Good Life August 2012 by The Good Life

CATCHING A RATTLESNAKE Y EVENTS CALENDAR

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August 2012

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Contents

page 24

Riverside retreat is a welcoming site for the family

Features

The Unnaturalist

Tom Rowe thought people studying flora and fauna were slightly odd — until a naturalist course opened his eyes

9 back to bosnia

Isak Gaši nearly died in a prison camp during the Bosnian War — now he has returned to his native home to testify against a brutal prison guard

12 RESCUING A RATTLESNAKE!

When a rattler crawled into a local back yard, instead of chopping the snake’s head off, John Marshall came up with a kinder plan

15 riding a vespa across america

William Roberson left early one April morning to see the U.S.A. — at about 30 miles per hour

18 time for turkey

Life delivered Kim Anderson some blows, so he decided to bounce back with a trip to an exotic land he had long dreamed about

20 dig in for fun

When it’s hot in the Valley, a cool place to go is Red Top Mountain where the digging isn’t necessarily easy, but the finding is great

23 pet pix

Isn’t this the biggest lap dog you have ever seen?

ART SKETCHES

n Stonemason Zach Miller, page 34 n Dancer Tracy Trotter, page 39 Columns & Departments 29 Bonnie Orr: Fresh corn in August 30 June Darling: Turning a fresh Paige 32 The traveling doctor: Twisted tale of the Clark House 34-39 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 40 History: The early, early people of NCW 42 Alex Saliby: Voila! A new winery in Cashmere August 2012 | The Good Life

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OPENING SHOT

Year 6, Number 8 August 2012 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, Josh Tarr, Tom Rowe, Teri Fink, John Marshall, Peter Bauer, William Roberson, Kim Anderson, Jimmy McGregor, Donna Cassidy, Bonnie Orr, Alex Saliby, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin and Rod Molzahn Advertising sales, John Hunter, Lianne Taylor and Donna Cassidy Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Dianne Cornell 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)

Super moon Josh Tarr, owner of Ameri-

can Shoe Shop in downtown Wenatchee, sent us this photo of one large moon. He writes: “This shot of the ‘Super Moon’ was taken out in Malaga. “I chased the rising moon for about 45 minutes before finding the right tree in the foreground to give the right perspective. “A few families in that area must have thought I was insane(er) as I was jockeying for

just the right angle to shoot on their street. A visitor was just showing up at one of the homes I was shooting in front of and the next thing I saw was a whole group of people pointing at me from the front porch. “Once I motioned to the moon they finally understood what I was doing. “This was shot at 500mm on a Canon 5d at f10 for 1/100th of a second, ISO 100, post processed in Lightroom with some clarity and vibrance adjustments and some cropping. “They say every monkey with a DSLR thinks they are a photographer. I am no exception. I

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® is a registered trademark of NCW Good Life, LLC. Copyright 2012

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| August 2012

am the worst kind, too. I fall to the latest gear and want to try all the cliche techniques. “Most importantly, taking pictures keeps me sane in a rather busy life. Especially long exposure stuff. I can tune out and focus on one thing at a time. “I also love looking up at the sky, and think we all need to do more of that.”

On the cover

Editor Mike Cassidy photographed traveler William Roberson next to his trusty Vespa. See his story on page 15.

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

Taking the slow back roads A big ‘Thanks!” goes out

this month to Phil Rasmussen, an alert reader who sent us this email at the start of summer: “I ran into a guy in a parking lot the other day who had an interesting story. He caught my attention with a 25-year-old Vespa scooter and sidecar. It turns out he rode it from here to Jacksonville, FL, with the sidecar holding his luggage and spare parts, at 35 mph…” That tip lead to this month’s cover story by William Roberson who did indeed take the slow lane in traversing the U.S. on his Vespa. While I was working with William on his story, I asked him why… why oh why drive a Vespa across the U.S. In an email, he replied: “WHY? I have really no great answer to that question other than I had never crossed the country on a scooter so why not.” But, then a day later, he sent this second email: “Having mulled your question ‘why’ over a few times, when asked this on the trip I would answer with: ‘The Irish have a saying. You’re a long time dead so you best have something to talk about when you get there.’” Both are nice answers. For even a slower trip, on a recent hot day in the Valley my wife and I took Jimmy McGregor’s suggestion to explore the agate and crystal digging fields at Red Top Mountain. (See Jimmy’s story on page 20.) Jimmy warns the final three miles of Forest Service road is interrupted by a wash out, so we parked below the “road closed”

barrier and began walking. Others chose to ignore the sign. “They couldn’t mean this road is closed,” one man told us from his pickup after driving around the barrier and then bouncing over a makeshift bypass track. “Back home in Idaho, we’d call that pavement.” We walked on, accompanied by flittering orange butterflies and the occasional bee, with views of mountains in the distance and fields of flowers close by. We eventually reached the digging fields — which to the untrained eye are difficult to distinguish from the usually rocky mountain meadows. Luckily, we heard the noise of a busy hammer just over a little cliff, and walking to the edge, saw a man in a red bandana busting up rock. We called down, received an invitation and went down to look. He showed us handfuls of geodes containing crystals and an air pocket in the volcanic rock lined with more crystals. Pretty cool. We didn’t bring hammers or shovels to dig ourselves, so after admiring his finds, we moved on. Later, heading back down the Forest Service road, we came across a mother grouse and her four tiny children looking for bugs in the roadside grass. Sights like that were our treasure for making a long walk on a perfect summer day. Take the slow road and look around. Enjoy The Good Life. — Mike August 2012 | The Good Life

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guest column // Tom rowe

The Unnaturalist At the university, I would see naturalists staring at the birds or trees while I hurried to class, wondering, ‘Don’t they have something to do or some place to go?’

or the past 20 years, I have lived at the base of Saddlerock, my neighborhood city park. For years I have sat in the

Tom Rowe has learned to take more of an interest in the land, plants and animals around him.

backyard or looked out my kitchen window at its rock face and shrub steppe slopes. I have watched the colors and textures change with the seasons and I have hiked its trails for joy and conditioning. While it has always maintained a physical presence in my life, I’ve been aware that I never really knew it, like my other neighbor down the block I wave to when he drives by. I know his name but little more about him, let alone any details of his life. For 20 years this has been my relationship with the rock until notice came from the Chelan-

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Douglas Land Trust that there was soon to be a class offered to help those who wanted to become better acquainted with the shrub steppe, including my neighborhood rock. It would be a kind of block party to meet the neighbors but go on for 12 weeks and teach me the intimate details of my neighbor’s life. It would make me a naturalist, an observer and recorder of the details of natural phenomena, life forms, taxonomy, climate and more. Well, the class has been interesting, fun, informative and a challenge — a challenge because

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| August 2012

if the scientific approach to nature came easily to me, I would have done it long ago. You see, I’m a social scientist, a big picture guy, expansive and vague like the U.S. Census or the history of the world in 15 minutes. That, and I have always secretly viewed naturalists as a different breed with binoculars and journals. At the university, I would see them staring at the birds or trees while I hurried to class, wondering, “Don’t they have something to do or some place to go?” I would occasionally see a whole class of them looking at a pine cone and sketching in books. Odd, indeed. Of course, that was before I began my slow morph into a more detailed observer of nature. It was with both inquisitive energy and amusement that on our first field trip I found myself standing in a snow-covered meadow with 30 other people, sketching in my journal. Was I becoming a naturalist? Not yet. Some of these 30 people, a good number actually, were already naturalists and not pretenders like me. They already knew birds, trees, wildflowers, mammals and arthropods. They had been sketching in their journals for years. They were the real thing. It flowed from them, quiet and

Naturalist course coming around again

The Wenatchee River

Institute invites residents to embark on a wonder-filled adventure by becoming a Wenatchee Naturalist. During the 12-week course, students will make new friends, discover lovely local places to visit again, and gain new eyes for the plants, animals and landforms of North Central Washington. This class is designed to inspire a deeper connection to the wonders of the valley and to bring new sources of joy to everyday life. Throughout the course, students are introduced to an array of local conservation or-

ganizations and citizen science projects, to make it fun and easy to select 20-plus hours of volunteer work to complete after finishing the coursework. Wenatchee-based programs start on Thursday evenings in September and on Wednesday evenings in January 2013. Three Saturday field trips explore habitats along the White, Entiat and Wenatchee River corridors, guided by expert guest field biologists. Every class includes hands-on activities and practice using a field journal. To learn more and register, visit http://www.barnbeachreserve.org/programs/.

The Unnaturalist: A full brain unassuming. They were natural naturalists. But I persevered in what for me has been the unnatural act of being a naturalist. It hasn’t been easy. On one field trip I heard fellow student Bob joke, “Teacher, can I be excused? My brain is full.” For me, this is no joke. Every Wednesday night I left class with a full brain. Impressed with the knowledge of our instructor, guest lecturers and my fellow classmates, I worked not just to absorb facts, difficult as that is at my age, but to take on the attributes of a naturalist. To slow down on the trail, to observe, to document the phenomena I used to rush past on my way to some forgotten destination. Despite this, I doubt I will ever be a natural naturalist. The skills, the mindset, the patience and discipline required are not inherent in my being and must be unnaturally coaxed forward. I suspect that for me being a naturalist will always be an un-

I know my neighborhood better and I have initiated the process of developing a deeper relationship with my surroundings. natural act. But so far their words have been worth the effort and, once started, the process will continue to lumber forward as I volunteer my time and slowly commit additional facts to memory. I know my neighborhood better and I have initiated the process of developing a deeper relationship with my surroundings. I now walk through my neighborhood a little slower with a little more understanding and respect for the complex weave of its fabric.

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WHAT TO DO COMPLETE LISTING BEGINS ON PAGE 35

ere are a few events coming up in the next month that look especially interesting: Chelan Rodeo, 8/2, 7 p.m. downtown

parade, 8/3, 7:30 p.m. Watson’s Shadow Bay Belgians, McMillan Family Trick Riders. 8/4, 6 -10 a.m. Cowboy breakfast. 7:30 p.m. Mexican Dancing Horse performance, ranch bronco riding, McMilllan Family Trick Riders, Skagit Rein Riders. Chelan Rodeo Fair Grounds. Cost: $10 Adults, $6 students and seniors. Info: lakechelan.com. Apple Town Skate Down — Roller derby action skates in with Methow Valley vs Wenatchee 2 p.m.; Ellensburg vs Bellingham, 4:30 p.m.; and Pullman vs Wenatchee, 7 p.m. Town Toyota Center. Cost: $20 suicide seating, $10 general admission. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Saturday, Aug. 4.

In a roller derby pack jam, Saturday, Aug. 4. Photo by JP Portrait Studio

film and a short will be shown each evening. Concert in the Gardens — The concert Saturday’s series continues with Kevin Jones Band matinee will along with SumGuy (Brian Ohme) playing include a roots electric/acoustic rock and rhythmic mix of short music at Ohme Gardens. Cost: $12 adults. comedies, Info: 662-5785. Thursday, Aug. 9. melodramas, westerns and Propagate Roses — Learn how to propaperiod pieces. gate a new rose plant from an established The Sunday plant with WSU Master Gardener Ron Parmatinee will tridge. Community Education Garden, 1100 be a screenN. Western. 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11. ing of 2012 Academy Silent Film Festival — Revel in the antics Award winner Growing new roses from old plants. Aug. 11. of silent film comedians and action heroes The Artist, a accompanied on the Liberty Theater Pipe delightful silent black-and-white celebration Organ by Brad Miller. A feature length silent of early Hollywood starring Jean Dujardain.

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Brian Ohme: Naturally grown music at Ohme Gardens Thursday, Aug. 9.

Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $10 per show. Info: wvmcc.org. Aug. 17-19. Friday 7 p.m.; Saturday 1 and 7 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Moon Rise Over Horse Lake Reserve —

Join foothills ambassadors Rebecca and Jose Lois on a bilingual moonlit outing at Horse Lake Reserve. Watch the sunset and the moon rise from Horse Lake Reserve with great views of the city, the Wenatchee River Valley and the Enchantments. An optional one mile hike for those feeling adventurous or a short 0.1 mile walk up to the viewpoint. The night will cap off with s’mores for everyone. Horse Lake Trailhead. Info: cdlandtrust.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31.

| August 2012

Isak Gaši was the cover story in the August 2007 issue of The Good Life.

Back to Bosnia to testify against brutal guard at a prison camp By Teri Fink In August 2007 The Good Life ran my story about Isak Gaši, member of the Yugoslav national kayak/canoe team, who had been interred in a prison camp and nearly killed during the Bosnian War. I met Isak in 2000 when he began working at Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, where I worked

Don Fink, Jasminka and Isak Gaši visit a new cemetery, named Ivici Cemetery, for war victims whose remains were discovered in a mass grave and identified through DNA testing. All the death dates are the same – 1992 – the year the Serbian-dominated Yugoslav army attacked Bosnia.

as a corporate writer. Shaun Koos, Medical Center administrator and former U.S. national team biathlete, had met Isak at a kayak race in Copenhagen and sponsored him to live and work in Wenatchee. In March, a Bosnian Court contacted Isak and asked him to testify against a former prison guard who was on trial for mistreatment of prisoners during the war. Shaun encouraged Isak to testify, and, knowing I had written extensively about Isak’s life, suggested I attend the trial as well.

hen I told people I was about to travel to Bosnia–Herzegovina, the first question they usually asked was, “Isn’t that dangerous?” I didn’t know for sure, but I certainly hoped not. I have spent the last four years

August 2012 | The Good Life

interviewing and writing about Isak Gaši, a Bosnian athlete who was a member of the Yugoslav national kayak/canoe team and three-time winner of the Yugoslav National Canoe Marathon. When the Bosnian War broke out in 1992 Isak was arrested and interred in a Luka Prison Camp where he was beaten, tortured and scheduled for execution. His life was saved through the efforts of his gutsy wife Jasminka, an Olympic gold medalist friend and a sympathetic prison guard. On April 21, I traveled with my husband Don, Isak and Jasminka to Paris, then on to Zagreb, Croatia. A Bosnian police detective met us at the Zagreb airport to accompany us on the drive to Isak’s hometown of Brčko, Bosnia. Our rental car, a brand new Toyota Verso, stood out like a

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sore thumb among the Audis, Volkswagens and Mercedes that dominated the roads. The Croatian freeway rivaled any U.S. interstate, with two exceptions — a toll was required and the speed limit was 130 kilometers per hour (about 80 mph). After three hours of driving we crossed the border into Bosnia and the landscape changed. We hadn’t gone far when we passed an urgent red sign in front of a deciduous forest — a landmine warning. As we neared Brčko, skeletons of houses sat empty on the outskirts of town, their stucco exteriors and red tile roofs pocked or destroyed from shelling. A once-thriving shoe factory was a bombed out carapace, its concrete walls broken, the roof absent. A few kilometers further we

}}} Continued on next page

Back to Bosnia

Isak Gaši, center, and life-long friend Said Muminović talk to coaches at the Haris Suljić Boat Club, where Isak, a member of the Yugoslav National Kayak and Canoe Team, trained. Jasminka Gaši and Don Fink are in the background.

}}} Continued from previous page passed a shiny, new shopping complex of glass and metal, complete with escalators. Nearby, women filled bottles from a communal spigot of fresh spring water, carrying jugs on foot to their homes. We drove past a house brimming with an extended family of coal-haired Gypsies. We stayed at Isak and Jasminka’s recently built summer home — a lovely, stucco home with tile floors and spacious decks overlooking a neighboring orchard and creek. The day after our arrival two policemen arrived at the house to accompany us to the trial against one of the guards where Isak was imprisoned, and as we drove through town I studied the faces of people walking or riding their bicycles along pinched streets. Isak said nearly every Bosnian in this city lost someone during the war and genocide. The genocide was against Bosnian Muslims, a label that requires clarification. In Yugoslavia, the term Bosnian Muslim was used to denote a nationality, not a religious affiliation. The term Bosniak has since replaced Bosnian Muslim, in part to avoid confusion with the religious term. By the 1990s most Bosnians were nonreligious and lived a typical European lifestyle. There are devout Muslims in Brčko, Isak tells me, but we saw, at most, three women wearing headscarves. People embrace some of the Muslim traditions, but the religious beliefs and practices are, to all appearances, largely lost. The calls to prayer sang out throughout the day, but the mosques remained mostly empty, with the exception of construction workers finishing a mosque at a new cemetery where rows of identical white posts marked the graves of fami-

Isak takes the stand Isak Gaši is no stranger to the witness stand. He has testified six times at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, a United Nations developed court located at The Hague, The Netherlands, in trials of Serbian leaders indicted for, among other crimes, genocide. Although Isak had never met any of the once-powerful men, his testimonies were used to show a premeditated pattern of Serbian aggression. According to tribunal prosecutors, Isak isn’t afraid to look these defiant men in the face, eye to eye. He stands his ground. But the trial in Bosnia was a little more personal. Twenty years before, the defendant, Branko Pudić, had greeted Isak’s arrival at Luka Prison Camp with a blow to the back of the neck with a pistol butt. Pudić later pushed Isak into a concrete hanger filled with 200 prisoners, a cavernous room full of misery and suffering. In the Bosnian court Isak testified before three crimsonrobed judges, one Serbian, one Croatian and one Bosnian. That trifecta reflects the division of ethnic groups that clashed during the early ’90s, and it’s hoped that the design of this new

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Bosnian court system will create an ethnic equality that will help right past wrongs. Most of the spectators were Serbian — friends and family of the accused. Isak said he studied every Serbian face so he would recognize them later, should they approach us on the street. At one point during Isak’s testimony the defense attorney said that Isak’s account conflicted with another witness. “It seems that someone is lying here,” said the attorney. Isak pointed a finger at him. “I don’t know who is lying to you,” he said, “but I am here telling you the truth about what happened with me and Branko Pudić in Luka.” “Don’t point your finger at me,” the attorney glared. “You’re arrogant, Mr. Gaši. Why should we believe you? There are no corroborating witnesses. Why should we take your word that Mr. Pudić hit you?” Isak looked Pudić squarely in the face. The former prison guard seemed smaller than before, his once-dark hair peppered with gray. “He was there and I was there,” Isak said quietly. “We both know I’m telling the truth. — by Teri Fink

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lies whose death dates were all the same — 1992. Their remains were recently unearthed from mass graves and identified by DNA testing. The days after Isak’s court testimony we all tried to relax, exploring the city, meeting Isak’s family and friends, and sampling Bosnian cuisine. Downtown Brčko has been renovated. Asphalt streets have been replaced with a smart red and gray patterned brick that extends for blocks, creating an outdoor walking mall complete with sidewalk cafés. Kids kicked soccer balls in the square. For breakfasts we enjoyed croissant-like pastries filled with meat or cheese or potatoes and onion. Our lunches were often fried pita bread filled with sausages and sour cream. A dinner favorite was goulash, a delicious soup poured over mashed potatoes. I drank only bottled water and beverages, as if vacationing in Mexico. We were warmly welcomed into many living rooms and served Turkish-style coffee (very fine grounds steeped in boiling water) in small, ornate cups, always accompanied by sugar cubes. Less than a handful of people we encountered spoke any English at all, and the only fluent English speakers we met were friends of Isak’s who had emigrated, one to the U.S., the other to Canada, where each had become naturalized citizens. They have recently drifted back to Brčko, both freshly divorced and at loose ends. The Canadian said, “It’s my home. Where else would I go?” We strolled along the River Sava where Isak had spent most

River Sava is not unlike the Columbia, and the people who live there are not much different from those of us here, with one exception. War marched into their streets... of his life training and rowing on a walking path much like Wenatchee’s own Riverfront Park. As we approached Isak’s old boat club the coaches gasped, “Gaši!” Then came hand shaking, a kiss to each cheek, and back-thumping hugs. It was a scene that would play out again many times as we walked through the streets of Brčko over the next several days. The city’s legendary athlete was home. One afternoon we stopped at the Brčko Bridge, repaired now, but blown up by Serbian Special Forces 20 years before, almost to the day, in the attack that started the war. We continued on toward the site of Luka Prison Camp itself, where Isak had been incarcerated. A series of concrete hangars, Luka has resumed its pre-war function as a shipping center. I snapped photos of Isak with the hangars behind him, and al-

Isak and Jasminka Gaši stroll in the downtown Brčko, its streets recently replaced by bold geometric paving patterns to create a pedestrian mall.

though we were well away from the company gate a guard came out. “No pictures,” he said. “Take your camera and leave.” We drifted away. The next day we took a drive into the countryside, past a ribboned-off square marking an excavated mass grave, into rolling hills where a shepherd posed with his sheep as I poked my camera out the car window. One thing I realized on our visit to this Eastern European landscape is that the River Sava is not unlike the Columbia, and

August 2012 | The Good Life

the people who live there are not much different from those of us here, with one exception. War marched into their streets; violence invaded their homes and changed their lives forever. As I write this article the trial of the prison guard continues, and if he’s found guilty of mistreatment of prisoners he will spend, at most, three years in prison. But that may be enough. Perhaps after the last war criminals have been prosecuted and punished, the Bosnian people will

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close this tragic chapter of their history and move on. They have already begun to rebuild their cities and their lives. Perhaps the next time I tell someone I’m travelling to Bosnia, instead of fearing for my safety, people will say they’ve heard it’s a beautiful place to visit. Because it is. Teri Fink’s manuscript about Isak Gaši’s life, My River Sava, won first place in the Pacific Northwest Writers Literary Contest, nonfiction/ memoir category, in 2011.

RATTLESNAKE RESCUE! Conventional wisdom is to kill a rattler that comes into THE yard, but John Marshall had a better plan FOR ONE OF NATURES MOST UNAPPRECIATED CREATURES By John Marshall

“D

ad its nine feet long, and it’s swallowed a rabbit. You need to come now.” It was the third call in 15 minutes from my 14-year-old daughter Sophie about a rattlesnake in a friend’s yard in West Eagle Rock. I had agreed during an earlier call to, “do something about it.” Conventional wisdom is that prudent people don’t handle rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes in the wild should be left alone, but a rattlesnake in someone’s yard has to be dealt with. Fourteen-year-old Chase Davidson (whose yard the snake was in) is my son Charles’ friend. Somehow, Chase thought I should be the one to handle the snake in the absence of his father who was on a business trip. I am probably the only one

the Davidsons know who has a Masters of Science degree in Wildlife. Never mind that the herpetology class I took was in the dusty, distant past. The one time a rattlesnake showed up in our own yard, I had a plan to pick it up with fireplace tongs and drop it into a trash can for relocation. I never got to try out the plan as the snake left. A rattlesnake expert had advised me that rescuing a rattler is not a very good idea. My only actual experience with handling a rattlesnake was when I had used two sticks to move a snake 20 feet for a picture. It was a docile animal and I could easily pass it from one stick to the other as it tried to crawl off. So now in response to my daughter’s calls, I debated killing the snake versus capturing it with the associated risk of

John Marshall tips up the map tube to encourage the rattlesnake to exit.

something going wrong. Walking into my office to shut down my computer, a solution suddenly came to me in the form of a large map tube in the corner. The snake logically would want to crawl into the map tube to get away from the humans — or so I thought. I like snakes, including rattlesnakes. I am known to stop the car and move snakes off the road so they don’t get run over. I prod them with sticks as I really don’t like the feel of their scaly skin. Rattlesnakes I find to be fascinating. The measure of a hiking trip goes way up when I see a rattlesnake. Naturally I am saddened whenever I find a dead snake

with the rattles cut off. When I see that, I figure someone with no appreciation had killed the snake for no reason other than to obtain bragging rights. So here I am in a situation where the fate of one very large rattlesnake is all up to me. I arrived at the Davidsons’ house with a garbage can and lid, a shovel, various rods and sticks, and the map tube with ventilation holes punched in the caps. The rattlesnake was truly large, but nowhere near nine feet. Coiled, it was hard to judge the length, but my guess it was all of three and a half feet, which is a large western rattlesnake (Crotalus viridus).

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Wenatchee Silent Film Festival

Friday-Sunday, Aug. 17-19 at Wenatchee Valley Museum Comedy shorts and feature ﬁlms with Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Buster Keaton, Gloria Swanson, Laurel & Hardy, Spanky & Our Gang, and more! Brad Miller on pipe organ with guest musicians. Show times and ticket information at www.wvmcc.org | 888-6240

And off goes the snake, to roam nature again. Photos by Charles Marshall

It had killed a rabbit, but had not swallowed it, which would have made the snake more docile and capture easier. Instead it was angrily buzzing from beneath the branches of a spruce tree. It was an exquisite snake with dark markings and two full inches of rattles. With an audience of three kids and a mom, Terri Davidson, I gave the lecture. “We don’t have an emergency here, we just have to pay attention and stay back. The snake can only bite you from a distance of half its body length or less. If you are further away than that you can get out of the way, so the main thing is to stay calm. Terri, are the vents to your house closed off?” Of course I was feeling an adrenaline rush while I was saying this. The snake was tightly coiled and showed no inclination to move, so I had Sophie pry up the spruce branches while I tried to grasp the snake with two re-bar rods used as tongs. I couldn’t get a hold on it. Then I tried pushing it out of its spot under the branches using an orchard prop. It went right back to its cover. Time to go back to plan A. I asked permission to prune the

tree and began cutting off limbs. Doing so meant crawling under the tree with the snake just six feet away. I laid the map tube down and removed the last branch that gave the snake hiding cover. I then began pulling the snake toward the open end of the tube using a hoe, which also meant pulling it toward me. Suddenly the snake saw the dark tunnel of the tube and went right into it. Not trusting that it really was well inside, I hooked the hoe on the open end of the tube and lifted it up. I could then peer in. There it was, coiled in the bottom. I had it! I capped the open end, duct taped the cap on, and put the tube in the back of the pickup. Then it was off to Swakane Canyon. In general, relocating wild animals should not be done without the involvement of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), but it was after 5 p.m. on a Friday, and no way was I going to keep that snake over the weekend. We found a brushy ravine in Swakane Canyon well away from anyone’s home that looked perfect. We were returning a native animal to its prime habitat, one that would otherwise have been killed. August 2012 | The Good Life

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Rattlesnake rescue!

The typical snakebite case is a young male who has been drinking.

}}} Continued from previous page I un-did the cap tipped the tube, and the snake took off for freedom. I felt triumphant! Later on I had the opportunity to talk to Conservation Officer Graham Grant of WDFW. Besides being a game warden and catching bad guys, Graham is the designated point person when it comes to handling dangerous wildlife. WDFW gets a lot of calls from citizens with rattlesnakes in their yards or under their decks. Graham has more nerve and more skill than I do. He pins the snakes to the ground with an implement and grabs them behind the head with his hand. “Of course it often does not go the way you think it is going to, and you have to MacGyver it at the last moment,” said Graham. Recently he had to remove 23 rattlesnakes from a terrarium with an unsecured top in Cashmere. Graham then does just what I did — he takes the snakes to scattered locations in state wildlife areas well away from homes. I have spent a lot of time hiking in snake country, often walking or running through dense cover where it would be impossible to see or hear a rattlesnake. This is not advisable, but I

Usually, rattlesnakes in the wild will try to avoid contact with humans. But they can strike faster than a person can blink. Photo by Peter Bauer

have never been bitten. Our western rattlesnakes would rather not have a confrontation with humans. Venom has its highest purpose in killing rodents, which the snakes eat. They would rather not waste it on us. According to emergency room physician Mark Shipman, our local rattlesnakes are not as potent as snakes in other parts of the country. The only snakebite death in Washington was the result of a car wreck that happened during an attempt to get to the hospital in a hurry. A third of rattlesnake bites pack no venom, another third inject a low dose. Then there is the third that inject significant venom. When that happens one experiences excruciating pain,

and tissue damage can result if untreated. Treatment is antivenom made from horse serum. The pain is compounded by the cost of $15,000 to $20,000 for the serum, not to mention the emergency room services and hospitalization. Scott Stroming is another emergency room physician. Typically one to two rattlesnake bite cases show up in Wenatchee each year. In 16 years of practice Scott has only encountered two cases that did not involve a person picking up or attempting to pick up the snake. The typical snakebite case is a young male who has been drinking. Occasionally people are bitten quite innocently. Scott recalls one case where a woman got bitten on the hand while garden-

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ing, and another where a young boy jumped over a fence landing on a cardboard box, which happened to have a rattler under it. Terri Davidson’s father was bitten fixing irrigation equipment on his ranch. Living in central Washington is made richer by the presence of rattlesnakes. These are amazing creatures that represent a low level of threat to us. They also do us a favor by keeping the rodent population down. Nevertheless, we don’t want them in our yards. I never felt in danger handling the rattlesnake situation in the Davidson’s yard, but I don’t recommend what I did to everyone. You’ve got to know your own capabilities, and you certainly don’t want any alcohol on board. It’s a little like running white water in a canoe. You’ve got to keep your wits about you and be ready to call it off or shift plans. The thing to remember most is that rattlesnakes won’t chase you and most people can move faster than the snake can. The danger zone is anywhere within half the length of the snake. At that distance they can strike faster than we can blink our eyes. I am so glad I was able to capture the snake safely instead of killing it. I feel like I did the right thing, and would do it again. John Marshall is a Wenatchee-based photographer with an interest in forest ecology, and college degrees in fisheries and wildlife.

William Roberson takes a self-portrait after a few hours on the road the first day. His goal was 200 miles a day.

Lunch often meant a plate of veggies from the local store and some water at a roadside stopping point.

Vespa across America By William Roberson

I awoke at 4:30 a.m., dressed

and after saying a short goodbye I was on the road. I crossed the Columbia River in darkness and headed for Clarkston, 220 miles away, my first stop on a planned ride across the country on my 8.8hp, 1985 Vespa motor scooter

with a sidecar. Starting on April 23 and for the next six weeks, driving through 17 states and 4,000 miles, I would use 80 gallons of fuel, average 48 miles to the gallon, wear out four tires, average 31.8 miles per hour driving from Wenatchee to Washington, DC and then down the East Coast to Jacksonville, FL.

William traveled the backroads, which passed through small towns with boarded up main streets. August 2012 | The Good Life

I would cross the Rockies and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Columbia, Snake, Missouri, Mississippi and hundreds of smaller rivers. I crossed the Great Plains and the Shenandoah Valley. I drove in temperatures that ranged from 23 to 94 degrees and rode in southern rainstorms that would force frogs into wearing raincoats.

I would have the pleasure of meeting and talking with dozens of people, hear stories of their adventures, both won and lost, and often expressed regrets of journeys planned but not taken. Typical was the exchange I had after stopping at a Wyoming cafe one morning.

}}} Continued on next page

Breakdown! William took along some spare parts and extra tires so he could make repairs. www.ncwgoodlife.com

A morning view of the Madison Valley and mountain range in Montana. William crossed the valley and mountains later in the day.

Vespa }}} Continued from previous page As I was leaving I met up with a new road friend. Tall and wearing a western outfit including the white 10-gallon hat, he walked up in the parking lot and introduced himself. “Hello my name is Bob, that’s Bob with one ‘o’.” So it began, as most of these encounters did when people saw me with my Vespa, with, “I had a friend” or, “I owned one in high school” or, “Where you going?” From inside the café, where it was warm, people were looking out at two old guys standing in the parking lot, snow and sleet falling, the temperature in the 20’s, talking as if they were long lost war buddies. Bob, “with one ‘o’,” almost fell over backwards when he heard my response to his, “If I were as young as you” statement with “I’m 68, how old are you?” Turns out Bob “with one o,”

was two years my junior. For the most part I would see the pre-interstate country. I had to drive the back roads, as the scooter could not meet the minimums for travel on the interstate system. This would send me down the old US highway system and into small-town America. In order to navigate I had installed a GPS unit on the handlebars and a notebook computer running a mapping program in the sidecar. The GPS showed the daily planned route as well as fine points of interest along the way. The notebook was used to keep a minute-by-minute detailed record of the scooter’s movements. Also on board was a locator device that allowed my wife and others to follow along using the Internet via Google Earth. Every 10 minutes or so the unit would transmit a signal to a satellite that in turn would update my location on a Google Earth map. My plan was to do about 200 miles a day so I would not have

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to be rushed and or stress the scooter. I did have one day with a total of 280 miles but for the most part 200 miles a day was the rule. I started each day early, found a local café for breakfast, stopped at a market and bought a pre-made salad for lunch and drove out of town after setting the GPS unit for my planned end of the day location. I would drive until around noon then start looking for a rest area, city park, or just a wide spot in the road. I tried to take 45 minutes for lunch, eating my salad and taking in the view. The length of the lunch was more for giving my backside a rest than to experience fine dining. After lunch I would drive on until my day’s destination was reached. My days were an average of 11 hours but with only seven hours in movement. The other four hours were used getting gas or rest breaks or meeting new road friends. I needed to stop for gas about every 60 miles. The stops were

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| August 2012

The Chatham County Courthouse in Savannah is located in the historic district.

for a little over one gallon of fuel but would end up taking one-half to three-quarters of an hour, because each time I pulled up to the pump I would hear, “I had one in high school,” etc. I did have a small camp outfit for backup in case I got caught out on the road but with few exceptions I stayed in motels. Along the roads I traveled, what campgrounds there had been, had long ago closed or moved to locations nearer the interstate. I also found that getting up in the middle of the night and walking 10 feet to a bathroom was better than walking a 100 yards to a campground facility. Traveling across the country at 30 mph gave me great opportunities to read the historical markers along side the road. In the past I had driven right by these signs only to wish I had stopped and read something about, “Near this location…” On this trip I could read a good portion of the sign even before I had to stop. I took the time to talk to

Little Back Creek flows through the Allegheny Mountains of Virginia. William’s mother’s family have lived in this valley and nearby area from the late 1600s.

The Cotton Exchange dates from a time when Savannah was ranked first as a cotton seaport along the Atlantic.

people who lived in towns where the “big box” store was 20 miles away. I went into small town cafés where people were sitting around with the answers to the country’s problems or at least they could define the problem better than most of the “government talkers” could. One of the many memorable, but sad, images I have of this trip is the number of small towns with their entire main streets boarded up. Riding a scooter allowed me the time to smell the wild flowers as well as the feedlots of Kansas, the freshly plowed fields of Illinois and Indiana, the cut grass of Kentucky and the damp of the eastern forest. I had a week off in Virginia visiting my brother as well as cousins and kin. I then traveled up the Shenandoah Valley early one morning and had a perfect view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I can confirm they are blue. I grew up in the Washington, DC area so after a fast trip around the city to see friends, I pointed the scooter south toward North and South Carolina right into tropical storm season. During one of these epic tropical storms I rode into Myrtle Beach, South Carolina during

Florida. I had three days to rest, repack and reorganize but after watching more tropical storms heading toward my return route, I loaded the scooter the scoot up in a U-Haul and made the trip home dry all the while making

the annual motorcycle Bike Week. Looking for some relief from the downpour I joined dozens of big bike riders hovering under a gas station canopy. My little scooter was looked upon with disdain until someone asked if I really did, “ride that little thing” from Washington state. With an affirmative answer I was taken into the brotherhood and awarded the “Iron Bottom Medal, first class.” My wife, Janet, flew into Savannah, Georgia, where we spent a week touring. This is a great walking tourist town. We would leave the scooter at a public parking lot and walk the entire historic district. A free ferry ride across the Savannah River is great for an overview of the restored waterfront, free bus service in the downtown district is available and guided tourist bus rides are conveniently located at the visitor center. There are a number of great places to eat. Museums, old Southern houses, old churches and interesting history really made this one of the highlights of the expedition. My trip ended a week later with my arrival in Jacksonville, August 2012 | The Good Life

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good use of the trucks’ heating and air conditioning. William Roberson and Janet are both retired from the telecommunication industry. While Janet spends a good deal of her time with golf and sewing, William is spending his spare time studying maps looking for his next adventure.

Perfect time for Turkey An early fascination for the relics of an exotic land leads to finding a treasure of a different sort By Kim Anderson

y mystical journey to the other side of the planet began with a fascination with Noah’s Ark when I was a child and wanted to be like Indiana Jones. Where could it be hidden, if it still existed? Was it frozen on the side of Mount Ararat? Were any of the “sightings” over the past thousand years credible? As I grew up, I forgot about the big boat. Then, a few years ago, my interest in Turkey was renewed during a conversation with a relative who traveled the world for Boeing. I asked which of the countries he had visited was the most beautiful. He responded, “Turkey!” When he described it, I put Turkey on my bucket list. Like many Americans, all I really knew about current Turkey was from the media, which fostered Islamic and terrorist fears. It doesn’t help its reputation that it shares boarders with countries in turmoil like Syria, Iraq, Iran and Armenia. This past year I had numerous disruptive changes in my life, which despite the losses, left me with a freedom not available earlier. Instead of panicking over the negatives of my situation, I realized a trip to Turkey was actually possible. I booked a round-trip ticket for the month of April to fly across the world to an Islamic country without knowing anyone, not being a part of a tour, not knowing any of the language, not having a scheduled itinerary and not having any traveling companions. I wanted to visit four different regions in five weeks: Istanbul, the Anatolia region of Central Turkey, the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea. This would allow me to

The Hagia Sophia was built 1,600 years ago by the Christians. The massive dome with minimal traditional support structures is awe-inspiring. It was the largest cathedral in the world for 1,000 years.

experience one of the most geographically diverse countries on the planet; roughly the size of Texas. I packed up the last of my belongings, stored them in a friend’s garage and headed off to Seattle with a small carry-on and a large travel backpack. After landing in Istanbul, I boarded a train from the airport, switched to a tram and | The Good Life

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then got off somewhere near my hotel. Enter overwhelming sensations. I was alone in a city of 20 million and couldn’t communicate or read anything. I began to walk in a general direction I thought to be my hotel, but soon realized my map and what I visualized were not the same. Plus I stuck out being white skinned and outfitted in North Face products, while

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I hiked alone through three valleys and felt as if I was warped to a Star Trek planet. everyone else was dark-skinned, dressed in European suits and leather dress shoes. Once I stumbled upon my hotel, I found that one of the clerks spoke broken English. With a fresh map in hand, travel instructions from a local and some Turkish Lira in my pocket, I headed out to the old city. The highlight of Istanbul was standing in the old city surrounded by the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Now a museum, the Hagia Sophia was built 1,600 years ago by the Christians. Once inside, the massive dome with minimal traditional support structures is awe-inspiring. It was the largest cathedral in the world for 1,000 years and is said to have changed the history of architecture. Across the court was the Blue Mosque; the most famous mosque in all of Turkey. With an estimated 80,000 mosques dispersed throughout every town in Turkey, this is the only one with six minarets. Minarets are the tall skinny prayer towers, most of which are equipped with giant speakers. A singer inside the mosque with a microphone calls the faithful to prayer five times a day. But in my look into mosques, it seems as if few acknowledge the calls. If you ever visit Turkey, do not rent a car as you will kill yourself or someone else. Plus, gas is approximately $12 a gallon. The joke is that one of the top European racecar drivers said that he would race anyone in the world except a taxi driver from Istanbul. I’ve been on the roads in Mexico, the Orient, and the Middle

A publicity photo shows a hotel dug into a hillside in the Anatolia region.

The rain and wind have left these peculiar formations in the ancient lava flows of Central Turkey. The darker rock is a type of basalt while the white softer rock is called Tufa.

East and never been this scared. Amazingly, they all drive the same way, so it all works out. Once in the Anatolia region of Central Turkey, it took me some time to find my hotel as the town is built into the sides of various hills. I then settled into my room, which had a regular door, but opened into a large cave. In 200 A.D., the Christians built homes and cities by digging into the amazing rock hills and pillars around Anatolia for protection from the Roman persecution. The rock is called Tufa and looks like dark granite but is much softer. I loved being a cave dweller as it was cool, dark and quiet. I hiked alone through three valleys and felt as if I had August 2012 | The Good Life

warped to a Star Trek planet. With all the layers of volcanic flows, there were mind-bending formations carved for thousands of years from the elements. On another day, I toured one of the many underground cities in the region. This city went down 12 stories and was created to house up to 2,000 inhabitants from the invading Romans. There were no over-sized people on this tour as they wouldn’t have been able to fit. I about passed out from panic while crouching down seven levels of dimly lit, sloping tunnels with other tourists in front and behind me, none of whom spoke English. For many Americans, thoughts of Turkey bring up Islamic and www.ncwgoodlife.com

military fears. This was not my experience. The truth is Turkey brings millions of tourists to its beaches and historical sites. Some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet are found in Turkey, which is why it’s the summer resort destination for much of Europe and Russia. Millions more visit the historical sites scattered throughout the country, including all the churches of the book of Revelation and numerous sites of the New Testament. A later stop was to a small coastal town on the Aegean Sea where a perfect south wind blowing all week allowed me to kite surf for four days. It was here I fell in love with olives and Turkish tea. I found the Turkish people to be gracious and fun. By trying to speak their language and learn their customs, I was always accepted with open arms. The last few days of my trip brought me back to Istanbul where I connected with a Turkish family I had met during my travels. Upon arriving at their complex, the husband pulled his Mercedes up to a wall. He got out and yelled something to the door attendant. As he got back in, the walls parted and we drove into a car elevator. How cool. He owned the top two floors of the complex. It was a beautiful evening enjoying the amazing Turkish hospitality while watching the sunset over the city and the waterways. As it was getting late, I asked the son, who spoke a touch of English, what the plan was. Why of course I was spending the night, he said, because, “You’re family!” And so I stayed and savored the evening with my new family. I realized that like Indiana Jones, I had found a hidden treasure: Turkish hospitality in a magnificent country covered with the remnants of extravagant civilizations.

Dig in! So many adventures, one cool location

Geodes as they are dug up are shown upper left. After they are cracked, the crystals inside are revealed.

By Jimmy McGregor

f asked to define adventure, people often think of the Amazon or Mount Everest; however, every person who has ever driven over Blewett Pass has traveled by one of the most eclectic and adventurous locations in the state. Hardly visible from Highway 97 lays a road near Mineral Springs, about 7.5 miles west of the pass. Its designation FR 9738 gives no indication of the adventure it hides at Red Top Mountain. Red Top Mountain is a treasure-trove for anyone interested in rock hounding, sightseeing and hiking. Part of the Tennaway Formation, Red Top Mountain was formed millions of years ago during an eruption, which at the same time, likely formed abundant agate beds. The amazing thing about agates and — their mineral cousins, geodes — is their beauty. Agates — and especially the state’s most rare and valuable agate, the Ellensburg Blue — can be turned into very interesting jewelry. Geodes, if properly cut, make amazing conversational pieces. Last July, I took my family to Red Top Mountain. As we turned off Highway 97, we entered the wilderness. The road was very primitive even by the high standards of the Forest

Julene McGregor, left, and Brooke search for geodes and agates in a hole that Jimmy started.

Service. The road is mostly dirt, with gravel located only in areas where the road had previously been washed out. (As of this writing, the road is washed out and it appears because of lack of funding, it will remain washed out for the season; however, the washout is about three miles from the trailhead and the Forest Service is allowing vehicles to park at that location and visitors to walk in. (Since you are using a park trailhead, it is a good idea to have a Forest Service Parking Permit even if you are parking at

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the washout.) Last year we were able to drive all the way into the camp area, a simple stretch of level land with some picnic tables and a bathroom. The sun and smell of fresh wild flowers were only dampened by the buzzing of bees and nature. The campsite, like the road, is very primitive. The only sign of civilization was an outhouse. Yet surprisingly the campsite was full. There were at least two pick-up campers and several tents. Even though it was late July

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and very hot, we dressed for cool weather. The weather can be unpredictable at the top. Layering is a must. Each of us carried extra clothing, jackets and windbreakers. We also carried food, plenty of water and equipment for digging geodes (a rock containing a hollow cavity sometimes filled with crystals) and agates. It was hot, but I resisted leaving the heavy clothing at the car and dressed warmly. Since our focus was the agate field, we decided to take the easier longer trail. The walk was filled with views of the valley below. The trail was well tended and protected from wind. Birds and squirrels filled the trail. At one point there is a very steep drop-off on the right side and a steep wall on the left. At the top of the steep wall is a fire lookout. The first fire lookout on Red Top Mountain was built in the 1920’s. In 1952 a new lookout was built, which was staffed until the late 1970’s. In the 1990’s a group known as Friends of Red Top Mountain restored the lookout. While the lookout is not currently used, during the summer interpretive tours are available. After the short hike, the field came into view. I quickly snaked down the winding path through the holes and piles of rock left behind from previous diggers until I found ground that looked intact.

I was covered from head to toe in dirt; I was ready to leave. I then started to dig a hole while my wife Julene and daughter Brooke waited in anticipation. Digging is allowed in the agate bed area; however, keep in mind the minerals collected are for personal use only. Obtain a copy of Gold and Fish Rules for Mineral Prospecting and Placer Mining from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to make sure you are following all rules. After digging several feet into the ground with my long handled shovel, I finally started to find some small geodes as well as some agates. The desired stones are rounded, sometimes looking like eggs that have been covered with dark gray to black rocks. The color might be different depending on the ground you are digging; however, the shape and under smoothness should still be very visible. Once I had the hole made, my daughter Brooke took over this location and I moved on to the next dig site. The digging was hot, dirty and sweaty. After three hours of digging and searching, the sun started to sink closer to the mountaintops. As it started to set, the air grew cooler and the wind started to blow. Then the weather started to change. Clouds rolled in and it started to rain lightly. I was covered from head to toe in dirt; I was ready to leave. My daughter had other plans. She was having fun and not willing to quit. Even when it started to rain, she continued to dig with a small shovel. We continued to work, as the sun edged closer to setting. Then there was a single loud crack of thunder. All three of us

A trail leads to the restored fire lookout atop Red Top Mountain.

felt this was a sign that our time on the mountain was over. We quickly packed up and started toward the car. Even though we were loaded down with rock, the trip down the hill was faster than the trip up. Maybe water we carried up weighed more than the rock we were carrying down? Or maybe it was the thunder? In the end, we found some nice samples and had tons of fun. I felt really lucky that day. Not only did we find many samples of geodes, Ellensburg Blue, quartz and agates, but we also had fun as a family. While our focus was on the agate fields, there are many things that attract people to Red Top Mountain. First and foremost is the scenery. It is amazing how much you can see from 5,000 feet in the air. The view of Mount Stuart and the Enchantments is breathtaking and when the weather permits, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams can be seen for all of their majesty. Then there is hiking. What I August 2012 | The Good Life

really like about the trails is that depending on how you feel, you can take an easy or a very difficult trek. There are two main trails and several secondary trails. The first trail is extremely steep, increasing elevation 350 feet in under one mile, and leads straight to the lookout. The second trail works its way around the mountain, bypassing the fire watch tower and heads out into the agate fields. Large sections of the second trail have very steep drop-offs. Both trails have some dangers and I would advise not taking young children on these trails. Then there are the agate fields. This area is covered by volcanic rock, dirt, geodes and agates. While there is no guarantee that you will find perfect samples of geodes and agates, you will find something. When Jimmy McGregor is not working or hunting for rocks, fossils, or treasures, he writes fiction, nonfiction, and is the current editor for the North Central Washington Prospectors newsletter.

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Wanted:

Your favorite pet photos

Pet Pix is a new feature beginning in the July issue of The Good Life. Readers can submit a favorite photo of themselves with their pets... and share in a sentence or two what makes their pet special.

Send photos of pet and owner to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com Remember to tell us something fun about your pet!

Target market, pet-friendly pages

Do you have a business that caters to pets and their owners? Then you should use the PET PIX page to target your advertising to thousands of pet owners in North Central Washington! Call today for rates and availability! John Hunter • 669-0123 • johnhunter@ncwgoodlife.com Lianne Taylor • 669-6556 • lianne@ncwgoodlife.com

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This is an owner pet photo of

PET PIX

a different nature. The owner is a dog and the pet is a cat. Nine years ago we adopted a little fuzzy pup that grew into a gentle giant we named O’Sullivan. Our family takes in foster pets from the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society and when we do, “Sully” goes in to foster dad mode with tender care. To this loving soul it matters not if they are puppies or kittens. Two years ago we took in a kitten that was more special to him. The friendship between the two was so strong that we adopted Bobby for him. We are so glad we did, Bobby is a very special friend to all of us. — Sarah Treat

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

For a year I brought up my desire for a dog, and finally, reluctantly, he agreed. Now he and Mia are inseparable; she goes to work with him every day. Her gentle nature is helpful in his counseling practice where she warmly welcomes every client. — Susan Evans Layman

uring a recent camping trip at Silver Falls, my dog Sam suddenly felt the need to be a lap dog while his sister, Sara, watches from the back. Every once in a while he just has to have “all about Sam time.” He’s around 90 pounds and gets jealous of our third dog, Buddy, a Chiwawa who weighs around three pounds. — Eric Forhan August 2012 | AT HOME WITH The Good Life

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THE GOOD LIFE PET DIRECTORY

Bill didn’t want a dog. I did.

Solar panels, deep eaves, small windows, strategic positioning and natural landscaping keep this large earth-toned home both low-profile and energy smart.

Riverside getaway A welcomes the whole family home

Natural and unfussy features include rockwork to match the cliff view, apple twig-inspired railing, fir beams, hickory floor and pale unobtrusive walls.

active relaxation. The time (2008) and the place (low bank Columbia River waterfront) were right. To get a feel for the immediate terrain and lifetime of central Washington sport- climate, the couple arranged a long stay at a ing holidays and a yearning to relax near sun close-by residential rental before construcand water finally lead Dave and Denise Nich- tion began, and gained some good sense ols to choose a riverfront lot near Orondo for design ideas. One son and another daughtertheir family vacation retreat. in-law also became involved and gave inTheir recently completed contemporary valuable advice. Craftsman home off Sandy Shores Drive is And, coincidentally, a dormant friendpresented by KMS Builders for the Sangster ship was revived when local builder Kevin Motors Tour of Homes in September. Sweepe, a westside buddy of Dave’s 20 years This is not the owners’ first “getaway” ago, heard of their plans and successfully bid home, but in 2008 the Nichols, from Redon the home’s construction. Eventually, he mond, sought a spot to which they and their became a working companion and an always adult children would eagerly gravitate for available go-to idea guy.

Story by Susan Lagsdin Photos by Donna Cassidy

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Tour new local homes in September The 2012 NCHBA and Sangster Motors Tour of Homes and Remodeler’s Expo is Sept. 20-23, featuring homes in Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Orondo and Sunnyslope as well as a Remodeler’s Expo that will be located at Sangster Motors all four days of the event! Tickets are $11 for an adult and $5 for children ages 2 to 18 (children under 2 are free). Coupons for $1 off will be available at various local locations and on the website, www.nchba.cc More information on the sponsors, builders and the event can also be found on the website.

The kitchen, accented with dark counters and backsplash, is brightened by white glass fronted cabinetry and Dave’s expertise with precisely placed lighting fixtures.

Their friendship was strengthened by this project, both Dave and Kevin heartily agree. “We were in constant communication,” Kevin explained, “with regular Saturday meetings, and maybe 24 texts a day... any changes were made instantly, with no lag time.” This is definitely a home built in the electronic age, with remote-adjustable mini cams at the site zapping live photos

of any problem areas to Dave’s computer. Commercial contractor Dave (who owns Sequoyah Electric) had a special wish list for ambient and functional lighting and electronic systems, so he handled his home’s extensive electrical work himself. He jokes about the relationship: “Sometimes I was actually subcontracting for Kevin on my own home — it was hard to figure

out who was the boss.” Kevin recalled building for hands-off owners who might appear only four times in an 18-month process, and said he enjoyed this new style of collaboration (though he teased that the Nichols’ two-week traveling vacation sans cell phone was kind of refreshing!). The collaborative process meant that unplanned amenities came from both directions. De-

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nise had an immediate response to “What was the biggest surprise?” once they settled into the house this May. Without a doubt, she said, it was the two dishwashers, “Kevin’s best idea ever. I was pretty skeptical at first, but when the house is full I use them all the time.” She laughed, knowing it seemed relatively small in an array of design choices they’d all

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Riverside retreat }}} Continued from previous page worked through. Two other items the couple appreciates constantly are the built-in vacuum system and an outdoor shower at the top of the walkway from the river. And the favorite sitting spot for Denise, especially when three grown sons with families happily populate the house? “I love our bedroom patio — it’s

really private and quiet, and I can get the same view of the river without the commotion.” This home adjusts to the realities of riverfront living. Following several neighbors’ lead, an Lshape footprint buffers the gorge wind with the garage/ kitchen wing perpendicular to the water, which creates a pocket of calm for the entrance way. Now called into service for

Colors and styles in the bathrooms (like these distinctive black subway tiles) were chosen by the children to complement the designs of their separate family bedrooms.

The home offers private living spaces for family members and their friends. The largest upstairs suite and sitting room also has a jetted tub and laundry nook.

guest overflow, an auxiliary building near that buffering wing features the 650 square foot upstairs apartment where Dave and Denise stayed during much of the initial construction

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| August 2012

of the main structure. Deliberately designed with family in mind, the 4,780 square foot house encompasses a small cellar (which grew with Kevin’s ingenuity from a storage room

The center of the house is the cathedralceilinged great room, which opens to the water through more vertical glass than was originally designed... to include a carpeted media center), a spacious main floor and an upstairs with a loft gallery connecting bedroom wings. In addition to the Nichols’ own master-on-main space, three of the four bedroom/bath suites — one down, three up — were selected by each son-and-wife combo, who were given full responsibility for furnishing and decorating their chosen space. Accommodations for cribs and extra mattresses, particular color schemes, bedding, art and accessories are all individualized. The pantry with its labeled bins and shelves, the five-foot by seven-foot serving island in the kitchen, three laundry centers, multiple wall TVs — it all says “welcome home” in a big way. With room to spare, on a long weekend vehicles fill the ample parking area at the entrance, laughter rings from the shore side pool, and the patio dining area (cleverly and comfortably wind-screened on the west by sliding barn doors) feeds the hungry troops. The center of the house is the cathedral-ceilinged great room, which opens to the water through more vertical glass than was originally designed and

The swimming pool — looking out on the Columbia River and the cliff banks — was one of the first completed structures , an unplanned but sure decision after the Nichols first rented a nearby home to “try out” the neighborhood.

looks far across to a steep hill face with the Chelan tunnel visible. Those distinctive textures and colors — brown, cream, gold and gray — are reflected in flooring and the tall rock fireplace. Outside comes in easily. Denise sought advice and perused online sources, and is especially pleased with a few personal design decisions: farmhouse-look Douglas fir beams and timbers accent the great

room, but the kitchen has walls of white cupboards, which make it one of the brightest on the block even with only two sets of windows. That light surface allows grays and black on subway tiles, quartz countertops and the granite island. Walls throughout are painted in Windfresh, a subtly grayed white that means, she said, “all the action is on the floor,” which consists of vibrant multi-toned

Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com August 2012 | AT HOME WITH The Good Life

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slate-look porcelain tiles and engineered “floating” hickory, all heated hydronically. Even with Douglas County’s bounty of power, owner and builder both strove to make this house as green as possible. “It can’t go off grid, but it can sure cut energy use,” said Dave. Closed cell urethane foam insulation warms and cools with R35 in the walls and R38 in the ceil-

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Framed by fir windows, this view from the center of the upstairs balcony (which features a sleek computer desk unit) shows the cliff, the river and the pocket lawn.

The Nichols converse with builder Kevin Sweepe at a family dining table that’s made moves with them; it’s soon to be replaced with an extendable one that seats a dozen.

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NCW Home Professionals

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ings, and solar panels pre-heat water entering the house. Automatic sun/privacy shades, deep eaves and wind blocking walls temper the environment naturally, and the HVAC is controlled by computer to minimize waste. But Dave’s proud of the simplicity, too. All the lights in the house (including special LED backlit shelves, art nook, nightlights, closet lights, pool lights…) can be pressed off with a fingertip on a discreet hallway panel. Kevin Sweepe and the Nichols are adamant about the value of constant communication from start to finish, and they believe their good teamwork yielded a good house. Kevin said, “I figured with this job I’d have a really small ‘punch list’ (the final to-do list that seems always escape scrutiny until the final walk-through before occupancy). And I was right.” Denise agreed, saying the constant check-in process worked for them. Spontaneity was never a problem, and good ideas were quickly made visible. “It felt good to see the progress day by day. Every stage was ‘on stage!’” | August 2012

column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

Ahhh, the sweet taste of corn in August C

orn is perfect in August. Because it is always sweet and moist, wait for local corn. It does not need much cooking and even can be eaten raw. When I lived in England, one of my friends decided to fix me a special treat for the 4th of July. He bought fresh corn — albeit field corn — and boiled it for 25 minutes and served it with pride and the comment, “I do not understand the allure for Americans of corn-onthe-cob.” One fabulous garden summer, my husband and I grew “butter and cream,” a white/yellow Nice, fresh ingredients go into Bell Pepper Stuffed with Corn. super-sweet corn. We picked it, and within an avoid mushy, over-cooked corn hour had shucked and cut the Serves 6 corn and put it in pint bottles to in the English style! 40 minutes prep and cooking time All of the following recipes can. Smugly, we thought about our call for corn cut from the ear. 3 cups corn kernels (5 ears) winter treat. Oh what a disaster! The easiest way is to drive a nail 2 eggs through a board, stick the stem In December, we opened the A dash of salt bottles to find that the corn had end of the raw corncob on the 1/2 cup cream nail and cut the kernels with such a high sugar content that 1 tablespoon cornstarch a knife. I have found the purit had caramelized while being 3/4 cup browned breadcrumbs — processed and was inedible. The chased “corn cutter” leaves too Make your own much of the kernel on the cob 1 tablespoon brown sugar compost worms enjoyed every and also breaks the kernels so bite. Mix the eggs until frothy. So now, I prefer fresh corn and they are soppy wet. Stir in the corn, sour cream and Super-sweet corn — the most dishes that I make with fresh cornstarch. commonly available corn sold to corn during August and then Make the breadcrumbs by sliceat as corn-on-the-cob — is so wait a year for the next treat. ing good quality bread into 1/2 inch sweet that it is almost dessert on If you cut off the stem base of squares and browning them in butter a stick! the corn and unwrap the leaves, in a frying pan. When they are barely I find that mixing four tableyou will find it easy to slip off brown, sprinkle on the brown sugar the corn silk. Re-wrap the leaves spoons butter, and a tablespoon and remove from heat. each of lemon juice, parsley, ciand microwave the corn for two Pour the corn mixture into a butlantro and finely chopped green tered pie dish. minutes and let it sit to steam onion, added to a bowl of four to Top with the bread crumbs for another three minutes. Bake at 325 until light brown and six ears freshly cut and cooked Or put shucked corn-on-thecorn cuts the cloying sweetness. solid — about 25 minutes. cob into rapidly boiling water. Or make a dessert. Really, Turn off the heat. Cover the pot. Serve with more sour cream (or, Corn pudding is a delight either Wait five minutes. Lift the ears gulp, a bit of maple syrup!) hot or cold. and drain. In that way you can

Corn Pudding

August 2012 | The Good Life

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Bell Pepper Stuffed with Corn Serves 6 60 minutes prep and cooking time

Use green peppers because red, although colorful, are too sweet. You can also use Poblano or Anaheim pepper for corn with a kick. 6 large green peppers 3 ears of corn cut from cob 2 cans of black beans, drained or 2 cups black beans cooked at home 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 garlic clove minced 2 Tablespoons cilantro 2 small tomatoes chopped or 3 tablespoons dried tomato soaked in warm water until soft 1 cup grated Mexican cheese- Cotija or pepper jack cheese Salt/pepper Lay the peppers on their sides, cut off a little of the upper side in order to scoop out the seeds. Do not cut into total halves. Lengthwise cuts make the peppers easier to stuff. Mix the corn, beans, onion, garlic, tomato and cilantro, 1/2 cup cheese salt and pepper Spoon into the pepper shells Cover with 1/2 cup Mexican Cheese Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees in an open oiled dish. If you have more filling than peppers, chop up the pepper tops and add the remaining filling. The next day add this to an omelet or make into a roll-up with a tortilla shell. Bonnie Orr — the dirt diva — cooks and gardens in East Wenatchee. Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

column moving up to the good life

june darling

Turning a fresh Paige: Keepin’ the faith P

aige Balling handed me a five-by-seven card with two hand-written quotations, her secrets to the good life. The first quotation read: “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” Paige, a civil engineer, worked for 22 years at the same job she thoroughly enjoyed. Then some changes occurred which Paige tried valiantly to adjust to. Paige is tenacious and persistent, letting go just isn’t in her DNA. But eventually she realized that she needed to move on. At the age of 61, though she wasn’t ready, Paige felt that retirement was her only option. The moment Paige made the final decision to retire, something very strange happened. She calls it an epiphany. “The moment I shut that door, I turned my attention around and realized that the whole world was open to me. I could do anything. I was free.” An epiphany is difficult to describe in words, according to Paige. “It feels like every cell in your body is charged with energy.” The first quotation explained

Paige Balling found she could soar again — once she had faith that things would work out.

Paige’s experience exactly — its truth was electrifying. Paige gave herself a year to examine new possibilities. She’d never had particular hobbies or interests other than her work. She knew she wanted to keep

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working, but didn’t want to do engineering any more. Some of the skills she used in engineering still appealed to her. She wanted to do something with math, something logical, linear and analytical.

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Accounting courses seemed like a fun thing to explore. Paige started taking accounting courses at Wenatchee Valley College. It felt great to be back in school learning new things. Afterwards she took certified financial planning courses in Seattle. She was studying six or more hours per day, working her “brain and heart out.” After those classes were over, Paige hit a plateau. She didn’t see anything on the horizon. She started to feel listless and scared. Paige realized she was getting depressed and was starting to go into a downward spiral. The moment Paige became aware of what was happening, she said she “flipped a switch” to turn herself around. Many years ago she heard a motivational speaker who said that fear could be fought with F.E.A.R. — Faith, Enthusiasm, Action and Resourcefulness. Thankfully Paige recalls that she did have faith things would eventually work out. This belief made it possible for her to be resourceful, take action, and be enthusiastic.

She thought of several things to do. n She made a list of people to interview to ask for advice. n She went to Express Personnel and filled out an application. n She and her husband continued to put a limit on their reading and listening to the news. This helped her stay in a positive frame of mind. (She continued to read The Good Life.) n She had been volunteering at the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust on the finance committee and felt very passionate about its mission. She let the people there know that if anything became available, she’d be interested. n She registered for another class at the college. n She continued to practice being grateful (she learned to do this earlier in her life as a twotime survivor of cancer). Paige’s fear subsided. She felt strong and appreciative for her life. In October of 2011 Paige accepted a job with the Land Trust as a donor relations assistant that she says is perfect for her. She gets to do spreadsheets, uses her computer skills, analyzes dollars and organizes. Most of all she gets to work for an organization that aims to maintain the quality of and accessibility to the things she’s so grateful for in the Valley like the Wenatchee foothills and the Columbia River. Paige points to the second quotation on the card: “Life is a gift we’re given each and every day. That’s why it’s called The Present.” It’s another truth and secret of the good life for Paige. Life changes. Many get stuck and sink without inspiration and tools to respond. When I listen to Paige’s story with her quotations, FEAR technique and gratitude, I recognize much in her story that can help us persevere. More than anything I notice the central role of faith, the unshakable belief that everything

will work out. According to Paige, no sustained action, enthusiasm, or resourcefulness happens for any length of time without faith. Optimism is nice, so is hope, but they are flighty and even wistful compared to faith. Faith has conviction. Faith hangs in there when all seems lost. Faith sounds like these words from Sonny, the Indian hotel proprietor, in the movie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, “Everything will be all right in the end. If it isn’t all right, it isn’t the end.” How might you draw on faith and Paige’s story to inspire you, ground you, and help you move up to The Good Life? 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 drjunedarling@aol.com, or drjunedarling.blogspot.com or at her twitter address: twitter.com/ drjunedarling. Her website is www. summitgroupresources.com.

August 2012 | The Good Life

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column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

The twisted tale of the Clark House Unless your name is

Methuselah, it is impossible to have more than one 50th wedding anniversary in your lifetime. When Lynn and I reached that milestone on June 23, we decided to take our immediate family of 16 on a vacation. We gave our eight grandchildren a vote in the matter, and they unanimously chose to go back to the Flathead Lake Lodge, in Bigfork, Montana, where we had been once before. The Clark House: 15,000-square-foot inn on 10 acres overlooks Hayden Lake. Considering the accommodations, the excellent tions. F. Lewis and Winifred Clark food and numerous activities inThis turned out to be one of purchased 1,400 acres of land cluding daily horseback riding, the best B and B inns we have and built this concrete home in it seemed like the right choice. ever stayed in. Not only that, it 1910. A Harvard graduate, Lewis The lodge certainly deserves its has a fascinating history as well. made his fortune in mining, ranking in the top 2 percent of The Clark House is a 15,000 milling, real estate, banking and family vacation sites in North square foot inn on 10 acres of lumber. America. beautifully landscaped land over Winifred came from WashThis article, however, was looking Hayden Lake. It was ington, D. C. and was educated inspired by a wonderful find built over 100 years ago. Breakin France. She was an accomlocated at Hayden Lake, Idaho. fast was included and evening plished pianist who loved to Since we love staying at bed meals were also available. entertain. They were married in and breakfast accommodations, The innkeeper, Mark DanSpokane in 1892 and made their I searched for one about half ner, told me over the phone the first home there. Lewis was an way between Wenatchee and dinners would be the best meals avid sailor and christened his Bigfork, Montana in order to we have ever eaten. He wasn’t first yacht the Spokane. break up the drive. The Clark exaggerating as our two dinners He sailed his yacht to Europe House at Hayden Lake sounded there were outstanding as were for the 1907 summer regatintriguing, and I made reservathe sumptuous breakfasts. tas and won several first place

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| August 2012

awards. In one race he finished second to Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and was invited to the Kaiser’s summer palace located in a remote rural area near the Swiss border and overlooking Lake Constance. After Lewis returned to the United States, he hired a Boston architectural firm and returned with them to Germany. With the Kaiser’s permission, a copy of the Kaiser’s summer palace was drawn as a template for the Clark House, which was completed in 1910 as the largest and most expensive home in all of Idaho. This “home” included riding stables, carriage houses, tennis courts, green houses, guest and workman’s houses, a putting green, 150 acres of landscaped grounds, exotic trees and plants from all over the world, and a private zoo with exotic birds and animals. Furnishings were from France, crystal chandeliers from Czechoslovakia, marble from Italy, rugs for the Orient, murals from France and a slate roof from England. It was built sparing no expense. Three years after it was built,

tragedy struck the Clarks. Lewis was rapidly losing weight, and it was thought he was dying of cancer at age 49. In 1913 the Clarks spent Christmas in Santa Barbara, California. Their fortune had largely been spent, their mines stopped producing, and the real estate market had fallen. After Lewis took Winifred to the train station to return to Idaho, he dismissed his chauffeur and walked off into the night. Meanwhile Winifred returned to Hayden Lake and waited for Lewisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return. He never came and he was never heard from again. His jacket was found in the ocean, but his body was never found. A rumor was he had committed suicide though some think he was a victim of foul play. In 1922, Winifred auctioned off her furnishings and lost her beloved Clark House. She died in 1940 with an estate valued at $10,000. For the next 25 years the Clark House was owned by a corporation, but it was abandoned and was vandalized and used by youths in the area for impromptu and illegal parties. Sadly, the stately mansion was trashed. The owners were considering burning it down and putting in a condo development, but because of the concrete structure, this was deemed financially prohibitive. The property, by now down to 10 acres of land, was put on the market. Mark Danner, from the San Francisco Bay area, was visiting the area for a wedding, and someone encouraged him to look at this structure. Though it was a wreck, he saw possibilities and called his father Monty, a successful businessman in San Francisco. Mark suggested that his dad come to Hayden Lake to see this still impressive property. They purchased it with plans to make it into a fine inn. It took them two years to clean and

A bench to view Hayden Lake offers a place for reflection.

refurbish it and make it into one of the most beautiful bed and breakfast inns in the country. The Clark House on Hayden Lake was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It truly is a gem of the Northwest. We were so fortunate in dis-

August 2012 | The Good Life

covering for ourselves this place, and we hope to return here again for future anniversaries or any other excuse we can think of. Jim Brown, M.D., is a retired gastroenterologist who has practiced for 38 years in the Wenatchee area. He is a former CEO of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

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rock artist ‘paints a picture’ with stones L

ike a medieval artisan, with respect for the beauty of stonework and devotion to continuing another generation of the family craft, Leavenworth stoneworker Zach Miller, 28, has returned to his village. Since the age of nine he spent time in unofficial apprenticeship on the worksite, first watching, then learning to choose and place stone. A few years ago, his father Michael, known in the region for 30 years of work on hundreds of local homes, welcomed him back into the family business. Zach, eager to try new artistic applications of age-old materials, has flourished as a visual artist with stones on his palette, matching or contrasting myriad textures and colors, “Most people compare the process of building with stone to completing a puzzle,” said Zach, “But in truth... when I get a good creative job it’s like painting a picture.” From an early age, it was music that filled Zach’s life. Family and teachers also assumed it would be his life work, and that expectation led to two years studying with a clarinet master in Central Washington University’s music program. “I studied and played mostly classical musical, but I also got a feeling for jazz — the freedom of it.” He acknowledged a connection between those disparate disciplines and his stonework:

Zach Miller prepares the core of a project that he will cover with natural stone.

Zach designed a mosaic sunflower in the center of a dry stack river rock fireplace in order to make the project unique.

Above is a fireplace made from river rock.

he plans everything out but loves the serendipitous found pieces and odd juxtapositions that add drama to a project. It’s a functional craft, with beauty a bonus. Some jobs start out straightforward, but Zach rarely stops at the typical. He offers every client an array of freehand designs to lend unique drama to a fireplace, a retaining wall, or patio steps. Planning guides the project, but some-

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times the right rock just happens. A focal point right above the mantle in one local fireplace is a huge burnished triangular piece of “found” stone that mirrors the shape and color of a closeby mountain peak, one that’s in constant view from the home’s big windows. Whether using traditional mortar or dry-stacking (a newer approach for the Millers) Zach physically sets out all his materials and examines them before he starts, painstakingly arranging and re-arranging stones by

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| August 2012

A combination of river rock and granite offers contrasting soft and hard edges on a stove backing wall. Zach said his clients thought it looked like a river bed and loved it.

“I have dropped rocks on my feet, and smashed my hands.” size and color on the floor. “It must be like preparing a canvas and oil paints,” he mused. He’s constantly dreaming up new shapes. “I still have thousands of ideas of incredible houses and fireplaces and insane projects… pieces of art that are totally unique.” Zach approaches his work as an artist, but it’s a long (often dusty) road from a first concept to the tip of a chimney. He can tell tales of searching out, with a USFS permit, the perfect rock — often on foot, often miles from home, and the rigors of hauling: “We over-ended it down the mountain in the snow,” he says of one 900 pound granite shelf up the Icicle. He’s grateful to be strong and whole after the inevitable near misses. (He admits, “I have dropped rocks on my feet, and smashed my hands.”) Besides the sheer physicality of stonework, he loves the simple physics. Zach can eyeball a rock and envision its future placement — that just-so-design that ties art to craft. “When you know stone, you learn about the grain, and just how to split it, and just how much weight it can bear.” The joy of stacking stone into an object of beauty, its consecutive visual progress toward a goal, suits his analytical nature. He also comes equipped with an old fashioned love of labor. “Sometimes it will be nine at night and I’ll be exhausted, but I keep on going — it feels so good to place the very last piece.” — by Susan Lagsdin To view a portfolio of completed designs for the home visit: www.millerstonework.com

WHAT TO DO

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

Wenatchee Farmer’s Market, Wednesdays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Columbia St.; Thursdays 3 – 7 p.m. Methow Park; Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Columbia St. Local produce, fruit, flowers, eatery, wine tasting and entertainment. Thoroughly Modern Millie, 8/1,4,9,11,15,18,23,25,31, 8 p.m. All Saturday performances 2 p.m. Leavenworth Summer Theater. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org. Chelan Parkfit, 8/1, 7:30 a.m. every Monday and Wednesday through 9/12. Outdoor fitness class includes general warm up, cardiovascular activities, muscular resistance and endurance training with elastic tubing, flexibility exercises and stretching. Meet at the flagpole in Riverwalk Park in Chelan. Cost: $10. Reggae Nights, 8/2, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Live music. Munchen Haus, Leavenworth. Cost: free. Info: munchenhaus.com. Sound of Music, 8/2, 4,7,10,16,18,22,25,28,30, 9/2, 8 p.m. Leavenworth Summer Theater. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org. The Taming of the Shrew, 8/2,3,4,9,10, 7 p.m. and 8/11, 2 p.m. The Short Shakespeareans will perform at the Riverside Playhouse. Sherry Chastain Schreck will direct. Ticket prices: $12 for adults, $8 for kids and $10 for seniors Info: mtow. org or 679-3580. Concert in the Gardens, 8/2, 6:30 p.m. OK 2 Botay will be playing at Ohme Gardens. Cost: $12 adults. Info: 662-5785. Chelan Evening Farmer’s Market, 8/2, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. and every Thursday. Corner of South Emerson and Wapato Streets, between the Riverwalk Inn and Riverwalk Park. Special event: The Great Zucchini Race on 8/2, Tomato Taste Off on 8/30. Info: chelanfarmersmarket. org. Perfect Paring Wine and Cheese, 8/2 and every Thursday, 5 – 7 p.m. Three wines with three cheeses. The Blending Room, 222 East Wapato Way, Manson. Cost: $7. Info: winegirlwines.com. The Dixie Swim Club, 8/2,3,4, 7:30 p.m. The Chelan Valley Players will perform in the Ballroom at Campbell’s in Chelan. The play is August 2012 | The Good Life

about five Southern women, whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team, set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. They meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The Dixie Swim Club focuses on four of those weekends as life’s incidents evolve over a span of 33 years. Cost: $15. Info: chelanvalleyplayers.com. Wenatchee First Fridays, 8/3, 5 – 8 p.m. Walk downtown for art, music, dining and entertainment. Downtown Wenatchee. 2 Rivers Art Gallery, 8/3, 5 – 8 p.m. Bronze artist Suzanne Grassell and Western artist Dean Rainey are featured artists at a reception at Two Rivers Gallery. Live music by guitarist Kirk Lewellen, complimentary refreshments, introducing the wines of Stemilt Creek Winery. 102 N. Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Tumbleweed Bead Co., 8/3, 5 p.m. Sarah Sims and Marek Pasic, both local artisans, will be showcasing wire wrapped jewelry, hand-blown glass jewelry and paintings… as well as some more fresh greens from their organic garden. 105 Palouse, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: tumbleweedbeadco.com Art and Migration in the Age of Globalization, 8/3, 5 p.m. Works by Shinzaburo Takeda, a Japanese artist who migrated to Mexico in 1963 and inspired many younger artists. His works and that of a dozen of his disciples will be on display in the Annex Gallery at Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: free. Info: wvmcc.org. Moonlight Charity Cruise, 8/3, 8 p.m. Dinner, drinks, live music and dancing on the Lady of the Lake, Chelan. Benefits the Wellness Place. Cost: $50, $75 with roundtrip bus. Info: Melissa Knott 888-9933. Chelan Rodeo, 8/2, 7 p.m. downtown parade, 8/3, 7:30 p.m. Watson’s Shadow Bay Belgians, McMillian Family Trick Riders. 8/4, 6 -10 a.m. Cowboy breakfast. 7:30 p.m. Mexican Dancing Horse performance, ranch bronco riding, McMillan Family Trick Riders, Skagit Rein Riders. Chelan Rodeo Fair Grounds. Cost: $10 Adults, $6 students and seniors. Info: lakechelan.com. Annie Get Your Gun, 8/3,8,11,14,17,21,24,29, & 9/1, 8 p.m. Leavenworth Summer Theater. Info:

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leavenworthsummertheater.org. Curtains for you and ghosts I’ve met, 8/3, 7 p.m. Live entertainment. Centennial Park, Wenatchee. Info: caffemela.com. Book Signing, 8/3, 7 p.m. Sonya Elliott moves past grief in her new memoir Back On The Court. Leavenworth Library. And 8/4, 1 p.m. at A Book For All Seasons. Cost: free. Battle by the Bay, 8/4, 7:30 p.m. Deep Water Amphitheater, Manson. Ride the Miniature Train, 8/4 & 8/18, 1 – 5 p.m. The little train in Riverfront Park runs on a figure 8 of rails, bridges and trestles along the Columbia River. 155 N Worthen St. Wenatchee. Cost: $3 adults, $2 kids. Info: wvmcc.org. Apple Town Skate Down, 8/4, Roller derby matches with Methow Valley vs Wenatchee 2 p.m.; Ellensburg vs Bellingham, 4:30 p.m.; and Pullman vs Wenatchee, 7 p.m. Town Toyota Center. Cost: $20 suicide seating, $10 general admission. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Paris Flapper Party, 8/4, 4 p.m. 10th anniversary party. Dress in the 1920s, sip wine, dinner Chef Francis’ Parisienne buffet style and gypsy jazz band Hot Club Sandwich. Vin du Lac Winery, Chelan. Cost: $45. Info: vindulac.com. Young Pianist’s Festival: Faculty Concert, 8/4, 7 p.m. Featuring Dr. Oksana Ezhokina and Dr. Jody Graves performing selected works at Canyon Wren Recital Hall, Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Leavenworth. Info: icicle.org. PUD Homewater Preserve Hike, 8/5, 9 a.m. – noon. Learn all about the PUD’s program to provide quality mule deer habitat in the Wenatchee Foothills on this three-hour hike. Biologist Von Pope will cover how the PUD is committed to caring for wildlife and the environment as part of generating renewable hydropower at the Rock Island Dam. Von will also share what they have learned about our local deer populations and how the PUD efforts are going to maintain these deer populations. Bring water, snacks, sturdy shoes. Day Drive Trailhead. Info: cdlandtrust. org. RSVP 667-9703 or tduffey@ cdlandtrust.org. Singer on stage day camp, 8/610. A camp for kids 10 to 15 years old. Campers will learn all the ins and outs of performing on stage

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WHAT TO DO

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

}}} Continued from previous page including, private vocal instruction, acting, movement, costuming, makeup and more. Columbia River Music Conservatory, 1011 S Miller St. Cost: $160. Info: JoAnn Cunningham 664-0412. Underground Blues Jam, 8/6, 7:30 p.m. Every first Monday of the month. 10 Below, 29 N Columbia St. side B. Info: Joe Guimond 6644077. Poetry In the Vineyard, 8/6 – 8/27 (every Monday), 3 p.m. Join winemaker and poet Guy Evans for an afternoon of writing at Tunnel Hill Winery. No writing experience is required and all ages and skill levels welcome. Cost is $20 and includes a glass of wine. Reservations suggested. 682-3243. Improv/Acting Workshop, 8/7, 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. Tunnel Hill Vineyard Tour, 8/7 and every Tuesday through September. Guided tour of the vineyards with breathtaking lake views. Wine 101 seminar every Tuesday also. Info: tunnelhillwinery.com. Icicle Creek Young Artist Theater Camp, 8/8-12. This camp gives kids interested in acting, directing, theater craft and playwriting a chance to work with a team of theater professionals in a supportive, open and nurturing environment. Day and overnight theater students welcome. The week of theatrical immersion culminates in the production of an original work. Info: icicle.org. Celebrating Technology and You, 8/8, 5 p.m. Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery. Cost: $15 non members, $10 members. RSVP 6619000. Info: gwata.org. Concert in the Gardens, 8/9, 6:30 p.m. Kevin Jones Band with SumGuy (Brian Ohme) will be playing roots, electric/acoustic rock and rhythmic music at Ohme Gardens. Cost: $12 adults. Info: 662-5785. Chelan Evening Farmer’s Market, 8/9 and every Thursday, 4 – 7 p.m. Expect tomatoes, peppers, herbs, plums, peaches, cherries, apples, the unexpected: hummus,

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| August 2012

goat cheese, lavender and other flowers, gooseberries, currants and wool. Entertainment too. Riverwalk Park, downtown Chelan. Info: lakechelan.com. Live music, 8/9, 7 – 9 p.m. and every Friday night at Campbell’s second floor pub and veranda, Chelan. Patrick Foster, 8/10, 7 p.m. Live music. Centennial Park, Wenatchee. Info: caffemela.com. Patrick Foster and Queens of Seven, 8/12, 7 p.m. Live music. Centennial Park, Wenatchee. Info: caffemela.com. Propagate Roses, 8/11, 1 p.m. Learn to propagate a new rose plant from an established plant with WSU Master Gardener Ron Partridge. Community Education Garden, 1100 N Western. Back to School Health Fair, 8/11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Columbia Valley Community Health will offer immunizations and sports physicals along with free books and backpacks to school-aged children. 600 Orondo. Ave. Info: 661-3608. Wine Country Jazz, 8/11, 5 p.m. Live music at Vin du Lac Winery, Chelan. Info: vindulac.com. Yard Sale, 8/11, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wenatchee’s biggest sale. Town Toyota Center. Cost: free to attend or $20 for a booth. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Cashmere Art and Activity Center, 8/11 & 9/8, 10 a.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, 9:30 a.m. weekdays. Second Saturday celebrations, meet the artists, enjoy food and drink, music by Kirk Lewellen from 5 to 8 p.m. Featured artist for August and September will be Walter Graham, a wellknown western artist. Spotlighted artist will be Connie Roberson, a local painter. School of Rock Day Camp, 8/1317. Wanna be a rock star? Campers will be divided by age, skill and instrument to form four-person bands. Columbia River Music Conservatory, 1011 S Miller St. Cost: $160. Info: JoAnn Cunningham 6640412. Alzheimer’s Café, 8/14, 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Mountain Meadows Senior Living Campus hosts a café the second Tuesday of every month. This is a casual setting for folks with Alzheimer’s, Dementia, there loved ones and caregivers. Des-

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August 2012 | The Good Life

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WHAT TO DO

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

}}} Continued from page 36 serts 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. Horse Lake Reserve Hike, 8/15, 6 p.m. Neal Hedges will lead an exploration of the plants and animals of the Horse Lake Reserve. The property is home to many different reptiles, mammals, birds, and plant species. Neal will lead the group on a search for species and offer insight on their behaviors and habitat. Bring water, snacks, sturdy shoes and binoculars. Horse Lake Trailhead. Info: cdlandtrust. org. RSVP 667-9708 or tduffey@ cdlandtrust.org. Writers Meeting Writers – Four Minutes of Fame, 8/16, 7 p.m. A casual way to enjoy local writers reading their original poetry and prose, presented by Write on the River. Upper Eastside Coffee Company, East Wenatchee. Info: 293-9215 or info@writeontheriver. org. Lake Chelan Fine Arts Festival, 8/17 – 19. On the 16th at Campbell’s Resort the evening will include announcement of the Gallery awards, appetizers, a no host bar, entertainment and an opportunity to purchase original works of art and to see what will be offered at the Fine Arts and Fine Crafts Venue the following day at Riverwalk Park. The work to be displayed and sold includes paintings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, wood, metal and mixed media. Hours Friday: 3 p.m. 8 p.m., Saturday: noon to 8 p.m., Sunday: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Artists will be present. Courtney Marie Andrews and the Wicks, 8/17, 7 p.m. Live music. Centennial Park, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: caffemela.com. Silent Film Festival, 8/17-19, Friday 7 p.m.; Saturday 1 and 7 p.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Revel in the antics of silent film comedians and action heroes accompanied on the Liberty Theater Pipe Organ by Brad Miller. A feature length silent film and a short will be shown each evening. Saturday’s matinee will include a mix of short comedies, melodramas, westerns and period

pieces. The Sunday matinee will be a screening of 2012 Academy Award winner The Artist, a delightful silent black-and-white celebration of early Hollywood starring Jean Dujardain. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $10 per show. Info: wvmcc.org. Book Signing, 8/17, 7 p.m. New York Times best-selling author Kevin O’Brien will present his latest thriller Terrified. Leavenworth Library. And 8/18, 1 p.m. at A Book For All Seasons. Cost: free. Book Buzz, 8/18, 1 p.m. Meet three diverse authors, Teresa Lee Wendel, Kevin O’Brien and Bob Heikell. win prizes. A Book For All Seasons, Leavenworth. Cost: free. Jonny Land and Buddy Guy, 8/18, 7:30 p.m. Deep Water Amphitheater. Bread, Cheese and Cured Meat Festival, 8/18, 6 p.m. Vinman’s Bakery from Ellensburg, Alpine Lakes Cheese from Blewett Pass, and cured meats from Cured in Leavenworth and live music. White Heron Winery, 10035 Stuhlmiller Rd, Quincy. Cost: $10 for the musicians and extra for the food. Info: wenatcheevalley.org. British Car and Truck Show, 8/18, 10 a.m. Tedford Park, East Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: wenatcheevalley.org. Woodrush, 8/18, 5 p.m. Live music at Vin du Lac Winery, Chelan. Info: vindulac.com. New Play Festival, 8/19, 1, 4, 7 and 10 p.m. The Icicle Creek Theatre Festival offers playwrights the space, time and support they need to develop new plays, as they work alongside professional actors and seasoned directors, and present their work to live audiences. Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Leavenworth. Info: icicle.org. Compassionate Friends Meeting, 8/20, 7 p.m. Grace Lutheran Church. For anyone who has had a child die is invited to attend. Info: Carol 665-9987. Foreigner, 8/24, 7:30 p.m. Deep Water Amphitheater. Bryan and John Appleby and Shenandoah Davis, 8/24, 7 p.m. Live music. Centennial Park, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: caffemela.com. Tomotofare, 8/24, 6 p.m. Heirloom tomatoes in different colors and shapes, a chef and a farmer’s market. Add to that live music for

| The Good Life

dancing and it’s another evening under the stars in Trinidad. White Heron. Cost: $10 for the musician, extra for the food. Info: wenatcheevalley.org. Wild and Scenic Festival, 8/2425 , 7 p.m. Old-fashioned barn dance and kick-off party starts this event. Cost: $8. On Saturday starting at noon the festival offers a beautiful escape into the mountains and meadows of the Icicle Creek region. Featuring music, jamming in the meadow, beer and wine, food, kids’ activities and much more. Proceeds to benefit the Wild & Scenic Institute. Bring a chair or blanket for the meadow concert. Cost: $25. Info: icicle.org. The Wicks, 8/25, 5 p.m. Live music. Vin du Lac Winery, Chelan. Info: vindulac.com. Salsa Contest, 8/25, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Some like it spicy and some like it sweet. Do you have that winning recipe? Wenatchee Valley Farmer’s Market at Palouse and Columbia. Cost: free. Info: wenatcheefarmersmarket.com. Queens of 7, 8/25, 6 p.m. Live music. Munchen Haus, Leavenworth. Info: munchenhaus.com. Stevens Pass Railroad History Tour, 8/25-26, 9 a.m. The Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center and Upper Valley Museum at Leavenworth present two identical auto tours (Sat & Sun) of five sites of historical interest along U.S. 2 between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass. Meet at Upper Valley Museum for a brief introduction and to form carpools. At each

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stop, WVMCC curator Mark Behler will discuss operations of the Great Northern Railway and its major influence on settlement in the Wenatchee Valley. The tour ends at the site of the 1910 Wellington Disaster, where 96 people died when an avalanche swept two trains into a ravine. From this site, participants may elect to hike on the Iron Goat Trail. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water and a lunch. Cost: $20, preregister: wvmcc.org or 888-6240. Info: wvmcc.org. Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw, 8/26, 7 p.m. Live concert. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Local Harvest Dinner, 8/26, 5 p.m. Celebrate the bounty of our valley. Meet producers and taste their creations as you tour the organic garden. Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort, Kingfisher Restaurant. Cost: $45 adults, $17 children, under 4 free. Info: sleepinglady.com. Moon Rise Over Horse Lake Reserve, 8/31, 7:30 p.m. Join Foothills ambassadors Rebecca and Jose Lois on a bilingual moonlit outing at Horse Lake Reserve. Watch the sunset and the moon rise from Horse Lake Reserve with great views of the city, the Wenatchee River Valley and the Enchantments. An optional 1 mile hike for those feeling adventurous or a short 0.1 mile walk up to the viewpoint. The night will cap off with smores for everyone. Horse Lake Trailhead. Info: cdlandtrust.org. Blackberry Bushes, 9/1, 5 p.m. Live music. Vin du Lac Winery, Chelan. Info: vindulac.com.

The Art Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

Wenatchee dancer made just the right moves I

t was December 1973. For her fifth birthday party, Tracy Trotter and her little friends attended a performance of “Nutcracker“ at the Liberty Theater, and afterward they all immediately signed up to take ballet lessons from Director Joan Shelton. Such was (and continues to be) the power of dance and the opportunity for dance dreams to be fulfilled in Wenatchee. But Tracy went a few steps further. She studied ballet but also became involved in gymnastics, classical flute and Wenatchee Youth Circus, a schedule that tested her work ethic and endurance, but also readied her for a varied performance career. There’s a slightly wistful look in Tracy’s eyes as she describes touring as a professional. Young, single and eager to travel, after college she spent seven years with different dance production companies, traveling throughout the USA as well as Japan and the Bahamas. “I had to explain to my mom’s friends,” she said, “that I traveled to exotic locations. But no, I was not an ‘exotic dancer’!” “It was great to be responsible just for myself — dancing full time, with someone else in charge.” But Tracy is definitely in charge now. Since 1998 she has owned and operated The Academy of Dance and Performing Arts in Wenatchee, with schedules, staff and students her primary concerns. It’s a satisfying second career choice, and one that many dancers fail to prepare for, even knowing how one awkward

Tracy Trotter: A dancer who discovered a second act to her career.

movement, one broken bone can change a life’s work. For Tracy, a bad fall on stage 15 years ago made all the difference. “I was actually going to do just one more short contract, but the decision to stop was made for me.” Being suddenly sidelined with a hip injury meant a year of August 2012 | The Good Life

rehab and the same amount of time to think about her future. “A lot of dancers don’t plan ahead for what might happen when they get older — they just keep on going in their pretty little cloud they think will last forever.” However, doubly equipped for her new future, Tracy was ready www.ncwgoodlife.com

to move on into her own business. She had not only a teaching degree from Eastern Washington University (in music and elementary education), but on-the-job expertise in dance genre from classical ballet to tap to hip hop and aerial gymnastics with several forms in between. In a graceful transition from performance to education, her dance academy became a reality in 1998. Now, local musical comedy choreography as well as national guest artist and judging gigs spice up her year, while studio commendations and her dance students’ awards affirm her direction. What’s the next big good thing that could happen? “Well,” she admitted, “I might be ready to audition for just the right dancing and singing role with Music Theater.” Then Tracy glanced to a wall of the adjoining space in her new studio complex. “But what I’d really like is to move into next door, put in some trapezes, a hoop, some silk ropes…” She describes the paraphernalia she’d install for branching out to advanced training in Cirque du Soliel-style aerial dance, gymnastics, even airborne fitness for non-dancing folks. As an artist, Tracy’s made all the right moves at the right time: embracing education early on, dancing when the dancing was good for her body (and vise-versa), coming home again where the good life was familiar, and capitalizing on the opportunity to reach and teach young dancers. Tracy said, “I enjoy sharing all kinds of dance with my students. It is bittersweet when these young artists move on and follow their dreams… but I love it when they realize the magic within themselves!” — by Susan Lagsdin

column those were the days

rod molzahn

Lives of the first people in the Valley In 1987 a cache of stone

and bone tools was discovered in an East Wenatchee orchard. The site was partially excavated over the next three years and yielded 68 objects including prismatic cutting blades, scrapers, spear points and knives. Twelve rods made from mammoth bone were also found though their use is not clear. Archeologists call this a “full tool kit,” everything an ice age hunter would need. The hunters were Clovis people, named for the town in New Mexico where their unique and beautiful stone points and tools were first found in 1932. Since then evidence of Clovis culture has been found from Canada to South America and from Florida to East Wenatchee. The evidence suggests that the bands of nomadic hunters had been roaming North America for at least 2,000 years before one band cached tools and points near their camp just east of where Pangborn Airport is located. Because the objects rested on top of a layer of volcanic ash from the last eruption of Glacier Peak, they have been dated at just less than 13,000 years BP (before present.) That was the end of the last ice age and North Central Washington was a cold and wet environment, 10 to 15 degrees cooler than now with 10 to 20 inches more of annual rainfall. The hunters had come in search of the big game that kept them alive. Their prey included bison and camels and mastodon standing nine feet tall at the

This is a typical tule mat house of Wenatchee area Indians in early days. Photo from Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center

shoulders. The people were subsistence hunters following the game from season to season and place to place. They had probably been here before. Perhaps they cached the valuable tools and points thinking they would return the next year. There is no evidence to explain where the Clovis culture came from or where it went when it disappeared from the Americas but, until new evidence shows otherwise, Clovis people hold the distinction of being the Wenatchee Valley’s first people. The Clovis weren’t the only ones making eastern Washing-

| The Good Life

ton their home then. People were in Lind Coulee, south east of Othello, at least 12,000 years ago living, building cooking fires and hunting game with points that were completely unlike Clovis work. The Marmes Rockshelter near the Palouse River in south east Washington state has signs of human habitation from over 13,000 years ago. A major fishing site near The Dalles, Oregon was in use 10,000 years BP and the fishery at Kettle Falls in north east Washington is at least 9,000 years old. In 2005 archeological excavations began at Cascade Pass. The headwaters of the Stehekin River begin on the east side of the pass while the Cascade River flows down the west side to join the Skagit River. Nearly 40 exploratory holes

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| August 2012

were dug uncovering artifacts, volcanic ash (helpful in dating the site) and cooking hearths. The oldest had charcoal that dated to 9,600 years BP. Flat stones were found placed around the hearth, likely for sitting. The rock at the pass was a source for high quality tool making stone but the pass was also likely used for travel between the west side and the east. Multiple layers of hearths show evidence of human use of the pass from that oldest date to more recent times of 200 to 400 years past. The Wenatchee, Chiwawa and White River areas show constant use for fishing, hunting and gathering. Interviews with Wenatchi elders and Indian oral history support the evidence of house pits, mussel shell middens and tool remains found along the rivers. Very few of the sites have been excavated, however, in 1974, as part of a project to enlarge Lake Wenatchee State Park, an extensive house-pit area was located near the headwaters of the Wenatchee River below Lake Wenatchee. Test holes revealed four dis-

The fishing village at the forks of the Icicle and Wenatchee Rivers was so productive and widely known that 1,000 or more people would fill the village. tinct layers of occupation beginning about 8,000 years ago and continuing into the time of white contact in the early 1800’s. The earliest level held points and tools fashioned from local basalt. More recent layers show use of a wider variety of microcrystal rock and obsidian. In addition to projectile points there were knife and scraper blades, hammer stones, a stone anvil, cobble choppers, a drill, an engraving tool and a pipe. Animal bones show the people hunted deer and elk, gathered fresh water mussels and fished. About 4,500 years ago the climate on the Columbia Plateau began changing to cooler and moister weather — more rain in spring and summer and more winter snow. The high country became less hospitable for year round living and the lower river valleys provided warmer winters with less snow. At the same time a major change in lifeway occurred among the plateau and Wenatchee Valley Indians. They changed from their old, nomadic, subsistence hunting and gathering ways where whatever you could kill, catch or find today, you ate today. In its place they adopted a seasonal pattern of digging roots in spring, fishing for salmon in summer and gathering berries in the high mountains in fall when hunting was also good. All these foods were preserved for winter use.

Marketplace A Story About Stehekin

Catering

Fresh Local Eats

Insurance

Entiat Chief Shil-hoh-saskt, circa 1895. Photo from Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center

Villages began to form based on seasonal needs along the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers and in the surrounding hills and mountains. The fishing village at the forks of the Icicle and Wenatchee Rivers near Leavenworth was so productive and widely known that 1,000 or more people from places as far away as the Kittitas, Yakima and Methow Valleys would fill the village at the height of salmon runs. About 2,500 years BP the climate across all eastern Washington began to dry and warm again, becoming what we now enjoy. The seasonal lifeway and culture of the Wenatchee Valley’s people – they called themselves the P’Squosa – changed very little until 200 years ago. They were still fashioning tools from stone while much of the world had passed through the Bronze Age and were well into the Iron Age. Along with horses, the Iron Age came to the P’Squosa like an epiphany, changing everything. 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. August 2012 | The Good Life

Fresh roasted

deli meats, HUGE salad bar featuring local organic produce, fresh baked goods and catered business lunches!

(Next to Beer One, near Office Depot.)

Magazines

Summer Teas!

Extra copies

Hastings, Caffe Mela, Martin’s Market Place, A Book for All Seasons, Wenatchee Food Pavilion, Walgreens & Mike’s Meats www.ncwgoodlife.com

column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

Voila! A blue ribbon winery in Cashmere Last year, Cashmere resi-

dents Doug and Stacee Snider entered their Pinot Noir in the Chelan County Fair’s Amateur Wine judging event. They walked away with the “Best of Class” ribbon, and of course, a blue ribbon for that wine. I asked Doug if the ribbons were in anyway responsible for their decision to go commercial. His answer amused and impressed me. “No,” he replied, “we were set to launch the business with or without any ribbons. We like our wines and hope others will as well.” The Sniders had planted grapes several years before that county fair victory. Truth is I also like the wines. Voila Vineyards’ tasting room facility at 6359 Kimber Road is comfortable and the Sniders are delightful people interested in pleasing their guests. Summer hours are noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Tasting is $5 per person, refundable when a bottle is purchased. If you stop in, you’ll be invited, as we were, to taste these wines. Here are my notes from my tastings. Voila Vineyards Free-Run Rosé of Pinot Noir ($14): The wine is light, delicate and mildly aromatic. It is also a tad sweet, but not so much so as to cause me to label it sugared or sugary. Doug says the residual sugar on the wine is 2 percent. I found that hard to believe. So, while there is sugar present, it’s nicely balanced by an acid element. Voila Vineyards Pinot Noir ($15): Most Washington Pinot Noir wines I’ve tasted over the past five years were either punched up in the bottle by blending the wines with Caber-

Doug and Stacee Snider: Wonderful pleasant and well-made wines.

net Sauvignon or Syrah, or both. Not so this Pinot Noir from Voila Vineyards. The fruit is 100 percent Pinot Noir. The blending comes from the fact that about 65 percent of the juice came from Pinot Noir grapes grown there on the property. The remaining 35 percent came from Pinot Noir grapes grown elsewhere in Washington. The Pinot is delicate Burgundy styled, as a Pinot should be, not robust and brawny with Syrah characteristic to punch it up. The aromas and the flavor profiles will please even those who tend not to like red wines, and the intensity of the aromas along with the lasting finish are qualities sure to please most Pinot Noir admirers. It is a well-made wine showing the characteristics of a young Pinot Noir. Voila Vineyards Cashmere Red ($14): A red blend of, as Doug recalls, “About 8 percent Syrah with the remaining 92 percent split about 50/50 with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.”

| The Good Life

I scored both the red wines quite high on my personal, “I like ’em” scale. And, while I had a preference for the Pinot Noir, I was fond also of this blend. It’s a soft wine, quite drinkable despite youth and the very little time it had been in the bottle prior to our having tasted it. This is a hamburger at your backyard picnics this summer… now that summer is finally here. Voila Vineyards Gewurztraminer ($14): This wine fascinated me. Doug poured it telling us that, “…the 3 percent residual sugar means it’s a sweet wine.” I was expecting a Spatelese or even an Auslese sweetness level to the wine after that introduction. I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, in my tasting notes, I listed the wine as “off-dry,” not sweet in that late harvest sense. The Gewurztraminer was again a blend, mostly of Gewurztraminer from the estate fruit, but too with a bit of Riesling from their estate and some Gewurztraminer from Karma

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Vineyards in Chelan. This is a clean, bright wine, but for me, totally lacking in any typical Gewurztraminer characteristics. Mind you, I give the wine 3.5 stars; it satisfies on several levels, it is just, I couldn’t recognize any of the spice qualities one expects in a Gewurztraminer wine. Voila Vineyards Bartlet Pear Wine ($12): Doug was clear about this wine; “it’s intended as an after dinner, dessert wine” he said. He is right on. Here too, the wine pleases on several levels; it’s a lovely color, clear and bright. However, the really winning quality of the wine comes from the intense aromas of the Bartlet pears. My cryptic notes go on: wonderfully fragrant aromas rich with pear notes but also displaying floral overtones. Sweet, but not cloying, rich with both flavors and mouth texture, I rated the wine 4 stars and began to think about adding a 5 star to my critiquing system. Voila Vineyards though, has more to offer than just wonderfully pleasant and well-made wines. There is also Voila Vacation Rentals. Guests can come, spend a day or three, or longer if they like and enjoy the area, the wines and most of all the people. Doug and Stacee will be there to take you on a tour through the vineyards and share with you the delights of their wines. Alex Saliby is a wine lover who spends far too much time reading about the grapes, the process of making wine and the wines themselves. He can be contacted at alex39@msn. com.

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