July 2016 The Good Life

OH, MY ACHING BACK Y EVENTS CALENDAR

WENATCHEE VALLEY’S

NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE

July 2016

Price: $3

Surprising benefits of biking to work PLUS Is Joe tough enough for a 72-hour Xtreme challenge?

Fun getaways by travel pro Cary Ordway

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Contents

12 skating princess

page 14

Following in her parents skating footsteps has Kaela Kapeikis performing with Disney On Ice

Loreto was more than expected

16 3 surprises about biking to work

Give up the four wheels and go with the two wheels — and see the city and yourself in a different light

20 big rock place

A quiet retreat on the edge of the Wenatchee River

24 summer travel planner

Travel pro Cary Ordway offers a variety of NCW getaways

ART SKETCHES

n Sculptor Daniel Patrick Murphy, page 34 n Jewelry maker Rita Pace, page 36

Features

walk on the quiet side

Mother and daughter pay regular visits to a little off-road spot in Entiat, and come away delighted by nature

10 could joe meet the challenge?

Sure, he was always “up” for whatever when younger, but how about now: Can he do a 72-hour Xtreme Challenge?

Al Adan, AAMS®, CRPC® 1556 N. Wenatchee Ave. Suite C Wenatchee, WA 98801 509-663-9503

Dan Rodgers, AAMS®

A financial advisor who keeps in touch

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Columns & Departments 29 Bonnie Orr: Making soup from green plantains 30 June Darling: The trick of being not good... yet 32 The traveling doctor: Oh, my aching back 34-38 Arts & Entertainment & a Dan McConnell cartoon 39 Pet Tales: His wife brought a Wolf home 40 History: Wenatchee’s first newspapers 42 Alex Saliby: Carmenere a comer

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GeoffJuly Gatewood 2016 | Financial Advisor .

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OPENING SHOT

®

Year 10, Number 7 July 2016 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: https://www. facebook.com/NCWGoodLife Editor/Publisher, Mike Cassidy Contributors, Cameron Wood, Marilyn Sherling, Joe Anderson, Dave Graybill, Sara Villalobos, Cary Ordway, Terry Wadkins, Jaana Hatton, 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, Clint Hollingsworth 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, Safeway stores, Walgreens, Mike’s Meats at Pybus, Rhubarb Market, Martin’s Market Place (Cashmere) and A Book for All Seasons and Dan’s Food Market (both Leavenworth) ADVERTISING: For information about advertising in The Good Life, contact advertising at (509) 8886527, or sales@ncwgoodlife.com WRITE FOR THE GOOD LIFE: We welcome articles about people from Chelan and Douglas counties.

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

The Good Life® is a registered trademark of NCW Good Life, LLC. Copyright 2016

by NCW Good Life, LLC.

art meets life on the loop trail

By Cameron Wood

Reader Susan Droz Rankin

sent in this photo of “a mixture of crack repair and paint” which she snapped while on one of her daily walks on the loop.

“On previous walks, I had noticed the odd shapes of the asphalt crack repair that looked like the letters G and L. But, as I rounded the corner on the trail that morning, I noticed that someone had filled in the rest of the letters in blue paint to say ‘Good Life.’ I was immediately reminded of my favorite local magazine publication, The Good Life,” Susan said.

Susan first started walking the loop to cope with becoming a widow. She began reminiscing on the past years and sorting out the ones that lay ahead, and in turn, began a physical and mental healing process.

Eventually, her initial quarter

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| The Good Life

mile strolls increased in both distance and speed to her current four miles which she covers with her now husband, Bob. Graffiti is just one of many sights she has encountered along the trail.

“Connecting with nature provides renewal for the soul as well,” Susan reflected. “I counted up to 30 species of birds and watched osprey dive to the water of the Columbia River and catch fish which would be wiggling in their claws as their captor flew to a perch or nest close by. Bald eagles were frequently perched in trees or flying overhead.”

Besides critters, Susan also began to take notice of her fellow trail travelers, making friends with other recovering folks, and chuckling at the similarities between dogs and their owners.

Two walkers in particular stood out.

“Over the years, I have watched a man whom I have never met, who has been walking the trail since 2004 when I began my walks. He was quite overweight at the time. He is still walking the trail and is slim and trim today. We always just

www.ncwgoodlife.com

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July 2016

say ‘hello’ in passing but I admire his tenacity and wish him well,” Susan said.

“There was also a friend who walked the trail regularly many years ago. She had brain cancer and was generally walking with one of her closest friends.

“One day I saw her alone in the gully climbing from one side of the trail to the other and I ran down to see why she was in the gully. She smiled at me and said, ‘I just wanted to see if I could still do it!’”

“I am sure there are many stories that could be told by regular walkers and bike riders about their experiences on the trail.

“How fortunate we are to live where we have access to such a wonderful recreational asset that allows us to connect with nature. ”

On the cover Editor Mike Cassidy took this photo of Craig Still, who commutes by bike from his Wenatchee home at Miller and Washington streets to his restaurant, Garlini’s Napoletana, in Mission Village on Fifth Street.

>>

editor’s notes

MIKE CASSIDY

Looking verses truly seeing O

n a cool spring weekend day this year, my wife and I were looking for something to do, and a new place to explore, so we decided to head up to Entiat to walk a portion of the new nature trail along the Columbia River.

Crossing over the Highway 97A bridge to Entiat, we noticed a new pathway under the bridge and I said, “Hey, let’s try that.”

I had always thought the estuary-like mouth of the Entiat River just before it merges with the Columbia would be fun to poke around. Still waters meandering in and around marshes can be full of interesting life to observe.

We parked in the newly created boat loading area, and with walking shoes and heavy sweaters on, down the path toward the bridge we went.

I can’t remember precisely now, but when we walk, we like to think and talk, and perhaps on that day we were into a heavy conversation about… well, you pick it: our kids, our finances or what to do with the rest of our lives. All topics that escape easy conclusions.

So, down the path, under the bridge and on up the trail overlooking the marshy area we traveled. We stopped a couple of times to lean on the fine fence installed by the PUD, and not seeing anything of interest, we declared, “This is a bust,” and back to the car we went.

That memory made me laugh when a few weeks ago I opened a story sent in by Marilyn Sherling, who with her daughter, Amanda, found the same walk a “hot spot” of activity.

No lie. This is what Marilyn says in her story on page 7 about

the same area I was looking at: “...we entered so many bird observations to eBird, the online database managed by Cornell University, that they made it an official eBird ‘hotspot.’”

Plus, she sent along an absolutely gorgeous photo of a great blue heron.

While I was just casually tossing my eyes around, Marilyn and Amanda were truly seeing… and that can make all of the difference between people who are engaged with the richness of Mother Nature and the rest of us who too often are just passing through.

Alert reader Susan Droz is another person who pays attention. She sent in the Opening Shot this month, saying it was “a mixture of crack repair and paint.”

We don’t know who the original artist was who first saw the black tar squiggly as letters, but that person was quite ingenious.

And Susan was keen to observe it.

One of my favorite movie quotes comes from Joe vs. the Volcano, where Patricia (played

by Meg Ryan) tells Joe (Tom Hanks): “My father says that almost the whole world is asleep.

Everybody you know. Everybody you see. Everybody you talk to.

He says that only a few people are awake and they live in a state of constant total amazement.”

We should all strive to be fully awake, and live in a state of amazement. That’s the way to enjoy The Good Life.

— Mike July 2016 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

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fun stuff a full LISTING of what to do begins ON PAGE 35

Blasts, beers and bears J

uly is a great month to have a blast, drink a beer and go looking for bears in the woods... what? wait?... who wrote “go looking for bears in the woods”?

But, blasts and beers can be dangerous, too. They need to be handled by professionals... which we assume will be the case with this year’s sponsored fireworks show, the Summerfest at Town Toyota Center and especially the search for wild grizzlies in the North Cascades.

Check out these events, lifted from this month’s What To Do list, that starts on page 35:

Fireworks will be popping off at Chelan, Wenatchee and Manson this year.

Cherry Pit Spit Contest —

Pybus Public Market. Cost: free.

See the rules they are worth the read: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Tuesday, July 4, 1 -3 p.m.

Eden Moody — Live perfor-

mance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org. Friday, July 1, 7 p.m.

Let’s have a blast — Live

music, food and art vendors, family activities and fireworks over the Columbia River accompanied by a live performance by the Wenatchee Symphony. Walla Walla Point Park. Monday, July 4, starts at noon.

Other local fireworks include:

Eden Moody sings Friday, July 1.

n Chelan Rockin’ fireworks show — View fireworks from

Don Morse Park and Lakeside park in Chelan. Saturday, July 2, 10 p.m. n The big Show fireworks — Manson Bay. Monday, July 4, 10:15 p.m.

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| The Good Life

Lake Chelan Bach Fest — The opening concert follows the Young Musicians’ Concert at the Chelan United Methodist Church, Morning concerts are presented at the Chelan Episcopal Church courtyard, noon concerts at the Chelan United Methodist Church, and Classics Concert at St. Francis Catholic Church. There are appearances at six Valley wineries by the Bach Fest String Quartet, and a Pops Concert at Riverwalk Park ends the Festival. Info: bachfest. org. July 8 through 16.

Summerfest — Craft beer, music, food and 64-beer pong

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July 2016

teams. This event will feature over 10 ales and music by PreFunc, Slingshot, Dimestore Prophets, Junk Belly and Journey. Town Toyota Center. Cost: $15 advance. Info: towntoyotacenter.com. Saturday, July 9, 2 – 11 p.m.

Ghost Bears: The Elusive North Cascades Grizzly —

Embark on an amazing four day backpacking adventure with expert wildlife biologists as you venture into stunning mountain scenery in search of ghost bears.

A unique opportunity to practice backcountry skills, bear safe camping, GPS use, and collaborative research methods. Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth.

Info: wenatcheeriverinstitute. org. Leaves Sunday, July 17.

A regular walk on the

Quiet Side

STORY AND PHOTOS

By Marilyn Sherling

F

all was in the air as we stood looking across the river at the pine tree on the far bank.

That Ponderosa looked very strange, and as we lifted the binoculars to our eyes we saw the reason. It was filled with bird nests — very large bird nests — nine that we could see.

A rookery tree!

My mind went to the two great blue herons we had seen up river. Could this be a heron rookery?

My daughter, Amanda, and I were standing on the bank of the Entiat River just west of its confluence with the Columbia River. That part of the river was called the Entiatqua (meaning Grassy Water) by the native Americans many years ago.

We were there because of a class we were enrolled in at Wenatchee Valley College.

We had signed up to take the Wenatchee Naturalist class taught by Susan Ballinger.

This class takes its students on a journey through the natural world in which we live, here in the greater Wenatchee Valley.

It introduces students to a wide range of topics specific to this area, including geology, birds, plants, animals, amphibians, invertebrates, trees, fire ecology and land stewardship, to name a few.

Part of the curriculum calls for students to pick a location where there is a variety of wildlife, native plants and trees and to visit it once a week, with

A great blue heron watches for fish in the small lagoon adjacent to the Entiat River.

the goal of journaling what we see and observing the changes that occur over the course of the quarter.

Amanda and I became so enthralled with “our” spot on the Entiat River that we continJuly 2016 | The Good Life

ued to visit it during the winter and beyond. In fact, we entered so many bird observations to eBird, the online database managed by Cornell University, that they made it an official eBird “hotspot.” www.ncwgoodlife.com

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Susan had several suggestions for places to visit, Porter’s Pond, Canyons One and Two, Horan Nature Area, Juvenile Pond and Rodeo Hole.

So, how did we end up on the Entiatqua Trail?

Well, over the years we have travelled Highway 97A many times and as we would drive over the bridge crossing the Entiat River, we would notice that little undeveloped spot to the west with its riparian habitat and lagoon.

A little investigation revealed that the property is owned by Chelan County PUD and is open to public access, so we decided to make that location our journaling spot.

In fact, Chelan County PUD has created a trail that goes under the bridge and connects to the newly refurbished Entiat Park, just north on the Columbia River.

On a side note, if you walk on the trail going under the bridge, take a look at the top of the wall directly under the bridge, you will notice a very small troll sitting there. One wonders if he is related to the very large troll who sits under the Aurora Bridge in Seattle.

On this day we took a left, just over the bridge, onto the Entiat River Road and found the parking spot about a half mile west of the intersection.

On some days as we stepped out of the car, one of the first things we heard was the belted kingfisher across the river. We could see him diving for din-

}}} Continued on next page

Parking

Lagoon Beaver Lodge

Rookery

Highway 97A Bridge

The Entiatqua Trail wraps under Entiat’s Highway 97A bridge and continues up alongside the Entiat River.

Quiet Side }}} Continued from previous page ner and sometimes sitting on the sandbar in the center of the river.

The habitat found within the half-mile expanse of this short trail is surprising.

On the north side of the trail is big sagebrush, antelope bitterbrush, gray rabbit brush, arrow leaf balsam root, snow buckwheat and, in season, the resident sagebrush songbirds.

On the river side of the trail is riparian habitat, with braided channels, river birch, red osier dogwood, cattails, a beaver lodge and a river otter playing in

Illustrating (or taking photos) was part of the class assignment. Amanda made these two of a wood duck and a yellow-rumped warbler.

the water.

High in the trees is often a downy woodpecker or a northern flicker. This land was also cultivated by homesteaders for a time, evidenced by a few walnut and cherry trees.

Over the course of the fall and winter we have watched the caterpillars build tents in the alder

trees, watched the birds migrate, the leaves fall and animals leave tracks in the snow that we couldn’t identify.

Wandering east toward the lagoon, we have spotted painted turtles just under the water, a great blue heron hiding in the cattails, watching for fish. We have seen up to six American

dippers foraging for food along the rocks at the water’s edge.

Down the trail about a quarter of a mile from the parking spot, stop and look across the river. There is the rookery tree.

Last fall it was empty and it was completely by surprise that we noticed the nine huge nests in that tree.

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July 2016

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This site is truly a gem hidden right in our own backyard

Cliff swallows build their mud nests on the pillar supports under the bridge on Highway 97A crossing the Entiat River. The nests can be seen from the trail that goes underneath the bridge.

A female great horned owl and her two young owlets occupy a nest in a Ponderosa pine on the south bank of the Entiat River. Owls never build their own nests but always use a nest built by another species. This Ponderosa pine is a great blue heron rookery with at least five active heron nests. This owl has borrowed a great blue heron nest to raise her young.

Marilyn and Amanda Sherling stand on the Entiatqua Trail next to the Entiat River.

July 2016 | The Good Life

This March we noticed a surge of activity as we counted six herons engaged in collecting additional nesting materials and four actually sitting on nests, and by the middle of April, this was a bustling community.

In fact, everything was alive in the spring: new leaves on trees, new plants budding. The river was teaming with ring-necked ducks, common and hooded mergansers, common goldeneyes, buffleheads and a pair of wood ducks sunning on an island.

And, when we lift our eyes to the hillside, across the river, we spotted 19 mule deer munching on the new grass.

When we returned in the first week of May, things had changed in the tree, there wasn’t so much heron activity. Although we could see three nests with a sitting adult in each, it was hard to see if there were more.

But, what was this? Here is a nest that looks different. That’s no great blue heron. The binoculars revealed a female great horned owl and two babies in one of the nests. What a find.

This site is truly a gem hidden right in our own backyard. If you want a quiet place to walk and meditate it can’t be beat.

However... if you are a birder and a nature enthusiast, as we are, that half-mile stretch is a treasure trove. It’s a gem that offers a new facet with each visit.

Marilyn and Amanda Sherling both reside in Wenatchee, where Amanda is completing her two year degree in Natural Resources, and Marilyn recently retired from Chelan County PUD. Both are avid birders and amateur photographers and love being out in nature.

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LOVING THE LIFT Riding an invisible river of air exhilarates Cashmere flyer

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Subscribe to The Good Life for yourself or a friend. ❑ 12 months for $25 in Washington $30 out of state ❑ 24 months for $50 in Washington $60 out of state Name: ____________________________ Address: __________________________ City/State/Zip ______________________ __________________________________

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Scenes from the 72-hour Xtreme Character Challenge: Forging rivers...

... challenged on the trail...

Can Joe meet the challenge?

Back in Wenatchee, Joe can smile now.

WAS he still tough enough for 72-hours of extreme hiking, climbing, crossing rivers — on only a few hours of sleep, peanuts and a lot of prayer?

By Joe Anderson

I am the type of person who was con-

stantly seeking ways to test myself to see if I could do it.

The “it” has changed over the years. When I was in high school it was wrestling and the Wenatchee Youth Circus. In college it was baseball, wrestling, supporting a family and keeping my academic scholarship. When I taught at Eastmont High School, it was building successful relationships with the students, coaching sports and developing new student-centered clubs.

During these years I joined Chelan County Mountain Rescue, started whitewater raft guiding, was on the Mission Ridge Ski Patrol, ran marathons, mountaineered and raced in Ridge to River as an ironman.

Once retirement from teaching arrived I still had the desire to test myself and continue to grow; or at least, not lay down and

10

become a couch potato.

During a trip to Africa — I was in Zambia for six weeks two years ago working with the South African Sports Coalition training future sports and life style coaches on how to coach — I heard about The 4th Musketeer organization.

This international movement trains men to live for their King, Jesus Christ. The program is designed to give men an adventure, and a physical, emotional and spiritual challenge. It was started in Netherlands in 2008, has spread to 12 nations and came to America in 2013.

To become a Musketeer, a man has to face and overcome the 72-hour Xtreme Character Challenge.

I wondered if I could do 72 hours of hiking, climbing, crossing rivers along with whatever the weather might throw. Was I tough enough?

I made contact with the organization, and because I am an EMT, I was invited to join as an unofficial crewmember on the Xtreme Character Challenge in the Ouchita Mountains of Arkansas.

All the food the participants brought was confiscated along with all watches, cameras and electronics. We were only given one MRE (ready-to-eat military meal), a few energy bars, two packages of plain oatmeal and two Top Ramen packages for the 72 hours.

The participants were from six states and Canada — ranging in age from 27 to 67 — and the crew was from seven states and five | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

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countries.

The participants started showing up at the Mena Fair Grounds at 7 p.m. on a midNovember night where they were assigned to four teams and given their allotment of food.

We were then loaded into a school bus and transported to the starting line.

I could see and feel the anxiousness of each, including me. What was happening and what was I going to encounter?

At the starting line final instructions were given, guys were asked to remove all items that were not on the packing list including extra food, watches, cameras and cell phones.

I could hear people complaining and asking questions about what was happening.

They were given no answers. Several of the guys thought they were back in the military.

I was hoping I had the correct gear for the next 72 hours.

Members of each group were told to stay together on the trail and support each other.

We were given several scripture verses to ponder and talking was supposed to be limited except in case of mishaps, of which there were some the first night.

All was going smoothly as we hiked through riverbeds — some with water and some dry — until a man in front of me fell down in a creek we were crossing. We checked him and he was not hurt, but his headlamp was broken.

One of the guys on his team helped him to see by walking beside him. That worked well until the trail got narrow. His team had to make adjustments to sustain the tempo.

After three hours of hiking there was grumbling and I could start to detect frustration. In the very early morning, we arrived at a rustic camping area for the first sleep.

Just a few hours later, we were awoken and had to fix breakfast, filter water, eat, break down tents, pack and get ready to hike.

Wow. Some of the guys were very sore and

July 2016

... carrying logs to the cross.

... looking for inspiration...

complaining. I just tried to encourage them to keep moving. If they wanted to be waited on, this was the wrong trip.

It was the start of a long and difficult day of challenge before we camped next.

During this day each group had to help solve their own team’s issues and develop its own esprit de corps. Each group set its own pace; sometimes slow, sometimes fast.

There were planned stops where we were challenged about being men of honor and discussed our roles as Biblical husbands and fathers and how to be strong and face challenges and temptations.

As I was hiking and suffering in my own way I came across one man who threw down his pack and refused to go any further.

He said, “I am stopping! Send the rescue team! I am too old for this ****!” His teammates were encouraging him to continue but to no avail.

I asked him if he was hurt and he said, “No.” There was no rescue truck. There was no help except his team. I then shared that I was much older than him and was suffering, too.

His team finally divided up his pack and continued on. Later I found out he ended up asking for his gear back and then helped someone else. He manned up.

I was having my own problems. I had forgotten to trim my toenails and they were rubbing against the end of my shoes. Therefore, I blackened four toenails and knew that I would eventually lose them.

We got up to our waist in the Little Missouri River and had to face our fear of water.

Some of the men held on to each other. It was so encouraging to see men supporting each other.

As the day drew on we faced individual and group challenges. Sometimes we would

sit and talk about what was taking place and I would also check on injuries.

At Friday night’s camping site there was a fire going. After setting up tents each person fixed the MRE dinner. I heated my meal with Brian, another crewmember. I convinced him to put our two meals together since he did not like his. By combining our two meals it tasted a little better for him and he ate his portion.

Well after dark, the last group arrived to the cheers of the others. They were exhausted and severely tested. One guy was so sick and tired that he was almost crawling.

Someone on his team helped set up his tent and one of the leaders heated his MRE. I gave him some ibuprofen, forced him to eat and drink fluids. The next day he was better but did not remember any of the previous night. I told him who cooked his meal and he was shocked. He sought out the leader and thanked him. It was very humbling for him because he was one of the big tough guys.

We all got to bed and were asleep in a few minutes. We awoke in the middle of the night and gathered at the bonfire where we talked about what it means to be a man and prayed for an hour. We got up early for the last day of the challenge.

It was so hard to roll out of the warm sleeping bag, pack my pack, eat the oatmeal and get ready for the start.

The crew was also suffering. I was tired, hungry, wanted to complain because of my painful toenails but instead, I had to “Musketeer Up.” I was hiking with Brian as he opened a package of peanuts so I asked him for some.

He looked at me. Looked at his peanuts.

Looked back at me and then, gave me three peanuts. I was shocked and a little upset that he would not share with me.

July 2016 | The Good Life

www.ncwgoodlife.com

But all I said was, “Thank you.”

I knew I had peanuts in my pack; I did not want to take my pack off and get them out.

Anyway, later that day I got my peanuts out and was getting ready to open them and saw Brian watching me. I asked him if he wanted to share my peanuts.

He said, “Okay!” and held out his hand.

I poured half the bag in his hand and then told him a real servant gives all. I then proceeded to put the rest of the bag in his hand.

He then said, “I understand what you are trying to show me, thanks.”

I then asked for half the handful back. We both laughed, hugged and moved on. Lesson received.

Later that afternoon we arrived at a spot on the Little Missouri where we had to put on our swimming suits and water shoes in order to hike up the waist-deep river for almost a mile. Yes, it was very cold outside, the water was colder and the men were exhausted.

Once out of the river each man picked up a five-foot long log, crossed the river again and carried it up a steep hill and placed it at the foot of a cross.

It was at that point a challenge was given to become men of God, willing to live by a creed of honor, to love your wife and family and to live by positive Biblical principles.

The last part of the challenge that night was when we changed our clothing and marched another mile.

Each person was given a 4th Musketeers polo shirt and treated to a full meal, which they ate with their fingers like the real musketeers of history.

I, too, received my shirt, gladly ate the food with my hands, laughed and shared the joy of the 4th Musketeer brotherhood.

I had faced the challenge and passed the test. |

11

SKATING PRINCESS Kaela Kapeikis: Sliding Into A Career BY FOLLOWING IN FAMILY’S ICE SKATES

By Susan Lagsdin

I

t’s not unlikely that a scuba diver’s kids would do well underwater, a violinist’s would fiddle with strings, a cowboy’s would ride the range and an actor’s would try the movies.

So it was almost a given that daughter of Paul and Louise Kapeikis, who are well-known and active in the figure skating world, would seek a career on the ice.

Hard work and a distinct goal have won her an early prize: Kaela Kapeikis, a 2015 graduate of Wenatchee High School, was accepted to Disney On Ice right after commencement last year and has just spent nine months touring cities across the United States, suiting up for two or three-a day performances, five days a week, in front of huge arena crowds.

She’s taking a summer break back home in Wenatchee, eager for August and weeks of rehearsing a second year in a new show.

“All three of us (brother Liam, sister Danika) have grown up skating — and my parents have been my coaches almost all my life,” said Kaela. She described herself at pre-school age trundling across the rink to and from mom and dad. It was immediate immersion in the sport, with a definable goal. “I wanted to reach them and I had skates on, so of course I learned fast.”

Kind of like marco-polo in the family swimming pool or that first hoist up on a horse —

“You need to skate like a princess — the whole time.”

And you need to make it look effortless. she quickly learned the family sport. She and her siblings all skate well, but Kaela is the one with the real passion for figure skating — she went past interclub competitions and awards to follow a dream of performing for audiences.

The first weeks away from home last August with the Disney production were kind of a shock, she remembered.

Rehearsals were grueling, from partner lifts to intricate choreography, and Kaela found performances demand more than the graceful athleticism she’d gained from competitive figure skating.

Audiences want to be drawn into the story, so every skater also needs the acting chops and charisma of a musical comedy star, sans singing. She describes it well: “You need to skate like a princess — the whole time.” And you need to make it look effortless.

Her primary role in the “Let’s Celebrate” portion of the worldwide entertainment franchise has been Belle in a rendition of Beauty and the Beast, but she’s also taken a spin as other fairy

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Kaela Kapeikis is home for the summer, but still can’t get too far from the ice.

tale heroines. Prerecorded voiceovers and music help tell the stories, and Kaela said, “I love looking up into the stands and seeing all those kids — sometimes they’re on their feet singing and dancing to every tune.”

Company coaches and consultants (plus wigmakers, costumers, makeup artists) help skaters sustain that look, but natural stage presence helps a lot. In addition to her plum roles, Kaela’s been selected to do media interviews for the touring group, putting her confident voice and personality to extra use.

So what’s it like for a smallcity 19-year-old, the youngest, traveling in a company of international professionals whose age

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July 2016

ranges up to 37? Kaela said, “It’s like any job on the road. There are people in charge of the production, but in every other way it’s like traveling for work — we are all treated as adults.”

Granted, it’s still very social, with all the interpersonal intrigues and unexpected friendships that come naturally with people working together intensively. They bus or fly together depending on the distances out of Florida and are group-booked into good hotels near their show venues.

All professionals, they avoid debilitating habits and eat well (gotta keep up the strength), but there’s no “babysitting,” no oversight. A strong work ethic

“It’s not a life for everyone — but I love it! Ice skating is my passion, and I want to go as far as I can go.” suffices to keep them in performing trim.

Kaela is confident that her career performing on ice can be sustained for a long time; some Disney performers have been traveling and skating for 20 years.

But she’s also thinking realistically about other positions in the industry.

She envisions working her way up in the company to be a performance director or a “fixer” who runs rehearsals. Choreography is a strong suit — she’d like to create routines for shows

someday. She said, “It’s not a life for everyone — but I love it!

Ice skating is my passion, and I want to go as far as I can go.”

There are other venues for performance skating like cruise ship performances, “Holiday on Ice,” another popular touring group, and stationery shows at theme parks in Florida and California.

Kaela, however, has been a Disney On Ice devotee for a special reason: her parents first met and fell in love as performers with the company, and she’s been a lifelong fan. “I‘ve probably been to 18 Disney performances,” she said. “We went to every one we could. My folks still know people in the shows.”

Kaela realizes that her family ties and years of exposure have given her a professional boost, but she also credits other factors that have affected her progress.

First was eight years of karate training — working different muscle groups, balance and foot strength (from being barefoot as

opposed to being contained in laced boot) had positive benefits for her primary sport.

She also deeply appreciates her years with the Wenatchee Figure Skating Club (“Growing up, it wasn’t just a club, it was a family.”) where she learned all the varied spins and leaps needed for rigorous competition.

That made possible her status as a double gold medalist in the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Kaela declared that the most prominent factor in her achievement, besides lifelong, caring coaches, was when in 2008 Toyota Town Center first opened its door and froze its floor.

The Club had a brand new home — and an unprecedented 12 months of good ice to skate on. “Before that,” she explained, “We were only skating nine months of the year (at the former Riverfront Park Ice Arena) and to be competitive at nationals you have to skate year-round.

We were so lucky.”

Kaela has learned that figure

skating, right behind gymnastics, is considered the second most physically demanding sport.

It’s also a small one compared to the huge crowds, exposure and finances of other American pastimes. “Look at it this way,” she said. “There were over 400 people in my high school graduating class. And I was the only figure skater.”

The odds of Kaela making it through the demanding ninemonth audition process for her Disney job were even greater.

But she made it — the hometown girl slid gracefully into a childhood dream of a career.

To see a promo for Disney On Ice, visit www.Disneyonice.com.

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

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Loreto on the Baja of Mexico was more than expected Great variety in fishing, scenic historical district and a pool-diving pelican

By Dave Graybill

A

s an angler, it would be no surprise that the Sea of Cortez would attract my interest.

The Sea of Cortez is known as the richest body of water on the planet with over 900 species of fish. An incredible number of game fish world records have been set by anglers visiting this sea.

Several species of whales migrate through the sea and the whale shark — the largest fish in the world — is commonly sighted here.

Previously I made a short visit to Loreto, a town of 14,000 on the east shore of the sea. I wanted to investigate its potential as a destination for one of the fishing trips my wife Eileen and I host.

We have taken groups to Belize on two different occasions, and it appeared that Loreto would be a good choice for such an adventure. I was right.

I had selected La Mision Hotel for lodging and Sea and Land Ecotours to provide the guide service.

La Mision is across from the water and a very short walk to the marina, where we met our guides each morning that we went fishing. The hotel was also just a short walk to the scenic Historic District of Loreto, where we found excellent restaurants, shopping and the office

of our guide service.

Everything was in place and on May 5, five people joined my wife and me for eight nights and seven days in Loreto.

Three days of fishing was part of what I had arranged for the group, and I had scheduled three boats, with two anglers and their guide, to fish every other day.

Some days were better than others in terms of fish caught, but each day on the water provided the anglers catches of fish they had never caught and sights they had never seen before.

Every day we encountered schools of dolphins rolling through the sea. Often heard before spotted were huge schools of manta rays, leaping out of the water. As many as three or four of them would be in the air at one time, and the loud clap they made as they hit the water could be heard from a long distance away.

There was a colony of sea lions at a point on Coronado Island that we approached to photograph and one day my fishing partner and I followed a cruising grey whale on the way home.

On our free days we would take the short walk to the scenic Historic District, where the trees created a shaded tunnel to the entrance to the large town square.

Here we could tour the Mission Museum, dine at one of the many excellent restaurants or find shops that offered all manner of goods, from locally-made pottery, jewelry or the usual t-shirts or other items. There

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| The Good Life

Dave Graybill pulled in a pargo as one of his catches while fishing around Loreto.

were no vendors following us around offering hammocks or artifacts like so many towns on the mainland.

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July 2016

Brown pelicans are abundant in Loreto. They are seen flying in single file formation low over the water and often gather at

The Mission on the square in Loreto dates back to the late 1600s.

Snorkeling in the clear waters was another way to experience the fishrich Sea of Cortez around Coronado Island.

the stern of our fishing boats, looking for a hand out or to snatch up our bait before it gets too deep.

One day, when Eileen and I were fishing, we noticed a fishing line dangling from the bill

of one of the pelicans near our boat.

The guide saw it, too, and without a word to us began tossing hooked bait to the pelican.

It took a couple of tries, but the bird finally took the bait into its pouch and the guide hauled it to the boat.

While I held the struggling bird the guide first clipped away the loose line and then was able to take the hook from its bill.

We released the bird that immediately went back to trying to steal our bait.

On another occasion, our group and a couple we just met from Everett were lounging around the pool when a pelican landed right in the middle of it.

The hotel staff immediately came out and tried to get the bird out of the pool. They didn’t want it pooping in the water

July 2016 | The Good Life

or threatening anyone with its intimidating, long bill.

We all laughed when the bird easily evaded everyone. Dave Swezey, from Everett jumped in the pool and tried splashing at the bird to get it up on the poolside. We thought if we could get it out of the pool we could chase it out through the lobby and the front door. No dice.

Finally, I ran over and grabbed it by the body, holding its wings tight to its sides, and one of the hotel staff held onto the bill.

We hustled the pelican outside, across the street and released it on the waterfront. Whew!

One of our party, Fred Lillian, of Kirkland, and I decided to take an extra day of fishing. We each caught a large yellowtail and he got a big roosterfish, too.

While we were fishing most of the group traveled to the next

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bay south of Loreto, rented kayaks and had a spectacular day paddling among the rocks and watching schools of fish pass beneath their boats On the final day of fishing, two of our party caught five yellowtails, while the rest of us met up at one of the white sand beaches on Coronado Island.

Here we were provided with snorkeling gear to explore a nearby reef.

The anglers arrived triumphantly with their catch and provided one of their fish to be grilled, along with trigger fish ceviche, and other treats prepared by our guide service. This was a wonderful grand finale to our fishing and time on the water.

I am not sure exactly when, but I know I will return to Loreto. Most likely I will be there when the grey whales are calving and bring their young to the boats for a close look at people.

It happens.

Dave Graybill, of Leavenworth, is the owner of FishingMagician.COM LLC. He provides regular reports on the sport fishing in Eastern Washington through radio reports, newspaper articles, videos and his web site: www.FishingMagician.com. He also is currently serving as a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife commissioner.

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

3 things that might surprise you when

bike commuting in Wenatchee

By Sara Villalobos

I

f you’ve ever considered bike commuting in Wenatchee, you might just be onto something special.

We all know that biking is good exercise, and getting around on two wheels is good for the environment, but local commuter cyclists Dan Baber, Lauren Johnson and Craig Still

experienced unexpected benefits that changed their lives and have kept them on the bike years later.

1. You may see the city differently.

Craig Still had been biking recreationally for about 16 years when he got the idea to try

Turning 65 or new to the area?

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Dan Baber cycles down First Street in Wenatchee towards his work at Arlberg Sports.

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Call us today to reserve your spot. 1-877-561-1463 or TTY 711, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays.

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| The Good Life

bike commuting to his restaurant, Garlini’s Napoletana, for a month.

“I just got a wild hair one day and decided I’m going to commute every day for a month,” he said. “That month turned into, ‘I love this and I’m going to do it for a whole year.’ I did it really solid for an entire year and during that process it ingrained in me that this is going to be a lifelong adventure for me.”

Craig found his city transformed when he got behind the handlebars, and was enamored Got a good story to tell? email: editor@ncwgoodlife.com

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July 2016

with Wenatchee all over again.

“I noticed I was seeing my town all over again for the first time. I guess the thing that surprised me was how much of the commuting culture I completely fell in love with.

“I started in the fall and you just see things differently on the bike. You smell things you don’t normally smell. You get to witness mother nature at her best and also at her worst. I think we sometimes jump in our cars and turn the radio on and are really oblivious to nature and temperature and wind and the smell of cherry blossoms and wet leaves.

You can’t get stuff like that in a car and I think as a bike com-

muter you begin to appreshape and then altering ciate those things. “ your diet around what For Craig, biking you’re doing I would find changed his daily comthat instead of being mute from a mindless tired after work I would habit to a daily highlight. have the energy not only “You really look forto ride home but to go for ward to this experience other bike rides as well.” and adventure that happens. I never thought in a million years that I would be so excited to finish my shift at the restaurant and ride home. I think Lauren Johnson is a a lot of people think, ‘I physical therapist who could ride to work but, specializes in helping oh my gosh, I’m going to people stay physically have to ride back from active. work after a whole day!’

He was introduced to Maybe I’m just weird, but bike commuting in his I get so excited for that all teens by his then neighday. It’s the best part of bor, Craig Still.

Lauren Johnson likes biking for exercise: “For me I like to be outside and see scenery and be out and about rather than being in a gym.” my day every single day “I got a job at Garlini’s that I commute is my ride in East Wenatchee. The home.”

That was probably one of the owner was actually my biggest health benefits from next door neighbor and he got cycling I was able to get.” me my first mountain bike,” He also noticed his food habits Lauren said. “I started workstarted to change with his new ing for him and with the bike I mode of transportation. just commuted back and forth “When it comes around lunch between Wenatchee and East Before Dan Baber was a bike time you maybe think about Wenatchee to get there bemechanic at Arlberg Sports, he hopping in your car and driving cause at the time I didn’t have a had a job that kept him off his some place like McDonald’s, but driver’s license.” feet all day. commuting on a bike you kind From those early years bike “My job before working at of know that’s not going to be commuting became a practical Arlberg was basically all driving. habit to kick.

When I started good fuel for you.

You steer clear solution in the various commuI was a semi-truck driver and I cycling it’s one of those things, of that because it’s in the back nities he found himself in. just felt I had put in too much they don’t really work together of your mind, and maybe choose “While I was going to physical wasted windshield time,” Dan very well.

That was actually something alternate to eat. therapy school in Seattle, biking said. what got me to quit smoking “Close to where I work there’s was a much faster way to comHe enjoyed recreational cigarettes. a lot of locally owned places to mute than to take a bus or drive mountain biking but still drove “When I first started I would eat that I would end up getting a car because there was no parkto get around town, until he had get winded and cough.

I wasn’t a sandwich or something like ing so I just continued to bike a mechanical issue that forced able to ride the distances or keep that. through college. I basically stuck him to consider other options. }}} Continued on next page up with some of my friends.

“With cycling just being in “My car at the time had

3. You may heal old wounds.

2. You may break unhealthy habits.

broken down so I just started bike commuting for a couple of weeks. Then I really just liked the ease of bike commuting.

Shortly after that I ended up selling my car and have just been 100 percent bike for the last six or seven years.”

Biking daily, Dan noticed that some of his old habits were slowing him down.

“When I was driving a truck I picked up a horrible habit of smoking cigarettes. As anyone can tell you, it’s not an easy

“Shortly after that I ended up selling my car and have just been 100 percent bike for the last six or seven years.”

Keep Moving (509) 665-3156

Physical Therapy for All Ages and Abilities

www.biosports.net

PHYSICAL THERAPY

• Sports Biomechanics • Physical Therapy • Video Gait Analysis • Orthotics • Functional Testing • Pool Therapy • Massage Therapy • Work Related Injuries July 2016 | The Good Life

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Safe Bike Commuting Tips 1. Plan your route.

The streets you take in your car may not be the best streets to ride on your bike.

In fact, you may not ride on streets at all.

Check the My City Bikes Wenatchee mobile app for a breakdown of local bike paths and bike lanes to plan your commuter route. For segments without an available lane or path, consider opting for residential streets with lower traffic and slower speed limits.

2. Shine a light.

Daytime running lights are a standard feature on most cars these days. Why? To make you

3 surprises

about bike commuting }}} Continued from previous page

with it and I still bike commute.

“It started just as a way for a kid to get to and from work and then later it morphed into a good way to keep exercise in my life.”

Lauren found it more and more difficult to fit time for physical fitness into his working schedule. He turned to bike commuting as a way to ensure he stayed active.

“When you get into studying for school and working at a job it gets a lot harder to build in time to your day for exercise, so biking was the full package. Good for the environment. Saved me money. Good for my health.”

As a physical therapist, Lauren is always looking for solutions to help people feel good and stay physically fit. Biking is an option that he vouches for personally.

“My job as a physical therapist is to teach people exercises and encourage people to go to the

more visible. The same applies for your bicycle. Get and use a front and rear bike light both day and night.

3. Invest in racks and bags/ baskets.

A stable bike rack will give you a place to tote your belongings and attach bike bags (panniers) or a basket.

Bike bags or secure baskets will keep your things together and help you keep weight evenly distributed on the bike.

Removable panniers are also great for grocery shopping.

4. Ride on the road.

It can be tempting to ride on sidewalks when a bike lane gym. I’m always trying to find what are people’s passions in terms of health and exercise, things that are healthy to promote. For me I like to be outside and see scenery and be out and about rather than being in a gym.

“I’ve had lots of injuries and that’s what actually got me into becoming a physical therapist.

I’ve gone through many phases of doing lifting and gym work. I teach people that stuff also.

“But for me, especially with knee injuries, you have to find what works for your body. Lifting doesn’t work well for my body. Every winter I would go through a phase where I’d try to get stronger but it would end up aggravating my knee. The bike was always solid and would always help and be more useful for my knee.”

These days, Lauren’s passion for cycling is as much about enjoying the ride as it is keeping pain and discomfort from old injuries at bay, and maintaining a consistent level of fitness.

“The days that I don’t ride are the worst days for my knee. The bike is one of the simplest ways to lubricate the knee joint.

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or path isn’t available, but did you know that can actually increase your chances of having an accident?

When biking, you’re tougher to notice from a car when you’re not on the road. Biking on the sidewalk can also put you in the path of turning cars.

Ride on the street going in the same direction as traffic, follow all rules of the road, and use hand signals.

5. Wear a helmet. Always.

It doesn’t matter how far or how fast you’re riding. Wear a helmet every time.

The bike is one of the simplest ways to lubricate the knee joint.

“I don’t think it’s a fit for everybody, but there are very few injuries that cycling is a problem for. It’s low impact but it does a good job at keeping you pretty strong. For the vast majority of people who are looking to get fit or lose weight cycling should probably be number one on their mind.

“You need sustainability and the ability to repeat. It doesn’t need to be super-intense all of the time to lose weight. To be consistent is the best thing.

“So cycling is a really good place to start for that. If you want to lose weight, ride a bike.”

Sara Villalobos is a My City Bikes spokesperson and cycling advocate from San Jose, CA.

My City Bikes is the web and mobile public health alliance providing a toolkit for beginners taking control of their health through biking. For more information, visit mycitybikes. org.

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July 2016

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Jared is a lineman and with his fatherin-law Larry Southwick they built the fireplace mantel out of a power pole.

Jared and Larry also made the kitchen pendant lights from light pole insulators.

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Nicely manicured lawns and plantings have since filled space which in mid-20th Century was a very close-in and muchused bank of the Wenatchee River, reaching almost to the edge of the deck.

A century

of changes at I

By Susan Lagsdin Photos by Terry Wadkins

t could be called one of Cashmere’s best-kept secrets, except that hundreds of people know all about it.

Big Rock Place

The three-story circa 1914 house at #1 Big Rock Place is one most cross-state travelers will never see, and even Wenatchee area locals cannot envision such an unlikely home spot.

People traveling Highway 2

near the antique mall/museum exit have whizzed by within 100 yards of it, some of us for years, and we never knew it was there.

In fact, it wasn’t “there” — tucked in behind a deep screen of trees at the edge of the high-

way — until around 1950, when the state highway, which had snaked through downtown Cashmere for decades, was about to be moved closer to the big hillside to the north and east, and geography in the vicinity was dramatically altered.

The structure was transported from its location near what is now Apple Annie’s to an existing foundation, actually topping a one-level flat-roofed home at the very edge of the Wenatchee River.

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a rt f u ll y c ra f t e d , w o n d e r f u l l y wa t e r p ro o f

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July 2016

Scott Sanders, Owner • Over 30 Years Experience Across from Les Schwab

Gradual changes in ceiling treatment, window style, flooring, and the creation of a wide-open living space have transformed the main floor of the original 1914 house into a modern retreat.

its two bedrooms and two baths was also the first (main) floor of the moved-over house. Its longunderused attic was opened up and now forms a spacious loft bedroom suite.

As happens in a house with history, the old and the new are often charmingly juxtaposed, and refurbishment every few decades results in a kind of architectural timeline. Original leaded glass doors and double hung windows attest to early 1900’s roots, while spiffy new appliances, big picture windows and updated wood-look flooring show a modern sensibility. The

}}} Continued on next page

The move down closer to the Wenatchee River must have been an intricate one, considering the complex configuration of the roofline. Early-century windows and doors in the rooms on the far perimeters of the big house also indicate that it was not constructed as a simple box.

Those were the days when engineers and earth moving machines together could legally change the course of the river, when an island of earth could be shoved and hauled across water to form a whole new landscape.

Early inhabitants of the resituated house (the aunt and uncle of previous owner Sue Moody Webb) told her that after the home’s short trip southwest out of the highway’s course, at spring flood the river lapped the edge of their deck. In subsequent years, after enough earth had been piled and tamped, the waterfront yard grew out to a reasonably safe 25 feet from the house.

The result was enough room

not just for the house but for an extensively landscaped acre of small flourishing orchard, flowering trees, high protective shrubbery and lush lawn. An unintended consequence (or perhaps one uninteresting to the powers-that-were) was the loss of Cashmere’s finest diving rock and swimming hole.

Generations of brave youngsters had leapt from Big Rock every summer into the pool formed by the bridge at the bend in the river — but that’s just in memory. For almost 70 years now that same rock has stood sentinel, now surrounded by dry earth in a manicured garden spot.

The three layers of the house, now equaling 3,800 square feet, have had their own slow evolution.

The once-roofed “foundation house” is now an easily accessible and brightened basement with plenty of living and playing space, opening to the river. The current main living area with July 2016 | The Good Life

Kitchen & Bath Fixtures An inspiring atmosphere where you can find the most current kitchen & bath trends.

Basins & Spouts Design Gallery

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8 Benton Street, Wenatchee, 509-662-9502

This bird’s eye view of the property shows the three distinct living levels, which have been created over about 70 years by building a bermed house, moving an old structure, and retrofitting a storage attic.

big rock place }}} Continued from previous page traditional floorplan has both a big mudroom and a formal dining room; the big deck riverside off the living room invites casual summer meals.

An old chicken house, used

Committed to Excellence

variously over the years as zoning and owners changed, edges the lawn on one side; nearer to the house is a roomy jetted hot tub. A traditional shake roof graces the southerly approach to the house; on the backside is metal roofing pitched so snow slides off easily.

Off one bedroom are French doors to a tiny side room — office? sewing? nursery? — which in turn opens on to a hall that encircles the stairwell. That staircase’s newel post is itself a remnant of the old Mission Creek Bridge, and reportedly anchors the home’s center from ground to roof.

A built-in buffet and mirror and much of the living area cabinetry shows 1950’s work-

Adding vintage charm to the house is the hand-crafted leaded glass on a few of the doors. Last-century furniture styles and carpet complement the look.

Photo by Donna Cassidy

manship while the current new wall colors are variations on cool contemporary tones. The house shows its age, but in a good way — it’s more accurate to say it

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July 2016

shows its stages.

Camie Lynch, of Leavenworth Properties, the real estate agent who’s related highlights of the home’s history and manages the property, has a special affection for her charge. “It’s such a beautiful spot — we’ve hosted prom parties, and people take lots of engagement photos and senior portraits here. And we’ve got two Quinceanera photo shoots coming up.”

Camie related a romantic side note in the home’s continuing legacy — the discovery, during a recent remodeling, of a handwritten love letter from Wilbur Nelson that was posted from the Brooklyn Navy Yard around

The house shows its age, but in a good way — it’s more accurate to say it shows its stages.

1913. The letter, probably saved

by Wilbur’s wife, was presented to grandson Brian Nelson, who still owns the property across the highway that Apple Annie’s sits on.

Occasionally older Cashmere residents will just come to sit and stare at the river, maybe remembering hot summer days and heroic leaps off the rock.

And here’s a tribute to the home’s continued appeal and welcoming reputation: even after Sue and Randy Webb sold the house, they were invited to hold their daughter’s wedding in the garden.

It’s not just another pretty place: the current owners (the Simms, who have a home and business on the west side) have invested in it for a few good reasons. They love the area, especially the riverfront, and — even better — they enjoy sharing their old house and its particular privacy with other people. It’s been an especially nice bonus for the folks who work for them because it’s readily available for their family getaways.

The house has raised good families, and now it’s in transition again. #1 Big Rock Place is

Clean lines and modern materials make this casual kitchen and mealtime side of the main floor easy to live with. A more formal dining room with a river view is visible in the center.

currently for sale, ready for yet another owner. The vintage construction and up-close proximity between river and highway are not mainstream amenities, making it definitely a “one-of-a kind” property.

And that’s perfectly OK with both the sellers and some Cashmere locals who love the place and have long considered the tucked-away site a treasured landmark.

Terry Wadkins is a Seattle photographer. “In 2014 Camie Lynch contacted me about shooting five of her properties ... It went well, and I’ve since become their exclusive photographer.

And, I get to visit beautiful Leavenworth every other week.”

Even with busy Highway 2 and an intersection nearby, as well as recreational traffic on the river, there are plenty of serene and quiet spots, thanks to years of thoughtful planting and tree-tending.

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s ’ y a w d r O y r a C CENTRAL

WASHINGTON

Experience

Big hit: Campers like new State Park cabins

I

by Cary Ordway

tor and microwave.

The larger cabins also have a bathroom and on-demand hot water, while the smaller cabins are more basic. All the cabins have outside picnic tables and fire pits.

Depending on the cabin size and season, the cabins range from $45 to $125 per night.

f you don’t have an RV and haven’t tent-camped since you were a teenager, there’s another way to enjoy an overnight stay at a Washington State Park -- in one of their cabins or yurts.

In recent years our Washington State Parks have become more than great camping spots. The Washington State Park system now has dozens of parks that offer cabins or yurts, not just camp spots. They’re economically priced with families in mind.

The State Park system is really a big plus for Northwest residents and the parks are spread to all corners of the state. They’re each located in spots that are filled with recreational opportunities from hiking and biking to boating and other activities. Altogether, 19 parks have cabins, seven have yurts and four have rustic shelters.

“It’s still a camping experience,” explains Virginia Painter, State Parks communications director,

Cabins at Lincoln Rock State Park are new for the 2016 season

“but it’s just a little bit easier for folks.”

and relaxation in a scenic location.

The newest cabins in the system were built just this year at Lincoln Rock State Park, located four miles north of Wenatchee on the Columbia River. This is an 80-acre camping park on the east side of the river and it’s a popular place for swimming and water-skiing

Lincoln Rock offers a couple of different types of cabins, each accommodating up to five guests.

The larger cabins have covered porches and are furnished with queen-size futons, bunk beds, dining tables and chairs and a kitchenette with a mini-refrigera-

Cary Ordway is publisher of NorthwestTravelAdvisor.com and host of Exploring the Northwest, heard at 6:27 a.m. and 4:27 p.m. weekdays on KPQ 560 AM, Wenatchee.

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SUMMER 2016 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

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The Lincoln Rock State Park cabins were built and funded by the Chelan County PUD, which has the State Parks manage the new units. The State Park reservation system allows you to choose just what cabin you want to reserve and all the pricing and amenities are listed online.

Cabins also are available at Pearrygin Lake State Park in the Methow Valley. This 743-acre park features expansive green lawns leading to 11,000 feet of waterfront.

State Park cabin reservations may be made year round at Washington.goingtocamp.com or by calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 2267688. Reservations may be made nine months in advance.

T

Best Kept Secret

he phrase “best kept secret” may be a cliche but, in the case of Kahler Glen Golf and Ski Resort, the description is spot on. You’ve probably driven right past it dozens of times and you didn’t even know it was there.

It’s the kind of place you’ll want to know is there. This 120-acre resort is carved into the tall forests near Lake Wenatchee and built in such a way that vacationers and golfers enjoy incredible views of the mountains and fairways. Even if you don’t golf, Kahler Glen is special.

But if you do golf, it’s nirvana. “It’s a very challenging and unique mountain-type course,” explains General Manager Randy Pelton.

“There are a lot of elevation changes, dog legs and a lot of water.”

No one knows the course better than Pelton, who actually designed and helped build the course with his partner, Glenn Week. The first nine holes opened in 1989, followed by the second nine in 1995. With his partner, they did all the construction work associated with building the golf course and the development. The spectacular views were all part of the plan and the golf course is a complete surprise for many Lake Wenatchee area visitors who didn’t realize it was even there.

Kahler Glen is near Lake Wenatchee; Randy Pelton designed and built the course

Scenic woods and mountains make Kahler Glen special, but also hide it From the nearest highways, the Kahler Glen course is obscured by those tall trees. State restrictions allow only the smallest of signs along Highway 2 because the road has been designated a Scenic Highway. The net result: golfers who play Kahler Glen find an exceptional course that usually isn’t crowded. For golfers, that’s a good thing.

It’s especially good for Wenatchee-area golfers who drive on up to Kahler Glen for a change in scenery. It’s just an hour, but light years away from the congested courses in the city.

Interestingly, Kahler Glen has sweetened the deal this summer, offering a day of golf at Kahler Glen for only $25 if you come up on any Wednesday.

Whether you’re a golfer or not, Kahler Glen is an ideal base of operations for the many outdoor adventures that are so prevalent

in the Lake Wenatchee area. The area has long been known for incredible hiking trails and the resort is just a dog leg or two from Lake Wenatchee State Park with its access to water recreation.

Nearby Fish Lake has boat rentals and both lakes offer some of the region’s best fishing.

Horseback riding also is available in the State Park and thrill-seekers will find Leavenworth Zip Lines just about five miles down the road near Plain. Leavenworth is just a short scenic drive away.

In winter, Kahler Glen is transformed into a cross-country ski paradise with 17 miles of trails accessible from the condos at the resort. There’s even ice skating.

In addition to the resort’s own Honeycomb Lodge, several restaurants are available in the general area offering a variety of fare from pub food to pizza

SUMMER 2016 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

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to barbecue. A grocery store is nearby.

The housing at the resort is privately owned, but Kahler Glen offers 14 condos, one house and one townhouse for rent. You currently can rent a condo for two people for between $185 and $275 per night, depending on the season. Special pricing is offered for three nights or more.

But even with all the nearby recreation, there’s no doubt that golfing is king at Kahler Glen, according to longtime Rental Manager Karen Bauder.

“We just live and love golf,” Karen explains. “It’s what you build your life around out here.”

(Kahler Glen Golf & Ski Resort is located at 20700 Clubhouse Drive, Leavenworth, WA. Please visit www.kahlerglen.com or phone 509-763-4025)

Siren Song

W

Browns bring love of food, wine and travel to shores of Lake Chelan

hile most of us are content to take beautiful pictures of our trips to exotic locales, Winemaker Kevin Brown celebrates his cherished memories in a slightly different way: he creates distinctive wines that communicate the special tastes of discovery and adventure he experienced in some of the world’s most fascinating places.

Want a little taste of Paris? Try the 2013 “Jolie.” A night of samba dancing in Brazil is memorialized in the 2013 “Beijo.” He fell in love with his wife a second time during a trip to Madrid, which resulted in his 2012 “A Night in Madrid.”

No need for photo albums when you have a wine cellar full of these kinds of memories.

That’s just one small part of what Kevin and his foodie-media guru wife, Holly, are doing with Siren Song Wines, the gorgeous Mediterranean-style winery that opened in 2015 on the South Shore of Lake Chelan. The name refers to the classic Odysseus tale of an “irresistible calling” -- which, for the Browns, translates to irresistible food, wine and memorable experiences.

The Browns are successful tech entrepreneurs from Seattle who fell in love with Chelan on their frequent visits to the area. Kevin had taken up wine-making as a hobby and, around the same time in 2007, Holly had launched her

foodie website TheBrownLounge. com. They both were passionate about food, wine and travel.

Kevin began producing Siren Song Wines while Holly expanded her website to include a multitude of articles and videos on cooking and entertaining. Holly partnered with newspapers and radio stations to reach an even broader audience.

Then, a few years ago, on one of their frequent visits to Lake Chelan, the Browns were riding bikes past the old Cortelli Estate and noticed that the seven-acre property was for sale. The Browns knew the location was stunning and that started the wheels turning. As Holly remembers it, “we thought, wouldn’t it be cool if we had a place here where we could live and work in beautiful Lake Chelan.”

About three years later, the winery opened its doors -- and what a winery it is. Lake Chelan reminds the Browns of some of the more picturesque lakes in Europe -- including Italy’s famous Lake Como -- so it was only natural that the building would have a Mediterranean design which also is in keeping with the wines and foods that are served in the winery’s bistro. The classic architecture fits perfectly with the sweeping views of the lake, and patrons especially enjoy the expansive outdoor veranda.

“We wanted to create a place

Left, Holly and Kevin Brown; top right, dancers enjoy the scenic veranda at Siren Song

where we would want to go,” says Holly, who explained that a lot of attention was paid to the “flow and procession” that starts with the picturesque winding road up to the winery and continues through the elegant tasting and dining area out to the veranda and that zillion-dollar lake view.

The flavor is definitely European with French provincial accents throughout. It’s upscale, but user-friendly and not at all pretentious.

Uniquely, wine tastings at Siren Song are delivered table-side instead of the more common experience of standing at a wine bar.

You can expect to be pampered as your wine tasting is brought to you, allowing you to relax and enjoy the view.

Siren Song features many special events every Wednesday throughout the summer, beginning July 6 through August 31st.

On Wednesday afternoons, Holly

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AKA “The Siren in the Kitchen” teaches cooking classes that include a focus on French, Italian and Spanish cuisine. Classes include hands-on food preparations, followed by a luncheon with wine pairings.

On Wednesday evenings, Siren Song presents its “Concert and Cuisine Series.” Tickets include a multi-course European themed dinner, a bottle of wine and live entertainment. You’ll enjoy upscale performances such as the well-known French Gypsy jazz trio, Pearl Django, or a live Spanish flamenco show. All events require advanced tickets which can be purchased at www. sirensongwines.com.

(Siren Song Vineyard Estate and Winery is located at 635 South Lakeshore Road, Chelan. More information is available at www. sirensongwines.com or please phone (509) 888-4657) .

O

wners of Karma Vineyards at Lake Chelan can certainly put their award-winning sparkling wine to good use now that they’ve turned a simple lesson for their kids into a thriving business that seems to show no limits for further growth.

Good Karma

Vineyard that began as a life lesson for their kids now hosts 250 social events each year

It must feel pretty satisfying to toast Karma’s success with their own award-winning 2011 Brut.

Notably, Karma Vineyards has focused most intently on producing sparkling wines, and their 2011 Brut was rated the No. 1 bubbly in the Pacific Northwest. In a commitment to the true French traditional method of making bubbly, the Pittsingers researched and found a French winemaker with over 30 years of experience.

Over the years, he has collaborated with current winemaker Craig Mitrakul to produce outstanding bubbles consistently.

Nine years into their business venture, Bret and Julie Pittsinger are producing top-rated wine, serving up high-quality gourmet cuisine in their 18 Brix restaurant and hosting 250 major social events every year. Karma has become a preferred destination for event planners both here and in Western Washington as word has gotten out that Karma not only has great wine and food, but well-designed facilities as well.

“It’s all been word of mouth and longtime relationships,” explains Julie, adding that a lot of effort went into building relationships.

It’s a textbook lesson in business for the Pittsingers’ son and daughter, who really were the impetus for creating the Karma enterprises. The name Karma, in fact, comes from the kids’ names -- Karle and Matthew -- and everything got started when the Pittsingers bought a vineyard to help educate their children. “’We wondered how we were going to teach them about the value of work and money,” Julie remembered. The vineyard and its chores gave the kids a sense of responsibility and Julie went all in by getting her own viticultural degree from Washington State University. Although Bret has his

huge underground room called The Cave, where many events are held and where tasting and dining occurs in the colder months. The very rural-looking property has an amphitheater and, of course, colorful vineyards, all overlooking Lake Chelan.

Employees at Karma Vineyards have helped build a major hospitality business

own demanding job presiding over the 131 employees of an ag-related company in East Wenatchee called Van Doren Sales, he is a wine aficionado and hobbyist.

The vineyard was running, the grapes were growing. But Julie remembers she had a strong urge to actually do something with the grapes she had grown, rather than just sell them. “You get attached to them,” she said, smiling.

“We’re thinking we gotta make something of these guys.”

Everything came together in 2007 with the launch of the Karma Vineyards winery at their scenic South Shore location. While Bret

stayed at Van Doren, Julie took the reins of the winery and today manages 23 employees who work at the 72-acre winery in Chelan and 10,000-square-foot bottling facility in Entiat. The winery employs two chefs and two winemakers in addition to several other specialists that help bring the whole package together.

The winery property is impressive, not only because of its scenic location but because of the way it was designed. The main tasting area in spring, summer and fall is a delightful patio adjacent to the wine bar which is located in a restored pickers cabin that was built in the 1940s. Nearby is a

SUMMER 2016 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

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Karma’s latest venture is the brand-new Bad Granny Apple Cider, a product that is made with 100 percent Washington state apples and, remarkably, has only 6 grams of sugar and 30 calories per 12-ounce can. Alcohol content is 6.9 percent.

“We wanted to do something edgy,” Julie explained. “It’s a different product. It’s in cans so it travels easily and you can take it outdoors with you.” The Bad Granny cider is just one example of many future possibilities for Karma. Julie, who is not one to rest on her laurels, is willing to try new things -- and one suspects many more new things will be on the horizon.

(Karma Vineyards is located at 1681 South Lakeshore Road, Chelan, and is on the web at www.goodkarmawines.com.

Please phone (509) 682-5538)

Burger loyalty Alpenhorn fans happy drive-in is now open

I

t’s funny how a drive-in restaurant can inspire undying loyalty, but it does happen all the time -- just ask anyone about California’s legendary In-N-Out burgers that are so popular people actually plot nearby In-N-Out locations when they consider buying a new house.

on an outdoor deck and at picnic tables on the front lawn.

Alpenhorn is a Lake Chelan favorite

A similar loyalty -- albeit on a smaller scale -- has been developing on Lake Chelan’s South Shore where Watson’s Alpenhorn Cafe is popular with residents of the Chelan area.

The biggest draw is the juicy Harverene Deluxe burger, but the Alpenhorn is also known for its old-fashioned milk shakes as well as other sandwiches, chicken and fish. Uniquely, the restaurant offers a woodsy seating area next to a running creek as well as seating

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It’s not really cheap drive-in food because there’s a conscious effort to use better ingredients than the typical hamburger joint. As owner Robert Watson Jr. puts it: “Our thinking is high-quality food at reasonable prices.”

So, as an example, the burger patty the Alpenhorn uses is the second highest grade out of about 50 grades of beef patty available to restaurants. The shakes are made from real ice cream, just like the ones you get from an old-fashioned soda fountain.

With its location directly across from Lake Chelan State Park, the Alpenhorn gets its share of business from park guests. But Watson points out that the real goal

has been to bring in local residents.

“If we can keep the locals happy, we’ll have our share of tourists,” he said. “ It’s worked well enough that Chelan and Manson residents will often make the short scenic drive along the South Shore to have lunch or dinner at the Alpenhorn. Judging from Facebook comments, the Alpenhorn is a major hit -- many local residents post their gleeful thanks each spring when the seasonal restaurant finally opens up for the summer.

(Watson’s Alpenhorn Café is located at 7600 South Lakeshore Road, Chelan, WA and can be reached at 509-687-9999. Please visit www. thealpenhorn.com. Alpenhorn is open seven days a week 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Labor Day.)

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SUMMER 2016 | THE GOOD LIFE | Central Washington Experience |

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>>

column GARDEN OF DELIGHTS

bonnie orr

A soup made with plantains? Why, yes W

hen I travel, I am struck by how global the world’s cultures are.

And I am reminded that mankind since the beginning of time has been a travelling being, carrying culture and food instincts wherever in the world he journeyed.

Edible plants have been distributed worldwide, some by man and others by nature.

The naturalist, Charles Darwin, experimented to find out how long a coconut could soak in seawater and still be viable to germinate into a palm tree.

Exploring peoples carried dates and oil palms with them to their new homes.

The useful palm tree has a worldwide distribution mainly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The trees provide oil, shelter, clothing and food such as coconuts and dates.

The banana is another useful plant for food and shelter; in the same way as there are many palms, there are many types of bananas despite Dole’s monoculture, grocery-store offering in the United States.

Recently, I travelled to the Serengeti in Tanzania.

Not only did the palm trees and banana shrubs flourish, the “spring” flowers were in bloom.

(So close to the equator, there are no actual seasons as we recognize them here in the far north.)

I could pretty much place most of the flowers in families or genera — amaranth, morning glory, composite, hibiscus, etc.

The plants hinted at familiarity, yet they were distinctive growing in the high and low grasslands that support millions of grazing animals.

The animals were familiar as

starchy flavor that is the base of this soup.

You can find plantains at the Food Pavilion or Fred Meyer.

Serengeti Soup This soup is especially favorable if made a day ahead of time.

For this Serengeti soup, make sure to start with green or only slightly yellow plantains.

well to anyone who has read a National Geographic Magazine or watched a nature program.

I was looking forward to sampling some of the Eastern African specialties. Besides millet or sorghum porridge for breakfast, there was no sign of the Eastern African food I had anticipated.

In the Serengeti — which is closely regulated for the number of tourists and how they access the area — tourists stay only in eco camps or tourist resorts, and all the ones my group stayed in were owned by Tanzanian Indians.

Indians were brought to East Africa at the turn of the last century as a source of cheap labor to build railroads, roads and other infrastructure desired by the colonial powers. These immigrants settled and thrived and now are the cornerstone of the Tanzanian hospitality industry.

So, most of the food I ate in Tanzania was delicious Indian food, carefully moderated for the spiciness tolerated by EuroJuly 2016 | The Good Life

pean palates.

This brings me back to palms and bananas.

Palm oil provided the emollient for fried eggs or meats.

Fresh and cooked coconut were incorporated into main dishes as well as desserts. (Chi-chi coconut water has not yet arrived.)

The varied fresh bananas ranged in size and sweetness and were a delight in our lunchboxes.

The cooked bananas were not unfamiliar because the plantains were cooked into stews and soups that resemble dishes I have eaten in the Caribbean, South America and in southern Asia.

One of the soups was particularly tasty, and I asked the chef to share his recipe. He smiled and said, “It is just what I always make.”

Now you can always make it as well.

The plantains need to be pretty green — maybe a little bit of yellow. If they ripen, they become sweet and lose the dense www.ncwgoodlife.com

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Serves 8; 45 minutes preparation

4 green plantains 2 potatoes 1 large onion 2 tablespoons oil 1 large clove garlic 4 cups chicken stock Juice of one lime — 2 tablespoons 1 tablespoon cumin 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon or more hot pepper powder Salt/white pepper 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro Peel and slice the plantains and potatoes and onion.

Fry gently in the oil until the onion is wilted.

Add the garlic and the chicken stock. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes and plantains are very soft. To prevent scorching, you many need to add more water or stock.

Let the mixture cool slightly and whirl in the food processor to puree — or use a potato masher.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients and heat again gently. Adjust the thickness with water if necessary.

Serve hot for lunch or dinner.

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

>>

column moving up to the good life

june darling

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www.colonialcaregroup.com 30

| The Good Life

So, you are not good enough yet Let me start with a story

from a few years back.

My husband, John, saw himself progressing toward retirement. But he found the idea of sitting around and rocking on the porch pretty dull.

Don’t ask me exactly how, but somehow this picture of going around the world in a 46-foot Nordhavn trawler captured his mind.

When John shared the around-the-world-in-a-Nordhavn image (did I mention we’d sell the house too?), I was afraid.

Very afraid.

After all, I’m prone to sea sickness. We have children, grandchildren, work, hobbies, friends — all on land. Nordhavns cost a lot of money. I had no idea how to operate and maintain a big boat.

And I was also a bit intrigued.

Fast forward. We decided to partner with a few other couples in an older, affordable, 42-foot trawler.

On the boat John does most of the cooking. We eat out often, go to movies, walk around and explore places. I can loll around and read. What’s the big deal.

Life is good.

Hah! And again I say, hah!

And yet, it’s danged hard to do new stuff. Doing new stuff together adds more… shall we say, “complexity”?

For example, last week we headed back to a few places we’ve been before — Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island, Kingston.

Sound like fun? Well, lots of it was fun.

But when the trip was over, we needed to fuel up and pump out before heading back to the mawww.ncwgoodlife.com

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July 2016

rina in Seattle. I’m not going to give you all the details because frankly John and I see the whole debacle of maneuvering around other boats into the fuel dock quite differently.

What we can agree on is that it was not pretty. We didn’t talk for a while after that.

Finally, we got to, “Okay, we’re not as accomplished as we’d like to be as a boating team yet.

We’re still learning. We need to figure out how to communicate better and come up with some new strategies.”

And we did come up with some ideas after we settled down.

I was pretty proud of myself that I was able to hang in there.

Persistence is not my major strength.

I can be tempted to give up on myself — “I’m just not good at boating.” I can be tempted to give up on my partner — “he just sees things so differently than I do.” I can give up on the adventure — “it’s just not worth it.” I can give up on the relationship — “It’s just not fun.”

Persistence is defined by researchers as the “voluntary continuation of a goal-directed action in spite of obstacles, difficulties, or discouragement.”

Still, persistence is given a lot of credit in the research on achievement. Motivational speakers throw out quotes about success being one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.

Coaches say things like big shots are little shots that kept shooting.

If you are like me and could use more persistence, there’s help.

We’ll need some new skills. We’ll have setbacks.

Most of us will need to be tougher.

Here’s one idea that comes from an expert in the psychology of achievement, Dr. Carol Dweck. She suggests we view our debacles and failures as steps forward in our learning.

Somehow the shift of perspective toward seeing ourselves as continual learners helps us try new strategies, put in more effort, and helps us persevere.

Educators and coaches know and use this stuff to encourage children. That’s great.

And let’s bring it on into the second and the third phase of our lives, too. It would be valuable for all of us to remember we’re still learning.

Especially if we want to live the good life, we will want to get off the porch occasionally.

We’ll have some new ideas and dreams. We’ll need some new skills. We’ll have setbacks. Most of us will need to be tougher.

And here’s a little trick Carol Dweck advises.

Listen to yourself. When you hear yourself saying, “I’m not good at….” (It could be math, it could be relationships, it could be boating) add the word YET. “I’m not good at boating YET.” If you want to help others per-

sist longer and achieve more, listen to yourself. When you hear yourself saying something like “Lily can’t read well” or “Steve hasn’t made friends.” Catch yourself and add YET. “Lily can’t read well YET” or “Steve hasn’t made friends YET.” Can you feel the difference in your bones? I can.

Dweck says the addition of the yet word makes it clear we’re still learning. When we think that way, we are able to keep going a whole lot longer.

To be clear, you may not always want to be more persistent. For example, a person in a violent relationship would be unwise to strategize about how to hang in there longer. Or a person who tends toward being obsessive might need to learn when to back off and let go.

But for many of us, there are times when being able to be more persistent would be quite helpful.

Retirement and summer months are special opportunities for building persistence.

Those dreams and vacations won’t totally be hunky dory.

Good. We’ll have chances to keep learning.

How might you move up to The Good Life by learning how to be more persistent?

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.

Food & Drink Guide Catch Us Before Our 2016 Vacation

230 Grant Road, East Wenatchee

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Ride your bike to O’Grady’s at Sleeping Lady and receive a free drip coffee with the purchase of a breakfast entree, or a free lemonade or iced tea with the purchase of a lunch or evening patio entree. We’re partnering 509.888.9019 SleepingLady.com with BikeLeavenworth, to promote healthy 2.6 miles down Icicle Road, lifestyles and reduce emissions. Bike on! outside Leavenworth

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column THE TRAVELing DOCTOR

jim brown, m.d.

Oh, my aching back In recent months I had been

having increasing back pain that developed into sciatica.

The sciatic nerves goes down our legs after they branch off from the spinal cord in the lower lumbar spine. It goes down one’s hips, buttocks and down the back of the thigh and calf and into the foot.

Sciatic pain occurs when something is compressing the sciatic nerve where it exits the spinal cord going through an opening (foramen) in the lower lumbar vertebrae.

Typically sciatica affects only one leg.

We often hear of medical conditions in “other” people and it may have little impact on us personally until we become one of those who suffer from that ailment or condition.

That was the case with me.

When my sciatic pain got to the point that I could not sleep well or walk more than

two blocks without severe pain down my left leg, I realized my life style that involved a lot of exercise, pickle ball, walking, golf and hiking might become limited.

Even after standing for a few minutes the pain down my leg was so uncomfortable I had to sit down to get some relief. Lying down didn’t seem to help that much so sleep became an issue.

I tried over the counter pain pills with minimal help. I tried Tylenol PM and occasionally took a sleeping pill to try to get a night’s sleep but I didn’t like the drugged feeling I had the next day.

I became much more appreciative of the impact of persistent chronic pain that so many people have to deal with often without any good solutions.

I had joined one of the largest “clubs” in the world, the “low back pain club.”

One in 10 people worldwide

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I had joined one of the largest “clubs” in the world, the “low back pain club.” suffer from some degree of back pain.

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability, more than any other medical condition.

It also is the number one cause of lost workdays in the United States. It is estimated that over $110 billion is spent annually in this country on the diagnosis, treatment of neck and back pain including the economic cost from lost production of $10 billion to $20 billion annually.

We have 23 vertebral discs in our spinal column. These discs are composed of a tough outer portion and a soft inner core.

Our discs’ primary purpose is to act as a shock absorber between

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adjacent vertebrae and function as joints that allow for slight mobility of the spine.

Unfortunately as we age, the discs can start to dry out, losing some of their flexibility and shock absorption cushioning.

This probably explains in part why many folks seem to get shorter as they age. I have lost one inch in height related to this.

A herniated disc occurs when the inner material leaks out, pushing against the nerve root.

This material is also inflammatory and when is contacts the nerve it causes pain.

I need to emphasize that not all narrowed and disc protrusions seen on x-rays or MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging) are causing symptoms. Comparing symptoms of people with similar abnormal MRI findings might show that one has a lot

July 2016

2012-2015

Not all exercises are helpful for your back. In fact some may be harmful... of pain while another has much milder symptoms.

Many who develop sciatica recover without treatment and they have no further problems.

They are the lucky ones.

A few years ago when I was playing a lot of tennis year round, I started having increasing low back pain.

My internist got a lumbar spine x-ray that showed what I thought was pretty severe arthritic changes and very narrowed spaces between my lower lumbar discs, but I had no sciatica.

He sent me to physical therapy and the back strengthening program I was given helped a lot, and I returned to tennis for several years without any further significant problem.

There are several back exercises that help to relieve back pain.

I would advise seeing a physical therapist for their advice, or you can Google it.

Not all exercises are helpful for your back. In fact some may be harmful including sit-ups, bending over to touch the floor or your toes, and leg lifts while lying flat on the floor.

One of my friends has had chronic back pain for years and was taking drugs like Vicodan, a narcotic, for relief.

He finally resorted to acupuncture, which he said helped a great deal. He now takes no pain medication and continues with monthly maintenance acupuncture treatments, which keeps him relatively comfortable.

I am no expert on acupuncture but my friend’s response was impressive.

Another friend got stem cell injections in his L5-S1 disc even-

tually with complete relief.

Lower back pain is a condition that frequently improves with self-care, such as remaining active, applying heat and taking pain-relieving medications.

However, it is occasionally difficult to treat.

Spinal manipulation done by chiropractors, some osteopaths and trained massage therapists is one of several options — including exercise, massage and physical therapy — that can provide mild-to-moderate relief from low-back pain When my sciatica pain was worsening, I was referred to Dr. Hank Vejvoda, an orthopedic surgeon with Confluence Health. After completing his long orthopedic residency, he took an additional year fellowship at Swedish Hospital in Seattle in complex spine surgery.

He examined me and reviewed my x-rays and MRI with me. He noted a small cyst in the opening of the lumbar spine where the sciatic nerve came through.

Dr. Vejvoda laid out a plan for me starting with the most conservative to a more complex surgical approach.

He first referred me to Ryan Demirjian, M.D., a physiatrist, trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation with an additional fellowship year in interventional spine procedures, all at Stanford.

To me, the cyst on the MRI looked to be the size of a small BB so I wondered how he could possibly put a needle into it — as he was suggesting. But, he injected the area where the sciatic nerve was coming out through foramen with a steroid to decrease inflammation and he was able to aspirate fluid from the cyst and then inject a steroid into it to obliterate it.

My pain was noticeably better and now several weeks later I am feeling good and presently the sciatica is 90 percent relieved.

I am also a realist and know that this might not last forever, but I am hopeful.

If it gets worse, Dr. Vejvoda July 2016 | The Good Life

said the next step would be an out patient one-hour operation to enlarge the sciatic nerve opening.

The final option would be a more complex spine surgery I hope to avoid. Knowing there are other options ahead if I need them is reassuring to me.

I am very pleased with the outstanding physicians that we have been able to attract to our area to join Confluence Health.

After spending 40 years practicing my medical specialty

— two in the U.S. Navy and 38 at the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center — I am now on the receiving end of medical care.

I now find myself in much younger doctor’s hands. I am very grateful for the care available right here in the Wenatchee Valley.

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.

There’s always a great seat waiting for you!

Come join the AppleSox as we celebrate summer… one inning at a time! www.ncwgoodlife.com

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Through the Storms, by Daniel Patrick Murphy.

Shaping a life in clay

“This may be my best work to date,” Daniel said of The Apostle Peter.

divorcees, and some later-life missionary work with Africans in

By Susan Lagsdin Belgium.

When he found icture a world where every person could that ordination say about their job: “It’s not work; it’s a pleawasn’t going to sure. I hope I can ______ until I breathe my work out, Daniel last breath, because this is my life.” left his ProtesWenatchee artist Daniel Patrick Murphy tant church and (Daniel when you meet him; some just call decided, as he put him Murf) inserts the word “sculpt” in that it “You won’t let declaration, and he lives out its premise me preach — I’ll every day. sculpt.”

He’s worked with clay since middle school Though he in Puyallup, when his art teacher said, “Yes” created commisand allowed him to break free of the stumpy sioned public artashtray work of his classmates and create a works in bronze, recognizable, full-of-life face. He said, “Once On a dare from his granddaughter, Daniel dyed his beard blue on this day of his his work with clay I touched clay, I never wanted to use any photo shoot, where he is shown here near his Christian heroes works of Moses became a primary other medium.” and Abraham and Isaac. art form and a Since that first project, it’s been all sculpmeans of expressing his religious faith. He’s tures all the time — well, with notable istry (at Seattle Bible College aiming for a since joined Koinonia, Inc., a nondenominabreaks for the military after high school pastorate) a radio gig in the late ’70s that tional ministry group. (keeping the peace in Germany), the minmorphed into a successful help-group for

P

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July 2016

“I’ve even had professional carvers at shows come up and ask me what kind of wood I’m using. I take that as a real compliment.”

Many of his consistently bestselling stoneware sculptures are limited-edition wall plaques, “bread and butter pieces,” he calls them. They are affordable and well-crafted likenesses of icons like Clint Eastwood and Ronald Reagan, or renditions of mountain men, cowboys, or Native Americans.

He also sells original cartoon faces, entirely fictional pieces with their own goofy appeal.

But underlying all of this popular work is a strong sense of purpose. Daniel feels strongly that he’s been called to teach people about the dynamic personalities depicted in the Bible.

To that end, some of his newest and largest sculptures are full scale busts of Christian heroes that he considers the most powerful works he’s made.

They are handcrafted, as are all the stone sculptures, and their size makes them laborious and time-consuming.

Each figure comes from several separate molds, the unwieldy parts unobtrusively conjoined, the look of the clay sometimes evoking polished metal or fine porcelain.

The color, sheen and almost eerily real facial expression are exquisitely applied until the figures are fit for formal display in any mega church or religious household.

They might eventually rest in something like the large custom-designed display cases of oak, marble and glass that will protect Abraham and Isaac and

Fun little wall hangings like Poindexter help pay the bills for the artist.

Jeremiah, the first two pieces, which are destined for this year’s Puyallup State Fair fine art show.

Daniel’s personal ministry and his artwork share the best part of his life. He’ll conduct sculpting art classes for children and adults this fall, and he continues to speak nondenominationally to local groups; he’s been on Christian TV shows and uses Biblical heroes to teach his own faith.

But he is at heart a true bluecollar artist.

Now 65, he labors full time in his studio with clay carefully pressed — not poured, massproduction-style — into handmade molds and then dried for several weeks before it’s kiln-fired at 2,200 degrees and finished.

While several works are drying, he may be mixing clay (which he buys by the ton), airbrushing permanent stain on a plaque, firing an air-dried piece,

or scraping minute detail into wet clay on a new item.

He’s justifiably proud of a technique he’s perfected over the years that involves up to seven colors of clay pressed into the mold as a base for the wall hangings.

The artworks are all durable stoneware, but the resulting distinctive grain and color look exactly like polished wooden burl.

Though he doesn’t practice to deceive, he reminds us that art is essentially illusion anyway, and he delights in the verisimilitude. He said, “I’ve even had professional carvers at shows come up and ask me what kind of wood I’m using. I take that as a real compliment.”

Daniel is refreshingly candid about the appeal of his newest Bible-themed sculptures, some of which are valued at and will likely sell for, thousands of dollars. “If you don’t relate to the subject, or if you don’t understand the workmanship, you can at least appreciate that it took a long time to make.”

He is proud but not presumptuous about his studio full of all stages and many themes of stoneware: he likes to create it, people like to buy it, and he gets to play every day with clay, his first and lasting childhood choice.

To see more of Daniel Patrick Murphy’s work, see expressionsbymurf.com.

WHAT TO DO

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

Village Art in the Park, through Oct. 18, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Outdoor art show sponsored by local non-profit organizations dedicated to provide scholarships for art education using a venue that supports amateur and professional artists. Downtown Leavenworth.

NCW Blues Jam, every second and fourth Monday, 7 p.m. Riverside Pub at Columbia Valley Brewing, 538 Riverside Dr. Info: facebook. com/NCWBluesJam. Weekly Club Runs, every Thursday check in between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at Saddle Rock Pub and Brewery. Either a 5k or 10k walk or run on the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. Complete 10 weekly runs and receive a free shirt. Cost: free (other than a smile). Info: Joel Rhyner 387-0051.

2 Left Feet, every Thursday, 7 – 9 p.m. 2 Left Feet is a loose organization of local dance enthusiasts who would like to see more dancing in the Wenatchee Valley. Beginner lesson at the top of the hour followed by carefree social dancing. No partner necessary to join in the fun.

Dance style will be 1940s swing with a bit of salsa, blues, waltz or tango thrown in. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Game Night, every fourth Friday, 7 – 9 p.m. Board games, card games or any games you would like to bring.

Open to all and all ages. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Wenatchee Farmers Market, every Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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July 7-16, 2016 • www.bachfest .org

July 2016 | The Good Life

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The Art Life

WHAT TO DO

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

}}} Continued from previous page and Wednesdays, 3 – 7 p.m. Pybus Public Market.

Pack Walks, every 4th Saturday at 9 a.m. Bring your friends and dogs on leashes and walk the riverfront trail. Meet on the loop trail behind Pybus Public Market. Info: wenatcheefido.org.

First Friday events include: n Two Rivers Art Gallery, 7/1, 5 – 8 p.m. Featuring the watercolors and stained glass of Randy and Jean Knox focusing on landscapes of the Northwest and Southwest.

Also, new bronze sculptures by Suzanne Grassell. Jeannie McPherson on piano. Wines by Wedge Mountain Winery. Complimentary refreshments. 102 N Columbia, Wenatchee. Cost: free. Info: 2riversgallery.com.

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Kerry Christensen spent two years in the country of Austria mastering the art of alpine yodeling. Later he used his yodeling skills at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center. Today Kerry performs all kinds of corporate, festival, and community concert events. At the gazebo in downtown Leavenworth.

Cost: free. Info: leavenworth.org.

Musical comedy variety show, 7/1, 2, 8 p.m. Cover charge: $10, additional donations will benefit the Music Theatre of Wenatchee college scholarships. Riverside Playhouse. Info: mtow.org.

Eden Moody, 7/1, 7 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, 7/1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 7 p.m.

Canyon Wren Recital Hall. Cost: $22 advance or $24 at the door. Info: icicle.org.

nMerriment Party Goods, 7/1, 5 – 8 p.m. Snacks and beverages.

23, S Wenatchee Ave. Cost: free.

Info: facebook.com/merrimentpartygoods.

The Sound of Music, 7/1, 2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 19, 20, 22, 29, 8/2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 17, 19, 24, 27, 28. 8 p.m. Live performance. The story of the von Trapp family. Ski Hill Amphitheater, Leavenworth. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org.

nTumbleweed Bead Co., 7/1, 5-7 p.m. Refreshments served. 105 Palouse St. Cost: free. Info: tumbleweedbeadco.com.

Chelan Rockin’ fireworks show, 7/2, 10 p.m. View fireworks from Don Morse Park and Lakeside park.

nSmall Artworks Gallery, 7/1, 5 p.m. Regional High School Art Show artists works will be on display at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: free. Info: wvmcc.org.

Bavarian Brass, 7/3, 31, 5 - 8 p.m. and 7/9, 4 - 6 p.m. The Bavarian Brass is a quartet made up of members of Musikkapelle Leavenworth, Leavenworth’s hometown German band. At the gazebo in downtown Leavenworth. Cost: free. Info: leavenworth.org.

Kerry Christensen Master Yodeler, 7/1, 8, 15, 22, 3- 7 p.m. and 7/5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20,

How long has it been since your last visit?

Bring coupon and/or picture of coupon to receive

$3 off

Midweek Special Monday - Friday

for each person in your party. valid until - Aug 15, 2016 Open daily 9 am April 15- Oct 15

New for 2016 Tap or Scan Displays 3327 Ohme Rd. Wenatchee, WA ohmegardens.com (509) 662-5785

Kinderfest, 7/4, all day. Games, prizes, crafts, bike parade, touch a truck, face painting, cupcake walk, balloons, cotton candy, shaved ice, popcorn and much more. Downtown Leavenworth. Info: leavenworth.com.

Breakfast for Heroes, 7/4, 7 – 10:30 a.m. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, ham and more. Pybus Public Market. Cost: $5. Sponsored by Cashmere Valley Bank. Proceeds support local veterans’ programs.

River Run on the fourth, 7/4, 8 a.m. 5k and 10k. Start and finish at Pybus Public Market. Info: runwenatchee.com.

Let’s have a blast, 7/4, noon. Live music, food and art vendors, family activities and fireworks over the

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| The Good Life

// SKETCHES OF LOCAL ARTISTS

Pork chops and pretty rocks

By Jaana Hatton

On Friday, I went to Pybus

Market to get something for the grill. Rita Pace at Mike’s Meats and Seafood helped to select the pork chops to my liking.

On Saturday, the Farmers Market tempted me for a stroll.

And there sat Rita, displaying a tableful of jewelry. I had to look twice. Yes, the same Rita.

I stopped to chat with her to inquire about the two sides of Rita. The transition from the meat counter to the jewelry booth seemed such a Jekyll-andHyde existence to me. It turns out there is nothing weird about it, at all.

“I have car payments to make, so I work at Mike’s. If I could, I would make jewelry fulltime,” she explained with a smile.

Rita works at her stepbrother’s shop four days a week. She came to Wenatchee in 2014 from the west side to help out while Mike’s father was in cancer treatment. The father recovered, and Rita stayed. She is happy to be working with her sibling; they joke around while they get the job done. And Rita already knew the area, as she grew up in the Wenatchee Valley.

“I like people, and that’s what the meat shop is — interacting with customers,” Rita said.

Still, her bread-and-butter job is one that keeps Rita on her feet for eight hours or more. When she gets home and has a chance to sit down, she turns to her beads. Rita estimates she spends 16 to 20 hours a week with her jewelry creations. When she

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July 2016

isn’t making earrings and necklaces, she reads magazines on the craft and when she dreams, she dreams of bead designs.

“I grew up in an artistic household. I started attending painting classes with my grandmother when I was five, and my mother taught painting at the Senior Center,” Rita reminisced.

“I started working with beads in the early ’90s.”

Rita took classes at the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle to learn how to make glass beads.

She is planning to go again occasionally — there is always something more to learn. She is already skilled enough in the craft to make beads on her own, she just needs a shop and a kiln.

Rita cannot make large pieces, because long exposure to the heat makes her faint.

Rita’s boyfriend made an attempt to build a shop for her, but it didn’t quite work out.

After he had laboriously erected the walls and placed the roof on top, he realized he should have made the floor first. It all has to come down. So, Rita is still waiting, after two years — but with her customary smile.

When she was first learning to craft jewelry, Rita leafed through magazines in search of patterns.

“I always did the hardest ones first. I figured if I could handle the tricky ones, I could handle anything,” she said.

Maybe that’s the attitude that got her through the years of raising four daughters on her own. And how she got over a severe case of pneumonia that still causes her to struggle with fainting spells, but keeps working full days.

Rita started displaying her creations at Pybus Market as soon as it opened. Her Christmas spider — yes, a spider — was a big seller. It was made of glass, seed and bugle beads. Her favorite pattern, though, is the dragonfly, and she makes them

“I always did the hardest ones first. I figured if I could handle the tricky ones, I could handle anything.”

Rita Pace, above, wearing one of her necklaces while working her jewelry booth at Pybus Market, and at right, weighing pork chops at Mike’s Meats and Seafood.

Top right: Pretty flowers on a copper wire chain and far right, a pendant and a butterfly on two different necklaces.

in all sizes and colors.

Rita makes her pieces in nature themes and prefers earth tones that included earrings hinting a dusty rose or a dragonfly necklace glowing in emerald green. Or, choose your own color and pattern: Rita will make anything you want.

“I like taking special orders.

Challenges are great. And I try to fill the orders within a week.”

There’s that mindset of taking on the hard things, again.

For supplies, Rita makes the occasional trip to Arizona for the stone beads. Most other things she buys online. She prefers using copper wire because it’s easy to handle and less expensive than sterling silver.

And the earthy color of copper complements the natural tones of the beads.

“I have crocheted wire flowers with that copper.

It’s easy to hammer, too,” she said. I have no doubt she can take on anything and bend it to fit her vision, be that jewelry or life.

Rita also uses seashells, although in the Wenatchee Valley area they have not been very popular. Regardless, her great-aunt made apple blossom crowns out of seashells for the Manson Apple Blossom Parade once. In the same tradition, Rita has made apple blossom earrings with the shells.

She sets up her booth regularly at Pybus Farmers Market.

July 2016 | The Good Life

At first, she felt awkward about marketing her products, thinking they weren’t good enough. Now, she is taking orders and even sells them online, through Etsy and included her work on her Facebook page. Rita’s early doubts have turned into confident enthusiasm.

As with any craft, there are the favorite aspects as well as the frustrations.

For Rita, wire wrapping is one of the most enjoyable parts. “I have to use my own creativity in that,” she explained. As for the downside, she gives a very logical example: “When something www.ncwgoodlife.com

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breaks when you’re half-way through, it is really aggravating. Or, you are nearly finished, only to discover you just ran out of beads,” she said, and then laughed. Grumpiness just isn’t in her nature.

And what does Rita do when she takes a vacation? That’s right, Rita takes her beading supplies along, just waiting for those spare moments when she can immerse herself in the colors and the shapes of the rocks to create new pieces of art.

Jaana Hatton is a native of Finland.

After worldwide travel, she settled down in Wenatchee in 2014 with her husband, where she is often found outdoors. As a freelance writer, she contributes articles to local and nationwide publications.

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WHAT TO DO

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

}}} Continued from page 36 Columbia River accompanied by a live performance by the Wenatchee Symphony. Walla Walla Point Park.

Cherry Pit Spit Contest, 7/4, 1 -3 p.m. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. See the rules, they are worth the read: pybuspublicmarket.org.

The big Show fireworks, 7/4, 10:15 p.m. Manson Bay. Sandberg on the Sax, 7/5, 12, 19, 26, 8/2, 9, 16, noon. Wenatchee resident, teacher and big time jazz fan Jeff Sandberg will perform live.

Pybus Public Market. Cost: free.

Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Summerfest Run, 7/7, 4 – 7 p.m.

Start at Saddle Rock Pub and Brewery. Cost: free.

Leavenworth Community Farmers Market, 7/7, 14, 21, 28, 4 - 8 p.m. Local eggs, meats cheeses and breads along with local produce, fruits, prepared foods, local crafts and more. Lions Club Park, Leavenworth. Cost: free. Info: leavenworth.org.

Lake Chelan Bach Fest, 7/8-16, The opening concert follows the Young Musicians’ Concert at the Chelan United Methodist Church, Morning concerts are presented at the Chelan Episcopal Church courtyard, noon concerts at the Chelan United Methodist Church, and Classics Concert at St. Francis Catholic Church. There are appearances at six Valley wineries by the Bach Fest String Quartet, and a Pops Concert at Riverwalk Park ends the Festival.

Info: bachfest.org.

Feather River, 7/8, 7 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Geology Tour, 7/9, 9 a.m. – noon.

Explore with the experts. Guided bus tours take you to all the best sights. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Cost: $30-$35.

Info: wenatcheevalleymuseum.org.

Historical Walking Tour, 7/9, 10 a.m. Town walk starts at Leavenworth Museum, 34 Division St. Walk is 1 to 2 hours. Cost: $3 donation. Info: 548-0728.

Summerfest VELO bike club, 7/9, 11 a.m. Open to all bike riders. Start at Town Toyota Center.

Summerfest, 7/9, 2 – 11 p.m. Craft beer, music, food and 64-beer pong teams. This event will feature over 10 ales and music by Pre-Func, Slingshot, Dimestore Prophets, Junk Belly and Journey. Town Toyota Center. Cost: $15 advance.

Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

Mrs. Washington America Pageant, 7/9, 5 p.m. The pageant celebrates the accomplishments of the contemporary married woman with the focus on community service. These hard working women are committed to marriage and family while balancing their busy lives of being a wife, mother and involved in their communities. Numerica Performing Arts Center.

Cost: $38 - $103. Info: numericapac.org.

Super Summer Adventures: The 3-D Project, 7/11, 8 a.m. and 7/14, 3 p.m. Discover 3-d printing, different types of 3-D printers and how 3-D printing is changing our future.

Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Info: wenatcheevalleymusuem.org.

Singin’ in the Rain, 7/13, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30, 8/3, 6, 12, 16, 20, 26, 8 p.m.

Live performance. Hatchery Park Stage, Leavenworth. Info: leavenworthsummertheater.org.

Bird ID skills building, 7/13, 27, 7:30 -9:45 a.m. Join Susan Ballinger on this outing for birders of all levels. Hone your field ID skills. Walla Walla Park. Info: cdlandtrust.org.

The Chance BrotherS, 7/15, 7 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Landscapes: Practical, Smart and Beautiful, 7/16, 10 a.m. – noon. Landscape tips to make your garden a star. Mulch demonstration and garden tour. Community Education Garden, 1100 N Western Ave. Apple Doll Workshop: Part one, 7/16, 10 a.m. – noon. Take part in an American Folk Art tradition.

In 1914, Mary McAboy actually patented her line of Skookum dolls.

Hands on workshop and create your own apple head and doll. This two-part workshop will include materials, instruction and plenty of inspiration. Registration required.

Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Info: wvmcc.org.

Chelan Man multi-sports weekend, 7/16-17. The weekend includes a first timer triathlon, a sprint, Olympic, and half-iron triathlons and 10k and half marathon runs. There will be a Splash-n-Dash

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so the whole family can participate.

100% of all proceeds go to local non-profits. Info: chelanman.com.

Ghost Bears: The Elusive North Cascades Grizzly, 7/17, -23, 1 p.m. Embark on an amazing four day backpacking adventure with expert wildlife biologists as you venture into stunning mountain scenery in search of ghost bears. A unique opportunity to practice backcountry skills, bear safe camping, GPS use, and collaborative research methods. Barn Beach Reserve, Leavenworth. Info: wenatcheeriverinstitute.org.

Super Summer Adventures: Space and Beyond, 7/18, 8 a.m. and 7/21, 3 p.m. Build a variety of contraptions that model how objects with mass like the sun can warp space time by creating gravity wells. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Info: weantcheevalleymuseum.org.

Super Summer Adventures: Drones R Us, 7/18, 8 a.m. and 7/21, 3 p.m. Join adventurous instructor Sara Rolfs and take on the drone challenge. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Info: wenatcheevalleymuseum.org.

The Just Us Band, 7/22, 7 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Super Summer Adventures: Art and Science of the Sea, 7/25, 8

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July 2016

a.m. and 7/28, 3 p.m. Learn about river and ocean mammals and their specific habitats. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. Info: wenatcheevalleymsuem.org.

Beauty and the beast, 7/27, 8/4, 10, 18, 23, 25, 8 p.m. 7/23 and 8/6, 13, 20, 2 p.m. Live performance.

Festhalle Theater, Leavenworth.

Info: leavenworthsummertheater. org.

Gabriel Iglesias - Fluffy Breaks even, 7/28, 8 p.m. Gabriel is the youngest of six children raised by a single mother. Gabriel’s stand-up comedy is a mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects that bring his personal experiences to life. Town Toyota Center. Info: towntoyotacenter.com.

Well Strung, 7/29, 6 p.m. Live performance on the rail car. Pybus Public Market. Cost: free. Info: pybuspublicmarket.org.

Peshastin Library Ice Cream Social, 7/30, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Peshastin Library’s annual Ice Cream Social. Enjoy a slice of cake or pie for $3; scoop of ice cream for $1 on library lawn at 8396 Main Street in Peshastin. Campbell Road featuring Dan Tuttle and family will be performing. Auxiliary fire truck for the kids to ride and Jump for Fun will have an inflatable castle for kids.

Used Book sale and cake spin in back of the library. Info: 548-5043.

PET tales

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

A

fter I lost my beloved wife of 32 years, I struggled with not being able to share the outdoors and other things that I loved with anyone.

Fortunately before my wife passed away she found a beautiful, Alaskan Malamute/Black Lab cross mix dog at the Rescue Kennel.

We named him Wolf. He quickly grew and became my best buddy going on hikes, bicycle rides and playing fetch. He loves them all but I think his favorite is diving off the boat dock at Riverfront Park in Wenatchee. Crowds always gather to watch his fearless leaps far out into the water.

We often hike the Dry Gulch area above Appleatchee year round.

He loves the snow and lies down in it often to “cool off” no matter what the temperature is.

Overlooking the Northrup Canyon basin a couple of weeks ago, Wolf looked out into space about 1,500 feet above the canyon floor.

The sheer cliff kept me several feet away but he just considered it a good viewpoint.

Above is a picture of him and me on a favorite hike to a rock outcropping overlooking Dry Gulch Canyon on a hot summer day.

Me and my dog, Wolf... truly man’s best friend.

— Bill Landsborough

July 2016 | The Good Life

C

aitlyn of Wenatchee took her bunny Daisy for a hop along Riverfront Park with boyfriend Alex.

Caitlyn said she got Daisy from the human society a month ago. Daisy is house broken and is on a leash. “Daisy is not distant like a cat or needy like a dog. And she is so special because it’s Alex’s and my first pet we got together,” said Caitlyn. “She runs a lot around the house.”

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column those were the days

rod molzahn

First newspaper started with a mission Editor’s note: Rod Molzahn is taking a few months off. Here is an encore column from a past issue.

angered local Republicans by backing Arthur Gunn, Wenatchee businessman and Demon 1891, the Wenatchee crat, for state senate Development Company, a against the Republican group of Seattle investors, candidate from Ellenswas anxious to convince burg. Gunn won and the businesses in “Old Woods was out of a job — Town,” near Springwater but not for long. and Miller streets, to move Within months Rufus their buildings to lots in Woods and a partner, the new town the developCharles Graham, bought ment company had platthe Advance and turned ted a mile south along the the longtime voice of the Columbia.

Democratic Party to a Even though the comRepublican newspaper. pany offered to move the Local Republican busibuildings for free and give nessmen, including John the owners free lots in the Gellatly, still angry that new town, progress was Woods had backed the The pressrooms of early newspapers were often dark and dirty, but at least at The Repubslow.

Democrat Gunn, raised lic newspaper in Wenatchee in the early 1900s, employees dressed sharply. Photo from the They found help in El$100 to start a new paper Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center — #74-43-3#74-43-3 lensburg. that would be “dedicated Frank and Belle Reeves had kum Pass. A printing press was to the principles of the Repubbeen publishing a weekly newshauled down from Waterville lican Party.” They called it the paper in Ellensburg for a year. and on May 7, 1891 the first ediDaily World and hired two men Barely out of their teens, they tion of Wenatchee’s first weekly from Seattle, C. A. Briggs and had married two years earlier newspaper, The Advance, flew off Nat Ament, to run the paper. in Kansas where Frank, a recent the press. The Advance espoused On July 3, 1905 the Daily law school graduate, had been the ideals of the Democratic World published its first fourworking on a newspaper while Party and, as promised, promotpage edition.

Belle taught school. They spent ed the virtue of relocating the The paper was soon in a heata year in Idaho before moving to town’s businesses. ed battle with outgoing DemoEllensburg to start their DemoBy the next year the town had cratic mayor H. C. Littlefield cratic leaning weekly. That was moved, the railroad had arrived over the state’s Sunday closing where the Wenatchee Developand The Wenatchee Graphic, the law for saloons. ment Company found them. town’s second paper, had beEditors Briggs and Ament deThey promised the Reeves a gun and ended after only three manded that the mayor enforce clapboard building on a lot in months. The Reeves sold The the law. The mayor, a supporter the new town of Wenatchee to Advance in 1893 and went on of the saloon owners, refused. start the town’s first newspaper. to publish Leavenworth’s first He threatened the lives of the The only requirement — the paper, the Times. editors and promised to spend paper would actively and aggresThe Advance, through sev$10,000 to put the Daily World sively promote moving the old eral owners, continued as out of business. town to the new location.

Wenatchee’s only newspaper On Saturday, Dec. 8, 1906 The Reeves thought the offer until 1898 when local busiresold several times and in 1904 Ralph Littlefield, son of the outwas too good to turn away from. nessmen, dissatisfied with the the paper’s name was changed going mayor and Percy Scheble, They loaded their belongings democratic Advance, started to The Republic and a new editor son of the newly elected mayor, and metal type face into their a new weekly, the Wenatchee was hired — Rufus Woods. cornered Nat Ament in the wagon and headed over ColocRepublican. It also was sold and The following year Woods post office and, according to an

I

They promised the Reeves a clapboard building on a lot in the new town of Wenatchee to start the town’s first newspaper.

The only requirement — the paper would actively and aggressively promote moving the old town...

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Rufus Woods declared the paper’s mission was: “To promote the Wenatchee Valley and to support the values and goals of the Republican Party.” eyewitness, “assaulted him with their fists, knocking him down and continued to beat him after he was on the floor.”

Editors Briggs and Ament soon left town, leaving the Daily World without management.

Earlier that year Charles Graham, Rufus Woods’ partner in the Advance, had sold that paper to the Daily World while Woods was away in Nebraska.

Rufus Woods returned to find himself without a newspaper and unemployed again just as the Daily World was struggling to survive without editors or management.

In February 1907, Rufus Woods and his brother Ralph leased the Daily World for a year with an option to buy. In its first edition with Rufus Woods as editor, the paper declared its mission: “To promote the Wenatchee Valley and to support the values and goals of the Republican Party.”

The Wenatchee Republic became a daily in 1910 and ceased publication about 1914. The Wenatchee Advance, under the ownership of the Daily World, continued as a weekly into the 1930s.

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Historian, actor and teacher Rod Molzahn can be reached at shake. speak@verizon.net. 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 2016 | The Good Life

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>>

column ALEX ON WINE

ALEX SALIBY

Carmenere a comer in local wines Carmenere, as best those

DNA folks can identify so far, is an ancient Bordeaux grape.

There was a time, back in the mid 1800s when Carmenere was planted in most of the vineyards of the Medoc region of Bordeaux. The grape was principally a blending element intended to add color and aromas to the quality wines of Bordeaux.

Phylloxera around 1867 in Bordeaux destroyed most of the Carmenere grapes. Growers for some strange reason chose not to replant Carmenere when the Bordeaux variety of grapes were replanted on Phylloxera resistant root stock. The grape was considered non-existent any longer.

However, in 1993 viticulturists from several of the world’s universities conducted a survey/ sampling of grapes of the world and discovered that in Chile, many of the vines assumed often to be Merlot were in fact Carmenere and the two vines had been growing together in the vineyards for over a century.

Carmenere was reborn internationally.

Although the world’s principal country for growing Carmenere grapes and producing Carmenere wines continues to be Chile, the grape has been plant-

ed in Washington’s Columbia Valley AVA where it seems to be flourishing, but it is not in plentiful supply in our wine world.

There is still very little of this grape here in Washington; in the 2011 report by the State Wine Commission, the grape isn’t even listed by its name as a variety of grape planted in the state; it’s clustered in and among a large number of grapes identified as “Other.”

I’m confident this grape will emerge and earn its place among the Bordeaux varietal grapes planted in our state.

Whether it earns a slot as a single varietal bottle of wine, or as a quality blending grape remains to be seen.

Frankly, I think the jury is already out on that question, and the Chileans have already demonstrated the grape can stand alone to create a noteworthy, single varietal bottle of wine.

That does not however mean the French and the Californians were wrong by blending the grape into their best wines. The best blends of the Bordeaux grapes may not be the Five Grape Blends, but rather the Six Grape Blends that once included the grape, Carmenere, and hopefully, here in Washington, soon will also.

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All of that though is speculation.

Here are the facts. Fact one: Carmenere wines from Chile have and continue to please the palates of wine drinkers. Fact two: there are some memorable bottles of Carmenere that have already been created in this state.

Many of you may recall — as we do here in our home — the delightful Carmenere wine from Chateaux Faire le Pont in recent years past. And actually I confess, that Carmenere from Doug and Deb Brazil was the first Carmenere wine I’d enjoyed that didn’t leave me saying, “…

Ok, but let’s blend it and enjoy the components it adds, because as a single beverage, it falls a bit short.”

I don’t remember the year of that Faire le Pont beverage, but I do remember the wine, and I credit it (thank you Doug and Deb Brazil) with awakening my senses and prompting my research.

Meanwhile, I have discovered there are state Carmenere wines available, just not too many of them from our local wine makers.

I found six state wineries that create a single variety Carmenere wine. Unfortunately for us, these wines are not available in any of our local markets or wine shops. FYI, of the six, I preferred the Reininger Winery’s 2012 Carmenere, but, again, unfortunately, it was not on the shelves locally, and it is sold out at the winery.

However, it’s time to rejoice, there are Carmenere wines available locally, so you may find them, sample them, and decide for yourselves if the grape is worth keeping around. I vote to continue to tend and nurture

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July 2016

the fruit and pamper the grapes to produce quality wines.

Here are two local beverages you might enjoy. n Baroness Cellars 2013 Yakima Valley Carmenere. This wine has not been released for sale to the public yet, or at least it had not when I began writing the tribute, but it will be soon.

In the bottle, expect the Carmenere’s black fruits to shine through with blackberries and plums as the dominant characteristic, but also enjoy the winemaker’s added aspects of aromatics, hints of toasted coffee and a bit of chocolate. Well done, Danielle Clement and Baroness Cellars. n Jones of Washington 2013 Carmenere. Recently bottled, the Jones of Washington Carmenere needs some additional time in the bottle, it’s richly tannic, deep, dark and delicious, and again, as with most Carmenere’s, even those Chilean ones, the wine needs decanting.

But those qualities will soften over time and the wine will shine as it promises. Again, expect solid body, fruit forward and aromas of those black fruits, cherries, berries and plums, and finished with slight hints of tobacco and leather. Thanks Jones of Washington, and double thanks to you, Victor Palencia.

I’m a fan of the wine made from this grape; I think you will be too once you try these wines.

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

He can be contacted at alex39@msn. com.

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Brahms, Piano Trio in B Major, Op. 8

Faure, Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 15

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