Good Life May 2013

HOLA! RV’ING IN MEXICO Y EVENTS CALENDAR

WENATCHEE VALLEY’S

NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE

May 2013

Open for fun and adventure

Price: $3

BUILDING A HOME FOR

MOM

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Contents

page 31

Life lessons arise from the ashes of burning man Features

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YOU SAY YOU WANT FRESH FOOD?

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INTO THE FOOTHILLS

Then consider eating food that’s grown close to your plate A nice hike involving fleeting wildlife, spring flowers and camaraderie along the trail

12 club runs

Run with friends... or run to show strangers you can still hoof it

14 RV tales: episode one

When this Wenatchee couple heads south for the winter, they don’t stop at the U.S. border

16 RV tales: episode two

Why is the retired Lief Carlsen down in a hole with a shovel in his hand? Can’t he sit still?

18 BIKING ACROSS IDAHO’S PANHANDLE Riding an old rail bed is an easy pedal into the past

22 stretching your comfort zone

Dr. Steve Stroud goes zip lining in the jungle, but he’s really thinking of the mysterious landscapes within our minds

24 volunteer art teacher

It is a nice way to start the day, making something beautiful

26 A house for mom

New home is a new beginning for son and mom

ART SKETCHES

n Pet artist Cy Hundley, page 34 Columns & Departments 21 Pet Pix: Rescued dogs go hiking 30 Bonnie Orr: Cooking artichokes 31 The Traveling Doctor: Learning from a burning man 32 June Darling: Stop thinking those bad thoughts 34-39 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 36 The Night Sky: Bright planets meet at dusk\6 40 History: The Salmon People 42 Alex Saliby: Petite Sirahs are crafted here May 2013 | The Good Life

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OPENING SHOT

®

Year 7, Number 5 May 2013 The Good Life is published by NCW Good Life, LLC, dba The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 PHONE: (509) 888-6527 EMAIL: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

sales@ncwgoodlife.com ONLINE: www.ncwgoodlife.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/pages/ The-Good-Life Editor/Publisher, Mike Cassidy Contributors, Sharon Lunz, Lance Stegemann, Andy Dappen, Steve Maher, Lief Carlsen, Lisa Therrell, Dr. Steve Stroud, Marlene Farrell, Amee Forbes, Vicki Carr, Donna Cassidy, Bonnie Orr, Alex Saliby, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin and Rod Molzahn Advertising sales, 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)

Hiking the homestead trail Sharon Lunz, the communi-

cations and development director for Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, sent us this perfectly timed photo and the following brief commentary: This photograph captures one of the things I love about the Wenatchee Foothills – being

able to go for a walk in a spectacular setting just minutes from Wenatchee.

My friend and co-worker Kathy Peven and I decided to go for a walk after work on a beautiful May evening, and by driving three miles up the Horse Lake Road to the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust’s 1,700acre Horse Lake Reserve, we were transported to another world.

The lupine and balsamroot were at their peak, and after cresting the hill we had captivating views to the

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

snow covered Cascade Mountains to the west. What a great way to unwind from a busy day!

We are so fortunate to have the Wenatchee Foothills right out the city’s back door. The ChelanDouglas Land Trust is currently undertaking a major fundraising campaign to purchase and care for key properties and trails in the Foothills, to protect the beauty, wildlife, network of trails and quality of life that we all enjoy.

To learn more about hiking in the Wenatchee Foothills, visit www.cdlandtrust.org/what-wedo/recreation-access. To learn more about the Wenatchee Foothills Campaign, and how you can help, visit cdlandtrust. org/foothills-campaign.

On the cover

Donna Cassidy took this photograph of Sandy Covey and her son Shane, in the kitchen of the house Shane built for his mother.

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

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editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

Hey buddy, can you spare a ride?

The first time I went to

Mexico, it was by thumb.

My buddy and I — along with our packsacks — were crammed into the backseats of family sedans, rode in a truck taking pigs to market, shared the bed of a pickup with agricultural workers on a twisty road through high mountains, and were taken for a very fast ride by a couple of young guys in a hot car determined to show us what “macho” means to Mexican drivers.

We traveled for a few days with a teacher from Nebraska who when his wife left him, decided to drive the Pan-American Highway the tip of Chile and then dump his car off the cliff into the ocean.

We hitched along for a while with a couple from San Diego who were looking to become importers of a product you don’t declare at the border, finally leaving them as a deal was about to go down. We slept in a pasture, in small roadside motels, in cheap hotels in big cities, in a hut on the beach.

And then on the way back north, we were thumbing alongside a road when a young couple in a motorhome pulled over.

“Hey, if you guys will split the cost of gas, we’ll give you a ride to the border,” said the girl from her passenger-side window seat.

Wooo, I had never been inside a motorhome before.

A made-up bed (although we got to sleep on the floor), a bathroom with toilet paper, a refrigerator with cold adult beverages, soft seats, sensible drivers — now this was traveling in a style I would like to become accustomed to.

So, years passed, and the other day, when I was daydreaming

with my wife, I mentioned that, “We could buy a cheap motorhome and travel to Mexico.”

“Ough, awwww…, emm…,” she replied, not exactly showing the

enthusiasm I was hoping for.

That’s why I was so excited when I got the chance to do a story with Rich and Sharon McDonald for this month’s issue, who not only RV in Mexico, but purchased a beach lot where they park their rig each winter.

I made sure to take my wife along to the interview.

After two hours of talking about deserted beaches, fresh seafood, the camaraderie of fellow RV’ers, the friendliness of the Mexican people, the fun of seeing new sights and the

ease of getting by knowing little Spanish, my wife came home and started researching for used motorhomes.

Now, that’s the job of a good story for The Good Life — to get people to think of new possibilities for their lives.

Meanwhile, check out Sharon and Rich’s story on page 14.

Maybe you’ll be inspired.

There are many ways to travel, but when you hitch a ride with us, you get to enjoy The Good Life.

— Mike

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guest column // curtis broberg

Savor the Northwest, eat locally Here in Chelan and Douglas

counties, we are a community of health conscious people.

We take advantage of the amazing trails and rivers that have crossed and carved the valley.

And many of us strive to eat healthily, scanning the produce aisle of the neighborhood supermarket for nutritious, flavorful, and fresh food.

But is this really the best option? How “fresh� can your choices truly be?

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, nearly 40 percent of the fruit consumed in the United States is imported from countries such as Mexico, Chile and China, as well as more than 17 percent of the vegetables.

Some of the food in the aisles has travelled thousands of miles from where it was harvested before ever ending up on your plate.

To me this notion is ridiculous, especially considering the rich agricultural heritage that surrounds this valley that we love so much.

This separation of food and consumer has many consequences that are often overlooked.

The local school districts have recognized this and for the last two years have taken part in the National Farm to School program in which they buy directly from local farmers. With so many benefits, it is in everyone’s best interest to strive to buy local foods whenever possible.

First and foremost, locally grown food cannot be beat in terms of nutrition and taste. If May 2013 | The Good Life

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Buying locally keeps wealth within the community, allow(ing) you to support neighbors... you want the best possible quality in your ingredients you need not look much farther than your own community.

Local food is grown close to home and so is inherently fresher. Furthermore, because local farmers know their market lies in their own community they can harvest at the peak of ripeness.

In contrast, imported fresh fruits and vegetables are often picked prematurely in order to increase durability and to prevent over-ripening. During the transit and storage necessitated by international trade, the produce can undergo further nutrient loss.

It is also important to remember to consider how our everyday decisions affect the world.

Eating locally supports sustainable practices that can make a lasting and beneficial impact on the environment.

Even domestically grown food sometimes travels thousands of miles to its destination. These food miles are a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and largely depend on increasingly costly fossil fuels.

These costs are passed down to consumers and emissions could have a devastating effect on the climate and environment.

}}} Continued on next page

Eat locally }}} Continued from previous page In terms of economics, there is no way that local farms can compete with huge agricultural conglomerates, but it is important that we look at the distribution of our wealth and the ultimate destination of your dollar.

Buying from large corporations means supporting mass farming techniques that hurt the environment. Buying locally keeps wealth within the community, allows you to support neighbors and friends, and stimulates local economy.

The farms and orchards that dot the landscape of the valley are defining characteristics to our identity and it is important that we do our best to support them.

Fortunately for us, Wenatchee is home to innumerable organizations and businesses, which make eating locally easy.

Farmhouse Table Market in

Rehabilitation Center

surrounded by local agriculture I was born in the Wenatchee Valley, and I have grown up surrounded by the agriculture of the area.

I did not truly realize how incredible our local food system is, however, until I began spending my summers working in cherry orchards and meeting local growers. It was there at the base of the production end of things that my interest for locally grown food was sparked and my passion has flourished ever since.

I began taking trips to farmers markets and fruit stands with my parents who try to buy fresh and local produce.

During the spring and summer I also help them maintain a family garden which provides seasonal fruits and vegetables for us throughout much of the year.

This past fall I moved across

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Curtis Broberg

the country to study in Connecticut, and while I miss the community I am fortunate enough to attend a school which has its own farm and gardens that provide much of the produce for the campus dining halls.

Currently, I am a freshman at Yale University studying chemistry with hopes of one day attending medical school.

— by Curtis Broberg downtown Wenatchee offers local produce and even a subscription service to a variety of seasonal produce from local farms.

The Wenatchee farmers market offers a great opportunity to not only get great food but also meet those involved with their production, and learn more about the valley.

EAT Local in North Central Washington is an organization with aims of endorsing local farms and is a great resource for information on local events and programs.

Soon this prospect will become even easier with the opening of Pybus Market, a place where farmers, craftsmen and artisans will be able to sell their wares.

So get out of the supermarket, explore your own community, find something new to love about the valley, and eat food with a story.

Do yourself a favor, eat locally.

Finding color in the blackened hills

The Sage Hills Trail entrance shows charred sagebrush, remnants of the fall fires of 2012.

DISCOVERING fleeting wildlife, brightly blooming flowers & postcard views among THE burned shrubs

By Lance Stegemann

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ater bottles: check; dog treats and leashes: check; cameras: check; backpacks and snacks: check!

Finally we are out of the house and off to the hills. The sun is out and the forecast looks pretty good for the rest of the day. It’s not like we’re traveling very far for this little wanderlust trip.

As we cross the Odabashian Bridge, we can already see the new growth in the hills above Wenatchee where today’s lei-

surely hike will find us.

With much of the Horse Lake hills on fire last fall, regeneration has already begun to take hold. A luminous shade of green appears as sunlight filters over the rolling foothills and shadows encompass the dark narrow chasms that hide a wealth of discovery.

Bumping along the narrow winding road that climbs toward the Horse Lake trailhead, it appears amazingly dry for this time of year.

As our vehicle sputters up the loosely packed road base, I catch May 2013 | The Good Life

a glimpse of some hikers who have bravely decided to walk this perilous stretch of serpentine road.

While keeping a watchful eye for other surprise encounters, I slow down to a mere crawl with the engine struggling to stay idle. Instinctively I drop down to a lower gear, but the damage has already been done. A grayish-brown cloud lingers in the wake of my passing and seems to engulf the poor unsuspecting trekkers.

As they cover their faces to avoid the onslaught of dust, I apologize apathetically with hand gestures as I struggle to keep the engine alive. I can only hope they understand my prewww.ncwgoodlife.com

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dicament and that it was not my intention to leave them in the choking abyss that has followed me up the hill.

This would not be their last encounter either, for not far down the road behind me was a trio of vehicles and with them came a menacing looking cloud.

There is also another side to this habitually temperamental country road.

I remember one spring morning in May heading up toward the trailhead to enjoy what appeared to be a relatively nice day. The road was frozen solid from an unusually cold night and looked as though it would stay that way for some time.

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Finding color in the blackened hills

I was ready to bail at the first sign of trouble. I would rather go into the ditch than the alternative — which was over a treacherous looking embankment...

}}} Continued from previous page I however, had underestimated how warm the temperatures would get by early afternoon. By the time I returned to my vehicle and started the long winding descent, a few inches of the road surface had already turned to a slick mucky mess.

I had my two dogs with me and they appeared to recognize the encroaching danger — or maybe that was just me projecting my own concern.

Dropping the vehicle in the lowest gear possible, we made our way down slowly as I hugged each curve with an unyielding grip on the wheel that did little to improve my false sense of security.

Truth be known, I was ready to bail at the first sign of trouble.

I would rather go into the ditch than the alternative — which was over a treacherous looking embankment, and without a doubt, would surely be the demise of us all.

I finally decided to let the dogs out of the vehicle and have them walk behind. That was the first sign of how badly things had evolved.

A few times the tires lost traction as they filled with the sticky clay-like composite. Even with a

Barb entertains her energetic Australian Shepherds, Sadie and Shep.

relatively aggressive tire tread, when caked with the gumbolike mud, they became about as functional as racing slicks on butter.

Each time I started to slide away from the inside bank, I felt

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another year pass before me.

Even the dogs looked somewhat wide-eyed.

It was slow going but at last we had reached solid ground. I met another group of vehicles on their way up and cautiously

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advised them to turn back. They seemed to heed my advice and thanked me for the warning.

Judging from the mud on my vehicle, it probably didn’t take much thought to abort whatever mission they happened to be on.

Since then, I’ve vowed to never do that again, and so far, I’ve kept that promise. My wife only rolled her eyes when I told her of the misadventure. She seemed to be more concerned about the dogs than me and the new grey hair I had acquired.

Today was nothing like that though, and other than the unfortunate dust cloud incident, the road to the trailhead was in relatively good condition. My wife even had decided to come along, despite any previous per-

ils I may have encountered.

Once we arrived at the trailhead, we could get a better look at where the fire had passed through during that smokefilled autumn of 2012.

Burnt skeletal structures of sagebrush welcomed us as we passed a cluster of pillars with an engraving that read Sage Hills Trail on a tall perpendicular stone. New vegetation sprouted through the blackened ash as we followed along a meandering trail. I knelt down to inspect a lone yellow bell that seemed to be thriving amongst the lack of other competitive plants.

A chukar scurried through some unburned sagebrush and disappeared before I could find him in the viewfinder of my camera. Our two dogs looked mostly uninterested and only pulled at their leash to cover the scent of another canine passerby. My wife Barb pointed out a meadowlark, which had found a nice dead limb to perch on. I quickly snapped a photo before it became alarmed and warily took flight.

It was about as nice a day as could be imagined and we found ourselves hiking a lot farther than we had first intended. I was busily taking photos of various birds and wildflowers as Barb entertained our two energetic dogs.

At one point in the afternoon, it became hot enough that the dogs took refuge under the shade of a large bush while Barb and I had a drink of water and a bite to eat. Barb always packs water and treats for the dogs so they were pretty content as well.

Shep, our male dog, was trying to snap up a bee that was buzzing around his head. Even though he’s been stung several times before, he never gets tired of this game. Usually the bee comes out the victor unless on the rare occasion Shep actually catches one.

As we hiked farther up the trail, we encountered several hikers and a few mountain bik-

New growth sprouts among the ash as spring arrives.

ers along the way. I was kind of surprised we hadn’t seen more given that it was such a nice day.

We stopped and talked with one woman who was also taking her dog out for a walk.

We swapped a few dog stories while our little pack got acquainted.

There was a brief moment of information collecting as our dogs inquisitively inspected one another. This is a language that only dogs must understand, but within minutes, they were like old friends with tails wagging and the uncontrollable urge to pounce on one another in an excited display of friendly rivalry.

Parting ways, we crested the top of a saddle and continued down toward a junction that read “Homestead Trail” on a carsonite post.

We were pleasantly greeted by the sight of snow-covered mountains, green matted hills and an abundance of vibrant colored balsamroot. It was a scene that could have easily been found on a post card.

We stopped briefly to admire the picturesque view before continuing our walk down the mild May 2013 | The Good Life

The homestead barn offers peace at the end of the trail.

grade. A dry creek bed ambled along the trail as the topography quickly changed to gentle hills and plowed up farm fields.

Wild roses and service berries were growing like hedges along the old gravel road and California quail darted beneath the tangled branches of an old cottonwood tree.

Unkempt fruit trees bloomed in shades of pink and white and a red-tailed hawk circled from above. The homestead was a tranquil place and we found shade to rest while sitting under some shadows cast by the large www.ncwgoodlife.com

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weathered barn.

Our short hike wound up to be an all day trek through the hills, and some of the day’s projects had to be postponed, but surprisingly neither of us felt much remorse. As for the dogs, they’re always glad to be going somewhere.

Lance Stegemann and his wife Barbara are residents of East Wenatchee.

They enjoy traveling and outdoor recreation with their two Australian Shepherds, Sadie and Shep. Lance grew up near Priest Lake, Idaho and Barbara is a life long resident of East Wenatchee.

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WENATCHEE OUTDOORS

Just for the run of it Weekly club runs are free, come with prizes (drinks optional) but are not necessarily a breeze

By Andy Dappen

I had fallen off the jogging/

running curve.

Running used to be my go-to exercise for staying in shape. It’s not that I liked it, it’s simply that it was fast and effective. There was no need to drive anywhere, I just needed to get out the door (a multi-hour process to psyche myself up, of course) and go.

Because of knee problems about two years ago, however, I’d fallen off the running training curve and more jointThis story also appears on Wenatcheeoutdoors.org — the site covers such topics as hiking, biking, climbing, paddling, trail running and skiing in the region.

Jenn Vazquez Bryan and Eric Bryan — with their child — riding along, participate regularly in RunWenatchee activities and events. Photos by RunWenatchee/Steve Maher

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friendly sports had picked up the slack.

Then, on a recent Thursday, my scheduled workout routine was canceled so I opted to try the Club Run that RunWenatchee organizes each Thursday evening.

I had been told that even for people like me — who run for exercise, not for pleasure — the runs were fun.

So I came. Steve Maher and Joel Rhyner, two of the three partners who spearhead RunWenatchee, were manning the sign-in table, so I did what I usually do when getting psyched-up to run — I procrastinated.

Under the guise of journalism there were questions to be asked: Q: How long have these Club Runs been happening?

A: Since Jan. 3 of this year.

Q: Why? A: Because local runners were requesting them. Because these runs have a social element where you can talk with friends before, during, or after the run.

And because these runs have been hugely successful in other cities.

Q: How have the numbers been here?

A: Great. Over 300 people have done at least one run since January and tonight’s attendance (over 150 runners) was common.

Q: Will the participation level off?

A: Sure, but probably at much

higher numbers because the temperatures are just warming up and the evenings are about to get much longer with the change to daylight savings time.

Q: What else is inspiring people to come?

A: 1) They’re free.

2) Drinking perhaps — a percentage of people imbibe with friends at the Saddle Rock Brewery afterward.

3) Bribes — those who participate in 10 runs get a RunWenatchee badge of honor in the form of a boastful T-shirt.

4) Dog friendliness — lots of people are running with their leashed dogs and one dog gets crowned the “Honorary Weekly Run Club Dog” (the dog’s mug goes on the club’s Facebook page).

Q: When will these runs end this year?

A: Never-ever. This is an ongoing event. The runs started in the middle of winter and people came so apparently the season matters not to the demented (my choice of label).

Q: How far are people running?

A: Currently most are running either 5K or 10K roundtrips.

Eventually I had asked all the sensible questions and asking for the value of pi to at least 500 digits threw my interviewees over the edge.

They suggested I beat the darkness by beating tail.

There was nothing else to do but start the hideous job of actually running.

Off I went with a small group of others. That inspired me to

Club Runs provide an opportunity to run alone or while conversing with friends.

run strong. And then there were all those people who were out ahead of me and already coming back.

Some of them knew me so I had to keep up the impression of running strong.

I flew along the Loop Trail like a gale wind blasting off of the Pacific. Or maybe I was just a gentle spring zephyr who was breathing like a gale wind.

No matter, at least I was moving now.

There were actually those there moving even slower than I and knowing that such people existed inspired me to keep run-

May 2013 | The Good Life

ning like the wind.

Of course there were others blowing past me. They, too, inspired me to get back into this game and to give them what-for later — whether in this life or in the next, I will have my revenge.

The turn around for the 5K run arrived, but I wasn’t about to waste all that procrastination on such a short distance. Onward I plodded doggedly to the 10K turnaround.

On the way back, the tightness in the hips, thighs and lower back revealed how lame a runner I had become — though once a hound, I was nothing but

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a hobbler now.

Mentally, however, I was feeling good and I left actually feeling inspired about getting back into running.

I can’t say that I understand why this is true — frequently stupidity has no explanation.

To participate in one of the Club Runs, arrive at the sign-in table outside of the Saddle Rock Brewery in downtown Wenatchee between 5 and 6 p.m. on any Thursday. There is no fee to pay and no membership needed. Just sign-in and go. After 10 sessions you earn bragging rights through one of those coveted T-shirts (also free). After 50 sessions you earn an even more exclusive T-shirt.

RV tales episode one

Going (far) South ‘I would never discourage anybody from RV’ing in Mexico’

By Mike Cassidy

Blame it on the dogs.

“While our children were growing up, our vacations were white water rafting and tent camping,” said Sharon McDonald, sitting at a round wooden table off her kitchen laden with maps and travel guides.

“Once our children were grown, we acquired two dogs (a miniature schnauzer for her and wire haired griffon hunting dog for her husband Rich) who somewhat control our lives. I have always had a great desire to travel, but I will not leave my dog for more than three weeks so I tried to think of ways to travel with our dogs, which meant a motorhome.”

With a used 36-foot motorhome in hand, it wasn’t long before Sharon saw an offer for a caravan trip through Mexico.

“We didn’t speak Spanish at all, so we thought a caravan would be a good way to see Mexico,” she said.

In a little less than 60 days, they traveled down the Pacific Coast and up the Atlantic side of Mexico with 15 or so other motorhomes, sticking mostly to the back roads.

The McDonalds live in their RV parked at their oceanside lot in Mexico. Over the years, they planted grass and trees, and added sewer and electrical service for the motorhome.

The main roads are often toll roads — nice, but expensive.

The caravan’s wagon master “had us going on little roads to little villages, where we were sharing the road with donkeys and pigs — it was wonderful for us.”

The Wenatchee couple liked Mexico so much that the next winter, they went back — only this time on their own.

While there are plenty of narrow roads, occasional lowhanging wires that catch the top of an RV and sometimes unexpected speed bumps called “topes” — both Rich and Sharon feel safe traveling on their own.

“I would never discourage anybody from RV’ing in Mexico,” said Sharon. And added Rich: “You stay out of slummy areas and you go to RV parks, which are all over Mexico. Ninety percent of them have gates and guards and they lock up at night.”

About eight years ago, the McDonalds purchased a lot on the Pacific Ocean in the little community of Aticama, about 1,000 miles south of the U.S. border in an area known as San Blas.

“This area is on the same parallel as Hawaii,” said Rich,

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“The temperature is 83 to 85 everyday — moist in the morning, dew on your car, 52 every night, cool to sleep... “with banana, guava, mango and coconut trees.”

Starting with a small, rough looking block house, the McDonalds improved the property to where the beach side is protected by a block wall, the lot is covered in grass, and sewer and electricity service is available for when they live in their motorhome — currently a 2008 32-foot Southwind with two slide-outs — for three months during the winter.

“We found coconuts on the beach, which we planted on the lot. Now the trees are over the house,” said Rich.

“The temperature is 83 to 85 everyday — moist in the morning, dew on your car, 52 every night, cool to sleep, but,” he

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admits, “it is a buggy area.”

This stretch of Mexico is a draw for Americans, and especially Canadians — most who winter there, but some who live in Mexico year around.

On most years, the McDonalds — who own the local Papa Murphy’s Pizza franchises — leave Wenatchee right after Thanksgiving, take a couple of weeks to meander to their property, stay three months, then return a week before tax time.

“We also like to leave Mexico before Easter, when they shoot off fireworks 24 hours a day — the dogs can’t take it,” said Sharon with a laugh, adding: “It’s all about the dogs.”

This year, however, the McDonalds stayed around Wenatchee for the hockey season — they love the sport — and to be with family. “About a month ago, I asked Rich, ‘Why didn’t we go?’”

Buying property can be a little tricky in Mexico, but Rich said they had help of an American family who had lived in the area for a number of years and good legal assistance.

In addition, they felt good about the seller, who at the beginning of the transaction

“I like that you have to be a little on edge, you have to be aware of what may come next.” tapped on his heart, shook Rich’s hand and said: “I am an honest man.”

So far, there have been no problems with the sale. Water and electricity are cheap, and taxes low. A local woman and her son live on the property rent-free as caretakers when the McDonalds are not there.

Some RV’ers will camp all winter in parks — which are fun, said Sharon. It’s a pleasure meeting fellow travelers and hearing tales of the road. The couple has made great friends with other RV’ers.

But park life pales after a few days. “There is a lifestyle there — the sitting around, the cocktail hour with more drinking than we are into,” said Sharon.

“We bought the property because physically, we have to have something to do. I like to garden. If there is a plant, I want to be sticking it in the ground and he likes to be building.”

When the tide is out, there is a half-mile of beach accessible from the property. “We walk the dogs on the beaches… they play in the surf. We talk to neighbors as we walk, then go have lunch.

Or we go into San Blas for supplies, run into somebody and go to lunch or dinner,” said Sharon.

Even after 10 years of going to Mexico, the McDonalds say they are sad they haven’t learned more Spanish. Fellow travelers from the U.S. and Canada make speaking English easy, while shopkeepers are understanding.

“At the market we go to, they don’t have cash registers but little calculators. I might lay some bananas on the counter, the gal there computes the price, tells me and waits for me

The McDonald’s fifth wheel — since exchanged for the motorhome — sits just a few feet from the ocean. A block seawall faced with rock protects the property. The ocean waves will hit the wall and splash over the top during the summer months, so the apron of cement was added to keep the soil from washing out and undermining the wall. When the tide goes out, they have beach to play on.

to figure it out. If I don’t get it right, she smiles and turns the calculator around for me to see,” said Sharon.

Wal-Mart, Costco, and Home Depot stores are just a few hours drive away — which exposes the McDonalds to perhaps the biggest dangers in Mexico.

“Drivers will pass anywhere, including on a curve,” said Rich.

“Buses think they are gods. We have seen fatalities while driving.”

Tolls on the best roads also nick drivers. Taking their 32foot motorhome into Guadalajara — which is three hours away from their home — can cost $150

May 2013 | The Good Life

because tolls are based on the number of axles a rig has.

For the little running around, the McDonalds drive a jeep, which they tow down behind the RV. One advantage of the toll roads is the Green Angels, which are mobile repair vehicles that help — for free — disabled motorists.

Living in Mexico is not super cheap, said Sharon.

Some things are less, such as taxes and public services. Health care is excellent at a lower cost.

Hiring workmen is far less expensive than north of the border.

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“A couple from Seattle a few lots up from us built a beautiful, smaller home with a swimming pool for less — they said — than the permits would have cost in Seattle,” said Rich.

But fuel is about the same as the U.S. and dog food — dog food is tremendously expensive, so much that Rich and Sharon load up before leaving the U.S. The McDonalds are not looking to retire fulltime to Mexico.

And even though their daughter is thinking of building on their lot, Sharon said she sees the lot there as a place to have temporary fun.

She’s loves to travel, she said.

“Start up the car and I’m ready to go.”

Part of the fun — especially in a place like Mexico — is the unknown. “I like that you have to be a little on edge, you have to be aware of what may come next.

“One of my highlights is after we had gone quite a ways from an RV park to a beach, we were coming back on his very narrow road and we came up on a donkey pulling a cart.

“There we were, a motorhome behind a donkey, when the donkey stops because in front of him, on the same stretch of road, an airplane was landing.

It turned out to be a crop duster that was landing to resupply.

“But only in Mexico would you see a donkey pulling a wagon, a motorhome and an airplane all on the same piece of country road.”

RV tales episode two

Gold & the search for Utopia what I found on the far side of that mound were three dusty hombres right out of Treasure of the Sierra Madre

By Lief Carlsen

Our winter sojourn through

the Southwest with our fifthwheel trailer has progressed through several stages.

In the first week we did our best to search out inexpensive (read free) locales to park our RV for the night: rest stops, WalMart parking lots, lonely country roads.

But prowling through unfamiliar neighborhoods in a conspicuously large RV looking for free parking takes a toll on one’s dignity. We soon succumbed to the convenience of RV parks.

Thirty-five dollars for a “onenight stand in an RV park,” however, can add up to real money.

Suspecting there had to be a less expensive alternative, our bargain hunting antennae began picking up frequent references to “boondocking” among RV’ers we met along the way.

Boondocking is RV jargon for spending time, legally, on property (typically U.S. Government) without the benefit of hookups.

Lief Carlsen, in the dusty green shirt, lends a hand with the shovel work.

Apparently, our combination of wanderlust and limited funds is a common one among the snowbirds who flock to the sunny Southwest each winter in their motorhomes and trailers.

Much to our delight we learned that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has several arrangements whereby for nothing or next to nothing one may boondock on its millions of acres. Communities of RV’ers numbering in the thousands congregate November through April in warm and sunny locales like Yuma and Quartzsite, Arizona.

And so it is we find ourselves at the Imperial Long Term Visitor Area outside Yuma.

For about $3 a day we have access to potable water, a trash dumpster and a waste-water dump station. We also have our own little desert knoll across which troops of wild burros, jackrabbits and coyotes cross in the night.

Initially it seemed we had the perfect set up: warmth, sun-

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Once the dirt is shoveled and the large materials separated out, one of the miners swishes it around in a pan while scanning for tiny flakes of gold. The take at the end of the day isn’t what the activity is about.

shine, cheap rent, privacy, a taste of the wild.

But wouldn’t you know it, Utopia is always just out of reach. In our case, the problem was relaxation — as in, we’re not very good at it.

Perhaps it’s our relative youth (we’re in our early 60s.) Most of our neighbors are septo- or octogenarians and their daily

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| May 2013

activity level is a bit too relaxed for us.

For the first few days we, too, were able to revel in merely sunning ourselves and reading pulp fiction. But soon enough we began to fidget and drum our fingers in anticipation of some diversion.

To keep from going stir crazy, I got in the habit of taking a long

walk every morning, sometimes across the nearby flood plain of the Colorado River to look for interesting rocks and sometimes into the surrounding hills.

It was on one of these morning walks into the hills that I ran into Lloyd, Art, and Rupert, three crusty Canadian snowbirds who share my inability to do nothing.

Boondocking out in the boondocks: Camping on government land for next to nothing.

It was the familiar conversation all but impossible retrieving gold from the earth hum of their gasolineso the fellow with the green pan is called dry washing. They use powered leaf blower coming (Rupert) walked over to me and moving air and vibration to from behind a dirt mound that pointed to a few small yellow separate the dense gold particles first drew my attention. grains in the bottom. from the less dense rock and Upon investigation, what I “Gold!” he yelled above the dirt. found on the far side of that din.

Thirty minutes of shoveling mound were three dusty homIndeed, and it looked mighty dirt into the separator results bres right out of Treasure of the alluring against the dark green in a few handfuls of material Sierra Madre. background.

I don’t think I had that is then swished in a gold One of them was knee deep in ever seen native gold “in the pan with water. A few grains of a hole, shoveling dirt and rock gold is the typical result of such onto a screen atop a sheet metal flesh” until that moment.

It was my intention to ask a labor. tray. The noisy leaf blower was few simple questions about gold Rupert showed me a small sending a stream of air through mining and then be on my way. glass vial with the cumulative the screen to disperse the dirt in Tales of treachery where gold haul for that morning. the mixture. is concerned being the staple “How much is that worth?”

Another was brushing rock of novels and movies, I wasn’t I asked.

With the current spot from the top of the screen with at all confidant that gold minprice of gold hovering around thick leather gloves. ers would welcome an intrusive $1,700 per ounce, I was expectThe third was intently swishstranger. ing a considerable sum. ing a mixture of water and But these three had no qualms Rupert cocked his head in consand in a green plastic pan. So about letting me in on all the sideration. “About $10, maybe” absorbed in their respective ac“secrets” of their trade. In fact, he chuckled. tivities was each that I watched in a page right out of Tom SawClearly, wealth was not the them for a good five minutes yer, they had me swinging a pick primary motivator in their enbefore anyone even noticed my and shoveling rock soon after terprise. presence. my arrival.

When I told them that I’d Even after I had been noticed, I learned that their method of talked to a fellow in Quartzsite the noise of the blower made

who had bragged that he’d collected nearly half an ounce of gold this winter, all three were impressed. From this I gathered that the standard for success in the dry washing business is not terribly high.

I took another turn with the shovel and listened to more of their gold stories.

From what they said I got the impression it isn’t so much the cash value of the gold that they’re after as the camaraderie, the exercise and the tangible evidence of each day’s accomplishment in the bottom of that little glass vial.

On my walk back to our campsite I thought about the three of them contentedly sifting through the rock and dirt each day.

It occurred to me that they had found the elusive piece of the puzzle that Mary and I sought — an activity to engage our restless natures.

Yes, by golly, perhaps a little gold mining may be just what Mary and I need to complement this wonderful weather down here. Utopia may be within reach after all.

Lief and Mary Carlsen are retirees whose home base is Chelan. They travel extensively — afoot, tandem bicycle and RV. Lief documents their travels and his random thoughts in his blog: chelantraveler.wordpress. com.

Experience. Dedication. Personal Service.

509-664-9063 1-800-664-9063 Wenatchee Office: 151 South Worthen Street, Suite 201 May 2013 | The Good Life

Financial advice for the long run. www.ncwgoodlife.com

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Pedaling into the past: The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes

Riders cross a bridge near Cataldo — the gentle slope of the former railroad makes for easy riding.

By Lisa Therrell

My friend Sarah tipped me

off about the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes.

“It’s a paved rail-to-trail all the way across the Idaho Panhandle,” she said. “It’s great to ride in the spring or the fall because there are lots of birds in the wetlands.”

The specter of riding all the way across (the narrow) Idaho Panhandle drew me in and by the following spring I set a date to ride the trail with Sarah. And then this past August, my husband Rich and I completed a trip on the trail.

The west end of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes begins in Plummer, Idaho near the Washington border.

And the eastern terminus is in Mullan, Idaho, which is the last little town before I-90 climbs up to Lookout Pass on the Montana border.

I rode the trail as a series of out and back legs over three-tofour days, but some people ride the entire 72-mile trail in one day, and some even do the round trip in a day.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes passes near several bodies of water and through an historic part of Idaho.

Plummer is a small Palouse Prairie town on the Coeur d’Alene Indian Reservation. I supported the local economy with the purchase of beaded barrettes at the nearby Warpath Trading Post.

A beautiful new war memorial at the trailhead names the tribal warriors who died in battle, starting with the Indian War and ending with Vietnam.

We coasted and pedaled in high gear down the first seven miles of the trail, which de-

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scends through a beautiful ravine of basalt and ponderosa pine forest.

Interpretive signs at the Hntsaqaqn and Hnpetptqwe’n rest stops offer tribal perspective to the area.

The only public campground on the entire route is at Heyburn State Park where the trail first reaches Lake Coeur d’Alene. We pedaled up and over the impressive Chatcolet Bridge, a historic swing bridge designed to open for boat traffic on the lake.

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| May 2013

From Chatcolet the trail closely hugs the shore of the lake to Harrison, a small historical summer town at the 15-mile point.

Both trips we headquartered here out of the Corskie House Bed and Breakfast, a historical home overlooking the lake.

Our host, Russ, was a valueadded part of the trip, especially when he showed off his classic cars.

The town offers three ice cream venues, an art gallery and

We barreled along, and when we spotted birds, would throw on our brakes, jump to the ground, and pull our binoculars out of our pile jackets. a bike shop with rentals.

Off-season the town rolls up its sidewalks. A very small grocery store stays open until 6 p.m., and several restaurant bars offer standard American meal fare with exceptional lakeside views during the summer with sketchy hours otherwise.

As a bird watcher, the next 12 miles of trail through the Chain of Lakes had me euphoric. The route offers a wetland haven thick with birds, especially on our cold May trip.

We started counting great blue herons and lost count at 68.

We barreled along, and when we spotted birds, would throw on our brakes, jump to the ground, and pull our binoculars out of our pile jackets.

Sarah spotted a distant swirling flock of giant white birds, contrasted against the distant dark green mountains. Were they swans? Or pelicans?

A few miles farther on in the wetlands we caught up to a flock of white pelicans out on the water. Wow. Rich and I saw them in August as well.

A gold rush started in 1883 in the Kellogg and Wallace area.

By 1886 the Coeur d’Alene Railway and Navigation Company formed to construct a railroad to supply the Silver Valley and connect with the Northern Pacific Line to transport ore eastward to Helena, Montana.

The line was completed by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company in 1889. The Union Pacific took over the lease in 1936.

The calm South Fork Coeur d’Alene River invites riders to idle for a while.

Nearly 60 years later, dismayed by the toxic burden of pollution caused by mining and the railroad, the tribe filed a lawsuit to force a cleanup of the basin.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes emerged as one outcome of this effort.

The trail is capped and paved, but trail users are cautioned to stay on the paved path and to not drink from water sources or camp.

The river, which prior to cleanup ran milky white, flows emerald green from remaining traces of ore.

Leaving the Chain of Lakes, the trail hugs the river most of the way to Cataldo — 25 miles distant from Harrison. Miners and wealth-seekers poured out of steamboats here to travel farther upstream by foot.

An interpretive sign points out the top of the Cataldo Mission from the trail, which is the oldest standing building in the state of Idaho. A 6.5-mile side May 2013 | The Good Life

The Wallace train depot is a highlight in a town filled with historical mining relics and fabulous architecture.

trip from the trail can be made to visit the mission, but Sarah and I found that easiest to do by car.

The Cataldo trailhead is near a restaurant and deli, the only source of food for many miles of trail. Above Cataldo is an idyllic www.ncwgoodlife.com

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section of trail away from roads and tracing the banks of the free-flowing river for about 6.5 miles.

Then we reached the Silver Valley and the 80 mines that comprise the Coeur d’Alene

}}} Continued on next page

Pedaling into the past }}} Continued from previous page

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Mining District.

Here the character of the trail delves into a mining past and present including the longest, deepest and richest mines in the United States.

This portion of the trip parallels I-90 through a number of mining towns, such as Smelterville, Kellogg, Wallace and Mullan. Kellogg has a bike shop right on the trail, also with rentals.

I especially enjoyed seeing all the historical mining relics and the fabulous historical architecture in Wallace. I would like to go back and check out the many historical museums.

Rich and I spent one night in Kellogg to ride the upper portions of the trail.

We scored with a very good

... the bird watching was incredible — at the end of three days in May I listed over 75 species of birds. value on a vacation rental from Kellogg Vacation Homes. Ours was called The Getaway, and was a small apartment in a quiet neighborhood that featured an African safari print décor! It came with our very own private hot tub, which was welcome after three days of relentless bike riding.

Kellogg also offers fine dining. We had a fabulous dinner at the Moose Creek Bistro in the historic downtown; the menu offered many mouth-watering choices. Likewise, the Mountain Café got us back on the road with an innovative breakfast menu.

The final 20 miles climbs briskly to the terminus at Mullan. We were too late to get lunch at the fabled Bitterroot Coffee Shop, but enjoyed our cheese and crackers in a nice little city park before turning back.

This is truly a world-class trail.

We encountered a tour group from Japan, and the Fresno Bike Club blazed by us. And the bird watching was incredible — at the end of three days in May I listed over 75 species of birds.

Summer weekends are reportedly crowded, but both of my midweek trips were not. The trail has a website at http:// friendsofcdatrails.org where you can get more information, including options for shuttles.

This adventure is less than a day’s drive away from Wenatchee Valley, and reminds me that I live the good life.

Lisa Therrell lives, writes and plays in Leavenworth. She enjoys musclepowered sports, gardening, studying natural history and quilting.

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| May 2013

PET PIX

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

I

rescue pit bulls from high-kill shelters in California and transport them here to Washington, where I try to rehabilitate them and adopt them out to good homes.

But these two boys — Blu and Ares — I rescued, fell in love with, and kept. They love going everywhere with me and my two kids.

My mission is to help educate people on this misunderstood breed. They are great dogs — it’s all in how you raise them.

People are judging the wrong end of the leash.

We enjoy the outdoors, hiking, walking and swimming. We just hop in the car and drive and see where we end up. This picture was taken at Vantage.

You don’t realize how beautiful Washington is until you get out of your shell and explore new things.

For information about adoptions, contact me on Facebook.

— Joanne Renteria

S

usie and I have kayaked in Alaska, British Columbia, and all over the Pacific Northwest, but some of the best kayak outings have been right here in North Central Washington where our Border Terrier, Mac, could join us for paddling, swimming and hiking.

When the Farmers Market was near the river on Fifth Street in Wenatchee, the three of us would occasionally kayak there on a Saturday morning to load up on fresh food for the weekend.

Mac was very pleased because he loved anything that had to do with food!

— Jack Evans

THE GOOD LIFE PET DIRECTORY

Call 662-9577 or visit

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Seeking to be a

hero

in one’s own life

By Dr. Steve Stroud

It took me several hours but

I finally got the hang of it — downshift and redline it.

That was the only way I could navigate our underpowered SUV through the obstacle course of semi’s, scooters, horses, dogs, pedestrians and other drivers on the narrow windy roads of Central America.

I felt like Speed Racer. My heart rate was up, my muscles were tense, and I realized just how much I was holding my breath. I notice that when I experience stress or fear, I hold my breath and when I experience excitement, I breathe more fully. I had to remind myself to breathe, again and again.

I was in Costa Rica on a vacation, but I was really there to take part in my own Hero’s Journey.

The Hero’s Journey was an idea first put forward by the American scholar Joseph Camp-

bell, who said our life’s journey is about overcoming obstacles, moving through fears, challenging ourselves, uncovering the treasure within and returning to share it with our community.

It is, in its essence, about becoming the hero of our own life.

One thing I have noticed when I’m traveling or out of my ordinary routine, is that I am much more willing to challenge myself with new experiences. I like to do this because it makes me feel alive and engaged.

When I stretch my comfort zone I get a greater sense of who I am and what I can do and this ultimately brings more meaning to my life.

In Costa Rica, I’m now standing at the edge of the platform, 100 feet off the ground, belayed into a harness, pulled tight like a slingshot. My mind is clear, I am breathing. This must be excitement.

I drop, I fall, I swing onward and onward, outward to the

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Dr. Steve Stroud zip lines through the jungle in Costa Rica.

When I stretch my comfort zone I get a greater sense of who I am... opening of the forest canopy.

Somewhere behind me is the primal scream that rushed out of my lungs in that moment of pure exhilaration as I traveled from the safe platform into the unknown free fall.

Why would I do such a thing?

Well, I certainly felt alert, engaged and alive at that point.

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| May 2013

Whenever we experience stress or excitement, chemicals are released into our bloodstream. These chemicals make us feel alert, engaged, alive and ready for whatever quests lay before us. This is perhaps one of the major driving forces that propel us to seek the adventure of a good journey.

As much as I love to explore the world — such as the one I found in Costa Rica — I am as equally intrigued by the inner journey.

The inner journey explores the magnificent mountains, vast oceans and dark forests of our own inner landscape. To explore this territory takes just as much courage as any adrenalin filled activity, sometimes more.

I have been a student, teacher and practitioner of alternative medicine and transformational work for over 30 years, during which time I have longed to bring opportunities for the inner journey to our local community.

Recently, with the help of a few fellow seekers, this desire came into being when we created The Ripple Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides workshops and retreats focusing

As she was 73 years old, I was wondering what would possess her to do such a thing. My guess, it’s the desire to feel alive and engaged. weekend but also for the greater trajectory of the leaps we wish to make in our lives.

One of the most profound leaps I have made in life was to create this Foundation.

By listening and responding to that internal calling, I took the risk, challenged myself to follow

my passion, and in doing so uncovered my own hero within.

Dr. Steve Stroud has been practicing Naturopathic Medicine and Acupuncture in Wenatchee Valley since 1988. He is a founding member and the Executive Director of The Ripple Foundation. For more information, visit: www.theripplefoundation.com.

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are in free fall.

In creating the Ripple Foundation, I had to overcome my own fears and obstacles.

At times, I felt like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, heading off into the unknown. I gathered allies who had brains, and courage and heart.

For two years we sat around my dining room table making the phone calls, gathering startup funds, creating the coursework and programs, websites and brochures.

But like on the roads in Costa Rica, sometimes I had to remind myself to downshift and redline it. I was driving a journey that began years ago when I wondered, “For whom and for what do I live? Where do I find meaning, purpose and passion? What is my relationship to myself, my community, my world?”

When the Foundation holds a retreat, we begin the day with a ceremony where we state our intention for the journey — for what we would like to create for ourselves throughout that May 2013 | The Good Life

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on personal growth and transformation through the adventure of self-discovery. (The idea behind the name is we hope the personal growth and transformational work we do will ripple out into the world — from self to the community and then the world.)

One of our weekend retreats was held at the Copper Notch Lodge, which is set along the beautiful banks of the Icicle River. As the cool evening air settled over the field, we were just finishing up with an aspect of our coursework called the Trust Fall.

Our final participant was standing on a stump, two feet off the ground. Her goal was to free fall back into the arms of her fellow adventurers.

As she was 73 years old, I was wondering what would possess her to do such a thing. My guess, it’s the desire to feel alive and engaged.

It is also part of her personal hero’s journey — to move through the fear of a challenging situation and to experience trust and support from others in those metaphorical moments in life when we feel as though we

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WCL NORTH DIVISION KEL ... Kelowna VIC ... Victoria BEL ... Bellingham WEN ... Wenatchee WW ... Walla Walla

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WCL SOUTH DIVISION MED ... Medford KF ... Klamath Falls BEN ... Bend COR ... Corvallis COW ... Cowlitz KIT ... Kitsap

NON-LEAGUE TEAMS EVM ...Everett Merchants SFS ...San Francisco Seals |

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Volunteers

Late Start Art

‘It is a nice way to start the day, making something beautiful’

By Marlene Farrell

Twenty chil-

dren are seated at long lunch tables in the gym of Peshastin-Dryden Elementary.

It’s 8:15am. On a normal school day they’d be in their classrooms, sharpening pencils and turning in their homework folders. But today is the weekly Late Start morning, and school doesn’t begin for another Becki Heyl displays a couple of artful birds made by her art students from discarded shoes.

75 minutes.

These kids, out of Photo by Amee Forbes necessity or choice, preciation of the great artists. show up to scribble, paint, colIn addition to Matisse, projects lage and have fun with Becki have been inspired by Picasso, Heyl, the organizer of Late Start Andy Warhol and Da Vinci.

Art. Art takes on new meaning Today Becki walks around so in these early morning seseveryone can see a reprint of sions than when students are in Matisse’s Goldfish. This painttheir normal classroom setting. ing shows reddish koi in a large Olivia, a second grader, says, “In glass container filled with water, expression.” class there’s one right way. Here, on a table surrounded by a Becki says, “I like to add colthere’s more than one right way.” blooming garden. lage elements to the art projects.

The Late Start Art program Paper, pencils, scissors and I enjoy that, personally. And I began at Peshastin-Dryden glue are handed out because this think at this age (Kindergarten five years ago by the Parents in is not to be merely a painting to second grade), it’s nice for Education group. Becki has been project. them to use their hands and involved for three years. “We Becki and her two children work with different materials. are fortunate to be backed by could be home, sleeping in.

Kids will latch onto different the generous parent group who Instead, they arrived early to media so there is something for supplies us with materials,” she set up. Becki has taken on this everyone. The main thing is exsays. Other parents assist Becki, weekly volunteer effort because posure to various ways of doing though no one puts in the 20 she understands the need for things.” hours a month of preparation, working parents to drop off their Some kids make elaborate instruction, clean up and diskids and loves to share what she frilly finned fish, while others playing that Becki does. knows best, art. It is a nice way design streamlined swimmers.

Becki lives and breathes her to start the day, making someUsing pastels and more cutouts, art. Her hairstyle is a hip comthing beautiful. the floral backdrop can be as position of angles, her hand“I love the surprise (of each colorful and elaborate as they made clothing is full of vibrant child’s finished work). Personchoose. colors and her smiling eyes ality comes out in their selfLate Start Art teaches apreflect the beauty she sees all

“...it’s powerful how this little sliver of time might encourage them.”

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“Art had a huge impact on me at a young age. I had wonderful adults help foster that in me, and it helped shape who I am.” around her.

Becki’s mother was a role model in many ways. “My mom always volunteered and was very artistic. She had a sewing studio and made outdoor gear. She was entrepreneurial and daring. I got confidence from her to try things, to go for it.”

Her mom taught Becki her first stitches. Becki now loves to design clothing and costumes for Halloween and her daughter’s ice skating competitions.

Becki explains, “Art had a huge impact on me at a young age. I had wonderful adults help foster that in me, and it helped shape who I am.”

Becki tries to do the same for the Late Start Art kids. “I try to be really positive. They become

comfortable with putting art on paper and not being self conscious about it. I want them to feel like they are doing something right, in their own way. It can give them a boost in confidence.”

Becki looks around and sees artistic possibility everywhere.

In addition to Late Start Art, she runs an after school art club for older children that recently made use of recycled materials.

“We all have our different ways of recycling and reusing. I constantly score materials for art projects at our local thrift shop, (the Community Cupboard).”

Becki had the after school club transform donated shoes from The Community Cupboard into fanciful birds. The club mem-

May 2013 | The Good Life

bers cut the shoes to pieces and reassembled them.

Becki says, “It was so unique, different from the art they usually do, that it was fascinating for them, the whole process.

It was like a treasure, (cutting apart the shoes), because you don’t know what you’re going to get — the foam inside might be an unusual color. They shared shoes. One would use the heel while the other used the eyelets.”

“My example was so different than what they produced,” Becki says with satisfaction. “They exceeded my expectations.”

Becki wants to see other artists share their specialty with the Late Start Art program. She invited ballet instructor Briar Hoper to teach some scene reenactments from the Nutcracker in December. “It was a huge hit.

I would love to see musicians come and bring a musical element (to Late Start Art).”

Becki says she is moved to do this work because, “it’s power-

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ful how this little sliver of time might encourage them.”

This is Becki’s way of putting her “mark on this school. It’s easy,” she says, “to have a vision and implement it. Other parents can think, ‘I love (fill in the blank) and I could help bring this to the school.’”

On that gray winter morning, when the kids were filling their paper with the luminous aqua of water and pinning their flaming fish down with dabs of glue, they showed intentness, confidence and imagination, everything that Becki hoped for. One first grader, Mackenzie, paused in her coloring of showy blooms to announce, “I’m the artist in my family!”

In addition to being a mom, Marlene Farrell runs, shares her love of running through coaching kids of all ages, and writes.

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

A home for Mother’s Day A new beginnings home for builder son and on-her-own mom Story by Susan Lagsdin Photos by Donna Cassidy If you’re a mom, you may have visions of a perfect Mother’s Day. A resort hotel brunch? A snazzy new mountain bike? A family barbecue with all kids home?

For Sandy Covey, this has been “mom’s year” — her son Shane built her a house of her own, and she moved into it just two weeks ago.

The house itself wasn’t a surprise because Sandy was involved in the process step by step, from choosing the site to carrying the last packing box in from the driveway.

What’s surprising is almost no builderowner tension, even given a temporarily crowded live-with situation and perfectly normal personality differences.

Sandy and Shane made a good work team, still smiling about their project. “Oh, yes, we still love each other,” Shane said, “And I’m really proud of him,” Sandy added.

Constructing the house was a metaphor for reconstructing her life. Sandy’s husband died two years ago after a lingering illness that exhausted both of them.

She realizes that after his death, “I could have curled up and been depressed, but I put my energy into looking ahead.”

The first big step in looking ahead involved selling the family home to her family: Shane, his wife Marina and three growing and

ABOVE: The sleek stainless steel fireplace with its glowing amber beads is fronted by a simple floating hearth bench.

Sandi’s furniture echoes the mid-century modern motif of the structure.

RIGHT: Juxtaposed shed rooflines evoke a midcentury modern style, but the sensible materials and open plan design are up-to-the-minute new.

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grown daughters.

Sandy retained the basement as her own turf, and a house of one became a house of five, which gave impetus to the house idea.

The second big step was using a windfall to invest in her son’s new construction firm and concurrently become his first client.

He has worked for years overseeing the small and large concerns of other builders’ businesses, and Sandy knew in Shane she’d have a trustworthy and talented builder who understands her life.

The third big step was finding the perfect spot for her “new beginnings” house, finally finding it in Madison Acres.

It’s a 66-lot development on Sunnyslope where five local homebuilders work in close proximity, learning from and helping each other.

Last April a corner lot, almost one-third acre poised above a sloped pasture, caught her attention. Sandy replays the moment: “When we first stood here looking down at the view I said, ‘This is it. This is the place!’”

Shane says he has a flair for visualizing all the way to the final details any idea that a homeowner tosses at him. And if he can see it, he can build it.

Having spent a lifetime with Sandy helped him “see” even better. Shane said, “I just let Mom talk about her ideas and tried to get a feel for them.” By the time a draftsman drew up their blueprints, very few adjustments were necessary.

The Coveys made a good team. And with familiar, creative subcontractors and the invaluable help of builder/developer Ted McDaniel, the work went fast. They broke ground in September 2012, and the home was approved for occupancy this March.

Nothing is quite typical in this house.

It could have faced the street directly, like the rest, “but we looked at the arc of the sun in different seasons,” said Sandy, “and

ABOVE: Sandy’s kitchen, with its low end of the sloped ceiling and dark cabinets, contrasts compatibly with the wide open spaces, and provides instant access to the entrance and the living area.

LEFT: This welcoming front door wasn’t whimsy, but a carefully considered choice. The art glass matches the lines of the house, and “the red is good feng shui,” said Sandy.

}}} Continued on next page

More blooms, less water You can use less water and still have a beautiful garden.

Browse a colorful list of more than 60 drought-tolerant blooms like this Coreopsis verticillata in the "Xeriscape" section at chelanpud.org. Prefer a purple posy?

Use our search feature to design a garden to your liking.

Check out the benefits of drought-tolerant landscaping on our website, or call our conservation experts at 661-8008.

May 2013 | The Good Life

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www.chelanpud.org

Building a home for Mom }}} Continued from previous page we chose this different angle.

It’s perfect!” The position of the house was compass-driven — winter sun will come streaming in; summer sun will hit the protected east and west walls.

It could have had the trending/traditional Craftsman feel of most of the houses on the street, but Sandy wanted modern, and modern she got.

Not crazy, but edgy. “I love the shed roofline,” she said. “It looks like a bird getting ready to soar,” she said with a smile, “Like me.”

That distinctive roofline profile, the cool gray color, and a refreshing asymmetry have turned heads on the street.

A few prospective buyers hope Shane will reprise the design, so he’s working on variants that will fit the neighborhood’s overall ambience but still be distinctly modern.

Sandy envisions plenty of patio time and will build pergolas and latticework to give herself and nearby neighbors privacy.

She gestured at the 180-degree view that takes in both Wenatchees, Malaga and a slice of river. That means decisions about the well-positioned win-

Shane is pleased with his choice of laminated beams for warmth and definition. This visual room divider (a pre-movein photo) and the exterior edges use long beams; he’s repeated the look at the hearth.

dows — which ones to discreetly curtain, which ones to leave bare to the view.

An imperative for this downsized empty nester house was the use of low maintenance and top quality materials in a relatively compact space.

The metal roof and concrete

siding were chosen for their longevity. The living space, big enough for a family but perfect for a single, is 1,747 square feet, with master and bath on one end, a guest room and a multiuse room on the other.

Within the walls of this surprisingly compact structure are

NCW Home Professionals

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the extras that Sandy’s especially proud of. The Murphy bed/desk combo in her studio provides room to work on her jewelry and metal design (artwork she’s had to forego for a few years) and then can easily accommodate guests.

Sandy requested a tiled dog washing sink, non-slip and just the right height for grooming, in the garage, and Shane was glad to comply.

Her kitchen, wide open to entrance and living area, has deliberately dark cabinetry, contrasting with the great room and creating a visual separation.

A sleek gas fireplace glimmers with amber glass beads that dazzle the eye any night and can be programmed to provide heat in the winter. Dark brown woodlook tiles line the big master shower, and the walk-in closet was shaped to accommodate a big, lighted jewelry cabinet made by her late husband.

It’s the center of the house that demonstrates best what the

Libby the dog seems comfortable in her very own bathing and grooming area.

She and Sandy can romp outdoors any time — this easy-to-use doggie-spa is ready to go.

“My creative juices had been stored up for so long!” soaring roofline hints at.

Opening the front door shows a great room space that’s tall, wide, and handsome.

Its whole south wall is windows, so kitchen, dining and living areas equally share the light and the view.

Sandy and Shane are both pleased with the frequent use of laminated beam work that defines the lofty center areas and adds strength. The wood tone gives a shot of natural warmth to the cool, predominately soft gray color scheme.

Sandy admitted that Shane’s caution against potential cost overruns, like unplanned high end choices, was valuable sometimes. (“It’s the same advice I’d give any client,” he demurred.)

“But it has been so much fun making all these decisions about color and tile, the drawer pulls, the carpet and shades…” Sandy said, beaming, “My creative juices had been stored up for so long!”

This is an upswing year for local builders and a perfect time

for Shane’s premier home, his calling card house, his giant step into entrepreneurship.

And for Sandy, his proud Mom, the house that Shane built may also become the symbol of her own bright future.

NCW Home Professionals

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column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

Getting to the heart of cooking artichokes until dinnertime.

Grease a pizza pan or a shallow jelly-roll pan. Flour your hands, and plop the dough in the center of the baking pan. Continue to flour your hands as you press the dough into a thin layer up to the edges of the pan.

Let dough rest 10 minutes then pile on the toppings.

We can grow arti-

chokes in north central Washington.

It is best as a biennial — this year it grows attractive foliage, mulch it for winter, and next summer, the edible flower buds grow.

We can also grow cardoon, a cousin, which has edible leaf stalks.

Watsonville, Calif. — the “Artichoke Capital of the World” — grows thouTopping ingredisands of pounds of these ents: spiny veggies with the Two bottles of arfuzzy center. tichoke hearts, well The choke is the fuzzy drained and sliced.

Black/green center that becomes the olives purple flower. Below the flower the edible heart Then it is your forms. (Don’t you wonder choice.

Consider: how someone figured out Dried tomatoes, to eat the flowerbuds?) sliced mushrooms, Dipping the ends of arugula, spinach, the leaves in mayonnaise basil, garlic, parsley, or melted butter is the capers, shallots, popular way to enjoy the Most people don’t see the beautiful flower that the artichoke etc... family members create because they are too busy eating the freshly steamed artibuds. chokes. Artichokes are Top with a total of 2 cups of a great picnic food since chunked feta cheese and grated prothey’re delicious either hot or Serves 4 volone. You don’t need a sauce. The cold.

30 minutes melted cheese will hold everything on The taste goes well with seaOven 400 degrees the crust. food.

Crab and artichoke heart Make this simple dough in the Bake until bubbly — 20-25 minutes. mixed into a salad with a light morning before you go to work to lemon-based vinaigrette is a create a thin crispy crust for a 14-inch wonderful spring meal. pizza. This is soft dough, so you can’t Artichokes cook well. When I flip it onto a hot baking stone. make dishes that require cooking, I use frozen or canned 1 teaspoon dry yeast 1 1/2 cups room temperature water hearts.

6 servings 4 cups all purpose flour I like making vegetable pizzas 20 minutes 1 teaspoon salt served either as an appetizer or 2 Tablespoons olive oil light dinner.

This dish can be assembled in the time it takes the pasta to cook in boilSince this thistle plant origiMix all the ingredients and stir ing water. If rushed, you can caramelnated in the Mediterranean vigorously for two minutes. Oil a large ize the onions a day before. most of the compatible tastes bowl and dump the dough in the bowl I use red wine to color the onions come from near Middle Eastern and cover it with plastic wrap. Go on since artichokes tend to fade to a pale cuisines. with the rest of your day. Let it rise

Artichoke Pizza

Pasta and Artichoke with Caramelized Onions

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yellow-green, and get lost in the pasta.

Use one of the dozens of fancy shaped pastas. My favorites for this dish are gemilli, cannolicchi or creste di galli. The olive oil added to the cooked pasta sticks the other ingredients to the pasta.

1 pound pasta 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup dry red wine 2 cups coarsely chopped onions 2 cups sliced mushrooms 2 bottles artichoke hearts well drained and sliced 2 teaspoons each: fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs toasted 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley Salt/pepper Cook the onions slowly in the oil for 10 minutes. Add the wine, and cook for another 10 minutes to create the sweet, onion flavor.

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and start the water heating. Do not add oil to the water.

When boiling, add the noodle of your choice.

When the onions are cooked, add the mushrooms. Cook for another three minutes.

Add the oregano, thyme and rosemary salt and pepper to the mushroom and onions.

Add the artichokes and heat through.

Drain the cooked pasta and pour into a large serving bowl.

Add two tablespoons olive oil and stir.

Add the cooked vegetables and stir.

Top with the Parmesan or Romano cheese, parsley and bread crumbs and stir.

This dish stands by itself or can be paired with baked chicken or lamb and a large salad with bitter greens.

Bonnie Orr — the dirt diva — cooks and gardens in East Wenatchee.

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column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Life, death and Burning Man For many years my son, Steve

and his wife, who live in California, have been going for a week to the Nevada desert to attend an event called Burning Man. When he originally described the event to us, it seemed pretty bizarre. I imagined it as a Woodstock for adults.

When he told me that 50,000 people from all over the world gather in a barren Nevada desert in the heat of summer for a week, spend an enormous amount of energy constructing numerous large structures — including the Man, which is 40 feet high on a 50-foot high base — then, after a week, burn it all down, I wondered, “Why on earth would anyone do that?”

Yet, many attendees said it changed their lives forever. One said after Burning Man, he realized everything he had done and thought before that time was wrong.

I couldn’t imagine how or why that could happen.

That was before I saw Steve’s movie Spark, a Burning Man Story at the Ashland International Film festival this April.

Steve has had many interesting business ventures, and his latest passion seems to be filmmaking.

In 2012 he decided to make a documentary film about the Burning Man experience so he founded Spark Pictures. He had no prior experience in the film industry or in filmmaking.

But he has always been a quick learner, good at networking with people and finding investors.

Last summer he took a film crew of 38 people to the 2012 Burning Man. He even convinced his sister Kirsten and Chris Honeyset, owner of the Cellar Café in

Spark, a Burning Man Story has been accepted into the Seattle International Film Festival and will be shown May 25 and May 27 at a theater to be announced.

It was also shown at the SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas earlier this year.

Wenatchee, to come to Burning Man to prepare all the meals for a week for this large crew.

They did, and they too were impressed and affected by the experience.

Attendees bring all their own supplies, food, water and lodging that might vary from motorhomes, campers, tents or sleeping bags plopped on the desert floor. They brave heat, dust and desert winds for the week.

Black Rock City of 50,000 will rise on the Black Rock desert.

After one week, everyone is gone, leaving no trace behind.

In many ways this is an art event that promotes creativity, but I think it has a deeper meaning as a metaphor of life and death.

In the question period at the Ashland festival following the film, Steve explained there are two parts to Burning Man. It is an art event that celebrates creativity. Teams not only design the structures, but they need to figure out how to load them into trucks to transport them to the desert where they reassemble them.

But it is also an expression of letting go. All the wood structures are burned to the ground.

The metal sculptures are taken down and frequently donated for public art.

None are kept and there is no profit gained for any of the participating teams.

The idea of Burning Man May 2013 | The Good Life

After one week when everyone has gone, it is as though no one was ever there. came about on a beach near San Francisco in 1986 by a group of Bay area free spirits who called themselves the Cacophony Society.

Their first foray was burning a nine-foot effigy of a man on the beach. They decided to do this every year.

On the fourth year they built a 60-foot tall structure in San Francisco that looked like a giant man. They planned to take this to the beach and burn it, but the San Francisco police told them they no longer could do this since they lacked a permit.

They searched for other locales and in 1990 settled on the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, which is a dried-up lakebed that extends for 100s of miles and had been undisturbed for over 30,000 years.

Over the years the event has grown. Attendance is now limited to 50,000 participants who pay an entrance fee of $380 each for the week. Burning Man currently is a year-round organization and foundation that plans and coordinates the event.

The event attracts people who are creative, idealistic and free spirits.

Burning Man is governed by 10 principles that might embody an ideal society.

Foremost is inclusion. Anyone can be part of this and strangers are welcomed and respected.

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The community seeks to create an environment free of commercial sponsorships, transactions or advertising. Each individual’s unique gifts are appreciated.

Creativity and cooperation are valued.

The events are conducted in accordance with local, state and federal laws. The Burning Man community respects the environment, and as such they are committed to leaving no physical trace of their activities wherever they gather.

When these 50,000 departed last year, the film showed people picking up even the smallest bit of trash.

They believe that change, including the barriers that separate us as individuals or societies, can only occur through personal participation.

Burning Man has quite an agenda for only one week, but for over 20 years they have been pulling this off, growing and expanding worldwide with several countries having Burning Man events.

I didn’t get it at first, but now I think I do.

Our lives, like Burning Man, will come to a physical end some day. What we do with our lives matters and affects others in many ways.

We have this very short time on our planet, and I am committed to making my time here meaningful in some away.

Like Burning Man, I too will be gone and the only trace I will have left behind might be in the hearts of those I have loved.

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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column moving up to the good life

june darling

How to stop binging on bad thoughts Have you ever felt like your

brain was running wildly on a hamster wheel?

The way that Linda described it was that her brain would just keep re-playing the same record over and over. She never came up with any solutions or new ideas. She just fretted.

Most of her fretting began with abstract “why’s.”

“Why do I have no close friends?”; “Why do all of his business ventures turn out splendidly and mine never do?”; “Why are their children so successful and mine are not?”

Linda is not alone.

Many people, perhaps you, too, ask questions and replay mental scenarios that generally do nothing more than take

you into a repetitive, negative, downward spiral. These downward spirals can cause not only depression and anxiety, but also binge drinking, eating disorders, and a lot of unnecessary relationship drama.

Psychologists Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky and Dr. Susan NolenHoeksema call this self-focused rumination or overthinking.

The evidence is now “vast and overwhelming,” Lyubomirsky says, that overthinking is not good for us.

If we want to be happy, healthy, high performers, we need to figure out how to decrease overthinking.

This does not mean that you do not pay attention to problems or that you do not notice your feelings. You notice, but you do

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not obsess and keep thinking over and over about the very same thing and what it might mean.

Researchers offer several tips for dealing successfully with overthinking.

First beware of triggers and learn how to dodge them.

Social comparison — looking at others and measuring yourself against them, is a common overthinking trigger. We cannot escape other people and we cannot help noticing how our performance measures up. The media is also constantly showing us movies and pictures of the rich, famous, beautiful and powerful.

The real issue with social comparison, however, is envy. If we can use others’ performance

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to inspire us, we can sidestep envy, social comparison and overthinking.

Another way of de-activating the social comparison trigger is to be very aware of your own internal standards as well as your strengths and successes.

The second way to deal with overthinking is to catch it and divert your attention.

Sometimes we are so used to overthinking that we do not notice we are doing it until we begin to feel upset.

Feelings may be your first clue to stop and notice what your mind is doing. You may have thought it was just “idling,” but as you notice more carefully, you realize you are actually ruminating.

Divert your attention by thinking of something funny or simply laugh. Look at a picture or think of someone or a place that you love. Smile. Do a few jumping jacks.

Concentrating on standing up straight, opening and warming your chest area and breathing gently can help.

A simple act of focusing on others, doing something nice for someone like rinsing out their coffee cup, also moves your

It took me a long time to realize overthinking was actually causing me to get stuck in my problems. attention away from harmful self-preoccupation.

A popular diversion method is what I call the Scarlet O’Hara technique. Think about it tomorrow.

This is especially good for those of us who tend to ruminate late at night, in the middle of the night, or early morning when the rational brain is not fully alert.

Tell yourself, “Hold this concern until you can focus well tomorrow. Then spend no more than 30 minutes examining it.”

Often you will find that your

brain will cooperate.

The third method is not to divert your troubling thoughts, but rather to write them out.

Different from thinking, researchers tell us that when we write out our thoughts, we are much more able to make sense of the world and organize our ideas. We are also better able to release thoughts that keep recycling by writing them down.

The fourth method for dealing with overthinking is what I call the Nike method, just do it. Something. Anything. Take a small step. Usually you can do something toward solving the problem that is causing your rumination or worry.

Rumination is often abstract and seldom solution focused. Do something aimed at solving your concern — perhaps a call to your financial planner, or writing a list of options, or reading an article.

May 2013 | The Good Life

I have learned a lot about rumination and overthinking firsthand. It took me a long time to realize that overthinking was actually causing me to get stuck in my problems.

My first “aha” was simply to understand that overthinking was not my friend. The second “aha” was to realize that I could do something about it.

I have a couple of my own favorite overthinking techniques.

The first one uses positive or “higher” emotion to drown overthinking.

Let’s say for example overthinking about a future concern (which is more like worry).

I consider how this concern might realistically and optimistically turn out quite well.

And even if it does not turn out well, how I might learn a lot, which can be used to help others. Other higher emotions like gratitude, joy and love nearly

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always work for me.

An overthinking mind is an unhappy and unproductive mind. It is not coming up with new perspectives and viable solutions (if it is, then it is not overthinking).

Instead it rants and raves around some wrong done to us.

Or it ponders and ponders and ponders the possible causes for our upset feelings. Or it chaotically moves from one problem to another, flooding our minds.

To quote sitcom psychologist Bob Newhart, I have two words for you. “STOP IT!” How might you move up to The Good Life by learning how to deal with overthinking?

June Darling, Ph.D., is an executive coach who consults with businesses and individuals to achieve goals and increase happiness. She can be reached at drjunedarling1@gmail. com. Her website is www.summitgroupresources.com.

Pets in still life ‘I just feel like I am immortalizing the animals I draw’

By Vicki Carr

the U.S. Naval Academy, Cy said he loved playing on his high school’s soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams.

Even though he had all the recommendations and requirements needed to enter the Academy after high school, he opted instead to pursue an exercise science degree from Western Washington University in Bellingham.

A big man, Cy took up powerlifting and amateur kickboxing, learned to play the drums and began performing with rock bands. His love of art continued with a couple of drawing classes too.

But art and drawing was put on the back shelf, Cy said, while he went on to earn his Certified Strength and Conditioning SpeCy Hundley and a few of his works: Drummer in a cialist credential, qualifying him to design heavy metal band, bodyguard and painter. programs to improve professional athletes’ strength and conditioning. cision — continued to come to the surface.

Because of Cy’s own size and strength, he He continued to practice, study and improve continued working as a bodyguard as he had his art during his free time, often working in Bellingham, escorting celebrities around with charcoal and pastels.

Boulder and Denver — the big bands of the Talk about a dichotomy. ’80s, Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and Elvira, On the one hand, there was Cy the manly among others. man who was a powerlifter and bodyguard, Cy was himself a drummer and singer in who could train the best athletes to increase heavy metal bands at the time. their power and speed, who loved adding Although this was fun and exciting, Cy’s his drumming and voice to the cacophony of love of animals and the beautiful flowers he heavy metal and rock bands. had helped his mother grow in her gardens On the other hand, there was the Cy who — and the desire to draw them all with pre- could draw and paint the graceful blossoms

“W

HISKERS!!” That’s the word scrawled with a felt-tip pen on a short piece of two-by-four board sitting on artist Cy Hundley’s easel. It’s been sitting there since 1990.

Cy says it’s just a little reminder not to forget the whiskers, but really it’s a measure of how far he has come as a self-taught pet portrait artist.

As a boy Cy was cajoled into taking piano lessons. Maybe he could follow in the steps of his mother, a concert pianist, and his grandfather, a noted German composer.

But Cy found pleasure and expression in the battleships, planes and war scenes he loved to draw.

“I spent hours doodling with military stuff,” he recalls. Perhaps it was a way he could connect with his father, a career U.S. Navy pilot who saw action in WW II, who was often away from home.

A collie named Fancy was also a member of the Hundley household in the 1970s. Cy’s love for all the family’s pets and the wildlife that surrounded him as he grew up also piqued young Cy’s interest. And he began to stretch himself in that direction with his drawings.

In Annapolis, Maryland where his father managed the Officers’ and Faculty Club at

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Pets in still life

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on a stem of flowers, who knew the bones and musculature underlying an animal’s beautiful fur and hair, who observed how the feathers on a bird flowed to rest precisely upon each other, who could capture the love light in a faithful dog’s eyes as he gazed upon his master.

How has he been able to handle both ends of the spectrum?

“Well… that’s a mystery,” Cy said, “even to myself… I just feel like I am immortalizing the animals I draw. Sort of capturing and freezing their spirits and personalities for all time.”

Cy is also trying to foster an awareness of the value of pets and wild animals. He had thought at one time about becoming a veterinarian because he loved animals so much, but he realized he wouldn’t be able to handle the pain and suffering of the animals he treated.

Cy painted his first commissioned pet portrait in 1990.

He was proud of the picture of Fancy commissioned by his supportive parents. He knew well the personality of the beloved dog and thought he had captured it perfectly.

“I painted it. I framed it. I delivered it to my parents,” Cy

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

WHAT TO DO

Memorial Park Food Fair, 4/255/5, 11 a.m. From lunch to dinner many treats are available at the Apple Blossom food fair.

Carnival, 4/26 – 5/5. Wide array of rides and games for all age groups.

Opens weekdays at 5 p.m. and weekends at noon. Riverfront Park.

No gate fees. Info: appleblossom. org.

remembers. “Then I saw that I had forgotten to draw in the whiskers! My parents never said a word, but I knew it — and that’s why there is a block of wood with WHISKERS on it on my easel.

“I have done hundreds of pet portraits since then, and I have never forgotten to draw or paint in the whiskers. That reminder has kept me grounded, I guess.”

Family ties brought Cy to north central Washington and he says he is enjoying a new start in the Lake Chelan Valley.

He has sat in on a few jam sessions with local musicians, and is well known in karaoke circles.

He augments his income with temporary work in the hospitality industry, but has already done many pet portraits for local residents. He continues to sell his popular greeting cards and prints on line.

More information about Cy, his art and pet portraits is available at petportraitsbycy.com.

May 2013 | The Good Life

All Service Club Luncheon, 5/1, noon. Wenatchee Convention Center. Cost: $25. Info: 662-3616.

Business and Professional Women, 5/1, noon. Topic for the month is Military Appreciation.

Cascade Autocenter.

Apple Blossom Golf Tournament, 5/2, 9:30 a.m. Highlander Golf Course. Cost: $120.

Blossom and Brews, 5/2-5. Wine and beer garden in Memorial Park.

Cost: $7 buys a glass of wine or 4 tastes of wine. Free entertainment.

Info: wenatcheewines.com Happy Days, 5/2-4, 9-11, 7:30 p.m.

Matinees on 5/5 & 12, 2 p.m. A new musical. Riverside Playhouse. Cost: $20, seniors $17. Tickets: pacwen. org.

Wenatchee First Fridays, 5/3, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Walk downtown for art, music, dining and entertainment. Downtown Wenatchee.

Two Rivers Art Gallery, 5/3, 5 – 8 p.m. Featured artist Jan Cook Mack. Jan started her career in Vermont and was a successful artist in New York before moving to Wenatchee. Over 40 local and regional artists show their work here. Local wines, complimentary refreshments and live music by

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Kirk Lewellen. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free.

Tumbleweed Bead Co., 5/3, 5 p.m.

Meet artist Rae Helsel, Jaya Rae Photography will be showcasing her exhibit Views in Florence from her time in Italy. Refreshments served. Cost: free. Info: tumbleweedbeadco.com.

Bubbles & Heels, 5/3, 5 p.m. and every first Friday of the month.

What could be better than sipping bubbly, chatting with new and old friends and wearing your favorite shoes? One Wines, Inc. 526 E Woodin Ave, Chelan. Cost: $10 per glass. Info: onewinesinc.com.

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

Classy Chassis Parade, 5/3, 6:30 p.m. Parade starts at Eastmont Community Park, runs down Grant Road to Valley Mall Parkway and ends at Ninth St. Vettes and Rods on the Avenue, 5/3. After the Classy Chassis Parade the Wenatchee Valley Corvette Club will cruise over the bridge and down Wenatchee Ave. between First Street north to Second Street. Info: pat@insidedesignc1.com.

LeRoy Bell and His only Friend Terry Morgan, 5/3, 7 p.m. Live performance. River Haus in the Pines. Info: riverhausinthepines. com.

Vox Docs Film Festival, 5/3-4.

Bully will be shown at 7 p.m. 5/3. A Place at the Table, noon, 5/4. Ready to Fly, 2 p.m. 5/4, Searching for Sugarman, 5 p.m. 5/4 and Chasing Ice, 7 p.m. 5/4. Snowy Owl Theater.

Info: icicle.org.

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the night sky this month

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

Bright planets meet in western sky at dusk

By Peter Lind

This month we are treated to

one of my favorite views in the night sky.

Solar system mechanics dictate that Mercury and Venus are always visible just after sunset or just before sunrise close to the horizon. They are closer to the sun than the Earth so we always look inwards to the sun to see these planets.

This month we get to see both planets at dusk just after sunset.

On top of this gem, Jupiter will be visiting the pair for a spectacular three planet meeting.

Watch for Venus on the western horizon just after sunset starting the second week of May. Mercury and Jupiter will join Venus in the last week of the month. All three planets will be very close to each other and quite bright.

A crescent moon will be very close to Venus on the 10th but is only one percent visible so you may need binoculars to see it.

Saturn remains at its brightest and dominates the overnight hours during late spring.

Although Saturn reached opposition — opposite the sun from the Earth’s view — in late April, the view hardly deteriorates during May. Even better, the ringed planet stands higher in the evening sky and thus makes a more tempting target.

Neptune and Uranus come back in to visibility after being blocked by sunlight all winter and most of this spring. You will need a small telescope or binoculars to see these two planets.

Another treat is Comet Halley, not the comet itself, which now is in the outer solar system, but the dust particles that were left

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behind when it visited the sun in 1986.

Earth will plow through the trail and create a nice early morning meteor shower on the night of May 5. This is the Eta Aquarid shower, which emanates from the direction of Aquarius.

The comet that grabbed out attention in March and April remains within easy reach until mid-May as it fades on its outbound journey to the distant Oort Cloud.

PANSTARRS should be easy to spot through binoculars from a dark site or with a small telescope from the suburbs.

The comet slides through the Little Dipper in Ursa Minor this month, which means it stays visible all night for Northern Hemisphere observers.

The new moon passes directly in front of the sun for residents along a path that stretches across northern Australia, the Solomon Islands and the Pacific Ocean.

Because the moon is near the far point in its orbit around Earth, this geometry creates an annular solar eclipse, just as the solar eclipse of last year that was visible for the Western United States, and viewers will see a ring of sunlight around the moon.

A last note for those who have not found it yet: There is an Android app at Google play called Sky Map that will give you a map of the night sky.

Wherever you point your phone, it will show the stars in that area. Apple has a similar app for the iPhone.

Peter Lind is a local amateur astronomer. He can be reached at ppjl@ juno.com.

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WHAT TO DO

Bull Riding Blowout, 5/3 & 4, 7:30 p.m. Town Toyota Center.

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

Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

Tour De Bloom, 5/4, 8 a.m. Bike race. Time trail at Alcoa in Malaga, 2:10 p.m. Criterion in downtown Wenatchee. 5/5, road race on the Waterville Plateau. Info: bikewenatchee.org.

Apple Blossom Run, 5/4, 9:40 a.m. 5k run, 10k run and 5k walk.

Start at Apple Bowl. Cost: $12 preregister or $15 on race day, kids free. Info: wenatchee.org.

Apple Blossom Grand Parade, 5/4, 11 a.m. Starts at Triangle Park goes down Orondo, left on Wenatchee Ave and ends at Seventh.

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

Habitat Hop, 5/4, 6:30 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity fundraiser and dancing. Food, live and silent auction along with music by the Waterdogs. Campbell’s River and Park room, Chelan. Cost: $10. Info: lakechelan.com.

Corey McDougall Memorial Golf Tournament, 5/5, 11 a.m. registration, 1 p.m. Shotgun start, 5:30 p.m. dinner and awards. Highlander Golf Course. Cost: $125 or $450 per team includes 18 holes of golf, cart, dinner and awards. Info: kari@mrst.us.

HumanE Society on the Cat walk fashion show, 5/7, noon.

Includes lunch and raffle prizes.

Proceeds to build a new animal shelter. Wenatchee Convention Center. Cost: $25. Info: wenatcheehumane.org.

Improv/Acting Workshop, 5/7, 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.

Maifest, 5/10-12. Flowers, music, entertainment, Maibaum dance, parade. Downtown Leavenworth.

Info: leavenworthchamber.com.

Presentation, 5/10, 7 p.m. Author Sheila Roberts will discuss her new book, What She Wants (Life

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| May 2013

in Icicle Falls). Set in a fictitious place based on Leavenworth, her novel embellishes local places and characters, woven together with festivals and dramatic events.

Leavenworth Library. Cost: free.

Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market, 5/11, 8 a.m. Opening day at Pybus Market, 3 N Worthen.

Foothills Day, 5/11, 8 a.m. trail runs and interpretive walks, 9 a.m. mountain bike rides. Sage Hill area. Afternoon music festival, fun activities, art displays at Performing Arts Center. Do the Foothills Hiking Challenge and hike all five trails. Maps at Land Trust office, 18 N Wenatchee Ave. Info: cdlandtrust. org.

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

WVC Nursing Fun Run, 5/11, noon.

Start at Walla Walla Point Park and run south to the Pipeline Bridge.

T-shirt included in registration.

Cost: $30 community, $25 nursing students. Info: Rhonda Yenney 682-6660.

Book signing, 5/11, 1 p.m. Shelia Roberts will be on hand to sign her new novel What She Wants (Life in Icicle Falls). A Book for All Seasons.

Cost: free.

Cashmere Art and Activity Center, needle art every 2nd Tuesday, 1 p.m. Pinochle every 4th Tuesday, 1 p.m. Hat Group every Thursday, 1:30 – 3 p.m., knitters, crocheters and loom artists welcome. On 4/13, 5-8 p.m. featured artists Arlene Delze, oil painter and Ann Bixby Smith, a glass artist.

Spotlighted artist is Ruth Mattson.

Refreshments and music by Mary Mendenhall provided. Info: 7822415.

Judy Sings Judy, 5/11, 7:30 p.m.

Judy Ann Moulton sings the music of the legendary Judy Garland. Judy Ann and her 8-piece orchestra will perform at the Snowy Owl Theater, 7409 Icicle Rd. Leavenworth. Cost: $25. Info: icicle.org Ohme Gardens Mother’s Day Tea, 5/12, 11:30 a.m. Food available for purchase from Ivy Wild Inn. Optional portraits by Michael’s Photography. Live music. Info: ohmegardens.com.

NCW Blues Jam, 5/12 & 27, every second and fourth Monday, 7:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. Clearwater Steakhouse, East Wenatchee. Info: face-

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adults $37 kids (5-12) $12

children 4 & under free call for reservations

May 2013 | 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 book.com/NCWBluesJam. Training for Nonprofit Summit, 5/13, 9 a.m. Topics include: employment and nonprofit law; planning for sustainability; endowments; performance measurement; storytelling; streamlining through the cloud; inspired leadership; trusts and charitable giving; and marketing. Campbell’s Resort, Chelan. Cost: $15 includes lunch.

Register: cfncw.org.

Alzheimer’s Café, 5/14, 2:30 p.m.

– 4 p.m. Mountain Meadows Senior Living Campus hosts a cafe the second Tuesday of every month.

This is a casual setting for folks with Alzheimer’s, Dementia, their loved ones and caregivers. Desserts and beverages will be served free of charge. Entertainment and activities for those wishing to participate. Join us to meet new friends and share experiences. Located at 320 Park Avenue, Leavenworth. Info: 548-4076.

Police Officers Appreciation luncheon, 5/15, 11:15 a.m. Sponsored by the Greater Wenatchee Sunrise Lions Club. Red Lion Hotel.

Cost: $15. Info: Wenatchee.org

Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, 5/16-19. Info: leavenworthspringbirdfest.com, or 548-7584.

Sidecar Rally, 5/16-19. Motorcycle sidecar riders from all over the western U.S. and Canada. Lake Chelan State Park. Info: chelanrally. com.

Spring Barrel Tasting & Open House, 5/17-19, noon-5 p.m. Enjoy food, wine and make new friends.

Nominal tasting fees at some of the wineries, refunded with the purchase of wine. See wenatcheewines.com for participating wineries.

Write on the River, 5/17-19. Two days of content packed workshops with professional editors, successful agents, bestselling authors and nationally acclaimed speakers.

Wenatchee Valley College. Info: writeontheriver.org.

Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market, 5/18 and every Saturday through 10/26, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Locally grown and raised fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, preserves, produce, flowers, crafts and jewelry, home and garden items.

Fresh and wholesome right from the farmer. Pybus Public Market.

Cost: free.

Columbia Valley Girls Run, 5/18, 9 a.m. 25k and 10k trail runs.

Begin at the Pybus Public Market and use the Apple Recreation Loop

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Trail for the course. Info: runwenatchee.com.

Butterflies, Bugs and Blooms, 5/18, 9 a.m. Join biologist Phil Archibald for an exploration of full-blown spring glory on the Land Trust’s Stormy Creek Preserve.

Learn about spring wildflowers,

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songbirds, and butterflies along the Entiat River. Info: cdland.org Run for the Border, 5/18. All street legal bikes and riders welcome. Start at Wenatchee Food Pavilion parking lot and ends in Oroville. Register by 7:30 a.m., kickstands up at 10 a.m. Raffle,

>>

WHAT TO DO

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

ride pins and t-shirts. Cost: $10 rider and $5 passenger. Proceeds benefit Light House Ministries and Solomon’s Porch. Info: Bill Ley 6658968.

J.A. Jance, 5/18, 1 p.m. New York Times bestselling author will be on hand to sign her new book Deadly Stakes, a thrilling mystery starring Ali Reynolds, who finds herself working against the police to clear two innocent names. A Book for all Seasons.

Spring Tea, 5/18, 2 p.m. Dainty sandwiches, pastries and tea served on fine china. Guests are encouraged to wear hats. Wenatchee Valley Museum. Cost: $25 for non members, $20 for members.

Winetasia, 5/18, 6 p.m. Social hour and live auction. 7:30 p.m. concert and annual awards, 8:30 p.m. post concert dessert reception.

Starry, starry night with Suzanne MacPherson and friends. A benefit for the WVC Foundation. WVC Music and Art Center. Cost: $75 per person. Info: 682-6410.

Apollo Club Spring Concert, 5/18, 7 p.m. Variety of song styles old to new and Broadway to South African. Wenatchee High School auditorium.

The Flying Karamazov Brothers, 5/18, 7:30 p.m. Performing Arts Center. Info: pacwen.org.

Spring Barrel Tasting, 5/18-19.

Lake Chelan. Info: lakechelanwinevalley.com.

Chelan Valley Memorial Parade, 5/23. Downtown Chelan.

Chamber Music Concert, 5/25, 7:30 p.m. Featuring: Jennifer Caine, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Jody Graves, piano; Sean Osborn, clarinet; Melissa Plagemann, mezzo - soprano; Maria Sampen, violin; Sally Singer Tuttle, cello. Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, 7409 Icicle Road.

Foothills Hiking Challenge Guided Hike, 5/26, 2 p.m. Foothills ambassadors Rebecca Frank and bilingual Jose Luis Marquez, will lead this guided hike of the Dry Gulch portion of the Foothills Hiking Challenge. Two miles in length out and back, 1 hour hiking time. Park at the end of Circle St. Sign up: Kelsey@ cdlandtrust.org.

The Tallest Man on Earth, 5/27, 7 p.m. Kristian Matsson, singersongwriter from Sweden will perform. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $25.

Foothills Hiking challenge guided Hike, 5/30, 9 a.m. Foothills ambassadors Rebecca Frank and bilingual Jose Luis Marquez, will lead this guided hike of the Saddle Rock portion of the Foothills Hiking Challenge. 2.9 miles in length. 2 to 2.5 hours hiking time. Sign up: Kelsey@ cdlandtrust.org.

Chelan Evening Farmers Market, 5/30 to10/31. Local fruit and produce, cheese, flowers, entertainment and food. Emerson St. between Riverwalk Park and Riverwalk Inn. Presentation, 5/30, 7 p.m. Author Jonathan Evison will talk about his new book, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving. Wenatchee Library. Cost: free.

Women’s Show, 5/19, 1 p.m. Fundraiser for the Performing Arts Center. Wine tasting, small bites, raffle items and swag bags, makeovers, Macy’s fashion show and entertainment. Performing Arts Center. Info: pacwen.org.

Book Signing, 5/31, 1 p.m. Author Jonathan Evison will be on hand for book signing at A Book for all Seasons. Cost: free. Info: abookforallseasons.com.

Blackwood Legacy Southern Gospel Concert, 5/19, 6 p.m.

Live music. Calvary Bible Church, 605 First St. Cost: free.

Presentation, 5/31, 7 p.m. Author William Dietrich will talk about his new book The Barbed Crown. Leavenworth Library. Cost: free.

Compassionate Friends, 5/20, 7 p.m. Julie Zielinski will be discussing her book Matt’s Last Call Surviving Our Protectors. The book reflects the death of her firstborn son, informs parents and children of the dangers of suicide, the difficulty of coping, the pain of life and the days that happiness returns.

Grace Lutheran Church. Info: Carol 665-9987.

Book signing, 6/1, 1 p.m. Author William Dietrich will be on hand for book signing at A Book for all Seasons. Cost: free. Info: abookforallseasons.com.

Red Devil Challenge, 6/1, 9 a.m.

25k and 10k trail runs. Sand Creek Trailhead, Wenatchee National Forest, south of Cashmere. Info: runwenatchee.com.

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column those were the days

rod molzahn

The Salmon People fed the natives for eons The native people along the

Columbia River all included some story in their legends and oral tradition to explain where the salmon came from and how they became the Indian’s sustaining food.

Several versions exist with common threads but differing details.

Before there were Human People there were the Animal People. Some lived on the ground, some in the air and others in the water.

According to the Colville storyteller, Mourning Dove, before the Human People arrived the Spirit Chief gathered all the Animal People together to give them their names and say what each animal would do for the humans.

A Salmon Chief was named and his people were chosen to “be the chief of all the fish that the new people would use for food.”

At first the Salmon People lived among the rocks and cliffs but after the Salmon Chief and his wife survived an attack by rattlesnake and the three wolf brothers they did not return to the cliffs.

In order to be safe from their enemies among the land people,

The fish wheel on the Columbia shows one of the methods of catching salmon in large quantities. Photo from the Oregon State University Special Collections & Archives Research Center

the Salmon Chief took his wife to live in the water below the big falls and all the other Salmon People followed them to live in the water.

Then Coyote led the Salmon up the great river and its tributaries to be ready for the new people.

The salmon fed the people for thousands of years. Villages grew along the rivers, especially at places where Coyote had made rocks and rapids so the salmon could be more easily caught in great numbers.

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Lewis and Clark, in 1806, were the first white men to record the relationship between the Indians and the salmon along the lower Columbia.

Five years later the fur trade brought more whites to the river. Alexander Ross wrote about the salmon harvest on the lower Columbia. He considered the “Long Narrows,” downstream from The Dalles, to be the most productive of all the Fisheries claiming that, “A Columbian fisherman considers it a good day’s work to kill 100 salmon…”

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All along the river there were thousands of men with spears, dip nets, weirs and traps, each harvesting 100 salmon a day, fish Ross described as, “very fine and large, weighing from 15 to 40 pounds each.”

James Swan wrote in 1857 that along the lower river, “There were so many that after the fish had spawned and died, completing their cycle of life, their bodies littered the banks of the Columbia… there were tons of the dead salmon.”

Yet even after so many spawned out and so many did not survive the gauntlet of fishermen on the lower river, there were still enough salmon to provide exceptional fisheries upriver at Priest Rapids, Rock Island, the Wenatchee/Icicle confluence, Kettle Falls and beyond.

Gabriel Franchere, on his first upriver trip from Fort Astoria, reached the “Cascades of the Columbia,” the first significant impediment to canoe travel, two days upriver from present day Portland.

“We came to the foot of the fall, where we amused ourselves for some time with shooting seals which were here in abun-

(1866) marked the beginning of a devastating 60-year long commercial salmon fishery on the river. dance, and in watching the Indians taking salmon below the cataract, in their scoop-nets, from stages erected for that purpose over the eddies.”

Most likely the seals (sea lions maybe) were there for the same purpose as the Indians. That would make them the ancestors of the predators that now congregate at the base of Bonneville Dam, a new impediment to salmon that has taken the place of the “Cascades of the Columbia.”

Eleven dams now stand all along the river, most at locations that were once rapids and falls and productive Indian fisheries. Old accounts of the salmon runs before white intervention compared to contemporary observations show that, though the numbers of fish have fallen vastly, the amount of time necessary for a salmon to ascend the Columbia is about the same as it was when rapids and falls, not dams, made the journey difficult.

A spring Chinook passing Vancouver on the first of March will still reach the Wenatchee confluence about the first of May. What the forces are that have reduced the numbers of salmon to a trickle of what they once were is more difficult to say.

In Drummers and Dreamers, Click Relander writes, “The old men say that the last runs of the big, red-fleshed salmon ended around 1905. That was when the fish wheels were dragging salmon out of the water by the hundreds of thousands and the commercial slaughter was at its height.”

The first fish cannery on the

lower Columbia was built in 1866. It marked the beginning of a devastating 60-year long commercial salmon fishery on the river.

By 1883 there were 39 canneries and they all operated fish wheels. The large structures combined a weir extending out into the river to deflect and direct salmon to the wheel that looked much like a large, carnival Ferris wheel. Instead of seats there were huge wire baskets.

Powered by the river current, the wheel turned slowly, scooping up salmon and dropping them into a holding tank.

In 1883 alone, the fish wheels harvested 42,000,000 pounds of salmon.

The wheels operated along the lower Columbia from 1870 until they were outlawed in 1934.

During the same years seine netting also killed staggering numbers of fish.

The dams have had their impact as well in reducing runs.

Fewer salmon survive the demanding round trip from fresh water to salt water and back again.

Dam owners, through many mitigating plans, continue to improve salmon survival. However, Grand Coulee Dam, completed in 1942 without any fish passage, forever eliminated all the salmon that had, for countless generations, returned to waters above the dam.

The Salmon People that Coyote led up the river have been a sustainer of native people, then an extracted natural resource and a goal of sport fishing are now, in their greatly reduced numbers, a protected symbol and icon of the Northwest.

The Spirit Chief might be proud. Maybe.

Marketplace Cigars

Fresh Local Eats

Healthy Changes

Insurance

Magazines

Massage

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WENATCHEE VALLEY’S #1 MAGAZINE

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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.

May 2013 | The Good Life

overcoming sadness with action plus GoLd FEVER!

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

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column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

I erred — Petit(e) Sirahs are made here Mrs. Dorrs taught algebra,

geometry and journalism.

In algebra and geometry class the rules were dictated by the math itself. In journalism class, Mrs. Dorrs had a rule of her own: “…do your research, check your facts, then write your report.”

A few months ago, I did the research but, I didn’t check the facts. I wrote this sentence: “As of this writing, none of our local NCW area wineries makes a Petite Sirah.”

I was wrong. Worse, not only was I wrong, I failed to give my readers information on where to get Petite Sirah from local wineries. Jones of Washington and Martin-Scott wineries both make a Petite Sirah.

My apology in writing this correction is an apology to both my teacher, the late Mrs. Dorrs and to the two wineries I misrepresented. These wineries make terrific wines, more on that later.

Mrs. Dorrs deserves to have had better work from me.

She was a better teacher than that, and I failed to honor her memory. On the other hand, now that I think about it, maybe that was why, when I was in her 10th grade geometry class, she

advised me to become a math teacher. Interesting?

But that’s enough maudlin memory stuff, let’s get on to the wines I maligned by not having recognized their very existence in our local market area.

I’ve limited space to do justice to both Jones and Martin-Scott in this brief column, so with apologies to Jones of Washington, I plan to direct my attention here to the Martin-Scott winery.

However, I do need to go on record and inform you all that both these wineries do in fact produce a Petite Sirah wine.

Fully intent on falling on my sword, I ventured to the tasting room at Martin-Scott winery to both apologize and sample some wines.

I was in luck, both Judi and Mike Scott were at the winery, and Judi graciously offered to open a bottle of their Petit Sirah (note the Martin-Scott label spells the word without the final ‘e’ so for them it’s Petit Sirah).

Before jumping in to the reds though, I had to try the Viognier. I had been to a wine event the evening before and heard some rave reviews.

The reviewers were correct.

The award winning Viognier was both fruity and floral on the nose, clear and clean in the glass

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and filled with bright acids and delicate fruits on the palate.

I sample tasted: Viognier, Sangiovese, a blend called Due Fratelli (two brothers) a Syrah and the reason for my visit, the Petite Sirah. I ended by tasting Cole’s Collage, a wonderful wine made from the blending of wines from 13 different grapes.

Bottom line: not a lemon in the bunch. All the wines are beautifully made and show classic characteristics and qualities of the grape variety from which they were vinted.

And as for that forgotten Martin-Scott’s Petit Sirah, it rocks!

I like Petite Sirah for several reasons. I really like the deep, inky color, the rich fruity mixture of aromas and flavors and the texture of the wine on your tongue.

Martin-Scott’s P.S. delivers on all those levels and more; it has a very fruity finish that lingers on the palate long after the final swallow.

Martin-Scott makes seven kinds of white wines and 11 red wines.

Tasting in the tasting room lists on the chalkboard all the wines made and available for sale. Wines being offered as tasting samples on a given day vary and are identified on the

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| May 2013

tasting board by the asterisk beside the names of the wines selected.

Here’s the bad news. The Petit Sirah is very limited in quantity, only about 100 cases were made originally, so chances are the wine will not be available for tasting should you show up at the tasting room looking for it.

But it is available for sale by the bottle should you care to take my word that the wine is worthy of being in your cellar.

One closing comment — this year as in the past, the winery will host its Thursday night dinners outdoors at the winery featuring the special chef talents of Tim Putnam.

This year’s first dinner will be in the middle of June. Judi and Mike have added a second tier to the patio space in the back yard, so they are capable of seating more guests for one of the dinners, but be advised, this is a popular event and they sell out quickly.

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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Free estimates at Marson and Marson Design Center.

May 11th

Foothills Day All Day Celebration!

— out in the Foothills & at the Performing Arts Center in Wenatchee —

VIDEO

HIKE

FREE guided walks in the Foothills.

Choose from “Foothills After the Fire” or “Geology of Saddle Rock.”

RUN

The first ever 5 and 10 mile trail runs at the Horse Lake Reserve.

BIKE

Mountain bike rides guided by EMBA with one ride geared for beginners and families, and one more advanced.

ART

View paintings and winning photography and video entries in the Foothills Visual Art contest for adults, and all entries in the K-12 student art contest.

For Details & Information:

www.cdlandtrust.org or call: 509-667-9708

CAMPAIGN SPONSORS: Subaru-Cascade Autocenter Stemilt Growers Wenatchee Valley Medical Center

Winning entries from the “My Foothills” video contest, and the award-winning mountain bike movie “Pedal Driven” will be shown at Caffè Mela.

ACTIVITIES

Lots of FREE, family friendly activities in the courtyard of the PAC - have fun exploring bugs, blooms, birds and fish - AND do some yoga on the lawn!

MUSIC

An eclectic mix featuring 10 of the region’s best bands and musicians. All music is FREE except the evening show, which will be $34.50 with tickets on sale through the Performing Arts Center.