Good Life April 2013 by The Good Life

MAKING ICE CREAM IN CAMBODIA Y EVENTS CALENDAR

WENATCHEE VALLEY’S

NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE

April 2013

Open for fun and adventure

Price: $3

dr. dan the bird man

plus > Off to Panama to write a book > Saving monarch butterflies

93.9 FM-Wenatchee

Contents

page 22

DOORWAY to PANORAMIC VIEWS OF THE COLUMBIA Features

OFF TO PANAMA

Seems like the nice, quiet place to finally write a book— but wait, there is some drama here, too

10 catching the traveling bug

“I’d really like to go there someday,” is pretty much the mantra of world traveler Teresa Summers

12 A PASSION FOR BIRDING

Dr. Dan Stephens not only has a passion for seeing as many birds in the wild as possible, but he’s a passionate teacher in helping others awaken to the beauties of nature

14 MAKING ICE CREAM IN CAMBODIA

Linda Congdon wanted to help a local family do a little better, so looking around she saw lots and lots of coconuts... and an idea

Conservation Makes Cents

16 SAVING MONARCHS

The milkweed is the only place a monarch butterfly will lay her eggs... perhaps if we had more milkweed plants, we’d have more of the beautiful monarchs?

18 KEEPING IT IN THE VALLEY

Ben Paine wished to help students go on to college... and with the aid of his family and lots of volunteers, he’s found a tasty way of raising college funds

ART SKETCHES

n Photographer Reed Carlson, page 30 n Singer, director Daina Toevs, page 35 Columns & Departments 20 Pet Pix: Is Lilly eating a watermelon? 26 June Darling: Thinking of death, thinking of life 28 Bonnie Orr: Spinach not just for the sailor man 29 The traveling doctor: Good bacteria 30-35 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 33 The night sky: Watching the planets 36 History: The sport of chiefs 38 Alex Saliby: When to send back a bottle of wine April 2013 | The Good Life

• Rebates on new appliances, windows, insulation and ductless heat pumps • Free refrigerator recycling, plus a $30 rebate • Free manufactured home duct sealing Learn more at chelanpud.org

facebook.com/LightlyNewsAndTips

www.ncwgoodlife.com

www.chelanpud.org

OPENING SHOT

Year 7, Number 4 April 2013 The Good Life is published by NCW Good Life, LLC, dba The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 PHONE: (509) 888-6527 EMAIL: editor@ncwgoodlife.com sales@ncwgoodlife.com ONLINE: www.ncwgoodlife.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/pages/ The-Good-Life Editor/Publisher, Mike Cassidy Contributors, Kayme Clark, Morgan Fraser, Yvette Davis, Autumn Doucet, Linda Congdon, Lori Aylesworth, Peter Lind, Donna Cassidy, Bonnie Orr, Alex Saliby, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin and Rod Molzahn Advertising sales, Lianne Taylor and Donna Cassidy Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Leslie Vradenburg Ad design, Rick Conant TO SUBSCRIBE: For $25, ($30 out of state address) you can have 12 issues of The Good Life mailed to you or a friend. Send payment to: The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 Phone 888-6527 Online: www.ncwgoodlife.com To subscribe/renew by email, send credit card info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com BUY A COPY of The Good Life at Hastings, Caffé Mela (Wenatchee and East Wenatchee), Walgreens (Wenatchee and East Wenatchee), the Wenatchee Food Pavilion, Mike’s Meats, Martin’s Market Place (Cashmere) and A Book for All Seasons (Leavenworth)

How green is our valley W

hen the weather shifts from the damp and cold days of winter to the sunny days of spring, a person cannot help but get excited about exploring the outdoors. Wenatchee photographer Kayme Clark took this view while hiking on the local Sage Hills trail, which overlooks the Wenatchee River.

In sending in her photo, she also sent along her story: “Being a resident of the valley for over 25 years, I enjoy the days when I get an opportunity to shoot locally. “For the past 10 years, I have traveled worldwide to many other wonderful locations working as a freelance photographer and editorial designer. I gravitate toward those subjects that I am most passionate about — natural landscapes, historic sites, cultural events, wildlife and professional sports. “From Wenatchee to the Great

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

| The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

Wall of China, I capture the world one frame at a time.” To view Kayme’s online gallery, visit her website at www. kaymeclark.com.

On the cover

Autumn Doucet took the cover photo of Dr. Dan Stephens holding a mounted, male Wood Duck, the most colorful of all waterfowl found in the United States, and a species that migrates to the Wenatchee area during mating season.

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

Discovering ‘Yes, I can do that’ Even the most near-sighted,

kindly and slightly demented person would never say I possess the body of an athlete. In high school, I was the guy who ran the concession stand during games, bagging up popcorn, selling Cokes out of a water cooler, dispensing Almond Joys and Ice Cube chocolate candies all the while wearing a hazy blue mohair sweater. (Who ever thought mohair sweaters on boys were a good idea anyway? Apparently, I did.) It’s not that I went to a huge school where I had no shot of making the team — my senior class consisted of six boys and four girls. Yet, my previous experience with sports had convinced me that managing the concessions was my ticket to earning a school letter. Years passed and then one day, walking through a Sears store, my wife and I saw wooden tennis racquets on sale, bought a couple and went out to play. A couple of months later when I splintered that racquet hitting a forehand, I had my “aha I can do this” moment. Not only did I discover that sports were fun, but that I was coordinated enough to occasionally hit a moving ball over the net into the proper court. Tennis has turned into a life-long sport for me where I have met some wonderful people and come to enjoy the amazing dexterity and responsiveness of the human body. I thought of that moment when I read Yvette Davis’ story this month on Teresa Summers. Teresa has climbed around the Himalayas, trekked through the

jungle rain forest of Central America, and sweated long distances on a bike seat. And that’s not nearly all she has done and wants to do. Yet she wasn’t always the adventurer. She had to have her “aha I can do this” moment of self-discovery too, which didn’t come for her until age 35. Read Yvette’s story about Teresa on page 10. Many of our attitudes and self-limitations are formed when we were kids. It’s never too late to re-examine our assumptions and toss out the self-imposed limitations — just like I trashed that mohair sweater years ago. Recently, we received this email from Morgan Fraser: “About a week ago, I moved to Panama. I plan to be here about six months — maybe more — to work on a novel that I have been wanting to write. I found a place to live on a small remote island in the Caribbean Sea through The Caretaker Gazette, an online newsletter where people advertise to have caretakers care for their properties all over the world. The property is a cocoa plantation of about 13 acres in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, near the Costa Rican border. “Would you be interested in a story?” Would we? You bet! And then the story changed, and became even more interesting. Read her story on page 7. When life serves up a big, fat opportunity, swing away. Enjoy The Good Life. — Mike April 2013 | The Good Life

Tell us a story about

your best day

in the past year, and win an ocean weekend getaway*

As The Good Life celebrates another birthday this spring, we’re curious... it has been a good year for us, has it been good for you? Selected stories may be published in the June issue Aim for 200-400 words per story, and include photos * Cash value $300.

Send your stories to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

10 First Street, #108, Wenatchee, WA 98801 • 888-6527 www.ncwgoodlife.com www.ncwgoodlife.com

WHAT TO DO see COMPLETE LISTINGs BEGINning ON PAGE 31

Oh, happy days Arbor Day Celebration — Shelter #1 in Walla Walla Park, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Martin’s Market, Cashmere, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Entiat City Hall parking lot, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Rd, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Market Place, Orondo. Distribution of tree and shrubs including: Oval leaf Viburnum, Pacific Ninebark, Quaking Aspen, Red Flowering Currant, Serviceberry, Douglas Fir and Shore pine. Info: Kathy Litch 784-5810 or 668-8683. Saturday, April 6. Renaissance Faire — Ac-

tivities include shield designs, a shoot-a-knight game and a ring and foam tip jousting on horseback plus entertainment. Period costumes as well as fantasy, live action role playing and medieval dress are encouraged. Wenatchee Valley College west of the tennis courts. Cost: $9 for adults, $6 students and children free. Info: wenrenfaire.com. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 20, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 21.

EXTRA COPIES of The Good Life are available at: Hastings, Caffe Mela, Mike’s Meats, Wenatchee Food Pavilion, Walgreens, Martin’s Market Place & A Book for All Seasons

The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801

Hands Across the Foothills — An event to raise awareness

of the value of the Wenatchee Foothills. The goal is to have people holding hands on a trail from the bottom of Saddle Rock to the top, almost 1.4 miles. Info: cdlandtrust.org. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20. GOLD, TREASURE AND MORE SHOW — Four times the space

this year and over 50 vendor booths. See the latest in prospecting and rock hound supplies, dredge equipment, metal detectors, gold and silver jewelry, wood and metal art, ceram-

| The Good Life

Happy Days, the play, begins April 25. The WSU plant sale celebrating the happy days of spring is April 27.

ics, gems and minerals, toys, collectable coins, Scentsy, motor sports equipment and more. Chelan County Fairgrounds in Cashmere. Cost: $3; children 12 and under free. Info: 6679858. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21. WSU Master Gardener Plant Sale — Thousands of

perennial flower and grass plants grown from seed especially to thrive in NCW. 20 types of tomatoes plus, other veggies and herbs. Gesa Credit Union parking lot. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 27 Wenatchee Apple Blossom begins:

Among the April highlights are:

n Memorial Park Food Fair

— From lunch to dinner many treats are available at the Apple Blossom food fair. Opens 11 a.m. daily, April 25-May 5. n Carnival — Wide array of rides and games. Riverfront Park. No gate fees. Info: appleblossom.org. Opens weekdays

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

at 5 p.m. and weekends at noon. April 26 - May 5.

n Keyes Fibre Youth Parade — Parade starts at Triangle Park,

goes down Orondo and Mission streets. Info: appleblossom.org. Starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 27. n Happy Days — Goodbye gray skies, hello blue. Happy days are here again with Ritchie, Potsie, Ralph Malph and The Fonz. A musical production by Music Theatre of Wenatchee. Riverside Playhouse. The last weekend of April and first two weekends of May. See mtow.org for times and a link to buying tickets.

following her rainbow By Morgan Fraser

n Feb. 5, I took two backpacks and got on a plane to Panama. I had never been to Panama, but knew what I was looking for before I arrived: somewhere cheap, quiet and inspirational to write a book. I haven’t found that place yet, but so far it’s been an exciting search. The first place I landed was a 13-acre cacao farm on Shepherd Island in Bocas del Toro, next to the Costa Rican border on the Caribbean Sea. I found it through an online newsletter I subscribe to, called The Caretaker Gazette, where people advertise for caretakers for their properties all over the world. Panama seemed to need a lot of caretakers. The owner of the property on Shepherd Island said the ideal candidate would be self-sufficient and reliant, and willing to pay the wages of a local farm worker in lieu of rent: $400 a month. When the owner contacted me, he told me there were several reasons I was a good fit: I grew up on an apple orchard

LEFT: A rainbow appears almost daily over Boquete, a haven for North American expats in Panama. ABOVE: Morgan is hoping she has found a place to write.

– cacao grows on a tree, like an apple – speak Spanish fluently, was already coming to Panama, and I was looking for somewhere to spend the next six months, potentially longer. It seemed perfect: The house was built of native hardwoods and used solar power and rainwater; and, the owner said, there was opportunity to sell the cacao for money to help pay the worker’s wages. I spent almost three weeks on

}}} Continued on next page

April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

Following her rainbow

Once I saw Boquete, I knew there was no going back.

}}} Continued from previous page the island. I wrote almost every day. I swam along the coral reef that ran around the point the house is perched on. I pruned trees, destroyed termite nests, and had Omar — the man who works on the property — take me to town for groceries when I needed them. Many parts of my existence were blissful, but ultimately it didn’t feel like the right place to be. In an attempt to better understand the property and how I could possibly make it into my own writer’s oasis, I sat down and talked to Omar. I needed to know more about gardening, the solar system and the filters set up for the drinking water. Omar didn’t have a lot of the answers, so he gave me the phone number of the previous caretaker, Jonathan, who with his partner had been the last long-term caretakers on the island before me. They had improved and maintained the property for nine months before ultimately deciding it wasn’t where they wanted to be. When Jonathan started to tell me their reasons for leaving, I realized how much I had been trying to convince myself I was in the right place, when so many parts of it didn’t feel right. The outside deck, while beau-

The house and property on Shepherd Island advertised in The Caretaker Gazette is surrounded by a coral reef, accessible by lowering a ladder from the dock.

tiful, was off-limits most of the day because of the biting nosee-ums; Omar either showed up late, didn’t show up at all

| The Good Life

or changed his plans multiple times, both for work and when he was supposed to take me to and from town.

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

The owner recommended I buy my own motor to put on one of his boats so I could come and go as I liked, which was more than I could spend on the tight budget I have to stretch my money for the six months I plan to stay. In general, costs to live on the island were more than I had anticipated, and more than the owner told me they would be. The quality of food available in the closest mainland town – Almirante – was pretty bad, especially for someone used to the variety of fresh local produce available in north central Washington. Although the owner had thought it was good that I grew up on an apple orchard and cacao grows on a tree, it became clear as soon as I toured the property that the cacao was in need of much more than a good pruning. Disease and insects had decimated the crop. What was left, Omar hadn’t had time to pick; it was rotten on the trees. There was no way the cacao was a viable way to make money, despite the owner’s repeated attempts to say so. Lastly – and perhaps most importantly – I had never felt so alone. I took a trip inland to Boquete, a small town of about 5,000 people with a large population of U.S. expatriates. It was a fourhour bus ride over a mountain pass and through the Agua Fortuna National Forest. I went to take Jonathan and his partner some of the things they’d left behind, get some perspective and human interaction, and see another part of the country. Once I saw Boquete, I knew there was no going back.

How did you do that? A lot of people have asked me how I manage to travel the world, where I get the money, and how I end up finding the places that I find. Although the answer is always slightly different, there are several things that are the same every time. First, I cut down on my expenses by letting go of a lot of the “necessities” while I’m gone: I move out of whatever place I’m renting and put my stuff in storage. I either turn off my cell phone or change my plan to the bare minimum. This time, I sold my car to give myself an added cushion of cash – and so I could cancel my car insurance. I landed on Isla Pastor in Panama after months of searching through my options from the U.S.: housing rentals; World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF); monthly rates for hostel rooms; or working in a hostel in exchange for room and board. With its population of American and Canadian expatriates, Boquete offers a lot In 2001, the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) named Boquete one of the top five places to retire in the world, and I can see why. It is a mountain town in the Chiriquí Province, and is known for its lush flowers and locallygrown coffee. The clear, cold river runs straight off the mountain and borders one side of town. The drier and less humid climate reminds me of North Central Washington. There is a local Tuesday farmers’ market with a ton of fresh local produce, and an everyday market with tropical fruits from the coast. There was also a community there; one I could envision becoming a part of.

more in terms of traditional housing search options: craigslist.org, an online website and locals’ forum — boquete. ning.com — and word-ofmouth options. Panama topped my list of places to go because I had researched the cost of living and knew I could live on the amount I had saved for at least six months. I have traveled extensively, but have never made it further south than Costa Rica, so Panama appealed to my sense of adventure. It was a new place to explore, but also similar enough to other cultures I had lived in before – I spent two summers in a row house-sitting in Oaxaca, Mexico – that I wouldn’t experience too much culture shock. I also speak Spanish fluently, so I chose a Spanishspeaking country so that I wouldn’t have to struggle to get around, although I have needed my Spanish less than I expected. — by Morgan Fraser

Within five days, I had moved off the island and into a hostel in Boquete. Every day I go for long walks up into the hills around town. Nearly every day, I see a rainbow created from the mist that sifts down around the volcano. Although I am still searching for the perfect living situation that will fit my need for somewhere quiet, cheap and inspirational, I have found a place that feels a lot like a home, at least for now.

Morgan Fraser is the author of Savoring Chelan and Savoring Leavenworth, two regional wine-pairing cookbooks. For more information and a list of local retailers, go to savoringchelan.com.

April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

Making up time for a late call to adventure ‘I’d really like to go there someday’ is pretty much the mantra of world traveler teresa summers By Yvette Davis

ome are born with the call to adventure thrumming in their veins. For others, that call comes later in life or not at all. In the case of Teresa Summers, the call came unexpectedly at age 35. Eight weeks after a fairly major surgery, she climbed Mount Saint Helens with her two younger brothers. She said she didn’t worry about making the climb even in a somewhat weakened physical state. “I knew my brothers would take care of me if anything happened,” she explained. But she wasn’t prepared for the mental jolt of having what she called her first “aha moment.” It was a spectacular sunny day and at the top she could see forever, she said. But it wasn’t the pretty view at 8,600 feet that changed her perspective on life. It was her feeling of accomplishment. “I finally realized I’m not uncoordinated and all those things I had previously thought about my own abilities weren’t true. I could achieve things I didn’t think I could achieve. That opened up a whole new world of goals for me.” Since that first Mount Saint Helens hike, Teresa has hiked the mountain nearly every year and discovered she has a fascination with mountains in general.

She’s begun to visit and hike them all over the world. So far, the farthest point she’s hiked through on the map is Nepal and Tibet. “The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world, and I had to see them,” Teresa explained. She hasn’t made it to the top of Everest, which tops out around 29,000 feet — yet. But on a 2010 trip she trekked into the Langtang region of Nepal which sits at about 15,000 feet in elevation, and spent two and a half weeks hiking and hanging out with the locals. “According to the GPS, I was one mountain range away from Tibet. I’d really like to go there someday.” And that’s how her trips often start, Teresa said. She’ll get an idea and then research, save and plan, allowing as much as a year and half in the planning stage for bigger trips. She travels as inexpensively and “no-frills” as she can, but always makes a backup plan for accommodations. “Sometimes I like surprises, but not in a foreign country, and not with my hotel,” she explained. She buys books and plans which local sites she’d like to see, jam-packing her trips to the point that she needs a vacation

| The Good Life

when she gets home. “But it’s worth it,” Teresa said. “I’m not a lie-on-the-beach for 10 days traveler. I want to be with the locals and experience it.” The urge to go native has taken her to Costa Rica, where she did a coast-to-coast, three-week trip in 2005. There, she saw a cloud forest for the first time, rode a zip-line in a monkeyfilled canopy, took nighttime hikes through tarantula territory, and hip-waded through

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

poisonous frogs. Right now she’s planning a trip to hike the Camino Santiago de Compostela Pilgrimage in Spain. Actress Shirley MacLaine made the 500-mile trek in her 60s, and wrote a book about it called The Camino: A journey of the spirit. Teresa read it and that’s what inspired her to do the hike. There’s also a movie out about the hike called The Way, star-

LEFT: . Bathing the elephants at Chitwan National Park, Nepal. BELOW: A woman rests on steps at Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Nepal. LOWER LEFT: Teresa reads messages at The Rum Doodle, Thamel District Kathmandu, Nepal. “This is a famous hangout of trekkers, including Sir Edmund Hillary. This place gave me serious goosebumps! Oh, the energy of this place!” BOTTOM: A villager in the middle Himalayas sells corn at a stall.

ring Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez, about a father who heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the El Camino de Santiago, and de-

cides to take the pilgrimage himself. Teresa’s plan is to complete the hike in June 2014. On the far future agenda, Teresa wants to go to Manchu Pichu and Patagonia. “I want April 2013 | The Good Life

to see those mountains and ice fields,” she said. “I also want to see Great Barrier Reef.” Teresa has been a certified scuba diver since 1987 and has dived in Mexico. She’s currently looking for a dive partner. Closer to home and coming up this year, she and two other women she works with will hike the Wonderland Trail — a 93-mile trip encircling Mount Rainier — in August. She’s already recruited friends to cache food for them along the way, and if they’re lucky, maybe a little wine to sweeten the journey. “We’ll take our time, and probably do 12 miles a day. It will be a huge challenge and a fantastic trip.” But for Teresa, personal achievement isn’t always about hiking. Her adventure bug takes other forms, like physical challenges that stretch one’s limits. Marathons. Bike races. Ridge-toRiver. She’s done them all and sprinkles them in between trips. She’s completed a full marawww.ncwgoodlife.com

thon, and a few half-marathons, and plans to participate in the San Francisco Marathon in June. “It’s just for fun,” Teresa said, “but there’s a sense of accomplishment in finishing it.” Teresa isn’t out to grab all the glory for herself, however. She took a look at statistics for the Seattle to Portland (STP) Bicycle Classic and noted fewer women complete the race than men. She got a team of Wenatchee bicycle riders together in 2001. The team included Scott Volyn, Gil Sparks, Timm Scott, Shawn Reagan, Lori Reinbold, Chance Harris, Jon Volyn, Paul Heidenfelder and Michael Minton. All of them — including the three women — completed the 200-mile ride in one day. Teresa won’t be doing the race this year, but felt proud her team rose to the challenge. Now that she works at an accounting office, it’s harder for her to train from Jan. 1 to April 30 due to tax season. But she won’t let that prevent her from traveling and adventure seeking. “Adventure seeking isn’t for everyone,” Teresa said. “Not everybody understands it. But there are places I just have to go.” Yvette Davis is a writer who lives in Wenatchee and dreams of world travel.

A passion for birding ‘Nothing is more satisfying professionally than seeing someone’s eyes light up when they see and understand something related to the beauty of nature.’ By Autumn Doucet

As we climbed the dusty

hillside trying to keep up with Dr. Dan Stephens, the northwest environmental professor spotted a hummingbird hovering next to the trail at a flowering plant. Many of us students had our heads down, grumbling about the heat and the god-awful hour at which we had to get up on a Saturday. He shushed us and motioned toward the delicate bird whirring up and down as if attached to an invisible spring. “A female calliope hummingbird,” he said, “the smallest bird in North America, weighing only 1/10th of an ounce.” We stood in silent fascination as the tiny bird zoomed up then down, seemingly pondering its options. Suddenly, it was gone, and so was Dr. Stephens, his muscled legs propelling him up the trail as we struggled to scramble behind him while updating our field notebooks. Before taking his class, I never

would have noticed the hummingbird. Grunt glory would have propelled me up the slope, my mind focused on reaching the top. Dr. Stephens opened up a new world for me, one in which I could see the environment around me in detail, not as a blur of scent and sound that accompanied me on my hikes. Even in my own yard, I now marvel at an unexpected flock of red-breasted nuthatches running upside down and sideways through the limbs of my juniper tree, and I notice the carnivorous red-tailed hawk perching atop my redwood tree, scouting for feathered and furred delicacies. For his day job, ornithologist and naturalist Dr. Dan Stephens, or Dr. Dan as his students affectionately call him, teaches biology at Wenatchee Valley College. A quiet and thoughtful man, he imparts his admiration of nature — especially birds — to his students.

| The Good Life

Dr. Dan Stephens examines a pair of yellow-breasted chats.

“I love teaching ornithology and natural history because I have a passion for teaching and nature,” he says. “I love to pass on this passion. Nothing is more satisfying professionally than seeing someone’s eyes light up when they see and understand something related to the beauty of nature.” Seven years ago, I witnessed this contagious fascination as a student in his ornithology class: we students lined up eagerly behind Dr. Dan’s birding scope to catch a glimpse of the sparkling and iridescent red throat feathers of a male Rufous hummingbird perched high on a tree limb. While on the same field trip at the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery,

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

we ran along the shore of the Wenatchee River trying to catch a glimpse of the flaming red crest of a pileated woodpecker flittering from tree to tree on the other side of the river. How this restrained man passes on an unrestrained passion for birding still baffles me. Not only can Dr. Dan identify birds by their markings, appearance and physiology, he can tell his students, without looking up, what birds are in the area by their warbles, trills and whistles. If he knows a particular bird is in an area but not close at hand, he can imitate its call and usually have it come to a nearby tree. “When I was six years old, my family and I were visiting

Birds caught and tagged during a banding round up included, from left, a Male lazuli bunting, lark sparrow and Western tanager.

my aunt and uncle in Nyssa, Oregon. They lived on the edge of town with fields of sagebrush adjacent to their house. I remember hearing and seeing a western meadowlark on a telephone pole. It was the first bird I remember both hearing and seeing. That was the beginning of my life-long affinity for birding-by-ear.” Away from the demands of the classroom, Dr. Dan participates in a number of year-round birding activities. In order to assist in the understanding of bird population dynamics, he has worked for the Nature Conservancy as an ornithologist, banding birds at their McCartney Creek Preserve near Jameson Lake. He has also banded birds for 21 consecutive years for the Bureau of Land Management in their Douglas/Duffy Creek Management area near Waterville. Anyone interested in volunteering for the McCartney Creek breeding and migration birdbanding studies (summer and fall) should relish waking before dawn and be undeterred by skittish wildlife. Volunteers help with setting the 40-foot nets and assist in the banding efforts. For information on volunteering, call the Nature

Dr. Dan’s favorite local birding spots: n Horan Natural Area at Confluence State Park in Wenatchee n Douglas Creek Canyon in Douglas County Upcoming Events: n Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest May 16 - May 19 www.leavenworthspringbirdfest.com/ Info: 548-7584 Conservancy Wenatchee Field Office at 665-9737. For the last 22 years, Dr. Dan has participated in the Wenatchee Christmas bird count, administered by the National Audubon Society and conducted at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers since 1960. “We set out an area that represents a 14-mile diameter in the winter when the birds don’t move around much, and count the birds by sightings. This year we counted a total of 98 species, the rarer ones being the Pacific loon, black-crowned night heron, gray partridge, prairie falcon, northern goshawk, longeared owl, red-breasted sapsuckApril 2013 | The Good Life

er, white-throat sparrow and the pine grosbeak.” At the Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, held May 16-19 this year, Dr. Dan will lead an all-day bus tour on Sunday the 19th to one of the state’s premiere birding sights: the Coulee Corridor of the Columbia River. If you participate in this trip, have your pencils sharpened, your notebooks opened and your binoculars ready because Dr. Dan will have you looking left, right, up and down fast enough to give you whiplash. Over half of Washington’s bird species live along this corridor, and without your realizing it, he will turn a barren landscape (one only a geologist could love) into a wonderland of life with sightings of herons, burrowing owls, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles and swans; song sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, meadow larks and loggerhead shrikes; and waterfowl such as mergansers, grebes, widgeons and coots. Dr. Dan has traveled to 26 states in North America in pursuit of his birding interests, including three trips to Alaska, with a goal of eventually birding in all 50 states. “I’ve taken one birding tour — a 12-day trip to Belize and Guatemala in 1996. www.ncwgoodlife.com

This was my most exciting birding trip; I got 147 life birds in 11 days.” Life birds consist of the different species seen in a person’s lifetime, those a birder can successfully identify and enter into his or her life list. Often this pursuit is a numbers quest; for others, high numbers don’t mean as much as the thrill of seeing a new bird. As Dr. Dan says, “Getting a life bird is the perfect day for any birder, and the most exciting day is when they have spotted their most recent lifer. For me that was July 8, 2012, at Siwash Creek near Tonasket. I got a painted bunting — my 578th North American bird.” Thus far, Dr. Dan’s life list contains 687 species, with 578 north of Mexico. “I haven’t been able to travel much in the spring and summer because of teaching and bird-banding commitments,” he said. “My former ornithology professor has about 4,500 species on his list. My goal is to get 600 before I turn 60 and 100 more after I retire.” When asked what would excite such a reserved and quiet man, he answered without pause: “Money — so I can retire and do more birding.”

Sweet success:

Making coconut ice cream in Cambodia

By Linda Congdon

isions of coconut laden palm trees swaying in tropical breezes, silhouetted against a red sun falling over the fabled Mekong River, provided a momentary place of quiet, if only in my imagination. In reality, we were in a whirlwind pace of packing up and getting our personal affairs in order before departing for a projected two-year stay in Cambodia. In late April 2009, my husband, Gordon, accepted a position with the World Wildlife Fund in northeastern Cambodia and they wanted us to arrive the following month so he could begin working May 25; giving us less than four weeks to pull things together. Since my normal pace is slow to medium, I felt like I’d stepped onto a treadmill that was stuck on high and I couldn’t find the off button. Other days I found myself struggling to remember exactly which country we were going to: Cameroon, the Congo, or Cambodia? I just knew it started with a C. Gordon and I had talked from time to time about the possibility of one day working in other countries. With his background as a biologist and passion for conservation, and my experience as a nurse and a passion for people, we felt there might be a right time and place for our skills to be used overseas. Once we’d settled into our life in Cambodia, I naturally assumed that I’d be volunteering in a health care center in Kratie province, where we’d be living.

Three flavors of coconut ice cream: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

Sok Ni makes chocolate ice cream.

However, I was in for a reality check; if you don’t go to Cambodia as a volunteer with an organization or already have employment, you can’t just walk in and start helping in a medical setting. In the first five months, when no opportunities opened up to help medically, I felt like I’d lost my compass. Gordon hit the ground running with his work, while I was on my own during the day to face some Goliaths:

| The Good Life

the terrible heat and humidity, buying food at the local outdoor market without yet knowing the currency or language, and the like. After about five months, I finally felt like I’d crossed the threshold of difficulty and began to feel at ease. I was eager to do something besides cooking and cleaning our apartment. About this time, a departing English teacher asked if I would take over teaching a small class

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

of adult employees at the Kratie hospital. Though I’d never taught English before, I eagerly agreed. The third day after teaching this class, I was in a rollover tuk tuk accident and sustained a fractured kneecap. So much for teaching. I was airlifted out of Kratie to Phnom Penh with Gordon, and then on to Bangkok for surgery the next morning. After two weeks in the hospital, my surgeon informed me that I’d be on crutches three months and needed weekly physical therapy. That all translated into having to live in Phnom Penh during my recovery process. Three and a half months later, I returned to Kratie and resumed teaching. In the next several months, I began getting more requests to teach English, so I decided to take an online study program to become certified teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). After several months of study, I passed the program and later settled into teaching two different levels of adult ESL classes, four days a week. I began to feel like my compass was back on track. After teaching for about 18 months, I decided I wanted something more to do. I had a desire to help one

Cambodian family start a small business before leaving Cambodia. Although I had no previous experience doing this, the awful reality that many Cambodians earn $1 a day urged me on. A friend’s mention to me of having seen a woman in a village selling an ice cream product and being thronged by children, sparked my interest and sweet tooth in the possibility of making ice cream. Due to the abundance of coconuts, it seemed natural to make coconut ice cream. I knew I would need an ice cream machine and I decided a motorized bucket using rock salt and ice would be the most practical machine. Since you can’t buy anything like that in Cambodia, I asked a couple from America who were coming to Kratie to bring me a machine. Once this precious machine was in my hands, I went to work to understand the correct ratio of ingredients needed to make good ice cream and the correct amounts of rock salt and ice needed to properly freeze it. My last hurdle was to understand why the ice cream had a grainy texture after freezing over night. With the help of the Internet, I discovered this was a common problem encountered by those making homemade ice cream. The solution was adding one tablespoon of vodka to the ice cream mix, which acted as antifreeze, keeping the ice cream from becoming too hard and icy. It worked like magic. After this discovery, I thought it would be great fun to write my Wenatchee friends (who know I drink very little alcohol), telling them I had a confession to make. My confession? That the rigors and challenges of living in a third world country had finally taken a toll on me and I had taken to using vodka every day. Next I talked with a Khmer friend who I knew to be well connected in the community to find a local family that might be

‘I thought it would be great fun to write my Wenatchee friends (confessing) the rigors and challenges of living in a third world country had finally taken a toll on me and I had taken to using vodka every day.’ interested in making and selling ice cream. I didn’t even consider that he would be interested in this venture, since he was perpetually busy teaching English and had some other jobs too. After

Linda Congdon eats a dish of madein-Cambodia ice cream.

talking with my friend, Tona, he replied, “Why wouldn’t you want to help my family?” Amazingly, he and his wife, Sok Ni, had just been discussing what she could do to help with the family income, since their

new baby was now six months old, and she felt ready to help make some money. I supplied them with a freezer and ice cream machine and walked them through making their first gallon. After just one practice time together, they were off and running, making their own batches of coconut ice cream. They immediately started selling their delicious product to surrounding villagers and school children. There is now a local restaurant selling their ice cream. They profit $9 from the sale of every gallon and are currently producing six or more gallons weekly. In summary of my experiences in Cambodia, I can now confidently say, “If life gives you coconuts, make coconut ice cream.” Linda and Gordon Congdon have been living and working in Kratie, Cambodia since May 2009. They expect to return to Wenatchee at the end of March.

Re ce nt ly in ju Re d yo uR ne ck oR ba ck ?

S pin eC l in iC Cen ter at We nat che e Val ley Me dic al

ert The spin e spe cial ists pro vide exp e rativ ope h care to indi vidu als with bot k bac and k nec and non -op erat ive con ditio ns suc h as:* Acu te and sub acu te pai n Deg ene rati ve disc dise ase Dis c her niat ion s Myo fasc ial pai n Low -ba ck pai n Com pre ssio n frac ture s Rad icul opa thy Lum bar spin e sten osis Wo rk-r elat ed inju ries

for an appointment

Call 509-667-7507

*This list is not exclu sive.

treatment The sooner you have access to outcome. the er bett the , pain k for your bac

The results are clear:

820 N. Chelan Ave. (509) 667-7507 wvmedical.com/spinceclinic

April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

Saving

the monarchs

How a weed is the bed of life for the beautiful — but infrequent — visitors By Lori Aylesworth

A few years ago, as I was

driving home from Wenatchee to Leavenworth, I noticed a familiar looking plant growing along Highway 2 between Monitor and Cashmere. It reminded me where I grew up on our family farm in northwest Indiana. The plant I recognized was milkweed, and I immediately thought of the beautiful monarch butterfly. Milkweed is the monarch’s host plant, the only plant species that the monarch will lay its eggs on. Milkweed gets its name from its white, sticky, latex-like sap. It’s apparent when you tear off a leaf and the milky substance oozes out. This sap is bitter and deters many herbivores from eating the plant, while lending an unpalatable taste to the monarch itself. Milkweed sap also contains varying amounts and types of toxins that have conditioned predators to avoid monarchs for a meal. There are also folks who believe you can apply the sap topically to warts to get rid of them. I have seen this work for some, but not others. I put on my car’s blinkers and pulled over a safe distance off the highway to grab a few of the

A monarch butterfly settles on a milkweed plant.

seedpods from the milkweed plants. They were dried out enough to be ready for flight. Milkweeds, at least the species I am familiar with, produce wonderful seedpods. You open them up — or when they’re dried out, they open on their own — and inside you’ll find the little flat, brown seeds attached to gossamer little “parachutes” that provide a similar mode of dispersal as that of the dande-

| The Good Life

lion, carried by the wind. I smiled as I remembered when my sister Chris, and I, in our early teens, were on a mission to help disperse milkweed seeds. Loving the monarchs, we wanted to offer our assistance. We had two horses, and Chris and I would go out for rides along our county roads or between fields, and as we rode along we’d let the seeds fly. Had my Dad known, he would

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

not have been pleased, as he was a farmer, and farmers were on a mission to eradicate most “weeds.” (Now the cat’s out of the bag, Dad!) I planted some of the seeds I had gathered along the outside of my veggie garden hoping to entice bees and butterflies with flowering milkweed. This was probably three to four years ago. The first two years no milkweed came up. Then the next year, up sprouted milkweed! I had nearly forgotten my attempt to grow it. This past summer I had an awesome display of milkweed that grew to an amazing six to seven feet tall. The normal height is usually around four feet, but I think my plants were exceptionally happy with my composted garden soil. The native species I had planted is called Asclepias speciosa, or Showy Milkweed. (It’s similar but slightly different from the species we have in northwest Indiana.) They were gorgeous plants with beautiful, fragrant, light pink flower clusters teeming with bees and various butterflies, but alas, no monarchs. I have since found out that milkweed has been eradicated in many areas here as well as much of the country. It seems that to many homeowners, farmers and orchardists, it’s just a “weed” and takes up space from a money-making crop or a lawn. And with so many applications of pesticides and herbicides,

I have never seen a monarch in Washington, but have recently talked with someone who had seen them in Leavenworth a few years back... how can monarchs and so many other native plants and insects stand a chance? I think they need our help. Last winter I had the good fortune to take biologist Susan Ballinger’s first Wenatchee Naturalist Class, a 12-week course consisting of 50 hours of training, including lectures, extensive handouts forming a resource notebook, expert guest speakers and three guided field trips. The aim of the Wenatchee Naturalist Class is to focus on the Wenatchee River Watershed’s diversity of life, with an emphasis on the shrub-steppe, low-elevation forest and riparian ecosystems. This class was the inspiration for me looking further into the subject of monarchs. Why is there native milkweed here, but we’re not seeing monarchs? Are monarchs really native to our region? I spoke with my friend Heather Murphy, retired (but still very active) USFS wildlife biologist, and she told me about a book by Robert Michael Pyle, called Chasing Monarchs. Dr. Pyle is an authority on monarchs and butterflies in general, has a Ph.D. in ecology from Yale, and is the author of 17 books. So I bought the book and learned while most of our monarchs in the Pacific Northwest probably overwinter in California, some of them might migrate

Harmony, by Lori Aylesworth (at right), whose work focuses on her love of nature.

to and from Mexico as well. He agreed with my premise of no milkweed, no monarchs. I also contacted Ted Alway, owner of Derby Canyon Natives in Peshastin, to see if he sold Showy Milkweed starts. He does, indeed. He, too, has not seen the monarchs here, however, he is hopeful. Robert Pyle told me that we are on the outer range for them, as close to the mountains as we are here in Leavenworth. But we do get them. I have never seen a monarch in Washington, but have recently talked with someone who had seen them in Leavenworth a few years back, but not recently. And further down valley — like in Cashmere and Wenatchee — they should be more prevalent. But Pyle also said that few monarchs have even reached Washington in recent years due to low numbers at the Mexican and Californian wintering sites. In order to help the monarchs, we have to have them in the first place. When he followed the monarch migration in the fall of April 2013 | The Good Life

1996, there were quite a few in the Northwest, and he hopes that will become the case again. Pyle told me to contact Dr. David James at WSU, as he is working with state prisoners to help raise monarchs in the state. I did, and he, too, was supportive of my project to help create awareness about the monarch and milkweed, its host plant. So, there are lots of caring folks who have so much knowledge and want to help the monarch survive. I write this article in hopes that folks will plant milkweed, enjoy their beauty and fragrance, and offer a place for monarchs to lay their eggs, as well as providing nectar for bees, hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators. It’s too bad the name has “weed” as part of it, as I find it a remarkable, fragrant addition to my butterfly/bee garden. Milkweed does spread by way of rhizomes, or underground roots, so you want to plant it www.ncwgoodlife.com

in a place where it can spread without being a nuisance, but it’s easy to pull if it escapes its confines. I encourage you to visit monarchwatch.org and xerces. org, and read Chasing Monarchs. There is a wealth of information and there are people all over the country that are concerned about the monarchs. Perhaps together we all can make a difference — starting by planting milkweed around your home. Lori Aylesworth is a professional artist residing in Leavenworth. Her artwork focuses on her love of nature, portraying landscapes, birds, florals, wildlife and animal portraits. Her mediums include oil, watercolor and pastel. To view her work or contact her, go to www.AylesworthArt.com, or email lori.paintings@charter.net.

Volunteers

eat Funnel cake, help a scholar fgh

How a local family wants to use this sweet delight to fund college education for others

By Donna Cassidy

enjamin Paine lives in California but his heart is in Wenatchee. Ben, a 1995 graduate of Wenatchee High School, works as the production coordinator for South Park, which airs on Comedy Central. Now, he and his parents are working on an unusual method of helping local students. Last year Ben purchased a 16-foot funnel cake trailer. His plans are to sell funnel cakes during Apple Blossom with proceeds going to local scholarships at Wenatchee Valley College. He has started a foundation called Keep It in the Valley Foundation. “When I graduated high school, I was looking at universities that cost $20,000 a year. Figuring out how to pay for it was a big challenge,” said Ben. “My parents helped a great deal, I worked two jobs, and I took out student loans. “I was also fortunate enough to be awarded the Fisk and Lila Gerhardt scholarship. It was a $2,000 two-year scholarship. I went to Notre Dame and that

Ben Paine, founder of Keep it in the Valley, along with his father, Bob Paine, who has spent hundreds of hours readying the funnel cake concession stand are anxiously awaiting Apple Blossom.

was less than 10 percent of my tuition, but it helped. “When I was given the scholarship it came with a letter that explained a little about Fisk and Lila Gerhardt. They were lifelong Wenatchee residents who

| The Good Life

never had kids but loved children and valued education. They had started their scholarship to help young people further their education, and help them on their way to achieving their dreams.

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

“The letter closed by pointing out that the Gerhardts were choosing to help me, and that someday I should choose to give back in the same way. Those words had a big impact on me. I started this foundation to help

“I guess the biggest hope would be that we raise a lot of money so we can award more scholarships and help more kids.” others the way Fisk and Lila helped me,” said Ben. Casting around for ways to raise money to help collegebound kids, Ben asked an Apple Blossom Festival employee which vendors were consistently the highest performers during Apple Blossom. She said the funnel cakes stand. Funnel cakes are those sweet deep-fried cakes loaded with powered sugar and/or strawberries and whipped cream. The funnel cake vendor who comes to Wenatchee during Apple Blossom was from Arizona. “He averaged $72,000 in gross sales each of the last five years,” said Ben. “If we continue to get that kind of support from the community, with our tax exempt status and volunteers working for free we can give $40,000 to $50,000 a year in scholarships to NCW area students.” In his research Ben found that new machines that make the cakes cost upwards of $250,000. Used ones are hard to come by. “Fortunately I made friends with Mike Ousey, the man who sells more funnel cakes on the West Coast each year than anyone in the country. When I told him about Keep it in the Valley Foundation’s mission, he agreed to train me and sell me one of his used machines,” said Ben. “He has been an invaluable friend. The kids in our valley who will get these scholarships owe a debt of gratitude to Mike.” Ben’s mother, Nina Paine, has taken on the scholarship side of the enterprise. She will work with Beth Stipe at the NCW Community Foundation who handles the administration portion of awarding the scholarships. Ben’s dad Bob has put in sever-

Who has helped Ben Paine said everyone he has talked to has been excited and willing to help out the Keep it in the Valley project. “I couldn’t have done this without the volunteers working on the concession stand. Parts of it were literally rusted out,” said Ben. Among those who willing gave their goods, services, time and expertise are: • Legwork Social – website design and construction • After Hours Plumbing and Heating – plumbing repairs • Beckstead Electric – electrical repairs • Icicle River Company – aprons, shirts and flags for the stand • Icicle River Embroidery – custom embroidery • Abby’s Pizza – napkins and plates • J B Steamers – coffee • Stemilt Mechanical – concession storage • Kottkamp and Yedinak – legal counsel • CliftonLarsonAllen – accounting • Andrew Doubroff – transportation specialist • Robert S. Arlt – metal fabrication • Michael Bendtsen – web page photography • Tiffany Ripper – print design • Ed Paine – bookkeeping • Brent Grothe’s WHS Leadership Class – concession volunteers • Bob Gallaher’s EHS Leadership Class – concession volunteers • Ridgeline Graphics - Logo Design • Stacia Hardie - EHS Volunteer Consultant • Westside High School - Concession Volunteers Board of Directors • Andy Kottkamp – President • West Mathison – Vice President • Shellie Faulconer – Secretary • Bob Paine – Treasurer • Nita Paine – Head of Scholarship Committee April 2013 | The Good Life

al hundred hours restoring and preparing the funnel cake trailer and getting the permits needed. An uncle, Ed Paine, has donated his time do the bookkeeping. “I have many hopes for our foundation,” said Ben, who invested seven years in the project between the original idea and having the stand ready to sell funnel cakes. “I guess the biggest hope would be that we raise a lot of money so we can award more scholarships and help more kids.

www.ncwgoodlife.com

I hope that they will be encouraged knowing there are people out there who may not know you, who don’t want anything from you, but are willing to help you. I get really excited thinking about helping people who really need it.” Ben says he has passed his food handlers test and is ready to start selling funnel cakes in Memorial Park April 15 to May 5. For donations or more information see keepitinthevalley.com.

PET PIX

Submit pet & owner pictures to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

THE GOOD LIFE PET DIRECTORY

his is Lilly, our paint mare, eating watermelon with my husband Todd. Lilly is the love of my life and is a goof ball of a horse. — Patty Billings

Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

t was a cold, snowy day, and I was watching football on the floor of our bedroom while our border terrier, Riley, was enjoying sharing the electric blanket with my wife, Susie. Apparently, she got lonely or maybe guilty that as a terrier she should be stirring up trouble by challenging me to some type of game or lobbying for a hike. Obviously, all that was needed was a little scratch on the head to talk her out it. — Jack Evans

| The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

The infinity pool mirrors the expanse of river and sky near Crescent Bar. Across the river on the flats, wildlife abounds, while the stone turtle at patio’s edge is merely decorative.

A home that’s ‘just what we wanted’ Story by Susan Lagsdin Photos by Donna Cassidy

enny Weber appreciates the sophisticated décor in his Quincy home (which he attributes entirely to his wife Car-

men Cordova’s good taste), but what he really wanted to talk about was the wildlife. “I’ve got a spotting scope, and sometimes I can see 30 elk right across the river — I heard one huge bull elk just this morning.” There are quail, ospreys, and

| The Good Life

always the eagles, “20 of them perched on that tree down there looking at a deer carcass.” He can see deer toeing their way to water on a rocky beach. He can watch water funnels and scudding whitecaps way down the Columbia, enjoy panoramic

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

cloud play over the Colockum. And nobody — nobody — can see in his windows. The home site that Denny has carved out of a slight basalt ledge is on one of the steepest, deepest parts of our near landscape, above and north of Cres-

Retired now, he’s a project kind of guy, and he likes to busy himself these years putting up houses.

Denny Weber and Carmen designed the home to suit their busy lives and creature comforts. He’s often on the go, but pauses here to gaze a little longer at the Columbia River. The road down to the house ends at a heated driveway and garage with a carwash floor drain. Upstairs, guests have the advantage of a balcony view to the northwest. Photo provided by owners

cent Bar on (get this) “Mansfield Road.” A humorous misnomer — Vernazza Lane or Riviera Place would be more fitting. The first home he built on this land was close by, straight up the hill. This one’s less than a year old, and he’s already eyeing one remaining building lot. “We’re thinking about downsizing — just a regular house over there — maybe 1,600 square feet.” He pointed to a private end-of-the-road lot upriver, slightly less steep and slightly closer to a grassy community beach. Denny’s from local farming stock, but he jumped into body shop work in junior high and didn’t return to the land until the early ’70s when he decided to take up potato growing. Those particular potatoes enabled him to invest in this cliff side full of home lots, platted in 1910 as part of the town of Trinidad, most now built out by vacationers. Retired now, he’s a project kind of guy, and he likes to busy himself these years putting up houses.

}}} Continued on next page

April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

‘Just what we wanted’ }}} Continued from previous page Though Ackerman Construction actually built the structure, Denny admits, “Well, I got to scrape out some of this with the Cat. And I pounded some nails…” He refers to his role as “kind of ” a general contractor. The results in this home are a mix of the ultra modern with the traditional, of high-end materials and fixtures with personalized amenities. Denny’s frank about some unconventional but very appealing choices, “You know, since there’s only the two of us, we decided it should be just what we wanted for ourselves.” That means the six-foot by seven-foot walk-in shower fronting the master bedroom has a glass door leading straight to a spacious outside shower, Denny’s preferred spa spot. The many-cabineted master closet features a wall of sliding mirrors and a separate room for hanging garments, but it also opens onto the laundry area and a second bath close to a mudroom. The upstairs was originally designed as a bonus room for the family with a small bedroom and bath to the side, but the couple realized that their out-oftown visitors would prefer the whole floor to sprawl in. With a little redrawing of lines, the sitting area now contains a kitchen, so the staircase leads up to a private and usable apartment. Good for guests, perfect for a future caretaker. And, inevitably, the views are tremendous. Carmen is a very orderly homemaker, though she works full time, and her kitchen shows care. A big wall of white cabinets and contrasting black undercounter ones hold everything that would be clutter. The big square granite island with gas cooktop and whimsical drop lights centers the kitchen, where

Top quality appliances and clean-lined modern cabinetry surround this big square of granite that serves the couple well as an everyday dining space.

“When you’re in (the pool) it looks like the pool water and the Columbia River are the same thing.” the two dine regularly. As in many riverfront houses, a baffle of walls and gates perpendicular to the house allows both privacy and shelter from the sometimes mighty winds. Denny and Carmen have used theirs to advantage so their patio is calm in most weathers, allowing meal prep on a big workmanlike outdoor kitchen island and the pleasure of a floor-level hot tub and an infinity pool. “When you’re in there,” Denny said, “it looks like the pool water and the Columbia River are the same thing.” The edge water is caught and re-circulated, the same sensible system as a wall fountain at the entry that appears to cascade down from the cliff into a small rocky pond.

| The Good Life

Dark distressed wood floors are all made of engineered hickory, designed to work well over a flat concrete subfloor. Tall wood-clad windows frame spectacular views of land and river.

Another very site-specific design choice is the home’s rear windows, where sun is reflected and deflected off a vertical basalt surface 10 feet from the exterior wall, with no sky to be seen. The close-up light playing off the cliff becomes an intriguing wallscape. One more decision that defines itself in this spare dry

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

landscape is the cottage look of the exterior. With a steep pitched roof and horizontal siding, the cream and soft green color palette with barn red touches and deep porch overhang, this could be a farmhouse. Up at the vee curve of the steep asphalt drive are boxy garage/ storage building in the same style.

Just three bright pieces of abstract art in the living area and one sculpted copper sunface high on an archway wall mean the walls are spare and bare. Take a few steps into the house, however, and the look changes to very contemporary very fast with cathedral ceilings and walls of windows, black leather furnishings, geometric rug and a glass dining table, fogged glass privacy doors and subtle lighting. Just three bright pieces of abstract art in the living area and one sculpted copper sunface high on an archway wall mean the walls are spare and bare. That’s where Denny’s connection to the land came back in. “Last spring when we chose paint colors, we wanted everything to be about the view. So I went around and picked a little bit of all the plants I could see — different kinds of sage, grass and wildflowers.” He pointed out the river gray of the main walls and the counterpoint colors of soft salmon, early green, palest cream. Carpeting and fabrics follow suit, picking up the tones of the landscape they love. It’s possible that Denny and Carmen will stay in this 3,000 square foot house that they have occupied only since late last June. There’s plenty to be fond of, from comfortable floor plan to privacy to breathtaking views. Whatever their choice (love it or list it?) it will be for the most personal of reasons — time for a new and better project, smaller and simpler? Or maybe it’s time to stay put for a while, happily enjoying one of the nicest homes in the neighborhood.

This shower meets a wall of granite counters and double sinks to the left, so the master bedroom becomes a very personalized sleeping and self care space.

NCW Home Professionals

April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

column moving up to the good life

june darling

Use thoughts of mortality to live stronger Supposedly a slave stood be-

hind the victorious Roman generals as they paraded the streets. “Memento mori” the slave warned the general. “Remember your mortality” or “Remember you will die.” Why would anyone want to remember their mortality? Most of us try our best to forget about it. Years ago my father was visiting. Evidently he was watching me, his daughter, a young wife and mother, unhinged and scattered in her activities. I was frantically cleaning the house (muttering about the need for a bigger house), yelling at my kids to quit playing in the dirt (thinking aloud how waiflike they looked), and writing

They see death as a reminder to drop our pretenses, our roles, our mindless worrying and fruitless comparisons to others... down the grocery shopping list (fuming under my breath about someone’s half-eaten breakfast). At some point, my father sighed and asked, “June, haven’t you been to the Cashmere museum? Have you not seen the remains of all those who

| The Good Life

have lived and died before you? Maybe it would behoove you to think about what is really important in life.” Though I politely brushed Dad off at the time, I did think about what he had said. Nine years later I saw the highly acclaimed movie, Dead Poet’s Society. In one scene Professor Keating (actor Robin Williams) takes his class out to examine the trophies and faces of those who have lived before them and are now “food for worms.” Keating dramatically whispers, “Carpe diem, seize the day.” The Romans, Dad and Professor Keating join many spiritual gurus and philosophers who view death as a blessing. They see death as a reminder to drop

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

our pretenses, our roles, our mindless worrying and fruitless comparisons to others, as well as our apathy toward the beauty of life. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, also found focusing on his mortality useful. He said: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.” Perhaps we should stop fear-

“Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life.” ing death and start to view it as an ally, a motivator, an accountability partner, a tool for making good choices. One of the ways you can use your mortality as a motivator to live a good life is to write your own obituary. The idea of writing your own obituary is not new, but few have actually thoughtfully done it. Those who have contemplated and composed their own eulogies or obituaries have found the exercise liberating and meaningful. The material is a guide for helping them maintain their focus so that they do live a good life. If you would like to try it, set aside an hour or so. Then come back to it several times, re-examine it, and make changes. Think about who you are, who you would like to be, what you would like said about you. Or think about who you do not want to be, what you would not want said about you. Here is an example of what I would not want my obituary to say. It is part of a real obituary that appeared in the Vallejo [California] Times-Herald written by the deceased person’s daughter. “Dolores Aguilar, born in 1929 in New Mexico, left us on August 7, 2008. “Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life. I speak for the majority of her family when I say her presence will not be missed by many, very few tears will be shed and there will be no lamenting over her passing. “Her family will remember

Dolores and amongst ourselves we will remember her in our own way, which were mostly sad and troubling times throughout the years. We may have some fond memories of her and perhaps we will think of those times too. But I truly believe at the end of the day ALL of us will really only miss what we never had, a good and kind mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I hope she is finally at peace with

herself. As for the rest of us left behind, I hope this is the beginning of a time of healing and learning to be a family again.” We do not need to be preoccupied with death, but we certainly can stop suppressing and denying our mortality. By remembering that life will come to an end for each of us, we can thoughtfully consider what truly is important. We can also be mindful of the opportunity we have to be here

at this moment, to be alive. We might decide to do what my younger son often encouraged his Dad and me to do… “just stop and smell the coffee.” How might you move up to The Good Life by remembering your mortality? June Darling, Ph.D., is an executive coach who consults with businesses and individuals to achieve goals and increase happiness. She can be reached at drjunedarling1@gmail. com. Her website is www.summitgroupresources.com.

“We are Family”

“Our staff places impor-

tance on creating a sense of family within our community. It is very evident when you walk through our building,” says Administrator Jean Lehman. “Many of our staff members have worked at Colonial Vista at Highline since they were 16-years old — and continue

Administrator Jean Lehman and Director of Nursing Jackie Weber.

to work here today.” Highline Care Center was established in 1932. Today, Colonial Vista at Highline provides long-term, skilled, and Rehabilitative care to more than 100 residents. “Many people are unaware we also provide Respite and Hospice Care. With skilled nursing, we can provide a

break for caregivers while offering a private apartment for those needing assistance,” said Jean. “Come visit us and meet our wonderful staff,” she added. 609 Highline Drive East Wenatchee, WA 98802 (509) 884-6602

The tale of Tink and Marlene

“Just having someone to care for has brought so much richness to my life,” said Marlene, a nine-year resident of Highline. Tink was adopted through a foster pet program six months ago. Tink has added a light and a new purpose to Marlene’s days. Pets are commonly seen with residents and are very much part of the family fabric at Colonial Vista at Highline. April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

Spinach is not just for Popeye Spinach is an early

spring treat. Its cousins are beets, quinoa, Swiss chard, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Lamb’s quarters (a common weed) Good King Henry and Epazote, which is an herb used in Mexican cooking. We eat the leaves, the roots and the seeds of this one varied family. The summer days in NCW are too long to grow quinoa, but you can add the others to your garden and feast all season. When I was growing up, we never saw spinach at the grocery except as the canned variety designed to give Popeye strength. Mashed potatoes made with spinach may appear odd at first, but prepare enough for Fresh spinach became a second — and even third — helping. popular in the 1970s. Today, it is hard to find One cup half-and-half or fresh spinach in the gro 1 cup plain, full fat yogurt or cery store except in those cello 1 cup full sour cream bags because people do not want to have to clean it. Consciously lean This dish can be as rich and elaboThe farmers’ market will have 2 tablespoons butter rate as you wish to make it. It is also fresh cut spinach at the begin1 cup milk or 1 cup 2% yogurt — delicious made with a conscious ning of May. When you grow Fat-free milk or yogurt dissolves into decision to limit fats. I like using the your own, you can harvest it tasteless water yogurt. without it getting muddy. One pound of potatoes makes two Besides in salad, raw spinach Put the garlic clove in the pot of wacups of mashed potatoes. One pound ter. Boil the potatoes whole. They will can be shredded as a last-minute of spinach, cut and steamed, makes addition to omelets, soups, pothree cups. The portion for this recipe not become as watery as when you slice them to boil them. Don’t keep tato salad or any dish that would is about 2 parts potato to one part poking knife holes in them to test benefit a fresh green texture. spinach. if they are done — that defeats the In 1971, an 80-year-old farm purpose of keeping the potatoes dry Serves 4, 35 minutes wife gave me my favorite cooked and fluffy inside. You can tell they are spinach dish. tender because the outside develops 3 pounds potatoes, peeled Yukon When she first served it, I was slight fuzz. Drain the potatoes and let gold or Russets leery, as have been most of my steam dry. 1.5 pounds of spinach. guests when I serve this delight. Rinse the fresh spinach and chop it 1 clove garlic Be sure to make half again as finely. Put it in a covered saucepan to 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg much as you think you will need steam for about 3 minutes. The washSalt/ pepper ing water that stuck to the leaves is because everyone will have secenough to steam the leaves. Squeeze onds, or thirds, of this dish. Sumptuously rich out any extra moisture. If you are usThis recipe is inspired by Opal One-half cube butter, ing frozen, chopped spinach, defrost Cade.

Opal Cade’s Mashed Potatoes

| The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

it, and lightly steam it. Then wring out any extra moisture. Mash the dry, hot potatoes. Use a potato masher or a ricer or an electric mixer. Do not use a food processor because that will reduce the potatoes to a gummy mass. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stream in the yummy liquids of choice, and stir briefly. These all should be at room temperature to prevent cooling the potatoes Stir in the “dry,” hot spinach. Blend well. Serve right away.

Spinach Rice Soup Serves 6, 25 minutes

10 cups spinach, washed and chopped. Do not remove stems 4 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup arborio rice or rice of your choice, rinsed 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 finely chopped shallots 2 small cloves garlic chopped 2 teaspoons ginger Salt/ pepper One-quarter cup grated Parmesan cheese Simmer the spinach in one cup chicken stock until tender. Let cool slightly. Puree spinach in the food processor until it is chunky puree. In a large pan, sauté lightly the shallots and garlic and fresh grated ginger. Add 3 cups chicken stock to the sauté, and add the rice. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes. Add the puree of spinach to the sauté and the cooked rice. Heat until the rice is totally cooked. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese.

If you grew up as a Popeye fan with canned spinach, it is time to give spinach another try! Bonnie Orr — the dirt diva — cooks and gardens in East Wenatchee.

column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Good bacteria: No, that’s not an oxymoron I’ve been thinking a lot about

bacteria lately. It started after I heard an interview on NPR about how important bacteria are for our very survival. When most people think about bacteria, if they think of them at all, it usually has to do with illnesses or the “germs” that might have caused them. I will get to that subject in a later article. For now I want to share some tidbits of information about the invisible life that surrounds us and how our very lives depend on them. Bacteria are earth’s oldest living creatures and have ensured human survival. Bacteria are single cell organisms too small to be seen by the naked eye. They exist everywhere on earth, especially in soil and in the atmosphere as far as 40 miles above the earth’s surface. They help supply us with food and help regulate the biosphere. All life is cellular and contains between 50-90 percent water. All living cells contain carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, minerals and chemicals. Even bacteria have genetic material in the form of DNA. Sound familiar? We all have the same stuff of life in our cells too. Some suggest that bacteria were actually our first ancestors. Earth is 4.6 billion years old, give or take a few hundred million years. I know there is a small segment of the population in our country that think the earth is only 6,000 years old and was formed in six days, but this is not confirmed by any scientific study. Unfortunately, a few of the people who believe this are now in Congress. Scientists believe that for

about the first 1.5 billion years earth was lifeless. Bacteria appeared on the scene about 3 billion years ago, and until 1 billion years ago all life was microscopic. A mere 200,000 years ago humankind emerged in Africa. It is from Africa where humans acquired their deepest traits. “We are all Africans under the skin,” says anthropologist Christopher Stringer. Our earth has all the elements necessary for cellular life. In 2011, Dr. Hoover of NASA published a paper stating he had discovered matter in several meteorites that resembled a form of primitive earthly bacteria. These meteorites predated our earth’s crust suggesting that these bacteria might have come from other areas of our universe. His critics deny that bacteria could survive in space. Nevertheless this does raise questions about the possibility of life beyond our planet. Our galaxy, the milky way, contains over 200 billion stars and numerous named and unnamed planets. In addition to our own galaxy there are over 170 billion additional galaxies in the observable universe. We can’t begin to comprehend numbers like that even when we are talking about our national debt. It is inconceivable, to me anyway, that in this vast universe there aren’t other life forms “‘out there” beyond our earthly home. I heard a pastor once say, “God is a mystery and I have faith in that mystery.” We humans are far too limited to ever fully understand the vast universe we live in and how or why it came about. I too have faith in the mystery. April 2013 | The Good Life

Anton Van Leewenhoek was a tradesman in Delft, Holland (1632-1723). He had no formal education or degrees yet attributed to him are his pioneering biologic discoveries. After he invented the first microscope, which could magnify up to 200 times, he was the first to observe and describe bacteria in pond water, in the plaque from his teeth and numerous other places. He was the first to see red blood cells and watch with fascination living spermatozoa. In 1673 he began writing to the Royal Society of London describing what he was seeing. So why even care about bacteria anyway? According to Bell Bryson, author of the book At Home, our skin has over 1 trillion bacteria and our gut the same. All told he says we each have about 100 quad-drillion bacterial cells tagging along with us on or in our body for the ride. If they could all be put together and weighed, they would weigh about four pounds. Wow, who knew? They play an important role in our biosphere. All life depends on the activity of bacteria. They recycle carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. Organic carbon would deplete the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere if not for decombustion by bacteria. Without CO2 there would be no photosynthesis in plants and therefore no food. Plants rely on nitrogen in the soil. How does it get there? Bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen into nitrites and nitrates into the soil. We can’t live without bacteria’s help. Recent scientific studies have shown that dust from as far away as the Sahara desert, combined with bacteria in the atmowww.ncwgoodlife.com

sphere, have a significant effect on the rain and snow that we need and that we enjoy in the Northwest. They cause ice crystals in clouds that influence how much rain and snow we get. Bacteria play a large role in cleaning up oil spills in our oceans. Bacteria help break down foods we eat to aid in their digestion, and they make many of our foods more palatable. We can’t smell bacteria, but we can smell milk going sour and the rotting of meat, which are a result of bacteria action. Bacteria at work are responsible for the pleasant smell in the forest from fallen trees and foliage, returning these elements back to the soil. Bacteria are the cause of morning breath as well. It is hard to believe that regular brushing of teeth didn’t take hold in the U.S. until after WW II. I can’t imagine the halitosis that preexisted toothbrushing. We can’t taste bacteria, but we can taste their results in many cheeses, sauerkraut, buttermilk, sour cream, some sausages and yogurt, to name a few. Many yogurts are loaded with good bacteria and are prescribed now as “probiotics” for various intestinal disorders. Bacteria are our friends. Some, however, can be deadly or cause illnesses. Later I will be writing about bacteria that cause illness and how they may have even changed history. 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.

The photographer as messenger: Stepping back to really see Photographer Reed Carlson, asked to

summarize his thematic approach in a kind of artist statement/sound bite, offered up the title of a treasured photo book in his library: Mirrors, Messages, Manifestations (Minor White 1969). Reed realized in his own years of roving the mountains of north central Washington, that he’s been “using nature to say something else,” tapping into the mystical side of the natural world. That doesn’t preclude tapping into the very practical side of the everyday world. From the home base of his Leavenworth studio, which contains a darkroom, print room and cupboards of collected cameras, he also photographs weddings, reunions, events and other people’s artwork with equal enthusiasm. He’s definitive and eloquent when he talks about the art he loves. The best lesson for a new photographer? “Stop. (Really, really) look. And listen. You have to take what I call ‘a different way home’ and use your senses.” Film versus digital? “Film is softer… it filters a scene the way the eye does. Digital is sometimes too accurate, too detailed. It sees more than the eye can handle.” The fun part of photography? “It used to be watching an image magically appear from a pan of water in the dark room. But overall, it’s just ‘being and seeing.’ Getting the good shot? “Sometimes it’s

“We rarely think when we’re taking pictures that we are actually recording history.” 30

a matter of just stepping back, noticing what’s not in your frame — including, not excluding.” Photography is not a late life hobby; it’s his life work. Ever since selecting his first paperboy bonus gift, he’s been a camera guy — young Reed didn’t choose an air rifle, he chose a Kodak camera, and he Photographer Reed Carlnever got out of son, above, along with two the habit of reof his pictures, loves to tap into the mystical side of cording the world nature. on film. From covering high school sports to Vietnam protests for his college paper in Minnesota he was always, as he said, “seeing things between the lines.” He tried to capture what was just outside the predictable frame, influenced by documentary work of photojournalists like Henri Cartier- Bresson, Salbastiado Salgado and Eugene Smith “My first good Nikon camera in 1968 took me to Europe,” he said. Snapping mountain scenics while documenting an elder study tour group, “I discovered the vertical world.” | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

Shortly thereafter, he was drawn to the Cascades and has lived here with his wife Amy augmenting a photography career with construction management, and sometimes vise-versa, for 40 years. Reed admires the retrospective value of his art. “We rarely think when we’re taking pictures that we are actually recording history. The same with sketches, stories — think of how we value them in later years. That’s why

| April 2013

Photographer Reed Carlson I love photographing people in the community.” He showed with sad pride the very recent smiling portrait he took of close friend and renowned steward of the mountains, Don Hanson, who died in early March of this year. Photography can be an intensely solo art, with hours of work in the dark room (or now at the computer) tweaking and perfecting an image. But collaboration can be invigorating. Reed recalled fondly a 1982 retreat deep in the Cascades with an Upper Valley Arts group. That week spent with similarly devoted photographers showed him the value of working side by side with fellow artists. Reed now teaches a full slate of group photography classes, and applauds current efforts in our community to bring other creative people together, but he thinks it’s time for more. He envisions a vibrant education and exhibit center where visual artists solve problems, share solutions and actively learn from each other. He’d be a first responder to such an effort. “Why not a Visual Arts School here? It’s the perfect time and place!” To see more, visit reed@iciclevalleyphotography.com. — by Susan Lagsdin

WHAT TO DO

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

Rocky Reach River Walk Kick off event, 3/30, 9 a.m. Walk as far as you desire or prepare to walk up to 12 miles round trip. South end: park at Apple Commission parking lot or at 37th St. or North end Lincoln Rock State Park. Bring water and watch for banners and balloons. Intro to ornithology, 4/1. Includes the study of bird identification and classification; migration, breeding and communication behaviors; habitats and distribution; and populations and conservation. The Saturday field trips from 7 a.m. – noon emphasize observation and identification skills and how to keep a field notebook. The only prerequisite is an interest in birds. Community members may enroll in this class after registering at Wenatchee Valley College. The tuition fee for either audit or credit is $534.20 plus a $12.40 lab fee. Trail Opening Day, 4/1, 8 a.m. All trails north of 5th Street officially open for use. Hike, bike, run or walk the Wenatchee Foothills. Cakewalk Geology, Spring Break Enrichment, 4/1-4/4, 9 a.m. – noon. Visiting experts and museum staff lead this class for kids in grades 3-5 featuring layer cake geology, walking tours of local landforms, rock collecting and an archeological dig. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Info: 888-6240. Improv/Acting Workshop, 4/2, 7 p.m. Every Tuesday night with theater games for novice and experienced players. Fun, casual and free. Riverside Playhouse. Cost: free. Info: mtow.org.

}}} Continued on next page

April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

WHAT TO DO

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

Arbor Day Packing Night, 4/4, 4:30 p.m. Pizza and door prizes. Adults only. Wear warm clothes and shoes and bring gloves. Ballard Ambulance, 1028 N Wenatchee Ave. Wenatchee First Fridays, 4/5, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Walk downtown for art, music, dining and entertainment. Downtown Wenatchee. Two Rivers Art Gallery, 4/5, 5 – 8 p.m. Featured artist Russ Hepler exhibits his non-objective abstract paintings. The event includes 40 artists’ works through April. Music by pianist Olin Ensley, accompanied by Mary Mendenhall on French horn & Celtic Mandolin. Introducing the wines of Crayelle Cellars. Complimentary refreshments. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Tumbleweed Bead Co., 4/5, 5 p.m. Meet artist Brenda McGowan with her hand crafted jewelry designs. Refreshments served. Cost: free. Info: tumbleweedbeadco.com. Bubbles & Heels, 4/5, 5 p.m. and

every first Friday of the month. What could be better than sipping bubbly, chatting with new and old friends and wearing your favorite shoes? One Wines, Inc. 526 E Woodin Ave, Chelan. Cost: $10 per glass. Info: onewinesinc.com. International Choral Festival, 4/6, 7 p.m. Seven choirs from British Columbia and Washington come together to share their music. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $15. Info: pacwen.org. Leavenworth Film Festival, 4/6, 6:30 p.m. Showcasing the best recent independent short films with a focus on outdoor recreation. Leavenworth Festhalle. Cost: $10. Arbor Day Celebration, 4/6, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Shelter #1 in Walla Walla Park, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Martin’s Market, Cashmere, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Entiat City Hall parking lot, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Rd, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The Market Place, Orondo. Distribution of tree and shrubs including: Oval leaf Viburnum, Pacific Ninebark, Quaking Aspen, Red Flowering Currant, Serviceberry, Douglas Fir and Shore pine. Info: Kathy Litch 784-5810 or 668-8683.

Pipes, Concert and Silent film, 4/7, 4 p.m. With guest vocalist Connie Corrick. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Tickets: 888-6240. Cashmere Art and Activity Center, needle art every second Tuesday, 1 p.m. Pinochle every fourth Tuesday, 1 p.m. Hat Group every Thursday, 1:30 – 3 p.m., knitters, crocheters and loom artists welcome. On 4/13, 5-8 p.m. featured artists Arlene Delze, oil painter and Ann Bixby Smith, a glass artist. Spotlighted artist is Ruth Mattson. Refreshments and music by Mary Mendenhall provided. Info: 782-2415. NCW Blues Jam, 4/8 & 22, every second and fourth Monday, 7:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. Clearwater Steakhouse, East Wenatchee. Info: facebook.com/NCWBluesJam. Alzheimer’s Café, 4/9, 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Mountain Meadows Senior Living Campus hosts a cafe the second Tuesday of every month. This is a casual setting for folks with Alzheimer’s, Dementia, their loved ones and caregivers. Desserts and beverages will be served free of charge. Entertainment and activities for those wishing to participate. Join us to meet new friends and share experiences. Located at 320 Park Avenue, Leavenworth. Info: 548-4076. The Step Crew, 4/10, 7:30 p.m. Live performance of Irish Step, traditional tap and Ottawa Valley Step dancing. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $45 adults, $40 seniors and $35 for students and children. Info: pacwen.org. Spring Social, 4/12, 7 p.m. Dessert, savories, coffee and conversation. Bob Bugert and Geordie Romer will provide an update on Chelan/Douglas Land Trust projects and recent successes. Cashmere Riverside Center. Cost: free. Info: cdlandtrust.org. Esctasy in Numbers, 4/12, 8 p.m. Drummer Garey Williams, bassist Rick White and guitarist Mike Mattingly from Seattle will be playing hints of jazz, funk bepop, latin and world-beat music. Caffe Mela. Info: caffemela.com. The Sign of the Eagle, 4/13, 1-7 p.m. Book signing by Jess Steven Hughes. A tale of ancient Rome, at Hastings Books, Music and Videos, 315 Ninth St., Wenatchee. Rural Delivery, 4/13, 7:30 p.m. One of the Pacific Northwest’s longest reigning tried and true

| The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

bluegrass bands. Cashmere Community Coffeehouse. Cost: $3 plus pass the hat. Info: cashmerecoffeehouse.com. CASA Rock n’ Rowl for Kids, 4/13, 2 p.m. Form a team of 5 and collect donations to support CASA, which provides trained volunteers who advocate for local children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. Prizes awarded. Info: cdcasa.org. Samara’s Bowling Blind, 4/13, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Scratch bowling, 3 game series. Trophies and prizes. Eastmont Bowling Lanes. Cost: $15 pre register or $15 at the door. Info: Jodi Duncan 886-1055. The Paperboys Trio, 4/13, 7 p.m. 4/14, 6 p.m. A mix of folk, Celtic, gospel and Latin music. River Haus in the Pines. Cost: $35 includes dessert. Info 548-9690. Compassionate Friends, 4/15, 7 p.m. Meeting for anyone who has lost a child. Grace Lutheran Church, 1408 Washington St. Info: 6650087. Environmental Film: Play Again, 4/17, 7 p.m. This film looks at the implications of our preoccupation with computer and television screens and what that missing play time may mean for our society and eventually our planet. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Business and Professional Women, 4/17, noon. Mary Whipple, former coxswain of the US Olympic rowing team, talks about team work and what it’s like to be an Olympic winner. Community Foundation, 9 S Wenatchee Ave. Info: auchytil@skileavenworth.com. Sweethearts for Kids, 4/17, noon. Annual benefit luncheon for Children’s Home Society of Washington. Wenatchee Convention Center. Info: childrenshomesociety. org. Girls Night Out, 4/18, 7:15 p.m. Reception, raffle, live entertainment, food, drinks and auction. Caffe Mela. Cost: $20. Info: wendowntown.org. Barrel Racing, 4/19, 10 a.m. & 4/21, 4:30 p.m. Appleatchee Arena, 1130 Circle St., Wenatchee. Spelling Bee Auction, 4/19, 5:30 p.m. Red Lion Hotel. Fund raiser for the Literacy Council. Quilts, getaway weekend and a vacation for fly fishermen and their family are some of the auction items. Info:

WHAT TO DO

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

literacycouncilcd.org. Poetry Reading, 4/19, 7 p.m. Leavenworth Library, 4/20, 1 p.m. book signing. A Book For all Seasons. Author and Wenatchee Valley College teacher, Derek Sheffield will be available with his book of poetry Through the Second Skin. auchytil@skileavenworth.com. Renaissance Faire, 4/20, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. 4/21, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Activities include shield designs, a shoot-a-knight game, a grail quest, a ring and foam tip jousting on horseback and the maypole dance. Entertainment by All Strings Considered, a fire show by Ignition Fire, rogue wanderings by The Pirates of Treasure Island, belly dancing by members of the Sabah Tribe and the enchanting Princess Lolly. Period costumes as well as fantasy, live action role playing and medieval dress are encouraged. Wenatchee Valley College west of the tennis courts. Cost: $9 for adults, $6 students and children free. Info: wenrenfaire.com.

the latest in prospecting and rock hound supplies, dredge equipment, metal detectors, gold and silver jewelry, wood and metal art, ceramics, gems and minerals, toys, collectable coins, Scentsy, motor sports equipment and more. Learn how to pan for gold and see a real dredge in operation. Door and raffle prizes. Food will be available. Chelan County Fairgrounds in Cashmere. Cost: $3; children 12 and under free. Info: 667-9858. Happy Days, 4/25-27, 5/2-4, 9-11, 7:30 p.m. Matinees on 5/5 & 12, 2 p.m. Goodbye gray skies, hello blue. Happy days are here again with Ritchie, Potsie, Ralph Malph and The Fonz. A musical production by Music Theatre of Wenatchee. See mtow.org for info and a link to buying tickets. Memorial Park Food Fair, 4/255/5, 11 a.m. From lunch to dinner many treats are available at the Apple Blossom food fair. Carnival, 4/26 – 5/5. Wide array of rides and games for all age groups. Opens weekdays at 5 p.m. and weekends at noon. Riverfront Park. No gate fees. Info: appleblossom. org.

Hands Across the Foothills, 4/20, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. An event to raise awareness of the value of the Wenatchee Foothills to our community. The event goal is to have people holding hands on a trail from the bottom of Saddle Rock to the top, almost 1.4 miles. Info: cdlandtrust.org.

The Best of Columbia Chorale, 4/26, 7:30 p.m. Former directors of the Columbia Chorale and Chorale alumni from three decades of choral artistry in the Wenatchee Valley will be invited to participate in this special evening of celebration and remembrance. Performing Arts Center. Info: pacwen.org.

Earth Day Fair, 4/20. Entertainment, free children’s activities, arts and crafts, informational and educational booths, local farmer’s markets, gardening, plants, recycling, composting, alternative energy, alternative fueled vehicle display, local businesses, food vendors, library book sale. Riverwalk Park, Chelan. Cost: free. Info: lakechelan.com.

Keyes Fibre Youth Parade, 4/27, 11 a.m. Parade starts at Triangle Park, goes down Orondo and Mission streets. Info: appleblossom. org.

Leavenworth Ale Fest, 4/20, 2 p.m. Beer tasting with brews from 20 micro breweries and popular Northwest bands and food. Proceeds benefit the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. Info: leavenworthalefest.com. Wenatchee Symphony Concert: America, 4/20, 7 p.m. Performing Arts Center. Info: wenatcheesymphony.org. GOLD, TREASURE AND MORE SHOW, 4/20 & 4/21, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Four times the space this year and over 50 vendor booths. See

Apple Pie Eating Contest, 4/27, 3 p.m. Prize money up to $100 in each age division. Memorial Park. Info: appleblossom.org. Ride the Miniature Train, 4/27 – 5/5, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Wenatchee Riverfront Park. Cost: $3 adults, $2 children. Info: appleblossom.org. WSU Master Gardener Plant Sale, 4/27, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Gesa Credit Union parking lot. Thousands of perennial flower and grass plants grown from seed especially to thrive in NCW. Gallon Plants from master gardeners gardens. 20 types of tomatoes plus, other veggies and herbs. Comedy Festival, 4/27, noon. An

}}} Continued on next page April 2013 | The Good Life

the night sky this month

Saying bye to a comet & watching giant planets By Peter Lind

pril is a transitional month for the night sky. The winter constellations are sliding into the west and the summer Milky Way is on the rise in the east. As we move toward summer, the Milky Way will be visible in the night sky, full of nebulas, star clusters, and plenty of galaxies to see. But we have to wait a few months for the best views. Of the eight planets in our solar system only two are visible again this month, but they will be blazing in the night sky. Jupiter shines bright in the western sky after dark before slipping below the horizon. Look for a four-day-old crescent moon just below Jupiter, in Taurus the Bull on April 14. Saturn hangs low in the eastern sky at nightfall before climbing high in the southern sky all month. Saturn reaches opposition in late April which means it’s opposite the sun in our sky. Opposition also means that Saturn is as close to earth as it will get this year. Last month comet PANSTARRS completed its swing around the sun. This month it’s heading away from us. During the first week of the month it will be visible with binoculars passing just about a hand’s width or two degrees to the right of the Andromeda Galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy is visible with the naked eye from dark places and no light pollution. The longest dry spell for meteor showers comes between January and April’s Lyrid meteor shower. Unfortunately this year’s Lyrids will peak during a www.ncwgoodlife.com

Jupiter shines bright in the western sky after dark before slipping below the horizon. full moon that will make seeing meteors very difficult. Asteroid 4 Vesta, the brightest asteroid in the night sky, passes through Taurus the Bull and moves into Gemini the Twins. Vesta is the second most massive asteroid and makes up 9 percent of the Asteroid Belt. There is a 27-minute partial lunar eclipse on April 25 that is the shortest such eclipse since May 3, 1958. There will be a small dimming of the northern part of the moon. Telescope Challenge This is for those that have a six-inch reflecting telescope or larger. Saturn reaches opposition on April 28. The rings are tilted 18 degrees and from a dark location the Cassini Division, the blank area between the A ring and the B ring, should be very visible. You can find a monthly chart of the night sky at: http:// www.telescope.com/content. jsp?pageName=Monthly-StarChart. Look for the printer friendly version for easy reading. Peter Lind is a local amateur astronomer. He can be reached at ppjl@ juno.com.

Got a good story to tell? email: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

WHAT TO DO

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

}}} Continued from previous page all-day event featuring premier performances in stand-up and improv comedy from the Pacific Northwest. Various comedy shows throughout the day with live music on the outdoor side of the stage. Beer garden and wines by Stemilt Creek Winery. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $15 advance or $20 at the door. Info: pacwen.org. Sam Hill Wildflower Walk, 4/28, noon – 3 p.m. Ann Schaechtel and her husband Don will lead the walk from Sam Hill property located just outside of Leavenworth on the slopes above Icicle Creek. Wear hiking boots, bring water and snacks and dress for the weather. Info: cdlandtrust.org. CrosSport Warrior Challenge, 4/28, 9 a.m. Obstacle course for ages 5 and up. Walla Walla Point Park. Info: warrior-challenge.com. Pepsi-Cola Youth Day, 4/28, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Performances and activities for kids. Memorial Park. Info: appleblossom.org. Motorcycle Extravangza, 4/28, 1 – 3 p.m. Shine up your hog or any favorite motorcycle and ride it on down to the best show in Wenatchee. No entry fees or pre-registration. River West Retirement. Info: Jeril Hansen 662-2797. All Service Club Luncheon, 5/1, noon. Wenatchee Convention Center. Cost: $20. Info: 662-3616.

Cost: $20 general admission, $25 reserved seating, $45 VIP seating. Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

Classy Chassis Car Show, 5/4, noon – 5 p.m. Eastmont Community Park. Info: east-wenatchee.com.

Apple Blossom Arts and Crafts Fair, 5/3-5/5, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Over 100 artists, musicians and crafters from all over. Memorial Park. Info: appleblossom.org.

Run Wenatchee, 5/11, 9 a.m. The Horse Lake 5 and 10 mile trail. Info: horselaketrailrun.eventbrite.com.

Classy Chassis Parade, 5/3, 6:30 p.m. Parade starts at Eastmont Community Park, runs down Grant Road to Valley Mall Parkway and ends at 9th St. Habitat Hop, 5/4, 6:30 p.m. Habitat for Humanity fundraiser and dancing. Food, live and silent auction along with music by the Waterdogs. Campbell’s River and Park room, Chelan. Cost: $10. Info: lakechelan.com.

Apple Blossom Golf Tournament, 5/2, 9:30 a.m. Highlander Golf Course. Cost: $120. Bull Riding Blowout, 5/3 & 4, 7:30 p.m. Town Toyota Center.

Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, 5/16-19. Info: leavenworthspringbirdfest.com, or 548-7584. Winetasia, 5/18, 6 p.m. Social hour and live auction. 7:30 p.m. concert and annual awards, 8:30 p.m. post concert dessert reception. Starry, starry night with Suzanne MacPherson and friends. A benefit for the WVC Foundation. WVC Music and Art Center. Cost: $75 per person. Info: 682-6410.

Wenatchee�Racquet & Athletic�Club

FITNESS�CLASSES CYCLE�THEATER YOGA�STUDIO

LL CA AY! D TO

WEIGHT�ROOM SOCIAL�MIXERS

WRAC

The

662-3544

www.wrac.org 34

| The Good Life

SIGN�UP�TODAY! www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

The Art Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

Happy Days — Finding joy in the music As a youngster tagging

along with her parents to Richland Light Opera productions, Daina Toevs learned how a choral director brought out the best in vocalists. Overseeing 25 employees in her Spokane restaurant gave her people-propelling experience. Running White Trail produce, a seasonal farm-to-market family business, has honed her time management skills. And 19 years of doing just about every job you could name with Music Theater of Wenatchee has given her a deep respect for backstage talent. Yes, theater director Daina Toevs (pronounced Dana Taves, like “waves”) is quite prepared to present to the public this year’s Apple Blossom festival musical, Happy Days. “There’s been music forever,” she said about her own vocal background. Her family sang grace at the table. From junior high when she performed in RLO’s in Fiddler on the Roof until her recent lead in Sweeney Todd in Wenatchee, she’s been in the spotlight or in front of a microphone in many venues. That includes a five-year stint with Glenn Isaacson and Easy Money at McGlinn’s twiceweekly jazz nights. Cabaret singing suits her, she said, and is something she’d gladly return to sometime soon. She admitted with delicacy, “As I get older, my voice probably won’t have a quality I would want to share.” Though she earned her B.A. in music education from Central Washington University, Daina

Whether at the wheel as director or a part of the cast, Daina Toevs has discovered that being around music makes for her own personal happy days.

opted against the classroom. “It was only after I married I discovered that my singing voice had real value,” she recalls. She used her vocal talents, even for a while as a singing waitress in an upscale French restaurant, while she and husband Ken worked in Hawaii; but on their return to the mainland, being in business and raising young children made rehearsals difficult to schedule. Then came a grand coincidence. Ken was ready to return to the family farm in Quincy, and Daina decided to look up a cast mate from Spokane Civic Theater, Paul Atwood, who was April 2013 | The Good Life

involved in our local theater scene. Riverside Theater had just moved into its building and was ready for good volunteer talent. “I felt like an egg ready to hatch! Music Theater of Wenatchee opened their arms to me 19 years ago,” she said. “And it gave me so many opportunities to try new things.” Those new things included costuming, lights and sound; then she took on producing and directing in addition to vocal leads, all with her “I can do that” attitude and a creative organizational style that work wonders on stage. Little Women and The Drowsy Chaperone were popular www.ncwgoodlife.com

favorites she’s recently directed. Much of Daina’s directing success comes from a respect for other people’s ideas. “I love collaboration,” she said. “For Happy Days, I brought a sketch to our set designer, and he immediately came back with something much better, with great ideas to make it really work.” The proscenium-sized jukebox that resulted could have been a wall of LP records. Nice but not perfect. “I’ve been in productions where the director,” she said discreetly, “would prefer not to have input from performers during rehearsals. That’s OK, but for me it’s a lost opportunity — I want everyone in the show to bring their ‘toolbox’ and share what’s in it.” Because of her other work life, Daina usually limits her involvement to smaller fall musicals, so this big Apple Blossom show, with its two dozen choreographed musical numbers and a backstage crew of over 20, is soon going to make good use of the assistant director. But on stage or off, in season or out, she’s become addicted to the close relationships and positive energy of community theater. For the (increasingly large) core of people who keep coming back to donate time and talent, the next show is always looming. “Every time I see a play, I’m thinking — could we do that on our stage? What would that look like?” A recent trip to New York City yielded a few shows she thinks would do well in Wenatchee, like Starcatcher or Sunday in the Park With George. Maybe you’ll see them next year, maybe the year after. And if you don’t see Daina’s name on the program as director or lead singer, know that she’s happily backstage or in the booth making some other kind of theatrical magic. — by Susan Lagsdin

column those were the days

rod molzahn

Off to the races — the sport of chiefs Horses were introduced to

the Americas by the Spanish in the 1500s. By the middle of the 1700s they had found their way to the Northwest. Some were wild strays, others were stolen from Spanish herds in the Southwest and California. By 1811, when white fur traders first reached the Columbia Plateau, all the tribes in the region had horses. Herds in the thousands roamed the lands of the Cayuse and Nez Perce tribes and horse racing had become the sport of chiefs. Indians were enthusiastic gamblers and horse races always brought high wagers. Ross Cox, early fur trader, spent the summer of 1815 in the Spokane and Coeur d’ Alene lands where he was treated to “some good horse racing… there were some capital heats and betting ran high. The horses were ridden by their respective owners and I have sometimes seen upwards of 30 running a five-mile heat.” One race, on July 5, was run when, Cox says, the temperature was 111 degrees. Ross Cox also described a race he rode from Spokane House to the Flat-head River portage, a

Lieutenant Lawrence Kip watched horse races each evening. “They will ride for miles, often having heavy bets depending on the result.” distance of 72 miles. He rode Le Blue, a dappled white and skyblue stallion that Cox described as “a noble animal, between 15 and 16 hands high, seven years of age, admirably built… He was a prime racer and had beaten all competitors.” It was a race against two other men to see who could be the first to deliver tobacco to the portage and win the right to trade for Flat-head furs. Cox left Spokane House at noon and covered 62 miles of open plain then 10 miles of heavily wooded forest where he lost his way and relied on the horse to find the path in the dark. He arrived at the portage at 8 p.m., two hours ahead of his competitors. The great flat south of the

| The Good Life

Wenatchee/Columbia confluence was famous for Indian races. George Gibbs, with the McClellan survey party, described a race in June of 1853. One yard of red cloth was offered as the prize and a dozen horses were brought to the start. A pole was placed some distance down the plain (usually a mile or more) as the turn-around point. The riders appeared “in costumes of primitive simplicity. One rider wore a pair of moccasins and another sported a shirt, while with a third a streak or two of red paint, judiciously disposed, gave every requisite distinction. There was some very pretty running and still better jockeying… the winner rode a handsome gray gelding.” In 1855, at the Walla Walla Treaty Council, Lieutenant Lawrence Kip watched horse races each evening. “They will ride for miles, often having heavy bets depending on the result.” On May 31 he watched “nearly 30 Indians start at once and dash over the plain like the winds, sweeping round in a circle of several miles.” The next evening he reported that, “A serious accident took place which nearly proved fatal. The Indians, as usual, were

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013

dashing about on horseback, some going up and others down, when two of them came in collision, knocking down both horses and leaving the riders senseless… The medicine men took charge of them.” On Saturday evening Kip watched “a great foot race between about a dozen competitors who ran over two miles” while friends rode alongside “encouraging them and taunting those who flagged.” Kip wrote that the horse races on the evening of June 6 “were the most exciting we have seen, as the Indians had bet some 16 or 18 blankets on the result. (A great stake for them!)” Andrew Jackson Splawn, early Kittitas Valley settler, storeowner, cattleman and friend of the Indians wrote often of horse races that he took part in. In 1869 Splawn, along with his brother Billy, was driving a band of horses to Kamloops, B.C. They encountered a village of Yakimas, Wanapums and Sinkiuse in the Yakima Valley and agreed to a horse race the following morning. “The flat was covered with men, women and children…

“... a waving of whips, a wild yelling growing nearer, louder, and here they come – flying.” ready to make wagers on the outcome.” Chief Smohallah of the Wanapums challenged the Splawn brothers. Sitting on his racer painted in red and white stripes with feathers woven into the mane and tail, Smohallah said, “Today we will see who first gets tired of betting, the white man or the red.” The wager was steep; 20 horses and $150 from each side, all going to the winner. The course ran one mile down the valley to a rocky point then back to the starting line. Jack Splawn rode while Billy stood guard over the stakes. “We started off, mid whoops and yells, a small Indian riding our rival’s horse. Down the valley we flew over badger and coyote holes, turning the pole together. I knew by this time that I had much the better horse… a quarter mile from the outcome I let my horse out and began to run away from my opponent, coming in many yards in advance… The chief came up, shook my hand and said, ‘Take the money and the horses, but tell me where you got your horse so that I may go and buy one for myself.’” As it had been so many times, the council grounds south of the Wenatchee/Columbia confluence was the sight of one of the most thrilling races ever described. In the summer of 1879 the one-armed General Oliver O. Howard held a council with many Columbia Plateau tribes at the ancient meeting grounds. It was attended by hundreds of Indians as well as soldiers, miners and surely all of the few white settlers in the area.

The confluence was alive with color and sound and activity. A race was planned with the best horse from one tribe against the best of another. It was described by C.E.S. Wood, who was with the army contingent. The course was a straight mile with the start in the distance and the finish at the camps. The bets were staggering: “Blankets, furs, saddles, knives, traps, tobacco, beads, whips… some wealthy Indians betting six and ten ponies at a time… and a 100 other things were staked… The excitement, the surging crowds… the reckless shower of bets forming at last two piles five or six feet high and 20 in diameter…” The horses were walked the mile to the start, a gray and a white. A small Indian boy sat on each. “The whole mile of track soon became a lane hedged by groups and lines of Indians… A faint cry at the other end of the line, a whirl of the horses… a waving of whips, a wild yelling growing nearer, louder, and here they come – flying. Side by side, the naked riders plying the lash with every terrific bound; the Indians bordering the track packed to a dense mass, surging to and fro, yelling and throwing up their whips… Here they come! “Heads out, eyes strained, nostrils stretched, fore hoofs seemingly always in the air, the whip throngs falling with quickening vigor. A horse, wild shouting, a deafening burst of yells, a swish in the air, an apparition before the eyes, a bound over the finish line, and the race is over, the white just half a length ahead, and there they go down toward the river, the boys pulling them in for dear life.”

Marketplace Fresh Local Eats

Funeral Services

Healthy Changes

House Cleaning

Insurance

Massage

Historian, actor and teacher Rod Molzahn can be reached at shake.speak@frontier.com. His third history CD, Legends & Legacies Vol. III - Stories of Wenatchee and North Central Washington, is now available at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center and at other locations throughout the area. April 2013 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

Waiter, there’s a flaw in my wine! We’ve all been there —

you’re out with friends for dinner and a pleasant evening. You order a bottle of wine for the table. Time passes quickly, the waiter returns and does a splendid job of presenting the wine bottle to the table, showing the label, pointing out the vintage. The ceremony begins: The careful cutting of the foil, the insertion of the corkscrew into the cork, and that delightful sound of the “pop” as the cork is extracted and presented for your inspection. You think to yourself, “Ok, just pour the wine and skip the ritual.” But you say nothing, smiling at the waiter, accepting the cork and smelling it as expected. You’re not fond of this kind of activity, but you go along with the ritual: You pick up the glass; you swirl, you sniff… Ouch! You sniff again… Yuck! This wine smells as though it was just poured from an old tennis shoe where it spent the last week of its life developing its

aroma. This is not good. What to do, what to do? Conversation has stopped at the table, folks are waiting with empty glasses for your approval, they’re thirsty, and you really hate scenes. The waiter smiles and asks, “Should I pour?” He doesn’t seem to be waiting for your reply as he moves the bottle over to the first lady’s empty glass. What you need to do is stop the waiter. Reject the wine. It stinks and it shouldn’t. Of course, your rejection will be polite, considerate. You know no one is at fault here. Also, you needn’t worry about trying to write an essay on the reasons why you are rejecting the wine. Use simple words to express your dissatisfaction: “Oh, this wine smells bad.” That statement is adequate cause for rejection. Good wine does not smell bad. Here’s a short list of the major flaws in wine and a hint of how to recognize the flaw: n Volatile Acids — the wine will smell like nail polish remov-

er or vinegar. n Sulfite — the wine will smell like burnt matches. n Sulfides — the wine will smell of rotten eggs or like natural gas. n Cooked wines — the wine will smell like raisins or cooked fruit. n Corked wines (TCA) — the wine will smell musty, reek of damp cellars or wet wool. The particular flaw you’ve detected is the most common flaw of bottled wines, and while many of the other flaws possible are more easily controlled and eliminated prior to bottling, this one can’t be. This bottle of wine has been infected with what is called Trichloroanisole, or TCA, your bottle is “corked.” Corking is evident in both aromas and flavors when present, and while it is deemed safe for human consumption, if the presence is strong enough, the aromas will be sufficient to make enjoying the wine an impossible experience. Wine should never smell as if

it has spent the last five months living in a sweaty tennis shoe or in your grandmother’s damp basement, and it should never smell like really over-dressed vinegar dressing on your salad. Now, if you’ve ordered a vintage wine with some age on it, say it’s a 10- or 12-year-old bottle, and the cork has been extracted with difficulty leaving even small pieces of cork material in the bottle, don’t despair or reject the wine yet. A properly equipped facility will have a funnel with a fine screen that will be useful in removing those tiny bits of matter as the wine is being decanted. You needn’t taste the wine before you reject it, but you must, repeat, MUST, smell it first. Good wine does not smell bad. Alex Saliby is a wine lover who spends far too much time reading about the grapes, the process of making wine and the wines themselves. He can be contacted at alex39@msn. com.

To subscribe: Send $25 ($30 out of state) to: The Good Life 10 First Street, # 108, Wenatchee, WA 98801

Relish your days

Or: e-mail: donna@ncwgoodlife.com visit: www.ncwgoodlife.com

| The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| April 2013