Good Life February 2012 by The Good Life

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February 2012

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Year 6, Number 2 February 2012 The Good Life is published by NCW Good Life, LLC, dba The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 PHONE: (509) 888-6527 EMAIL: editor@ncwgoodlife.com sales@ncwgoodlife.com ONLINE: www.ncwgoodlife.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/pages/ The-Good-Life

“I was hiking into the fog layer in the foothills above Wenatchee on a cold day in January 2009,” writes Wenatchee photographer Peter Bauer. “The constant lifting and sinking of the inversion layer treated every twig like a wick being dipped into molten wax: a new layer of frost was laid down with every passage of the fog layer on its way up or down. “As almost everything was white, I had to hunt around for a good sample of crystals that I could silhouette against a contrasting darker color. In this case the trail itself served as the dark background. “As I often tell myself, I should have carried a tripod, but happily the picture came out sharp anyway.” Peter has a few of his photos on display at The Frameworks on Mission Street. More can be seen on WenatcheeOutdoors. org, and his most recent work hangs in his office at Central Washington Hospital Family Physicians.

On the cover

Suzanne and Glenn Carr take an elephant ride in Chiang Mai, Thailand over the mountains to

Editor/Publisher, Mike Cassidy Contributors, Peter Bauer, Jessica Creel, Jim Brigleb, Lief Carlsen, Dan Goodfellow, Tom Lenny, Kirk Dietrich, Donna Cassidy, Bonnie Orr, Alex Saliby, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin and Rod Molzahn Advertising sales, John Hunter and Donna Cassidy Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Joyce Pittsinger 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

visit a village of the long neck people. The “long neck people,” also called Paduang, have a culture where the women and girls have rings placed around their

necks and legs, starting at about age 12. The Carrs were on vacation from their jobs of teaching music in Burma.

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Contents

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

A song for Valentine’s Day I’ve got sunshine On a cloudy day. When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May. Well, I guess you’ll say What can make me feel this way? My girl. (My girl, my girl) Talkin’ ’bout my girl. — The Temptations

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grand lodge settles into a new role Features

FLOATING OVER THE NILE

World traveler Jessica Creel gets up early in the morning for a balloon ride over a mystical landscape

7 left cold by TV sports

This whole spectator sport thing is a one-way street, says columnist Jim Brigleb, and not one he is willing to travel

8 TEACHING MUSIC IN BURMA

A nation pretty well cut off from the world was an eye-opening experience for East Wenatchee teachers

11 doing the pacific crest trail

Lief Carlsen didn’t start out alone on the Pacific Crest Trail, but his walking companions chose not to keep going

14 walking the camino

Dawn and John Clark walk this legendary route of pilgrims that has been traversed for 1,000 years

16 3 guys and a riot of music

From western, rock, bluegrass, rag time, Bavarian music and Dixieland, Dan, Tom and Kirk play a fast, knee-slapping beat on these odd looking and odder sounding instruments Columns & Departments 22 Bonnie Orr: As American as tamale pie 23 The traveling doctor: Downside of antibiotics 24 Alex Saliby: Talking with Ray Sandidge 26 June Darling: What makes a good marriage 27-31 Events, The Art Life & a cartoon 32 History: The pioneers partied until dawn 34 Fun Stuff: 5 activities to check out

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an you remember a time when your heart was singing the above lyrics? When — as the Beatles harmonized — “all you need is love,” when you couldn’t eat, work or drive a car without thinking about “her?” Why do anything but be together, enjoying the bliss of young love? Then one day, life interrupts. Your boss asks you to work a few extra hours, and hey, would you like to oversee this one small project? You start seeing how things could be done better at work, and maybe you change jobs a few times or get a couple of promotions, or start your own business, but pretty soon people are asking you for directions — and to stay ahead of the questions you put in a few more extra hours. Life rolls into a routine — not a bad routine, but still a routine — of hitting the alarm in the morning, dashing through breakfast, maybe a hug and a grab here and there, but now you only cut loose on weekends, and you find yourself spending more time with the guys or the kids than the Mrs. Life picks up speed as the hair thins, the trouble the kids can get into is more serious now and less likely to be cured with time on dad’s lap, the bills keep growing and bed time is sleep time now. And then one day, perhaps it’s a Saturday, you crawl out of bed and notice the TV is not on, there are www.ncwgoodlife.com

| February 2012

no cereal boxes on the kitchen counter, there are no kids’ cars in the driveway, the phone is not ringing. The house, for the first time in 25 years, is still. Maybe you pour yourself a cup of coffee and review your life and where you are. Maybe you wonder how come you are not rich. Maybe you wonder who that person is you saw in the mirror. Maybe you wonder what became of your teenage ambition. You go for a drive because driving helps you think and then you switch on the radio because thinking about the passage of time — being aware you’re on the other side of the divide — is starting to scare you. Then a song from your teenage days comes on. Maybe it’s The Temptations, or maybe not. Maybe it’s some other sunny group singing about goofy love. You stop thinking about your life today and instead smile about how crazy in love you were. And then you remember — that woman who was once the sunshine of your life is back at the house. She’s still with you. Now it’s just you and your special girl again. You smile and turn back towards home. I don’t need no money, Fortune or fame. I’ve got all the riches, baby, One man can claim. Well, I guess you’ll say What can make me feel this way? My girl. (My girl, my girl) Talkin’ ’bout my girl. Keep love in your heart. Enjoy The Good Life. — Mike

snapshots

DRIFTING over the Valley of the Kings By Jessica Creel

ast New Years Day, I was floating in a hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt. The day began at the crack of dawn — five a.m. in the lobby to be exact. The night before I set my alarm on loud to make sure I caught the shuttle on time. I learned my lesson the hard way from a past experience in Cozumel, Mexico when I slept through my alarm and nearly missed a childhood dream of swimming with the dolphins. Luckily I was able to catch a later time with the dolphins, but that is material for another story and a lesson for me. Wrapped in a scarf and warm jacket, I stepped out of the lobby to a very chilly morning. The shuttle took us — a group of various aunts, uncles and cousins from Chihuahua, Mexico including my very dear cousin, Monica and my beautiful grandmother, Maria Luisa Creel — to

A balloon floats over an Egyptian village during the early morning sunlight.

a small boat where there was warm tea and blankets waiting. We crossed the Nile while watching the welcoming pink and orange sunrise and then transferred to four-wheel-drive vehicles that delivered us to the launch location. Stepping out of the rig, I looked over a green field painted with magnificent colors of giant balloons coming to life by what sounded like the breath of firebreathing dragons.

February 2012 | The Good Life

It seemed too magical to be real. Shouts in Arabic and the smell of propane permeated the air creating a uniquely exotic vibe. We were then directed to our balloon where steps were placed and strong arms carefully assisted us into the basket. The uncertainty of a balloon tied to a basket carrying 10 people up and away must create a universal unsettling reaction. The flight team of two seemed

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to have an understanding of this and in broken English explained the basic physics of how the balloon worked. To help keep the balloon in the air and rising, hot air needs to be propelled upwards into the balloon using the propane burner. The underlying message was, “You have nothing to worry about, we are experienced, just relax and enjoy the ride.” We stayed comfortably warm

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DRAGON BREATHING: Jessica Creel does what she can to help the hot air team get the balloon up.

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from the heat coming off the propane burner while floating over farms and ruins. For 45 minutes I was in another world. From a balloon you see the world from a different perspective: The reflections on the water of the Nile, contrasted to the vastness of the desert, juxtaposed by the ruggedness of the mountains; the magic in my cousin’s eyes as a vibrant cobalt, purple and orange balloon floats by. Slowly our balloon began to descend to the ground and the tiny features on the land began

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| February 2012

to grow. The landing was soft and we were met by a team who caught and stabilized the basket. Stepping out onto solid ground, we watched as they quickly managed their final practiced routine of deflating, gathering up and then folding the fabric and storing the basket into the back of the truck. As if the hot air balloon fantasy was not enough, in an unexpected surprise, the team who had successfully floated us and then landed us gently, pulled out various flutes and drums and began to play and encouraged us to dance to their music. It was a whimsical end to an awe-inspiring day — up, up and away! Local resident Jessica Creel has had opportunity to explore many parts of the world. “There are many beautiful places to visit — all unique and full of wonder. Visiting the ancient kingdoms of Egypt and embracing the history surrounding the Middle East was life changing,” she said.

guest column // james brigleb

Watching TV sports, building up for a rant The Super Bowl is upon us,

and it’s time to get excited. I’m sure many of you don’t have to work at this. For me it’s different. I can’t even tell you who is in the Super Bowl… although it may be the Sonics. I might watch the commercials. After all, companies pay over $3 million dollars for 30 seconds — so they must be good. Or maybe at halftime, the entertainer will catch on fire. I dunno. This is an area in which I’ve really let my wife down — being a good television spectator of sports. She’s very good at it — especially with the Olympics and college football and basketball. Shamefully, I have to fake a passable amount of enthusiasm. I wasn’t always a failure at spectating. In the first decade of our marriage, I engaged. So closely would I associate with the athletes, that their failures became mine. It was a vicarious experience like no other as Olympic hype really got to me. Right before his final skate, the coverage would zero in on some kid named Hans Dusseldorf from Liechtenstein, who overcame poverty, neglect, living in the Alps, and having only one leg... defying all odds and making it into the finals of figure skating. Sixty seconds before, I had never heard of Hans. But following the human-interest piece, Hans and I had become inseparable. We had experienced so much together. Americans were rooting for Hans, because he was the underdog in standings, just behind a cheater from the Soviet Union, and a steroid experiment from

East Germany. The big moment arrived, tension so thick you couldn’t even cut it, and Hans took to the ice. Everything went beautifully until his signature triple salchow when the artificial leg went in one direction while Hans skated in the other. Undeterred, Hans finished the routine without his prosthesis, and the audience went wild. Then, the scores. The eastern block judges systematically marked Hans down in artistic presentation, resulting in Hans getting the Bronze; the two Commies took Gold and Silver. Commentator/analyst Dick Button and I were livid. For days I moped. The Gold had been within my reach, and I was robbed, simply because Hans hadn’t double-checked his bungee cords, or whatever. This type of morbid associa-

This whole spectator sport thing was a oneway street. Why should I spend three and a half hours worrying about a quarterback who was going to leave college before graduation so he could take advantage of a $10 million dollar contract? February 2012 | The Good Life

Jim Brigleb is a former Wenatchee teacher. He now works part-time as a legal assistant and writes a variety of genre at every opportunity. Visit: jimbrigleb.com.

tion didn’t end with the Olympics. The same would happen with football and basketball teams I hadn’t followed all season. Being forced by Linda to sit down and watch, thereby proving my love, I’d become riveted by some 18 to 22 year olds who had made it to a point where they could go to the Final 64, or Toilet Bowl, if they’d just win this final game. I knew none of the players personally, but I’d associate with one side or the other, and a few players in particular. Unlike me, these guys had enormous muscles, stamina, and were at the top of their game. Unlike me, they were on national television. Unlike me, people wanted their autographs. Some of them were even on billboards. True, the week before, one of the star players had beat up two nerds on campus just for being geeks. True, he had stolen a car and got stopped for driving under the influence. True, the team www.ncwgoodlife.com

was under investigation for not requiring the player in question to attend classes. But look at that boy run! And so, I’d get sucked in, rooting for a bunch of guys who I didn’t know. And that’s what got me thinking. Why should I feel personally responsible for their victory, or more likely, their loss? Did they ever watch me do anything? This whole spectator sport thing was a one-way street. Why should I spend three and a half hours worrying about a quarterback who was going to leave college before graduation so he could take advantage of a $10 million dollar contract? In my 30-year career, I didn’t make anywhere close to $10 million for crying out loud! And I was worried about his future? When I thought about the whole thing, it started to make me angry. That punk was going to become a multi-millionaire because he knew how to read defenses, was quick on his feet, could throw a 40-yard pass without any arc, and had ice flowing through his veins. Big deal! I would bet you he didn’t know the proper use of a semi-colon and probably ended sentences with prepositions. Alas, the good news is, my wife and I are still happily married after 35 years. We have found our peace with one another’s quirks. She’ll watch the Super Bowl and I’ll watch the commercials. Perhaps halftime will produce something unexpected. I sometimes wish I were different in this regard, but I’m not. I’m okay being a man who isn’t enthralled by sports viewing. I’m comfortable in my own skin. But I’m still pretty ticked off about the salary thing. Maybe it’s not too late for a career change. How much do they pay those commercial writers?

OUR 2 years in BURMA ‘if someone will give you a job to live in a different country, with different customs, different foods, different people… you get to live outside this box we call America, why not go?’ By Mike Cassidy

hen it came time to retire again, former Eastmont music teacher Glenn Carr and his wife, Suzanne, decided to try something completely different — they signed up for a two-year teaching stint in Rangoon, the capital city of the Southeast Asian nation of Burma. While the Carrs, who reside in East Wenatchee, were already thinking they wanted to teach abroad, it was a teacher friend who urged them to try a privately owned international school in Yangon, Myanmar — which is more familiar to Westerners by the previous names of Rangoon, Burma.

Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon (Rangoon) is the largest and most prestigious pagoda in Myanmar and a pilgrimage site for all Buddhists. “It was one mile from our apartment,” said Suzanne Carr. “We could see the top of it from our balcony. It was lighted at night, and even though power went out often, it was never dark.”

“We used our air miles for a visit,” recalled Suzanne, “and stayed at the school for a week.” The American-style school teaches kids of ambassadors and rich Burmese, with a cost to parents of $15,000 per student per year. Of the 450 students, about a third are from Korea — a country with close ties to Burma — and 30 percent are local kids. The Carrs signed on July 2009 to June 2011. “Glenn and I became the music department of

Suzanne and Glenn rehearse western music with two Burmese musicians for the opening of a new building for a local Baptist church.

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the school,” said Suzanne. As to why they went, Suzanne said: “My goodness, if someone will give you a job to live in a different country, with different customs, different foods, different people… you get to live outside this box we call America, why not go?” Music opened doors to a nation and a people who have long been cut off from the world by the Socialist, isolationist policies of the ruling generals. Along with teaching students, “we played for house blessings, church openings and the like,” said Suzanne. One story Glenn tells is about a man who is a member of the Karen hill people, and a classical trained bassoonist — in fact, the only bassoonist in the country. His bassoon had been taken away when he was jailed for three years by the government that at various times has been at war against the Karen. Glenn offered to let the man play the school’s bassoon, and that lead to an invitation to dinner at the grateful man’s home. Another time, remembers Suzanne, “some friends were helping an orphanage, which was basically 30 kids in a building that was a living room, an outside kitchen next to the pig, a bathroom with two stalls, a small dormitory and an outside sink where the kids brushed their teeth.” As the people running the orphanage felt it was essential for the kids to learn English if they wanted good jobs, the Carrs decided to bring them music CDs in English and a CD player. “On the drive over, we thought we ought to bring some rice and watermelons, too,” said Suzanne. “When we showed up, they said the kids hadn’t eaten in a couple of days… that what they really needed was rice and melons, $100 would feed the kids for a month. “We went with the idea of taking CDs — the rice was an

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“It moves me even now talking about it… for how much could be done for so little.” }}} Continued from previous page afterthought… then we learned the kids were being put to bed an noon because there was no food,” said Glenn. “It moves me even now talking about it… for how much could be done for so little.” The Carrs used a driver to get around, and through that driver also learned much about daily life. On Mother’s Day, which is not celebrated in Burma, they offered to take the driver, his mother, his wife and three children to a restaurant — “I don’t think the mother had ever been to a restaurant,” said Suzanne. The bill came to $17 for seven

In the village of Oboe in southeastern Burma, residents make their living making pots. Here, clay for the pots is being delivered by ox cart. (Notice the dirt roads.) These carts are a familiar sight outside the large cities and are used for delivering goods to businesses.

people — which had Suzanne echoing Glenn’s comment: “We could do so much for so little.” “The driver said, ‘My wife is very good at cooking chicken

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heads,’ that’s what they can afford, not the meat of the actual chicken,” added Glenn. “They have nothing,” added Suzanne. “When we talked about having two sets of clothes at home because its cold and hot, he could not conceive of that… they don’t have television, phones, mail, books.” Yet, Burma does have the rich, and some young people are becoming more westernized. “The young people at our school had cell phones, iwhatevers, they had traveled to foreign countries… they have Internet cafes,” said Suzanne. Kids who have learned English are leaving the rice farming countryside for jobs in the city, such as cleaning at the school, which is considered a prestigious job. The Carrs had a modern two-bedroom apartment at the school’s compound. Safety wasn’t an issue in the Buddhist nation. “We heard there hadn’t been a murder against a foreigner in five years,” said Glenn, “we could have gone walking anytime.” The school’s admin building originally was a colonial planta-

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| February 2012

tion house that became a Japanese headquarters during the Japanese occupation. “Horror stories were told about the torture that went on. The kids are superstitious and afraid of being there during the night because of ghosts,” said Glenn. Had they been younger, said Suzanne, the Carrs would have sought another foreign teaching job, and are thinking about revisiting Burma. “One man said to us, ‘If you stay, I will give you the land and the building so you can build a music school,’” said Glenn — whose wistful voice suggests he hasn’t completely dismissed the idea. “Here’s how you should end the story on us,” suggested Suzanne. “Every American should have to go some place like Burma because what we believe here in America about the correct way to live your life is not true in Burma. If you go to London or France, they will look a lot like the United States. “There are other ways to live than we live in America. When you step into Burma, everything is different.”

One

man’s long journey

Lief Carlsen’s companions dropped away, leaving the Chelan man hiking the Pacific Crest Trail as a gang of one (Editor’s note: During the summer of 2011, Chelan resident Lief Carlsen, 61, hiked the entire, 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. His journal was published as A Gang of One — Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2011 and is available at Amazon.com, Hastings (Wenatchee), Riverwalk Books (Chelan), or from the author at carlsen.liefer@gmail.com.)

By Lief Carlsen

ach year approximately 300 individuals set out from the California-Mexico border with the goal of hiking 2,650 miles to Canada — the hard way, along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT.) In 2011 my wife, Mary, and I

were among them. The PCT seeks out a high, winding, steep, snow-covered route through the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, and several lesser mountain ranges. In a typical year, fewer than half those who start are able to complete the journey. In those first days I wondered, which half would we be in? We got off to a shaky start. Journal Entry: May 6, Rodriguez Canyon. We begin eating our lunch in silence. I have been thinking about (Mary’s) situation and have come to the conclusion that there is no point in arguing that she continue. My whole effort to include her in this venture was predicated on the notion that we would share the ups and downs of the trail and emerge at the end with a bundle of shared memories. But it is clear to me that if she is unhappy, she is perfectly capable of dragging me February 2012 | The Good Life

Lief hikes the trail about 10 miles south of Sonora Pass in California.

down with her. Resistance is futile. I tell her: “Hey, if you want to leave, I understand. You’re not enjoying this and it isn’t any fun for me either when you’re down.” I can hear emotion in her voice as she tells me that she doesn’t want me to go on alone — that she wants to be with me. “We’ll see how it goes,” I say, and we leave it at that. After 110 miles and a slew of blisters, Mary called it quits. She returned to Chelan, where she loaded up our camper and returned to Southern California to support me on the rest of the hike. I joined up with several other middle-aged hikers from England, Australia and the United States. We called ourselves The Gang of Six. www.ncwgoodlife.com

May 14, mile 239 near Big Bear Lake. What a gorgeous day and I’m feeling great! The flowers are out on Mission Creek. Reds and yellows, pinks and purples; they paint the sides of this narrow canyon. It was hot today but I didn’t mind. I ate my lunch on the hard-packed sand

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One man’s long journey }}} Continued from previous page near a giant sycamore and dangled my feet in the rushing stream. A blue-backed lizard settled in beside me. I offered him a raisin from my lunch but he paid it no mind — just stared ahead across the stream as if the other bank were the Promised Land. Despite scrupulously treating my drinking water in Southern California, I contracted a case of giardia, which plagued me for weeks. “The Gang” was a standup bunch who supported me through my illness and even supplied some humorous moments. June 15, Manter Creek.

At the bottom of the hill we crossed a small creek with a sandy beach and made camp there. Shade was still at a premium so we all crowded into the shadow of a large willow bush. Everybody took advantage of the creek to wash up. English Dave stripped down to his underwear for bathing and then inexplicably never put his pants or Lief crosses from California into Oregon. shirt back on. I accused him of fabric that are supposed to looking like a German tourward off bacterial growth ist strutting around in his and, hence, odor. Speedo but this seemed to “Do they work?” I asked. bother him not at all. He He admitted that they were explained to us that his not a total solution to the underwear was a gift from odor problem. his girlfriend. They have sil“You should have bought ver threads woven into the the gold pair,” I deadpanned.

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Record snow pack was a problem for much of the summer. It made for difficult hiking and dangerous creek crossings and eventually led to the other members of The Gang quitting, but not before this exchange that occurred just after we had crossed over 13,200-ft Forester Pass in the Sierra Nevada. June 24, Vidette Meadow. It was during the long descent from Forester Pass,

while we were sitting on a rock ledge, that American Dave looked at me and said: “You’re getting sunburned.” Although I couldn’t see myself, I knew he was right. I could feel the skin on my face burning. I had figured that with sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat there was no way I was going to get sunburn. What I hadn’t counted on was sunlight reflected off the snow. My broad-brimmed hat did not stop rays coming from below. I watched Dave smearing sunscreen on his face, then did a double take. Despite

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Lief settles into a makeshift shelter at Forbes Saddle in Southern California.

the sunscreen, his lips were so swollen that he looked like he’d been subjected to botched silicon injections from an overly zealous Hollywood plastic surgeon. I pointed this out to him. “You oughta’ look at yourself,” he countered. I felt my lips. They felt like someone had pasted half a peach on my face. From Northern California on, I hiked alone. Whenever the trail crossed a highway, Mary was there to resupply and encourage me. I doubt if I would have completed the trail without her help — I had my own demons to contend with.

July 17, Sierra City. Although I didn’t see any of the defections from The Gang coming, the choice to quit is not beyond my ken. I’ve come to the conclusion that one has to be on this trail for something other than the joy of hiking because, frankly, hiking is not always a joy. If there is no other motivation, then the hiker inevitably begins asking himself, “Why am I subjecting myself to this pain?” I reached Canada on Sept. 8 then returned to the Sierra to complete 300 miles I had skipped because of the deep snow. I completed the entire trail on Sept. 26 at Echo Summit near Lake Tahoe.

September 26, Echo Summit. Mary hiked several miles from the trailhead to meet me. We walk the final miles together and that is how it should be. Even though she hasn’t walked many of the trail miles with me, she has been a huge contributor to my successful completion. Walking into the parking lot

at Echo Summit is about as low-key as is imaginable. Mary and I kiss and embrace; no words are spoken. What is there to say? The parking lot is empty except for us. This moment is fraught with so much emotion for me but of no consequence to the rest of the world. It is a very private triumph.

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Walking the Camino For 1,000 years, people have been following this legendary route of pilgrims By Donna Cassidy

n April 2011, John Clark 78, and his wife Dawn 77, Wenatchee, began going on walks — long walks eventually up to 15 miles a day — in preparation for a trek across Spain. “We walked the Loop Trail from our house (in Broadview), the Sage Hills, Echo Ridge several times and later as the weather got hot places like Mission Ridge, Valhalla Lake, Spider Meadows and Rainy Pass. We often walked to McGlinn’s for Sunday morning breakfast and back,” said Dawn. “We were training for the Camino de Santiago,” Dawn said, “which was on my bucket list because of the physical challenge, the spiritual and mystical components plus all of the history surrounding it.” Camino de Santiago is a collection of old pilgrimage routes covering all Europe. Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain is the final destination. For more than 1,000 years pilgrims have been walking along the Camino de Santiago. Dawn and John did 100 miles of the walk, starting in Leon and ending in Santiago de Compostela over eight days. “One of the main aspects of this walk was all of the time to contemplate,” said Dawn. “There was something special about being on a centuries old path walked by millions of others since the 10th century. It was also significant to have met the physical challenge.” One morning under the warm Spanish sun a woman who later said she was from Estonia approached Dawn. “Can I take your picture,” she

Dawn and John Clark rest with a tired “peregrino” (pilgrim) in the Plaza San Marcos, Leon.

asked, “you are an inspiration hiking this trail at your age.” “She said some lovely things to me including that I reminded of her mother so naturally I felt complimented and it was special to run into her again,” said Dawn. “The fun was the camaraderie within the group. We were with 11 people plus our guide. The locals were especially friendly. The standard greeting was ‘Buen Camino!’ (“have a good journey”). “At one point in the province of Galicia, we heard bagpipes and then came upon a couple of locals entertaining the pilgrims. It turns out there is a large Celtic influence in Galicia. It is greener and wetter than the rest of Spain. More rain than in Ireland. “One of the traditions we

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Ancient stone bridges are typical sights along the Camino.

participated in was to carry a pebble (representing your personal baggage) and deposit it on the Cruz de Fer, which is on the way as millions of others have done.” A pilgrim says a prayer and tosses the pebble on the pile.

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| February 2012

Dawn said, “I did say a prayer. I would like to think my request would be answered. I also felt I was part of a huge group of supplicants historically. “One of the stories I tell friends is that we had three consecutive days of walking over

Dawn Clark and Don Lloyd pass by one of the stone benches frequently found on the trail. Don and Jane Lloyd are from Chelan. Anne Brooks from Chelan was also in the Camino group.

The baroque Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, the goal of walkers of the Camino.

Dawn and John Clark walked 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago — from Leon to the cathedral in Santiago — in eight days.

15 miles. I also tell the story of getting lost by coming out the wrong door of a cafe. I took off in a tear only to find I was ahead and the group was behind me. “I tell about eating octopus, grilled eel and the extraordinary meal we had in a restau-

rant in Astorga frequented by (the author) James Michener. Everywhere we walked we were constantly reminded of the layers and layers of history — Celts, Romans, Moors, etc… — and in the back of my mind was the legend of why people made this February 2012 | The Good Life

journey.” One of the legends holds that the remains of St. James, one of the first disciples of Jesus and the patron saint of Spain, were carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried on the site of what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela. Dawn said the most memorable experience was seeing the cathedral spires on the horizon three miles away on the outskirts of Santiago. “At the end of our trail we attended the pilgrims’ mass in the cathedral in Santiago and got to see them swing the huge incense burner, the botofumeiro.” www.ncwgoodlife.com

Historically the incenses were to disguise the smell of the pilgrims, but now is only done on special occasions. The music in the mass was extraordinary said Dawn. “When I went through the cathedral I was filled with awe coupled with the realization of the dominance of the church in people’s lives. The opulence of the Church gives one pause.” Dawn said she would like to walk more of Camino de Santiago, which in Spain is 450 miles long. The Clarks’ next trip is to England in May to walk Hadrian’s Wall and parts of Northumberland.

3 fun guys who play the oddest musical instrument —

riot

A of noise & fun for 30 years BY Dan Goodfellow

little over 30 years ago I saw my first Stumpf Fiddle and knew I had to have one. I acquired my first fiddle in 1980 and found that playing it with some old ragtime music by Joanne Castle was perfect. Hitting the local pubs with a cassette tape and fiddle in hand playing Bill Baily and Down Yonder was loads of fun, but I quickly realized a couple more people would make this way more fun. Enter Tom Lenny and Kirk Dietrich with no fear of making fools of ourselves. I gave them each a fiddle and we started the Stumpf Fiddle Band. Over the years, we have performed in several wedding receptions, Christmas parties, parades, Wenatchee Centipede Dance Club, Follies, two Farm Aids with Willie Nelson, and many impromptu performances that always seem to be a hit. One event that stands out to me is when the three of us played with Willie Nelson at the Paul Thomas Sr. baseball field at Wenatchee Valley College. The audience went crazy, so when we were done with our song, Willie stepped to the microphone and said “How the heck do I follow that?” In 1989, I moved to Maui so the trio could only perform together on occasion. Each time we get together we are all reminded how much fun it is to be together and we pick up right where we left off. In the old days it usually took some liquid courage to get started, but with passing time, we have all embraced the concept that the chance of looking foolish far outweighs the chance not to. Why do we do it?

Dan Goodfellow, Kirk Dietrich and Tom Lenny

Easy, we do it for two reasons, it is an absoget into the music, encouraged by the thumbs up lute blast and people love to watch it. When steamboat captain at the bottom of Fifth Street. we see the crowd get out of their chairs and Why is Capt. Alexander Griggs holding a Stumpf clap, laugh, dance and cheer, the energy in Fiddle? Because “every time I rode the park on my the room takes over and everyone has fun. bike, he just looked like he should have a fiddle in his hand,” said Tom about the statue. When will we quit? We fiddle at least once a year together but have plans to get together more. As long as Stumpf Fiddles Band named for our instrupeople keep asking, we’ll keep pounding. ments of choice, the Stumpf Fiddle. If you’ve never seen a Stumpf Fiddle, legend has it, that back in a small town in Wisconsin, named Sheboygan, there lived a man named Harry Stumpf. He had a peg-leg, and so when he walked down the old board walk, you’d hear a clump bonk, clump bonk sound. BY tom lenny Well, one day he decided to add a little rhythm to his walk, and attached a pie pan, he first time I played in public with the a wood block, and bell to his peg-leg. So guys was at my 26th birthday party at the now, you could only imagine the sounds that Appleatchee Clubhouse in 1981. came out when he walked down that board Dan Goodfellow had given me a Stumpf walk, tapping on the new things on his leg as Fiddle as my birthday present and the plan he walked. was at midnight I was going to make my Clump clank bonk whack ding, clump debut. With about 75 people in attendance, clank bonk whack ding, it would go as he midnight came, the music started and I bestrutted along. As you can guess, his popugan playing. When the music stopped, the larity in the town increased greatly. crowd responded with a loud cheer. Our Stumpf Fiddles have the long stick The three of us — Dan, Kirk Dietrich and with the rubber ball at the bottom to make I — called ourselves the NCW Travelin’ it bounce when you hit it on the ground.

But, why is it called a Stumpf Fiddle? T

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| February 2012

right off the beach, on part of the Gulf of Alaska called Cannon Beach, which still has the WW II cannon emplacements on it. They would set up a 100-foot by 40-foot tarp over the stage and dance area, and no matter how hard it would rain, the crowd would get under the covered area and literally, party all night. I was part Also, the two pie pans are rivof the Fairweather eted together with BB’s inside, a Band, so the Stumpf wood block, captain’s bell, horn, Fiddle Band would cow bell, screen door springs play right along with stretched over the pie pans and them. the bicycle bell that always falls One time at apart first from all the pounding. Wenatchee’s RiverSo you put that altogether, and front park, we were you have a mean, lean, percussion to play at some 4th machine. of July festivities. Kirk found some nice tux When we got our jackets, so along with black tux music cue, we were pants, white shirts and high top all going to run and Converses, we had a fun little outjump onto the back fit — an outfit that really hasn’t Tom Lenny’s Stumpf Fiddle — autoof the three-foot changed all that much in 30 years graphed by Willie Nelson — has a tall stage, and run of playing together. horn, bell, pie pans filled with BBs, a forward to play. We have played to quite a wide wood block and a rubber bottom betWe ran, jumped, ter for bouncing on stage. range in genre: country western, but only Dan and I rock, bluegrass, rag time, Bavarcleared the top edge ian music and dixieland. In other words, of the stage, while Kirk caught his shin on any music with a fast, knee-slapping beat the edge of the stage and face planted. can be played on these. But, he quickly sprang up and we were We played at Wenatchee Valley College for still on cue to play for the fun crowd at the a group which included 100 Japanese college Wenatchee riverfront. girls. We played a few songs, and then went down into the crowd to get them involved. We handed one older Japanese guy, who was a chaperone for the girls, a Stumpf Fiddle, and he took off playing through the tables looking a little like Chuck Berry on guitar. I then went up to a table full of about 12 By Kirk Dietrich girls and asked, “Who wants to play the Stumpf Fiddle?” They all turned and pointed he NCW Travelin’ Stumpf Fiddles Band to the most timid looking girl at the table. was the name of the larger group that was She got up and ended up doing a great job of used when we did parades. playing it. I painted a large cloth banner with the We went up to Yakutat, Alaska a number group name spelled out in large block letters of times, and on most occasions, it would and a portrait of old Harry Stumpf. rain the whole time we were there. The event Girls carrying the banner were followed is called Fair Weather Days, and you’re lucky by a drill team usually composed of half a if you get it! dozen girls in classic cheerleading outfits. The stage and park were in the tree line We had a flatbed truck decorated with the

We have played country western, rock, bluegrass, rag time, Bavarian music and Dixieland... any music with a fast, kneeslapping beat can be played on these.

Parades, ripped pants & happy Texans

February 2012 | The Good Life

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usual parade décor of crepe paper, paper flowers, tassels and the like. On the bed would be the large speaker for our background music and usually a dozen or so musicians — I use the word very lousily — playing tambourines and a few extra fiddles. Dan, Tom and I would be on the street doing our routine and working the crowd. After the Manson Apple Blossom Parade, officials came up to us holding a big blue ribbon and said they did not know if we were a float or a band but we won first place. As the entertainment for the Wenatchee Apple Blossom royalty pizza party, we did our usual routine of choreographed music and move spins, high kicks and playing off each other’s instruments in-sync. Dan was usually in the middle, while Tom and I did the jump and kick bringing one foot up to shoulder level. Dan could always get his foot above his head. One evening during the Apple Blossom performance, after we did our in-sync high kick on the second song, I moved back from the group for the third song and did not participate in the next song’s acrobatics. The group later asked if I pulled a muscle I told them no, that I ripped out the seat of my tuxedo pants while we were playing to a room full of high school girls and their parents. The performances that stand out in my mind are the times we have played with Willy Nelson. We have played at a few of Willie’s Fourth of July events in Lubbock, Texas as well as at the Gorge a few years ago. We also played at a Farm Aid show in Texas. It was a long, hot, Texas all-day music festival featuring some of the nation’s top western and rock performers. We were to be the last act of the night jamming with Willy. Walking on stage to the right were two large grand pianos. Willy’s sister Bobbie was at one and Leon Russell was sitting at the other. As we walked up to the front of the stage to meet Willie, I Iooked over my shoulder and saw Waylon Jennings directly behind me along with other top performers of the day. As we moved to the front of the stage to greet Willy, Dan stepped up to an open microphone and said, “nice backup band ... I think this will work.” We ended the evening playing to a standup crowd of over 10,000 happy Texans. Want to see a Stumpf Fiddle in action? Dan and Tom have separate videos on YouTube under the heading “Stumpf Fiddle.” Check out Dan Goodfellow playing at a New Year’s Eve concert with Weird Al Yankovic. |

Grand

lodge

In its short life, log refuge along the river has been a number of things, but now has settled in to be a destination bed and breakfast Story by Susan Lagsdin Photos by Donna Cassidy

enatchee River Lodge is an optical illusion. Nestled close to the river with wraparound porches and homey rockers, from the top of the drive it looks like a sprawled old ranch house. The bulk becomes clearer in the rock-tiled covered drive-though with boulder-based timber columns. But then the front door opens, and a visitor steps into a massive room topped with cathedral ceilings lit with natural light from dormer windows. High up toward the rafters, balcony railing edges the entire huge space.

The lodge is also a come-frombehind success story: a strong, good looking resort, misused and threatened by foreclosure

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and neglect, finds its true owners through serendipity, and becomes a place of quiet refuge for grateful visitors.

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| February 2012

Open only four months and ably hosted by co-owners Don and Mary Morse (17-year Leavenworth residents), Wenatchee

ABOVE: In this “true log” lodge (two full stories built of logs) rock and wood surround the sleeping rooms, each with a mix of appealing features like fireplaces, French doors, jetted tubs, TVs and views. FAR LEFT: The owner makes a point of greeting guests here at the front door of the lodge, where the size and scope of the place first becomes a reality. An old-time lantern chandelier lights the drive. LEFT: This is the room that visitors see on entering — and a great gathering place for folks who’d like to “stay home” and also meet people. (Here, Don Morse puzzles how best to dust the highest logs.)

River Lodge already has regulars and returnees, but for a while the future of the dormant structure was in grave doubt. It started in 2000 in Montana, where huge fir logs were assembled into a 10,000-plus squarefoot building, then carefully disassembled and shipped west. Not to the ultimate construction site on the Wenatchee River, but to the owner/contractor in Sedro Wooley, who dipped each log in a fire-retarding compound. Then the whole package was moved east again to Leavenworth and rebuilt as a conference center. A good idea turned sour. The initial owner’s business plan

switched to a demo and sales center showcasing log home design possibilities. Economics intruded, so it became empty and unused. Switch to a new long-distance owner, and in 2009 the building’s designation became “nightly rental” (where a legally-housed fraternity or family reunion sometimes expands to fill available space with revelers). When water from a broken pipe inundated and destroyed the main floor game room, the property manager happened to reach local contractor Don Morse first. “That really was the turnaround for us — our life with this place wouldn’t have

happened if I hadn’t picked up the phone that day,” said Don. Through months of extensive work repairing the whole wing, and constant contact between owner and renovator, Don and Mary had fallen in love with the look and the setting of the lodge, and the owner agreed it needed full time pampering by managing partners to bring it to its full potential. An idea was born; a relationship was forged. “Bed and Breakfast” seemed to be the way to go, and Don and Mary were given the coveted roles of homemaker and host. Some finishing improvements all around and apt choices of furnishings, floorings, linens and interior art led to the heman elegant, exquisitely roughhewn look of the lodge. “There’s nothing ‘foo-foo’ about it,” said Mary. “It really defies the stereotype of the cutesy bed and breakfast.” She said and then laughed. “Even men like it here, and sometimes men are a tough sell for B&B’s.”

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The guest rooms are private and sumptuously appointed, with much more than the usual comforts of home: heated tile floors and jetted hot tub in the bath; TV, reading nook, French doors, balconies, and down bedding in the room. And there’s plenty of getaway space where every stroll brings a new window cubby, a game table, a library, a soft chair. An upstairs media center has a dozen comfy theater seats. Downstairs, the game room features a corner bar and pool table and shares a see-through fireplace with the larger living room and its couch-rimmed sitting area. The kitchen, with Viking gas stove, three wine coolers, two dishwashers and granite and timber counters, is wide open for midday chats or midnight snacks. The owners live on-site when company is there, in the old tradition, and quickly realized the second part of B&B meant

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Grand lodge

Wenatchee River Lodge sits on 3.5 acres, surrounded by nature in the form of trees and its namesake, the Wenatchee River.

}}} Continued from previous page breakfast. Mary said, “We had a few good recipes, but when people stay for a week, you have to get creative.” Don’s the chef, and one description (not just “bacon” but “crisp, thick-cut, hickory smoked bacon…”) demonstrates his new found enthusiasm. For most visitors, wherever their home is, the lodge feels like home.

The Morses are pleased that some folks check in, planning to drop their luggage and play, and instead just.. stay. But Leavenworth and its environs are all about the outdoors, and that’s what people find appealing about this place, too. On just 3.5 surprisingly private acres, it offers a playfield-sized lawn in sunshine ringed by pines, an orchard view, a timbered dell, and a low bank river-

An easily accessed wraparound deck , with BBQ and dining on the river side, offers plenty of “just sitting” space everywhere else. The north side faces timber, the south faces meadow and sun.

front great for exploring, fishing, or swimming. “In summer, the only sound

NCW Home Professionals

we get besides the water is the occasional raft trip going past — that’s a joyful noise, and fun to

Extra copies

Hastings, Eastmont Pharmacy, Caffe Mela, Martin’s Market Place, A Book for All Seasons & Food Pavilion

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| February 2012

With the entire floor, the bar area, and even the pool table rebuilt after water damage, the game room now attracts visitors for casual wine tasting, a game of pool, or a cozy couch by the fireplace.

watch,” said Don. What’s the future of this big friendly lodge with the happy new owners? One visitor Facebooked 2,800 contacts with praise, a California guest wants a 2013 wedding here, and European visitors talk it up with >> RANDOM QUOTE

friends. Don and Mary want to hire some help, build a gazebo, pressure wash some logs, feature local artists on the walls, maybe add a few balconies, but for now they’re open for business and loving it.

Don makes a point of greeting arrivals at the main door. “It is great when people first walk into the main room and look up,” Don says proudly. ”That’s the real ‘ooh and aah’ moment.”

NCW Home Professionals

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted. Bill Bryson February 2012 | AT HOME WITH The Good Life

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column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

As American as tamale pie 5. Layer the corn, tomato, olives, red bell pepper and meat in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over these layers.

“A

s American as” apple pie, corn-on-the-cob, hamburgers, hot dogs or chocolate chip cookies — these are the iconic American cuisine. I suggest we add tamale pie. Many people consider this dish to be a Mexican ethnic food, but that is not accurate. It is like chop suey, which is not Chinese but an American devised echo of the Asian tastes. I have always loved tamale pie because it contains olives, and I have never met an olive I didn’t like. My father loved this dish, so my mother prepared tamale pie regularly. I didn’t realize why until I inherited my paternal Grandmother’s hand-assembled cookbook that I wrote about last year. She had clipped out and handwritten five different tamale pie recipes beginning in 1920. Tamale pie is a long-time favorite for many people. The Best of Sunset recipe book, a compilation of the most requested recipes from 1929 to 1987, notes that 36 versions of tamale pie had been included in the magazine’s cooking columns. Essentially, tamale pie is an easy-to-assemble baked casserole enclosed in cornmeal mush, polenta or grits rather than a classic tamale made of shredded meat wrapped in masa dough and steamed in leaves such as banana or corn. Because of the long popularity of this recipe, the ingredients are nearly endless. The meat can be shredded beef or hamburger, cubed cooked chicken or cubed pork, or it can be made into a vegetarian dish. So it is an American classic. Do we need another recipe? I

6. Pat the remainder of the corn meal mush into a flat square on a piece of plastic wrap and flip the corn meal mush on the top of the pie. Remove the plastic wrap. 7. Spread the grated cheese on the top of the assembled casserole. Tamale Pie is essentially a casserole — with a cornmeal mush (or polenta or grits) encasing a wide range of goodies in the center.

don’t know if we do, but I do know that on these wet, cold February days, comfort food is what we crave. Here is the recipe I have developed over 40 years, and also I have included the recipe my twin sister, Vivian Fairburn, uses for making this quick, easy dinner in the crock pot!

All-American Tamale Pie Serves six One-hour, 10 minutes preparation and baking 3/4 cup cornmeal or polenta meal 2 1/2 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon oil 1 small onion chopped 2 cloves garlic chopped 1 pound hamburger or meat of your choice 1 teaspoon marjoram 1 tablespoon paprika either hot or sweet or smoked 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 four-oz. can green chilies or (jalapeno chilies if you prefer heat) 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon thyme

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2 tablespoons vinegar 2 cups whole kernel corn drained 1 pint sliced tomatoes drained 1 red bell-pepper chopped 1/2 cup pitted and sliced black olives 1 cup pepper-jack cheese grated salt and pepper to your taste 9x9 baking dish lightly oiled 1. Make polenta or corn meal mush by stirring the cornmeal into the boiling, salted water. Polenta meal is coarser than corn meal. Stir constantly to prevent lumps, but be wary of popping hot, corn meal eruptions. 2. Cool the mush slightly. Dampen your hands to press three-quarters of the dough into the prepared 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish. Press it on the bottom and up on the sides. 3. Make the sauce by combining the spices and flour with the water from the canned tomatoes and corn. If you are using frozen produce from your garden, add a cup of water to make the sauce. The sauce should be thick. Add more flour for thickening if necessary or more water. 4. Brown the onion and garlic in the oil and add the hamburger or meat of your choice to brown.

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8. Bake at 425 until the cheese is browned and the ingredients are bubbling — about 25 minutes.

Tamale Pie Crock Pot Recipe 3/4 cup cornmeal 1-1/2 cups milk 1 egg, beaten 1 lb ground Beef, browned and drained 1 envelope dry Chili seasoning mix (can use Taco Season) 1 – 16 oz can diced tomatoes 1 – 16 oz can cut corn, drained (not creamed) 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese 1. Combine cornmeal, milk and egg 2. Stir in meat, chili season mix, tomatoes and corn until well blended. Pour into slow cooker. 3. Cover, cook on high 1 hour, then on low 3 hours 4. Sprinkle with cheese. Cook another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Recipe by Jeannine Janzen, Elbing, Kansas, as published in Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook (Phyllis Pellman Good). Bonnie Orr — the dirt diva — gardens and cooks in East Wenatchee.

column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

When antibiotics can make you sick

ary, age 62, was hospitalized for pneumonia. After three days of intravenous antibiotic therapy, she was well enough to return home where she continued to take oral antibiotics with instructions to seek a follow-up visit to her primary care doctor. Three days later she started having diarrhea. Her husband got her some over-the-counter Imodium, but the diarrhea continued and in fact got worse. She developed a fever, started having crampy abdominal pain and lost her appetite. Her husband called her doctor and spoke to his nurse who thought she had gastroenteritis. Three days later she was quite ill and came to the ER where she had a stool test showing the toxin of the bacillus called C. difficile. Jack, who had prostate trouble, developed a urinary tract infection. His doctor put him on an antibiotic, but he did not improve so another antibiotic was tried that cleared up this infection. A month later he started having diarrhea several times a day. This progressively got worse until he came into an urgent care clinic. His stool test showed that he also had a C. difficile infection. A while back one of my readers contacted me and asked if I would write an article about Clostridia difficile colitis. One of his family members had become very ill with this disease, which he had never heard of before. Because it is more common than one might think, I decided to write about this condition that usually results from prior

treatment with antibiotics. The term “colitis” is often misused. It should be used to refer to conditions in the large intestine or colon in which there is actually recognizable inflammation. Conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome associated with diarrhea are sometimes erroneously called “colitis” despite a lack of any inflammation. C. difficile, or C. diff as it is commonly referred to, is a bacillus responsible for the development of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. C. diff is present in the colon of two to three percent of healthy adults and in 70 percent of healthy infants. In these asymptomatic people it does not cause disease and should not be treated. C. diff colitis can occur when the normal colonic bacteria are disrupted or destroyed by antibiotic therapy prescribed for other conditions. Our normal colon bacteria resist the colonization of C. diff, however, once antibiotics suppress our normal bacteria, overgrowth or proliferation of C. diff can occur causing diarrheal illness and more severe colitis. This is a good reason not to overuse antibiotics or treat asymptomatic carriers. It is estimated that 20 percent of hospitalized patients acquire this bacteria during their hospitalization and that 30 percent of those will actually get a diarrheal illness. It is one of the most common hospital acquired infections. A study just published in the International Journal of Hospital Infection showed that hospital toilets with C. diff contaminated stool that were flushed with the lid open had 12 times as many viable bacteria within a foot February 2012 | The Good Life

above the commode contaminating the toilet seat, handle and tank compared to toilets that were flushed with the lid down. Their advice was “keep a lid on it.” Unfortunately the C. diff spores are heat resistant and can persist in the environment for several months or even years. Once established in an environment like a hospital’s they are hard to get rid of. The diagnosis of C. diff colitis should be suspected in any patient with diarrhea who has been treated with antibiotics in the previous 2 months or who develops diarrhea within 72 hours of hospitalization. This bacterium releases toxins, which cause the damage to the colonic mucosa leading to illness. It is estimated that in this country there are over 3 million cases annually of diarrhea and colitis caused by the organism. The disease can become very serious and can be fatal in some instances. The symptoms are non-bloody diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, frequently fever, loss of appetite and weakness. The main risk factors are prior treatment with antibiotics and being over the age of 60. Fortunately, children who have a normal immune system do not seem to be at risk for the infection. The diagnosis is usually through stool tests for the toxin. In some cases a colonoscopy is useful for specific diagnosis as there are some typical signs of this condition in the colon that can be identified by a gastroenterologist. Treatment, ironically, is with one of a few antibiotics that have been shown to kill or suppress this particular harmful bactewww.ncwgoodlife.com

rium. Around 25 percent of patients may have a relapse after treatment is stopped and may need to be retreated. At times usual treatment does not seem to be effective and referral to a gastroenterologist or an infectious disease specialist is necessary. This condition is a serious health problem that unfortunately is increasing in incidence in our country, Canada and Europe. Jim Brown, M.D., is a semi-retired gastroenterologist who has practiced for 38 years in the Wenatchee area. He is a former CEO of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

Ray Sandidge, winemaker extraordinaire I’ve been a Ray Sandidge fan

for almost 20 years now. Way back in 1992 I wrote myself a note proclaiming Ray as one of the top 10 winemakers in Washington. Ray traveled from Washington State University to the East Coast in 1985, where he signed on as a winemaker for Pindar Vineyards on Long Island, N.Y. While there, Ray co-made two wines that were selected for President G.H.W. Bush’s inaugural ball in 1989. Ray didn’t attend the ball as he was abroad. In 1987 he accepted a post as winemaker for the Georg Breuer estate winery in Germany. There, Ray’s 1989 Trockenbeerenauslese Riesling scored 97 points in a major competition, the highest score ever achieved by this centuries-old winery. As an interesting aside, the winery, one of Germany’s 12,000 wineries at the time, made the top 50 list in the nation, another first for them, thanks to Ray’s efforts. Ray’s roots, though, were here in Washington. He returned home, and in 1990 worked with Brian Carter, helping to make the wines of Apex and Washington Hills, before joining Hyatt Vineyards in 1994 as winemaker of their reserve reds and whites.

Ray Sandidge: His wines have garnered scores of awards and medals and have received praise from some of the country’s most esteemed wine writers and critics. Photo by Athena Sandidge

It was, in fact, while he was at Hyatt in 1995, that we first met Ray. He was standing beside two barrels of red wine with a wine-

Perfect Conﬂagration: The Fires of 1910 Slide show by Bill Moody

Saturday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. - admission by donation

Wenatchee Valley Museum, 127 S. Mission St. | 888-6240 24

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thief in his hand, pouring tastes for the crowd that had come to barrel-sample the wines. As Wenatchee Valley Wine Society representatives at the time, we cajoled Ray into working with us to help showcase some of his wines at an event. We ended up putting on a wine tasting dinner at Sleeping Lady, where chef Damian Brown prepared a merlot, pancetta and caramelized red onion sauce to serve with his salmon filets. Ray went on to great success as the start-up winemaker for Kestrel Vineyards, from 19962004. Then, in 1999, while serving as winemaker there, Ray and

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| February 2012

members of his family formed their own company: C.R. Sandidge Winery, and released their first wines in 2000 at a Prosser tasting facility located a short distance from Kestrel Vineyards. The array of wines from the personal winery has garnered scores of awards, medals and received praise from some of the country’s most esteemed wine writers and critics. Wanting to be closer to his parents in Entiat, Ray moved north to the Lake Chelan area to work for Lake Chelan Winery in Manson, Karma Vineyards on the south shore and other wineries while continuing to make his own wines. At all these wineries, including his C.R. Sandidge Wines, Ray earned numerous awards and accolades for the wines he made, and has received praise from some of the country’s most esteemed wine writers and critics. As Ray continues his career, he is making some changes in his wine line-up. Upon opening his new tasting room in Manson, he released his 2008 new red blend, Caris, and recently released the 2009. The ’09 was available to wine club members first, but it is now available to the general public, and is on the tasting menu at the Manson tasting room. “In the not-too-distant future,” Ray said recently when I asked him what else is in the planning stages, “we’re planning on expanding our white wine offerings.” That news excited me, as I’ve been after Ray for a decade or so to convince some growers to add Pinot Blanc grapes to their vineyards. I jumped in quickly

“But for certain, there will be a Gewurztraminer coming soon with the C.R. Sandidge label.” and asked very directly, “Will there be a Pinot Blanc? “ “My wife Athena and I like the idea of a Pinot Blanc,” he replied, “so we are seriously examining that as an option. But for certain, there will be a

Gewurztraminer coming soon with the C.R. Sandidge label. “I also want a Sauvignon Blanc,” I added. “I know you do,” was the reply. “Sourcing grapes is always the issue, and I won’t buy just any fruit. It has to meet my standards.” “So, in the future, maybe a Pinot Blanc — for certain a C.R. Sandidge Gewurztraminer — and if you can find the right grapes, maybe a Sauvignon Blanc,” I said, smiling. “What about the reds? What will be happening with them?” “Well, the big news there is

February 2012 | The Good Life

the shift from the Tri*Umph blend to the Caris blend. People just aren’t buying bottles of wine like Tri*Umph that retail for $50. Caris retails for $29 at the winery. And we are pleased that the Caris is being so very well received in the tasting room.” I thought he was finished, but after a pause he smiled and said, “Oh, and there’s a Port coming soon — a Syrah Port that’s in the works right now, and should be ready for release in early 2013. Is that news?” I’m even more a fan of Ray Sandidge today than I was back in 1992, and if I’m any judge

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of quality — and I am, when it comes to wine and wives — I predict all the new wines, including the new Port, will be worthy of a place in the cellars of the most particular winedrinkers. 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. Know of someone stepping off the beaten path in the search for fun and excitement? E-mail us at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

column moving up to the good life

june darling

Living happily ever after – not always easy Love and marriage. They’re a

good thing. Strong marriages are about sharing good times and experiencing more positive than negative feelings. Good marriages are also the result of learning to successfully deal with differences. Ask Melissa and Jesus Hernandez. One of Melissa’s favorite quotes is: “What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.” The Hernandez tell others, including young couples at their church and curious people like me who see how happy they are, about the fairy tale and the reality of their own romance.

As you read their story, you can easily find five important lessons, supported by research, for dealing with differences and having a happier marriage. As Jesus tells the story, Melissa was a charming, beautiful, thoughtful young woman who came to Wenatchee from Panama in an exchange. He found that he loved her madly. The love did not die during the four years they were separated after she went back to Panama. When Melissa returned to Wenatchee for a visit, Jesus picked her up at the airport, drove to Snoqualmie Falls, and asked her to marry him. She accepted. This is where the fairy tale ends and the real story of working with differences begins. Melissa and Jesus made a plan. She needed to return to Panama, but he would come a month later, in December, to meet her family and ask for her hand officially. They’d be married a year later after he finished college. Then Jesus’ logical mind began to think over the plan they had made. December was only a month away. If they were going to be separated for a whole year, it would be better to go in June rather than December. By coming in June, the year apart would be broken up and not so hard to bear. He called Melissa to tell her his thoughts. She clearly expressed her disappointment. “I couldn’t understand it at all because it was just the sensible thing to do. She was telling me that her family was expecting me to come in December. My plan might be sensible, but insensitive to their feelings.” Jesus said he hung up the phone by telling Melissa that he was coming in June, not Decem-

| The Good Life

ber, and that was that. Over the night, however, Jesus rolled around in bed thinking about Melissa’s words especially about the lack of sensitivity. The next morning, he changed his mind and decided to travel to Panama in December. Jesus’ change of heart bode well for their marriage. Here could be the main moral of the story. Allow your partner to influence you especially if you are a man. Dr. John Gottman, a marriage guru, says that one main attribute of happily married heterosexual couples is that the men allow themselves to be influenced by their wives. Gottman claims that most women already know how to share power with a mate, but men have to learn. Respect for each other’s opinions and feelings needs to be mutual. “That was just the beginning. Because we are both Latino, people assume we are alike, but we have many differences,” Melissa told me. “For example Jesus came from a family where men were in charge. I came from a matriarchy. My family was very expressive in their affection, but Jesus’ family was not. I’m not saying one is right or wrong, they are just different.” Second and third moral of the story. Expect differences. Be nonjudgmental about your differences. “Have you been able to resolve all your differences?” I asked. They both laughed and agreed that some differences they have just learned to accept. Melissa and Jesus use the book, Men are From Mars and Women Are From Venus, in the marriage classes they teach at their church. They often find their differences, including

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| February 2012

their gender differences, humorous. Fourth moral. Happy couples accept their unresolvable differences. Better yet, as they have gotten more skilled at dealing with their differences, Melissa and Jesus have found their diversity often broadens and sharpens them as individuals. “Are you saying then, that you think your spouse has helped you become a better person?” I asked. “Absolutely!” Melissa and Jesus said in unison. “It’s true, we’ve become better people because of each other,” Melissa said as she nodded. “Through all the tough times, I couldn’t ask for a better man by my side.” Fifth moral. Happy couples use their relationship to become better people. This Valentine’s Day have fun with your spouse. For a long and happy marriage, you may also want to remember the lessons learned from the Hernandez’s love story. Allow your partner to influence you, be respectful and nonjudgmental through inevitable conflicts, accept that you won’t agree on everything, and use your relationship to become a better person. How might you move up to The Good Life by continuing to work toward a happy marriage by dealing successfully with your differences? June Darling, Ph.D., is an executive coach who consults with businesses and individuals to achieve goals and increase happiness. She can be reached at drjunedarling@aol.com, or drjunedarling.blogspot.com or at her twitter address: twitter.com/ drjunedarling. Her website is www. summitgroupresources.com.

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Writer’s Competition. Write On The River is now accepting entries for two prose categories: Fiction and nonfiction. Each submission must be no more than 1,000 words. Cash prizes for first – third places ($300 $200, $100). Cost: $20 entry fee or $40 for entry with written critique from judges) for each submission. Postmark deadline 2/10. Info: writeontheriver.org. Styx, 2/1, 7 p.m. Come Sail Away with an ’80s rock music party on Feb. 1 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. prior to the Styx concert. It will be a grand illusion as you enter the Town Toyota Center transformed to ’80s décor ready to rock the house. Guests will receive a dinner buffet, a drink ticket of choice, group photos, an opportunity for early entry and a VIP parking pass. Dress in your ’80s best and be ready to rock. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Intro to Snowshoeing, 2/1-4, 6 p.m. Experience the silence and solitude of snowshoeing while learning the skills and techniques to enjoy winter travel safely and comfortably. Gain a greater understanding of cold weather gear, appropriate food for energy and travel, and winter weather so that you can be worry free on the trail. Learn about winter hazards and safety in the backcountry. Class will meet one evening in the classroom then hit the trail on Feb. 4. Wenatchee Valley College campus. Cost: $39. Info: wvc.edu/directory/ departments/conted/default.asp. Mission: Improv, 2/2, 7 p.m. & every Thursday. Free open workshop, theater games for novice and experienced players. Fun and casual. Riverside Playhouse. Info: www.mtow.org. Harvey, 2/2-4, 7:30 p.m. Music Theatre of Wenatchee presents Harvey. When Elwood P. Dowd starts to introduce his imaginary friend, Harvey, a six-and-a-half foot rabbit, to guests at a society party, his sister, Veta, has seen as much of his eccentric behavior as she can tolerate. She decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her daughter, Myrtle Mae, and their family from future embarrassment. Problems arise, however, when Veta herself is mistakenly assumed to be on the verge of lunacy when she explains to doctors that years

of living with Elwood’s hallucination have caused her to see Harvey also. Riverside Playhouse. Info: mtow.org. Godspell, The Musical, 2/3 – 5, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on 2/5. Chelan High School Drama Club will dance and sing with a live band. Chelan High School. Cost: $5 adults, $3 seniors and students. Info: lakechelan.com. Bones Beneath Our Feet, 2/3, 7 p.m. Poet, playwright and novelist Michael Schein will be at the Leavenworth Library for a presentation. Bones Beneath Our Feet is a historical novel of the conquest of Puget Sound by the Boston tribe. This is lyrical fiction deeply rooted in the people and events that made our history. 2/4, 1 p.m. at A Book For All Seasons for a book signing. Cost: free. Info: abookforallseasons. com/events/2012_schein.

$45. Info: 667-WINE. Lion’s Club Crab Feed, 2/4, 5 p.m. Over 1,400 pounds of Dungeness crab will be primed for cracking at the 21st annual all-you-can-eat crab feed. Cost: $35 per person. Lake Chelan Eagles, 209 E. Wooden Ave. Info: lakechelan.com. Have-A-Heart Auction, 2/4, 5 p.m. Dinner, drinks, auction, entertainment and dancing. St. Joseph’s Kuydendall Hall. Cost: $30. Living History: People of Our

Gallery 4 South, 2/3, 5 p.m. Ten members of Spokane Jeweler’s Guild will share their creativity and craftsmanship during the month of February. Part of Wenatchee First Friday Artwalk. Music by Rose Trio. Cost: free. Wenatchee First Fridays, 2/3, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Walk downtown for art, music, dining and entertainment. Downtown Wenatchee. 2 Rivers Art Gallery, 2/3, 5 – 8 p.m. Featured artist Martha Flores, wine and refreshments, live music by flutist Suzanne Carr. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free. An Evening of Jazz and Wine, 2/3, 5 p.m. This exhibit in the Gold Gallery showcases the artwork of high school art teachers in the North Central Educational Service District. Many different types of media will be represented including ceramics, painting, sculpture, printmaking and drawing. Part of Wenatchee First Fridays. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: free. Info: wvmcc.org. Night Skiing and Music, 2/4, 11 & 18, 6:45 p.m. Feb. 4: Cody Beebe & The Crooks; Feb. 11: Smokey Brights; Feb. 18: Slack Daddy. Mission Ridge. Cost: $25. Guided Twilight Snowshoe Treks, 2/4, 11 & 18, 4:45, p.m. Treks last approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. Headlamps suggested. Meet outside Hampton Lodge Rental Shop. Cost: $10. Info: 663-6543. Cooking Class, 2/4, 2 p.m. Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery. Cost: February 2012 | The Good Life

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Past, 2/4, 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Interact with local actors portraying real people from Wenatchee-area history. This year’s characters are Fern Prowell, first Apple Blossom queen; A.Z. Wells, hardware store owner and philanthropist; Dr. Minnie Simmons, early female physician; Conrad Rose, early apple marketer and shipper; and Pete Wheeler, controversial sheriff. Each character appears in a historical setting throughout the museum. Listen to their stories and ask them ques-

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}}} Continued from previous page tions about their lives. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: donation. Info: wvmcc.org. Napeequa Vintners Wine Dinner, 2/5, 6 p.m. Dinner will be served family-style in Kingfisher Restaurant. Owner David Morris will be on hand to talk about his Napeequa wines. Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. Cost: $65. Info: 574-2123. Bavarian Cup, 2/4-5. Junior Qualifier Nordic race focusing on competitive athletes. Leavenworth Ski Hill. Cost: $8-$40. Info: skileavenworth.com. Giant Slalom Race, 2/4-5. Mission Ridge. Info: mrst.us. Cottonwood and the River of Time, 2/10, 7 p.m. An everchanging floodplain keeps generating new opportunities for pioneer plants — such as the cottonwood — to settle and prepare the ground for new species. Presentation by Professor Emeritus Reinhard

Stettler. Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth. Book signing 2/11, 1 p.m. at A Book For All Seasons, Leavenworth. Info: abookforallseasons. com/events/2012_stettler. Wenatchee Blues Jam, 2/6, 7 - 10 p.m. Open blues jam every first Monday of the month. Bring your own instrument or voice. Drums and PA provided. Caffe Mela. Info: Tomasz Cibicki 669-8200. Pie for Dinner Cooking Class, 2/7, 5:30 p.m. Braised short rib, Stout beer and Potato with Puff Pastry, Shrimp and Andouille, Green-Curry Chicken with Pyllo, Minestrone with Parmesan biscuit, Shepard’s pie; Lamb and mashed potatoes, Lobster and Fennel topped with toasted buttered bread. The Ivy Wild Inn. Cost: $40. Info: theivywildinn.com. Full Moon Ski and Dinner, 2/7, 5 p.m. Join Leavenworth Winter Sports Club and O’Grady’s Pantry for a fun evening. Ski the Icicle River Trails, and then have dinner at O’Grady’s prepared by Sleeping Lady’s Chef Ken. Dinner includes seasonal stew, pie alamode or smores. Cost: $15 adults, $7.50 kids. Info: sleepinglady.com.

Wenatchee Business Journal www. NCW Business.com INTRODUCING Wenatchee Business Journal’s NEW website. CHECK US OUT AT www.NCWBusiness.com Serving our Wenatchee area businesses since1987.

The Jacket, 2/8, 7:30 p.m. NANDA combines tightly choreographed acrobatics, dance, juggling, music and Kung-”Faux” into an extremely high-energy blast of action and humor. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $22 adults, $19 seniors, $17 students 16 and under. Info: pacwen.org. How to Beat Wall Street at Its Own Game. 2/8. Eastmont grad Darren Fischer, now a professional trader with Maverick Trading, will host a free seminar on trading stocks and options. Seminar attendees will be given a free copy of Maverick Trading, a book Fischer co-authored. At Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery in Wenatchee. Pre-registering required at www. mavericktrading.com/events.php. Cost: Free. Jazz Nights with the Pros, 2/9, 2/10, 7:30 p.m. Six world-class jazz musicians will perform in a concert that tops off the annual Wenatchee Jazz Workshop, where the pros work for a week with jazz band students from Wenatchee and Eastmont high and middle schools. Honored guests are Tom Peterson, saxophone; Ira Nepus, trombone; Clay Jenkins, trumpet; Rich Eames, piano, Jeff d’Angelo, bass; and Dick Weller, drums. On Friday the students perform with the pros. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $24 adult, $22 senior, $10 student. Both nights: $30 adult, $28 senior. Eating a Grain-Free Diet, 2/9, 6 p.m. Grains are associated with increased inflammation, autoimmune diseases, IBS, Crohn’s, ADD/ ADHD and arthritis. Dr. Allegra Hart, a licensed naturopathic doctor conducts this workshop on baking grain-free. King’s Orchard Church of Christ, kitchen facility, 1610 Orchard. Cost: $39. Info: 682-6900. Richard Hug House Writers Retreat, 2/10 – 2/13. Along with author and teacher Ryan Boudinot, spend four days writing in private cabins and studios or exploring your alpine surroundings with afternoons and evenings devoted to workshops, readings and outings. Icicle Creek Center for Arts. Info: icicle.org. Meet Martha Flores, 2/10, 5 p.m. Artist reception. Icicle Arts Gallery, Leavenworth.

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Red Wine and Dinner, 2/10 – 12. Special dinner for two, includes a rose and a box of chocolates. Live music. Vin du Lac winery, Chelan. Cost: $75 per couple. Info: vindulac. com.

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| February 2012

NCHBA Home Show, 2/10 – 2/12. Workshops, free ice skating, master gardeners, discount coupons from participating sponsors and vendors. Town Toyota Center. Info: 665-8195. Red Wine and Chocolate, 2/10 – 12 & 2/17 – 19, noon to 5 p.m. The list of wineries include: Jones of WA Winery, Beaumont Cellars, and White Heron Cellars of Quincy; Saint Laurent and Malaga Springs in Malaga; Martin-Scott Winery in East Wenatchee; Stemilt Creek Winery, Bella Terrazza Vineyards and Chateau Faire le Pont Winery, Waterville Winery, Horan Estates and Crayelle Cellars in Cashmere, and Baroness Cellars, Bella Terrazza Vineyards, Stemilt Creek Winery, and Silvara Vineyards in Leavenworth and the Wenatchee Valley Visitors Bureau Tasting Room. Some wineries may have a nominal charge for food. Info: wenatcheewines.com. Carnival Day, 2/11, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Activities include obstacle course, face painting, BBQ, races and fireworks. Leavenworth Ski Hill. Info: skileavenworth.com. Family ArtVentures: American Folk Puppetry, 2/11, 10 a.m. noon. Explore the rich tradition of American folk puppetry during this two-hour puppet-making workshop led by Mary Ellen Kerby. Use common materials to construct a traditional American folk puppet and then bring it to life with fun scripts from the American folk tradition that inspired the likes of Howdy Doody, Sherri Lewis and Lamb Chop, the Muppets, and Sesame Street. The class is geared to all age levels; no experience is necessary and materials are provided. Preregister 888-6240. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $5 adults, $4 seniors, $2 kids under 6. Traveling in Finland, Estonia and Russia, 2/15, 7 p.m. World travelers and outdoor enthusiasts Eliot and Tina Scull will present a PowerPoint slide show of their recent visit to northern Europe. They sailed in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia around Finland and Sweden, then explored Estonia and western Russia (including St. Petersburg) by train. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: by donation. Info: wenatcheewa.gov.

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The Art Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

AN ARTIST OF MANY interests IS Drawn to the River T

ucked under the shadow of Saddlerock, Bill Layman’s back yard is adorned with multicolored glow-in-the dark salmon icons, some catching breezes at the fence line, some anchored closer to the earth. Apt icons for a man who credits his strong affinity for the Columbia, and the impetus to uncover its past, to the gods of the river. This writer’s love of place has shaped his life. After a quarter century of telling the ancient stories of the Great River of the West, he’s recently turned toward other pursuits, but, ever contemplative, he asked, “Have I completed what I’m supposed to do in this field? Could be the river isn’t finished with me yet.” Bill was first drawn to Washington and the Columbia River after sending for photographs as part of a fifth-grade geography project in his Midwest hometown. “One picture got ‘planted in my brain.’ It was Celilo Falls in the old times — the fishermen were there, and water was streaming over the falls. I now realize all this time I’ve wanted people to understand that river.” Shortly after moving here with his wife in 1979, and prompted by a distressingly out-of-context display of petroglyphs, he began to research and write articles on native culture for university and museum publications. Eventually, with his writing confidence buoyed and his credibility rock solid, he delved into book length studies of the Columbia River, driven by the conviction that the river before the time of the dams “still has immense relevance and meaning in our lives.”

Glow-in-the-dark salmon frolic in Bill Layman’s backyard, while the artist thinks of art to create.

The acquisition of a treasure trove of old photographs inspired Native River: The Columbia Remembered, completed in 2002. Five years later, partnering with Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, he wrote River of Memory: The Everlasting Columbia (a finalist for the Western Writers of America Spur Award). Recently published is a work that may help U.S. and Canadian governments realign existing treaties: Atlas of the Canadian Columbia. His art, he said, “Is a synthesis of the inner and outer landscapes of my life” and his work as a historian, one especially interested in bioregionalism, manifests itself in design and storytelling. A conversation with Bill about art is a little bit like walking a familiar path on the river — just when you think your eyes know exactly what’s there, a platoon of geese veers out of nowhere, a February 2012 | The Good Life

swatch of shrub color dazzles, or a glimmer of late sun on current makes a mirage. Even his use of language hints he’s blessed and burdened with a prodigious creativity — his perceptions, his responses and his surroundings reflect it all. Bill is an artist by many definitions, though he’d demur if “artist” was merely defined by credibility in the marketplace. And the idea of separating those aspects of his life into categories (music, sculpture, drama, writing) is so uncharacteristic for him that he was puzzled to be chosen the subject of an “artist” profile for this magazine. Bill said he “trusts an inner wellspring that always provides good material for development” and his artistry bends to his life situation. For 10 years he directed the Playback Theatre Company, which traveled the Northwest doing improvisations on humanities topics. www.ncwgoodlife.com

He and fellow artists were instrumental in sculpting and placing the statue Alexander Griggs Walking To Work on Wenatchee’s waterfront, and his present focus is constructing a four-by-four-foot mosaic that echoes the design of a labyrinth in a 1780 French abbey. He’s inspired even when relating to his clients as a licensed mental health practitioner. “I am continually listening to other people’s life stories. Even that, when I give my full attention to another, is an act of creation.” Bill expects his creativity will continue to take on different guises at different life stages, because in his words, “If you don’t grow, you die… I think I would be a lost soul if I weren’t planning or creating some form of art, no matter what the medium.” — by Susan Lagsdin

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}}} Continued from page 28 Great Washington Porter Festival, 2/17-19, noon to midnight. Taste different porter-style beers from a number of Washington and Alaska breweries in honor of the favorite beer of our first brewing president, George Washington. Live music. 21 and over only. Dog friendly. Barbecues are available. Columbia Valley Brewing Co., 538 Riverside Dr. Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: 784-5101. Icicle Creek Piano Trio & Friends Showcase: Dreams, 2/17, 7:30 p.m. Cellist Sally Singer, pianist Oksana Ezhokina, and clarinetist Sean Osborn present a lush program of romantic masterworks ranging from Brahms to Tchaikovsky to Miles Davis. Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Leavenworth. Cost: $10 - $20. Info: 548-6347. Working in the Northwest Woods, 2/17, 7 p.m. Author Dennis Willard will have a presentation on his book that is a personal history of a decade spent working in the

forests of the Northwest. Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth. 2/18, 1 p.m. He will be at a book signing at A Book For All Seasons. Cost: free. Info: abookforallseasons.com/ events/2012_willard. The Second City, 2/17, 7:30 p.m. The Second City is the world’s premier comedy theater, specializing in improv-based sketch comedy. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $33 adults, $32 seniors. Info: pacwen. org. Lake Chelan Trax, 2/17 – 19. Choose from miles of cross-country trails surrounded by stunning scenery, powdery white snowmobile trails, wickedly fast tubing hills, or the family-friendly ski hill. For the cross-country skier, come up to Echo Ridge for the sweetest ride. Chocoholics cross-country ski or snowshoe the trails to enjoy chocolate prepared every way imaginable. When it’s time to get out of the cold, continue your chocolate journey at many of the local Lake Chelan wineries for their Red Wine & Chocolate events. For the beer connoisseur, you won’t want to miss The Wooden Nickel — a beer tasting of many unique craft beers from the Northwest. Info: lakechel-

antrax.com. Kenny and Amanda Smith, 2/18, 7:30 p.m. This multi-award winning duo is advertised to have “gutsy, heartfelt vocals, brilliant instrumental talents and powerful, contemporary sense of song choice and arrangement... one of the most compelling new sounds in bluegrass today.” Cashmere Coffeehouse. Cost: $3 plus pass the hat. Fires of 1910, 2/18, 7 p.m. Bill Moody, former manager of the Winthrop smoke jumping base and an aerial firefighting consultant, will present a PowerPoint slide show and description of the largest forest fire in U.S. history. It burned approximately three million acres of prime virgin timber in Washington, Idaho and Montana, killing at least 85 people and devastating several towns in its path. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: by donation. Mariachi Show, 2/18, 7 p.m. at Wenatchee High School & 2/19, 7 p.m. at Wenatchee Community Center. The Wenatchee School District’s Mariachi program has over 300 students district-wide. Mariachi Huenachi is the advanced mariachi music class at Wenatchee High School and has earned a reputation as the best high school mariachi group in the state of Washington. Cost: $10. Info: whsmariachi.com. Winter Fiddle Festival and Barn Dance, 2/18-20. Master musicians Stuart Williams, Sara Comer, Dave Cahn and Sherry Nevins return for three days of fiddle and guitar workshops, with jamming,

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| February 2012

band labs, barn dances, calling classes, and winter fun. Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, 7409 Icicle Rd, Leavenworth. Info: icicle.org. Compassionate Friends, 2/20, 7 p.m. Sharing meeting for all those who have lost a child of any age. Grace Lutheran Church, 1408 Washington St. Info: Carol 6659987. Planning for Social Security and Medicare, 2/21, 7 p.m. How do I find out if I have enough assets to retire? Will these assets last as long as I live? What about Social Security? Medicare? This workshop is designed to help you know that you can retire, and everything you need to know about Social Security and Medicare to give you what you need when you need it. Wenatchee Valley College Campus, Sexton Hall, room 6017. Cost: $45. Info: 6826900 or wvc.edu/directory/departments/conted/defaults.asp. Environmental Film Series: The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, 2/21, 7 p.m. This hopeful film brings to light how a small island nation responded to a sudden drop in oil supplies. When Cuba’s hefty subsidies of oil, food and other goods ceased after the Soviet Union collapsed and the U.S. tightened its embargo, Cubans experienced intermittent electric power, very limited public and private transportation, lack of available parts to fix farm machinery, and a corresponding drop in food production. But Cuba bounced back. This inspiring 53-minute film offers a living model of sustainability as Cubans

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tell the remarkable story of their nation’s recovery and its transition to organic agriculture, renewable energy, effective mass transit, lowered consumption and better health. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $5 donation suggested. Play Again: What Are the Consequences of a Childhood Removed from Nature?, 2/24, 7 p.m. A film that explores the changing balances between the virtual and natural worlds. The Barn at Barn Beach Reserve. Info: barnbeachreserve.org. Prism DaNce Theatre, 2/24, 7 p.m. Sonia Dawkins presents a company of multi-ethnic dancers trained in classical ballet as well as movement techniques established by some of the masters of modern dance — Martha Graham, Lester Horton, and José Limon. She then infuses the exacting beauty of these disciplines with the texture and expressiveness of dance and music from around the world. The results are visually moving, emotionally compelling, and wide-ranging in style and effect. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $15 adults, $12 students and seniors or $18 at the door. Info: pacwen.org.

middle-aged baseball fanatic who trades his soul to the devil for a chance to lead his favorite team in the pennant race against the New York Yankees, only to realize the true worth of the life (and wife) he’s left behind. Filled with hit songs like Whatever Lola Wants and You Gotta Have Heart, this show is a musical comedy home run. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $40 adults, $37 seniors, $32 students 16 and under. Info: pacwen. org. Dessert Fundraiser, 2/29, 7 p.m. Wenatchee High School’s Journalism Booster Club, J-Boosters, is holding its annual dessert fundraiser. Kim Kircher, author of The Next 15 Minutes, is the featured speaker. Kim will talk about lessons learned while serving as ski patroller and avalanche control technician at Crystal Mountain, one of seven ski resorts owned by her family. A limited number of copies of her book will be available for sale at the fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting the journalism program at WHS. Wenatchee Masonic Center, 811 N Wen. Ave. Cost: $10 advanced purchase preferred. Info: Jackie Fergusson 662-1285.

Wenatchee Chamber Banquet, 3/1, 5:30 p.m. No host bar, entertainment, dinner, raffle and silent auction. Convention Center. Cost: $42. Info: 662-2116. Foodways and Byways: the Story of Food in NC Washington, 3/2, 7 p.m. In the half-hour video, people of Latino, Tribal and European descent share stories of past and present food harvest, processing and distribution practices that work. Through a tapestry of music, video and photographs viewers hear from oldtimers what worked and from young people why it matters. First-hand interviews show how growing, harvesting and sharing food strengthens community and family bonds. Video will be followed by Q&A discussion. The Barn at Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth. Info: barnbeachreserve. org.

Go Readers of Chelan County PUD’s Lightly e-newsletter know:

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Polar Plunge, 3/3. Take a dip in the ice waters of the Columbia at Walla Walla Point Park and help raise funds and win prizes. Proceeds help Special Olympics Washington. Info: wenatcheeplunge2012. kintera.org/faf/home/default. asp?ievent=1001410.

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Secrets of the Shrub Steppe, 2/25, 10 a.m. Explore the special adaptations of plants and animals that inhabit the arid landscape of the Columbia Plateau. Find out what coyotes eat, unravel the mysteries of animal tracking, inhale the aroma of sage and pine, dissect an owl pellet, and learn which critters are active in the dark. Hear and identify bird songs and take home handouts with information about local birds. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $5 adults, $4 seniors, $2 kids 6-12. Info: wenatcheewa.gov.

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Hog Loppet Ski Trek, 2/25, 7:30 a.m. Non-competitive 30km-Ski Trek starts at Mission Ridge Ski resort ending at Blewett Pass. Cost: $40+. Info: skileavenworth.com. Stars On Ice, 2/26, 4 p.m. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

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Harlem Globetrotters, 2/27, 7 p.m. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Facebook.com/LightlyNewsAndTips

Damn Yankees, 2/28, 4 p.m. & 8 p.m. This is the story of a 1950’s February 2012 | The Good Life

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column those were the days

rod molzahn

Partying in winter ’til the sun comes up Historian Rod Molzahn is taking some time off from writing his monthly column to work on his book. He’ll be back with a new column in the next issue. This is a revised column that originally ran in 2007.

Celebrations and entertain-

ment were essential to the early settlers of North Central Washington. Demanding, physical work filled their days and danger and hardships were always part of pioneer life. Any opportunity for a respite from daily demands, be it a birth, a birthday, a wedding or a holiday was enthusiastically seized, often turning a family event into a community celebration. Winter’s colder, darker and shorter days only heightened the need for entertainments and diversions. Dances, music and good food brought people together indoors while sleigh rides, sledding and skating topped the list of outdoor offerings. Farm horses pulled wagons on runners, filled with giggling children, through the winter snow and homemade wooden sleds plied the hills and slopes from Wenatchee to Waterville. But there was nothing more grand than the sight of a matched team and a sleigh gliding through a glistening field, seats full with a family wrapped in long coats, hats and gloves, scarves over their noses and chins while the harness bells kept a bright rhythm. Each year as winter began to settle into the Wenatchee valley children and adults waited for the river ice to get thick enough for skating. It was not unusual for the Columbia to freeze from

When the Columbia River froze at Wenatchee, a horse drawn scraper was used to smooth the ice and give kids and adults a fine skating rink. Photo around 1900. Photo from Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center #85-0214

shore to shore. Ice was harvested from the river and the cable ferry couldn’t operate. George Blair recalled driving his wagon and team across the ice. A two-horse team pulled an eight-foot wide scraper to smooth a section of the river at Wenatchee for Building snow creatures and sledding have long been skaters. During popular with kids in winter. Hazel Somerville poses with most winters her snowman around 1900. Notice her wooden sled. Photo the Wenatchee from Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center #96-87-15 froze over at the confluence providing ideal skatMike Horan was the official ice ing from bank to bank. tester. The Horans lived along

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| February 2012

the north shore of the Wenatchee at the confluence and each winter everyone waited, no one skated, until Mike Horan successfully crossed the frozen river on horseback. A winter dance and party would draw settlers from surrounding towns and outlying farms. Violins, banjos, harmonicas, guitars and pianos made the music. In Wenatchee the parties at the Horan house were eagerly looked forward to. The gas lights burned bright, Mike Horan played his violin and everyone sang. Dancing began in the early evening dark and went on from room to room until dawn. Julia Simmons remembered dances on Badger Mountain. “Everybody danced, from grandmas to infants. “About once a week one of the neighbors would entertain. Each family would bring its own eats. There was dancing and singing until morning. “We couldn’t go home until daylight, in the winter especially, because there were no lights to show us the landmarks.” Okanogan and Big Bend settlers were famous for their fiveand 10-gallon parties, named for the amount of whiskey available at the gathering. A 10-gallon party always drew a big crowd. Another popular winter entertainment for North Central Washington communities during the early 1900s was Chelan rancher, King Kennedy. Kennedy was an accomplished magician and ventriloquist who performed in towns from Wenatchee to Conconully and into British Columbia.

But all the audience, young and old, were mesmerized by Kennedy’s magic lantern shows, the first moving pictures ever seen in North Central Washington. King Kennedy amazed his audiences with card tricks, dis-

appearing coins and appearing rabbits. He had three ventriloquist dummies named Punch, Judy and Mortimer that astounded the children by talking. But all the audience, young and old, were mesmerized by Kennedy’s magic lantern shows, the first moving pictures ever seen in North Central Washington. The highlight of winter was, of course, the Christmas season. There was no finer opportunity for celebration. You could find it in Wenatchee in a house full of neighbors sit-

ting down to roast chicken and venison, fresh baked bread, carrots and potatoes from the root cellar, canned peaches from Sam Miller’s orchard, a little peach Brandy from Phillip Miller and Dutch John Galler’s Malaga wine. Or you could find Christmas at a two-room cabin in Yaxum Canyon warmed by a cook stove, filled with the sound of a harmonica playing The Holly and the Ivy. In 1887 Christmas in Waterville saw 400 people from the town and surrounding ranches along with local Indians gath-

ered in the community hall to celebrate the holiday with songs and games, dances, food, family and friends.

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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.

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

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Author, author

FUN STUFF // check out these activities

5 reasons to venture out Does the fun never end?

Of course not. People are always up to something, and often you’re invited over to partake of what that “something” is. In other words, here’s another month with more local activities than you could imagine. For a full listing of what’s available, check out our listings beginning on page 26.Here are a few that caught our fancy:

What a bunch of characters Yes, they

were our founding ancestors, but they were also real people, warts and all. The museum is presenting Living History: People of Our Past with local actors portraying real people from Wenatchee-area history. Characters are Fern Prowell, first Apple Blossom queen; A.Z. Wells, hardware store owner and philanthropist; Dr. Minnie Simmons, early female physician; Conrad Rose, early apple marketer and shipper; and Pete Wheeler, controversial sheriff. Listen to their stories and ask them questions about their

how to beat wall street

lives. Saturday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: donation. Info: wvmcc.org.

A show of home ideas

If your “honey-do” list is drying up, or you’ve decided this is the year to upgrade your living environment, check out the NCHBA Home Show, Friday through Sunday, Feb. 10-12, at the Town Toyota Center. Workshops, free ice skating, master gardeners, discount coupons from participating sponsors and vendors. Info: www.nchba.cc.

What would George drink?

In honor of America’s first brewing president, George Washington, the Great Washington Porter Festival will set’em up over President’s Day Weekend. Taste different porter-style beers from a number of Washington and Alaska breweries. No admission charge. Live music. 21 and over only. Dog friendly. Noon to midnight, Feb. 17-19, Columbia Valley Brewing Company, 538 Riverside Drive, Wenatchee. Info: Alan Moen, email at alanmoen@nwi.net.

Ready for baseball? Spring

training for professional baseball is a little more than a month away, but if you can’t wait for your hardball fix — or you appreciate the revival in musical theater, check out Damn Yankees, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the PAC. This is the story of a 1950’s middle-aged baseball fanatic who trades his soul to the devil for a chance to lead his favorite team in the pennant race against the New York Yankees, only to realize the true worth of the life he’s left behind. Cost: $40 adults, $37 seniors, $32 students 16 and under. Info: pacwen.org.

Darren Fischer, a 1993 Eastmont grad, is hosting a free seminar on trading stocks Wednesday, Feb 8, at Chateau Faire Le Pont Winery in Wenatchee. The seminar is aimed at people who want to learn how to trade stocks like a professional and beat Wall Street while they’re at it. Attendees will receive a free copy of Maverick Trading — co-authored by Darren. Darren, who began trading stocks while a U.S. Marine, is a professional trader with Maverick Trading, headquartered in Salt Lake City. Darren said he and fellow co-authors “stripped out all the esoteric terms that Wall Street hides behind and produced a book with understandable, recognizable, and even humorous examples to teach key concepts necessary for a successful career in trading.” As an example, he quotes the first paragraph of the first chapter: “We don’t care if you ignore every other chapter in this book and get your trading ideas by sacrificing a goat under the light of a full moon. If you don’t make a commitment, right here and right now, to developing and following a comprehensive and methodical risk management strategy, please put this book down, walk over a few aisles, pick up Roulette for Idiots, and plan your next trip to Las Vegas.” Preregister required at mavericktrading.com/events.php.

Hometown Radio 34

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