December 2020 The Good Life by The Good Life

EDIBLE YULE TREE — GO AHEAD, EAT THE ORNAMENTS

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December 2020

The masked dancer — Finding good cheer in a bad year The easy rule of roundabouts — if you’re in, you win Taking a spring break with the grandson during the COVID fall

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Year 14, Number 12 December 2020 The Good Life is published by NCW Good Life, LLC, dba The Good Life 1107 East Denny Way, Apt. B-7 Seattle, WA 98122 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, Brad Brisbine, Mike Irwin, Jamie Howell, Carolyn Black, Linda and Ken Reid, Marlene and Kevin Farrell, James McGregor, Julanne Burts, Darlene Matule, Bruce McCammon, Donna Cassidy, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin and Rod Molzahn Advertising: Lianne Taylor Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Dianne Cornell Ad design, Linda Day 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 subscription services 1107 East Denny Way, Apt. B-7 Seattle, WA 98122 For circulation questions, email: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

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By Mike Irwin

snow squall last winter briefly veiled the Orondo Street crossing in Wenatchee. Memories from decades ago blew in with the flurries. As kids in Louisiana, we’d stand mid-track to play the game “Where To?” It forced us to study maps, so

we’d know that far north — beyond those converging, disappearing rails — rose Memphis, St. Louis and the great mystery of Chicago. We had Yankee cousins up there who lived exotic lives. In summer, they spoke in the language of baseball statistics and, in winter, wore thermal underwear. We occasionally got photos of them on sleds in snow and imagined igloos and icebergs. Now I can’t cross a railroad track without mentally boarding a train for “where to.” I click-clack thataway, speeding towards the vanishing point,

>> RANDOM QUOTE

There is strange comfort in knowing that no matter what happens today, the sun will rise again tomorrow.” Aaron Lauritsen 4

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December 2020

wondering what adventures might await. You can see more of Mike Irwin’s photographs and commentary at IrwinFoto365.com.

On the cover

It seems fitting that Melissa Miller-Port, a veteran producer of elaborate dance productions, should be photographed for The Good Life at a costume rack in her studio wearing a decidedly playful and Covid-safe mask. Being grounded for these last months has been tough for her Fabulous Feet dance students, but Melissa and her staff have them on their feet again, taking classes, dancing up a storm for video and — most importantly — for themselves. See the story about Melissa on page 30. Photo by Mike Irwin.

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

Contents

Smelling success in this new series I

n a previous journalism life, I owned and edited monthly business journals. We had all of the usual business stories — new companies coming to town, profiles of local business leaders, news of expansions — but my favorite feature was something we developed called Business Births. As the title might indicate, we contacted folks taking out new business licenses and then wrote six to eight paragraphs on these births. The fun was the joy shown by the new owners. And why not? Creating a business takes imagination, confidence and a willingness to try something new. Just like the underlying emotions in most of our stories in The Good Life. In taking photos of the new business people, I once went to a worksite in south Wenatchee where the owner was skinning bark from small logs to be used as supports for rows of grapes in the new vineyards sprouting up locally. Standing among the peeled poles and bark, the business owner waved around his nose, sniffed hard and said, “You know you’re going to be a success when you love the smell of where you work.” Now honestly, I don’t know if he was a success or not, and besides, success can be measured in a number of different ways, not just longevity. But his comment has stayed with me, because as editor of the business journal, I often did press checks when the paper was printed, and I did indeed love the smell of ink hitting paper at high speeds.

Anyway, this is a lot of words before getting to the point, which is we are starting a new, occasional feature called “Made Here” about local entrepreneurs chasing their business dreams. Our kick-off story is by Marlene Farrell, who writes about Shawna Villalvazo, owner of The Bubblery in Leavenworth. Said Marlene in talking about the genesis of the story: “I had been an occasional shopper at The Bubblery over the years, but I got to know Shawna better through my work at Cascade Medical Foundation, collaborating with her for the Think Pink fundraiser. “I didn’t even know that Think Pink had been her brainchild, but I was moved by Shawna’s quiet passion and cheerful enthusiasm to help women who couldn’t afford mammograms. “And in her shop, she’s either working on crafting beautiful products or engaging gently with customers. I thought, ‘She deserves some limelight.’” Touching on the theme of loving the smell of where you work, Marlene said Shawna’s shop is filled with floral and spicy aromas among beautiful hand-cut soaps. The Made Here story we have lined up for the January issue also involves a business where the smells can drive you wild — in a good way. Maybe we should change the name of this series to: Smelling Good Here.

page 12

TAKING A GRANDSON ON A COVID BREAK Features

Yes, a yule tree you can eat

There’s no problem of disposing of this Christmas tree

8 rules of the roundabouts It’s simple, people: Yield left and turn right

10 RED CROSS spirit of giving

This couple finds volunteering is a way to contribute to the community while achieving their own healthy balance

12 taking a spring break in the covid fall It’s still possible to take a grandson on a fun trip

14 soap it up

Entrepreneur follows her dreams by inventing sensory soaps

16 short hikes on the long pct

If you don’t have the time or energy to walk the 2,653 mile Pacific Crest Trail, there are alternatives that still come with great vistas

18 Zooming in on eagles

Julanne Burts is a passionate observer — and photographer — of the Horan Nature Trail eagle nest

20 designing people spaces

The first essential job of these architects is to listen to how people live Art sketches n Art appraiser Jerry Goroski , page 28 n Dance instructor and producer Melissa Miller-Port, page 30

It takes more than loving the smell of money to be a successful entrepreneur. Enjoy The Good Life. — Mike December 2020 | The Good Life

Columns & Departments 6 A bird in the lens: These sparrows look like their name 24 Pet Tales: Baby Kitten is a fraidy cat 25 June Darling: Soar upward through acts of goodness 26 The traveling doctor: Fighting chronic inflammation 31 The calendar and a Dan McConnell cartoon 32 History: Planting veggies between rows of apples 34 That’s life: Christmas delayed www.ncwgoodlife.com

column a bird in the lens

White-crowned sparrows appear here in wintertime By Bruce McCammon When you see a mature White-crowned Sparrow, there is little doubt about how it got its name. The bright white streak down the center of the top of its head is clearly evident and immediately catches your attention. Black stripes sit just above another band of white that forms an eyebrow extend- Bruce McCammon ing to the rear is retired, colorof the head. blind and enjoys photographing the A second birds in north cenblack stripe tral Washington. stretches from the base of the beak to the eye then from back of the eye to the rear of the head. This zebra-like appearance is easily seen with the naked eye if you’re reasonably close to the bird. Immature White-crowned Sparrows show the same striping but the bright white found in adults is replaced with a more

White-crowned Sparrow’s head has a zebra-like appearance.

dull, buff color. Other field marks that you can use to identify this sparrow include a yellow beak, a brown back with streaks, and a plain gray breast and belly area. They measure from 6.5 to 7.5 inches in length and have a wing span of about 10 inches. They can be seen scratching on the ground to expose seeds, fruits

and insects. White-crowned Sparrows are found throughout North America at one time or another. In Washington, they can be seen year-around on the west side of the Cascades and are winter birds on the east side. In Wenatchee, I’ve photographed them as early as September and as late as April. I use several apps on my phone to learn about and identify birds. One of my go-to bird apps is the iBird Pro Guide to Birds by the Mitch Waite Group. It provides some interesting facts about these sparrows. For example, they have been studied extensively and are fundamental to a lot of our understanding of bird songs and Got a good story to tell? email: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

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December 2020

behavior. Male White-crowns learn their songs and calls from other, mature White-crowns as they mature. I always wonder about some of the collective nouns applied to bird species. The app notes that a group of White-crowned Sparrows is known as a “crew,” “flutter”, “quarrel” and “ubiquity.” The last term, ubiquity, certainly reinforces the fact that White-crowned Sparrows are very common and seen frequently. December is a great time to watch for White-crowned Sparrows. Watch for small flocks of brown birds with distinctive white and black stripes. Take a drive or go on a hike and you can find them in cities and towns as well as out in the shrub-steppe areas of central Washington. Don’t forget your binoculars and camera. Good luck!

Edible Yule tree: Please eat the ornaments

By Carolyn Black

olidays bring visions of sugar in all forms, but I was bound and determined to figure out a way to cut the calories and still have fun. A booklet we got at the county fair gave me ideas — we could create a shape like a Christmas tree, and make the ornaments out of vegetables. The booklet had pictures of many fun things using tools I had, and vegetables that were easy to find. Some needed to be cut up and done the night before the party, like radishes, carrot curls and green onions. I found a stash of rigid Styrofoam insulation in my husband’s shop, and with his permission, and using two nails plus a length of string, I marked circles, starting with one as big as I could get. Eventually all were cut using a hacksaw blade, and stacking them, I had a tiered cone a little taller than three feet. Securing the layers was done with a large tube sock of cheesecloth. The first time, large lettuce leaves covered the Styrofoam. A long strand of Christmas tree lights wrapped around the tree helped hold the leaves on, and the toothpicks holding the lettuce leaves and lights on gave me the spots to hang cut vegetables. Then the fun began. Sliced carrots, trimmed broccoli, cauliflower, pea pods, asparagus, olives, baby corn, sliced peppers of four colors, even long skinny slices made with a vegetable peeler from daikon radishes, they all become ornaments. A ring of tangerines around the base finishes it off. For the kids, pepperoni cut with cookie cutters into small gingerbread men and decorated

Over the years (30 at least), I have learned what to use, and what not to use. The lettuce withers too quickly, and cherry tomatoes are neither that popular nor hold that well. with mustard add to the charm. Cutting the corner off from a packet of mustard is the perfect way to decorate the little gingerbread men. Gathering three or four of the green onions (roots left intact) tied together with an extra green top can become a choir. One carefully cuts the “head” and decorates with tiny slices of red pepper for the lips and cloves can be used for eyes. Over the years (30 at least), I have learned what to use, and what not to use. The lettuce withers too quickly, and cherry tomatoes are neither that popular nor hold that well. I have browsed the aisles of grocery stores looking for canned veggies to use, and found the cutest tiny pickled beets, more pickled veggies, and some really fun ways to use others. Quarter-inch slices of turnips then cut out with cookie cutters in fun shapes and edges painted with food coloring have really brightened it. For years while working, I would create the tree for the office, but it was never totally eaten, so I brought it home. My family would have a huge salad for dinner, and finish most of it that evening. The lettuce all went into animal feed. Some

A couple of hours of prep and then another couple of hours of assembly can create an edible Christmas tree.

ornaments were saved for the next morning’s quiche. Now I use kale instead of lettuce, and once the tree is home, I can strip off the kale, rinse and freeze it to use in soup along with most of the left-over veggies. Using a box of zip lock baggies, the leftovers can go home with guests. For smaller groups, a large round loaf of French bread or a cabbage head can be used for the base, and one can fold a slice of pepperoni into a flower with an olive center. Cheese cubes, the pickled veggies and sliced peppers can become a small centerpiece. My daughter has used fruits of all kinds, and even used tortillas for covering the base so the visible item is totally edible. She

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lines up the fruit using toothpicks, making it look like a cake. It takes about two hours of work the night before the party cutting up all the veggies and storing them in the refrigerator. The radishes, carrot curls and green onions will “curl” over night in a large container of water and ice. On the day of the party, it takes another couple of hours to put it all together. I have found, that putting the kale and lights on while at home allows me to transport it with less to do at the party. Everyone loves to be part in decorating the tree and sampling — sometimes I feel I must hide, out of sight so it doesn’t get eaten before everyone can enjoy it.

Around and around: Traffic going in circles, with the heads of drivers spinning.

If you’re in, you win: Rules of the roundabout W

By Jamie Howell

estern Avenue was the freeway of my youth — a straight, uninterrupted stretch of road one mile west of my hometown’s main drag. Without a single stoplight from Saddlerock to Sunrise Circle to slow me down, I could cross town fast enough to sneak in my girlfriend’s window on Springwater for a little high school hanky panky and still make it to hockey practice on time. Then came the stop lights — Fifth Street, Springwater, Ninth, Maple — chopping up our speedway into safe, and significantly slower, little segments. But what seemed a travesty to

us lead-footed, self-interested teenagers made perfect sense to a civic planner. At the intersection of Springwater and Western, the evening sun has a way of hitting you in the eyes just so. You might never see that Bronco doing 50 in the 35 until it comes through the driver’s side door. There had been fatalities over the years. So Western Avenue became slower and safer … and, as the population of the Wenatchee Valley grew and the orchards became housing developments, slower and slower still. Then, about five years ago, our city leaders began delivering the next evolution in traffic technology in the form of the muchdespised but eminently logical roundabout.

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The idea of a roundabout itself is a laudable one. The goal is to impose a calming effect on traffic... Roundabouts aren’t exactly new tech. The French put in their giant traffic circle around the Arc de Triomphe in 1907. Skip forward 111 years to the summer of 2018 and for the low, low price of $413,457 that corner at Western and Springwater was transformed into a modern-day concrete donut. Voila, Wenatchee was up to speed. The idea of a roundabout itself is a laudable one. The goal is

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December 2020

to impose a calming effect on traffic by forcing motorists to slow down while simultaneously allowing them to roll through California stops like they’re celebrities in Santa Monica. It’s safer and involves a lot less sitting around at stoplights. What’s not as laudable has been the ability of local drivers to adapt to our new circular intersections. It’s like, now that your aging Gran-Gran has finally figured out how to check email on her iPhone, you go and move all family communications to TikTok. Good luck, Gran-Gran! There are plenty of stiffly narrated and oft-times confusing YouTube videos out there (links below for your enjoyment) that dive deep into the intricacies of

roundabouting. But in the interest of helping out, I’ve developed a more simplified set of guidelines — just two rules: Rule 1: If You’re In, You Win Rule 2: Look Left See, if you break down the actual functions of a roundabout, there are only two things it’s really trying to do: Keep people (in their cars) from hitting each other while also keeping them from stopWriter Jamie Howell looking for sanity on the islands. ping unnecessarily. I’ll elaborate just a smidge: and small animals, you don’t If You’re In, You Win: This gotta stop for nobody. simply means that any car inside Look Left: You look left bethe circle before you are has the cause that’s the only direction right of way. Nobody is supfrom which anybody could conposed to stop when approaching ceivably hit you. All U.S. traffic a traffic circle UNLESS somecircles go counterclockwise, so if body’s in there already who they’re coming, they’re coming might hit you. from the left. And if YOU are in the traffic Of course, all the other usual circle, it’s smooth sailing, Papi. traffic rules still apply. If there’s Short of bicyclists, pedestrians a sign, you have to do what it

says. Walkers and bikers are still completely untouchable. All the normal stuff you already know. “Yeah, but,” I hear you protesting, “What if two cars arrive at exactly the same time?” Seriously, if you have a driver’s license, you know this one already, too — it’s the fella to your right who gets the right of way, just like at a stop sign. But you still don’t have to stop, you just have to let them go first and avoid hitting

them. If you’re in, you win. And look left. As a driver approaching a roundabout, if you will just try to recall these two simple rules, you should come out on the other side undamaged and unruffled every time. I love that I can whip around the corner from Western onto Springwater without stopping, like it’s 1986 all over again. And

Round The Web The Washington DOT offers

explainers here (prepare to feel as if you’ve travelled back in time to Driver’s Ed circa 1983): https://wsdot.wa.gov/Safety/ roundabouts/default.htm A look at the national consensus from Cheddar Explains: “Why the U.S. Hates Roundabouts” https://www.YouTube.com/ watch?v=AqcyRxZJCXc I love not sitting at empty stoplights stuck on red. What I don’t love is the heightened risk that comes when some “circle jerk” won’t play by these very simple rules to keep everybody safe. Which leads me, I suppose, to one final addendum to my Rules of the Roundabout. Rule #3: Remember, not everyone knows how to operate the thing yet. Safe driving! Jamie Howell of Howell at the Moon Productions is a writer, director and enthusiastic home cook based in north central Washington.

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Volunteers

The spirit of giving For these volunteers, the Red Cross is a way to contribute to the community while finding their own healthy balance By Linda Reid

in that moment. This process is emotionally exhausting for everyone involved, and on days like this, work continues pretty much around the clock. However, it feels amazing to be able to assure our clients that the Red Cross has their backs, and they are not alone. We not only provide shelter, but we offer care and hope. I always remind myself that I am not there to fix my clients (they are not broken) or help them (they are not weak) but to serve them. We encourage them to believe that they are whole and holy, and they have the strength within them to get through

The first call for help woke my husband Ken and I at 2:30 a.m. on Labor Day, as a rapidly growing fire in the Okanogan (again) had exploded and was heading south, threatening homes as it advanced. As Red Cross volunteers, we were both on-call to virtually help evacuees. My assignment was to reach out to clients who had already called the Red Cross Hot Line because they were at level 3 evacuation orders (“Get out NOW”) and needed a place to stay. Controlled burn to fight a wildfire at Brewster brightens the night sky in this photo taken near the Red I would do a virtual Cross shelter there. intake interview with them by phone to this. determine their needs (shelter in that was pet friendly, and I put This is life-giving work that a hotel, meals, health services, in a request for Red Cross health makes a positive difference for emotional support, spiritual services to call him about rethose who are served and for care, pet care and more). Ken placing his medications. those of us who serve. was assigned to then find and Ken and I had just dozed Our pathway to becoming book them into appropriate hooff around 4:30 a.m. when my Red Cross volunteers came after tels, since the Red Cross tries to phone rang again. It was a call our retirement and subsequent avoid congregate sheltering due from our same client who said, move to Wenatchee in 2016. We to COVID-19. “I just thought you’d want to began looking for opportuniThat 2:30 a.m. call was from know, I’m checked into my room ties to contribute to our new a man who had escaped the fire and I just really wanted to say community in ways that tapped with such little warning that he thank you.” into our belief in the dignity of had left with only the clothes on As the hours passed and calls the human person, care for the his back and his dog. rapidly came in for us to handle, vulnerable, and promoting soli“I didn’t even have time to the fire alarmingly jumped the darity in community, all with a grab my medications,” he anxColumbia River and headed tofamily crisis, with all its chaos focus on the common good. iously told me from the back of ward Bridgeport and Brewster. and complications right in the We found that the Red Cross the Sheriff’s car as they drove As I interviewed clients over midst of packing up to evacuate. has a mission we can fully away from the fire. Ken found the phone, it was like dropping Everything else in my life fell him a room in a near-by hotel into the middle of their unique, away as I became one with them embrace. We pictured our-

...it feels amazing to be able to assure our clients that the Red Cross has their backs, and they are not alone. We not only provide shelter, but we offer care and hope.

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December 2020

selves helping serve ciate the structure nourishing food to of the organization. fire fighters and first There is always responders during someone available to wildfire season. We answer our call if we had no idea of the get into a situation broad range of service where we are not sure opportunities the Red what to do. A safety Cross has to offer its net is reliably there 372,000 nation-wide for every volunteer or volunteers. staff person. It surprised us that We also love that only 5 percent of the the story of the Red work force of the Red Cross is local, nationcross is made up of al and global. It has salaried staff, which operated for 140 years means a full 95 perwith the commitment cent of the work force to turn compassion is made up of voluninto action. teers. We believe in the Over time, we have Red Cross’ underlaycross-trained in severing principles of coal areas and can wear operation and peace, different “hats” deimpartiality without pending on the need. discrimination, unity, This might involve Dicredibility, creativity, saster Relief, or Blood and commitment. We Drives, or Disaster have observed in our Preparedness, supthree and a half years port for U.S. Military with the Red Cross Families, or working that these values are with the International reflected consistently Red Cross and Red in the actions of both Crescent movement, staff and volunteers. active in nearly 200 On top of all that, countries. whatever we give as Our Disaster Provolunteers is multigram Manager, Hanplied and comes back nah Christen, (part of to us. that 5 percent that is On the day of the Linda and Ken Reid went to Okanogan early in November to do more post wild fire damage assessRed Cross staff) coor- ments. This was a mobile home, and the visit captures very well what the Red Cross volunteers do, big Okanogan fire, dinates the programs every person I talked said Linda. ”I meet with the owners, listening to their story and gathering information to send in to for Chelan, Douglas, to and helped find verify their request for assistance. It is very rewarding work and we feel blessed to serve in this way.” Grant and Okanogan housing expressed Photo by Ken Reid counties from the East heartfelt gratitude. Wenatchee office. One of her This work helps us keep our He came inside and found a fire passions is Disaster Preparedperspective and maintain a had started in my kitchen. He ness, especially installing home healthy balance in our own lives. was able to put it out and saved smoke alarms for the “Sound the We would even go as far as to my home!” Alarm” program. say it contributes to our living Hannah calls those kind of Hannah recently told me Red Cross experiences, “mission “the good life.” about a woman who had come moments.” I have also heard one Red Cross welcomes inquiries about up to her at the end of a day of of our fellow volunteers refer to volunteer opportunities. If you want installing smoke alarms. the work we do under the banmore information, you can email She said, “I just wanted to ner of the Red Cross as “worthLinda at Linda.reid@redcross.org thank you for my smoke alarm. while business.” or call Kari Strain (Senior Volunteer Recruitment Specialist) at American Some folks from Red Cross put Those “mission moments” and Red Cross, NW Region (509) 679-8795, one in for me six months ago. I “worthwhile business” provided or go to www.redcross.org/volunteerwas away from home not long motivation for doing what we today. ago, and my next-door neighbor do. heard my smoke alarm go off. We have also come to appre-

It surprised us that only 5 percent of the work force of the Red cross is made up of salaried staff, which means a full 95 percent of the work force is made up of volunteers.

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Travels with the grandson

Spring break in the COVID fall F

By James McGregor

or a few decades now, my wife Julene and I have taken a “Spring Break” trip. Sometimes it was just our kids and sometimes we would take the kids and a friend or two. Our kids are now grown, so when we go on a trip in the spring, we will sometimes take our grandson Bentley. 2020 was very different from other years. With the pandemic, a Spring Break trip was out of the question. It was tough news for Bentley. He was looking forward to the trip since we talked about it around Christmas 2019. Our family trips are usually full of unexpected issues. Having three daughters, crazy things tended to happen at times. It would not be unusual for us to be seen with a daughter wearing a fake mustache on vacation or even having a daughter get into poison ivy and a few minutes later, fall into the mud. We even had a daughter needing one last bowl of clam chowder, after a full meal, “Just to fill in the cracks,” and ended up with a tummy ache. All of these issues fail to compare to COVID-19 and what it did to our plans. Months went by and as the world started to settle into the norms of COVID-19, we started to think about the “Spring Break” trip — only to be taken in the fall. First, we had to find an activity that was open. The list was very short. Normally, I try to plan our trips near bookstores, unfortunately at this point bookstores were closed. After some careful thought

and some research, we found that Northwest Trek Wildlife Park — a 723-acre wildlife park located in the town of Eatonville — was open and that there were changes in place that would make the adventure safe. Hotel selection changed. Gone were the amenities criteria, replaced with the COVID-19 safety requirements. We let Bentley make the final decision. If I had known the decision-making process, I might have spoken up before we made the reservations; however, I didn’t know until we had arrived. While an adult’s hotel choices are usually based on how clean it is or the extras that might be included, the mind of an 8-yearold is very different. It came down to an orange chair. That is right, the lobby had an orange couch/chair and that is how Bentley chose our hotel. Upon hearing this, a cringe grew that soon turned into anxiety. I pictured us sleeping on a mattress on the floor in a cockroach-infested hotel because an 8-year-old wanted a hotel with an orange chair. This was not a comforting thought at the time, and would only be relieved after arriving at the very nice hotel, that also had orange furniture. One of the major changes in the Northwest Trek tour is that the train tour was no longer taking place because of COVID-19. Instead of the buses, we would be driving our car in a caravan tour with a guide leading the way. In addition, there was limited space in the park and reservations had to be made. We ended up splitting our tour. We did the driving portion of the tour on Friday and

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Jimmy McGregor and Bentley walk through the animal park: “Spending time with my grandson is sometimes as simple as walking with him and talking about what we see and hear,” said Jimmy. “I love being one of his guides through life.”

Bentley and his prize, the orange couch that he dreamed of sitting on.

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December 2020

A bison showed up to say hello.

By the end of his adventure, Bentley was very tired and happy.

Taking a car caravan Northwest Trek, one of the first animals encountered was this white goat.

the walking part of the tour on Saturday. The car portion of the tour was very comforting. We were able to stay in the safety of our vehicle and view many different animals. Many of the animals were very close to the road, and we were told that every drive is slightly different. Our unique experi-

ence included hearing elk calls and seeing caribou. We also had a mountain goat walk right beside our car. After a long day driving to and through Northwest Trek, it was time to get something to eat. It is sometimes difficult to find a great place to eat under normal circumstances, and COVID-19 made this process December 2020 | The Good Life

even more complicated. We used our phones to not only find restaurants that were open but to also decide on what we were going to eat. We decided on a restaurant; however, upon arriving, there was an extremely long line. This is normal in our current world. We ended up at an Ivar’s Seafood Bar. When we go on trips with Bentley, we encourage him to try new foods. As he was starting to eat the chicken he ordered, he decided to try a clam strip. The last trip we were on, he tried calamari and ended up eating a large portion. There was no difference with the www.ncwgoodlife.com

clam strips. He ended up eating more of Julene’s clam strips and shrimp than she did. The chicken was barely touched. Lesson learned: Order his meal after he tries everyone else’s food. It was a nice end to our first day. The next day we did the walking tour, which had changed because of COVID-19. Freely walking around the park had been replaced with a one-way walk. Other changes included the gift shop being outside, and many barricades that prevented meandering. I have to say that the walk was still nice and peaceful. We had to keep masks on all of the time we were in the park and it was not a big deal. We were able to see most, if not all, of the animals. Both the driving and walking tours were different from our previous tours but they were also very similar to other tours at the park we had taken and I believe we saw just as many animals. In the end the adventure was very different from our previous adventures but just as entertaining. It is possible to have a successful vacation even in this new environment with a few minor adjustments.

An artisan creating comforts for body and soul Story by Marlene Farrell Photos by Kevin Farrell

As autumn days grow dark-

er and colder, many of us pine for summer, just like Shawna Villalvazo. “A couple years ago I stood in my shop wishing I could be out by the river in summer,” she said. “I wanted the warmth, so I went to my soap pot and mixed up all the scents I remembered.” The result was Naked by the River, one of the most popular soaps sold in Shawna’s shop, The Bubblery, in Leavenworth. Speckled with clay and sea salt, this turquoise soap has a sweet but earthy bouquet from a combination of apple, sweet grass and mint. Each of the body care products in The Bubblery, from Moonflower and Sunset in Bali to Drunken Pear and Wild Pumpkin Fig, may entice a customer by fulfilling a sensory and nostalgic longing. Inventing new soaps, lotions and bath fizzers is Shawna’s favorite part of her work. “My research includes walking outdoors, looking at the sky and foliage on the ground or craving a particular dessert and then finding how these items can be made into a soap or body care product.” Her work area is full of dozens of bottles and jars, containing kitchen ingredients such as turmeric, rosemary, ground ginger and coconut sugar, and lots of herbs like calendula and rose petals and lavender, as well as a variety of essential oils. “It’s always been important to me to use high quality ingre-

Made

HERE

An occasional series about local entrepreneurs chasing their business dreams dients and keep products affordable so everyone can have a little self-care when they need it and not have to break the bank. I make sure we are ethically sourcing and not using ingredients harmful to the planet or us.” Shawna’s passion for the business is rooted in how the creative process has helped her heal from tough times in the past. Growing up in Idaho, Shawna was always experimenting in the kitchen and dabbling in the arts. She sold her bath and body care items at markets and events, and then opened a small workspace with a friend, having their young children with them in the shop most days. Things took a turn after her family relocated to Seattle. Shawna lost her mother to cancer and went through a divorce, bringing financial and emotional hardship. Eventually she remarried and relocated to Leavenworth. “Due to the encouragement of friends, family and my husband, I decided to get back into what I truly enjoy.” Shawna gives all of herself to her business. “A typical day for me is working from the time I get up to when I go to sleep. The only thing I don’t enjoy is the paperwork.” Her generosity of spirit is revealed in many ways. She shared the name “The Bubblery” with

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Shawna’s work area could be mistaken for a kitchen with pots and bowls and shelves full of ingredients.

Shawna holds a molded soap ready to be cut into bars.

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December 2020

Sunset in Bali soap: A vacation for your imagination, this is made with sandalwood powder, mandarin and myrrh, and decorated with gold mica for some extra sunshine.

The final step for this Moonflower bath fizzer is a sprinkle of gold dust.

The Birchwood Bath Fizzer blends charcoal, calendula flowers, safflower, juniper essential oils, dark amber and birchwood. December 2020 | The Good Life

friends who worked alongside her and moved away. Now there’s a shop in Nashville and Pittsburgh. “We operate our own businesses. I think we should all do what we love. It’s not about competition.” In honor of her mother, Shawna has always given to charities affiliated with cancer research and breast cancer awareness. “I would raise money and send it out of state. Then it occurred to me that if I took the money across the street to Cascade Medical it could have a more direct impact.” From Shawna’s brainstorm, Think Pink, an annual campaign, was born. Through collaboration between the hospital, The Bubblery and other local businesses, thousands of dollars have been raised for free mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women during the month of October. COVID-19 meant closing her doors for a few months last spring and going totally online. “During this time, we worked with the doors locked. The lights were off in the main shopping area. Looking back, it was symbolic of how we were feeling at that time, that there is good in this world despite the bad. We packed boxes with the intent of spreading joy. Everyone ordering was keeping us afloat.” Moving forward, Shawna is guided by a trifecta of values: creativity, sustainability and gratitude. These are incorporated in her product, Milk Bath, a skin softening soak. “This season I’ve revived Milk Bath, because we so need time out and renewing, and I feel this does it on a whole different level. After a long day, this is the most nourishing for me personally.”

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Short hikes

on the long

Spectacle Lake, set in a basin of glacier-polished rock, is well known to thru-hikers at mile 2,412. Mile 8 for short hiker Brad Brisbane. It’s one of many lakes in the southwest corner of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

PCT

A snow tarn gives an opportunity to express unity with its entire circumference.

Story and photos by Brad Brisbine

ther than some extremesports, one of the most agreedupon measure of athletic physical endurance is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

The 2,653-mile journey from Mexico to Canada takes several months, and is just as mentally grueling. Those that complete the winding path through beautiful country in full immersion with nature, have their outlook on life changed forever. For those of us not physically

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and mentally motivated to be thru-hikers, the good news is we can still enjoy visual highlights of what they see. The PCT has numerous access trails from west and east. I passed a PCT thru-hiker once who had 2,500 miles under his belt.

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December 2020

He asked how far I had hiked, and I said six miles from the car. He couldn’t believe it! What I couldn’t believe is how tiny his pack was compared to mine, and I was only out for two nights. Our beloved Alpine Lakes Wilderness contains an exceptionally scenic section of the

Triple-summited Three Queens, presiding over the snowy basin. First climbed in 1925.

Autumn and winter colliding. And Brad had the good fortune to see it.

PCT, between Snoqualmie Pass and Stevens Pass. This is known as Section “J” to PCT’ers. I’ve accessed portions of this stretch many times, using it as a launch pad for lakes above.

For late-season hikes, I prefer to venture to the west side of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, for lusher groundcover. Carpets of red huckleberry leaves make for idyllic landscapes. Autumn hikes are always the most unpredictable, trying to match the peak color with the best weather and fit in with a work schedule. When everything comes together, it’s magic. Photos here show fall-towinter hiking variability. We arrived two days after the first snow of the season. Much of the red huckleberry carpet was under six inches of fresh snow; a new beauty.

As Washington’s sixth highest peak and the nation’s largest exposed mass of granite, Mount Stuart’s prominence dominates the eastern side of the Wilderness. December 2020 | The Good Life

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ZOOMING IN ON eagles ‘Armed with a Nikon 5600 camera, plus two lenses — a wide angle and a zoom — I was down at the eagle’s nest for hours at a time. Waiting for the eggs to hatch, watching the parents bring in food.’ Story and photos by Julanne Burts

My Name is Julanne Burts

and I enjoy photographing our local eagles and documenting their progress. I suppose that sounds a little like an introduction to a 12-step program but I assure you this is a harmless hobby. I was born in Wenatchee and graduated from Eastmont High School in 1977, became a dental assistant, got married. College took us to Pullman and careers took us to King County in the early ’80s. We returned in 2002, when my husband was able to transfer back to this area. We have been back for 18 years and are grateful to be home in this beautiful area. When we moved back home, our house attracted a lot of birds and my mother, who lived with us at the time, fed them. I think she may have spent as much on bird seed as she did on dog food, and she had four dogs. We soon had hundreds of sparrows and finches turning bird seed into fertilizer. Maybe it was the exposure, maybe it was genetic, but I was also interested in birds. Watching them play and flit about provided lots of entertainment for mom and me. We also attracted humming birds and for the last 15 years, we have maintained a year round feeder. We can see and hear them from our living room. These amazing birds filled

up several pages in my photo album. One winter morning, a sharpskin hawk settled on our fence and waited for dinner to fly by. It was magnificent, with beautiful plumage, yellow eyes and sharp talons. It was also very confident and tolerated my photography with an attitude of royal indifference. During high school I got interested in photography but cameras and film were expensive. We had to wait for the film to be processed and the cost made us timid about wasting film. Still, I have hundreds of pictures of friends, kids, family and pets. Some of them are pretty good, many of them are not. Our camera went on most of our trips and we obtained some telephoto lenses and filters to improve our results. When photography went digital it was revolutionary. Cameras and the cost of photography dropped. Our outdoor activities gradually became a way for me to get out and take pictures. With digital editing, we could improve the image and crop pictures. On a hike to Blue Lake in the North Cascades, we averaged one picture every 500 feet. Until we got to the lake, then I practically filled the memory stick with images as the lake changed colors over and over. It was during this time that I wore out my trusty digital camera. With all those photos the odds were some of them would be good pictures. As I practiced,

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TOP: Mom eagle flies from the nest, announcing lunch, as she had just dropped off food. The junior eagles came in a few minutes later. ABOVE: Mom and dad switch off on a February day, taking turns on the nest after the eggs were laid.

the results improved and soon I was sharing pictures on Facebook and giving them away as presents. I unofficially became the official photographer for the Apple Country Snowmobile Club and

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December 2020

this gave me more opportunities to share pictures. It wasn’t long before my next camera started to wear out. Maybe it was too much time in the bumpy old truck or too many jolts on the snowmobile.

Dad eagle bringing home the bacon... or in this case, a fish.

ABOVE: Julanne Burts finds that documenting eagles is a great way to de-stress. LEFT: This was the third eaglet to fly from the 2020 hatching.

I don’t know. But I did know it was time for new equipment. As I was considering new equipment, I learned about the new eagle nest on the Horan Nature Trail. According to an

article in the Wenatchee World, there had not been an eagle’s nest in the Confluence area for 30 years. I wanted to get pictures and struggled with my old equipment until my husband, who tolerates my obsession with December 2020 | The Good Life

mild amusement, suggested this would be a good birthday present. Away to the forums I flew. I read about different makes and models of cameras. What features were useful, and tips and techniques to take better pictures. I got expert advice from our cousin who has been a serious photographer for 45 years. Now, armed with a Nikon 5600 camera, plus two lenses — a wide angle and a zoom — I was down at the eagle’s nest for hours at a time. Waiting for the eggs to hatch, watching the parents bring in food. I was delighted as the eaglet first appeared above the rim of the nest. Excited as he or she — it is hard to tell with baby eagles — started developing its feathers and exercising in the nest. I was a little sad when the young eagle launched its own life in June of that year. I wish it all the success possible. The Horan Nature Trail is a wonderful resource for our comwww.ncwgoodlife.com

munity. This sanctuary in the city is home for eagles, osprey, deer, pheasants, owls, all sorts of waterfowl and birds. There was even a moose. But I believe she has settled down and started a family somewhere else. This is all available to anyone willing to put their phone in their pocket as they walk through. In 2020, with COVID, and lock downs, and all the social disruption that goes with it, documenting the eagles was a way for me to de-stress. It was also a good year for our resident eagles as they raised three babies. Eagles have made a comeback in the lower 48 states. Their numbers, once dangerously low, are increasing and I am pleased that my grandchildren will be able to share these magnificent raptors with their grandchildren. To see more pictures and stories of the eagles, go to Julanne’s Wenatchee wildlife photos, on facebook.

Partners in creating people spaces The first essential job is listening to how people live before designing where they will live Editor’s note: This month’s At Home feature introduces two female architects with diverse backgrounds and compatible strengths. Their Wenatchee firm, Forte Architects, employs 12 people. Notably, currently 10 are women.

By Susan Lagsdin

rchitecture may be the perfect blend of art and science, but essentially it’s about people, not simply the buildings they inhabit. And ironically, though “people skills” rate high on descriptors of successful professional women, they are only 17 percent of the nation’s architects; most firms in north central Washington dip below that average. Ellyn Freed and Lenka Slapnicka are not only in their firm’s gender majority; at age 30 and 60 respectively, they aptly bracket the deliberate generational mix. They are both principal partners in Forte Architects, and when they share ideas and laugh and puzzle out solutions together, they seem like sisters. Their world of difference forms a bridge, not a barrier. Ellyn was hired by Lenka, who is the firm’s co-founder. Ellyn was raised here, attended Ellyn Freed and Lenka Slapnicka work together with 10 other colleagues, most of them women, in this Wenatchee High School and the University of Washington and enjoyed a six-year career open, light space that’s designed for freedom of thought and easy collaboration. Photo by Mike Irwin spin in New York City; she’s a hometown girl who’s returned to her roots. University in Brno and was a professional ar- with business partner Tom Bassett. Lenka emigrated from the Czech Republic chitect for decades before coming to work in Ellyn is age-appropriately tech savvy and with a master’s degree from the Technical Wenatchee, where she opened Forte in 2006 said, “Everybody is when you leave school

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December 2020

“... I was always into visual patterns and creating imaginary scenes for games. And forts — I made the best backyard forts.” — after that it’s up to you to make something of it.” Lenka learned CAD drafting 30 years ago but continues to be a whiz with graph paper and pencil, a medium she prefers. Ellyn said she was aimless in Seattle at the start of her college freshman year. She said she chanced upon an accelerated pre-architecture program, surprising even herself with a hasty portfolio and a lot of gumption, was accepted, worked like a demon and received her BA in architecture within three years. “I loved it immediately, designing built environments. I didn’t think much about houses growing up,” she said, “but I was always into visual patterns and creating imaginary scenes for games. And forts — I made the best backyard forts.” Ellyn headed to New York for six years to use all her new-minted skills from the UW. Lenka was more career-oriented when she started college in her hometown. Not wanting to choose between her love of art and her aptitude for math, she picked and excelled at architecture. She worked up to PhD status, teaching classes at the university until emigrating to America. Her surgeon husband needed to study for licensing exams (twice, in Canada and the U.S.) and they had children, so she immediately found work in her field “I had to work, and architecture was what I did well. When I applied for my first job in Calgary, I only knew ‘Hello,

A new design for an old space

Forte’s classic downtown office building at 240 North Wenatchee Avenue (once the site of the Piston Services Auto Parts store) has lived many lives. When Forte wanted to redesign the interior, first a sketch was made and then a rendering (at right) using the Revit software program was created. The end result is the workspace below as it looks today.

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how are you?’ in English,” Lenka said. Luckily for her, the firm was seeking a replacement for a European architect who had recently left. At first, hired for what she called her exotic perspective, Lenka soon brought late-state computer drafting skills and became a lead designer. After her husband’s U.S. residency in Pennsylvania, the couple moved to Wenatchee. So why and how are these two women working together? Connections, somewhat delayed. At Confluence Health where Ellyn’s father and Lenka’s husband are colleagues, Ellyn had a post-college facilities job, and Lenka asked the bright young grad to come to work for her. Nope, she was headed to The Big Apple. “She actually turned me down,” said Lenka. “And six years later when she moved back to Wenatchee, I asked her again. Finally, she said yes.” And Forte had its next new architect. The firm’s many institutional and commercial projects can be seen around the valley, but about half of their business is residential. The clients generally want either a full-time family home or a vacation getaway place to call home in their later years. In each of those projects, no matter what the scope, the first essential job Ellyn, Lenka and the other architects take on is to ask questions and to really listen. “It’s a gentle back and forth when we start generating ideas with a client,” said Ellyn. “We ask, how do you live now? What’s important to you? How long do you expect to stay in this house?” The size of the dog, the age of the kids, their hobbies and must-haves are as important www.ncwgoodlife.com

December 2020

as siting on the lot and square footage. Lenka said asking good questions at the start can also lead to smart decisions about future accessibility or resale value. “We help people navigate all the options with questions like, ‘Do you really want the laundry in the basement, with the bedrooms on the third floor?’ or ‘Would you prefer morning sunlight in the breakfast room?’ We don’t tell people what they should want.” “Communication at every step is crucial,” said Ellyn. “So you want to make the growing design easy to visualize.” She applauds the firm’s use of threedimensional and interactive Revit software. Right now, after returning this fall to a building emptied by COVID-19, all the staff might be working in the office at once, and the airy no-wall work space — as well as their integrated software — makes them immediately accessible to each other. The employees often focus on their areas of expertise from engineering to interiors, but Ellyn said she loves the way people casually collaborate. Any worry over details (“Did I forget something?” “Will this work?”) is alleviated when she can brainstorm ideas and early and easily ask for advice. With construction booming and demographics shifting, here’s what Ellyn and Lenka see in Wenatchee’s home design future. n “Away spaces”: The lately ubiquitous open plan probably isn’t going away, but they agree that COVID-19 has made people crave smaller spaces within their homes for work and study. n Smaller homes: Perceptions of square footage have changed. Even for full-time family living, oversized homes and yards may

not be optimum. “People are busy,” said Ellyn. “They don’t want a lot of extra rooms; they don’t want to mow the lawn on the weekend.” n Larger retreats: Conversely, recreational homes aren’t necessarily cabins anymore; many people from the west side, for instance, boldly invest in larger residences, intending to entertain family and friends now and move in full time after retirement. n Additional Dwelling Units: The ADU may take several forms. An older client may plan an apartment or “junior master” suite for a caregiver. Or, the main house may eventually go to adult children with the elders living in a smaller guest house. (Younger homeowners are making parallel decisions, planning spacious suites or multi-use guest cottages so their elderly parents can easily join the family in the future.) Both Lenka and Ellyn think the plethora of HGTV shows can

The lately ubiquitous open plan probably isn’t going away, but they agree that COVID-19 has made people crave smaller spaces within their homes for work and study. lead to misinformation about home design and construction process from first sketch to door key. “People come in thinking they know what amenities they want,” said Lenka, “But they generally misunderstand how complex and time-consuming designing a house is.” A chef ’s pantry, bonus room, gabled roof and three-car garage they can visualize; factors like zoning, foundation, R factor, amperage, septic and snowload?

Not so much. She said, “Part of our responsibility is to educate people, to show them the decisions that need to be made at every step.” In her four years working here, Ellyn says her pleasure in designing homes comes from creating personal relationships with clients, builders and workmates. Lenka, who says it’s time to step away from designing, said she especially loves meeting people at the very start of their home-owning journey, knowing she’ll help see them though to a happy outcome. Who can say if those happy outcomes come directly from so many good women working together? Lasting architecture is genderless, as is a concern for people. Whether it’s a cottage, a mansion, a cabana or a lodge, any architect worth his (or her) license probably spends time, like Lenka and Ellyn do, pinning down personal needs and suggesting wonderful possibilities.

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PET tales

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

ana Wood, Wenatchee, is seen here with her cat. Tana calls her Baby Kitty. Baby Kitty is two years old and Tana got her from the Humane Society. Tana said she loves her independent streak and “it took Baby Kitty two years to finally sit on my lap.” “Now, she loves to spend time on the patio and sleeps on my legs while I read. She’s afraid of everything, too funny! Even if I have my mask on, she bolts!”

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December 2020

column moving up to the good life

june darling

Soar upward through acts of kindness The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members. — Coretta Scott King

My husband, John, and I

docked our boat in the marina at Kingston. Chilled to the bone, we ventured up town to The Cup and Muffin for a hot espresso. Outside sat an older woman with cheap jewelry covering her chest and waist, a pink tam, kiltish sort of skirt, and knee socks with flowered knee pads — just the sort of woman my husband is instantly attracted to. “Hello. Little chilly out here,” says John. The woman looks up somewhat in surprise, then jumps right into a discourse on the weather. “Hey, you sound like you’re from New Joirsey,” John remarks. “No, I sound like that because I got hit in the head. Remember there was an earthquake in Bainbridge Island. I fell and hit my head. That is why I talk this way. I come here for coffee in the morning and a bacon sandwich at lunch.” Our espressos were ready. We quietly asked the barista if we could put some money on a card for the lady. We were told there was no need for that. We were assured that woman was well taken care of by the folks in Kingston. Toward evening we trekked back up town to dine on Greek food at Kafe Neo’s. Our waitress was willing to let us eat al fresco despite the burrrr. The waitress answered our questions about food, about Kingston, and about the pink-hat lady. “Oh, that’s probably Sherrie that you’re talking about. Yeah, she’s a nice lady. Used to be a

paralegal, but something happened to her. I also work at that restaurant close to the marina, she comes there for dinner. I give her my discount. Sometimes I just buy her dinner. The woman who runs the food bank lets her sleep under the deck if she wants.” As I looked into the Cleopatralike painted eyes of the waitress and noticed her no nonsense demeanor, I ask, “What gives you compassion for Sherrie?” “Oh, well, my family was homeless for a few years, that could be me,” she responded with a little smile and wave of her hand. John and I have long wondered what nudges (or inhibits) our kindness, compassion, mercy and altruism. Though those things are different, I would call them spiritual cousins. They are all about seeing others as worthy of our attention, tenderness, and care. These acts of kindness, compassion, mercy and altruism are usually done from people’s own free will without being asked or expecting anything in return. And we often feel better about ourselves when we do behave in kind, compassionate, altruistic ways. Chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine often squirt around in our bodies. Life seems warmer, brighter, fuller, richer, more meaningful. It can also feel good if we are the recipients of kind gestures. John and I recounted some of those uplifting moments we experienced when others acted benevolently on our behalf. Last year John needed a box to ship an item. He decided to go dumpster diving in an area behind retail stores in Cashmere. After a few minutes, a man stopped by, extended his hand, December 2020 | The Good Life

... we often feel better about ourselves when we do behave in kind, compassionate, altruistic ways. Chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine often squirt around in our bodies. Life seems warmer, brighter, fuller, richer, more meaningful. and asked gently if he could use $10. John was taken aback at first. Then he laughed. And then… he felt his heart light up with … stuff… like love and belonging. He felt like he might float off the ground. When I asked him if he knew why he felt all that good stuff. He scratched his chin and said, “It just feels good to know that there are people out there you don’t even know who have your back.” Helping others shifts our focus from indulging in our own unhealthy brooding — depressive, and anxious thoughts. As we keep an eye out for others, do a little something as we can here and there, we develop our confidence and increasingly access our internal resources. It is called a virtuous cycle — positive actions, emotions, and events which build on each other and lead on and on to more positivity. Eventually we have the strength to tackle big stuff. The virtuous cycle is the opwww.ncwgoodlife.com

posite of the vicious cycle, which we can also get caught in. The vicious cycle is one in which we notice and do things which lead to a continuing downward spiral of emotions, thoughts, and events. Life sucks, I’m sick and suffering and nobody cares, I’m not getting out of bed except to shake my fists at the heavens, and spit on my neighbor’s cat. Ok, let’s be honest. It has been a tough year, let’s be gentle with ourselves. Still we can use this time of year to become more aware of which spiral (vicious or virtuous) our thoughts, emotions, and actions are leading us toward. We can decide to adjust and aim toward the upward spiral. We can notice who needs our help. We can strike up conversations with those who seem a little different. We can remember those who have looked out for us. And most of all, we can remember the sentiment expressed by one of my compassionate friends as she digs into her meager money hoping to find a few bucks to buy a gallon of milk for someone in need, “except for the grace of God, there go I.” How might you take this December to move up to The Good Life by keeping an eye out for others and initiating a virtuous cycle — an upward spiral? June Darling, Ph.D. can be contacted at drjunedarling1@gmail.com; website: www.summitgroupresources. com. Her bio and many of her books can be found at amazon.com/author/ junedarling.

column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Fight chronic inflammation to live longer We are all quite aware of

acute inflammation whenever we injure ourselves, sprain an ankle, break a bone or cut ourselves. This response is a protective one that plays a role in our body’s healing process. With the constant information we all are receiving about this current pandemic, we have become well aware of the effects of the severity of this coronavirus. The frequently used term “cytokine storm” is new to most of us. Cytokine storm refers to a severe reaction in which the body releases too many cytokines into the blood too quickly. Cytokines refer to a number of protein substances that are secreted by certain cells of our immune system. Signs of a cytokine storm include high fever, severe fatigue, and nausea. Sometimes this “storm” can be severe enough to be life threatening and lead to organ failure. There is another form of inflammation we need to be made aware of and is chronic inflammation, which can smolder in our bodies and we might not even be aware of it. Unfortunately, three out of every five people in the world die from diseases linked to chronic inflammation. That might be shocking to many of us. Chronic inflammation is linked to a wide variety of serious chronic conditions including cardiac and vascular disease, cancer, type two diabetes, and some central nervous system diseases. Rosana Risques, a specialist in inflammatory processes at the University of Washington, says it is becoming clear chronic inflammation is implicated at every level of tumor develop-

I am convinced chronic inflammation is a serious problem, as it injures our tissues, joints, blood vessels and can play a role in the development of various central nervous system problems possibly including Alzheimer’s... ment including its conversion to malignancy and metastasis of the cancer. According to Maija KohonenCorish from the Garvan Institute of Medical research in Sydney, Australia, chronic inflammation plays a role in causing cancer. Chronic inflammation has also been implicated in disorders of the central nervous system including ALS, a common and fatal central nervous system disease. After researching this subject, thanks to the internet, I am convinced chronic inflammation is a serious problem, as it injures our tissues, joints, blood vessels and can play a role in the development of various central nervous system problems possibly including Alzheimer’s disease. Readers of this article may be wondering, “If this is the case, what can we do to prevent or decrease it?” Chronic inflammation alone is not necessarily the cause of many diseases as it also requires additional genetic and environ-

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mental factors. Nevertheless, there are a number of life style changes and other interventions that can help in the battle. There are blood tests available to detect chronic inflammation in our bodies. This should be discussed with your physician. Two blood tests that give an indication if chronic inflammation is present are a erythrocyte sedimentation rate and another is called a C-reactive protein (CRP) blood test that rises in response to inflammation. As is true of a majority of our chronic illnesses, our lifestyle habits play a huge role in our susceptibility to chronic illnesses including those related to chronic inflammation. Managing our diet and lifestyle are two of the best ways to keep chronic inflammation under control. Smoking has long been known as one of the worst habits causing damage to our organs. Anyone who continues to smoke is basically saying they really don’t care what happens to them. The facts are clear; smoking causes cancer, lung disease and heart disease. Excessive weight (obesity) — especially having to do with one’s abdominal girth — is a vital factor in chronic inflammation. Abdominal fat is the worst kind as it produces pro-inflammatory chemicals. What we eat can play a huge role in protecting us against inflammation. Eating a fiber-rich diet protects us against chronic inflammation. The bacteria in the gut metabolizes fiber to produce short chain fatty acids that decrease inflammation and boost our immune system as well as regulating our blood sugar.

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Plant based proteins including nuts, seeds and legumes including beans, peas, lentils and soybeans are good alternatives to meat products. Try to eat colorful fruits and vegetables daily including beets, berries, tomatoes, cherries, cauliflower, broccoli, onions and garlic. The more color the better. Many spices have anti-inflammatory properties, including turmeric, ginger, basil, cinnamon, cayenne and oregano. Omega3’s are heart healthy, mood boosting and anti-inflammatory. Good sources for omega3 are salmon, tuna, and sardines. Plant sources are walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds. What we need to restrict is important as well. We all need to restrict sugar including cookies, cakes, white bread and sweets, all of which increase blood sugar. Reduce one’s intake of saturated fats in meats that stimulate the inflammatory process. If you can, choose lean, grass fed organic meat (if you can find it). Foods that are grilled have more pro-inflammatory end products. This is especially true of fatty cuts of meat. It’s healthier to cook them on the stove top, in the oven or broil them. It has been shown individuals age 70-90 years following a Mediterranean diet and healthy lifestyle had a 50 percent lower rate of all-cause mortality and are less likely to suffer sudden cardiac death and age related cognitive decline. The main benefit of the Med diet is the reduction of inflammatory biomarkers. A common feature of the Med

diet is a high dietary intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, mono-saturated fats and nuts followed by a modest consumption of fish, dairy products (mainly cheese and yogurt) and a low consumption of red and processed meats and alcohol. The rest of my recommendations as to lifestyle seem like a broken record I have mentioned frequently. First of all is for us to get moving and keep moving. My wife and I have a goal to walk no less than two miles a day. We all need to get enough sleep every night as well. A healthy amount of sleep is no less than seven hours nightly. If you smoke stop! Limit alcohol intake. A little is ok, but too much promotes chronic inflammation as well as other health issues. It is important to deal with stress if possible. I know that is easier said than done, but exercise, eating right, and getting adequate sleep helps. If outside help like counseling is needed, please get it. We are living in tumultuous and difficult times in this country. It is certainly easy to get depressed and stressed these days. Go for a long walk, preferably with a friend. It’s better to read a good book after your walk and avoid stressing out over social media or becoming a news junkie. Life is too short for that. We humans love to take pills for our problems. So what can we do about chronic inflammation? Many worry about cholesterol without realizing cholesterol per se is not the culprit. It is the bad cholesterol, LDL, that we need to be concerned about. The drugs called “statins” are some of the most widely used drugs in the world, and are prescribed to lower LDL cholesterol. They also raise the good HDL cholesterol. The good news is statins also lower CRP or C reactive protein

actions you can take now T

ake these steps to fight chronic inflammation and improve your health and live the good life. n Eat anti-inflammatory foods as much as possible. n Keep moving. Walking, with a goal of 10 miles a week still is the best medicine. n Manage your weight especially with a goal to reduce inflammatory abdominal fat. n Get an adequate amount of sleep, with a goal of seven hours nightly. n Stop smoking. This can reduce inflammatory levels in a matter of weeks. n Limit alcohol usage. Too much is not your friend. n Deal with your chronic stress, and seek help if necessary. that increase chronic inflammation. If you are one of the 35 million people that take a statin

for your LDL cholesterol, you are getting a “fringe” benefit in lowering your chronic inflammation. Millions of people daily take low-dose aspirin as a heart protective medication. This, too, might decrease chronic inflammation as well. There are new guidelines now for the daily use of low dose aspirin. The new information recommends taking low doses if you are between the ages of 40-70 and are at risk of cardiovascular disease and at low risk of bleeding. If you are taking daily aspirin I would suggest strongly you discuss these new guidelines with your personal physician as to whether you should be taking low dose aspirin long term for any condition. 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.

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The Art Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

What’s it worth? The question is easy to ask, but for art appraiser Jerry Goroski, the answer takes some work

By Susan Lagsdin

ot all “old stuff” stories turn out this well (if they did, Antiques Road Show would lack suspense). But Wenatchee art appraiser Jerry Goroski told this good luck story: A Chicago woman inherits from her mother an unopened box of her grandmother’s belongings. She sends a few nice pencil sketches, with scribbling on the back, to Jerry. “Are these really worth anything?” They’re odd drawings: one is a cowboy standing on a train car, watching cattle pour out; one is cattle milling around the train car. The initials at the bottom of both were “CMR.” Jerry does his work; due diligence means deep research. He’s helped by the notes on the back, written in grandmother’s hand. They describe her visit as a child to her dad’s work at the train yard where she spotted a young cowboy named Charlie, who was transporting cattle to market and journaling the scene. He handed the sketches to the girl (grandma), who tucked them away and saved them. The Chicago woman is pleased. Much later, those two original drawings by the early 20th Century’s preeminent

Jerry’s walls are covered in his favorite paintings in several media, not all of them landscapes and western scenes like these that are his specialty. His home serves as his gallery, archive, library and office. Photo by Mike Irwin

celebrity western artist Charles Marion Russell sell at auction for $15,000. Yeah, they’re worth something. Counter that with the emailed photo of a supposed Frederick Remington painting. “How can you tell it’s a forgery?” asked the disappointed owner. “Because I know exactly where the original is hanging,” Jerry replied. Not all appraisal adventures are as thrilling, or as simple. On his office desk is a plastic folder, ready to mail, an example of his bread-and-butter work. It’s a detailed, bulleted explanation augmented with copies of declarations, photos, notarized documents, lists and letters, deeds and checks and handwritten journal pages. It’s 37 pages long and cost the client $350. The upshot? Yes, the bronzes you showed me are worth owning. Jerry’s office contains an

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extensive library of art books, which he uses, with the help of the internet, to pinpoint information about any notable artist you’d find in a museum or gallery. He loves to talk about art and has made a gallery of his home, where the walls are covered in carefully curated, framed works, mostly western scenes or landscapes. He owns “about 200” original artworks but said he rarely rotates them. “I know what I like — and these have always been my favorites.” He’s pan-generic in his tastes, with Remington and Russell his best-known career specialties. The American West is in Jerry’s blood. He was born, raised (and educated in a one-room schoolhouse) near a far eastern Montana junction so small that its closest towns are probably unfamiliar to you. He learned construction from his dad, and Montana State

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University in Bozeman brought him close to an engineering career until he switched to an art major. Ironically, he delved into an antique form that fascinated him — stone lithography — while garnering then cuttingedge graphics skills that would support a soon-to-be family. For six years at the Buttrey Foods home office in Great Falls, Jerry laid out grocery store ads (“Not just prices,” he said wryly. “At holidays I did bunny rabbits and Santa Clauses.”) He also landed a part-time building job, which included long conversations about art, for the director of the Charles M. Russell Museums. The gentleman was looking for an assistant and a curator. It was superb timing, superb networking. That relationship landed the young artist a lifechanging position at the museum, sparking a varied, decadeslong career based in Great Falls

that never veered far from his appreciation of Western art. Always studying, fine-tuning his knowledge of Russell and many other artists, Jerry also branched into advertising, printing and tourism promotion. He owned a gallery, coordinated major art auctions and exhibits, and eventually became known nationwide as an expert to be trusted with art appraisals and consultations.

After 40 years, Jerry has the confidence of art collectors, both private or institutional, who trust his knowledge and his ethics. Museums and galleries have him on speed dial. He also realizes many of the people who contact him can’t distinguish a print from a painting, especially a watercolor, and they don’t recognize major artists. (Though this seems obvious, couldn’t he just, well… when

asked if he’s ever been tempted…? “Never. It’s a cardinal rule of appraisal,” Jerry said. “I would never dream of undervaluing a piece and offering to buy it. It just won’t happen.”) Packing up his own extensive art collection, he and his wife moved closer to family in Wenatchee last year, and in quasi-retirement at 71 Jerry keeps current with his professional organizations, corresponds with

e v i G

other experts in the field and hones his own skills. His firm, Open Range Art, is still open, and he’s pleased to handle about three requests a week for consultation, on-line consignments, or the answer to that familiar age-old question, “What’s this worth?” Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

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The Art Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

Fabulous Feet: ‘We’re just dancing for the love of dance right now’ Editor’s note: At our deadline, COVID-19 restrictions were reinstated and the studio is again temporarily closed.

By Susan Lagsdin

obody needs to remind veteran Wenatchee dance instructor Melissa Miller-Port that Pandemic 2020 meant her Fabulous Feet studio was shuttered for seven months, class attendance plummeted, and annual stage shows were all canceled. Or that she’s sometimes in pain only weeks past a full knee replacement. She’s aware of all that and says with a smile, “I couldn’t wish for my life to turn out any differently than it has.” This year, she’s gained a new appreciation of “we’re in this together.” Parents of her dancers and her teachers have pitched in to make things close to normal at the studio, and daughter Trisha has stepped up to teach fulltime. Her husband, Real Homes builder Jon Port and the owner of her multi-building dance facility, generously carried the beloved business over the summer. Now multiple small classes in groups of 10, not 30, meet COVID standards though it means juggling spaces and 12 instructors’ schedules. It’s totally worth it, said Melissa. The sense of family that dancers experience is strong and, “The kids who’ve returned are excited to be here — they appreciate the whole experience of the rigor, the music, the exercise.” And they’ll keep coming back. Often “grand students” return to

the studio, the stage and the audience. Melissa’s also proud that her closest dance friends over the years have stayed working in the profession in some capacity, a few with her, and their relationships have stayed strong. Friendships, socializing and multigenerational memories are all part of the studio experience, but the singular thrill of dancing on stage is hard to duplicate. Acknowledging her current students’ disappointment over losing live performances in the (would-be-upcoming) 2020 Nutcracker and Holiday Spice productions, she said, “We’re just dancing for the love of dance right now.” That’s all Melissa’s mother anticipated 50 years ago when she took on a crossing-guard job to pay for her two daughters’ dance lessons. Little did she know that choosing the highly regarded David DeMarie dance studio near their hometown in Buffalo, New York would lead to the youngest’s lifelong career. At 18, Melissa, who had become proficient in jazz, tap and ballet, was hired by Seattle’s Greg Thompson productions and enjoyed a carefree, glamorous life on tour, traveling the country with a team of performers and stage crew, meeting celebrities and dancing for big dinner theaters and major casinos. Reviews called the Las Vegas style shows “razzle dazzle… high-stepping spectacles.” The inevitable desire to slow down a bit and nest, and to share her wealth of experience, lead Melissa to Wenatchee and the longest phase of her career. Her roots in the area are happily tangled. By her first mar-

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Melissa Miller-Port: “The kids who’ve returned are excited to be here — they appreciate the whole experience of the rigor, the music, the exercise.” Photo by Mike Irwin

riage she’s “Kind of one of the ‘Miller girls,’ ”she said, alluding to that big local family and former Thompson alum and sister-in-law, the entertainer Julie Miller. In 2000 when Melissa married Jon Port, they formed a blended family of five — all of whom in one way or another have appeared in Fabulous Feet stage productions. The constant in Melissa’s 32 years here has been her dance studio, now fills a warren of spaces at the North Wenatchee Avenue site. The largest mirrored teaching space features a distinctive checkerboard tile surface (“It’s really helpful for spacing,” she said) with a big balcony and ceiling space for aerobatics; there’s also a ballet room with a rubberized Marley floor. Hip hop, tumbling, weightless class, trapeze and aerial silks enliven the conventional dance curriculum. Melissa has purchased and displays vintage stage props and sets (like the West Side Story Sharks wall) from decommis-

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sioned dance studios; sentimental favorites, many, many trees from Nutcracker and myriad costumes and accessories are stored for future productions. A key player in Wenatchee’s arts scene, Melissa was honored at the PAC last December with a Stanley Lifetime Achievement Award for her enthusiastic community collaborations over the years. At 56, she is realistic about continuing to teach classes all day. But she has no doubt that Fabulous Feet will continue, saying, “It’s bound to diversify, but whether we have career-oriented dancers or people who dance for exercise and recreation, I’d like to see this studio live past me.” Since she works equally well as a choreographer and with musicians, actors and singers, she said, “I think if I weren’t teaching dance I’d become a producer — I love putting all the pieces of a show together.” Another opening of another show? That’s been Melissa’s life and her lifelong dream.

fun stuff what to do around here for the next month We want to know of fun and interesting local events. Send info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com

Please check all events to make sure none have been canceled. OPEN, Two Rivers Gallery, 12/4 through 24, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wednesday - Saturday, 1 - 4 p.m. Sunday. Featuring still life artist Thom Blaylock. Using watercolor, Thom’s goal is to feature a mood or feeling using facial expression, body language, light, color and contrast to express feeling. The gallery has one of the largest exhibits of art in its 10 years. Affordable local made art and crafts by over 50 artists. Christmas Lighting events in Leavenworth have been canceled but the lights will come on at dusk (over a half million) creating the ultimate winter backdrop 7 nights a week. 1 million cups, every first Wednesday of the month. 8 a.m. Entrepreneurs discover solutions and thrive when they collaborate over a million cups of coffee. Come join this supportive, dynamic community and hear from two businesses that are between 1 – 5 years old. Discover how we can help move them forward in a positive environment. Zoom link: 1mcwenatcheevalley. eventsbrite.com.

to rethink our legacy away from destruction and towards restoration and reconnection with the natural world and our place in it. We start by asking, what is the state of our planet in terms of climate, species extinctions and vital ecosystems? You will learn about the basic science of climate change and its various impacts here in North Central Washington and abroad with data gathered from NASA, NOAA, Carbon Brief, and UW’s Climate Impacts Group. We will then put this data into the context of climate justice—who is most vulnerable to harm, and climate grief—how can we deal with this harm and potential losses? The best antidote often seems to be action, and we will need it at all levels from individual to international, from personal to policy. We will conclude the class with an overview of existing solutions to help mitigate the crisis and then envision how each of us can use our skills or talents to take appropriate action and become a better 100th Earth Day ancestor. Joan Qazi facilitator. Class will be held virtually. Must Register. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Winter Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market, Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free.

Photos with Santa, 12/5, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. You won’t be able to sit on Santa’s lap but the museum and Parsons Photography have made arrangements for socially distance photos. Receive a complimentary 5x7 photograph. Additional photos available for purchase. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $10. Must register. Info: wenatcheevalleymuseum.org.

Pybus University: Prognosis Planet Earth 2020: 50 years after the first earth day, 12/1, 7 p.m. This course is designed

Live-streamed chamber music, 12/6, 1 – 2 p.m. Hoorig Poochikian (violin), Christie Chen (cello), and Oksana Ejokina (piano). Works

December 2020 | The Good Life

from Francis Poulenc, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Felix Mendelssohn. Free concert on the Icicle Creek youtube as well as their website. Info: icicle.org. Holiday Artisan Market, 12/12, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Shop handmade holiday gifts and crafts from local artisans in a festive holiday market setting. Will be held outside on the Plaza at Pybus Public Market. Get a Personalized message from Santa, 12/14, noon – 5 p.m. Santa will be at Wenatchee Valley Museum to record personalized messages. If you would like to hear from the big guy please send us your name, age and anything special you would like Santa to know.

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Info: wenatcheevalleymuseum.org. Wenatchee Riverfront Railway, 12/12, noon – 4 p.m. Christmas Run – ride the Nile Saunders Orchard Train. Wenatchee Riverfront Park. Cost: $2.

>> RANDOM QUOTE

A good laugh is sunshine in the house. William Makepeace Thackeray

column those were the days

rod molzahn

Diversified farming Early orchardists made their bread and butter by planting veggies between trees

Before the Great Northern

and upper Columbia steamboat trade, Ellensburg was the only market in reach for the fruit and vegetables grown by the earliest Wenatchee Valley farmers. Philip Miller offered Ellensburg people the opportunity to bring their wagons to his ranch below Saddlerock to pick apples and peaches to haul home. He had eight acres of each. He charged five cents a pound for his apples. It must have been the first u-pick orchard in the valley. He also had a government license to make peach brandy and by all accounts he made quite a bit of it. Miller also had canning facilities available for his customers. Many of them most likely stayed at the Miller Ranch for several days picking, packing and preserving fruit and enjoying a sip of brandy now and again. There was a fruit and wine cellar dug into the hillside that must have been a respite from the late summer heat. Miller also had 200 acres of alfalfa, the valley’s first commercial crop. There was a ready local market for the hay. Every horse and cow in the area ate it.

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“Early orchardists had no guidance on what varieties to plant beyond recollections of what was a good apple ‘back home.’” North central Washington came with the ideal climate and volcanic soil for growing apples. In fact, the rich soil could grow almost any crop as long as it got water. It did not, however, come with built-in wisdom on which apple varieties would do the best. Bruce Mitchell wrote, “Early orchardists had no guidance on what varieties to plant beyond recollections of what was a good apple ‘back home.’” In the Wenatchee Valley, Charles Keiser, whose ranch was west of Western Avenue along Springwater Street, “planted every variety of tree he could lay his hands on.” B.B. and P.P. Holcomb, father and son, had a 10-acre orchard on Fifth Street near the present

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location of Wenatchee Valley College. The 10 acres held “46 varieties of apples besides an assortment of soft fruits.” The first commercial carload of apples was shipped from Wenatchee on the Great Northern in 1901 and boasted Spitzenbergs, Baldwins, Winesaps, White Winter Pearmains, Blue Pearmains, Rhode Island Greenings, Rambos, Gloria Mundis, Pippens, Belle Flowers and Grimes Goldens. In time, the multi-variety orchards gave way to a smaller number with Winesaps emerging as the market favorite. About 1912, the first Red Delicious trees from the Starking Nursery in Missouri were planted in the Cashmere area by Harry Shotwell. The future of north central Washington orchard apple varieties had arrived. Once a new farmer’s saplings were in the ground and water was flowing to them he was faced with a problem; how to feed the family until the trees were bearing crops for the market. Peach trees and other soft fruit could be bearing in four to five years. Apples took longer, six to nine years depending on

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the variety. Diversified farming was the child of the financial necessity. Diversified farming in orchards meant planting vegetable crops between the rows of young trees. There was a good market in Seattle for the fresh vegetables. They could be shipped on the Great Northern beginning in 1893 and Conrad Rose’s warehouses would handle them. Brothers A.C. and G.J. Tedford operated a 14-acre ranch on Ninth Street in Wenatchee with 10 acres of apples and four acres of peaches. The brothers said that, “We make a specialty of tomatoes, which we plant between the rows of peach trees because the watering season for both is about the same.” They also raised potatoes and cucumbers. Fred Sterling, a Wenatchee area apple grower, produced tomatoes, green peppers, eggplants and cantaloupes and wrote, “I have made my bread and butter for five years from the raising of these crops between my trees.” Sterling raised the row crops for 10 years and stopped because “my trees are getting so large that vegetables don’t do so well.” He strongly recommended that other new growers follow the same plan. In 1892, 29-year old Charles Cooper married 15-year-old Pearl Blair, one of the four young daughters of early pioneers, George and Margaret Blair. Pearl’s wedding present from her parents was 20 acres from the Blair homestead. The Cooper’s land lay along the north side of Washington Street in Wenatchee. They immediately

“You people don’t even know what a bushel is, you sell spuds and everything else here by the apple box.” planted the land to apples. In between the trees they raised melons and tomatoes. They shipped the crops by rail and made $1,000 a year for their work. George Batterman’s 40-acre orchard fronted on Western Avenue near what is now the Tree Fruit Experiment Station. His row crops included cantaloupes, corn, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and watermelons as large as 60 pounds that sold for five cents apiece. Bruce Mitchell wrote that all these row crops made the “Wenatchee area a truck gardening center growing corn, tomatoes and cantaloupes for the Seattle market.” In the East and Midwest apple growing areas apples had always been packed in barrels, bushel baskets, tubs and crates. In the Northwest the ever-increasing production demanded something cheap, durable and standardized. Enter the ubiquitous apple box. The C.A. Morrison mill at Second and Columbia Streets in Wenatchee was making apple boxes by 1891. Made of readily available white pine from the seemingly unlimited nearby forests of Ponderosa pine trees, the boxes were cheap. The soft, white wood nailed easily without splitting and would not spring its lid. In its 50 years of use the inside dimensions of the apple box have never changed; 10.5 inches deep, 11.5 inches wide and 18 inches long. A Midwesterner was once moved to complain “You people

don’t even know what a bushel is, you sell spuds and everything else here by the apple box.” That was how it was, too. They weren’t just used for apple packing. They’ve been used as chairs and stools, tables and cupboards, and a place to keep no end of things from horse shoes to hand tools. A stack of boxes makes a bookcase. A box could be turned upside down over a broody hen or one end propped up with a stick and baited to make a trap for the family cat or dog. Though they were replaced in 1957 by bins and no more were made they have never gone away. They continue to be valued and used. And, most important, they could be filled with any variety of locally grown apples: Aiken Red – Arkansas Beauty – Arkansas Black – Baldwin – Belle Flower – Ben Davis – Black Twig – Blue Pearmain – Cox’s Orange Pippen – Delaware Red – Delicious – Dickinson – Duchess – Ewalt – Famous – Fall Jeneting – Gano – Gravenstine – Gloria Mundis – Grimes Golden – Hubbardson – Hydes King – Jeffrey – Jonathon - Kaighn Stitz – King David – King of Tomkins County – Kinnard – Kittageskee – Mammoth Black Twig – Mackintosh – McMahon – McAfee – Missouri Pippen – Nero – Newton Pippen – Northern Spy – None Such – Ortley – Rainier – Rambo – Red Astrakhan – Red Cheek Pippen – Rhode Island Greening – Rome Beauty – Russet – Saxon Priest – Shackleford – Snow – Spitzenberg – Stayman – Steel Red – Vanderpool – Wagner – Winesap – Wealthy – Winter Banana – White American Blush – White Winter Pearmain – Wolf River – Yellow Newton – Yellow Transparent and York Imperial. Historian, actor and teacher Rod Molzahn can be reached at shake. speak@nwi.net. 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. December 2020 | The Good Life

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Christmas delayed By Darlene Matule

One-thousand-nine-hun-

dred-forty-five miles from the state of Washington, my husband Steve and I were forced to face our first-ever Christmas without family. It had been a tough year. But we had each other — and our dear miniature Schnauzer, Shadow. When I got home from work Monday night, Steve was beside himself. “Shadow’s disappeared!” he cried. “My God! What happened?” I asked. “I wish I knew,” he choked. “After I got home, I took her for a walk — like always. Down the street behind us. Where they’re building those new houses. “I started dinner. Turned on TV. Listened to the news. Didn’t think twice about letting her outside when she stood at the sliding glass door and whined — like she does when she has to go. “Five minutes later, I went to let her in. No Shadow. Our backyard was empty. “I rushed outside. Called and called. Nothing. Took off down the street. Retraced every step Shadow and I’d made before.” “She never wanders,” I said. “What could have happened?” “Believe me,” he said, “I’ve been doing nothing but thinking for two hours. And I hate to tell you — but I’m afraid she was snatched!” “Snatched?” “Stolen! Grabbed! I should have known that guy was up to no good.” “What guy?” I asked. “One of the workers at the new house behind us. He grilled me about Shadow. ‘Your dog a real Schnauzer?’ he asked. ‘She got papers?’” My stomach felt like a five-

pound brick had raced through my esophagus, hit bottom, and bounced twice before landing. Steve and I scoured the neighborhood ’til dark, until we couldn’t see farther than a foot in front of us. Shadow was nowhere. We both broke down when we got home. That night I put her bed out on the front porch. Left a bowl of food beside it — just in case. It was cold that night… Twenty degrees on our outside thermometer. Could she possibly survive? The next day — Christmas Eve — I had to work until noon. Steve spent the morning checking the local pounds. Nothing. *** Five years before, daughters Stephanie, Michele, and I had joined to buy Steve a special Christmas gift — a threemonth-old miniature German Schnauzer. From the beginning, wherever Steve went, his dog followed — hence her name — Shadow. Now — when we’d already lost so much that year — Shadow disappeared from our lives. It’s not fair! I yelled silently. Up until then, Shadow had been Steve’s dog. Exclusively. I just liked her — or so I thought. Now that she was gone, I realized I’d grown to love her. Every evening after Shadow’s disappearance, I warmed her bed and put it on the front porch with a dish of fresh dog food. Nothing. Night after night. Steve cooked French toast the next Sunday morning. We missed the click of Shadow’s toenails when she rushed to the kitchen — on point when she smelled the batter. Steve always cooked extra, knowing how much she loved it. Now we remembered how Shadow sat at

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our feet those days as she ate out of her dish. To tell you the truth, it was hard to swallow that first Sunday. Every night I sat in my favorite chair. Automatically patted my left knee. But no little ball of black fur jumped into my lap. I missed the 12-pound blanket I’d come to cherish. Steve kept checking the pound. Reading the Lost and Found in the newspaper. It was as if Shadow had disappeared into thin air. The champagne I ceremoniously drank every New Year’s Eve tasted flat that year. After nine days of nothing, I sadly gave up. *** On New Year’s Day, Steve opened up the paper. Whooped. “Look at this!” he cried. “Found! Black German Schnauzer!” But his joy was short lived. He called the number. Was told, “We had that darling little dog for seven days. But she disappeared last night. Guess the fireworks scared her.” Still, we got their address — about a half mile away — on the other side of the vacant property next to us. “She’s somewhere out there,” I said. “We’ll find her.” Steve and I put on our boots and trooped on foot across noman’s land. “Maybe she’ll smell our scent,” he said. I prayed. We stopped and talked to the couple who’d rescued Shadow. “She showed up on our front steps on Christmas Eve. Cutest little thing you’ve ever seen,” the woman gushed. We checked at house after house. One man said, “I saw the dog you’re talking about on Monday evening. She was running down the street like she was being chased by a bear.”

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December 2020

No one else had seen her. “We know she was in good shape just twelve hours ago,” Steve asDarlene Matule is sured me. “It was cold a local writer living in Wenatchee. last night,” I worried. We walked up one street and down another. No Shadow. “Let’s take a swing around in the car,” Steve suggested when we got back home. We drove — slowly — through the adjacent neighborhoods. I leaned out the passenger window shouting, “Shadow! Shadow!” Nothing. Our house was two blocks off the nearby arterial, and I must admit, I used up two tissues before we approached home. As we pulled into our driveway, a flash zoomed out of our open garage. Tires squealed as Steve smashed the brakes down. Almost before the car stopped, I dashed out my car door and scooped up a quivering black ball. Our Shadow had found her way home. *** Because dogs can’t talk, we never found out the whole story. Steve is sure the workman who’d made such a fuss over Shadow stole her. But how did she get away from her abductor? We’ll never know. Steve and I returned to Shadow’s rescuers later that day with a potted plant and happy smiles. *** In the midst of the worst of times, we received the best of gifts — our family had been reunited by He-who-guided-herfootsteps-home. I looked up and whispered, “Thank you.”

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