Good Live November 2012

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NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE

November 2012

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Contents

page 34

Nature journalist heather wallis murphy Features

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oh, boy! fish camp

Outdoor sports writer Dave Graybill takes a break by fishing all morning and feeding all afternoon

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ground pilots

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RUNNING A LONG, LONG WAY

13th Annual

Open House

Some airplane flyers prefer to keep two feet on the ground

Sunday, Nov. 4, 12-5

Jane Davis was a young widow with a grieving heart. Then she discovered the healing power of ultra distance running

16 surprised by cambodia

Tom Warren and friends travel to a world heritage site in Cambodia

18 have gun, will shoot

Six-shooters strapped to their legs, rifles at the ready, the Marshalls stroll the street of Fort Aimless in East Wenatchee

20 pet pix

Is that a child in the dog’s house?

21 DOUG knows why giving is great

Doug Morger helps with several local charities — and he has a special history to understand how important such help is

22 on the bike again

Pedalling to San Diego from Chelan, dodging traffic, sleeping in a tent, watching the waves roll along the coastline

24 The Wright house

Grandmother Helen Welty’s love of an early America home style is lovingly preserved and enhanced

ART SKETCH

n Actor and singer John Ryan, page 39 Columns & Departments 29 Bonnie Orr: Carrots add color and taste to plate 30 The traveling doctor: Do you need a yearly physical?

32 June Darling: Why saying ‘Thanks!’ is good for you 34-39 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 40 History: Population explosion in the 1880s 42 Alex Saliby: State’s wine grapes travel well November 2012 | The Good Life

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OPENING SHOT

®

Year 6, Number 11 November 2012 The Good Life is published by NCW Good Life, LLC, dba The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 PHONE: (509) 888-6527 EMAIL: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

sales@ncwgoodlife.com ONLINE: www.ncwgoodlife.com FACEBOOK: facebook.com/pages/ The-Good-Life Editor/Publisher, Mike Cassidy Contributors, Marek Pasic, Dave Graybill, Jane Davis, Tom and Mary Ann Warren, Lief Carlsen, R.O.Schons, Autumn Doucet, Donna Cassidy, Bonnie Orr, Alex Saliby, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin and Rod Molzahn Advertising sales, John Hunter, Lianne Taylor and Donna Cassidy Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Dianne Cornell Ad design, Rick Conant TO SUBSCRIBE: For $25, ($30 out of state address) you can have 12 issues of The Good Life mailed to you or a friend. Send payment to: The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 Phone 888-6527 Online: www.ncwgoodlife.com To subscribe/renew by email, send credit card info to: donna@ncwgoodlife.com BUY A COPY of The Good Life at Hastings, Caffé Mela (Wenatchee and East Wenatchee), Walgreens (Wenatchee and East Wenatchee), the Wenatchee Food Pavilion, Mike’s Meats, Martin’s Market Place (Cashmere) and A Book for All Seasons (Leavenworth)

Looking to the glory of nature M

arek Pasic became a serious photographer four years ago but considers himself an amateur — one who still thrills at seeing and capturing a place and a moment.

He writes about his experience in taking the above photo: I took this picture two years ago while exploring the magical landscape of the Enchantments.

To me, the journey up Aasgard Pass was akin to the experiences in my everyday life.

Stubbornly carrying a tripod — that I never use — and other gear

that only seemed to come along to weigh me down. I took all that gear with the goal of making the experience richer once I got to where I was going, yet all that gear was giving me the burden of carrying it and not letting me breathe easy and experience the world around me.

It wasn’t until I laid my burdens down and relaxed the body and mind could I really see and open my awareness and presence to the glory of nature around me; it simply feels like the world is a lighter place when the mind isn’t clouded with heavy thoughts.

With the clear vision of fresh eyes in the early morning mist, and camera in hand, I had a moment with nature that was the true experience I was seeking. Pictures of

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

Send your idea to Mike Cassidy at editor@ncwgoodlife.com

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

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| November 2012

the moment came to me with no struggle of control, and the earth played its song with perfection.

With a calm breath and openness to seeing the world the way it is, and not the way my thoughts perceive it, I was able to really be there at the present moment, no worries of the past or anxiety for the future, just the now — the present that is given to all of us.

The realization to be and then see was what I walked away with from that trip.

On the cover

Del Herring holds an electric powered T-28 remote-controlled plane that weighs about five pounds in a photo taken by editor Mike Cassidy.

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Locally Owned!

Celebrating 30 years of service to NCW!

341 Grant Road www.localtel.net

Bethlehem

November 29 - December 2 600 N. Western, Wenatchee Doors open at 5:30pm and close at 8:30pm.

Reserved ticket times are available online, but are not required.

Anyone arriving before 8:30pm will be able to attend.

This event is FREE! Dress appropriately for the weather.

Refreshments will be served.

Experience it...

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

A taste of the weird on the road Chelan residents Lief and

888-8888

Journey to

>>

Learn more at:

www.J2BWENATCHEE.ORG

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Mary Carlsen are back in the saddle — the bike saddle, that is, as the couple are again pedalling across America.

Lief wrote a story in the very first issue of The Good Life (“Getting up to speed for ‘The Big Ride’ across the country,” June 2007) about their tandem ride across the northern states.

He and Mary have now cycled the Pacific coast to San Diego, and are currently crossing the southern states to Florida.

Along the way, they often tent in state parks — where a night’s stay only costs $5 a person and comes with hot showers.

Of course, writes Lief in an email, “Bicycle tourists are not the only people to take advantage of this generous offer.

“There was this rather unique guy with which we shared the hiker/biker campground at Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground.

Pfeiffer has a dark and somewhat mysterious ambiance to begin with because of the massive redwood trees that block most of the sunlight from the forest floor.

“When we arrived the only other occupant was a fellow dressed in a flowing black robe and wearing a tall, conical hat.

Picture a sorcerer from a Disney animated feature. He tended a very smoky campfire, which I at first mistook for a steaming cauldron.

“He may well have been nothing more than a harmless eccentric but Mary and I were a little uneasy about the prospect of spending a night in that creepy place with him sleeping nearby so we were much relieved when several other bicycle campers

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arrived just as darkness fell.”

I’m a lucky guy — June Darling hosted the first Good Life U event with people from the pages of The Good Life last month — with laughs and insights.

June introduced Don Senn, whom she wrote about in the September issue, by saying he has had a too long list of medical ailments, but still looks on the brighter side of life.

One way of staying “up” is having friends to rely on, said Don, and offered this advice for building that support: Don’t wait for trouble to strike and then expect others to help you. Rather help others first, and then they will be there for you.

“Don dropped by one afternoon,” related one his neighbors who was in the audience, “to say a quick, ‘Hi!,” and the next thing I know he spends three hours hammering nails on my deck project.”

At the end of Don’s segment, a person asked Don to repeat one of his favorite phrases, and he did by saying, “I’m a lucky guy!”

We all have troubles, but unless you are reading this copy of The Good Life around a campfire in the hobo jungle, you are — in the big picture — likely a lucky person, too. Being aware of your good fortune will make you healthier and happier.

Speaking of which, the power of gratitude is June’s next Good Life U topic, Nov. 7. See page 33.

A road trip is a success when you see what you wouldn’t see by staying at home. Expect the unexpected in The Good Life.

— Mike

“The play’s the

thing,” they say — or at least someone once said. If you like live stage entertainment, you have three fun choices this month.

Or, you can have the first taste of local wines, run off your turkey day calories, dress up in style or take in all sorts of other fun.

Here’s a look at a few of the activities on the calendar in the month ahead:

WHAT TO DO

Man of La Mancha — The story of the mad knight, Don Quixote, as a play within a play, performed by Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-3.

Riverside Playhouse. Info: mtow. org. (See an art sketch on singer/ actor John Ryan, page 39.)

see COMPLETE LISTINGs BEGINning ON PAGE 35 At 7:30 p.m. on 11/8,9,10,14,15,16 & 17 and 2:30 p.m. on 11/10 & 17.

Festival of Trees — The an-

Phantom of the Opera, , 7:30

p.m. 2 p.m. 11/10 & 17. Wenatchee High School choral department will perform the most successful musical of all time with a central plot revolving around a beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius. Wenatchee High School Auditorium. Tickets: 888-0780.

November 2012 | The Good Life

nual fundraiser for the Performing Arts Center includes wildly decorated trees, a Little Black Dress Party, the Gala Dinner and Live Auction and Sundaes with Santa. Performing Arts Center. Info: 663-2787. Friday through Sunday, Nov. 16-18 at the PAC. Turkey on the Run — Featur-

ing a 12k, 5k and kids run. The two longer distances are open for walkers. All the events start and finish at Rotary Park on the western outskirts of Wenatchee.

Canned foods will be collected for local food banks. Proceeds from the event also benefit the

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Women’s Resource Center in Wenatchee. Cost: $25 for the 5k, $35 for the 12k. Kids run is free. Info: runwenatchee.com. Starting 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22.

Fall Barrel Tasting — Try wines from the barrel before bottling. Samples and other treats at various wineries in Wenatchee and Chelan. Info: wenatcheewines.com and lakechelan.com. Friday through Sunday, Nov. 23-25.

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre — The Science of Murder

— an interactive murder mystery where you solve the crime.

Courses of a full three-course meal are served between acts of a comedy murder/farce. Clearwater Steakhouse and Saloon.

East Wenatchee. Cost: $30. Info: Cynthia Brown 670-8233. 8 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 30.

Three days at ‘Fish Camp’ Ah, the sweet joys of being an outdoors writer

By Dave Graybill

In September there is an an-

nual gathering in the Columbia River Gorge called “Fish Camp.”

Held at an RV park near the bridge at Biggs, it is attended by outdoor writers and broadcasters, plus representatives from companies that produce outdoor products.

I attended my first Fish Camp last fall, and found that organizer Ed Iman had a great formula for making the event a success.

He uses guided fishing trips for bait. Those that attend receive free fishing tackle and other products to get the outdoor journalists coming back year after year.

When I arrived and saw the layout, I realized why the event was named Fish Camp. There was a large canvas covered shack, where the meals were prepared and a long line of tents strewn across the lawn.

I soon saw some familiar faces.

John Kruse, a Wenatchee area broadcaster and police officer, had arrived the day before and was chatting with an old friend of mine, Terry Sheely, who has been writing for outdoor newspapers and magazines for decades.

We first met when I was writing headlines for Fishing and Hunting News back in the ’70s.

These two were the first of over a dozen writers, broadcasters and website developers that I would meet over the three days I spent there.

Ed Iman soon spotted me and welcomed me with instructions where to settle in. He pointed

out the row of tents and said that there would be sleeping bags and air mattresses in each of them.

He pointed out the cook shack and said lunch would be ready soon and that there were snacks already available on the tables.

Sure enough, there was smoked salmon, smoked sausage, assorted crackers, nuts and other treats from one end of the long table to the other. I could tell I wasn’t going to starve.

I strolled down to a likely looking tent and ran into a fellow camper. He said I should be able to have a tent to myself (yeah!) and that there was a shower and restroom nearby.

I noticed he was wearing a curious necklace and asked him about it.

He explained it was a good set of earplugs, and that I was going to need them. You see there was a railroad track right at the edge of the camp. Also, the grade down the hill to the Biggs Bridge is a main route for the trucks carrying cargo into Oregon and the staccato of their jake brakes can be heard in the valley 24/7.

As I was unloading my overnight bag from my truck, I noticed some commotion near the cook shack. A couple of rigs pulling boats had pulled in and the occupants were piling steelhead onto a table for cleaning. They had just returned from fishing the Deschutes River, and had an impressive catch of bright steelhead.

When I walked over to admire their catch, I also talked to writers that had been fishing for walleye, smallmouth bass,

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A morning on the river, the afternoon back at camp for great lunch goodie bags. Heaven for an outdoor writer.

Chinook salmon and sturgeon that morning. Each evening Ed talked to the journalists and product representatives about their fishing preference and then divided them among the different guides.

This gave us the opportunity to get some great material for future articles and we also got to spend time with the people that had brought products to the camp.

I also noticed a group of people gathered around tables opposite the cook shack. I wandered over and found someone handing out goodie bags.

These weren’t party favors.

They were filled with high quality flashlights, headlamps, folding knives and multi-tools.

The table was also filled with boxes of plugs, lures and other tackle that was there for the taking. It was also covered with bait cures, crab scents and other prepared bait. This table would be available to us the whole time we were there. We just grabbed

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“Look boys, are we here to catch fish or take %$#&^ pictures?

I want rods in the water at all times.” what we wanted.

After a great meal we all retired to our tents. I had my fishing assignment. I was to meet Herb Good for a salmon fishing trip early the next morning. I didn’t have any trouble sleeping until my alarm went off at 5 a.m. I wolfed down the prepared breakfast, made some sandwiches from the huge variety of lunchmeats, cheeses and snacks laid out for us and hit the road for Hood River to meet Herb.

It isn’t easy getting a spot on Herb’s boat. He has quite a reputation as a salmon angler.

Some say he is the best there is on the Columbia River. Others

say he is the best salmon angler anywhere.

He really showed off on our trip. We ran across the river from the boat basin in Hood River, where Herb lives, and joined a fleet of boats at the mouth of the White Salmon River.

Herb gave some serious ribbing to the writers he had fished with before, and just how serious he is about salmon fishing became apparent when the first fish was hooked.

When “fish on” was announced, the boatload of journalists all scrambled for their still or video cameras and jostled for position to get shots.

When the fish was in the net, Herb turned to us and stated emphatically, “Look boys, are we here to catch fish or take %$#&^ pictures? I want rods in the water at all times. I don’t want one fish on. I want two or three when they’re biting. You take pictures at the dock.”

We all meekly stowed our

gear and made sure we followed Herb’s directions after that. It paid off, too. We ended up with 12 kings at the end of the day.

The following morning I got to fish with Mike Gibney for smallmouth bass. He’s from the Portland area and a tournament bass angler. We put his boat in above The Dalles Dam, ran across the river and were into fish immediately.

We caught over 30 smallmouth in a matter of just a few hours that morning. Mike knew how to catch them and where to find them on the Columbia in the Gorge.

He was very generous with his time and I learned a great deal about his methods for taking bass in the fall.

In the fall baby shad are thick in the river. We used drop shot rigs with shad-like baits, or cast shad imitation plugs to get strikes from the smallmouth bass.

We beat it back to camp in time to get another one of the great lunches served up hot and fresh.

I had to leave camp early, as I was headed on to the Oregon Coast to do some salmon fishing for an episode for my cable TV program.

That’s life, I guess. You can’t be at Fish Camp all of the time, sometimes you have to actually work for a living.

Dave Graybill is the owner of FishingMagician.COM LLC that provides fishing information on this region through newspaper, radio, video broadcast and website. To learn more or contact Dave, log onto FishingMagician.com.

>> RANDOM QUOTE

Never take life seriously.

Nobody gets out alive anyways.

Anonymous November 2012 | The Good Life

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‘When you have a good flight, everybody cheers — and when you crash, everybody’s there to pick up the pieces and help you through the grieving process.’

Flights of fancy

By Susan Lagsdin

S

ome sounds of our past can ring collective memory bells: The gurgle of percolator coffee, the snap of a woodstove fire, the clank of a tetherball chain in an empty schoolyard, and for some the distant, earnest drone of a radio controlled (RC) model airplane, its gasoline engine laboring into the wind.

Perhaps it’s a new plane, watched anxiously by a father and son squinting into the sky on a Saturday morning at the edge of an unused pasture.

Not every boy who loved flying took the controls of an RC plane in his youth. Del Herring, a long-time resident of Wenatchee, waited until his maturity.

In 2002, he knew some personal renovation was due after many years of business and family taking precedence in his life.

Facing both retirement and knee surgeries, he also needed a constructive, low-impact hobby to see him through the year.

His early love of model plane building and a later crop dusting job at 17, followed naturally by a pilot’s license, whetted his taste for airplanes of all kinds. So, later in life, a friend’s invitation to fly an RC plane lead Del to an anxious first flight but a satisfying second wind hobby that’s been as engrossing as a job and a whole lot more fun.

For many boys who became men and many of them pilots, the love of model airplanes has never vanished — and it can grow from hobby to a hard-core addiction, albeit one that is so All-American wholesome it’s hard to fault.

Technology has recently allowed big aircraft, some with 10-foot wingspans with a 55-pound legal weight limit, into the RC game — and jets, helicopters, stunt planes and gliders have their fans.

Any flyer, novice or experienced, can be dazzled by the options. Low priced “foamies” — lightweight and almost indestructible — are easy to purchase and fly for practice, for learning, for fooling around with stunts or in inclement weather.

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Del Herring remembers seeing the full-sized twin engine Beechcraft D-18 in flight when he was a young man. Now, he owns this radio controlled version, which weighs 51 pounds and has two 38cc gas engines.

It also has flaps and retractable landing gear, along with two pilots in the cockpit and real curtains in the windows.

“Almost-ready-to-fly” packages from hobby dealers offer a plane body that can be outfitted with one’s own choice of engine and receiver/transmitter system. Or, as little as $250 can purchase a small totally “readyto-fly” aircraft fully assembled and complete with engine and electronics.

But the gold standard of many veteran flyers continues to be that vital process many of them loved as kids: actually building and outfitting their small precisely-proportioned planes over the course of weeks or even months, from a kit with hundreds of balsawood — and now plastic — pieces. And then watching the final project soar.

In our area, radio-control plane pilots are drawn a few miles east of Pangborn Field to the home base of Red Apple Flyers, considered, said Del, one of the top five sites in the nation. It offers an asphalt runway, new | The Good Life

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taxiway, tended greens, spacious clubhouse and 30 campsites for out-of-area aficionados who travel here for East Wenatchee’s enviable wind and weather.

The men (it is predominately men, though women are welcomed) who fly RC planes at the club fly for different reasons. They may be living again a time of their own, or simply enjoying the immediate thrill as they trace the distant glint of a plane against Badger Mountain’s horizon.

Del, an enthusiastic spokesman for Red Apple Flyers, has commandeered a sizable chunk of his own home’s daylight basement for building, repairing, renovating, researching and storing his own collection of 21 RC craft.

But he still spends hours each week at the field, not only flying but enjoying the camaraderie, tending club grounds and, as secre-

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tary, tending to club business.

“Sure, all of us love flying our planes, but sometimes we just come up because we know other people will be here. Some days we fly; last week a couple of us spent the whole day just working on the lawns,” said Del. His friend and a founding member of the organization, Mickey Moore, agreed that the hobby can become an obsession and added, “When you’re in a plane, you get the thrill of flying.

But now, I get to see the plane itself, see how it really moves through the air. And I pilot it vicariously — as if I was in it myself.”

Del and Mickey each fly “scale planes” — meticulously authenticated models of actual individual aircraft from the past.

In competitions they need to show the provenance of their original with three photographs, and then are judged on dozens of criteria, from paint color to serial number to rivets. The details of the planes are perfected in winter. Taxiing, take-off, flying, turning and landing — all with realistic precision — are the constant challenges, and the pleasure, during warm weather months.

Of the club’s 150 enrolled members (up from 43 when the site was smaller and less developed) 20 percent are considered active, those who vote at monthly meetings and generally plan and execute the year’s five or six programs, including nationallyrecognized competitions.

“It’s the same as any group

Mickey Moore holds a “foamy” on the smooth paved runway, which is one of the reasons the Red Apple Flyers’ facility is one of the best in the U.S.

— people join for all kinds if different reasons,” explained Del. “Some pilots travel here and camp for a week and then leave; some have been with the club for 30 years.”

RC flying is an intensely egalitarian sport at Red Apple Flyers.

Plane styles (and prices),

November 2012 | The Good Life

awards and expertise don’t separate the members; they make mentorship and apprenticeship a natural factor.

Mickey said it this way, “When you have a good flight, everybody cheers — and when you crash, everybody’s there to pick up the pieces and help you

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through the grieving process.”

If terms like “flying the plane” and “pilot” sound slightly disingenuous, know that these folks are serious about their craft.

Del reflected, “This is much harder than actually flying a full-size airplane — you can’t feel, see and react in the normal time — everything happens faster and beyond your immediate control.”

He does admit, however, “The stakes are a little higher for the pilot in a real plane.” (He goes on to explain that the Red Apple Flyers are flying real planes also — they just don’t sit in them.)

Del’s traveled as far as Pennsylvania to pick up a trailer full of planes (“I don’t fly them all — I buy, sell and trade all the time,” he said) and he and his flying friends are alert to shows and competitions around the country, sometimes traveling in tandem to where they know old flying buddies are gathered.

The buzz and hum of small engines (ranging “from weedwacker to motorbike” as Del described them) at Red Apple Flyers is no less real than the roar of the daily flights out of nearby Pangborn.

Beechcraft, Piper Cub, Lear jet or B52, whatever the model, whatever the size, it can stoke a competitive nature or evoke the romance of a past era of flight and memories of piloting.

Maybe the flyers become kids again, watching and listening with awe as the new model plane soars skyward over a wide-open field.

GOING LONG Running 75km (46 miles) in a day along winding roads through villages of Kenya was to help African girls get an education — and to remember what an amazing blessing life is

By Jane Davis

I was feeling really good as I was nearing

the 21km aid station.

It was barely 8 a.m. and while the African sun had spread over the plains hours ago, the temperature remained comfortable as I ran the course over rough roads that dipped and climbed. Only 54km to go.

Village children kept coming out to greet me and encourage me to keep going.

At this point the six of us — ultra marathon runners from several nations competing in the second annual Amazing Maasai Ultra Marathon — begin to spread out and I had only a few local people running beside me.

One young girl about 15 became my running buddy and she had such beautiful poise and determination she alone gave me great hope for the future of Africa and Maasai girls.

Her name was Grace and she had such determination that I became a fading object in her personal rear view mirror.

I was in Africa the end of September, running a 75km course at the base of Mount Kenya to help raise money for the education of girls from the Maasai tribe.

But really, I was there for my own sanity.

At the 42km aid station I caught up with three of the international runners who were hurting a bit but still smiling and ready to take on the final 33km.

None of us had seen any of the Kenyan Ultra Runners and it wasn’t surprising that the winner finished in just under six hours — basically at the point we were just leaving the

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Top: Jane Davis heads to the finish line with one of the race founders, Paul Lebeneyio. Her daughter, Jayna, runs along with her mom.

Left: Jane is happy to be at the finish with three other international runners.

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Although my feet felt fabulous, my legs were hating life and the 10km to the next aid station were excruciating.

42km aid station.

The female who finished was a mom of my age, spoke no English and had never run before but had been practicing.

Despite the village talk that she was crazy, she finished in just over six hours, which made me giggle, smile and realize why Kenyans have such an advantage when it comes to running.

Once the four of us took off again the sun was beating down, there was absolutely no shade and my compression socks were now a lovely shade of brown.

We began to spread out and I was still feeling pretty good so managed to pull ahead of two of the other runners and it became apparent that I was in solitude with the beauty of the Maasai Mara shortly thereafter.

The next 33km would be on my own. But instead of feeling alone and fearful, I felt at peace with a strong internal desire to dig deep and stay strong.

As I ran along the desolate winding roads I passed through villages and at times plenty of

Jayna has fun participating in a traditional Maasai dance.

Quincy and Jane: Running helps with the pain of his death.

elephant dung, which put me on high alert that elephants must be close by.

By this time the sun was cook-

November 2012 | The Good Life

ing and the aid stations couldn’t come soon enough.

When they did appear it was such a relief and time for salt replacement, refilling water into the camel back, additional sunscreen application and Vaseline for the chafing under my arms and my back where the pack had rubbed away the skin, as well as some icy hot to provide some relief to overworked hamstrings and quads.

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Although my feet felt fabulous, my legs were hating life and the 10km to the next aid station were excruciating.

At this point in a long, long race, it is a complete mental game as the body wants to sit down and sleep — so a war begins between the side of the brain that wants to give up and the side that neurotically won’t have anything to do with quitting.

Fortunately for me, the latter side of the brain is dominant and persistent enough to win.

}}} Continued on next page

Going long }}} Continued from previous page Still, it wasn’t easy.

The aid station that made my whole journey complete was at 65km when I saw my daughter’s hair bouncing about and I knew my family was there to greet me and give me the energy to carry on.

Jayna’s joy when she saw her mom come up the hill made my heart leap as she is a girl and because of where she was born she is privileged to be educated, unlike many girls in Africa.

Jayna is such a blessing in my life and her ability to wait so long to see her mommy racing for the empowerment of other girls made me proud. Her presence gave me the strength to push through those final 10km and finish strong.

I haven’t always been an ultra runner — in fact, I haven’t always been a runner with a sense of purpose.

I was a pretty average runof-the-mill athlete completing a marathon and a couple half marathons a year to maintain fitness, but never gave it much thought.

That all changed when my husband Quincy died of prostate cancer at the age of 43 on Feb. 7, 2010.

All of a sudden I was not only a widow at 36, but also the

Jayna, left, meets her mom at the 65km aid station. “Seeing her waiting for mama was a wonderful way to gain energy for the final 10km,” said Jane.

single mom of a two-year-old daughter and in a split second I lost all sense of direction. My mind was telling me to crawl into a hole, shut out the world and get lost in the oblivion with the help of drugs and alcohol… after all what’s the point?

However, with an active two year old that was proving to be impossible. And, deep down, I knew Quincy wanted more for me.

Before he died, I was training for the Marin County Marathon that supports athletes for a cure and the drive to find a cure for prostate cancer. The marathon was in April and once I lost my purpose I lost all desire to train.

Fortunately, I have some pretty amazing and headstrong

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I’m connected to my spiritual being when I’m listening to the rhythm of my footsteps. friends who encouraged me to not give in to the heartbreak but to lace up my runners and participate in memory of Quincy, and so I did, cussing and crumbling every step of the way.

But when I crossed the finish line I knew that entire emotional process that I experienced was truly when the healing began.

The funny thing is I wanted more.

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| November 2012

Running was helping with the healing and I was thankful, but I knew for my heart to actually thrive I needed a new way to channel my creativity and my passion and that is when I decided to run my first ultra run.

Ultra running is devoted to covering the sport of long distance running, also known as ultra marathoning. How far is “a long distance?” The standard definition is anything past the marathon, or 26.2 miles.

However, the shortest standard distance that is considered an ultra is the 50 kilometer distance, or 31.07 miles. Other standard distances are the 50-mile, 100-mile, 100-km, and a series of events that last for specified time periods such as six hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and six days.

In October 2010 I ran my first ultra marathon stage race in Costa Rica. The race spanned five days and was extremely challenging stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean — a course of 125km.

I have never cried so much and so hard in my life… not only because of the challenges I was facing on the course but also it was the first time I had allowed myself to truly mourn since Quincy had died eight months earlier.

In those mountains and valleys of Costa Rica, running in isolation, I found the strength and the spiritual rebirth to let go and start to really feel my loss.

The dam was broken and in the Costa Rican jungles I had

“That’s the thing about running: your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is.” finally found my sense of direction.

Finding my stride and the confidence to complete such rigorous challenges that define ultra running is how I maintain my sanity.

I am most at peace in the solitude of beautiful places and I’m connected to my spiritual being when I’m listening to the rhythm of my footsteps.

My running has now become a way to express myself and clearly define what makes me tick, the issues I’m passionate about and how I have chosen to make a difference.

My journey to Kenya was ignited by my friend Dawn and her determined 13-year-old daughter, Winter. Dawn also lost her husband Michael at 40 to prostate cancer and she is now raising four children on her own.

Prior to Michael’s death they formed Team Winter to raise awareness about prostate cancer through running and triathlons.

Winter has pledged to run a marathon on every continent to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research and ultimately a cure. Kenya and the Amazing Maasai Ultra Marathon was a stop along her way and I jumped at the opportunity to join them.

As I am a former Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi and Ghana, I was eager to return to the wonder and beauty of Africa, but more importantly share the wonderment with my daughter.

The Amazing Maasai Ultra Marathon was created last year to raise funds to allow girls from the Maasai Mara region of Kenya to complete secondary school.

To put a girl through four years of boarding secondary school costs $2,000 — pennies when you think of the sense of self-worth and a future of her choosing, which in the Maasai culture was not possible only a few years ago.

My race entry cost $1,700 and that included room and board.

Only $100 went to the race logistics the $1,600 went directly to the scholarship of a girl. In addition I started a fundraising page as did many people and that money goes to the girls.

Destination runs possess their own magical existence as they allow a runner to push their bodies and minds to limits not found during the normal road

Doc

marathon.

In the case of The Amazing Maasai, I not only had the distance to contend with, but also the time change, elevation (holy moley), possible inference from wildlife and a climate that I was not accustomed to.

On the flip side I also had the encouragement of village children along the way shouting “Sopa!” (hello in Maa) and doing their very best to ask me questions in English. What a wonderful treat!

Running 75km may have been one of the hardest physical feats I have done, but it does not compare to the hardships that girls go through in Africa when education is not an available resource.

So as I pounded the hot dusty earth of Kenya on Sept. 29, I found myself connecting on a deeper level to the betterment of our very small world. I would run 75km all over again to feel that sensation and know that life is really, really an amazing

blessing.

Or, to use a quote from one of my favorite runners, Kara Goucher: “That’s the thing about running: your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is.”

The past two and a half years have been quite a journey.

I am determined to use passion and compassion to fuel my runs. I hope through my attempts to overcome my own personal roadblocks I may inspire others to reach for what truly makes them happy and gives them a sense of purpose.

“Asante Sana.” (Thank you in Swahili.)

Jane Davis was born in Wenatchee and graduated from WHS in 1991. She has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, twice, and now is a coach for Columbia Valley Girls on the Run. Jane is raising money for prostate cancer awareness and research in conjunction with her next race, the New York City Marathon, on Nov. 4.

Mondays at Noon In the Miller Street Conference Room

1000 North Miller Street Wenatchee, WA 98801

talks

Upcoming WVMC Physician Community Talks

For more information about DOC Talks please visit: wvmedical.com/doctalks

October 22nd

November 12th

December 3rd

October 29th

November 19th

December 10th

MyChart With Dr. Jeff Clarke Dementia With Dr. Mary Timiras

Prostate Cancer With Dr. Bert Ivey

Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Dr. David Daniel

Healthy*

Staying Heart With Dr. Matthew Newman

November 26th

Pathology With Dr. Ian Bovio & Dr. Paul Furmancyzk

* Video conferencing will not be available at the Moses Lake Clinic

Fall Prevention With Stuart Utley, DPT & Jenna Kokes, DPT

December 17th

Cervical & Lumbar Spinal Stenosis With Dr. Stewart Kerr

820 N. Chelan Avenue Wenatchee, WA 98801 (509) 663-8711 • wvmedical.com

November 2012 | The Good Life

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The back entrance to the world heritage site: Angkor Wat. Photos by Mary Ann Warren

Cambodia: Surprises among the ruins

By Thomas C. Warren

O

ur daughter advised us that whatever we did in life, we needed to visit some of the top world heritage sites, like Machu Pichu in Peru or Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Fortunately, Cambodia came up on the radar as a result of our deciding to attend the Rotary International Convention in Bangkok, Thailand.

Normally, I like to plan and run my own travel experiences, but with Cambodia, we decided that a travel agent was the best

Left: A portion of Banteay Srei, a 10th century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

way to go, especially as I had talked seven others into joining us. Cambodia turned out to be the highlight of our 18 days in Asia.

We flew into Siem Reap, which is the city in the heart of the Cambodian ancient temples, on Bangkok Airways, flying on a 70-passenger ATR-72. A great flight and a big surprise when we arrived at a beauti-

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| The Good Life

ful international airport in Siem Reap.

Our guide, Sky, met us at the airport with our 20-passenger air conditioned van (for nine people so there was a lot of room) and we were taken through Siem Reap to our gorgeous five star Victoria Resort and Spa, for our three day and night stay.

The hotel and staff were jawdropping. There were beautiful

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| November 2012

Many of the residents live on floating villages on the lake, while others pick up and move their entire homes, or build them on very high pillars.

We all piled into long boats and visited the shore villages and the communities on the lake. A fascinating way to live in pursuing their fishing and agricultural lifestyle.

It is tempting to plan a return visit to see more of Cambodia, including a longer stay in Siem Reap. A longer, less structured visit would give a person a better opportunity to interact with more Cambodians and get a feel for their culture and future as they struggle out of their recent history of genocide and civil wars.

Many of the scenes of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider movie were filmed inside the temple. native gardens and grounds, teak and dark wood buildings and rooms, and one of the most beautiful swimming pools I had ever seen.

After getting settled we were off to visit our first temple. We would be visiting the three top temple complexes and the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Cambodia which is about 50 miles southwest of Siem Reap.

The first temple complex was the city ruins of Angkor Thom.

One thing you will have to expect when touring ruins in Cambodia is that it is going to be hot and humid, so the guides want to get you visiting as early in the morning as possible. By the afternoon you can expect temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The good news is the guide will move you to as much shade as possible as you tour the grounds and climb the ruins.

The van driver also had unlimited supplies of cold water bottles that had been sitting in ice water. You will still sweat a lot so plan to wear a hat for the sun, and maybe carry an umbrella for when you are not walking in the shade.

The most famous of the many ruins is Angkor Wat, which is fully cleaned up and easily the most visited.

We climbed all over it, examined the bas-reliefs and admired this UNESCO Heritage site. It is considered the largest religious site in the world.

It is a 12th century Hindu temple and was “rediscovered” in the 1860s by the French.

Angkor Wat is a classic temple

Travel writer Tom Warren is helped off a long boat after visiting shore villages along the Mekong River.

mountain, a replica of the Hindu universe. The five towers represent the different peaks of Mount Meru, home to the Hindu Pantheon, which sits in the center of the universe. The entire complex is surrounded by a moat.

Clearly the most unusual of the temples in the Angkor Archeological Park is Ta Prohm. It is considered a trip back in time.

When the restorations began it was believed that one temple should be left just like it was found by the French explorers.

Several large silk cottonwood and strangler fig trees have huge roots sprouting across the grounds and galleries of the temple, giving it its “lost world” feel.

Many of the scenes of the Lara Croft Tomb Raider movie were filmed inside the temple.

Although each of the temples, many of which we did not explore, in the park are quite unique. This one was my favorite.

After a day of the temples we spent a day traveling south to visit Tonle Sap Lake. This is a lake controlled by the ebb and flow of the Mekong River — November 2012 | The Good Life

along with the monsoons and dams on the river in China — so it has huge variations in its depth.

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Tom Warren is a retired Chelan County District Court Judge and spends his time in various volunteer activities in Wenatchee and Chelan, and tries to travel outside of the country at least three times a year. He was president of Lake Chelan Rotary in 2010-2011 and publishes their Lake Views newsletter.

Hey partner,

you looking at me?

Men with guns and an attitude, women with a ‘reputation’ amble the streets of Fort aimless

By R.O. Schons

It’s a Saturday morning at

Fort Aimless just east of Fancher Heights and the Apple Valley Marshalls are gathered to face desperados, highwaymen and other scurrilous ne’er-do-wells for a gunfight.

The Marshalls are ready.

Silent Sam, who lets his guns do the talking, along with First Chance — going up against him would be your last chance — and Wiley Bob, Saddlerock, Johnny Mooseskin and Razor Strop who always carries a blade in his boot. If you don’t believe he’s fast, just shake your head.

It will be singing, “I ain’t got no body.”

They are in the streets of Aimless — a re-creation of a Wild West town with facades of saloons, Doc Holiday’s dentistry emporium and the OK Corral along with others.

Mixed in behind the facades and across the canyons are steel silhouettes about to be peppered by hot lead from the blazing

guns of the Apple Valley Marshalls.

These are a few of the cowboys who come from miles around every third Saturday to Fort Aimless, the wild west themed shooting range at the East Wenatchee gun club, to compete in one of the world’s fastest growing sports-cowboy action shooting.

Sanctioned by the Single Action Shooting Society, CAS cowboy action shooting has become a worldwide phenomenon of fun, competition and heartpounding action. Real guns, live ammunition and lead ringing steel targets through smoke filled air.

I got into cowboy action shooting a few years back when local barber Rick Howell, aka “Razor Strop,” invited me to a shoot.

I was dubious at first since it is required to dress in period costume and the only two kinds of music I didn’t listen to is country and western. But there was a special friendship between these people and they seemed to be having a lot of fun reliving

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| The Good Life

The Stranger, aka R.O. Shons, struts through Fort Aimless. Metal targets line the gully behind the facades.

the old west so I thought I better give it a try.

All shooters are required to have an alias and dress in 1800’s period correct costume.

There are cattle drivers, U.S. Calvary, Indian scouts, gunfighters and lawmen. Of course there are lady shooters who dress from cowgirls to “soiled doves.”

A nice woman who shoots is part Native American so she

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| November 2012

chose the alias “Ida-burned-yerwagon.”

Bob Wiley became “Wiley Bob” and we still don’t know where “Johnny Mooseskin” came from. The guy’s name is Stan and he retired from the Seattle Fire Department.

I didn’t understand the whole alias thing until my first time at the firing line. The range officer asked my name for the score

With his hat pulled down strategically to provide shade for the eyes, the Stranger blazes away with both six-guns, with rifles at the ready.

sheet and I said, “Richard.”

He said, “No, your handle, your cowboy name.” At the time I did not realize that if you shoot, you have to have an alias.

After much consternation and confusion he said, “OK, you’re the Stranger.” It’s been that way ever since.

Razor Strop set up some guns for me along with a pair of borrowed holsters. The other cowboys schooled me in safety rules and shooter etiquette. Cowboy action shooters are adamant about such things.

I was corrected more than once as I made my way to the shooting line where you lay your rifle and shotgun and prepare to draw six-guns. The range officer, who times the shooter and watches for any safety violation barked, “Shooter ready?” Not one hundred percent sure, I said I was.

The timer sounded in my ear

and it was time for my six-guns.

I drew fast and fired feeling the whack of recoil in my palm and the blast of a .45 in my ears.

Dust flew just above my target. I missed!

Not wanting to take the stagecoach to the sky, I was not about to let this low-down cur get the drop on me again. I aimed a little lower, drew a dead-eye bead and fired. Direct hit!

I was now addicted. I was a kid again feeling like I was setting off illegal firecrackers my big brother got on the reservation.

But instead of dodging Oroville town marshal Buck Gates, we were doing what we were supposed to do. And it was awesome!

As far as the mechanics go, events are divided into stages.

Each consists of firing two sixguns, a lever-action rifle and a shotgun at a variety of targets while being timed and scored on number of misses.

Each miss adds five seconds to the shooter’s score. Failing to shoot targets in the stage order as set by the range officer is called a “procedural,” which adds 10 seconds to the score.

Hence the expression, “You can’t miss fast enough to win.”

November 2012 | The Good Life

Stages are designed by members and each is slightly different.

Pistol targets are many times set up as three on the left and three on the right. A common sequence is called a “Nevada Sweep.” Draw one pistol and fire five shots on three targets left to right and right to left. Draw the second six-gun and repeat on the second set of targets.

Rifle is usually 10 shots fired similar to the pistols but farther away. Shotguns must be loaded and fired under the timer.

There are lots of classifications, events and types of shoots.

For more information visit the Apple Valley Marshalls website at www.applevalleymarshalls. com. Or better yet, come see for yourself on the third Saturday of each month starting at 9 a.m.

Eye protection and hearing protection are required.

Women, novices and youngsters are especially encouraged as these are the only shooters I can consistently beat.

R.O. Schons began his writing career in 1981 writing for advertising and industry. Today he writes about life as he sees it.

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PET PIX

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

O

ur rescued greyhound, Austin, enjoys a moment on the couch with Suzi. Theoretically he shouldn’t be on the couch at all, but who can resist those big, brown eyes?

— Steve Russert

THE GOOD LIFE PET DIRECTORY

A

fter playing in the sprinklers, Maya our 18-month old, decided it was time to go to bed, only she went into Gigi’s bed.

Gigi is our six-month old pup and Maya’s best friend. In fact, so much so that when Maya sees any other pup or even bears in books she calls them Gigi.

What can we say? Gigi’s bed must be pretty comfy!

Dad built the dog house out of an old apple bin and some leftover wood. Creativity at its best.

— Mayra Navarro & Franky Navarro, parents of Maya

Target pet-friendly readers Does your business cater to pets and their owners? Then you should use the PET PIX page to target your advertising to thousands of pet owners who are our readers!

Call today for rates and availability!

John Hunter • 669-0123 • johnhunter@ncwgoodlife.com Lianne Taylor • 669-6556 • lianne@ncwgoodlife.com 20

| The Good Life

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| November 2012

>>

Volunteers

‘Not many people know what it is like to be on the streets’

By Donna Cassidy

A woman carrying a card-

board box brimming with canned food, packaged goods and soup mixes approached Doug Morger, who was standing at the rear of a cargo truck.

“Here, I’ll take that,” said Doug, bending to grab the box.

Then, scanning the truck’s interior piled waist-high with similar boxes of food, he added, “Boy, we are running out of room.”

For Doug, this is another successful Make-A-Difference Day of collecting food for the hungry — so that’s a nice feeling — but for him, helping others has a little extra meaning.

Doug, a loan officer with Eagle Home Mortgage in Wenatchee, has been a local volunteer for the past three years. He is on two committees for NCW Realtors — one for the community outreach and one supporting the annual golf tournament. And as of this year he is the treasurer of the local Knights of Columbus group, along with annually working in the Make-A-Difference Day food drive.

So why does he volunteer?

Doug said at first it was just to get to know people, but once he volunteered, “It truly lifts my heart.”

And then, there is this.

“When my family moved to Wenatchee 17 years ago we were homeless,” said Doug. “But not for long. We received housing from the Salvation Army.”

Doug said he, his wife and three young daughters moved to Wenatchee after he lost his job in California.

“At the Salvation Army, I lived

in one side and my wife and kids lived in the other side of the building. We were only there about three weeks. We would leave every morning very early and look for housing and job opportunities,” said Doug. “Not many people know what it is like to be on the streets.

Doug Morger helps collect food for the Salvation Army Food Bank.

“My raising food or helping people comes from the shelves were nearly bare knowing that good people some- before we arrived,” said Doug. times need some help, or maybe “The Salvation Army and other just a meal to get through the organizations like the Knights day. If I can help feed just one of Columbus do great things for One project Doug Morger is child, then I have done the right our community. involved in is The Knights of thing.

“My motto is ‘do the right Columbus KC Help.

“The look on the people’s faces thing because it is the right The service organization of at the food bank when you roll thing to do.’”

Catholic men has a number of in with over a ton and a half of

projects, which includes a hosfood — that is reason enough,” pital equipment lending prosaid Doug. gram that delivers wheelchairs, During the 2011 Make-Awalkers, canes, hospital beds Difference Day food drive, Doug Anne Rainbolt, local Salvaand other hospital goods to the said a man handed him a couple tion Army Social Service manpeople in the community who of bags of food. “I placed them ager, said the local organization either cannot afford these items in the truck and he came back monthly gives food to 200 to 250 or who have no insurance. with more. I finally walked to families and the need is great.

“Thanks to the kindness of his truck and it was full. The “Years ago, we used to give out people throughout the commutruly great part was this was a more food but there were fewer nity, KC Help receives a numdonation from the local Latterfamilies. The food now will only ber of these pieces of medical day Saints church and they have last a couple of days. But there equipment and refurbishes them their own food bank.” are other food banks in town for when necessary,” said Doug.

Doug remembered another those who need more food,” she Once the piece is put into incident where a teacher from said. working order, it is put into the Kenroy Elementary School The Salvation Army food bank local inventory and made availbrought in a car full of food is open Monday through Friable for distribution through from third graders. “Here were day, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. the warehouse located at 625-B 8-year-olds learning to give,” to 5 p.m. at 1205 S. Columbia in S. Elliott in Wenatchee. said Doug.

Wenatchee.

To donate or volunteer call Last year he wheeled over For information about dona662-6761 ext 4399. The ware50 shopping carts full of food tions, call 662-8864. house number is 888-3050. to the Salvation Army. “And

KC Help: Lending medical equipment

Salvation Army feeds 250 families

November 2012 | The Good Life

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Pedalling down the coast on a bicycle for 2

Mary watches a hot air balloon rise during breakfast at the first camp in Winthrop.

Lief Carlsen in his lime green Crocs rests for a moment on a lookout over the Pacific.

Chelan couple rides south, over the hills and through the traffic

By Lief Carlsen

The call of the road had be-

come irresistible again.

In 2006 my wife, Mary, and I rode our tandem bicycle across the northern tier states from Chelan to Bar Harbor, Maine.

Newly retired this year, we decided to take a slightly more leisurely and longer ride down the Pacific coast and then across the southern tier states from San Diego to Florida. We started our ride Aug. 11.

Riding a bicycle along the Pacific coast is quite different from riding through northern states like Montana and New Hampshire.

Absent are the soaring mountain ranges like the Rockies and the White Mountains. But in their place are innumerable dips and climbs so that I can say with

certainty that mile for mile, we did a lot more climbing on the coastal route.

We had excellent weather with most days being sunny and the temperatures a pleasant 60 to 70 degrees. Morning fog sometimes resulted in packing a wet tent and wearing clothes that never fully dried from the day before.

Accommodations? With state parks aplenty all the way from Anacortes to San Diego we spent every night but one in our tent, which helped keep the cost down. Oregon and California have a $5-per-person fee for bicycle campers who are treated as VIPs of sorts as they are never turned away. On several occasions we arrived at parks with “CAMPGROUND FULL” signs posted. RVs and car campers were turned away while we were waved on through! That was fun.

The worst aspect of this ride was the traffic.

Although we followed specially prepared maps from an organization called Adventure Cycling, using busy stretches of

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| AT HOME WITH The Good Life

My choice of foot ware for the ride was rather unusual — lime green Crocs, those plastic shoes with big ventilation holes in the top.

They’re lightweight, comfortable, keep my feet from sweating, and worn as shower shoes, protect my feet from unwanted fungi in public showers.

They do have one disadvantage, however. Toilet stalls in restrooms often leave one’s feet exposed. With my lime green shoes on display, whatever anonymity I might have enjoyed with ordinary foot ware has been sacrificed.

More than once I have crossed paths with some guy in a campground, caught him glancing at my Crocs, and at least imagined I saw a, “So you’re the guy who...” look in his eye. highways like US 101 was often unavoidable. More than once we found ourselves on heavily traveled roads with narrow or non-existent shoulders.

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| November 2012

To make ourselves as visible as possible we always wore brightly colored clothing and attached flashing lights to the rear of our bike.

In addition, we had an orange flag on the rear of the bike and another extending three feet from my handlebars into the traffic lane. The latter was my answer to the occasional inconsiderate driver who would otherwise scare the bejeezus out of us.

Hey, it has worked! We get a lot more respect than without the flag.

The best parts of the ride were the many dazzling views of the waves breaking against the rocky shore, the pristine sandy coves and the marine mammals we saw on several occasions including sea otters, seals, sea lions and whales.

Our encounters with fellow humans were generally positive also.

Riding a tandem bicycle loaded down with gear is a great icebreaker. Strangers were always coming up to us full of

Mary has a powerful (500 lumen) light atop her helmet that flashes at traffic approaching from the rear.

It is our way of addressing the unfortunate fact that many car/ bicycle collisions occur because drivers fail to see bicycles.

It is especially effective when visibility is poor due to fog, rain, darkness, or in a tunnel.

It is often mistaken for a camera, however, and Mary sometimes fields inquiries by jokingly explaining that it is a video camera that records the images of approaching cars so that police will have the license number of the car that kills us.

One of the people she told this to was a lawyer who suggested she might want to take his card in case of a lawsuit! curiosity about where we were going and how far we’d come.

And while the views and the interesting characters were the most conspicuous memories, for me it was the simple day-to-day pleasures of the road I enjoyed most.

The sheer exertion of riding all day brings to the fore thirst, hunger and fatigue at such levels of intensity that a drink, a meal, or a few minutes of rest can be utterly sublime experiences that never come to the sedentary.

The coastal route is a popular one with bicyclists. I estimate we crossed paths with about a hundred including a Scottish couple in their late 60s, two young Londoners, and a couple each towing a trailer behind bicycles — one with camping gear and the other with their three medium-sized dogs in it. Not all of the cyclists ride the whole coast. Portland to San Francisco seems to be the most popular section.

I probably don’t have to waste too many words convincing readers that riding a bicycle thousands of miles is physically and mentally challenging so let me just say that every long

Join Us For A Happy Hour of Fun, Growth and Inspiration Mary and Lief at the border with Mexico — making 70 miles on an average day, they pedalled from Chelan to San Diego in four weeks.

Regarding the safety issue, we have noticed a definite pattern in our interactions with the many strangers we interact with each day: they ALWAYS tell us to be careful on the road, as if we are bungee jumping from bridges or wrestling with alligators.

Apparently, the public perception of bicycle touring is that it ranks just below Formula 1 racing on the danger scale.

We don’t think of ourselves as risk takers and we take many precautions but sometimes we wonder if everybody else knows something we don’t. distance rider has his coping mechanisms.

In our case there was a certain amount of drug abuse — as in ibuprofen and caffeine. Ibuprofen for saddle soreness and caffeine for those long climbs and 90-mile days. We tried to moderate but I confess there were more than a few days of indulgence.

We’ve just made it

We averaged about 70 miles per day and reached the Mexican border on Sept. 8. From there we rode the 15 miles back to San Diego for a day of sightseeing before turning east toward St. Augustine, Florida.

But that is another story that is unfolding as I write.

The most memorable part of the trip? The first few days when we pedalled from our home in Chelan, through Winthrop on a 92F day, over 5,477-foot Washington Pass, and had a near-death experience on the shoulder-less highway to Deception Pass on Whidbey Island.

Those first few days made it clear this ride was not going to be just about watching sunsets and feeling the ocean breezes in our faces.

Yet, despite the hardships, 10 to 15 mph is the best way to see the country. It’s slow enough to see things up close and fast enough that you don’t get bored.

It’s also a great way to shed excess pounds and get in shape and we have the legs of steel to prove it!

November 2012 | AT HOME WITH The Good Life

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23

We’ve made easier andjust more fun to it easier and more move up to The Good fun to move Life. up To The Good Life.

Come to the VIP

Come to theToyota VIP Lounge, Town Lounge, Center, Nov.Town 7, 4 p.m.

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Under a canopy of tree boughs, the wrought iron gates glide open onto the estate.

The Wright house for them A home that brings the outside in is perfect for couple who appreciate the beauty of the grounds

By Autumn Doucet

“I love it when I’m working

in the yard, and I hear a passing bicyclist say, ‘Wow, look at that yard!’ or ‘Look! That’s the yard

I was telling you about!’” said Becky Dorey about the property she and her husband, Dave Dorey, own in Wenatchee.

In 2002, Becky, the granddaughter of Joe and Helen Welty, unexpectedly received an

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| AT HOME WITH The Good Life

The wall of six-foot windows across the back of the home offer restful views of the manicured grounds and the river and mountains beyond. Photos by Autumn Doucet

inheritance offer to buy the family home and property in Lower Sunnyslope at 85 percent of its appraised value.

“Helen wanted to make sure the property would stay in the family, and after three other relatives declined it, it fell to me,” she said. “Dave and I dubbed the property ‘Windfall’ and decided to spend the next year remodeling and updating, with the primary goal of preserving the integrity of the then 45-year-old home.”

www.ncwgoodlife.com

| November 2012

Becky and Dave’s Windfall includes a three-acre piece of Eden sitting on a southwestfacing bluff that looks across the Wenatchee River and toward the Cascade mountain range.

The gently sloping, tree-lined property is home to several wellspaced, mature trees, many over 50 years old.

“Al Huisentruit, who was Joe and Helen’s groundskeeper, would go on vacation and bring back trees from all over the United States,” said Dave.

In the great room and dining area, the cathedral ceiling and Colorado sandstone wall exemplify Frank Lloyd Wright’s incorporation of natural materials.

The more familiar species on the estate include spruces, quaking aspen, weeping pine, Douglas fir, western red cedar and oaks.

Becky’s favorite tree, a copper beech tree, has a broad expanse of limbs soaring 60 feet toward the sky and a four-foot-wide trunk. “I think it’s the prettiest tree in Wenatchee,” she said.

Interspersed across the groomed lawn and amongst the trees are surprising niches of color: shrubbery and flowerbeds that include pampas grass,

petunias, ivy, lilies, and potted and hanging planters filled with multi-colored potato vines, variegated coleuses and ivy geraniums.

“And all of those oak trees, 20 or more, are going to start losing their leaves soon,” said Becky, during a walk around the yard in early October.

But the Doreys do not hire outside yard workers or groundskeepers. “We do it all,” said Becky. “Dave and I work together keeping up with all of the upkeep and maintenance, from

the house cleaning to the yard work.”

The grounds are not only a gift to gazers and passersby, but cherished by the family.

“We have four grandchildren, ages 8, 10, 11 and 12,” said Becky.

Every year we hide Easter eggs with money in them around the property. The kids have a heyday searching for them.”

The house, built in 1957 for Joe and Helen Welty by Art Hainsworth, a Seattle builder, sits tucked toward the back of the property, seeming almost

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like an afterthought. Joe Welty, a Wenatchee businessman, insisted Hainsworth use only local vendors while building.

At the time, Frank Lloyd Wright, a preeminent architect of the early 20th Century, had a vision of promoting harmony with nature into his house designs. His vision resonated with the Weltys, and the house’s wood and stone exterior, along with the copper roof, makes it blend in with the immediate environment.

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The Wright house

Mature trees and bushes envelop the house, further enhancing the Frank Lloyd Wright concept of harmonizing a home with its environment. Photo by Autumn Doucet

}}} Continued from previous page “The house was either of Frank Lloyd Wright design or was inspired by his designs,” said Becky. “Helen had a ton of Frank Lloyd Wright coffee-table

books sitting around the house the whole time I was growing up.”

Wright had found a kindred spirit in Helen Welty.

Walking into the front door, a

Dave and Becky and their basset hounds enjoy spending time outdoors on the back patio, one of the Doreys’ favorite spots for relaxation and taking in the view. Photo by Donna Cassidy

sense of unification merges the outdoor elements with the interior of the home. Visitors first notice the six-foot-high windows that run along the entire length of the southwest-facing

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living areas, which include the kitchen, the great room and the formal living room. From any of these rooms, sitting side-by-side with only short walls separating them, the Weltys captured Wright’s concept of “complementary integration.”

The view of the landscaped grounds and the panoramic vista of the mountains and river becomes part of the indoor living experience.

When Dave and Becky purchased the home in 2002, they first hired an architect to help them decide on a course of action.

After ripping out the low ceiling of the kitchen, they saw the possibility of extending the ridgeline and making it larger.

As with all of the new additions planned, they had to add new ceiling beams that matched those of the cathedral ceilings in the adjacent rooms. Unable to find the solid beams locally, “We finally found them in southern Oregon” said Becky.

Dave, retired from Alcoa as a brick mason for 32 years, decided to do all of the remodeling work himself, and his work on the kitchen addition added

Throughout the home, Craftsman-style furniture provides the final visual thread that merges all of the organic elements. another 10 feet to the ridgeline.

A local cabinetmaker created new custom cabinets of riftsawn red oak with reed-glass panels. Granite counter tops tie in the theme of bringing the outside in, and the new kitchen feels like a natural extension to the rest of the home.

One step past the new kitchen is the large, cathedral-ceilinged great room. Here sits another piece of Art Hainsworth’s work, a custom-made, family-sized dining table that sits only feet away from the fireplace area.

This is a favorite spot, where the promise of comfort lures afterdinner guests to the comforts of a leather couch and upholstered chairs.

In this room, the Doreys chose to remove the dark-wood paneling and replace it with paneling of vertical grain fir, giving the room an airier, lighter feel.

Separating the great room from the formal living room is a floor-to-ceiling wall of Colorado sandstone that accommodates two fireplaces, one on each side, and the teal slate flooring of the uncarpeted areas matches the slate of the cantilevered fireplace hearths.

Throughout the home, Craftsman-style furniture provides the final visual thread that merges all of the organic elements.

The formal living room is the dénouement of the living areas, with an oak barrister’s bookcase, more alluring seating areas and

Large skylights throughout the house admit ample illumination. If the ambiance needs tempering, a touch of the remote control adjusts the inset blinds. Photo by Donna Cassidy

Becky’s baby grand piano.

All of these living areas flow one into the other, inviting guests to meander, sit, or take in the view. Skylights with remotecontrol blinds allow easy adjustment of the ambiance.

Down the sky-lit hallway, the

next part of Dave’s renovations involved converting the original master bedroom into a computer area, a laundry and a large bathroom.

The new bathroom is roomy, accommodating a Jacuzzi tub and a large walk-in shower.

Above the tub, a wall of glass block allows light to brighten the room and master-bricklayer Dave used slate tile on the floor and walls.

In the sleeping area of the house, Becky and Dave treat

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Becky enjoys assembling jigsaw puzzles, and her private niche, set in the master bedroom beside the large windows, lends an ambiance of calm. Photo

by Donna Cassidy

The Wright house }}} Continued from previous page guests to a cozy room with five-foot long, wood-shuttered windows that allow in light and a view of the outside.

But the addition of the new,

400-square-foot master bedroom is the tour de force. “Installing the beam took 10 guys and five cases of beer,” quipped Becky.

“Then the first night we laid

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The new kitchen cabinets, inset with reed glass, contribute to the feel of openness. Photo by Autumn Doucet

in bed, Dave looked up and pointed out that the beam ran right above my side of the bed, and he hoped they had installed it properly.”

Along the southwest-facing wall of the bedroom are five-foot tall, non-paned windows and glass French doors that look out

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onto the patio and the view. The room is large enough that Becky has ample space for her special table where she can sit and relax, assembling puzzles by the outdoor light.

Nestled at the foot of the kingsized bed are dog couches where the Dorey’s beloved dogs, basset hounds Lola and Lucille and German shorthair Jade, make themselves at home with Wally, the cat.

In a spirit of lightheartedness, Dave and Becky created a finished basement playroom, christening it “The Windfall Lounge and Karaoke Bar.” The area sports comfortable leather couches, two big screen TVs, a pool table, dart boards, a ping-pong table, a full bar, a poker table and a Karaoke machine.

For guests who don’t want to meander back upstairs after a night of entertainment, the basement includes another large bedroom and a full bath.

This addition rounds out the 4,000-square-foot dwelling the Doreys have called home for the last nine years.

“This place continues to be a labor of love and pride for Dave and me, and we feel fortunate and blessed having the opportunity to own and care for such a special home,” said Becky.

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column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

Colorful carrots brighten up a meal tro 1 tablespoon raisins 1 tablespoon finely chopped peppermint leaves Salt and pepper

C

reamy carbohydrates seem to satisfy the appetite in late autumn.

Risotto with Parmesan, whipped potatoes with butter, pasta with chicken and cream — hmmm.

Yummy, but it is too easy to create a bland plate.

My godmother, Patricia Dickie, who taught me to cook, warned against the white meal: fish, rice and cauliflower, served on a white plate. (Although this is perfect for a kid’s themed dinner!)

Because carrots have been grown for thousands of years, thousands of recipes exist. Carrots are not only orange but also red, yellow and white — although these are harder to find at this time of year. This root vegetable is related to fennel, parsley, dill and cumin.

Colorful vegetables brighten up any meal, and carrots create a warm, orange glow on a plate.

I plan to over-winter carrots, beets, red onions and Yukon gold potatoes in my garden.

I heavily mulch the vegetables, and mark the rows with heavy stakes so I can find the veggie under the mulch and snow cover. There is nothing sweeter than frost-ripened root vegetables.

(I always allow one carrot to grow through the winter and bloom in the spring because this plant family attracts many beneficial insects to the garden.)

Fresh raw carrots are delicious.

I think carrot cake and muffins have been around long enough to have lost their glamour. I believe these recipes were devised to use up carrots that had been sitting in the crisper for too long.

Many times complex recipes

Heat the garlic and cumin in the olive oil until fragrant.

Add the carrots, lemon juice, cilantro raisins, salt and pepper.

Cover and cook gently until the carrots are tender — about 10 minutes.

Garnish with the mint and serve hot.

Baked carrots and pistachio nuts make a colorful dish, even when placed on a white plate.

mask the lack of taste of bland, older carrots. Recipes that call for sugar to be added to carrots underscore the fact that carrots often lose their sweetness if not properly stored.

Don’t buy the uniform baby carrots sealed in a plastic bag to cook. They have been treated and shaped as snacks and are not robust enough to cook.

Peeling or no? Peeling carrots is your choice. Sometimes late in the season, the skin can be slightly strong.

Many cooks incorporate carrots in stews and slow, ovenroasted meat dishes, but I like them to stand at attention.

Tasty carrots in cream is one of my favorites because it is so distinctive and delicious. I learned this recipe in 1982 in a Northern Italian cooking class.

Carrots in cream

Serves 4 25 minutes preparation and cooking 1 pound medium-sized carrots Boiling water 2 tablespoons butter November 2012 | The Good Life

Salt and white pepper 8 tablespoons cream Cut the carrots with a mandolin or a grater into small strips 1/8 thick and 1 inch long.

Add the carrots to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.

Drain well.

Heat the butter in a sauté pan.

Add the carrots and sauté over low heat for 5 minutes.

Add the cream one tablespoon at a time.

Stir the carrots slowly until the cream is absorbed.

Then stir in another tablespoon until absorbed. Continue, adding and stirring until all 8 tablespoons have been absorbed.

Serve hot.

Moroccan style carrots

4 servings 40 minutes

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I developed the next recipe because my menu called for a colorful vegetable dish. The buttery nuts complement the sweet carrots.

Baked carrots and pistachios Serves 4 40 minutes prep and cooking 3 cups roughly chopped carrots 3 shallots cut into 6ths 4 teaspoons butter 1 small red or green pepper chopped 1/2 cup pistachio nuts Salt and pepper Microwave the chopped carrots for 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown the shallots in the butter.

Rub most of the brown skin from the pistachios.

Scrape all the butter and shallots into a small baking pan.

Stir in the carrots and green/red pepper and nuts.

Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve hot.

All these carrot dishes can be served on white dishes!

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

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column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Do you really need an annual physical?

Recently I got an email from

my auto dealer reminding me my car was overdue for its 5,000 mile checkup and oil change. I agreed and took my car in.

As I thought about it, it occurred to me many people take better care of their cars than they do of their bodies.

But then, how important are “annual” checkups?

In 1979, a Canadian government task force recommended giving up a “head-to-toe” annual physical examination and recommended instead replacing it with a small number of periodic screening tests.

This year a physician writing in the New York Times suggested it was time to give up the ritual of annual physical exams. Some physicians wrote letters both opposing and supporting that article.

A recent article published on Oct. 16 reported an analysis of routine physicals by the Cochrane Nordic Center in Copenhagen. An analysis of 16 clinical trials, involving 183,000 patients, showed that the mortality risk ratios comparing those who had annual physical exams versus those who did not showed no difference in mortality.

Patients who had general health checkups died of cardiovascular disease and cancer at virtually the same rate as those who did not have checkups.

This begs the question: Are annual physical exams necessary for people who feel healthy and have no physical complaints?

Naysayers claim that these exams are unnecessary, expensive and might even be dangerous.

Their rational is that when some screening tests show results are borderline or questionable, it often leads to further testing, imaging and at times biopsies or even surgery. If after all that everything turns out to be “normal” or the findings insignificant, then their thinking is that it all was unnecessary.

It is a hard question to definitely answer because sometimes early findings without symptoms may be indicators of a potentially serious underlying problem that, if taken care of early, can be lifesaving.

Still, one has to consider the value of seeing a doctor occasionally for a “check in” even if they have no complaints, symptoms or chronic health problems.

I do think an important reason for a physical exam is

to uncover silent hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes type 2 and elevated lipids. These three things can lead to serious complications and in an early state are frequently without any symptoms.

People without their own personal physician often end up going to the emergency room or urgent care center and end up having more tests, many unnecessary, than they might have had if they gone to their own physician.

The relationship one can develop with one’s own doctor can be more important, I think, than the technical aspects of the testing although I feel they are also important.

In this day of texting and emailing many people do not have an opportunity for personto-person conversations about their personal lives, concerns, fears and worries. We can be open with our physicians and should feel that we can bring up any issue of concern without judgment. If that is not the case, you should change doctors.

My two sons and daughter are in there 40s.

I would like to have them establish a doctor-patient relationship with an internist or family

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physician at least by the time they are 50. I would recommend they have a screening comprehensive blood panel and urinalysis done.

Without any symptoms, I agree with the physicians who see little need for their patients to have a “routine” EKG. My “kids” fortunately are not smokers and would not need a chest x-ray. Many physicians no longer recommend having a PSA (prostate cancer screening test) done at any age.

This is controversial and should be discussed with their physician. Of course all these decisions are up to their doctor and should be discussed with them.

I decided to interview some of my former physician colleagues whom I respect to see what their thoughts were on this topic.

Dr. John Gill is a busy and very popular internist.

He generally thinks that annual physical exams are a bit overdone. However, he believes they can be of value and a physician-patient relationship gives that patient access to their doctor when something comes up, especially as people age.

Dr. Peter Rutherford, a highly respected internist and now CEO of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, thinks annual exams are relatively age dependent.

John uses the time to make sure the patient understands the symptoms of serious illnesses.

He encourages a healthy lifestyle physically, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally.

He discusses the pros and cons of testing with patients to educate them as to what their options are including the costs of their testing as well as their medications.

Dr. Jeff Clarke, my internist, said he has mixed feelings about the annual physical exam, but he believes it is his opportunity to review and put together the pieces and discuss with the patient current problems and medications. It is often the only opportunity he gets to spend extended time talking with his patients about prevention and good health habits.

Jeff thinks many of the tests routinely ordered as part of a physical exam are unnecessary, but if they are cost effective, they may be useful.

Dr. Peter Rutherford, a highly respected internist and now CEO of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, thinks annual exams are relatively age dependent.

He said a U.S. task force has recommended certain tests be done for women at age 40 and men at age 45. There are also vaccination guidelines that need to be followed as well.

He said blood sugar and

lipids should be checked every five years if they were normal, and blood pressure and weight should be monitored at least every two years, again if they were normal.

In perfectly healthy individuals with no symptoms, tests like an EKG or chest x-ray for “screening” are not necessary.

He was referring to perfectly healthy individuals, and noted that as we all age the numbers in that category decline every year.

Dr. Cici Asplund, an excellent thoughtful family physician, has concerns with the “annual physical” due to the cost to patients, as many insurance plans do not cover that type of exam without any medical indications for it.

When she does try to deal with preventive medical issues, many patients seem to prefer to have blood tests done and skip the personalized approach.

She hopes she does more overall good spending additional time and energy with the patients with chronic illnesses by encouraging more frequent visits for the management of the “big three” (hypertension, lipid issues and diabetes).

I don’t think there is any definitive answer to this controversy over annual checkups.

We hear a lot about the importance of preventive health measures. If we don’t have an examination at some point with some baseline screening tests, I don’t see how we can accomplish that goal.

I do not think an “annual” exam for people with no health complaints has to be “annual” to be effective.

However, patients already dealing with chronic illnesses need to see their physician on a more frequent basis than those without current health care issues or symptoms.

Jim Brown, M.D., is a retired gastroenterologist who has practiced for 38 years in the Wenatchee area. He is a former CEO of the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

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column moving up to the good life

june darling

Give thanks: It’s good for you Dr. Christopher Peterson

tells about complaining to his supervisor.

“No one (meaning his patients) ever says ‘Thank you,’ for anything I try to do.”

The response from Dr. Peterson’s supervisor, an experienced psychiatrist, stopped him midwhine. ‘If they could say that to you, how many of them do you think would be in a psychiatric hospital?”

Could the ability to feel and express gratitude actually promote psychological health?

Researchers report that gratitude does keep us mentally fit and much more.

Grateful people are more able to achieve their goals, they are more responsive to oth-

“If thankfulness were a drug, it would be the world’s bestselling product….” ers’ needs, have more friends, exercise more frequently, are in better physical shape, sleep better and manage chronic pain better. Couples who become more grateful love each other more and have stronger relationships.

Dr. Murali Doraiswamy, head of psychiatry at Duke Medical Center, is particularly impressed with the physical affects of

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gratitude. “If thankfulness were a drug, it would be the world’s best-selling product….”

Studies have shown measurable effects on multiple body and brain systems, said Doraiswamy. Those include mood neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine), reproductive hormones (testosterone), social bonding hormones (oxytocin), cognitive and pleasure related neurotransmitters (dopamine), inflammatory and immune systems (cytokines), stress hormones (cortisol), cardiac and EEG rhythms, blood pressure and blood sugar.

Gratitude is not only good for adults. Recently at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention benefits of gratitude were reported for teens.

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Grateful kids are more happy, less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol and less likely to have behavior problems at school. Gratitude was proposed as the way to turn our society around.

This shouldn’t be breaking news. All the major religions have been preaching the gratitude message for years. Meister Eckhart, a German theologian and philosopher said, “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.

The Greek thinkers embraced gratitude. Cicero said that gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.

It is a challenge to switch our brains around to notice and appreciate what’s going well.

Universally, we seem to understand that gratefulness is a good thing. So why aren’t we better at it?

According to researchers our brains are more alert to what’s going wrong. It is a challenge to switch our brains around to notice and appreciate what’s going well. We can learn from observing grateful people in action.

My daughter-in-law, Alanna, happens to be a good example of a grateful person. She consistently directs her attention to what she has (for example: healthy children, loving spouse, beautiful trees in her yard) rather than what she does not have (a sunny climate, quiet children, a husband who is home from work by 5).

Alanna is also successfully teaching her children, a twoyear-old and a four-year-old, to be grateful. Researchers think it is especially difficult to teach children who are typically known for their ego-centrism.

Here are a few things I’ve noticed that Alanna does to promote appreciation in the

Gratitude next topic for Good Life U The Good Life U will again be making it easy for you to move up to The Good Life with a happy hour of fun, growth, and inspiration at the Town Toyota Center, VIP Lounge, 4 p.m, Wednesday, Nov. 7.

The topic will be gratitude with discussion about the benefits, the blocks, the misconceptions and ways we can all become more grateful.

Email drjunedarling@aol. com with questions or to reserve your seating (limited to 25 people). Cost $7, includes light appetizers, no host bar.

You can learn more about living the good life by attending upcoming events through The Good Life U and by subscribing to The Good Life U google group which will allow online discussion of good life topics, books, movies and travel. Contact June Darling drjunedarling@aol.com. children.

She makes a point of having them call me when they are playing with something I’ve given them. She brings sticky notes for the children to scribble various “thank you’s” which they hide in places we’ll find after they are gone. She helps them focus on occasions that are coming up for other people and

November 2012 | The Good Life

asks the children questions that help them think about what this person might like.

Alanna asks the children questions daily about what others have done to help them have a good day (and what they have done to help others have a good day). Nighttime prayers are filled with “thankful’s.”

Above all, Alanna, provides her own good example of being grateful. The children see her being grateful to others and to them. She also frequently shares her feeling of gratitude when she sees beauty in nature.

For those of us who want to be more grateful, here’s another tip.

Use a visual cue.

Recently a friend told me that when she sees the words “The Good Life” on the drink coasters I have around my house, she immediately begins to see all the images of the things she’s grateful for in her life.

“My mind isn’t always a positive place” my friend says. “But when I see those words, I think of fun things, my interests, memories, family, where we live. I just think of all the small things I love: my gardens, my animals — how they love me, my neighbors. And fun, little, simple things like the lawn mowing contests we have with our neighbors. I just think about how awesome it is to be able to plant and grow things.”

THE GOOD LIFE. Write it down, post it, think about it, talk about it, sing about it, savor it, pray about it, rejoice in it —

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all of those actions can help grow your gratitude in this time of Thanksgiving.

How might you move up to The Good Life by practicing gratitude every month of the year?

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.

Rainier Flowers - 1997. “This is one of my originals selected as a test market

by Sleeping Lady in 1997, it continues to be a favorite today,” said Heather Wallis Murphy. “I’ve printed 5,000 of these over the past 15 years. I painted it in 1997 at Paradise at Mount Rainier; I wrote the field notes in September 1993.”

Eye of a scientist, hand of an artist On a mid-October after-

noon, Leavenworth artist Heather Wallis Murphy faced the aspen trunk with her notebook, paint box and watercolor brush grasped in her left hand while her right quickly sketched.

She never looked down at the page, never edited or corrected, just let her hand follow her eye’s progress.

As she worked her fine-pointed pen, she noted the effect

of the afternoon sun on the bark’s surface. “These fissures are really dramatic, and there’s that orange fungus inside. At first glance you might want to paint these trunks white — but do you see a little pink there where the light hits it?” (The pen moved, silky black on good velum.)

Delicate watercolor washes came only a minute later, plus a touch-up of the first raw lines.

Heather appreciates her “blind

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Intent on recording her eye’s first impressions, Heather Wallis Murphy uses highly honed field sketching skills in her backyard forest.

contour” technique because “Nature is never repetitive. It’s immediate, and gives a lot more life to the subject,” Heather said.

She’s never been happy working from photographs; for her, this quick sketching is the only way to keep the life in her subject. And her “right side of the brain,” unedited technique has yielded hundreds of bold but delicate sketches of natural life.

Heather was encouraged and taught by artists early on and continues to grow — on her studio wall hangs a drawing, saved by her mom, that Heather made

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when she was five. She took her first art class at Wenatchee Valley College, her most recent in Paris.

Heather is a nature journalist and a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators.

Her science is solid, her observational skills trained and tuned by 30 years in the field as a USFS wildlife biologist.

Stacked on tables are years of small spiral-bound notebooks — her life’s journals jam-packed with sketches and notes.

She’s gathered early “coffee break” sketches from days in the

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Heather made her first cards by using a copier to print her journal pages onto card stock. She tried to think of ways to eliminate the spiral rings between the pages, and then decided she liked the effect — the cards appear as if they come right out of her journal, which most times they do. These Icicle eagle scenes are found in various years within her journals from 2003 to 2006, after her early retirement from the Forest Service.

field with the Forest Service and scenes from hundreds of hikes and walks, many taken on the natural 10-acre forest surrounding the home of Heather and her husband Patrick Murphy.

And always there are birds.

Not only sketches taken on monthly birding trips (binoculars in the left hand, pen in right hand, journal on knee) but extended studies inside her studio, using taxidermied specimens.

And not just in her own studio — at a private Smithsonian session in 2005 she studied the very species preserved on the Hayden Yellowstone Expedition. “They were actually stuffed with prairie grass,” she said, still in awe of seeing birds collected in 1871.

She easily sells what she loves to paint. Heather’s business, Walleye Cards, started simply in 1997 when she made card stock copies of her journal pages from her desk printer. It’s now an enterprise that dominates a wall of shelves and a desk full of business details.

“I have to be careful when I go out to paint that I don’t think ‘I’m going to try and do a card.’

I try to stay fresh — there is always so much to paint — every day is a new experience.”

A walk in the woods with this woman reveals nature’s depth and texture far beyond the surface that contents most of us.

That October afternoon the woods were alive with sensual delights. As she sketched, Heather reacted to the faint sounds around her: “Those are chickadees over there to the south. And hear that? A red breasted nuthatch.”

Quick marginal text became a companion piece to the small color portrait of a tree trunk.

Heather finds constant but ever-changing inspiration in her surroundings.

“My pleasure comes from discovery,” she said, “whether it’s a painterly texture, a different brush stroke, unusual animal behavior, or a new sound from a bird.”

For much more art and information about Heather, visit www.wildtales.com.

— by Susan Lagsdin

WHAT TO DO

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

p.m. Kate Bonnett will feature her Homegrown Stitches line. 105 Palouse, Wenatchee. Cost: free.

Info: tumbleweedbeadco.com.

Wenatchee Naturalist – The Wenatchee River Institute invites you to embark on a wonderfilled adventure by becoming a Wenatchee Naturalist. Registration has begun for the third offering of the Wenatchee-based program that begins in late January. The class meets on Wednesday evenings and includes three Saturday field trips to explore habitats along the White, Entiat and Wenatchee River corridors, guided by expert field biologists. Registration closes on Jan. 9, with the first Wednesday evening class on Jan. 30. Limited to 24 adults and is designed for non-scientists. Tuition: $335. Info: barnbeachreserve.org/programs/ or email course instructor Susan Ballinger at skylinebal@gmail.com.

Cozy Quilt Walk, 11/2, 5 – 8 p.m.

Stroll from store to store to view displayed handmade quilts created by local artists. Downtown Chelan.

Info: lakechelan.com.

Chelan Evening Farmer’s Market, 11/1, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. and every Thursday through 11/29. Corner of S. Emerson and Wapato Streets, between the Riverwalk Inn and Riverwalk Park. Info: chelanfarmersmarket.org.

Apple Cup Tailgate Luncheon, 11/1, noon. Hosted by Wenatchee Central Lions and Downtown Rotary. Speaker Don Sweet, former Washington State University and Canadian Football League kicker.

Wenatchee Convention Center – upstairs ballroom. Cost: $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Info: wenatcheecentrallions.org.

Treasure Island, 11/1, 6:30 p.m.

A musical. Performing Arts Center.

Cost: $15-$25. Info: pacwen.org.

Man of La Mancha, 11/1,2,3, 7:30 p.m. The story of the mad knight, Don Quixote, as a play within a play, performed by Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. Riverside Playhouse. Info: mtow.org.

Wenatchee First Fridays, 11/2, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Walk downtown for art, music, dining and entertainment. Downtown Wenatchee.

2 Rivers Art Gallery, 11/2, 5 – 8 p.m. Featured artist Marc Dilley plus over 40 local and regional artists. Wines by 37 Cellars, refreshments and live music by Connie Celustka on the hammered dulcimer. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee.

Cost: free.

Tumbleweed Bead Co., 11/2, 5

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Bubbles and Heels, 11/2, 5 p.m.

Sip bubbly, chat with friends while wearing your favorite shoes.

One Wines, Inc. 526 Woodin Ave. Chelan. Cost: $10. Info: onewinesinc.com.

Michael Partington, 11/2, 7:30 p.m. Columbia River Music Conservatory hosts Michael Partington, classical guitarist. Grace Lutheran Church, 1408 Washington St. Cost: $15. Info: columbiarivermc.com.

Cashmere Art and Activity Center, 11/3, 10 a.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, 9:30 a.m. weekdays. Second Saturday celebrations, meet the artists, and enjoy food and drink, musical entertainment by Kirk Lewellen.

Michael Partington, 11/3, 7:30 p.m. Classical guitar concert. Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Canyon Wren Recital Hall, Leavenworth.

Info: icicle.org.

Autumn Splendor Musical SoireÉ, 11/3, 7 p.m. Wenatchee Valley Symphony will perform.

Wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts.

Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $35. Info: wenatcheesymphony.org.

Book signing, 11/3, 1-4 p.m. The Sign of the Eagle by Jess Steven Hughes is an action/suspense story of ancient Rome set in 71 A.D. Macha, Celtic wife of the Roman officer, Titus, must prove his innocence of treason and murder.

Hastings, Wenatchee.

Community Farm Connection fundraiser, 11/4, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Washington craft brews, desserts made with local ingredients, as well as wines and cider from Stemilt Creek Winery and Snowdrift Cider Company available by donation.

Funds raised will help Community Farm Connection to continue to implement its five main programs.

Meet local farmers and taste what local has to offer. Info: Amy Hendershot at (253) 961-0625.

Underground Blues Jam, 11/5, 7:30 p.m. Every first Monday of the month. 10 Below, 29 N Columbia

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WHAT TO DO

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

}}} Continued from previous page St. side B. Info: Joe Guimond 6644077.

Improv/Acting Workshop, 11/6, 7 p.m. Every Tuesday night with theater games for novice and experienced players. Fun, causal and free. Riverside Playhouse. Cost: free. Info: mtow.org.

Scotty McCreery, 11/8, 7 p.m.

Live country music. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

The Secret Keeper in the Court of Henry VIII, 11/8, 7 p.m. Book signing by Sandra Byrd. Wenatchee Library. And 11/9, 7 p.m. at Leavenworth Library. Info: abookforallseasons.com.

Phantom of the Opera, 11/8,9,10,14,15,16 & 17, 7:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 11/10 & 17. Wenatchee High School choral department will perform. Wenatchee High School Auditorium. Tickets: 888-0780.

Trent Reedy, 11/9. Award winning author will talk about his path as a writer – from being a former soldier to published author. Osborn Elementary, Leavenworth. And 11/10, 1 p.m. at A Book For All Seasons.

Info: abookforallseasons.com.

Friday Funnies, 11/9 and 12/14, 8 p.m. Mission: Improv’s comedy show. Clearwater Steakhouse and Saloon, East Wenatchee. Cost: $5.

Info: Cynthia Brown 670-8233.

Chelan Chamber Awards Dinner, 11/9, 6 p.m. Sorrento’s Ristorante. Cost: $45. Info: 682-3503.

Holiday Wine Walk, 11/10, 1 – 6 p.m. The fun starts at Davis Furniture, 125 S. Wen. Ave. Pick up a complimentary glass for 8 tastes $15 and stroll through downtown merchants for wine tasting, light appetizers, holiday sales and other special events. Info: wenatcheewines.com.

Book Buzz, 11/10, 1 p.m. Authors Trent Reedy and Sandra Bryd will be on hand to sign books at A Book For All Seasons.

RMN Wrestling, 11/10, 9 a.m.

Predator World Championships.

Town Toyota Center. Cost: $12. Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

Veteran’s Day Parade, 11/11, 11 a.m. Downtown Chelan.

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Cooking Class, 11/13, 5:30 p.m.

Chef Richard Kitos will review all the cuts of beef, tri-tip, hanger, strip, rib eye, top-sirloin, porterhouse or T-bone, skirt, top blade and flank. Ivy Wild, 410 N Miller.

Cost: $40. Info: ivywildcatering. com. iPad 101, 11/13, 6 p.m. Learn settings, navigation, finding and downloading apps and using some of the most popular and useful apps on the market. Bring your iPad. Pre-registration required. WVC Continuing Education. WVC Sexton Hall, room 6008. Cost: $59. Info: 682-6900.

Alzheimer’s Café, 11/13, 2:30 p.m.

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

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

Info: 548-4076.

WingS ‘n Wishes Parade & Santa, 11/15, 6:30 p.m. Parade starts at Douglas County PUD and ends at Wenatchee Valley Mall.

Landscaping for Your Needs, 11/15, 6 p.m. One evening class with Master Gardener Mary Fran McClure. Learn the details to draw your own landscape plan and the factors in creating an appealing landscape. Pre-registration required. WVC Wells Hall, room 1070.

Cost: $20. Info: 682-6900.

Festival of Trees, 11/-16-18. Public viewing of the trees. Performing Arts Center. Info: 663-2787.

Little Black Dress Party, 11/16, 7 p.m. Appetizers, desserts, music, bar, dancing and more. Performing Arts Center. Cost: $25. Info: pacwen.org.

Hot Autumn Ice Women’s Hockey Tournament, 11/16-18.

Town Toyota Center.

Book signing, 11/16, 7 p.m. Messengers in Stone by David Williams.

David explores the history of cairns from the moors of Scotland to the peaks of the Himalayas — where they come from, what they mean, why they’re used, how to make cairns, and more. Barn Beach Reserve. Info: abookforallseasons. com.

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WHAT TO DO

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

}}} Continued from page 36 Book Buzz, 11/17, 1 p.m. Messengers in Stone by David Williams, And Every Man Has to Die by Frank Zafiro, and Murder at Foxbluff by Jesse Freels will be at A Book For All Seasons for book signing.

PAC Gala Dinner & Live Auction, 11/17, 5:30 p.m. Dinner by guest chef Richard Kitos. Bid on the Festival trees, catered poker party on Lake Chelan, a winter getaway in the Methow Valley, a personal documentary by North 40 Productions, a Seattle weekend complete with hotel, dinner theater tickets and more. Performing Arts Center.

Cost: $125.

Laugh Riot 2012, 11/17, 7 p.m.

Standup comedians Carl Banks and Kermit Apio will perform.

Wenatchee Convention Center.

Info: 669-0821.

Icicle Creek Chamber Players, 11/17, 7:30 p.m. Barber, Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Minor, Op. 6 Rachmaninoff and Ravel, Se-

lected Songs for Voice and Piano Saint- Saëns, Violons dans le soir for Voice, Violin and Piano Brahms, Piano Trio in C Major, Op. 87. Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Leavenworth. Info: icicle.org.

Empty Bowls Community Paintings, 11/17, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., 12/8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 12/20, 1:30 – 6:30 p.m. Did you know that one in four children in Wenatchee is hungry? Join the fight against hunger in our own community. Come paint your own ceramic bowl.

Bring your family, friends, and kids. Afterwards, your bowl will be fired and you can come pick it up and join a simple soup and bread dinner on Jan. 18. Proceeds benefit our 13 local area food banks. The cost includes finished bowl and the dinner. Wenatchee Public Library auditorium (downstairs) 310 Douglas Street Cost: $15. Info: Skye 662-6156 or email at skyew@ cdcac.org, or http://www.cdcac. org/empty-bowls.html.

Sundaes with Santa, 11/18, 1 p.m.

Meet the Wenatchee Wild hockey players and enjoy entertainment from the Wenatchee Valley Youth Circus and Fabulous Feet Dance Studio and get a photo with Santa.

Performing Arts Center. Cost: $10.

Info: pacwen.org.

Compassionate Friends Meeting, 11/19, 7 p.m. Grace Lutheran Church. Anyone who has had a child die is invited to attend. Info: Carol 665-9987.

Dive, 11/20, 7 p.m. Environmental Film Series. Filmmakers find a gold mine of good food while diving in commercial dumpsters. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center.

Turkey on the Run, Wenatchee, 11/ 22, 9 a.m., 12K and 5K, Thanksgiving Day event running starts and ends in Rotary Park in Wenatchee, runwenatchee.com.

Fall Barrel Tasting, 11/23-25, noon – 5 p.m. Try wines from the barrel before bottling, new releases and library wines. Info: wenatcheewines.com.

Fall Barrel Tasting, 11/23-25.

Samples and other treats. Lake Chelan Wineries. Info: lakechelan. com.

Book Signing, 11/23 & 11/24, 1 p.m.

Better Than Chocolate and Merry Ex-Mas by Sheila Roberts. A Book for All Seasons.

Cooking Class, 11/27, 5:30 p.m.

Freshly ground meat yields endless options for burgers. Ivy Wild, 410 N Miller. Cost: $50. Info: ivywildcatering.com.

Holiday Spice, 11/29, 7:30 pm.

Concert, dancing and theatrics.

Performing Arts Center. Cost: $1520.

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Christmas Lighting Festival, 11/30 – 12/1, 12/7 – 12/8, 12/14 – 12/15. Music starts at 2 p.m.

Ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights, carolers, cocoa, sledding and horse drawn carriage. Downtown Leavenworth.

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, 11/30, 8 p.m. The Science of Murder — an interactive murder mystery where you solve the crime.

A full three-course meal of fresh salad, your choice of beef, chicken, salmon, or vegetarian entree and dessert. Courses are served in between acts of a comedy murder/ farce, and audience members may wish to interview the different characters or suspects so they can solve the crime in the final act.

Clearwater Steakhouse and Saloon.

East Wenatchee. Cost: $30. Info: Cynthia Brown 670-8233.

Eagles Holiday Bazaar & Bake Sale, 12/1, 9 a.m. Crafts, commercial items, music, goodies and fun. Upper level of Eagles building Chelan. Info: lakechelan.com.

Common Bond 5, 12/1, 2 p.m & 7 p.m. Christmas music in the country. Performing Arts Center. Info: pacwen.org.

Opera on Tap, 12/1, 6 p.m. An evening with sizzling, professional singers who let their hair down and create the feel of an after hours, backstage party, performing opera’s biggest hits. Canyon Wren Recital Hall, Leavenworth. Cost: $45. Info: icicle.org.

The Art Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

In street clothes on an unfinished stage, singer John Ryan can raise goose bumps with his vibrant bass voice.

Following his star has been perfectly possible dream for John Ryan J

ohn Ryan stood center stage at the Riverside Theater with the prison set of Man of La Mancha looming behind him. He laughed about the extent of his eclectic repertoire.

“Well, I don’t care for country western personally, but my mom liked it, so, yes — I’ve sung it a little. And, I’ve got stacks of wedding and funeral music…”

Opera is his forte. (The difference between it and musicals?

“In opera, everybody dies,” he says, straightfaced. ) And he’s sung Mahler well enough, using the International Phonetic Alphabet, that Germans in the

audience assumed he was a countryman.

John remains an evolving performer, classically trained but not tied to a genre-agenda, from his rock band days (“I quit when I realized I shouldn’t scream — I was working toward a voice that could work all week long.”) to Sister Mary Amnesia singing a bawdy duet with a hand-held puppet, in Nunsense A-men. to one of only four soloists in Columbia Chorale’s Messiah this December.

Christmas pageants at the Denver boy’s home where he was raised helped him gain stage confidence after an introverted childhood. Then, John enjoyed a singer’s fantasy life for about 15 years after an accidental audition and a plum role in Brigadoon spurred him to drop college and take to the road.

“I found tremendous relationships and a really strong sense of family and community in the national theater world,” he said.

Networking and insider audition tips lead to roles in dozens of November 2012 | The Good Life

varied shows around the country, as well as longtime friendships.

That performing life and its multiple roles supported him well, “But I couldn’t read music,” he confessed, explaining his return to college for two degrees.

“I realized I needed to learn to read the dots.”

“Reading the dots” — i.e., formal music training — also lead to teaching positions, and meeting Louise. He delved into drama and directing in Colorado and California while his wife’s medical career expanded.

Since their move to north central Washington in 1984, he’s become part of the community and high school theater scene — you may have seen John recently in I Hate Hamlet or Xanadu, or thrilled to his direction of Wait Until Dark.

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remember.

He says, “To know that I was able to remove them, for a few moments, from the harsh realities surrounding us, fills my soul.”

John’s soul is filled by many other wonders — his creative children Olive and Dylan, the supportive camaraderie he finds in community theater, the wealth of musical talent and music venues in this area, and the fact that for most of his life he’s been able to make a living either doing his art or teaching his art.

John Ryan sings as naturally as most of us breathe. And even in a casual situation he doesn’t hold back on expression and volume.

When asked to sing a few bars for the interview, he quickly complied with The Quest (also called The Impossible Dream) His posture stayed poised but relaxed, his gestures natural, but his voice, a full and vibrant bass, boomed the tune to the rafters.

— by Susan Lagsdin

>>

column those were the days

rod molzahn

As trails improved, pioneers flocked here During the 1880s the white

population of the Wenatchee Valley experienced an explosion.

Mamie Blair recalled that there were less than a dozen white men, no white women, living in the valley when her family and the Tripps settled in 1883. That was double the five or six living here in 1871. By 1891 the number was up to 108 and by the next year, with the imminent arrival of the railroad, population swelled to 300.

In 1880 work was completed to widen the Colockum Pass trail to a wagon road.

The journey from Ellensburg to the Wenatchee Valley was difficult and arduous. The road was steep, a 30 percent grade in one section, rocky and often deep in snow or mud.

Mamie Blair described her family’s trip in mid-October of 1883. It took three days to reach the 5,000-foot top of the pass where they spent the night in an early snowstorm. The two-day trip down was often so steep that George Blair had to cut fir trees to tie to the rear of the wagon as a brake.

Like many of the early Wenatchee settlers, George Blair and his wife Margaret along with their daughters, Mamie,

The journey from Ellensburg to the Wenatchee Valley was difficult and arduous. The road was steep, a 30 percent grade in one section, rocky and often deep in snow or mud.

Grace, Pearl and Alice, were headed somewhere else, in their case, Seattle.

They left their home in Nebraska in 1882 with a covered wagon full of belongings tied down to a flatcar on an Immigrant Train. The tracks ended in Butte, Montana.

From there George Blair drove the wagon to Missoula and onto another train that ended near Pasco. From there they took the wagon overland to Ellensburg where they heard stories of the Wenatchee Valley.

While the family rested a few days, George rode across the mountains to have a look.

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What he saw changed his mind and he rode back to Ellensburg with grapes and apples from the “Dutch John” Galler and Phillip Miller farms and told his family they had a new destination.

On his first visit George had chosen a parcel of land near present day Orondo and Miller streets but when the family arrived they found that a man named John Camphor had piled lumber for a cabin on the land.

The Blairs moved north and built a one room, 16-foot by 16-foot log cabin on 160 acres bordered by Miller, Orchard and Fifth streets. Nearby was the cabin of the Tripp family.

Tollman and Arzella Tripp with their daughter Eva had arrived just before the Blairs. The Tripps were Wenatchee’s first white family.

By 1884 there were more neighbors when the Rickman and Hollenbeck families claimed land west of Western Avenue along Fifth Street. The four neighbors joined together to dig the “Settler’s Ditch” to bring water from Squilchuck Creek to their land.

That year the Nolop family built a cabin just downhill from the present county courthouse.

They were joined soon by the Brownlows and the Hulls.

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The next year George Blair won the contract to carry mail on horseback from Ellensburg to Wenatchee, across the Columbia to Waterville then back across the Columbia at Brewster to Conconully and finally back to Wenatchee and Ellensburg.

In 1887 George Washington Blair and his neighbor, Christopher Columbus Rickman, began the first stage coach line operating between Ellensburg, Wenatchee and Waterville.

In 1886 Ellen Burch and her sons settled land north of the Wenatchee River at the foot of the mountain that bears the family’s name. There they built and operated the valley’s first ferry across the Columbia.

In 1888 a Mr. McPherson built a store north of Fifth Street along the river and Sam Miller closed the Miller/Freer Trading Post that had operated at the confluence since 1870.

The settlement called Millersburg was struggling to become the town of Wenatchee.

The following year W.E. Stevens married Grace Blair and opened a general store near Springwater and Miller streets, an area that was soon known as “Old Town.” His store was quickly joined by a livery stable, a hotel, a blacksmith and Mike Horan’s meat market.

Horan, born in Massachusetts, had made his way to Wenatchee by way of California, Arizona, Seattle and Roslyn, where he met and married Margaret Rankin from Iowa.

Not liking the rowdy mining town, they aimed for the Wenatchee Valley. Mike came first to get things set. Margaret, with their infant son, William, crossed the Colockum Pass to

... a town was growing where sand and rocks had ruled.

Wenatchee in the summer of 1889. They all took up residence in the new three-room house Mike had built in “Old Town.”

The little town was booming but the growth wasn’t limited to just the town.

In 1884 Deak Brown from Indiana, Oregon and Vancouver,

Wash., with new wife Lucy, a Minnesota native, became the first white settlers in Brown’s Flat, now Monitor.

Deak’s brothers and a friend, James Weythman, came the next year. George and Ida Richardson from Kansas, where they had been driven out by drought and locusts, settled near the Browns in 1888.

The next year George and Louise Parrish arrived with their son, Tom. They were from Indiana where George had studied law at Purdue University then moved west to teach school in Walla Walla and Yakima.

In 1885 Pete Wheeler Sr. and his family came from Nebraska and settled on the high ridge between Stemilt and Squilchuck creeks, a place soon called Wheeler Hill.

In 1886 the Zimmermans and Bolenbaughs arrived.

Below them, at the bottom of Squilchuck Creek, the beginnings of “South Wenatchee” were stirring when Harman and Mattie Simmons with their daughter, Minnie, arrived from Missouri in 1886 and homesteaded along the Columbia River where the Apple Yard rail terminal now stands.

The valley that had seen so little growth for so many generations was alive with farms and orchards where sagebrush had been and a town was growing where sand and rocks had ruled.

Change and growth only accelerated when the Great Northern Railroad arrived in 1892.

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.

Marketplace Carpet Cleaning

Cigars

Clothing Boutique

Fresh Local Eats

Insurance

Janitorial Services

Massage

Services for the Blind

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>>

column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

Washington wine grapes travel well

The popularity of Washing-

ton wines has spread eastward across the country, from Maine to Florida.

Fame for these wines is well deserved and is a tribute to the skill and abilities of the winemakers and their supporting teams of cellar-rats.

The other reason for the excellent quality of the Washington wines is the fruit — or more specifically, the vinifera grapes.

Great wines demand great grapes.

Recently we visited friends in Maine, people with whom we’ve had a long-standing friendship spanning 34 years. These friends know our penchant for quality wines so they took us wine tasting.

You may, if you like, learn about all 20 of the wineries on the Maine wine trail by visiting www.mainewinetrail.com. My focus here, however, is not on the wineries, but on the grapes some use in making their wines, and in particular, the grapes used at one winery: Cellardoor Winery.

The winery makes 20 different wines, 15 of which are from vinifera grapes. Eight of those 15 are made from Washington grapes exclusively, and another five use

our state’s grapes as their primary component.

Cellardoor Winery purchases wine grapes from here, and from California and New York, in order to have top quality fruit for making their wines. This is a common practice for wineries in states that lack proper growing conditions for wine grapes.

Tasting is free at Cellardoor and visitors are asked to select six wines from the list, so I opted for two whites and four reds.

I started with a white blend called Trilogy Blanc, a blend of Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier, and all from the 2010 harvest of Yakima Valley AVA fruit. Then I sampled the Pinot Gris, which was from the 2011 harvest in the Snipes Mountain AVA in Washington. Both the whites showed the quality and character of the fruit’s heritage.

Shifting to the reds next, I had the 2010 Grenache, also from Snipes fruit. I’m a Grenache fan, but I found this wine far too light and characterless.

I’ve had other Snipes AVA Grenache wines made right here in Washington, so I have a basis for comparison when I say this wine lacks both the aromas and the flavors of Grenache wines made here.

That’s a bit of a negative note, and I don’t mean to come across that way.

It could very well be simply that Aaron Peet, the winemaker trained in Washington at the Center for Enology and Viticulture in Walla Walla, fully intended to make such a light beverage and purposefully took the juice off the lees early during fermentation to avoid color and flavor extraction.

I moved on to the Ned Said Red, a Carignon and Cabernet Sauvignon blend I found also to be light in color and aromas.

For me, the saving grace came from the 11 percent Cabernet Sauvignon harvested in the Columbia Valley.

And winemaker Aaron Peet isn’t buying bulk wine from Washington state that he bottles under his own label; he’s buying fruit, and having it trucked in refrigerator units across the country to the 200-year-old facility purchased in 2007 by Bettina Doulton, the owner who is responsible for hiring Aaron and putting his Washington trained skills to use in his native state of Maine.

From the Ned Said Red I went to the Monti al Mar, a blend of 53 percent Wahluke Slope Sangiovese and 47 percent

California’s Central Valley Zinfandel, and I began to be pleased.

The wine, also softly colored, showed cherry and raspberry on the nose and lasting finish of the fresh fruits. Some of you readers might remember that our local wineries, Fielding Hills, Horan Estates and Saint Laurent, make their award-winning wines from their vineyards on the Wahluke slope of the Columbia river near Mattawa.

I was unable to find anyone who knew the actual grower of the Sangiovese grapes, but the staff was certain this was Wahluke Slope fruit.

The red that most pleased me was the last one on my chosen list of six, the 2010 Trilogy, a Southern Rhone styled blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Grenache grapes. The Mourvedre was harvested in Contra Costa County in California. The Syrah and Grenache hailed from Washington state.

I like my Southern Rhone blended wines to be robust with intense aromatics and flavors that linger on the senses. This Trilogy came close to filling the bill, and I could recommend it to you if you’re ever in Maine.

I drank no Virginia wines in Virginia on this trip to the East Coast, but in Georgia I have every intention of sampling the award winning Georgia wines, which I’m told were made from California and Washington fruit.

Alex Saliby is a wine lover who spends far too much time reading about the grapes, the process of making wine and the wines themselves.

He can be contacted at alex39@msn. com.

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