July 2014 by The Good Life

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Contents

page 28

Why a puppy is good medicine Features

A contest!

What’s the worst travel advice you have ever received? And, did you take it?

8 trial by horse

Little publicized sport brings smiles of joy — and grimaces of pain — to rider Harden Howell

11 Yes, they went to hell

The food was great, the family and friends warm, but the roads were twisty and dangerous

14 Summers in Stehekin

Photographer Brad Brisbane takes his camera — and wife — on leisurely trips to the head of the lake. Oh, those cinnamon rolls!

16 not just for veterans

New thrift store aimed at helping those who served America, but it also reaches out to all who are going through a bad hitch

18 happy birthday, lst

Leavenworth Summer Theater looked like it wouldn’t have a long run after the first fire-hampered season, and then it moved outside and now tickets are a hot item

20 easier living

Compassionate professional care in a serene setting

These East Wenatchee condos have an appeal to residents who would prefer to put on a swim suit instead of work gloves

ART SKETCHES

n Watercolorist Kerry Siderius, page 30 n Writer Stan Morse, page 34 Columns & Departments 24 June Darling: Can you make a person act better 26 Bonnie Orr: The lowly cabbage 27 Pet Tales: Hiking with peanut 28 The traveling doctor: We just got a pet! 30-35 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 33 The night sky: Planets rising 36 History: The unusual story of John Wapato 38 Alex Saliby: A winery grows among the lupine July 2014 | The Good Life

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Year 8, Number 7 July 2014 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, Brad Brisbine, Maureen Stivers, Jan Theriault, Jamie Howell, Simon Floyd, Alan Moen, Donna Cassidy, Bonnie Orr, Alex Saliby, Jim Brown, June Darling, Dan McConnell, Susan Lagsdin, Peter Lind and Rod Molzahn Advertising manager, Terry Smith Advertising sales, Lianne Taylor and Donna Cassidy Bookkeeping and circulation, Donna Cassidy Proofing, Dianne Cornell Ad design, Rick Conant TO SUBSCRIBE: For $25, ($30 out of state address) you can have 12 issues of The Good Life mailed to you or a friend. Send payment to: The Good Life 10 First Street, Suite 108 Wenatchee, WA 98801 For circulation questions, email: donna@ncwgoodlife.com BUY A COPY of The Good Life at Hastings, Caffé Mela, Walgreens (Wenatchee and East Wenatchee), Safeway stores, Mike’s Meats at Pybus, Martin’s Market Place (Cashmere) and A Book for All Seasons (Leavenworth)

>> OPENING SHOT RUN INTO THE GROUND By Brad Brisbine

Stehekin is a joy for photog-

raphers; everywhere you look is a scene inspiring the photographer’s desire to compose a special image. Although I do some pre-visualizing of shots, I most enjoy the spontaneity of being on a photoshoot and just being receptive to what nature is giving me to work with. The obvious postcard shot may not be where the light is special. Just go with what catches your eye. Move or zoom in enough to make the intended statement. The statement is usually just a feeling. Art. I stumbled upon this 1953 Ford Country Sedan while bicycle riding down a dirt trail off the bakery road. It was one of those subjects that I gleefully tried every possible angle I could think of. I call that “working it”; exploring different compositions, vertical and horizontal, capturing the entirety or a detail. This streamlined, directionalperspective shot was one of many, and each tells a little different story. Here the emphasis was on how this car was run right into the ground after serving its useful life, and now has been abandoned to a slow decomposition.

The forest is enveloping it, and yet… THE HEADLIGHTS STILL WORK? A serendipitous sunspot coming through the forest canopy landed right in front of the car! See more of Brad’s Stehekin photos in this issue on pages 14 and 15.

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

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On the cover

Photographer Simon Floyd captured this shot of Dr. Harden Howell charging through the water hazard on his horse, Columbus, during a three-day competition at the Washington State Horse Park near Cle Elum.

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

Living and loving perfect moments If you choose to read this

column to the end, you will have read 536 words. Chelan author Stan Morse is working on his next novel, now at around 55,000 words. And he’s only half way through. Since writing 536 words tests the limit of my patience, I wondered to Stan during a visit to his home to talk about writing, how he is able to maintain his interest over so long a time? He replied: “I’ve never been married, but I know people who have been married 20-25 years. How do they possibly maintain interest over that long…? “As for writing, for me, I start with a story I find compelling,

and then I fall in love with the words.” Well, I’ve been married for a good while, and I can see Stan’s point. First, there was the story — perhaps a gooey love story like, “She completes me,” or something a little more earthy like: “This will be fun when the lights go out.” But after that it’s the love of the moments that keeps breathing fresh interest into the marriage story. Of course, you have to be there to get the pleasure from the good moments. You can’t be walking the trail with your spouse on a warm summer evening when the clouds are

infused with pink and purple — and all the while be mentally making a to-do list for work tomorrow. I think cool adventures — whether over the next two weeks or the next stage of your life — needs to start with an engaging story (“Let’s get a puppy,” “Let’s sail around the world,” “Let’s visit the land of our ancestors to connect with family in the Old World.”) and then offer up magical moments, whether it’s the look on an adoring pet’s face or feeling a familial spark when touching a gravestone of an ancestor who walked his native land 100 years ago. I run into people who are at a loss about what to do next. They are bored today, but can’t imagine what to do tomorrow. I tell them they need a new story. And not that they ask me for advice, but I can be quick to toss out a wild suggestion, like, “Why don’t you think about living in a RV on the beach in

South America?” Strangely, no one has yet taken my advice. I think maybe they see my suggestions as too difficult — “It’s a long drive to South America” — (it certainly can’t be that my ideas are too weird). If you looked at novel writing as sitting at a computer, typing 100,000-plus words, you wouldn’t do it either. At least I certainly wouldn’t. But to invent new worlds, to play around with language, to really say those things you would love to say in life — then clicking on the computer is the start of a string of wonderful moments. Who knows what the secret to life is, but it helps to have a story to propel you on — one that gives you moments to love before the book that is your life runs out of words. When you stop loving your moments, it’s time to begin a new story. Enjoy The Good Life. — Mike

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fun stuff a full LISTING of what to do begins ON PAGE 31

Paint the castle and other fresh air July events Castlerock, a cinder cone

and prominent natural feature overlooking Wenatchee, will be the subject of this year’s Two Rivers Gallery Plein Air paintout contest on Saturday and Sunday, July 12 and 13. NCW artists are invited to participate and may choose any time of day or any location from around the city to paint Castlerock. The term Plein Air comes from the French en plein air. Impressionists would leave their studios and paint in the open air. They found that the changing light during the day had an influence on the mood and color in their paintings. Artists will pay a $20 entry fee and have their canvases signed by the gallery from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday, July 12. Artists will return with the finished painting Sunday, July 13, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Artworks may be finished in oil, acrylics, pastel, watercolor, colored pencil, or mixed media. Awards will be announced on First Friday, Aug. 1, at 5:45 p.m. at Two Rivers Gallery. A $200 Best in Show award is offered, plus two $50 gift cards for second and third places. For more information about the Castlerock Plein Air Contest go to 2riversgallery.com and click “events.” Here are some other, fun fresh air events for July: Kinderfest — Games, prizes, crafts, bike parade, face paint-

Jan Theriault, the president of Two Rivers Gallery, took this photo of Castlerock, almost hidden by the hills that overshadow the city, as seen from Sunnyslope.

ing, cupcake walk, water features, balloons, cotton candy, shaved ice, popcorn and more. Bike parade starts at 11. Free to kids. Downtown Leavenworth. Friday, July 4, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ohme Gardens wine and food gala — Award winning

wines from NCW’s premium vintners, complimented by food from NCW’s best restaurants and caterers along with live music. Info: wenatcheewines.com or ohmegardens.com. 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 12.

Rocky Reach Dam Open House — Dive team demonstra-

tions, tours of high tech fish sampling station, linemen demonstrations and career options. Cost: free. Saturday, July 26, 9

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a.m. to 8 p.m. CCA NCW Salmon Derby —

Third annual event with several thousand dollars in prize money. Tournament takes place between Rock Island and Rocky Reach Dams. Info: wenatcheesalmonderby.com. Friday, July 18, and Saturday, July 19, starting at 4 a.m. WSU MASTER GARDENER — Featured talk and hands on activities will be centered on the top 10 garden problems in our valley with Master Gardeners Linda Morse, Linda Sarratt and Keith Thrapp. Community Education Garden, 1100 N Western Ave. Cost: free. 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 19.

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Master Gardeners will be passing on their wisdom Saturday, July 19.

A contest!

Heard any bad travel advice from anyone? By Maureen Stivers Good, and even relatively sound travel tips come from numerous sources. The Internet, travel guides and magazines are especially replete with lists of “Dos and Don’ts” for anyone venturing away from home. The farther and more exotic the destination, the more intense and elaborate the recommendations become. But this information is not confined to print and often comes in verbal form, ranging from ,“you might want to….” offerings to adamant edicts. Over the years, I have read and heard some stunningly illadvised travel suggestions that have, at times, confounded me in their ridiculousness. For laughs, I am currently compiling my own list of alltime favorites, accompanied by brief commentary. I would like to invite the readership of The Good Life to provide me with additional fodder for this collection. The plan is to select pieces of preposterous misinformation given to our local intrepid travelers and print them in a follow-up article. Please send your anecdotes to editor@ncwgoodlife.com, with the subject line of “bad travel advice” and include the following: n Your name, if you wish. n Your travel destination or type of trip. n The advice you were given. n Whether or not you took it (why or why not), and if you did, the outcome.

If you win, what would you pour into The Good Life glasses?

You may also submit the experience of another, as long as it is true and not overly embellished. I can’t wait to hear from all of you and anticipate some very amusing material that should give us all a big chuckle. Please submit your entries by the end of July so that the article may appear in the September issue. The Good Life will award a pair of inscribed wine/juice glasses for the most outlandish answer. Thank you in advance for your participation. I wish you all sane travel preparations. Oh, and here is an example of one of mine: When my husband and I travelled to China to adopt our daughter, we bonded with one of the other couples who seemed to be in a state of discomfort. They were advised, by none other than the director of the adoption agency, to take two Pepto-Bismols with every meal to ward off food poisoning. (Not a scientist). They were dutifully complying. Anyone who has ever gone anywhere knows that maintaining regularity under the best of circumstances can be a challenge. Why someone would suggest purposefully creating intestines of cement is beyond me. Maureen Stivers is a member of Write on the River and enjoys writing about the quirky, ironic, scary and humorous aspects of travel. July 2014 | The Good Life

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The Horse Trials of Harden Howell Happiness on Horseback By Jamie Howell

Day three and it’s his to lose.

But Dad looks calm enough as he enters the arena. And that horse, man, it always looks strong. Columbus is a Clydesdale Thoroughbred, a stoic blend of racehorse speed and draught horse power. This is the first sanctioned event of the season, and this is Dad’s first competition atop him. But the word around the stables is they’re, “a good fit,” Dad and Columbus. I’ve heard the comment made repeatedly over the past few days by others among the 250 riders here at the Washington State Horse Park outside Cle Elum. By “fit”, they’re referring not to the way Dad sits astride Columbus, black knee-length boots fitted neatly into metal stirrups, but to the relationship between horse and rider, to the fact that the two seem to get along with one another. And right now that relationship is everything. Over the next few minutes, communicating by means of a nuanced physicality through touch points where the thighs squeeze the rib cage, where the bit tugs at the soft flesh of the mouth, where the balance shifts incessantly in the saddle, these two must work together to navigate a pattern of 14 jumps standing between them

and the blue ribbon. Miss even one and they could lose. And then, of course, there’s the ambulance parked nearby, a red-and-white reminder of what can happen when horse and rider fail to clear a jump. I’m surprised, looking on from the rails, to find my own heart racing. Eventing The sport is called Eventing, and remains a mystery to most Americans. People will often ask Dad if that means he goes around and rides in parades. Eventing is, in fact, an offshoot of parades, an evolution of the military training regimens from back when soldiers required their horses to charge fearlessly into battle as well as to prance obediently in front of their commanders on the parade grounds. It’s a sport that demands countless hours, not just riding, but feeding, caring, transporting and building a relationship with your animal. Horses, Dad says, are not like boats Dr. Harden Howell rides Columbus through the cross-country course at the Washington State that you can park Horse Park outside Cle Elum. Photo by Simon Floyd

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ABOVE: Horse and rider soak up the adulation after turning in the winning round at the Equestrians’ Institute 2014 Horse Trials. LEFT: Dr. Harden Howell and Columbus clear the final jump on their way to the win on day three. Photos by Jamie Howell

out back and throw a cover over for the winter. They are not just a hobby or a pastime or a recreation, they are a lifestyle. Most of us have seen the modern-day version, horses jumping brightly colored fences in the Olympics. But show jumping is only the final test in a series of three disciplines – dressage, cross-country and show jumping — that make up Eventing. I’ve come to the Equestrians’ Institute 2014 Horse Trials to watch my father and his new horse take their best shot at all three. Camping out He’s scooping horse poop into a foldable wheelbarrow when I pull up to his camper site. The place is a kind of tent city, with canvas stables for the horses at its center. Riders drive in from all over the Northwest in everything from beater pickups hauling rusted out horse trailers to rock star RVs with tack rooms, patios and satellite dishes. Dad’s camper smells Columbus enjoys some well-deserved treats at the trailer after running the crosslike a rodent might have country event.

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chewed through a propane line somewhere and I point out that Suncadia Resort (which donated the land for the Washington State Horse Park) is literally a few hundred yards thataway. Lord knows, with what some of those rigs cost, most of these folks could afford a room. Dad shrugs, “Nah.” This is half the fun, camping out, reading his books in a camp chair under a pop-up canopy, being near his horse. He slops a steaming heap of Costco Chilaquiles onto two paper plates for us and digs in. I can tell he’s happy. Day One: Dressage Dressage is deeply formal. Nobody says “giddyup” around here. This is not shit-kickers and wide-brimmed Stetsons. This is polished leather dress boots over jodhpurs, pressed black riding jackets and velveteen show helmets. Dad may look more like a stuffy English nobleman than a small-town surgeon from the Pacific Northwest, but he looks sharp. It’s also hard to miss the fact that the vast majority of Event-

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The Horse Trials of Harden Howell }}} Continued from previous page ing competitors are women. Dad assures me this is purely coincidental and played no role in his selection of the sport. As we head over to the warmup arena, even Columbus is looking extra smart, his mane braided, a requirement because the judges need to see the musculature of the neck as the horse moves through the dressage routine. Of the three disciplines, dressage is the most sedate and the most technical. Dad has memorized an 18-step pattern of mandatory moves, circling this way and that, changing speeds from a working trot to a walk to a canter and back again. The judges are eyeballing them for smooth transitions and accuracy. They want the horse to move through the pattern without any appearance of effort on the rider’s part. The goal is to get the lowest score possible in the dressage phase because the next two days of competition offer only opportunities for penalty points to be tacked on. The low score after three days will win the division. I have no reference points as Dad rides. He brings Columbus to a final halt in front of the judges and doesn’t give me any real clues as to whether it went well or poorly as we head back to the stalls. But he seems pleased later when the score is posted – a 30 – good enough for second place in the field on day one.

Day Two: Cross-Country The real fun comes on day two. “Most people are smiling when they come off the cross-country course,” says Dad. Cross-country is just what it

After three days of competition, Dr. Harden Howell and Columbus return to Wenatchee with a blue ribbon. Photo by Jamie Howell

sounds like, galloping your steed through the woods, leaping over obstacles and splashing through water hazards. The adrenaline pumps with the approach to every jump, but not just because it’s fun. It’s also quite dangerous as evidenced by the fact that every rider wears a medical armband listing their physician, emergency contacts and blood type during the jumping events. Eventers refer to jumps as “questions,” the primary question being, will my horse go over this or will it slam on the brakes and send me flying? Over the 20 years that he has been competing, Dad has gone flying more than a few times, logging multiple broken ribs, a broken arm, and a couple significant bell-ringings. And the danger isn’t just out on the course. I once was called down to the local emergency room after Dad accidentally walked up behind one of his horses, surprising it, and found his nose resituated about an inch to the right. He was a

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bloody mess, but as an ear, nose and throat surgeon himself, he had refused sedation to make sure the other doctors were getting things right. We were grateful it was just a broken nose. Had that hoof landed a few inches one way or the other, he could easily have come away with a demolished eye socket or a career-ending brain injury. He shrugs this off as similar to the risks associated with any other sport. “Why do we stand at the top of a mountain with our skis sticking over and then start down the hill? It’s exciting, it’s fun,” he says. He skis, too. There are lots of safety features in place, though. His cross-country vest looks a bit like a flak jacket. He even has one with airbags that attaches by a cord to the saddle. If you get pitched off, it blows you up like the Michelin Man before you hit the ground. There will be no dissuading him from this hobby, that’s

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certain. The benefits easily outweigh the risks in his mind. “My therapist lives in a stall,” he likes to say. Today there are no injuries, no refusals and no penalties. He rides clean and moves into first place going into day three. Day Three: Show Jumping The mood around the arena is excited as Dad and Columbus head into the first jump. The athleticism and power of the horse as it clears one hurdle and then the next is thrilling to watch. I’m holding my breath as Columbus rounds the corner toward the final jump, a double, and they’ve done it. They’ve ridden clean again. But they not only have to clear every jump, they have to complete the course in a set amount of time. They won’t know if they’ve truly won until the ribbons are called. But as the top eight finishers are called by number back into the arena it is indeed the blue ribbon that goes to Dad and Columbus. The congratulations are effusive as Dad rides out, ribbon in hand, the smile on his face broader than I’m used to seeing. All the competitors understand and appreciate what it takes to get here — the commitment it takes to ride five times a week, to feed twice a day, to travel to lessons and competitions – and they pull for each other. Back at the trailer, Dad unsaddles Columbus and feeds him a victory treat of oats and carrots, even sneaks him a little taste of hard cider. He downplays his blue ribbon a bit saying only that, “It’s nice when it works out.” But I’ve come to see now, too, the commitment he has made and experienced the thrill of his competition. And it’s a nice feeling for a son to have, to be proud of your Dad.

Dr. Harden Howell is a physician at the Eye and Ear Clinic in Wenatchee. Writer, filmmaker and musician Jamie Howell is his oldest son.

To hell and back (by the way, it does freeze over there) My grandfather, Anton Marius Moen, emigrated to America in the early 20th Century, moving to a small town near Coeur d’Alene, where he was a dairyman.

Visiting family, farms and fjords in Norway By Alan Moen

When we got to Trond-

heim, Norway after a long train ride from Oslo, my Norwegian relative that we met there took us straight to Hell. Hell, Norway, about 15 miles from Trondheim, is a tiny community with only a train station, a hotel and a few stores, as well as (appropriately) a retirement home. The town’s name comes from the Old Norse word hellir, which means “overhang” or “cliff cave.” (In modern Norwegian the word for Hell is actually helvete.) After a quick tour of Hell by my second cousin, Ingvild Overmo (who said Hell freezes over nearly every year), we were off to her home in Verdal, about 45 minutes away. There we met her domestic partner, Geir Anders By Lervåg, and her two young children, Anton and Karen Ingeborg. Ingvild is a doctor who specializes in treating kidney diseases, and Geir Anders is a nurse at the same hospital. My wife, Susan Kidd, and I were quite tired after our flight and train ride, so we soon retired at Ingvild’s house, and slept until noon the next day. When we woke up, we were greeted by Johannes Overmo, my late father’s cousin. A retired banker, Johannes and his brother John (called Joe) still live at the family farm not far away.

Alan Moen and Susan Kidd pose for a photo that has to be taken by any travelers who find themselves in Hell, Norway.

Johannes is the family historian, and for the next two days, he told me about the lives of many of my Norwegian relatives. First Johannes drove us out to the ancient church in the town of Stiklestad, the site of the death of Olaf Haraldsson, Norway’s first Christian king and patron saint. Johannes’ friend and local July 2014 | The Good Life

tour guide Arnstein Indahl told us the history of Vikings in the area. Next we went to the hay and barley farm that had been in our family for many generations. Ingvild had planned a big family reunion that evening at the farm, where we met many other relatives, her father Anton, his wife Britt, and her sister, Marte. They served a traditional www.ncwgoodlife.com

Norwegian dish for dinner that night called sodd — sausages made from pork and lamb in a thin broth, accompanied by boiled potatoes and cooked carrots. But the finale of the meal — demonstrating the typical Norwegian sweet tooth — consisted of three different cakes, and lots of strong coffee. The next day Johannes took us again around the valley, pointing out the sights. Verdal bears a strong resemblance to Snohomish County, near Darrington. Coincidently, just as happened recently in Oso, there was also a devastating landslide in Verdal on May 19, 1893. The Norwegian landslide struck at night when people were sleeping, and claimed some 116 lives. Johannes told me that my surname “Moen” means “small hill” or “slope” in Norwegian. When the family moved their farm to higher ground following the landslide, they took the name Overmoen, which was later shortened to Overmo. My grandfather, Anton Marius Moen, emigrated to America in

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Women wear their traditional bunads (folk costumes) on May 17 in Oslo.

To hell and back }}} Continued from previous page the early 20th Century, moving to a small town near Coeur d’Alene, where he was a dairyman. There my father was born and grew up, speaking only Norwegian until he went to public school. At the church at Vuku, first built in 1655, we visited the graveyard where my greatgrandfather John Olsen Moen was buried. Touching the weathered stone, I felt suddenly connected to a history I had never known, so far away but now so very real. Waterfalls, Fjords and Tunnels The next day we rented a car in Trondheim, said our goodbyes, and were off for the fjord country, a journey of over 1,200 miles on our way back to Oslo. As we soon found out, driv-

ing Norway’s roads is not for the timid. The highways are paved but often less than two lanes wide, with no centerline and no shoulders. They twist up and down around the landscape like the dragons on Norse medieval carvings. One famous road we took is called the Trollstigen (Troll’s Ladder) near Romsdal. Just past the Trollveggen (Troll Wall), a huge mountain face with the highest vertical cliff in Europe, we ascended 11 steep switchbacks over 2,000 feet on a 10 percent grade out of the valley floor. At the top is a dramatic viewpoint where we found snow and also many cross-country skiers. Traveling on, most of Norway’s complex fjords that we encountered had to be crossed by ferries. And then there were the tunnels.

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Norway’s highway system seems to have been designed by dwarves or trolls, with tunnels everywhere, including the longest road tunnel in the world between Laerdal and Aurland, over 15 miles long. By law, Norwegians must drive with their parking lights on at all times, and for good reason. Some of the tunnels are well lit, but some not at all! Frequently turnabouts are located outside tunnels, just as you emerge from darkness. Speed limits are usually only about 40-50 miles per hour, and as there are very few straight stretches on the roads, passing is virtually impossible. Also, the DUI laws in Norway are very tough, with random road sobriety checks and a BAC limit is just .05. Anyone caught will do automatic jail time, lose

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their driver’s license for two years and be fined one-third of their yearly income. Nobody drinks and drives in Norway. Meanwhile, Norway’s magnificent scenery offers distractions aplenty when on the road. Waterfalls plunge from the heights hundreds and even thousands of feet at seemingly every turn. Idyllic farms perch on the steep hillsides, their fields populated by ubiquitous sheep. I have dreamed all my life of seeing Norway’s great fjords, and I was not disappointed. Our trip down the Geirangerfjord (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) by ferry was the cruise of a lifetime, passing directly under the 750-foot Seven Sisters waterfall. On the Sognefjord, the longest

The Stave church in Oslo: crouched on its pastoral grounds like some kind of demonic beast.

and deepest of Norway’s fjords, we drove to the town of Borgund to see its famous Stave church, the best preserved of its kind in the country. Built between 1180 and 1250 entirely of wood, and coated many times with tar as a preservative, the church crouched on its pastoral grounds like some kind of demonic beast — black and spiky, with dragon heads perched like gargoyles on its many roofs. After traveling through some of Norway’s most famous fjords, we continued to Bergen, a scenic city much like Seattle — coastal, notoriously rainy (although sunny when we were there) and composed of seven hills. A Costly Vacation “Norway is a very expensive country,” Johannes told me, and

View of the Josenfjord from the campsite at Hjelmeland Slagen.

he wasn’t kidding. A small cup of coffee at a convenience store will cost you $5. Even the cheapest beer is about $7 for a half-liter can, and costs around $15 a glass at a pub. Gas is over $8 a gallon, there are automatic tolls on many roads, car ferries often cost $50 or more, and the cheapest lodging, even at campgrounds during the low tourist season, was $80 and up. Norwegians have the highest median household income in Europe (over $50,000) and the highest taxes as well, which pay for mostly free universal health care from cradle to grave, as well as free university education. Their high standard of living is fueled by lucrative North Sea oil money, which has made NorJuly 2014 | The Good Life

way a very rich country. Oslo and Syttende Mai Finally we reached the southern coast of Norway at Kristiansand, and from there we drove to Oslo, where we met my second cousin Ingunn Lyngstad, a teacher, and her husband Paul Erdal, a computer technology outsourcing businessman. They took us downtown the following day for Syttende Mai (Constitution Day), Norway’s biggest national celebration. It was the 200th anniversary of Norway’s independence from Denmark in 1814, and there was an enormous crowd in Oslo. Many people, especially women, were dressed in their bunads (regional folk costumes.) Ingunn wore hers as well, and told me that they cost as much as $10,000, all hand-embroidered with silver buttons and jewelry www.ncwgoodlife.com

(some are made more cheaply in China now, but many Norwegians refuse to buy them.) Girls wear bunads of their mother’s side of the family and usually get them at confirmation at the age of 15. They are designed to be let out, so women keep them all their lives for special occasions. Unlike America, there are no military or police marchers on Norway’s independence day, but children’s parades instead. We spent one more day in Oslo, touring many excellent galleries and museums there. And so we started our trip to Norway by visiting Hell, and came back home to Entiat — knowing we had seen quite a bit of heaven on the way. Alan Moen is proud of his Norwegian heritage. He and his wife Susan Kidd own the Snowgrass Winery in Entiat.

Summer visits to

Stehekin story and photos By Brad Brisbine

ix summers in a row my wife Jill and I have taken the Lady of the Lake up 55-mile long Lake Chelan to Stehekin, to spend a couple nights in solitude. This small community isolated in the remote Cascades, reliant on only boat or seaplane for its provisions, is like a step back in time. I imagine this slow paced, quiet lifestyle to be like the lower basin of Lake Chelan was in the 1930s. Before jet skis (not allowed on the upper lake). No cell phone service, and no television in any of the rooms we’ve rented. Stehekin, or “the way through,” means the way through the Cascade Mountain range. Twenty-five miles up a gentle, glaciercarved valley floor leads to super-scenic Cascade Pass, the historic cross-over to westside watersheds. Days are filled with simple, relaxing activities. We paddle canoes downlake to view the ancient Indian hieroglyphics, stop-

ping along the way to swim and watch for an otter show. Then we peddle bikes four miles up-valley to Rainbow Falls. This dramatic 312-foot waterfall is a must on every

AT LEFT: The 312-foot Rainbow Falls is the number one Stehekin attraction.

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A healing view of a charming hand-hewn cabin at lake’s end.

ABOVE: Care-free sailboats ply the upper basin with a backdrop of the Stehekin River Valley, and Boston, Booker and Buckner Mountains. Across the lake from the Stehekin Landing are Indian hieroglyphics, providing a connection to visitors from centuries ago. July 2014 | The Good Life

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Stehekin trip. In early summer it’s best to take a raincoat even on sunny days; the force of water plunging that far sends spray everywhere. It sounds like you’re on the tarmac with a 747. In late summer you can cool off in the emerald pool at the bottom. Some years I sat by the falls for hours, putting down my feelings with impressionistic plein air brushstrokes. Coasting back to the lake from the falls, the bike displays a mind of its own, and just seems to naturally pull into the bakery. I don’t think I could have prevented it. The all-wooden structure sits behind an inviting sun-dappled yard. Inside is a pleasant mix of tourists and locals, both enjoying the famous cinnamon rolls and ice cream. Yes, I can get those in Wenatchee, but I can’t get the same kind of solitude and communion with nature. To visit Stehekin, is to sample The Good Life.

Volunteers

Veteran’s Thrift is serving those who served U.S. By Donna Cassidy

had Lawson is the working CEO, president and store manager of the Veteran’s Thrift Store. He and his wife even took out a personal loan to start the store. “This was supposed to be a paid position, but so far, it’s more of a volunteer one,” he said. Still, it’s a job-with-a-mission close to Thad’s heart. The store is open to the general public, with the proceeds going to help local veterans and their families. Any veteran in need receives items from the store. “We had a homeless vet and his 16-year-old daughter come in. Working with Leonora Kniffen, rural case manager at the VA Clinic in Wenatchee, we helped them find a small apartment to call home and said they could have anything in the store to supply their new home. “The girl was too shy to pick anything out. So anything she touched or took an interest in,

we made sure she got. It was clear that she hadn’t slept in an actual bed in a long time,” said Thad. The store in the large painted white building at 410 S Columbia St. in Wenatchee — a little south of the Columbia Street Terminal — has 33,000 square feet over three floors. The store is the retail operation of the local non-profit organization, Operation Veterans Assistance and Humanitarian Aid. Already it’s full of just about everything — jewelry, knickknacks, vintage items such as dolls, toys and figurines, couches, chairs, dining room tables, chests, coffee tables, end tables, stools, dresses, formal wear, wedding dresses, shoes, lamps, pianos, TVs, VCRs, shelves of books, VHS and DVD movies, CDs, cassettes, records and 30plus racks of clothing including children’s items. There is even a computer repair located in the store and other consignment specialty merchandise. “I believe I really found my calling in 1993, after returning

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Thad Lawson on his work to help veterans: “I believe I really found my calling in 1993, after returning home from the Gulf War.”

home from the Gulf War,” said Thad. “I was the president for three VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America) Chapters. I am not a Vietnam Veteran, however, the chapters would have closed if someone didn’t step up. For my efforts the VVA awarded me the 2006 Veteran of the Year Award. I also was the president of five VAG (Veterans Action Groups) groups.” In 2007, while a student at Wenatchee Valley College, Thad and Chris Goehner started

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STAVE, which is now called the Veterans Knights Club. The college hadn’t had a veterans group since 1992. Thad became the president of that club until he graduated. Thad said, “I know what it is like getting out of the service at the age of 24 and fall through the cracks. I was broken but didn’t think I was broken.” As the years passed, the exserviceman found his way into trouble. “I wish someone would have

— gloves, long johns, parkas, extreme cold weather sleeping bags, boots, thermal socks, thermal pants and shirts — to prevent as best as we can the death of our fellow Americans, whom have found themselves in dire circumstances.” Thad estimates some $300,000 to $600,000 worth of clothing and equipment is typically donated to the homeless from October to March as part of this program. Much of the time these days, though, Thad can be found at the Veteran’s Thrift Store, which is open seven days a week, from Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The store takes local donations of household items. A person can drop of items or Thad has a big van and will pick up. In the six months the store has been open Thad said it has helped 50 to 60 veterans and their families. “Its’ a lot of hard work but worth it,” he added.

“...we will not turn anyone away who is in need.” come up to me and said, ‘I have been there and this is what you need to do.’ If I can help someone in that situation now – that makes me feel good.” Thad is the outgoing Post Commander for the local VFW post and also works locally with several other veteran projects, including one that aids even non-veterans. “We are geared primarily toward helping the veteran, however, we will not turn anyone away who is in need. This is the community/Humanitarian side of OVAHA. “We have Operation Homeless Warmth. OVAHA usually has about 10 to 20 crates of cold weather items leftover from the Wenatchee Veterans Standdown event. We use these items

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Singing in the rain of popularity After a dismal start, leavenworth summer theater is a hot ticket By Susan Lagsdin

eavenworth Summer Theater is celebrating its 20th year, so it’s pulling out all the stops with a jam-packed schedule all July and August: three professional quality full-cast musicals on three separate stages — two of them outdoors — plus a Christmas show in December, each with orchestral accompaniment, and with 21,000 people from all over the world expected, seats may be sold out soon. (Oh. Wait. That’s what they’ve been doing all along.) What’s the secret? An arts and tourism-friendly town? Clean mountain air and sunshine, storybook settings? A board of directors devoted to fiscal health? Whatever the mix, the Bavarian town and especially its Bavarian perennial, The Sound of Music, have grown up well together over 20 years. Professionals win some roles, but it’s not all imported talent — about 80 percent of the people who enliven the theater each year live and work in this community. Phil Lacey, who directs both The Sound of Music and Fiddler on the Roof this 2014 season, was an actor at Whitworth College eight years ago when he first came to this theater and now has an arts administration degree. He loves coming back to Leavenworth every summer as performer, choreographer or director. “LST was the first professional

theater to take a chance on me as an artist,” Phil said. By valuing young and emerging talent, he added, “It makes a commitment to the future.” Susan Gubsch will walk on to the Sound of Music stage on July 4 playing the abbess for the 300th time. This Cashmere High School teacher (who also is in The Drowsy Chaperone) has been in full habit all summer for 18 years, a guide for young LST singers as well as the fictional Maria, and she keeps an album of her own grandkids’ annual photo op with the abbess. She said, “I love the sisterhood of the onstage nuns. We’ve made our motto ‘Nuns are Fun!’ and we do silly things like having ‘Nuns’ Night Out.’” *********************

Susan Gubsch: A habit in summer of playing a nun in a habit.

The performers light up the stage with the songs and scenes we remember fondly. But here are reflections on Leavenworth Summer Theater (LST) from a few key people you won’t see under the lights, who work deep in the heart of the art. Susan Hufman was a Christmas show stage mom when she joined the board of directors in 1996. She soon retired from her local law practice, became an associate producer as the theater grew in scope and since 2006 has been the full time executive director. She says, “It’s my left brain skills that make this job a natural; that and I’m not afraid to base every single tough decision on ‘what is best for the theater?’” Susan is on point all summer, in constant contact by email and iPhone helping to solve or redirect budget, tech, facilities, personnel and ticketing issues.

She’s also conversant with the master rehearsal schedule, which is a whopping 54 pages long. Special memories abound. She can’t forget the applause when the lights first came up on the set of Singing in the Rain with a shower of creatively engineered rain falling, continuous and realistic, at the front of the stage. And, after all these years, she still thrills just at sunset as Maria makes her way down through the dark pines behind the audience toward the stage and “The hills are alive…” rings out clear in the night air. John Wagner, then a veteran summer theater performer, decided in 1992, “I can do this!” and with business partner Bill Weiss decided to establish a theater in Leavenworth. The debut musical in 1994, Hansel and Gretel, opened during a dismal fire season that

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John Wagner: After the first unnerving season, ticket sales exploded.

closed the passes and polluted the air. Twenty shows in the middle school auditorium yielded only 600 people, and John thought he was done, kaput. But the next summer, the new theater company staged The Sound of Music outdoors at the Ski Hill. By opening night, ticket sales

The Sound of Music plays outdoors at the Ski Hill. Production photos by Steven Hufman

Phil Lacey: “LST was the first professional theater to take a chance on me...”

Susan Hufman: From stage mom to executive director.

David Neir: “... blown away by the productions.”

exploded; borrowed chairs were hauled in for the overflow. John recalled the second night looking out at a full audience, totally enthralled, perched on temporary platforms. He knew for sure it was the start of something wonderful, that “this ‘outdoor theater thing’ was going to work.” With enviable wisdom, he also knew just when to step back. After years with LST, first as executive director and then as facilities manager, in 2011 he smoothly extricated himself from leadership and from the theater’s workforce. He enjoyed the years of overlapping LST life with his wife

Susan, who is still music director and administrative assistant, but said humbly, “Now I just do little odd jobs — they like my voice on the recordings, and I usually M.C. the gala event for the donors…” David Neir may demur, “I’m just on the board of directors,” but for almost 20 years his growing involvement in the LST’s fortunes has been a factor in its success. It was 1996 on a casual summer evening in Leavenworth, Dave and his wife bought tickets to “a little community production of The Sound of Music... and I was blown away by the production!”

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ON THE PLAYBILL

The Sound of Music (directed by Phil Lacey) Opens July 4 at the Ski Hill Theater. The story of Maria, a postulant at the Abbey, and the von Trapp family takes place in Salzburg, Austria, during the golden years of the 1930s before World War II devastated Europe. Fiddler On The Roof (directed by Phil Lacey) opens July 16 at the Hatchery Stage Theater. The tale of Tevye and the village of Anatevka springs to life with a joyous celebration of home and family in the face of tumultuous times in Tsarist Russia. The Drowsy Chaperone (directed by Kevin McKee) opens July 29 At the Festhalle Theater. A man listens to his favorite Broadway show, The Drowsy Chaperone. Magically, as the record spins, the star-studded cast comes to life in his living room and whisks him away on a hilarious adventure. A tribute to the dazzling musicals of the 1920s. (This winter, check out It’s a Wonderful Life, the LST Christmas production Dec. 6 to 21. )

They immediately joined as patrons and have seen every show since then. In 2005 he was asked to join the board of directors and gladly accepted. Dave is especially proud of the local schools’ K-12 music and theater programs. “Our kids and grandkids can not only dream of being Liesl, Gretel, Maria or Joseph, but can actually be on stage… rehearsing and performing with professionals, surrounded by people who care about them is priceless,” Dave said. He keeps in his wallet a list of kids who’ve grown up performing in Leavenworth, going from awkward auditioner in the spring to seasoned pro in the fall. Some have moved on to venues like Issaquah’s Village Theater or Seattle’s Fifth Avenue and are now performers on Broadway or in the movies. ******************** Leavenworth Summer Theater’s long lived popularity is all about people — hundreds working offstage and playing roles, thousands who love musicals in the mountain air, and some with a very special attachment. Susan Gubsch said, “I met a couple who got engaged right after seeing The Sound of Music in the movie theater — and for their 40th anniversary they flew out from the East Coast for a vacation in Leavenworth to see our production!” For information about the 20th anniversary 2014 season www.leavenworthsummertheater.org

A TALE OF TWO CHOICES No-care housing appeals to former owners of big homes and large yards Story by Susan Lagsdin Photos by Donna Cassidy

“When you’re out by the

pool with all that nice quality furniture, and the trees and the hills all around, it feels just like a resort hotel.” And there’s no worry about pool upkeep. That’s Ken Stanton’s take on just one of the pleasures of Edgewater Cottages, a condominium development on Cascade Avenue in East Wenatchee. Bob Cannon, who also owns a condominium at Edgewater, remembered that in his rambling brick and stucco Castlerock Street house in Wenatchee, “We did an awful lot of yard work and maintenance — seems like all the time. Now, they take care of everything outside.” It’s true. At Edgewater Cottages, the pool and open-air clubhouse are always available to owners, and a crew does ev-

The sleek white kitchen has well-chosen luxury touches. Sue Stanton remembered: “Didn’t we try out five or six types of drawer pulls before we chose these?”

erybody’s yard chores (or “maintains the landscape”) every Thursday, no exceptions. The development is unique to this area — the one and twostory single family homes are free-standing but carry all the labor saving benefits of condominium ownership. For 35 years in their 4,000-square-foot house, Bob and Anne Cannon raised three kids, she ran a styling salon, and they both maintained the property. Their fast-track timeline to condo life is typical of other adults who’ve emptied the nest

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The Stantons retained modern furniture from their old place, plus some good Ikea cabinetry finds that they’ve incorporated throughout the house.

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“Many of these owners purchased their condos as second homes, or as home base while they travel, so it’s pretty quiet...”

The table and chairs are a new acquisition. Ken says they couldn’t serve family dinners in their old house, but this condo actually gives them a dining space.

Ken and Sue Stanton in their new living room: The big “23” artwork is a favorite for both of them. (Not superstition, they say, just a lucky number.)

July 2014 | The Good Life

and very soon find it too big and too labor intensive. Starting in 2006, within three busy years they accomplished Bob’s retiring from Wenatchee Petroleum, graduating their last child from high school, selling the big house and buying the condo, a place that didn’t keep them constantly on call. One of the first families to move in, they’ve watched the development grow slowly during the recession and now pick up speed, but they still feel the privacy they prized at the beginning. Anne explained, “Many of these owners purchased their condos as second homes, or as home base while they travel, so

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it’s pretty quiet — even when the neighborhood is completely built out, there won’t be much traffic.” Ken and Sue Stanton, on the other hand, after building and leaving a big waterfront home here, had tried condo life once before, but in their no-yard second story unit they felt uncomfortably hemmed in. They subsequently lived in two homes in East Wenatchee, the last one relatively compact, and so it wasn’t just less space they craved when they went house hunting this year, it was more time. They, too, realized many of their leisure hours had been spent on house and yard keeping. Seeing Edgewater in the 2014 fall Tour of Homes sparked their interest in no-care housing. The idea caught fire; they’ve been in their three-bedroom rambler since mid-April. Bonus? Ken is a Douglas County commissioner, and it’s in his district.

}}} Continued on next page

A tale of two choices }}} Continued from previous page What these couples have in common is what developer and realtor Lorre Stimac sees as a strong feature of the budding community. “Every buyer made a very definite choice to be precisely here. It’s a unique situation, so they’ve all thought about what they want their lives to look like.” That commonality doesn’t translate to look-alike householders. There are retired couples, career singles, young families with kids, vacationers — the same combos you’d find in most residential neighborhoods. And, marveled Sue Stanton, “They are all so nice — the reason it takes an hour to get to the mailbox and back is the friendly neighbors!” Though they were purchased six years apart, the Stanton and Cannon single story ramblers, each around 1,500 square feet, originally had the same floor plan (called Riverview 2): an entry hall passes three bedrooms, a laundry and two baths en route to the kitchen/dining/ living area, which opens on to the patio. But during the building pro-

Anne Cannon can indulge a love of lush blossoms in her potted plants placed amid the xeroscaping (native grasses and river rock) that characterizes each patio space.

cess, the Stantons decided to eliminate the hallway laundry room and incorporate it into their master bedroom space. They now enjoy the convenience of a stacked washer and dryer in what has become an extra-large walk-in closet.

The Cannons made a more radical change. They realized that their home office didn’t need a whole room, just a corner of the living area, so they eliminated the walls of the third bedroom and (keeping the walkin closet) now have more open

NCW Home Professionals

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space for large family gatherings. And, the two couples use their homes differently. The two guest bedrooms at the Stantons are ready for overnight grandkids, complete with a wall of cubbies in one closet. (Sue’s uniforms — she’s a certified medical assistant at Confluence Health — are housed in the other.) The Cannon’s grandkids live in town and needn’t stay over, so they’ve placed a hide-a-bed couch and a TV for occasional company in their second — and only spare — bedroom. Both hallways, over five feet wide, immediately show off good flooring: cherry wood in the Cannon’s, a handsome pale laminate in the Stanton’s. Both interiors are painted a soft cocoa-cream called Macadamia. Both couples elected to install big tiled walk-in showers instead of a soaking tub in the master bath.

Dark wood to correspond with the cherry flooring, upgraded appliances, and plenty of family treasures and collectibles fill the Cannon kitchen.

In each home, the owners’ personal choices abound. Serene, pale, spare modern lines in one, treasured family antiques and memorabilia softening the other. Rampant colorful flowers fill pots in one patio — the other awaits completion but will evolve its own look. One special feature of the Edgewater Cottage community is that it’s on the Columbia River, and a private gated path leads homeowners to a grassy meadow and then over to the Eastside Loop Trail. The Cannons appreciate the views, but their country club’s golf course and the condo’ s pool suit them for them for recreation; the Stantons walk or bike the trail, often on the weekends. “We absolutely love it here!” said Sue Stanton, a fresh newcomer. And, just down the street and around the corner, Anne Cannon, a relative old-timer, said, “I love this place — and I can still see Saddle Rock!”

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Bob and Anne Cannon and their family dogs enjoy the quiet of their covered patio, which was extended several feet for more entertaining space.

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column moving up to the good life

june darling

Arrrgh! How can I make people act better? Try positive feedforward for better results

t happens with great frequency. It’s totally frustrating. The ideas you have for making it better probably will make it worse. What is it? It’s other people’s inadequate performances. Whatever they did or are not doing is not up to snuff. Perhaps it is your child’s homework, perhaps it’s the report you received from your administrative assistant, or perhaps it is the paint job on your truck. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good by your standards. How can these subpar performances be corrected? First, let’s discuss what does not work. You may be tempted to yell, slam your fist on the table, frown, play “nice-nice,” or in some cases, stuff your negative thoughts and do it over yourself. None of these actions are likely to be very useful in the long run. You may have communicated on some level to the performer that you are unhappy, but that’s about it. You have, most likely, nudged them to go into a defensive posture, which keeps them from

thinking and performing at their best and saps their interest in the project. Let’s go on the assumption, all things being equal, that most people want to do a good job if it’s within their power to do so. Here’s how you can help them. First of all start from the premise that your intention is to help — not to berate, not to shame, not to goad, but to help. Thinking of yourself as a helper will calm your angry or fearful impulses and put you into a more resourceful, reflective, creative state. In your serene state, reflect on the specifics of what would make this product or performance acceptable, superior, or great. Do not concentrate on what is wrong with it, but what it would take to move it up to the desired level. A term that may help you shift from correcting errors to envisioning greatness is “feedforward,” a term that noted executive coach, Marshall Goldsmith, coined. In fact, if it were up to me, I would delete the term “constructive feedback” and substitute “positive feedforward” to help us stay on track. Positive feedforward is specific, targeted, accurate information about what can be done to

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make something much better. It is delivered in such a way that the person is actually excited to do it. Okay, how would positive feedforward sound in a specific example? Let’s say your administrative assistant, Ted, gives you a disappointing report. What would you say if you were using positive feedforward? Here’s one possibility: “Ted, I read your report. I think it has some real possibility of making a big impact on readers if it could be shortened to one page, scientific jargon eliminated and the facts presented in a graph.” Let’s suppose your daughter, Ginger, is practicing to sing a piece with her choir, but the performance is lackluster. What positive feedforward can you give? “Ginger, I saw you practicing. Your group is really going to turn some heads if you and the rest of the choir memorize their parts, look at the audience and sing loudly and clearly on the refrain.” Got the idea? It isn’t so hard. If the person has a very clear vision of how to go forward and they are excited about doing so, you have succeeded. You can also improve your own performance by how you talk to yourself. Turn your inner negative feedback into positive feedforward. Think about what specifically you need to do to be happy with your performance, imagine how you would say it in a way that makes you eager to do it? Instead of saying to myself “June, this article has no focus and rambles.” I could say, “June, if you added a thesis statement and some clear example, readers would have an excellent tool that

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they could remember and use. It could help a lot of people truly live a better life.” Lastly, if you want to get good performances out of others (and yourself), tweak your internal image of yourself. Think of yourself — imagine yourself — as a person who is becoming increasingly capable of helping people do their best. I once had a conversation with Mike Cassidy, editor of The Good Life. In this conversation he revealed that a mentor once told him that he “could make chicken soup out of chicken poop.” Now that sort of comment sticks with people, orients them toward making the best of a situation, and engenders confidence. I doubt that most of us have had such a helpful, vivid, sticky message said to us. Nevertheless, we can steal Mike’s to focus our aspirations and intentions. When you witness one of those less than stellar performances which makes you want to scream or throw up your hands in exasperation, stop. Breathe. Imagine yourself as someone who is getting better and better at transforming outcomes, at turning chicken poop into chicken soup. Now you are in the best position to powerfully wield your positive feedforward tool. How might you move up to The Good Life by using positive feedforward? June Darling, Ph.D. can be contacted at drjunedarling1@gmail. com; website: www.summitgroupresources.com. Her books, including 7 Giant Steps To The Good Life, can be bought or read for free at Amazon. com.

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column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

Cabbage: bad rep, but quite delicious C

abbage is not a sexy vegetable. It grows everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere and places that Europeans colonized in the Southern Hemisphere. This vegetable is historically important. The British sailors are called “Limey” but actually what Captain Cook took along on his ‘round the world trips beginning in the 1750s was cabbage. Sauerkraut and cabbages’ vitamin C prevented scurvy. Quite frankly, cabbage is peasant food, for it was easy to grow, stored well into the winter and staved off starvation for millions of people. In addition, it was an important animal feed; cabbage sustained dairy cows, goats and cattle during hard winters. Despite all that, cabbage is quite delicious. Every Northern Hemisphere cuisine in Europe and Asia uses some form of cabbage or one of its cousins such as kale, cauliflower, bok choy or Brussels’ sprouts. Another reason for the proliferation of cabbage dishes is that cabbage grows smooth, wrinkled, red, purple, dark green and light green. I interplant purple cabbage with my flowers for a dramatic color effect. I harvest the cabbage and let the plant continue to grow, and the next season, it produces a profusion of sweet, bright yellow, edible flowers to accent salads. Because it is most succulent and flavorful when it is freshly harvested, this is the best reason to grow cabbage. Store-bought cabbage resembles green fiber when compared to the sweet, home-grown delight. I think this is why there are so many recipes that call for heavy, cheese sauce — it creates

chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute. It is a recipe from Mary Maus of Quincy. When I read the recipe, I was concerned about the amount of sugar and oil called for. The salad is drained from the liquid before it is served, and a large portion of the sugar and oil stays in the liquid — so, I felt better. Assembly 10 minutes; serves 6 Cabbage can be both colorful and tasty.

the flavor the old cabbage has lost. This first recipe is unusual because it combines unexpected ingredients. The food processor is perfect for finely shredding the cabbage. One pound of cabbage makes about five cups of shredded material. I love to serve this dish with broad egg noodles and maybe slices of ham.

Silky Cabbage 30 minutes prep and cooking Serves 4 3 pieces of bacon (optional) 1 medium onion 1 small/medium green cabbage 1 eight-ounce jar of chopped chestnuts 2 tablespoons capers 1 teaspoon powdered cocoa 1 tablespoon chopped sweet marjoram 1 tablespoon chopped savory 1/2 cup wine vinegar 1 tablespoon cornstarch

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Salt/white pepper Cook the bacon crisp and drain. Chop the onion and brown in a bit of the bacon grease or in butter. Shred the cabbage and add it to the onion. Mix together the chestnuts, capers, cocoa, sweet marjoram and savory. Add this mixture to the cabbage and onions. Cover and cook until the cabbage is wilted and still a bit firm. Add the wine vinegar and heat thoroughly. If the dish has too much liquid, add the cornstarch and heat until thickened.

Mary Maus Make Ahead Cole Slaw Traditional food is comfort food. This is a mid-century recipe that is truly the tastiest cole slaw I have ever tasted. This salad must be made a day ahead of when you plan to serve it. Remarkably, this salad keeps fresh for two weeks in the refrigerator. Ann Trantow brings it to the annual potluck for the Erratics Society

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1 medium head of cabbage shredded

finely 1 green pepper cut finely 1 large sweet onion cut finely 1 cup less 1 tablespoon sugar Dressing: 1 cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon salt 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1. Bring all the dressing ingredients to a good boil. 2.Mix cabbage and green pepper together. 3.Put a layer of this mixture in a glass bowl, then a layer of onion. 4. Repeat until all is used. 5. Sprinkle the sugar less the one tablespoon over the layers. Press down. DO NOT STIR. 6.Pour the boiling dressing over the cabbage. Press Down. Do not stir. 7.Store in the refrigerator overnight. 8.Mix before serving. Drain off some of the liquid before putting it in a serving bowl. Bonnie Orr — the dirt diva — cooks and gardens in East Wenatchee.

PET tales

Tells us a story about your pet. Submit pet & owner pictures to: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

eanut is a Staffordshire Terrier who loves to hike with me everywhere, she is my little sidekick. We try to get out as often as we can. The hike to the top of Lovitt’s and Cannon mine not to bad — we can’t get enough of the view of the Valley. She thanks me for taking her along by giving me a sloppy kiss. — Joanne Renteria

enatchee Valley Humane Society employee Amanda Hill watches over Juliette at the Dog Parking facility at the Pybus Public Market. Wenatchee Valley Humane Society’s Club Pet will have four kennels available for parking dogs while owners are visiting Pybus. There will be a $5 per dog per hour fee with a two hour maximum. Proceeds benefit the Wenatchee Valley Humane Society. Normal business hours will be Saturdays and Sundays and major holidays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until October. — Jill Leonard

July 2014 | The Good Life

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column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Why playing with a pet is good medicine “My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am.” — Author unknown

We recently adopted a new

eight-week-old mini golden doodle puppy named Jackson. We were looking for a smart dog, not too big, which did not shed. Many of our friends asked us the same questions, “Why?” and: “What will this do to your traveling and life style?” Those are hard questions to answer in many ways. Our son, Dave, just got two Westie terrier puppies for his kids. He warned us about the work involved getting puppies. We have had puppies before when we were much younger, but for some reason we both had amnesia about all the work involved. We wanted to have a dog in the house again. We have been thinking about slowing our travel down somewhat as we are getting older. Also our daughter who lives here said she would be “happy” to house and dog sit for us when needed. That was all we needed. She,

Lynn Brown and Jackson: Look into those puppy eyes... don’t you feel better?

like us, is a dog lover. Jackson has now been to the veterinarian twice, passed his puppy physical and then started a series of three shots for the PARVO virus. Those of you who have dogs undoubtedly know of this virus although Canine Parvovirus is a relatively new illness that arose in the 1970s. Within two years it

was a worldwide problem. It is a highly contagious disease spread from dog to dog directly or indirectly through contact with their feces. For this reason the vet advised us not to invite a lot of people to our house until he was fully protected since guests can bring the virus in on their shoes. Parvo can be especially severe

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in puppies, and unless treated aggressively with IV fluids and anti-nausea medicine, it has about a 90 percent fatality rate. The early symptoms include lethargy, fever, vomiting and diarrhea, often bloody. Fortunately, at least so far, this virus does not affect humans. You readers might not be familiar with oxytocin. Some consider oxytocin to be the most amazing molecule in the world. It is proving to be an important ingredient that makes us more “human” and has been referred to as the “trust” hormone. The simple act of bodily contact, a hug or a handshake, will cause the brain to release low levels of oxytocin, and that effect lingers on for a while. It is thought to play a role in human pair bonding, especially in mother-child bonding. In normal situations it helps induce feelings of optimism and increased self-esteem and in building trust. Oxytocin also can relieve pain, decrease depression, relieve stress and can increase human generosity. A 2009 study found that peo-

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Some dogs have been successfully trained to “sniff” out cancer including bladder, colon, lung, breast and ovarian cancer. ple’s oxytocin levels increased after interactions with their dogs. Those who look longer into their dog’s eyes receive a bigger dose. Three decades of research have shown these interactions produce a measurable positive health effect on people. It has also been shown that one’s dog can detect our mood changes, positive and negative, and often dogs respond to that in a positive way. They offer comfort to the depressed, most likely through the oxytocin effect. I know one thing for sure. Since we adopted Jackson my oxytocin level has sky rocketed. Numerous medical studies have shown various health benefits, physical and mental, of dog ownership. In general, dogs keep us more physically active as their owners are more likely to participate in moderate physical activity accompanied by their pet. Dogs have been shown to lower the risk of childhood eczema, a common allergic skin condi-

tion. Only 19 percent of infants, raised where there was a dog in the house, developed eczema versus 33 percent raised without dog contact in infancy. Also, infants raised with dogs had higher levels of some immune system chemicals, a sign of stronger immune system activation. In addition to oxytocin, playing with dogs has shown to raise our level of serotonin and dopamine, nerve transmitters known to have pleasurable and calming properties. Heroin and cocaine also raise these transmitters, but raising them from healthy activities including hugging one’s spouse, petting your dog, watching a sunset or enjoying the beauty of nature is much more preferable, and those are legal. Dogs help ease people out of social isolation and shyness as well as encouraging the owner’s socialization with strangers. It is too bad that the recent Santa Barbara shooter wasn’t given a dog to love him. It might have made a world of difference. Dogs are being trained to be service dogs with roles expanded beyond seeing-eye dogs. The Bellingham organization, Brigadoon Service Dogs trains dogs to be companions for military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Soldiers with PTSD assigned to a therapy dog improved or recovered much faster than those without a dog. Patients with AIDS have been

July 2014 | The Good Life

shown to have much less depression when they had a dog to comfort them. Alzheimer’s patients who were allowed frequent contact with a dog had fewer outbursts, and their caregivers also felt their job was made easier as well. Heart attack patients who had dogs survived longer than those without. Some dogs have been successfully trained to “sniff” out cancer including bladder, colon, lung, breast and ovarian cancer. In one study, trained dogs correctly identified colon cancer in 33 of 36 cases studied. Will one day dogs replace “CAT” scans? Service dogs have been successfully trained to detect low blood sugar in their diabetic owners, apparently by detecting the patient’s behavioral changes. Some dogs have been trained to be “seizure” dogs, warning their owners that a seizure was coming on, allowing them to take appropriate medication to prevent the seizure. Service dogs have been trained to detect small traces of peanuts, warning those with a severe and at times potentially fatal peanut allergy. Jackson has now been with us for three weeks, and we sure are glad he joined our family. There are some puppy challenges for sure. He likes to chew on things so we have to keep an eye on him and have been trying various products that discourage that

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behavior on things like furniture. He is great about taking care of his bodily functions out of doors, and he sleeps all night like the baby he is. He and I like to lie on the grass, watching the aspen leaves quake in the breeze and looking up at the sky to watch the white fluffy clouds drift by. I haven’t lain on the grass since I was a much younger man, and I must admit it is enjoyable. Right now Jackson is restricted to our kitchen area, but a couple of times late in the evening, I let him sit on my lap as we watch some TV programs I have recorded. One thing is for sure — Jackson likes to be as close to Lynn or me as he can possibly get. I like that too. He is very hard to resist. 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.

NATURE SEEKER Open air, large canvases, lush colors, a favorite pet... but no people by Susan Lagsdin

“S

ometimes I feel like I’ve got to hurry up and do everything — people say ‘You should paint downtown Winthrop,’ ‘You should paint that old car.’ You should paint that stream’ and I think, “Yes! Yes!’ I want to paint everything — right now, all the time.” Kerry Siderius, with over 60 new watercolor works not even transferred to her website gallery yet, is not a manic artist, and she’s not anxious about impending age or blindness. She just loves to paint. Her largest permanent exhibit space is at Rio Vista, her parents’ winery on the tree shaded banks of the Columbia near Chelan Falls. The tasting room is brightened up by a gallery of her large scale wall pieces, smaller limited edition prints, wine labels and baskets of note cards. Kerry will paint on commission a favorite pet — dogs are a specialty — or a family home and its views (“No people — I just can’t get ’em right,” she admits. “Not even my own kids, and they’d be absolutely beautiful to paint.”) The majority of her work ex-

Kerry Siderius sits with just a few of her outdoor scenes on a winery wall: She would rather paint in the outdoors than stay inside to take care of business.

Fishing and Fetching became a label for Rio Vista Winery.

Picking Apples in Orondo. All artwork by Kerry Siderius

hibited in local shows, wineries and galleries features recognizable scenes of the region, often with a twist of perspective and color. This Bridgeport-born woman specializes in capturing local

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landscapes. “It took living and working in Texas for 10 years to make me really appreciate the beauty of this area — I can’t believe how varied and lush it is.” Those 10 years away may have made her homesick, but they

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| July 2014

also power boosted the painting skills she’d honed at Central Washington University and the Art Institute of Seattle and added an edge to her career. Her resident watercolorist job at Beaux Arts Gallery in Dallas, which catered to licensed interior designers, was simple and unabashedly commercial: paint to order big beautiful landscapes in just the right colors.

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Slam poetry night, every Tuesday, 7 – 8:30 p.m. Clearwater Steakhouse and Saloon, 838 Valley Mall Pky. East Wenatchee. Improv/Acting Workshop, 7 p.m. Every Tuesday night with theater games for novice and experienced players. Fun, casual and free. Riverside Playhouse. Cost: free. Info: mtow.org. Country Western open mic/ jam session, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Every second and fourth Sunday. Clearwater Saloon, 838 Valley Mall Pky. East Wenatchee. Village Art in the Park, every weekend until 10/20. Downtown Leavenworth. Info: Leavenworth. org. Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market, every Saturday through Oct. 25, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Come sample the world’s best fruits and vegetables, some fabulous flowers and crafts and coffee… all local vendors. Pybus Public Market.

Sunset on Chelan Syrah

She explains, “They’d say — ‘This needs to be bluebonnet hill country with a barn, to go with this set of cushions.’ Or, ‘I need something in these shades of gold.’ I learned to paint fast, I learned to mix colors and I learned to please a buyer.” Now, back in her home territory, after her husband’s career change from journalist to pilot and with two kids 14 and 5, she paints her own subjects at her own pace, in her own distinctive style — lush but airy, richly toned. Kerry is both an old fashioned and new century artist. She initially paints 18-by-20 inch scenes with her watercolor palette at her easel, and then orders a larger, canvas-wrapped digitalized version, which she sometimes embellishes with acrylic paint, ink, or guache (an opaque pigment with a binding agent) in her home studio. She prefers a day outside to any of the production and busi-

Leavenworth Community Farmers Market, every Thursday night, 4- 8 p.m. Local produce and crafts. Lions Club Park. Info: leavenworthfarmersmarket.org. Pybus Public Market, every Thursday night is locals night, 5 – 8 p.m. Live music, cooking demonstrations and local vendors. Lake Chelan Winery Tour, every Friday and Saturday until 11/14/14, 2-3 p.m. Visit vineyard, crush pad, production facility and taste awardwinning wines. Lake Chelan Winery. Cost: free. Info: lakechelanwinery. com.

Our Grand Columbia River near Beebe Bridge

ness side of the art life, happily painting plein air in the surrounding hillsides. And she’s instilled that creative exuberance in her sons. On a typical good day the three will pile in the car with picnic and paints and travel the dusty back roads of north central Washington seeking beauty. “There’s a creek, Mom,” can July 2014 | The Good Life

stop the car in a second. It means not just colored stones glimmering in water and dappled shade but a long stop to swim and explore while Kerry sits smiling at her easel, eager to finish one more painting by sunset. You can see more local watercolors and commissioned pieces at kerrysiderius.com.

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Cashmere Senior Center and Art Gallery, S.A.I.L. exercise class at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Meals are available during the week, call the day before. Wenatchee valley artists are displayed daily with a reception each second Saturday from 5 - 8 p.m. Info: 782-2415. NCW Blues Jam, every second and fourth Monday, 7:30 – 11 p.m. Clearwater Steakhouse, East Wenatchee. Info: facebook.com/ NCWBluesJam. Organic Garden Tour, 2nd and 4th Saturdays through September,

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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 4 p.m. Enjoy two acres of certified organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. Join garden manager, Amy Cummings for a tour and learn about environmentally friendly gardening techniques. In addition to using natural fertilizers, and regular crop rotation to improve the soil, the staff attracts beneficial insects to maintain the health and sustainability of the garden. The tour will include a stop in the greenhouse, which extends the growing season providing the Sleeping Lady culinary team with fresh produce and herbs throughout the year. Sleeping Lady. Cost: free. Info: sleepinglady. com. Confluence Jazz Band, 7/3, 10, 17, 24 & 31, 6 – 8 p.m. Jazz standards played live by Tracy Warner, Mike Choman and Roger Vandivort. Chateau Faire Le Pont. Cost: free. Kinderfest, 7/4, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Games, prizes, crafts, bike parade, face painting, cupcake walk, water features, balloons, cotton candy,

shaved ice, popcorn and more. Bike parade starts at 11. Free to kids. Downtown Leavenworth. Ice Cream Social, 7/4, 2 – 5 p.m. Upper Valley Museum in Leavenworth. Info: uppervalleymuseum. org. Wenatchee First Fridays ArtsWalk, 7/4, 5 - 8 p.m. Check out Wenatchee’s arts scene. Venues and exhibits change monthly. Self-guided. WVC Campus and Historic District. Cost: art-walk free, after-events may have admission fees. Monthly info: wenatcheefirstfridaysartswalk.tumblr.com. Two Rivers Art Gallery, 7/4, 5 – 8 p.m. The gallery will be exhibiting a whole new show of over 50 local and regional artists. Featured artist is Robert Wilson. Presenting wines Ryan Patrick Vineyards, music by jazz pianist Patric Thompson and complimentary refreshments. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: 2riversgallery.com. Charlie Solbrig, 7/4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, 6 – 9 p.m. Solo guitar performs live at Chateau Faire Le Pont. Cost: free. The Sound of Music, 7/4, 5, 11,

12, 17,19, 22, 24, 25, 31, 9/1, 5, 8, 14, 16, 19, 22, 27, 30 31. 8 p.m. Leavenworth Summer Theater’s 20th season. Ski Hill Amphitheater. Cost:

Where to go:

When to go:*

Emergency Department Central Washington Hospital & Clinics 1201 S. Miller St., Wenatchee, WA 98801

When you need immediate care, we’re here.

509.665.6163 Open 24 Hours | Seven Days a Week Where to go:

Shortness of Breath Head Injury Broken Bones Laceration

When to go:*

Walk-in Clinics Wenatchee Valley Hospital & Clinics 820 N. Chelan Ave., Wenatchee, WA 98801

509.663.8711 Open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Seven Days a Week

East Wenatchee Clinic Confluence Health is an affiliation between Central Washington Hospital & Wenatchee Valley Medical Center

Dizziness Stomach Pain Chest Pain

100 Highline Dr., East Wenatchee, WA 98802

509.884.0614

Sprains / Strains Minor Burns Flu or Cold Sore Throat Fever Ear Ache Stings or Bites Work-Related Injuries *These lists are not exclusive.

Mon. – Fri.: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. | Sat.: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

$14, $25 and $30. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org. Sergio Cuevas and Stephen Sharpe, 7/4, 11, 18, 25, 8 – 10 p.m. Stephen Sharpe and Sergio Cuevas of the Chumstick Liberation Front play a lively mix of original rock songs with influences of reggae and hip-hop. South, Front Street, Leavenworth. Cost: free. Three Fabulous Fridays, 7/4, 8/1, 9/5. Music, entertainment, food and free activities for kids. Downtown Chelan. Cost: free. Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/4, 8 p.m. From sea to shining sea. 7/5, 8 p.m. from youth to wisdom. 7/11, from north to south. 7/12, 8 p.m. from light to dark. Canyon Wren Recital Hall, Leavenworth. 7/18, 8 p.m. From the

>> RANDOM QUOTE

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. Theodore Roosevelt

confluencehealth.org

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| July 2014

WHAT TO DO

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

column the night sky this month

Peter Lind

Planets rising A

Former Apple Blossom Princess Barbara Bell Monroe will be signing her book — recounting the festival and its traditions during her reign in 1951 — at Hastings, 1 to 3 p.m. July 13. earth to the ether. Snowy Owl Theater. 7/19, 8 p.m. From the profane to the sacred. Snowy Owl Theater. Info: icicle.org. Lake Chelan Bach Fest, 7/11 - 20. A week long festival of classical music featuring: The Festival Orchestra, The Festival Chorus, Festival String Quartet, courtyard concerts, noon concerts, programs for children, winery concerts, an evening of jazz. All over Chelan. Cost: free. Info: bachfest.org. River Ramble, 7/11 - 12. Friday 5 - 8 p.m., Saturday, 10:30 a,.m. - 7 p.m. Rediscover your PUD. Learn about the collective knowledge of wildlife and plants that’s been passed down from the vibrant peoples who’ve thrived along our rivers. Meet renowned Native American artists and local educators. Hear about Native American customs and the PUD’s stewardship of local wildlife and habitant. Play games, set up a tipi, see the Reptile man, Native American music and dancing. Cost: free. Info: 663-7522 or facebook. com/visitrockyreach. Ohme Gardens wine and food gala, 7/12, 5:30 p.m. Award winning wines from NCW’s premium vintners, complimented by food from NCW’s best restaurants and caterers along with live music. Info: wenatcheewines.com or ohmegardens.com.

lthough summer nights are short, they still hold lots of exciting things to see. Evening observers this July can catch wonderful views of Mars and Saturn, which offer a stark contrast through any binoculars or telescope. Also the two outermost major planets Uranus and Neptune are easily spotted after midnight. The morning sky this month hosts Mercury and Venus. The two inner worlds both shine very bright low in the east before sunrise. As first light hits the eastern horizon Venus has already started to rise. It will be the brightest point in the eastern sky. Mercury will make a brief appearance in the predawn twilight. It will stand about a fist’s width a little north of due east just as the sun rises. Mars lies in the southwestern sky as darkness falls all month. Look for the orange glow of Mars and find the bright star Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the maiden right next door. If you watch closely every clear evening in July you can see these two objects pulling towards each other. Saturn lies just a short jump east of Mars. The gap between Saturn and Mars will shrink by 50 percent in the first half of July. You can watch the planets get closer to each other over several days. For those with a telescope, the rings are tilted at 21 degrees towards the earth, and the shadow of Saturn on its rings is breathtaking. Castlerock Plein Air, 7/12 - 13, 7 a.m. - 11 a.m. Bring your canvas, panel or paper to Two Rivers Gallery and paint any angle of Castlerock. Prizes awarded. Awards 8/1, 5:45 p.m. Paintings exhibited July 2014 | The Good Life

When to view the planets Evening sky Mars (Southwest) Jupiter (Northwest) Saturn (South) Midnight Mars (West) Saturn (Southwest) Neptune (Southeast) Morning sky Mercury (Northeast) Venus (East) Uranus (Southeast) Neptune (South) Jupiter is just above the horizon 30 minutes after sunset on the first of the month. The king of the solar system disappears after the first few nights of July, and slips behind the sun from our perspective on the 24th. Something I haven’t mentioned so far is asteroids. This month there is a close encounter of two asteroids visible from earth. Asteroids 1 Ceres and 4 Vesta appear closer to each other in early July than they have since astronomers discovered them in the first decade of the 19th Century. On the evening of July 4 they will be separated by a distance of one third the full moon’s diameter. They can be seen with binoculars but a small telescope would be a real thrill to see. Check the Internet for a map of their paths.

8/1 - 28 at Two Rivers Gallery. Info: lakepainter@charter.net or 2riversgallery@nwi.net. Once Upon an Apple Blossom Time, 7/13, 1 - 3 p.m. Barbara Bell

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When I got my first telescope and started looking at the night sky I soon realized I needed a guide. I found a list of objects in the night sky known as the Messier catalog. Charles Messier was a French astronomer who lived from 1730 until 1817. He is most notably known for publishing an astronomical catalog consisting of nebulae, star clusters and galaxies. His catalog became known as 110 Messier objects. He was a comet hunter and was hired by the French government to search for comets. At that time comets were a bad omen and the government wanted to know as soon as possible to prepare. In his search for comets Messier listed the objects that were bright and stationary in the sky, and his list was also known as the non-comet object list. The Messier catalog is the best starting point for new astronomers. Another point about the Messier objects is what is known as the Messier Marathon, which takes place from early March until early April. During that time it is possible to view all 110 objects in a single night. It is quite a challenging event, and I personally have never done it. The Messier catalog is easily found on the Internet, and there are literally thousands of images of all the objects to be seen. Peter Lind is a local amateur astronomer. He can be reached at ppjl@ juno.com.

Monroe will sign copies of her book that recounts her year — and the traditions at the time — as Apple Blossom princess in 1951. In the

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The Art Life

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}}} Continued from previous page book, she shares the excitement of serving as one of the three royalty, traveling around the state (and beyond) to promote apples and the three-day family festival. Hastings, Wenatchee. Cost: Free. Bluegrass night, 7/13, 24, 7 – 9 p.m. Open mic/jam night. Icicle Brewing Co. Front Street, Leavenworth. Cost: free. Alzheimer’s Café, 7/15, 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. NCW Junior Tennis Championships, 7/15-17. WRAC. Info: wrac.

SUPER SUMMER

ADVENTURES

2014

Choose from several different sessions each week, including:

art cooking

org. GWATA’s Social Media Club – Facebook beyond your standard business page, 7/15, 8:30 a.m. Pybus Public Market. Fiddler on the roof, 7/16, 18, 23, 26, 30, 8/2, 7, 9, 12, 15, 20, 23, 26, 29, 8 p.m. Hatchery Park Stage, Leavenworth. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org. Summer Concerts in the Gardens, 7/17, 6:30 p.m. Live music in a glorious setting – Ohme Gardens. Concerts benefit the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation Scholarship Fund. Peter Rivera, original lead singer/drummer of Rare Earth ’69-’75 will perform. His style is classic rock and blues. Cost: $32. Info: Wenatchee.org. CCA NCW Salmon Derby, 7/1819, 4 a.m. Third annual event with several thousand dollars in prize money. Tournament takes place between Rock Island and Rocky Reach Dams. Info: wenatcheesalmonderby.com. Summer Ale fest, 7/18, 5 – 10 p.m., 7/19, noon – 10 p.m. The first 1,000 guests receive a signature tasting glass. 30 ales, 8 bands, car show, coed hockey tournament, velo bike ride and beer pong tournament. Cost: $20 for 25 tastes. Additional tickets $1. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. WSU MASTER GARDENER, 7/19, 10 a.m. – noon. Featured talk and hands on activities will be centered on the top 10 garden problems in our valley with Master Gardeners Linda Morse, Linda Sarratt and Keith Thrapp. Community Education Garden, 1100 N Western Ave. Cost: free. Compassionate Friends, 7/21, 7 – 8:30 p.m. A grief support group that helps assist families deal-

ing with a death of a child. Grace Lutheran Church, 1408 Washington St. Cost: free. Info: tcfwenatcheevalley.org. Summer Concerts in the Gardens, 7/24, 6:30 p.m. Live music in a glorious setting – Ohme Gardens. Concerts benefit the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation Scholarship Fund. Michael Tominson, solo artist will perform. His style is adult contemporary, folk, pop and jazz. Cost: $24. Info: Wenatchee.org. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night-time (national theatre live), 7/24, 7 p.m. Snowy Owl Theater. Info: icicle.org. Sunburn Classic 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament, 7/26, 27. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Rocky Reach Dam Open House, 7/26, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Dive team demonstrations, tours of high tech fish sampling station, linemen demonstrations and career options. Cost: free. The Drowsy Chaperone, 7/29, 8/6, 13, 21, 28, 8 p.m. 8/2, 9, 16, 23, 2 p.m. matinees. This Broadway sensation explodes with darling debutantes, tap-dancing groomsmen, gangsters with a flair for French pastries, and a whole cast of zany characters. A tribute to the dazzling musicals of the 1920s. Festhalle Theater, downtown Leavenworth. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org. Bat Boy The Musical, 7/31, 8/1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 8 – 10 p.m. Saturday dates at 9 p.m. A dark comedy rock musical based on the fictional 1992 Weekly World News cover story about a bat-child found in a cave in West Virginia. Performing Arts Center.

science

and more!

June 17 through August 1 9AM-NOON and/or 12:30-3PM Monday - Thursday Grades 1-7 127 S Mission Wenatchee, WA 509-888-6240 www.wvmcc.org

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// SKETCHES

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| July 2014

Stan Morse what If an attorney morphed into a writer... and found his stories filling books?

icture this: A boy races down Chelan streets on a hot summer afternoon, past familiar storefronts and around wellknown corners on his Schwinn bike, sweating, breathing hard, mashing his sneakered feet as fast as possible on the pedals, anxious to get home to find out if… If what? Somehow this situation grabs our interest — we want to know the answer, and we want this boy to know it too. That’s the essence that Stan Morse brings to his recent novel: real people with real concerns. A simple personal note written in 1982 gave Stan the confidence to write fiction. It’s an inscrip-

S OF LOCAL ARTISTS

“We all care about the same truths — love, hope, loyalty, loss, integrity. What we want to know is — will this character win or fail?”

At his koi pond near Chelan’s south shore, Stan models the jaunty hiking hat illustrating his latest book.

tion in a book signed by author Ed Bryant, his mentor at the Haystack Writers Workshop in Cannon Beach: To Stan: With your inventiveness and drive, the revelation that stories must have characters was probably the last barrier standing between you and the New York Times best seller list. That inspiring compliment pushed Stan into writing, but it was a long-delayed reaction. Fully 11 years after he experienced those rigorous weeks at Haystack, Stan was still practicing law in Redmond, thinking

about writing but not doing it. Then his life was upended by the death of his mother in Chelan. With his childhood home available, he had to make a big decision. Stan said, “I figured if I could first sit down and write a novel, one whole novel, then they’ll ‘let me run away to play in the circus.’” Write he did. Lubadoodle (the nickname of a friend’s lube shops) was 120,000 words long, and Stan gleefully admits that as a first attempt it was awful. But he moved to the family home, put out his shingle in downtown July 2014 | The Good Life

Chelan and simultaneously started to write books. While on a working vacation in Sydney, Australia in November 1996, Stan completed what he thought was his first sellable novella on a laptop computer and found it good. (He said he’s still moved by re-reading the last lines.) But an agent friend, who knew Stan had been partially paralyzed by a skiing accident at 17, insisted that a paraplegic bachelor trekking solo was a more commercial book. Accordingly, he sped up his vacation and gathered his travel journaling into chapters for Circling the Earth in a Wheelchair. Not a big seller, but a big step. In the years since, Stan’s been a hard-working, experimenting writer who believes in his talents. He’s spent time reading excellent fiction, learning the craft, trusting his instincts, researching both print and cyber media possibilities, plotting spin-offs, tie-ins, sequels. And he’s done his time at the keyboard. At age 59, committed to his literary goals, he now devotes only 20 hours a month to his law practice. He said, “I spend three to four hours a day writing on the computer; the rest of the time I’m actively thinking about each project.” At about halfway through (55,000 words on a current title) he solicits readers for feedback. Stan is a strong advocate of on-line publishing (an industry that’s burgeoned with possibility since the days “self-published” held a taint), “Amazon, Crewww.ncwgoodlife.com

ateSpace, Barnes and Noble — what they offer is the assurance that with minimum investment, your book will be in front of readers.” But what matters is story. Good ideas are all over. “Great ideas,” he believes, “come from something that’s happened, something you need to explore. You need to have patience to write a book, and unless your true motivation is to tell a story, it’s pointless.” And, as Bryant reminded him 32 years ago, that story needs real characters we relate to. Stan trusts universal motives. “We all care about the same truths — love, hope, loyalty, loss, integrity. What we want to know is — will this character win or fail?” His stories are not tethered to genre. Sci-fi, fantasy, young adult, thriller — those terms may matter in the marketplace, but not in crafting a tale. He’s currently delving into a girl-empowerment series with Nina Bea and the Honey Money Bunny. His “what if ” suspense novel, Goering’s Gold, is due out in late June. And, in a sweet twist of fortune, the novella he liked — the one that he shelved 18 years ago in favor of a travelogue? That enriched idea grew and changed into his recently published full-length novel, Brothers of Summer. It opens with a boy on a bike, racing down Chelan streets… — by Susan Lagsdin Read more about Stan and his writing at his website stanmorse.com

column those were the days

rod molzahn

The unusual story of John Wapato Sometime in the late 1700s

fur trading ships sailing between the Northwest coast of North America and the Orient brought back a lily plant and introduced it to the lower Columbia River and coastal areas. It was a kind of water-lily and it thrived in its new home. It had a large, edible bulb that the Indians quickly made a part of their diet. The tasty bulb soon had a name taken, most likely, from Chinook jargon. The Indians called it Wapato. European potatoes had been introduced to the Northwest by Hudson’s Bay traders at Fort Vancouver at least by the 1830s. U.S. Navy Lieutenant Robert Johnson reported seeing Indians cultivating potatoes in raised beds at the Wenatchee/Columbia confluence during an expedition up the Columbia in 1841. To the Indians the new potatoes looked pretty much like the Wapato bulb. So much so that the Indians began calling both the lily bulb and the potato a Wapato. In 1825, somewhere in the Entiat/Chelan country, a newborn son was given the name Nihwali-kin (also spelled Nic-terwhil-i-cum). As a boy he traveled with his father down the

Columbia, perhaps to its mouth at, what the Indians called, “the Great Salt Lake.” He had seen white fur traders on the upper Columbia where he lived but now he saw Fort Vancouver with its vegetable gardens and livestock and, perhaps, a tall, sailing ship anchored in the river off shore from the fort. The trip was the beginning of Nih-wali-kin’s life-long interest in white men’s ways, especially farming and ranching. Nih-wali-kin must have made other trips down river as a young man. One story claims he worked for a time in a Portland restaurant. He brought all those new interests, understandings and vision back to his home in the Entiat country where he developed a cattle and horse ranch. When Chinese miners began to work along the upper Columbia about 1860, Nih-wali-kin sold them beef and packed in supplies from Walla Walla for the Chinese store and village across the river from Chelan Falls. Nih-wali-kin, now also called Jack or John, was one of the first Indians to farm on the upper Columbia. He grew the first apples in the area from seeds he got from trees at Fort Vancouver. Those

| The Good Life

trees had been grown with seeds from England. He grew other fruits as well, along with melons, grains and potatoes. He must have grown a lot of potatoes. He soon was known to Indians and white men alike as John Wapato or Wapato John. By 1870 John Wapato and his family had a farm and fur trading post north of Entiat near the mouth of Navarre Coulee. He was 48 years old in December of 1872 when a strong earthquake, felt for hundreds of miles around, struck almost underneath his farm. It split off half of a rock wall down river. The fractured rock was catapulted into the Columbia, damming it completely for 24 hours before the river worked its way through. Behind the rock dam the river rose 50 feet, inundating the Wapato family farm and trading post. John said it was “bad ta-man-a-was” (medicine) and moved his family to Lake Chelan. The next fall Wapato John, as Sam Miller called him, showed up in the Miller/Freer trading post ledger. He was a regular customer for the next seven years. He bought clothes; hats and pants, shirts and gloves, a heavy

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| July 2014

coat and colorful scarves for his wife, Madeleine. He bought foodstuffs including tea and coffee, a lot of sugar, flour along with rice and beans. He bought a broom, tin cups and 30 pounds of nails. There were regular pounds of tobacco, acid and quicksilver for extracting gold from gravel and, on Dec. 29, 1873, two bottles of whiskey. It was against federal law to sell whiskey to Indians and this is the only record of such a sale in Sam Miller’s 16 year store ledger. Wapato John always paid his bill with cash. In 1880 the land from the south shore of Lake Chelan north to the Methow River was added to the recently created Moses or Columbia Reservation. Wapato John and several other Indian families were living on land that was now part of that Reservation. Three years later, a year before the government changed its mind and opened the Reservation to white settlement, Indians were given the right to “allotments” on the land. Each head of a family could claim a section (one square mile) of land. Wapato John, along with 12 other

Wapato families, claimed land on the peninsula jutting out into the lake from the north shore near present Manson as well as some adjacent land. One of the white settlers who followed was Ben Martin. He claimed land north of Manson. Martin had abandoned his store in the failed town of Okanogan City north of present day Waterville. In 1888 he agreed to trade the store to the Wapato Indians for 10 heifers. The Indians dismantled the building and hauled the lumber 30 miles back to Chelan, across the Columbia, and built a church where, in the absence of a priest, Wapato John conducted Catholic services. In 1890 Wapato John was one of several noted chiefs, including Moses, who spoke at the last great council held at the Wenatchee confluence. The chiefs aired their grievances against the encroaching white settlement and the government in Washington. The council was attended by many white settlers and soldiers. Journalist Frank Streamer recorded Wapato John’s words when he spoke of Wapato Indians being forced from their allotments by white settlers. “My people are taken from their homes and carried to the Colville reserve and they are citizens and pay taxes. Tell General Howard that I paid $70 taxes to Okanogan County and that the special agent from Washington City said that I should not pay taxes as I was a Washington City Indian by treaty of the Chief Moses Reserve.” Wapato John died at his home on Wapato Point in 1911. He was 76 years old.

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

July 2014 | The Good Life

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column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

A vineyard grows among the lupine Robert Anderson has a new

career: owner and winemaker of one of Manson’s newest wineries, Lupine Vineyards. He works at several of the many different jobs required of anyone attempting to grow grapes and make wine in Washington. At the moment, the winery has no formal tasting room, and tasting there is by appointment only. You may, however, if you’re interested in tasting the current array of wines, simply pay a visit to the Farmers Market at Pybus some Saturday. There among the fruits, vegetables, flowers and crafts, you’ll find the Lupine Vineyards tent, and under it, seeking protection from the sun, will be Robert and his wine. As he offers tastes, he talks of his beginnings in making wine, and why he has become a winemaker.

We stopped by his tent a few weekends ago and had a delightful time chatting with Robert while tasting the wines and learning of his background. We enjoyed the wines and were pleased to see the variety as well as the very reasonable prices. I do caution you, though, if you’re stuck in that rut of demanding deeply extracted, dark red wines, you’re in for a minor disappointment with the Pinot Noir. This wine is aromatic, flavorful and worth taking the time to get to know, but it is made in a lighter style, without the infusion of a Syrah or a Cabernet Sauvignon to boost color. Lupine Vineyards is a small winery that fits perfectly the definition of the word boutique. (About the name, Robert recounts this story: “When we first saw the property, the lupine were in full bloom. My wife said to the real estate agent, ‘I like this.’ I said, “Then we’ll take it.”)

| The Good Life

On the tasting list that day at the Farmers Market we tasted Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Pinot Noir and a red wine called Trio — a blend of Syrah, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. As production of each of the wines is still small, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see several of the wines sold out before time to bottle the next vintage. Marketing names have always intrigued me and I liked the names Lupine Vineyards penned for its wares. Here’s a short sample: A capela Chardonnay; Lyric Pinot Gris; Madrigal Viognier and Whisper Viognier. Even the reds have more tantalizing labels than the simple names of the grapes. The Rosés and Ribbons Pinot Noir intertwines hints of the delicate rosé color with a rich ribbon of aromas. Grapes in Robert’s vineyards

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| July 2014

are relatively young and Robert acknowledges some difficulty in bringing fruit to 26 brix; his grapes are growing above 2,000 feet elevation on the north side of Lake Chelan, so he may have to monitor the grape’s success and modify his plantings as the years pass. One thing is certain: This is a man who was successful in his former, science-based career as a biologist who spent 25 years on the staff of the Seattle Aquarium, so I’m confident that if any one can grow grapes and make quality wine from the crops on his property, Robert is that man. 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.

At Highgate, we encourage a variety of social activities as part of our holistic approach to both Assisted Living and Memory Care. Come see for yourself the many ways our residents are supported in staying actively engaged in life. email: wenatchee@highgateseniorliving.com phone: 509-665-6695 web: HighgateSeniorLiving.com

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River Ramble July 11 - 12, 2014

Friday - 5-8 p.m., Saturday - 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

We’ll learn together about the collective knowledge of wildlife and plants that’s been passed down from the vibrant peoples who’ve thrived along our rivers • Meet renowned Native American artists

and local educators • Hear about Native American customs and the PUD’s stewardship of local wildlife and habitat • Set up a tipi • Learn how Northwest indigenous people made tools and household items out of natural materials and try your hand at making one yourself Questions? Call us at (509) 663-7522

• Take part in Native American tribal sports • • • •

based on traditions of fishing and hunting Play Native American tribal games involving skill and chance Experience a Native American long tent — a mobile community gathering place See the Reptile Man Enjoy Native American music and dancing

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