, flea market, children’s activities, DIY exhibitors, music, entertainment food and so much more. Riverwalk Park Shelter area. Info: chelanearthdayfair.org. CASA Rock n’ Rowl for Kids Bowl-a-thon, 4/16, 2 – 9 p.m. Form a team of 5, collect donations in advance and schedule an hour to bowl, for free. Bowlers who raise $50 and over receive a free t-shirt. Prizes for top 10 fundraisers. Proceeds used to recruit and train new volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children in Chelan and Douglas Counties. Eastmont Lanes, 704 Grant Rd. Info: Arlene 6627350 or arleneg@nwi.net. Appleaires on Broadway, 4/16, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. 40 member choral group under the direction of Lynn Love and accompanied by Melanie Nees. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Cost: $18, seniors and students $15. Info: numericapac.org.

WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

True North, 4/16, 7:30, p.m. Cashmere Community Concerts. True North combines traditional bluegrass instrumentation with fat harmonies and folk-edged songwriting for a distinctive sound that is fresh, warm and memorable. CCC at Cashmere Riverside Center. Cost: $3 at the door and pass the hat $8-11. Info: cashmereconcerts.com. Spring Wildflower Walks at Sam Hill, 4/17, 1 – 4 p.m. Join Ann and Don Schaechtel for a wildflower walk just inside Icicle Canyon near Leavenworth. Mileage is short, the terrain is rugged. Wear hiking boots, dress for the weather. RSVP: cdlandtrust.org. Taste of Home cooking Show, 4/19, 5 p.m. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Info: numericapac.org. Environmental Film: Olmsted and America’s Urban Parks, 4/19, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Visionary urban planner and landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) brought nourishing green spaces to New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington DC and dozens of other US cities. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: free or $5 donation. Info: wenatcheevalleymuseum.org. SEATTLE SHAKESPEARE presents The Tempest, 4/20, 6:30 p.m. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Info: numericapac.org. Early Structural Pruning of Trees, 4/21, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Making the cut, why, how and when to prune. Reaction to the cut, pruning wound and extreme cuts will be discussed by Paula Dinius, Urban Horticulturist and WSU Chelan County Extension agent and Ben Thompson, Urban Forestry Specialist, WSDA, DNR, UFCF. Rocky Reach Visitor Center and Park Arboretum. Walk and Talk Series: Rachel Carson Earth Day Tribute, 4/21, 6 – 7 p.m. Take a gentle nature walk on the Castlerock Trail while listening to readings by Rachel Carson and other conservation writers with English literature professor Jane Zanol. RSVP: cdlandtrust.org. History of Plain, 4/21, 7 p.m. Byron Newell, longtime resident of Plain will speak about the early families and life in the Plain area.

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column the night sky this month

Peter Lind

Mercury shines at its best Mercury puts on its best

evening show of the year during April, but watch Mars this month, as it approaches opposition and peak visibility. Don’t forget, several other planets put on a great show, making time spent under dark skies worthwhile. Let’s begin this month’s tour with Mercury, a challenging object to see. It has been an early morning planet throughout most of the winter, but swung around the sun and now we see it as an evening object. Mercury never escapes the twilight glow, but in springtime the ecliptic — the path the sun and planets follow across our sky — tips steeply to the western horizon, which translates into more separation between Mercury and the sun, and allows for the best views of the planet. As twilight fades and Mercury sinks below the western horizon, shift your attention high in the eastern sky where Jupiter, king of the planets, sits in brilliance. Jupiter reached opposition in March, but its appearance and size remain perfect for observing with binoculars or telescope. The giant world sits in southern Leo close to first magnitude star Regulus. At magnitude -2.4, it outshines the star by more than 30 times. Mars comes over the eastern horizon just before midnight on the first of the month, and rises about two hours earlier by the end of the month. Amateur astronomers have been waiting two years for Mars to get close again, for views of the Martian terrain. One object visible through a large backyard telescope is Olympus Mons, the largest known volcano in our solar system. April 2016 | The Good Life

As the month progresses and Mars moves closer to earth, at the end of the month, it shines at magnitude -1.4, more than twice as bright as when the month began. Summer has started in the red planet’s northern hemisphere. With a medium-sized telescope you can watch the north polar ice cap melt away through the month. With the latest imagery from Mars it has been determined that the ice caps are almost entirely made of water, with a very small amount of frozen carbon dioxide, or “dry ice.” Saturn pops above the horizon about half an hour after Mars on the first of the month. The ringed planet pales in brightness compared to Mars, but its yellow color is a nice contrast with the Red Planet’s hue. Although a telescope gives a nice view of the planet, it is still at an enormous distance from earth. The view of Saturn will improve in the coming weeks as it heads towards opposition in early June. A telescope will also reveal a few moons around the planet. Saturn lies in the constellation Ophiuchus all month and has a visitor on April 25 when a waning moon slides past. The moon stands to the north of Mars and Saturn, while the bright star Antares lies to their south. All four objects occupy a small area of the sky and will be quite an image to see. Do you remember I mentioned that the ecliptic angles steeply in the western horizon in spring and gives a good view of Mercury? Unfortunately the opposite holds true on the eastern horizon before dawn, which makes Venus hard to see in the morning twilight. Earlier when I was talking about Jupiter I used the term www.ncwgoodlife.com

magnitude followed by a number, in the case of Jupiter -2.4. A term I haven’t mentioned before but is very important to amateur astronomers is “apparent magnitude.” This term is used as a guide to the brightness of an object in the night sky, whether it is a star, a planet, a gas cloud, or a galaxy. All objects in the sky are classified with magnitude. The scale is somewhat hard to get used to as the brighter the object the smaller the number. The sun, at apparent magnitude of -27, is the brightest object in the sky; the full moon -13, the brightest planet Venus measures -5, and the brightest star Sirius is magnitude -1.5. A medium-sized telescope, say one with a 12-inch mirror, under good viewing conditions could probably see small objects down to magnitude 13. Under good seeing conditions my personal telescope with an 18-inch mirror can see to about magnitude 16. Pluto, the dimmest of any “planet” is at magnitude 14. The formula used to determine the magnitude scale is very complicated and was put into use in the mid-1800s. When I am planning a night of observing and making a list of objects I will be looking for, I list the magnitude so I have an idea how hard it will be to find what I’m searching for. As the weather improves and the temperatures start to rise, it is a good time to go out with a friend and catch the incredible sights of the night sky. Peter Lind is a local amateur astronomer. He can be reached at ppjl@ juno.com.

WHAT TO DO

We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

}}} Continued from previous page The Newell family were early pioneers of the area. Upper Valley Museum sunroom, Leavenworth. Cost: by donation. Info: uppervalleymuseum.org. Film series: Hot Pix, 4/21, 7 p.m. Late breaking documentaries. Snowy Owl Theater. Info: icicle.org. Earth Day Scavenger Hunt, 4/22, 4:30 – 6 p.m. The Land Trust will be stationed at the beginning of the trail to help you get started as well as along the trail. Jacobson Preserve. RSVP: cdlandtrust.org. Heart of Humanity Concert, 4/22, 6 p.m. The students of Interact Club sponsored by Wenatchee Rotary will hold a dinner, silent auction and concert. Proceeds to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in Wenatchee. Concert performers are Jody Graves, piano, Terry Hunt, classical guitar and Glenn Isaacson’s SwingShift Jazz Ensemble. Dinner at 6 p.m. catered by Visconti’s. Concert at 7:30 p.m. Cost: $15, students with ASB cards $5. Wenatchee High School auditorium. Arbor Day, 4/23. Trees and shrubs for $2 donation. Wenatchee: Walla Walla Park , 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Cashmere: Martin’s Marketplace, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Leavenworth: Fish Hatchery, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Entiat: City Hall, 10 am. - 1 p.m. Orondo: Market Place, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Leavenworth Ale-fest, 4/22, 6 – 10 p.m. 4/23, 1 – 9 p.m. Beer tasting with brews from numerous microbreweries, popular Northwest bands and delicious foods. Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. Cost: Friday: $20 advance, $25 at the door, Saturday, $25 advance, $30 at the door. Info: leavenworthalefest. com. Mike Bills, 4/22, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket. org. Gold, treasure and more show, 4/23-24, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. This year’s show is bigger than ever with 56 vendors. See the latest in prospecting and rock hound supplies, dredge equipment, metal detectors, gold and silver jewelry, ceramics, gems and minerals, collectable coins, motor sports equipment and more. Learn how to pan

for gold. Enter the big club raffle for 4 big prizes. There will be a free metal detecting hunt with paid admission on Saturday, 10 a.m. Coins, metal tags for prizes and gold vials will be buried on the fairgrounds for this event. Door and raffle prizes too. Food will be available. Chelan County Fairgrounds in Cashmere. Cost: $5; children 12 and under free. Info: 860-1145. Viennese Classics, 4/23, 7 p.m. Haydn’s Symphony 104, Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave and Beethoven’s 3rd piano concerto (featuring CWU Professor of Piano John Pickett) are on the program with the Wenatchee Valley Symphony. Numerica Performing Arts Center. Info: numericapac.org. Leavenworth Earth Day Fair, 4/24, noon – 4 p.m. See page 17 for details. Leavenworth Lions Club Park (next to the swimming pool). Cost: free. Info: leavenworthearthday.org. Cheap Trick, 4/25, 7 - 9 p.m. Town Toyota Center. Classic rock live performance. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Apple Blossom Starts, 4/28 – 5/8. Food court opens at Memorial Park (next to the courthouse). April events include: *4/28, Inspiration Day, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. *4/28-5/8, Live performances at the Entertainment Stage in Memorial Park * 4/29 - 5/8, Funtastic Shows Carnival opens at River Front Park at the foot of 5th St. * 4/30, John Kalahar Memorial Apple Blossom Corvette Rally, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Cascade Auto Center. * 4/30, Youth parade, 11 a.m. Starts at Apple Bowl travels down Orondo turns left on Wenatchee Ave. *4/30, WSU Master Gardener Plant Sale, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Pybus Public Market. * 4/30, Ride the mini train, 11 a.m. and 5/8, 5 p.m. River Front Park. *4/30, Renaissance Fair, 10 p.m. 5/1, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wenatchee Valley College. Spring Fling Fashion Show and Tea, 4/28, 1 p.m. P.E.O. Chapter JF of Leavenworth will hold its Spring Fling Fashion Show and Tea at the Icicle Village Resort located at 505 US Highway 2 in Leavenworth. The

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event will feature clothing from Upper Valley shops, a raffle and a High Tea. Proceeds will go toward providing women opportunities for higher education. Cost: $25 and reservations must be made in advance. Info: Jimi Wilson 509 763-3445 or jbwilson@nwi.net. Walk and Talk Series: Nature Photography Tips, 4/28, 6 – 7 p.m. Local photographer Frank cone will give tips and offer guidance for taking landscaped and close-up pictures as participants practice new skills. Meet at the Castlerock trailhead. RSVP: cdlandtrust.org. Film Series: Chef, 4/28, 7 p.m. After quitting his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant Chef Carl Casper teams up with his ex-wife, a friend and his son and sells Cuban sandwiches out of a food truck in Miami. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $12 advance, $14 at the door. Info: icicle.org. Knights Golf Classic, 4/29, 9 a.m. Chipping and putting contests, awards and prizes. Play will be a four-person scramble. Social hour, awards and raffle follow tournament play. Proceeds support WVC athletics. Highlander Golf Course, East Wenatchee. Info: wvc.edu/ golfclassic. Geology Hike at Saddle Rock, 4/29, 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Join geologist Kelsay Stanton for a hike to the top – with lots of stops to

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April 2016

discuss what is seen along the way. RSVP: cdlandtrust.org. Carolyn Cruso, 4/29, 7 – 9 p.m. Live performance. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org. Columbia Chorale presents fun, folk and film, 4/29, 7:30 p.m. at Saddlerock Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Wenatchee and 5/2, 7:30 p.m. at Snowy Owl Theater in Leavenworth. Dahlia Tuber Sale, 4/30, 5/14, 21, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Members of the NCW Dahlia Society will sell $3 tubers and give tips and answer questions about growing and caring for dahlias. Pybus Public Market. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org. Chelan-Douglas Master Gardener Plant Sale, 4/30, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. The sale will feature more than 20 varieties of tomatoes, a good selection of perennials, vegetables and herbs. Pybus Public Market. Rustique Divas Vintage Market, 4/30, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Regional vendors selling antiques and collectibles; refurbished and rusty, purses and jewelry. Pybus Public Market. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org. Opera Series: Elektra, 4/30, 9:55 a.m. Snowy Owl Theater. Cost: $22 advance, $24 at the door. Info: icicle.org.

column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

One man’s weeds is another’s greens Bake until tender — about 40 minutes. Sprinkle on the chopped greens and feta. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

rocery stores’ produce sections are stuffed with veggies and fruit from all seasons and from all over the world. It is hard for our children and grandchildren to realize that early spring was a nutritionally tenuous time as recently as 90 years ago. As winter ended in the northern hemisphere, the stored vegetables were all eaten, and many people had not eaten greens or vegetables since Christmas. People without access to fresh foods were on the verge of serious health problems. The Pilgrims knew early spring green prevented scurvy and other diseases caused by nutritional deficits. They brought dandelions with them because it is one of the first plants to grow when the soil reaches 50 degrees. Its cousin chicory was also introduced. Immigrants introduced a wide spectrum of medicinal plants, what we, today, label as weeds. This is why stinging nettles were brought by East Coast settlers, though the plant is native to the Pacific Northwest. Bittercress, garlic mustard, horseradish are mustard family members. Other early germinating plants that have become weeds in our gardens are sorrel, pink oxalis (shamrock) and lamb’s quarters, a relative of beets and spinach. Each of these plants sprouted early and was eaten as a tonic. The newest member of the mustard family, arugula, which is on its way to becoming a weed, arrived in the early 20th Century with Italian immigrants. The early settlers found that many early plants were available on this continent, but they were glad they brought the

Spring ‘tonic’ soup What has sprouted in your yard? I have chickweed, sorrel, garlic mustard, green onions and ground cress in my herb garden right now. Purchased greens can be: butter crunch lettuce, parsley, arugula or endive. Fred Meyer is selling fresh watercress plants. If you buy ingredients add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the soup to give it an authentic kick. This Spring soup is fast and easy.

Early spring greens include (clockwise from top left), watercress, chickweed, dandelion, arugula and bittercress. This dish of sautéd radishes takes advantage of early garden produce.

plants they did. Interestingly, most of these early spring plants are bitter or sour to taste. We eat all these early spring plants for their pungent taste. Radishes are another introduced early growing mustard. This recipe may seem odd since we normally eat radishes raw in salads or out-of-hand.

Sauteed radishes on toast

Stir in the watercress. Turn off the heat. Cover the pan and let sit for five minutes until the watercress is wilted. Serve on buttered toast.

Roasted beets with bitter greens I made this delicious dish with beets that I mulched and overwintered, just like my grandparents did at the turn of the last century. Serves 4 50 minutes preparation and baking

Serves 8 as appetizer 10 minutes preparation 1 pound radishes 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup watercress, mustard greens or kale, chopped Salt/pepper

1 pound fresh beets, washed 1 cup chopped watercress or mustard grass 1/2 cup chopped pistachios 2 tablespoons butter, melted 3 tablespoons crumbled feta

Slice the radishes thinly. In a large flat pan, melt the butter. Stir in the radishes. Cook until they are limply transparent.

Peel the beets and slice large ones in half. Butter an ovenproof dish and lay the beets face down in a single layer. Top with the pistachios.

April 2016 | The Good Life

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Serves 4 20 minutes preparation 1 quart chicken stock — homemade is the most favorful. 5 green onions 1 carrot grated 1/2 cup green peas — fresh or frozen 3 cups chopped greens — watercress, parsley, chervil, butter crunch lettuce, garlic mustard, sorrel, chickweed, oxalis, ground cress, etc. 1/2 cup very small pastas such as orzo, stars or alphabets 1 tablespoon capers for garnish 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated for garnish (lemon juice) Salt/pepper While the chicken stock is heating, heat the capers in a dry, hot frying pan until they start to pop. Set them aside. Pour all the rest of the ingredients into the hot chicken stock. Simmer for 8 minutes. Serve the soup in 4 bowls. Garnish each with the cheese and the fried capers. Bonnie Orr — the dirt diva — cooks and gardens in East Wenatchee.

column those were the days

rod molzahn

Tales of lost gold in the nearby hills Editor’s note: Rod Molzahn is taking a few months off. Here is an encore column from a past issue.

he lure of gold began drawing men to north central Washington’s rivers by the beginning of the 1860s, and it wasn’t long before stories of lost gold began to find their way into the local lore. Some of the stories have persisted along with the efforts to track down and recover the elusive treasures. Large numbers of Chinese, as well as some white placer miners, worked the banks and ledges of the Columbia and its tributaries through the 1860s. Local Indians, unhappy with the intrusion of trappers and miners crossing their lands, especially disliked the Chinese. The reason for the animosity isn’t clearly understood, though it has been suggested the attention paid by the miners to young Indian women was the cause of the mistrust. In 1866 a small group of Chinese miners working the Columbia north of the Wenatchee River, alarmed by increasing Indian threats and violence, decided to pack up their gold dust and head down river. Two of the men strapped the bags of gold to their backs and, along with the other miners, headed out in canoes. They made it to the Rock Island Rapids where the rocks and whitewater did them in. Four men survived. The two carrying the gold couldn’t make it to the surface. The river had reclaimed its treasure. The year 1872 saw the beginning of another lost gold story. U. S. Army Captain Ben Ingalls and a small scouting party were

Could lost gold still be laying around to be picked up in hills like this outside of Quincy?

in the Mount Stuart area when the Captain became separated from his men. Riding along a high ridge he saw, in the canyon below, a chain of three lakes. He made his way down to the canyon floor and discovered the middle lake, shaped like a crescent, had a shoreline of broken quartz and gold… nuggets of all sizes. Captain Ingalls estimated 10 tons of gold lay in sight on the surface. He stayed for a day making a map of the area, then he packed up some nuggets and found his way down. He made camp when he reached Peshastin Creek where he buried the map he had made. He was awakened that night by the tremors of a great earthquake. When Captain Ingalls returned to Fort Simcoe he wrote to his friend John Hansel and told him the story of the golden

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Hansel homesteaded near the mouth of the creek Ingalls had described and spent years looking for the buried map and the golden lake. He never found either one. lake. He sent a sample of the gold and invited Hansel to join him in the work and the wealth. Captain Ingalls was shot and killed before John Hansel arrived. Hansel homesteaded near the mouth of the creek Ingalls had described and spent years

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April 2016

looking for the buried map and the golden lake. He never found either one. That great earthquake Ben Ingalls felt brought down a mountain side blocking the Columbia River for a time. Perhaps it also buried the crescent shaped lake and its gold. The 1872 earthquake happened on Dec. 14. The military has no record of a Captain Ben Ingalls being in the area then. Five years later, in October 1877, as another story goes, Franklin Freer took all the gold dust, nuggets and coins from his trading post at the Wenatchee/ Columbia confluence and buried it near the store. Then he left for Portland to see a doctor. He didn’t tell his business partners, his brother David and Sam Miller, what he had done. On the trip back to Wenatchee Franklin Freer fell ill and died near Yakima. Before he died he told someone about the buried gold. The story reached David Freer and Sam Miller in Wenatchee. They had discovered the gold was missing soon after Franklin had left, but in spite of much searching and digging they never found the treasure. In June of 1939, one of the log outbuildings from the trading post was located near the confluence prompting a new flurry of digging. No one ever reported finding any gold. There are other stories but perhaps the most intriguing of all the tales is the story of the “Trinidad Gold.” John Welch, his wife and daughter and two teenage nephews had followed stories of gold strikes up the Caribou Trail in northern British Columbia. They had done well and in the

a Mr. Lincoln claimed, that using a metal detector, he had found two saddlebags containing 60 pounds of gold jammed in a rock crevice... summer of 1876, with several hundred pounds of gold dust, they headed back to their home near Portland. They hired a half-breed Indian to guide them through Washington Territory. There may have been three others with them: a Mr. Stevenson and a Mr. Tuttle and his young daughter. The story is unclear about them. The party followed the Columbia south from Pateros. When they reached the Trinidad/ Crescent Bar area they learned that local Indians were attacking miners along the river, running them off and looting their camps. The Indian guide refused to go further and left them. The Welch Party decided to lighten their load to make better time. Somewhere in the cliffs and caves above the Columbia River they hid two pack saddles, supplies, all their unnecessary belongings and the gold. Each person hid their own gold in private and in separate spots then they crossed over the river and followed the Colockum Trail to Ellensburg and on to Fort Simcoe where they asked the Army to send soldiers back with them to recover the gold. The fort commander refused saying all his men were needed to deal with the growing Indian troubles. The party had no choice but Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

to go on to Portland without the gold. Thirty years passed before a Mr. Stevenson showed up in Quincy claiming he had been a member of the Welch Party. He spent a week exploring the cliffs above the river then put a wagon load of boxes on the train and left. He never came back. There were other efforts to find the gold. Only a few years later a young woman named Anna Tuttle claimed to have been a small girl with her father when he was a member of the Welch Party. She searched the area twice but never appeared to find anything.

In 1912, Harry Webley and his father were setting coyote traps in caves southwest of Quincy when they found two buried pack saddles and a box of personal items. They knew the story of the buried gold, so they spent some time searching the surrounding area but found nothing. Years later, a Mr. Lincoln claimed, that using a metal detector, he had found two saddlebags containing 60 pounds of gold jammed in a rock crevice and covered with a flat rock in the Ancient Lakes basin. His business partner said they had taken the gold to South

America and that Lincoln had stayed there. During the 1950s a lone homesteader as well as two other men built cabins near Ancient Lakes. After searching for years they abandoned the cabins and went on to live apparently affluent lives. So grab your shovel and pack your pick! It’s out there… maybe. Historian, actor and teacher Rod Molzahn can be reached at shake.speak@frontier.com. His third history CD, Legends & Legacies Vol. III - Stories of Wenatchee and North Central Washington, is now available at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center and at other locations throughout the area.

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column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

So much better in so few years The local wine world is mov-

ing entirely too fast for my aging brain and bones. I just sorted through some of my old notes, including some from Rob Newsom back in 2002, when he did a wine tasting for the Wenatchee Enological Society at Mountain Meadows Assisted Living facility in Leavenworth. (Thanks again to both Rob and his Boudreaux Cellars and the Wenatchee Enological Society for their support of the facility.) Somehow that seems to have happened light years ago when there were but four wineries in Chelan/Manson, two of which are still with us, only two wineries in East Wenatchee/ Wenatchee and five wineries in the Leavenworth area. I liked those early days; visiting the facilities was easier. Those days are well behind me, and because I love simple and easy, they will be forever missed. These days though, depending upon what or how one does the counting, there are now far more wineries in the Chelan, Douglas and Grant county areas than one can visit in a day, or even over a three-day weekend. With the coming of more wineries and an increase in interest in wine, and more education and experience for the winemakers, has come a change in the quality of the wines being produced by the local wineries. In the early days, I tasted some really badly made wines. I struggled on several occasions to remain polite while spitting out some really horrid tasting red liquid as well as some equally foul tasting and smelling white stuff. While there were badly made wines back then, those days are

behind us. All those bad wines are gone and have been replaced on the shelves by well-made, quality wines. I’ve no intention here of painting local wineries as the only wineries in the state to have undergone that transition. My first bottle of Washington red wine was a gift brought to our home by neighbors who were coming to dinner to welcome us to the neighborhood. The wine, a supposed Merlot, came from a winery in the TriCities. It’s still present and producing wines. I’m happy to say the current wines are very good. That Merlot, and I remember it well, was a 1985 Merlot that, by the palate judgement of all four of us at the dinner table that evening, was not quite suitable to be used as paint brush cleaner. It reeked so badly of nail-polish remover that one could not even dare to think about what it might taste like. The neighbors became good friends, and we rescued the meal by pulling out some California wine from our small wine cellar. It was a year or two after that introduction to the nectars of the state that we enjoyed our first Leonetti Cellars Merlot. This one was also a 1985 vintage. Remarkable difference between the quality of those bottles of wine, both from the same vintage year, same variety of grape, and according to the labels on the bottles, both were products of grapes from the same AVA, Columbia Valley AVA. The winemaker’s skills and abilities obviously accounted for the enormous difference between the two beverages. Nor are flawed, or faulted wines exclusively the province of the wines of Washington State. A wine fault or defect is an un-

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pleasant characteristic often the direct result of poor winemaking practices at the time, and it can happen to even the best of the winemakers anywhere in the world. A little carelessness in cleanliness and sanitation, and boom — a faulty wine has been created. No winery or winemaker screws up on purpose. Here’s a short list of things that have gone wrong during winemaking, what the fault or flaw is called and how you might easily detect it. One more point: price per bottle has little or nothing to do with finding flawed wines… the evils of chemistry on the loose can rage even against those most expensive bottles on the shelves. Flaw: Corked wine (aka TCA). TCA is caused by fungal spores inside natural wine corks that attack the chlorine compounds that were used to bleach the corks. It also arises infrequently in the absence of cork, sometimes from oak wood chips or oak barrels or winery wood treated with pentachlorophenols. (FYI: Sometimes, cheap wines have wood chips or sawdust tossed into the fermenting liquid to create the impression of the wines having been aged in expensive oak barrels.) Symptom: Smell of damp basement, or of wet cardboard or wet newspapers, or the smell of rotted mushrooms. Flaw: Ethyl acetate (VA). VA is caused by acetic acid bacteria; slightly fermenting damaged grapes can provide the environment to create a lot of vinegar, especially in a poorly supervised fermenting process. Symptom: Smell of paint thinner or nail polish remover. Flaw: Hydrogen Sulfide. Usually produced by yeast in musts

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April 2016

that are low in nitrogen. May be related to grape variety (particularly common in Riesling, Chardonnay and Syrah). Low soil nutrients or over-ripeness of the fruit may also contribute to the cause of this flaw. Symptom: Smell of rotten eggs. Flaw: Oxidation. This one may be the winery’s fault, or the fault of the distributor or the retailer. It’s a result of poor handling sometimes during fermentation, or when racking the wine, or when all that’s been successfully completed, simply storing the bottled wines badly in too warm an environment for too long a period of time. Symptom: Smell of cooked fruit, sherry and often of walnuts, this flaw is also detectable visibly by premature “bricking” or browning of the liquids. There are other things that could go wrong during the process of making wine, but these are among the most common flaws you’re likely to encounter. Even in the best of circumstances, things could have gone wrong. Importantly, remember this: if you’ve opened a bottle of wine and find it flawed, don’t hesitate to put the cork back in the bottle and return it to the place from which you purchased it. If it was from a local winery, I assure you, they want to know about it and present you with what they hope is an un-flawed replacement bottle. Alex Saliby is a wine lover who spends far too much time reading about the grapes, the process of making wine and the wines themselves. He can be contacted at alex39@msn. com.

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