FEBRUARY 2011
Cowboy DVDs with strong family values
The official publication of the Colorado Rural Electric Association • Volume 42, Number 02
Publisher/Editor Associate Editor Digital Designer
Mona Neeley, CCC Donna Norris Carissa Sheehan
OFFICERS President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Executive Director
Chris Morgan, Gunnison Bob Bledsoe, Tri-State Bill Midcap, Fort Morgan Don Kaufman, Sangre De Cristo Kent Singer, CREA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Empire John Porter Grand Valley Sylvia Spangler Highline Jim Lueck Holy Cross Michael Glass K.C. Dan Mills LaPlata Tom Compton Mountain Parks Stan Cazier Mountain View B.D. Paddock Poudre Valley Jack Schneider San Isabel Joseph Costa, Reg Rudolph San Luis Valley Mike Rierson, John Villyard Sangre De Cristo Paul Erickson Southeast Mark Grasmick United Power Jim Jaeger White River Bill Jordan Y-W Stuart Travis Yampa Valley Sam Haslem Associate Members Basin Electric Co-Bank Moon Lake Electric Wheatland Electric EDITORIAL Denver Corporate Office 5400 N. Washington • Denver, CO 80216 Phone: 303-455-4111 Email: MNeeley@coloradocountrylife.org Website: coloradocountrylife.coop Facebook: Colorado Country Life Twitter: @COCountryLife ADVERTISING Kris Wendtland NCM
16 ! !
16! !! !
20!
20
22
COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly for $9/$15 per year by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216. Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life, does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life, magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual.
24
Colorado Westerns Movie makers still find ways to tell the western story BY MIKE COPPOCK
COLUMNS
Recipes
!
Spice up your menu with tastes from New Orleans BY LINH TRUONG
22!
Gardening
!
Dress up your winter garden with color, texture, movement BY EVE GILMORE
24!
Outdoors
!
Ice fishing no longer only for the die-hard enthusiast BY DENNIS SMITH
25!
Energy Tips
!
Check your home heating system to see if it needs cleaning BY JAMES DULLEY
!
DEPARTMENTS
!
Challenge of building power lines adds to electricity costs BY KENT SINGER
4! 303-902-7276 800-626-1181
!
FEATURE
5! 6! 7! 12! 14! 30!
Viewpoint
Letters Calendar Co-op News NewsClips Industry Story Discoveries
COVER: FILMS ARE STILL BEING MADE IN COLORADO. THESE STILLS BY SKELETON CREEK PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON DVD. DESIGN BY DONNA NORRIS.
Not in My Backyard Challenges of building power lines, infrastructure add to the cost of your electricity BY KENT SINGER, CRE A E XECUTIVE DIRECTOR
C
olorado’s electric cooperatives work hard every day to keep your electricity bill as low as possible. This is a daunting task given the ever-increasing array of regulations that apply to the electric power industry. There are regulations that apply to all aspects Kent Singer of the power delivery system: the generation of electricity at the power plants, the bulk transmission of that power over high-voltage lines and the distribution of electricity to you, the member and end-use consumer. In this column, I am going to focus on the challenges faced when the co-ops try to build the transmission lines that are necessary to provide you, our memberowners, with electricity. Colorado’s electric cooperatives depend on a complex system of facilities to deliver affordable and reliable power. For the most part, the electricity you need to light your homes and power your businesses comes from large power plants that are located many miles away. While we believe that local, distributed generation (including renewable sources like wind, solar and biomass) and energy efficiency are important components of the future energy picture, we still need a robust system of transmission and distribution lines to meet your power needs today and into the near future. Additional high-capacity transmission lines are also needed if Colorado is to take advantage of its abundant renewable resources. One of the greatest challenges facing electric co-ops (as well as other electric utilities) is the ability to find suitable places to site generating facilities, substations and transmission and distribution lines. There was a time when farmers and ranchers were so eager to have access to electric power that they donated the
4 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
easements required by the local utility and allowed it to build power lines across their property. They recognized that not only was this necessary for them to have affordable power, but it was also necessary to enable their neighbors, as well as people they did not even know in adjoining communities, to have power. This cooperative spirit still exists in most of Colorado, but in the last several years we have seen many examples of landowner and local government resistance to the siting of utility infrastructure. Many co-ops spend years and huge sums of money fighting with local governments or individual landowners in order to be able to locate the facilities they need to supply power to their customers. Some have referred to the phenomenon of consumer objection to the siting of power lines and other public infrastructure facilities as the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) syndrome. Others have referred to this mind-set as the BANANA syndrome (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone ) or at its most extreme the NOPE syndrome (Not On Planet Earth). Whatever you call it, there is no question that siting utility facilities has become a difficult proposition. A current example of the NIMBY problem involves a joint transmission line project that has been proposed by Tri-State Generation and Transmission and Public Service Company of Colorado. The two utilities have proposed a project, known as the San Luis Valley–Calumet– Comanche project, to connect the San Luis Valley to the Front Range of Colorado. The main portion of this project is a double-circuit, 230-kilovolt transmission line that would run approximately 95
miles from a substation near Alamosa to a substation near Walsenburg. This project would enable Tri-State to provide more reliable service to the San Luis Valley and it would also enable Public Service Company and Tri-State to export large-scale solar power generation to the consumers along the Front Range. A billionaire landowner over whose property this project would be constructed has hired a team of lawyers and experts to aggressively fight this project. The landowner argues, among other arguments, that a transmission line would damage the unique beauty of his property (and its landing strip). He wants the utilities to use an alternate route, one that would be more expensive and impact other landowners and additional communities. While the landowner has every right to make these arguments, this project demonstrates the challenges that utilities face when it comes to siting and building transmission lines. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission recently ruled that the project is needed, but it appears that there may be additional rounds of litigation before the project can be constructed. So, while your co-op is doing everything it can to keep costs down, it has to deal with many different types of regulation and legal proceedings in order to provide the power you need. The Colorado Rural Electric Association is constantly working for your co-op and the other CREA member co-ops to minimize new regulatory burdens so that Colorado’s electric co-ops can continue to provide affordable power to you, their members and consumers.
Executive Director
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
Top Turkey Tip I never brined anything in my life, let alone a turkey (Recipes, November 2010). But I was in the mood to try something different this Thanksgiving. It turned out perfectly. For the first time in my life I actually enjoyed the dark meat, not just the white. Thank you for printing the recipe. I know I’ll use it again. Fran Hawks, Mancos
Interested in Efficiency I just finished reading the January 2011 magazine and noted your free monthly e-newsletter regarding renewables and efficiency ideas. In the article you mention that a free copy could be emailed to residents. Please include us on that list. We love reading the monthly magazine. A “pat on the back” to all those involved in its publication. Dan Spiegelberg, Monument
Editor’s Note: To receive the Energy Efficiency & Renewables newsletter, send your email address to mneeley@colorado countrylife.org.
Take a Broader View Can we get a break from the overtly rightleaning commentary that greets every reader of your fine publication? I do not believe it is appropriate for the executive director of the Colorado Rural Electric Association to use the magazine as a personal pulpit to espouse his political views on electric co-op members. Polls consistently show that Americans are fed up with partisan behavior, myself included. Those who perpetuate partisan behavior seem to think the world fits neatly in one of two boxes and anyone not inside their box is wrong. Perhaps Mr. Singer can open his mind to a broader world — one that allows room for more than two boxes. Brian Fowler, Windsor
!
! Send your letter to the editor by mail to 5400 N. Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or by email to mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org You must include your name and address to be published. Letters may be edited.
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 5
!"#$%&$' (& ) "* + & $
February 1-26 in Palmer Lake
February 12-March 19 in Grand Lake
February 19-20 in Estes Park
Visions of Light Photography Show
Snowshoe in the Kawuneeche
Rails in the Rockies Model Railroad Exhibition
Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts 719-481-8615 www.trilakesarts.org
Kawuneeche Visitors Center 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Beginners on Saturdays, intermediates on Sundays 970-627-3471 www.nps.gov
Estes Park Conference Center 201 S. St. Vrain Ave. Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 970-577-9900 www.estesvalleymodelrailroaders.org
February 13-15, 20-21 in Cripple Creek
February 24-27 in Lamar
Cripple Creek Ice Festival
High Plains Snow Goose Festival
Downtown Cripple Creek Ice sculptures, family-friendly events 877-858-4653 www.visitcripplecreek.com/IceFestival
Lamar High School 719-336-4379 www.highplainssnowgoose.com
February 10-13 in Dillon
Dillon Snow Kite Open The Lake Dillon Marina Watch boarders and skiers attached to kites race 970-485-3300 http://summitcounty.whattodo.info/ February 11-13 in Lake City
Lake City Hot Air Balloon Festival 800-569-1874 lakecity@lakecity.com
February 26 in Loveland February 18 in Grand Lake
Fiber Fun Fest
Full Moon Ski
Youth and Community Building, Larimer County Fairgrounds 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 970-498-6000 www.larimer.org/ext
Flight for Life Poker Run
The Nordic Center, Grand Lake Golf Course 970-627-8008 www.grandlakechamber.com
Includes silent auction, lunch and evening social 303-601-6931
February 18 in Crested Butte
February 12 in Grand Lake
February 12 in Durango
Valentine Train Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad 888-TRAIN-07 www.durangotrain.com
Moonlight Snowshoeing
February 27 in Leadville
Crested Butte Mountain Resort 970-349-4554 www.skicb.com
Mineral Belt Historical Tour
February 19 in Pagosa Springs
San Juan Shootists Monthly Match February 12 in Colorado Springs
2011 Heart Ball Broadmoor Hotel and Resort Dinner and dancing benefit 719-635-7688
342 Cimarrona Circle; noon Watch the match; take a few shots yourself 970-731-9140 sanjuanshootists@hotmail.com February 19 in Granby
February 12 in Colorado Springs
Snowfest Movie Night
Bighorn Sheep Day
Sol Vista Basin Ski Area Watch a winter sports documentary, also night skiing and tubing 888-850-4615 www.granbyranch.com
Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center 1805 N. 30th St. Lectures, tours and nature walks 719-634-6666 www.gardenofgods.com/yourvisit/
Cross-country ski tour of historic Leadville Mining District 719-486-7484 www.leadville.com www.lakecountyco.com/recreation March 4-6 in Grand Junction
Home Improvement and Remodeling Expo Two Rivers Convention Center 159 Main St. 970-245-0253 www.visitgrandjunction.com/events March 4-6 in Nederland
Frozen Dead Guy Days Quirky events, contests 303-258-3936 info@nederlandchamber.org
February 19 in Lake City
Ice Fishing Derby and Ice Climbing Festival
!
!!For more information on these activities, visit www.coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Events.
6 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
Fun events, great prizes 800-569-1874 970-275-4106 lakecity@lakecity.com; www.lakecityiceclimbs.com
Send calendar items two months in advance to Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington St., Denver CO 80216; fax to 303-455-2807; or email calendar@coloradocountrylife.org.
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
President Obama Unleashes the EPA BY JIM HERRON, GENERAL MANAGER
T
he first week of January, not convinced greenhouse gases there no new “have to have” electronic the U.S. Environmenneeded to be controlled or that products on the market? Have we ceased tal Protection Agency the EPA had the authority to looking at the electric car as the savior of jumped on the opportunity do so, “This move represents an our planet? I don’t think so. Most people to regulate greenhouse gases unconstitutional power grab that have no intention of not buying the lat(GHG) from power plants. The will kill millions of jobs — unless est electrical gadget that hits the marObama administration had said Congress steps in. Moreover, ket. Currently coal-fired plants generate Jim Herron it would issue standards to control the EPA has never completed an nearly half the electricity used in the U.S. GHG emissions from power plants and oil analysis of how many jobs might be lost If the EPA blocks new permits and starts refineries within two years and decided to in the process — although Section 321 of limiting production in the older plants, proceed with a signature environmental the Clean Air Act demands that it do so.” where is the replacement energy going to policy in the face of inaction by Congress. Upton wrote last week in a Wall Street come from? Our energy industry has been This action has created quite a storm in Journal opinion essay. steadily improving emissions and looking both Congress and the private sector. A little background on how the EPA for alternative energy sources. Natural gas The EPA said that the standards, which got involved in all of this. In April 2007, is a good, but once again a finite, source. have yet to be specified, will be finalized with the Supreme Court’s decision in We are working on the technology to capby the end of 2012. This coincides with the Massachusetts vs. EPA, the court instructed ture CO2 , but it is not available yet on a end of President Obama’s first term. The rules only apply to new construction and In 2010, construction did not begin on a single new coal-fired power plant in the major expansions, but they’ve become controversial. Jeffrey Holmstead, who headed United States for the second straight year. Does that mean that our consumption the EPA’s pollution office under President George W. Bush, predicts that the new of electricity has dropped drastically? requirements will increase energy costs and halt industrial construction. That’s because there is no clear rule book. Officials will evaluate each project to see what technolo- the agency to determine whether green- commercial scale. Just because the EPA gies could cut its pollution. President Obama house gases, like carbon dioxide, pose (or and President Obama have dictated that recently declared that the new course of ener- potentially pose) a danger to human health we will improve things right now does gy policy may come in the form of “chunks” and safety under the Clean Air Act. In not make it possible. The Federal Energy rather than comprehensive legislation, December 2009, the agency determined Information Administration expects that but looking at what the EPA is propos- they were a danger and gave itself the green the nation will need to build 30 to 40 new ing, things may move much faster than light to issue rules cutting CO2 emissions plants to supply the 21,000 megawatts of the president envisioned, and perhaps he on a wide range of enterprises from coal new electricity demand expected by 2035. should put the leash back on. plants to paper mills to foundries. President Unless the EPA, President Obama and the EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson stated Obama vowed as a candidate that he would environmental groups get a reality check, that the regulations would be “measured put the United States on a path to addressing that is not going to happen and we could and careful.” But despite the EPA’s caution- climate change by reducing emission of CO2 be in a lot of trouble as a nation. We won’t ary talk, political battle lines have already and other GHG. He offered Congress wide have enough electricity to meet the needs been drawn on GHG regulations with latitude to pass climate-change legislation of America under these restraints. It is a Republicans and industry ready to declare but raised the threat of EPA regulation if it well known fact that renewable resources, war. A dozen states have already filed failed to act. When the Senate refused to such as wind and solar, will not be able to suit to block the EPA’s ability to regulate enact legislation, Obama’s hand was forced provide a constant source of power to make GHG. The reaction in Congress and indus- by the mandates of the Clean Air Act and up the difference. try has been strong with some likening the Supreme Court decision. And so, the For the last year or so, some in Congress the EPA to terrorists and others vowing EPA was unleashed. have considered mandating that the EPA to choke off the agency’s financing for In 2010, construction did not begin on delay its GHG regulations by two years until all air-quality regulation. U.S. Rep. Fred a single new coal-fired power plant in the the courts complete their examination of Upton, the Michigan Republican who is set United States for the second straight year. the agency’s endangerment finding and to become chairman of the House Energy Does that mean that our consumption of proposed rules. There is actually no way to and Commerce Committee, said he was electricity has dropped drastically? Are know whether two years will be sufficient [continued on page 8]
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 7
MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC
Relay for Life— Walking for a Cure
M
ountain View Electric Association is once again the Hope sponsor for the annual Lincoln County Relay For Life. This year’s event will be from 7 p.m. Friday, July 8 to 7 a.m. Saturday, July 9, at the Limon High School track. Participants gather Friday evening and walk through the night to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against a disease that takes too much. Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event that empowers everyone to help fight cancer by raising money and awareness to support the American Cancer Society’s life-saving mission. Last year the Limon Relay raised $33,500 to fight cancer. During the evening, teams can camp out at the Limon High School track and take turns walking or running around the track. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relay For Life symbolizes the hope that people lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face the disease have support and that one day cancer will be eliminated. The fact that we have over 11 million survivors who are registered with the American Cancer Society proves we are making a difference. Go online to the relay’s website at www.limonrelay.org to start a team, join a team, donate, register as a survivor or just get more information. Tuesday, March 1, a Relay Kickoff open house will be held at the Limon Community Center from 5-7 p.m. Stop by and register your team at a discounted rate and see just what Relay For Life is all about. You can also contact event chair Brenda Higgins at 719-740-9349 to volunteer or for any questions you may have. Come out and celebrate, remember and fight back.
President Obama Unleashes the EPA [continued from page 7] time for the courts to
complete their work, but this approach would ensure that small businesses, states and even the EPA have the certainty needed to proceed. Cuts in carbon emissions could mean significantly higher electricity prices, so why not be absolutely certain that the proposed regulations are necessary for our health and welfare. Instead of just turning the EPA loose, President Obama’s administration could support research and development of technology and upgrading of our current electric system. Now is not the time to cut back on building new generation by making impossible demands. The administration and Congress need to take the time to take a hard look at the facts and come up with some kind of plan rather than more regulations. Rep. Upton summed it up: “We will not allow the administration to regulate what they have been unable to legislate.” 8 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
NEW PHOTO CALENDAR CONTEST IN THE WORKS
I
t seems unbelievable, but it is once again time for MVEA’s Photo Calendar Contest. This the eighth year and the calendar has just gotten better and better. Last year’s photos were incredible. MVEA invites you to send in your photos taken with in MVEA’s territory and reflecting the seasons, people, lifestyle or landscape of the area. The winners will be included in the 2012 calendar. The deadline for entry is July 1, 2011. If you have questions, please call the member service specialist at 719-4952602 or 719-775-2861 or go to www. mvea.coop.
Judith Kinsel
JUDITH KINSEL RETIRES
M
any of our members have never met Judith Kinsel, but probably feel like they made a friend when they spoke with her. Judith retired from MVEA on January 6 after 10 years of service to the cooperative. Her title was member services technical assistant, but Judith was also the administrative assistant for Operation Round-Up. In this position, she met and talked with many of the nonprofit organizations in the area, helped with applications for families and organizations and assisted the members of the Round-Up board of directors. Judith had a large stack of thank-you letters from those she has helped through the years in filling out applications and making deadlines. In her day-to-day job, Judith helped administer many of the programs at MVEA, such as energy efficiency rebates, green power, power partners, and the water heater program. She kept our electricians on schedule and kept the member services department in supplies. Judith was born a Texan and lived most of her life in Texas, but in her words, “finally moved to God’s country” when she came to Colorado. She has a son, Tim, and a daughter, Teri, along with three granddaughters and almost two great-grandchildren (one is on the way). Retirement is something Judith has been looking forward to for a while now. Besides some leisure time to read, enjoy her grandchildren and just have some fun, she has decided to raise and sell rare violets. The folks at MVEA have witnessed firsthand her green thumb when it comes to raising these beauties. Judith has been a goodwill ambassador for our cooperative and an asset to our members. We sincerely appreciate the time and effort she put into her work and wish her only the best in her retirement. Congratulations. WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC
Limon Students Big Winners in Essay Contest
M
VEA’s annual essay contest for high school juniors had 51 entries vying for the opportunity to win trips to Washington, D.C. and the Steamboat Springs area. Limon students took the challenge seriously and picked up all three trips. This year’s first place winner is Laura Malcom, daughter of Randy and Peggy Malcom of Limon and a junior at Limon High School. Our second place and third place winners respectively are Megan Cummings and Genna Cochran. They are also juniors at Limon High School. Megan is the daughter of Warren and Judith Cummings of Limon and Genna is the daughter of Dale and Shelley Cochran of Limon. Laura won an all-expense paid trip to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Washington, D.C., Youth Tour in June. She will have the opportunity to meet approximately 1,500 other high school juniors from around the nation. During the week, Laura will tour the city, meet with Colorado legislators and see firsthand how our federal government works.
Laura loves school and maintains a 4.0 grade point average. She lives on a farm north of Limon and is the youngest of three girls. Her favorite sport is softball and she plays first base on the varsity team. She is also on the varsity basketball team and speech team, a member of the student council, junior class president, and a member of the band and choir. She loves to participate Laura Malcom in the spring musical each year. Laura is also the 4-H county council president and enjoys showing cattle at the fair each summer. Congratulations to all of our winners. Their essays answering the question, “How will energy storage affect the future of renewable energy?” will be featured in this magazine over the next couple of months. Following is Laura’s winning essay.
Storing Renewable Energy
R
enewable energy is one of today’s main issues. I think using the earth’s natural resources to power the planet is a wonderful idea. However, there are some logistical problems concerning renewable energy. For example, how is a house supposed to be powered when the sun is not shining? And where does all of the energy collected on a day with 60 mile-per-hour winds go? This problem, energy storage, is one of the largest problems facing renewable energy engineers. We need an efficient and economical way to save excess energy when we produce more than is required. The future of renewable energy depends greatly on our ability to store it. Currently, many homes with solar panels or personal wind towers are storing energy in batteries. This is considered the conventional way, and it does work. Still, batteries are rather inefficient. To guarantee power, homes using a renewable energy source must have a battery bank large enough to power the home for two days. Imagine enough batteries to power your house for two days sitting in your garage. Obviously, this isn’t quite practical. Another existing way to store energy is through hydrogen electrolysis. The energy collected from a renewable source is used
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
What happens when the sun doesn’t shine?
to split water into separate molecules of hydrogen and oxygen. Then the hydrogen can be used to power fuel cells or simply burned to produce heat. In my opinion, hydrogen electrolysis is one of the better ideas on the table. It can be used in various ways, and it is basically the only form of energy storage that can be transported by truck, which is a major advantage. This technology is still evolving and will continue to improve. New forms of energy storage are being developed and tested as well. Most use the electricity from a renewable source to store some other substance, such as compressed
air, molten salt, compressed nitrogen, or water. These can be used later to move a turbine, therefore generating electricity. Each of these has problems though. Compressed air energy storage utilizes large underground caverns, so it is only an option in an area near a large cavern. Another new idea uses electricity to pump water up to an elevated reservoir, but this is only plausible when a large hill is available. Compressed nitrogen must be heated, and this is accomplished by burning natural gas, which defeats the purpose of using clean energy. Flywheels, which store energy kinetically, are one of the best options in my opinion. They are simply large metal discs that spin and gain speed as extra power builds up. Then they can be slowed down to release energy when needed. None of these options are perfect, but advancements are constantly being made. I think the renewable energy industry is very dependent on this technology. The storage options will determine how much renewable energy people actually use. If a viable, inexpensive and efficient way to store excess energy can be found, I predict the use of renewable energy will skyrocket. Until then, however, renewable energy is rather impractical.
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 9
MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC
2011 MVEA BOARD NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN
A
t MVEA’s Annual Meeting on June 9, 2011, in Calhan, two directors will be elected to Mountain View Electric Association’s (MVEA) Board of Directors from the following districts:
District 2 Simla, Matheson and a portion of the surrounding areas. (incumbent Rick Gordon) District 7 Monument, Woodmoor and a portion of the surrounding areas. (incumbent Donna Andersen-Van Ness)
The procedure for Director Elections and Member Voting is available on MVEA’s website at www.mvea.coop. If you are interested in being a candidate, please contact a member of the nominating committee. A candidate must be an MVEA member and reside in the district where there is a vacancy. Before applying, please contact either MVEA office at 719-7752861 or 719-495-2283 to verify your district. A member may also petition for nomination. Petitions and procedures are available at 1655 5th St., Limon; 11140 E. Woodmen Road, Falcon; or online at www.mvea.coop. Petitions must be signed by 15 members of MVEA and returned to either MVEA office by 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 25, 2011. A candidate questionnaire must be completed for either the verbal nomination or the petition. This application can be found on MVEA’s website or you may pick one up at either office. If you have questions, please contact a member of the nominating committee. Candidate questionnaire must be received at either office or by the nominating committee by 5:30 p.m., Thursday, April 21, 2011, for the committee’s consideration. If you are petitioning for nomination, the candidate questionnaire must be submitted with your petition no later than 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 25, 2011.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE District 2 Allan Moore 13217 Country Road 141 Simla, CO 80835 719-541-2180
District 7 Edward McGuire 4810 Abo Lane Monument, CO 80132 719-481-9377
BLACK FOREST ARTS AND CRAFTS GUILD OFFERS SCHOLARSHIP
F Operation Round Up awarded $5,000 to KCME radio station for its children’s outreach program, “Classics for Kids.” The road show visits elementary schools in the area and presents a program that helps children K-5 appreciate classical music. KCME recently expanded the curriculum to upper level grades. Pictured above from left to right accepting their check are Michael Campion, host and producer of the program; Jeanna Wearing, general manager of KCME; and Wanda Patrick, a director on the Round Up board. The radio station also has a children’s program on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. For more information on “Classics for Kids,” go to www.kcme.org. 10 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
or the sixth year, the Black Forest Arts and Crafts Guild is offering a $1,000 scholarship to graduating high school seniors. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student who resides within the guild’s boundaries: County Line Road on the north; Eastonville Road on the east; Woodmen Road on the south; Black Forest Road on the west as far north as Old Ranch Road then west to State Highway 83 and north to County Line Road. Applications are available at Falcon, Lewis-Palmer and Pine Creek high schools or you may call Sally Burr at 719-4918819. Application deadline is March 31, 2011. The Black Forest Arts and Crafts Guild was established in 1964 and is the oldest continuous craft guild in the western United States. It consists of local artists and crafters who annually donate to groups and individuals who enhance the Black Forest community. Donations from guild members, patrons of craft shows and the local community have resulted in a $1,000 scholarship being awarded the last four years. WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 11
GRANTS FUND RESEARCH ON POTENTIAL FOR RENEWABLE HYDROELECTRIC IN COLORADO IRRIGATION DITCHES
A
t least two separate grants are funding research into whether or not the water that irrigates some of Colorado’s crops could also be used to generate electricity. Supporters see great potential in these small hydropower projects. According to one researcher, these small projects might be able to generate more electricity than similarly sized photovoltaic systems, and they would do it more consistently. La Plata Electric Association, headquartered in Durango, is using a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate the development of several of these small hydroelectric generation projects in its southwestern Colorado service territory. Like many parts of the state, La Plata and Archuleta counties are crisscrossed with irrigation canals that take the water from the state’s few rivers and streams to fields where the average rainfall is not enough to produce crops. The water in
these irrigation ditches moves fast enough to produce anywhere from 100 kilowatts of power to two megawatts of power, according to sources. The LPEA grant will finance preliminary studies and site analyses for possible low-head hydroelectric projects. Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Agriculture has awarded a $50,000 grant to Colorado State University to study the same concept. CSU adjunct professor and researcher Dan Zimmerele and
water resources engineer Lindsay George of Applegate Group, Inc., in Glenwood Springs are surveying the approximately 250 ditch companies in the state to find potential locations for these low-head turbines. They will be discussing their project at the February 16 Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance (www.darca.org) workshop in Berthoud. All of this research is timely because a new agreement between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees the nation’s electric grid, and former Gov. Bill Ritter’s office is expected to expedite the permitting process for these small projects. In the past, the small projects had to go through the same process as large-scale hydroelectric dams, often making them too expensive to pursue. With a more reasonable permitting process now being established, the state’s irrigation canals may become another renewable resource for generating electricity.
Energy Scores Will Help Evaluate Homes
A
new Home Energy Score provided by the federal government will offer home owners straightforward, reliable information about their homes’ energy efficiency. The new report will provide consumers with a home energy score between 1 and 10, and show them how their home compares to others in their region. The report also includes customized, cost-effective recommendations that will help to reduce their energy costs and improve the comfort of their homes. Under this voluntary program, trained and certified contractors will use a standardized assessment tool developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to quickly evaluate a home and generate useful, actionable information for home owners or prospective homebuyers. With only about 40 inputs required, the Home Energy Scoring Tool lets a contractor evaluate a home’s energy assets, like its heating and cooling systems, insulation levels and more, in generally less than an hour. That means a homeowner can see how his home’s systems score, regardless of whether a particular home owner takes long or short showers or keeps the thermostat set high or low. A score of 10 represents a home with excellent energy
12 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
performance, while a 1 represents a home that will benefit from major energy upgrades. Along with the score, the home owner will receive a list of recommendations for home energy upgrades and other useful tips. For each specific improvement, the estimated utility bill savings, payback period and greenhouse gas emission reductions are included. To see a sample copy of the Home Energy Score and get more information on how it is calculated, visit www. homeenergyscore.gov, where you can also view an example PDF (702 kb) of a score and recommendations. The Home Energy Score will initially be tested with local government, utility and nonprofit partners in 10 pilot communities across the country, located in both urban and rural areas that cover a wide range of climates, including that of Colorado’s Eagle County. During this test phase, the DOE and its partners will gauge how home owners respond to the program and whether the information encourages them to get energy improvements done on their homes. After the pilot tests conclude in late spring 2011, DOE expects to launch the Home Energy Score nationally.
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
Texting Helps Farmers Save $, Electricity
O
ne electric cooperative found a new way to notify its members and help them save on their electric bills: text messages to cell phones. Northeast Nebraska Public Power District in neighboring Nebraska worked with a text message provider to notify its irrigators in real time about daily peak load periods when electricity would be more expensive. For example, a message would go out at 7 a.m. telling irrigators that peak rates would be applied from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a follow-up alert describing any changes. Farmers would receive the text messages on their mobile phones and take action, even if they were out in the field already. The co-op regularly reduced its electric load by 50 percent during highcost demand periods. —RE Magazine
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 13
!
INDUSTRY
!"#$%&'"$()"!*(&# A flurry of government regulations are set to hit your electric bill BY PERRY STAMBAUGH
The cost of electricity hinges on several things — availability, prices of power plant fuels and materials and the amount of power consumers demand. Now a slew of volatile federal rulemaking has hit power producers.
'
erhaps the most pressing challenge facing electric utilities involves U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as pollutants under the federal Clean Air Act. On January 2, the EPA began restricting the amount of greenhouse gases that may be emitted by fossil fuel-burning power plants and other stationary industrial sources. This action will significantly impact electricity production. Fossil fuels like coal and natural gas fuel 70 percent of America’s electricity generation. Since electric co-ops are more dependent on coal than investor-owned utilities and municipal electric systems, the end result will be higher electric bills. “Clearly, the EPA is wielding the Clean Air Act as a bludgeon, pressing it into service because the outgoing Congress was unable to agree on how to curb greenhouse gas emissions blamed for contributing to climate change,” notes Glenn English, chief executive officer of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association based in Arlington, Virginia. By failing to pass legislation addressing carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, Congress essentially left the decision-making up to EPA. But the Clean Air Act was never intended to regulate carbon dioxide — it was enacted to fight smog and acid rain with proven technologies. No viable, commercially tested solution exists to remove carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
14 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
“Electric co-ops are urging Congress and the White House to approve a two-year moratorium on EPA regulation of carbon dioxide greenhouse gases — a delay giving lawmakers the opportunity to fashion climate change legislation that protects consumers and keeps electric bills affordable.” Glenn English, NRECA, CEO
“Co-ops expect the EPA’s rule-making will eventually have the practical effect — absent breakthrough technology — of eliminating coal as a power plant option,” remarks English. “On top of this, the cost of switching from coal, which has traditionally been plentiful and affordable, to other fuels will be high.” Only two alternate baseload generation sources can meet America’s demand for safe, reliable and affordable electricity — natural gas, which is priced on a volatile commodities market (and has carbon dioxide emissions to contend with), and nuclear power, requiring a long lead time for construction. “Electric co-ops are urging Congress and the White House to approve a twoyear moratorium on EPA regulation of carbon dioxide greenhouse gases — a delay giving lawmakers the opportunity
to fashion climate change legislation that protects consumers and keeps electric bills affordable,” English stresses. Even if Congress grants a reprieve on greenhouse gas regulations, red tape from other EPA and various government rule-making efforts — the Clean Air Transport Rule, Cooling Water Intake Structure requirements and a decision on treating coal ash as hazardous waste, for starters — will trigger higher electric bills. Clean Air Transport Rule Released in 2010, EPA’s Clean Air Transport Rule aims to cap emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from power plants across 31 eastern states and the District of Columbia. The regulation enables “downwind” areas whose air quality is compromised by power plants to their west to meet federal standards. The EPA claims that by 2010 the transport rule, when combined with other state and federal measures, will reduce power plant sulfur dioxide emissions by 71 percent and nitrogen oxides emissions by 52 percent from 2005 levels — at a cost to utilities of $2.8 billion per year. The transport rule requires 180 coal-fired power plants to install new pollution-control technology activate existing pollution controls or shut down. A second-round version under consideration could impose even tighter standards. “We’re expecting a number of existing power plants to simply be retired,” notes WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
!
INDUSTRY
Kirk Johnson, NRECA vice president of energy & environmental policy. “The cost to comply with the regulation will simply be too much.” Cooling Water Intake Structure Requirements Power plants use water from lakes or rivers to cool generating equipment. The federal Clean Water Act Section 316(b) sets standards for cooling water intake structures, requiring plant operators to use “best available technology” to protect the environment. The EPA began reviewing the standards in 2010, launching a cost-benefit analysis of imposing stricter regulations. The rule is expected to be unveiled in February. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation or NERC, the nation’s bulk power grid watchdog, estimates this EPA rule will have the greatest potential impact on American energy reserves. If strictly enforced, NERC contends one-third of U.S. electricity capacity may need to be retired. Coal ash debate To ensure the safe disposal of fly ash and other residues produced by coal-fired power plants, the EPA is considering designating the materials — for the first time—as hazardous waste.
Classifying these “coal combustion byproducts” (CCBs) as hazardous could cost billions and force increases in electricity rates. Each year, the U.S. electric utility industry produces about 130 million tons of CCBs (roughly 8 percent from power supply cooperatives). “In previous analyses, the EPA determined CCBs do not warrant regulation as hazardous waste under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; oversight was generally in place at the state level to ensure adequate management,” points out Johnson. “Nothing about CCBs has changed since then. Electric co-ops contend coal ash is appropriately regulated and oppose efforts to have it branded as hazardous waste.” Carrying the hazardous label in any form (the EPA could classify CCBs as “special wastes,” making them subject to all permitting, handling, and disposal requirements that apply to toxic items) will severely hamper beneficial uses of CCBs, Johnson warns. “No matter how you slice it, CCBs will be considered unsafe.” Currently, one-third of fly ash (used as a cement replacement) and more than one-fourth of scrubber sludge (converted into synthetic gypsum for
wallboard manufacturing) are recycled. For every ton of cement replaced by fly ash, a ton of greenhouse gas emissions is avoided. More than 10,000 co-op consumers sent letters to the the EPA in 2010 voicing their concern and asking the EPA not to brand coal ash as hazardous. EPA had not reached a final decision as of press time. Parting thoughts “Rest assured, local electric co-ops are working together to keep your electric bills affordable,” relates Kent Singer, executive director of the Colorado Rural Electric Association. “We’re controlling costs through innovation, and no matter what government mandates come our way, we’ll continue to put you, our members, first.” The electric cooperatives of Colorado are Looking Out for You. Find out more at www.crea.coop. Perry Stambaugh writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Virginia -based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.
EVEN IF CONGRESS GRANTS A REPRIEVE ON GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS, RED TAPE FROM OTHER EPA RULEMAKING EFFORTS WILL PUSH COSTS HIGHER AT COLORADO’S GENERATING PLANTS.
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 15
# & % " $ "#
C*0*5(;*
!
BY MIKE COPPOCK
!"#$%&'()$&'*+,$-&.#(.&#(+$&/(',0%&+(01$-23&(4.*5&
614)&"(%0*5&-(%-&(7*1.&.#$&8,'9-*:&75*.#$5-&,:&#,-&;$$9& -*1.#$5:&;5(<0=&!"#$%&-#*<&4#,0;5$:&<#(.&,-&5,>#. &(:;&<#(.&,-&<5*:>&<#,0$&(0-*&.$00,:>&.#$'&(7*1.&.#$& ?0;&@$-.2&(:;&AB'&(00&/*5&.#(.=3 614)&"(%0*52&&(4.*5
16 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
Filmmaker Rick Simpson directs his brother, Larry (on horseback), in a scene at Buckskin Joe’s in central Colorado. The movie Cactus Creek was the last movie they filmed at the famous Colorado film site.
!D*1&4(:B.&7$(.&C*0*5(;*&/*5&-4$:$5%23&-(%-&/,0'&'()$5&E(55%&8,'9-*:=& !"#$&*.#$5&,'9*5.(:.&5$(-*:&<$&-#**.&,:&C*0*5(;*&,:&.#$&-1''$5&,-& .*&>$.&*1.&*/&.#$&70*<.*54#&#$(.&?)0(#*'(&#(-&.#(.&.,'$&*/&.#$&%$(5=3
L
arry and his brother Rick talk with me at the Alamosa airport while they wait to pick up actor Buck Taylor, to be featured in the scenes they are filming tomorrow. Puffs of popcorn clouds dot the summer sky as the plane lands. Most of the passengers come off wide-eyed, a good sign that there was turbulence during the landing. But 72-year-old Buck Taylor seems unruffled by his flight. He’s wearing cowboy boots, cowboy hat and a jacket and is sporting a goatee and long, steel-gray hair. His last film was the upcoming blockbuster Cowboys and Aliens, to be released this summer. Now he has arrived in Alamosa for the under-the-radar Simpson brothers’ project. “They make movies that have family values,” Buck says about the brothers in his deep southern drawl. “They show children what is right and what is wrong while also telling them about the Old West, and I’m all for that.” Taylor and the Simpson brothers soon start talking about the demise of Buckskin Joe’s. Word is already out that the Colorado landmark has not only been sold, but will also be dismantled and moved somewhere else. The Old West movie set and tourist attraction was formerly located 8 miles
outside of Cañon City, only one of more than 20 locations used by the Simpson brothers, including Colorado sites in Buena Vista, Cripple Creek and Alamosa. Buckskin Joe’s Frontier Town and Railway was as close as Colorado has ever come to a permanent film set. Begun in 1957 as a “tourist trap,” the set was created when old buildings were brought to the 805-acre site from an 1860s mining camp named Buckskin Joe near Alma. Eventually, more than 30 structures from other ghost towns were hauled in to create an authentic place for tourists to watch re-enactments of gunfights and Old West hangings. The Simpson brothers’ Cactus Creek was the last film shot at the Old West set, a location that had set the scene behind such legends as John Wayne, Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin in famous films like the original True Grit, The Cowboys, and Cat Ballou. While Colorado filming locations like Buckskin Joe’s hold a special place in their memories of movie making, the Simpson brothers didn’t start filming in Colorado until later in their careers. They made their first western in 1996. It was The Trail to Abilene, introducing their audience to the series character Stormy Lane, played by Rick; Texas Clapsaddle, [continued on page 18]
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 17
Rick Simpson, (blue shirt) on the main street of Buckskin Joe’s, demonstrates how to draw a pistol Hollywood style to his young stars.
[continued from page 17]
played by Larry; and Cimarron Simmons, played by character actor Tom Ward. Their father, K.P. Simpson, had infected them with the acting bug when they were kids. From a second floor office over his western wear store in Enid, Oklahoma, K.P. hammered out scripts on an old manual typewriter from research notes made while visiting rural museums. He then badgered NBC’s Unsolved Mysteries to produce them as episodes for the network’s highly watched television program. For compensation, K.P. took small acting roles rather than cash. He was responsible for such Unsolved Mysteries episodes as those featuring the spiral staircase in Santa Fe, New Mexico; the possibility that Billy the Kid may have lived in Texas as Brushy Bill; and the kidnapping of 4-year-old Joan Croft as a tornado struck a small Oklahoma town. Two of them were later developed into full length films: Young Guns and CBS’s The Staircase. Rick and Larry acted as gofers on the Unsolved Mysteries sets, hammering props and getting coffee and snacks
18 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
Character actor Tom Ward (right), as Cimarron Simmons, is the comic relief in all Simpson westerns.
for the crew. Deciding to use what they learned about filmmaking from this experience, they eventually poured nearly $150,000 into their first full length feature. Like most independent filmmakers, once they had finished the film, they couldn’t figure out what to do with it. Hollywood was running away from
westerns as fast as it could. Except for a few DVDs sold out of their father’s store, it appeared that the brothers’ film careers were over before they started. But they didn’t give up. Rick put out a series of small ads in western magazines to spark DVD sales, and by 2001, orders covered their production costs. The Simpson brothers then decided
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
to make a second Western, Guns Along The Bravo. This time, they spread the word through their Oklahoma ranch connections requesting unpaid volunteers to help with everything from acting to props. The response was phenomenal. Within weeks, they had their cast, propmen, and locations. Oklahoma’s legendary Chain Ranch even offered the use of its cowboys, ranch and longhorns. The film turned a profit within 18 months. More importantly, it caught the eye of a European distributor who began selling their movies overseas. Profits convinced the Simpson brothers to give their westerns more attention, which meant finding better summer locations to shoot at. “The summers in Oklahoma are so hot, we had to wait for things to cool down before we could film, and that’s hard when you’re dealing with cast members who have other commitments,” Larry says. Forming Skeleton Creek Productions in 2003, the Simpson brothers set their third western, Showdown At Devil’s Butte, in Colorado as well as Oklahoma. This film had a paid cast, paid technical support and paid location setups. Rick had the movie marketed through western magazines, through agricultural retail outlets and in Europe. “That film was by far our biggest money-making movie,” Rick says with pride. The film did two things for the Simpson brothers. First of all, it got Hollywood to notice them. Old-time televison
western actors began contacting them, asking if they could be in their next project. And secondly, it led to the creation of the Stormy Lane Fan Club. “We had some grandparents visiting our store one day and they suggested we ought to start a fan club,” Rick says. Made up of children mostly ages 3 to 9, the fan club now has 2,300 members from 37 states. For a $6 annual fee, children receive a certificate, a fake bullet or arrowhead, and a Code of the West to live by. “We have one member who is 93 years old,” says Larry. Spurred on by the creation of the club, the Simpson brothers have continued to make movies. Peter Brown, the star of television show Laredo, was signed to be in their fourth western, Curse of the Sacred Mountain, mostly filmed in Colorado. “After that, Colorado always ended up having some of our location shooting,” Rick says. “We’ll be back filming, probably next summer. These kids are still very interested in the West.” And as long as they keep filming, Larry and Rick Simpson will be keeping the Old West alive in the hearts of the young and the young at heart. Mike Coppock grew up in western Oklahoma. His family made the Oklahoma land run, staking out their farm. He has been nominated twice for a Spur Award for his articles on the West.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SKELETON CREEK PRODUCTIONS Driver, horse and buggy, are all donated by western Oklahoma’s Chain Ranch bring authenticity to a Simpson brothers film. The Simpson westerns rely on volunteers from across the West.
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 19
February Is Mardi Gras Spice up your menu with delicious tastes from New Orleans
BY LINH TRUONG
I
f you’ve ever eaten any New Orleans cooking, your mouth has probably already started to water at the mention of spicy, savory Cajun food. But if you’ve never had a proper taste of these distinctive, southern flavors, this Mardi Gras is a great time to try something new you’re sure to love. Celebrate with these recipes and more from www.experienceneworleans.com.
Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Gumbo 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4 stalks celery, chopped coarse 2 medium onions, chopped coarse 2 green bell peppers seeded, cored and chopped 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 40 ounces clam juice 28 ounces canned plum tomatoes, drained and chopped 1 pound smoked andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 pound okra, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices 2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Cooked long grain rice 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced (optional) Parsley, chopped (optional) Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until dark reddish brown (about 8 minutes). Add the celery, onions and bell peppers all at once. Cook 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan. Mix in the bay leaves, salt, oregano and cayenne. Add the clam juice, canned plum tomatoes and sausage. Boil 15 minutes. Add the okra. Reduce heat. Simmer until the okra is tender (about 15 minutes). Then add the shrimp. Simmer until just cooked through (about 3 minutes). Ladle the gumbo into each soup bowl and mound rice on top of each bowl. Serve sprinkled with diced tomatoes and/ or parsley.
Cook Gumbo Slowly Like a stew, a good gumbo should be cooked uncovered over a slow heat for two to three hours. The process of cooking it slowly allows the flavors to mingle. If a gumbo is cooked too quickly with a temperature that is too high, the flavors will burn off. The gumbo can be made a day or two in advance to allow the flavors to develop. The flavors will balance as the gumbo sits in a refrigerator for a few days and is then reheated.
20 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
Sue’s Honey Island Jambalaya 2 pounds Italian or green onion sausage, crumbled 3 packs frozen seasoning (bell pepper, onion, celery), chopped Garlic powder Worcestershire sauce 1-2 cans Ro*Tel tomatoes Chicken broth or stock 1-3 cups meat or shellfish 2-4 cups rice Sauté 2 pounds sausage in a large pan. Add frozen chopped seasoning. Brown together and skim off any excess grease. Season to taste with garlic powder or Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Add canned tomatoes. Add chicken broth or stock to cover (about 3 inches above meat mixture). Cover and simmer a few minutes. Add any meat or shellfish as desired (shrimp, crawfish, turkey, chicken, etc.) Cover and simmer some more. Add 2 to 4 cups of rice, depending on how large your pot is. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or so; then turn down heat, stirring occasionally until tender.
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
Bananas Foster from Brennanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in New Orleans
(Serves 4)
Creole Madame (Makes 1 sandwich)
1 ciabatta roll 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 6 slices shaved honey ham 1 ounce shredded cheese or cheese curd 2 slices tomato 1 bundle pea shoots or other sprout Cooking spray 1 tablespoon butter 1 egg Slice ciabatta roll in half and spread the Dijon mustard on the roll. Layer the ham on the roll. Next, spoon the cheese curd on top of the ham and lay one slice of tomato on each piece of bread. Top the tomatoes with the pea shoots and fold the two halves back together. Place the roll in a panini press sprayed with cooking spray and set on medium high. While the sandwich is heating through, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place one tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Once the butter has melted but not browned, crack the egg in the skillet and cook until medium. Remove the sandwich from the press and top with the fried egg. Serve warm. Recipe courtesy of Family Features
Note: Pea shoots are the young top leaves and tips of vines on a pea plant. They are usually sold in Asian markets or grocery stores. Cheese curds are small chunks of cheese solids that have been separated from the natural whey present in milk, but not yet pressed into molds to make cheese. They can be found at many grocery stores.
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup banana liqueur 4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved 1/4 cup dark rum 4 scoops vanilla ice cream Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a flambĂŠ pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.
Strawberry Beignets 5 quarts vegetable oil 1 cup water 1 cup milk 1 egg, beaten 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons sugar Powdered sugar 1/2 cup sugar 3 pints strawberries Heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer or pot. In a bowl, mix water, milk and beaten egg. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Combine dry and wet ingredients and mix well. Drop spoonfuls of the batter mixture into oil. When browned on one side, turn over until brown on other side, 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Drain on a towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Puree the strawberries with the sugar. Drizzle the strawberry sauce over the pastries.
!
F! or more Cajon recipes, visit our website at www.coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Recipes.
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 21
Brighten up the winter landscape with little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). This native xeric grass turns an impressive shade of mauve that nicely complements evergreens.
Miscanthus, although not as xeric as some would like, can be favorite grasses for this time of year (when not crushed by snow) for their grace, movement and flow in their fountain-like shape.
Dress Up Your Winter Garden Surprise your senses this time of year with color, texture and movement
T
here are so many options beyond the simple evergreen for enhancing the look and feel of your Colorado winter garden. Think about the added delight that can be provided by winter plants with form, texture and movement in what is typically regarded as a f lat, motionless time of year. Enter ornamental grasses, one of my favorite ways to dress up a winter landscape. They offer a seductive motion with their long tresses of blond leaves undulating in the chill breezes, while their tall, shapely figures contribute a vertical accent to the expansive drifts of horizontal plane. Beyond their aesthetic benefits, grasses also produce life-giving seed heads that provide a source of nutrition for birds in search of sustenance. In return, these plants only require being renewed late each winter — cut back to 6 inches from the ground — so that their new growth may start fresh, looking its best. A flattop haircut style is quick and easy with hedging shears and is an appearance that won’t last long; the new growth will fill in quickly come spring. Other appealing additions to a winter garden are shrubs and trees with interesting bark, such as ninebark (Physocarpus sp.), red twig dogwood (Cornus stolonifera), seven sons f lower (Heptacodium miconioides), American waxflower (Jamesia 22 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) provides seed heads for winter birds.
americana), birch (Betula sp.) and, of course, aspen (Populus tremuloides). These welladapted species add texture and contrast. I personally think there are few sights better in the winter here than the intensely red twigs of the dogwood showcased by the shocking white of new fallen snow brought alive by that crisp, deep blue winter sky. Seed heads also contribute textural interest. Consider growing blue mist spirea (Caryopteris sp.), “Autumn Joy” sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile), rue (Ruta graveolens) or yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Note that these seed
BY EVE GILMORE
heads must be preserved in the tidy gardener’s fall rampage of garden cleanup, as they can easily fall victim to an accidental uprooting. Also note that Caryopteris tends to be invasive in some (especially generously watered) gardens. If this is the case in your garden, you will want to deadhead it before it has a chance to go to seed, sacrificing its cold season beauty. Form may be found in shapely branching patterns. To add a natural, sculptural shape to your garden, consider New Mexico privet (Forestiera neomexicana) or Agave (Agave sp.), the leaves and flowering stalk of which (only once, at the end of its life) are uniquely sculptural. Or try hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) or weeping varieties of trees and shrubs like “Twisty Baby” locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and Corkscrew willow (Salix sp.). With so many qualified options, there is really no reason for you to be uninspired by your winter scenery. Take note now of what you’d like to see where, and come spring, try spicing up your landscaping by adding motion, texture or form to increase the beauty of the scene you see through your frosted windowpanes next year. Eve Gilmore is a garden coach, consultant and designer with Gardens by Eve, LLC in Durango, Colorado. For more tips and discussion check out her blog at www.xeriscapegardens.com. WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 23
Modern Ice Fishing It’s no longer a sport just for the die-hard, well-insulated, old-school enthusiasts BY DENNIS SMITH
T
he ice fishing season got off to a slow start in Colorado this winter due chiefly to the balmy weather we had through most of December, but the weeklong blast of arctic air that swept the state right after Christmas finally nudged reluctant “coldfooters” into action. Anxious to be fishing but concerned about safe ice, many anglers held off until the reports of 6-inch ice and big fish started rolling in from Lake John, Delaney Buttes, Antero Reservoir and other high-country lakes. While much of ice fishing remains centered on staring at a hole in the ice waiting for a fish to bite, modern hard water anglers go about it in a considerably grander fashion than their predecessors did only a few decades ago. Like so much else in the 21st century, this primitive sport has gone high-tech. The difference in tackle and equipment used by today’s ice fishermen and that of their recent ancestors is remarkable. Not so long ago, ice anglers used a 6-foot steel pole with a sharpened chisel head welded to one end to “spud” a hole in
the ice. A big man with a sharp spud and a bundle of energy could chisel a 10-inch diameter hole through 2 feet of ice and be fishing within 15 minutes or so. Maybe. Today, motor-driven power augers can drill that same hole in about the time it takes to read this sentence. And you don’t have to be Godzilla to run one. More holes, less effort, more time to fish. Likewise, “old school” ice fishermen would clip a heavy weight to their line, drop it through the hole to measure water depth and adjust their baits accordingly. That primitive but effective little technique has been replaced by an astonishing variety of portable electronic sonar devices that simultaneously measure water depth, show the fisherman’s lure in relation to the bottom and alert the angler to approaching fish — all re-created visually or audibly either on a liquid crystal display or the dial of a high-speed, color-coded flasher. Some units read through the ice and mark water depth without even drilling a hole. Taking the electronic approach one step further, underwater television cameras scout for fish under the ice in a 360-degree circle around the hole. They’re not only effective; they’re entertaining as well. Carbon fiber ice rods and fluoro-carbon monofilaments have replaced the homemade jig sticks and linen hand lines of yesteryear. The assortment of jigs, f lies, bobbers and other ice fishingrelated gadgetry available in tackle shops staggers the imagination. And all of this winter fishing can be done “inside.” Modern ice shelters weigh less than a quarter of the 100-pound behemoths used less than a decade ago and pop up in mere seconds. So, kicking back in a hut warmed by a miniature heater, sipping a cup of coffee freshly brewed on a Jetboil stove can make staring at that ice hole seem almost as comfortable as a day at the beach … almost.
!
!Share this column with others by directing them to www.coloradocountry life.coop. Click on Outdoors.
24 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
Get Your Ducts in a Row Check your home heating system to see if it needs cleaning for better efficiency BY JAMES DULLEY
D
oes cleaning air ducts really increase air quality in a home? What are the signs that ducts need to be cleaned? If they need cleaning, how does the process work and who should do the job?
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
PHOTO COURTESY WIDMERS CLEANERS
Healthy indoor air should be a goal for any family. This is particularly true in today’s more energy-efficient, airtight houses where the air quality is often worse than outdoor air. In addition to some dust from the ducts, there are many sources of indoor pollutants, including cleaning, cooking and outgassing from synthetic materials. Many of these can be removed from indoor air with a combination of whole-house, furnace-mounted air cleaners and smaller individual room air cleaners. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, much of the dust in heating and air-conditioning ducts tends to adhere to the duct surface and never gets into the indoor air circulating throughout the house. In other words, just because some dust collects on the grill over air registers in your home does not necessarily mean the ducts are dirty and need to be cleaned. However, sometimes more than just a benign, fine layer of household dust can reside inside of the ducts. Bacteria can often live in some ducts under certain conditions. Also, very fine particles, from cigarettes or wood-burning fireplaces, can become airborne and cause respiratory problems. Test kits are available that allow you to take a sample of the dust from inside the ducts and have the sample tested for mold and other potentially harmful contaminants. Although it is commonly referred to as “duct cleaning,” a true air system cleaning will need to have the entire heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system cleaned. This includes the furnace and air conditioner blower, heat exchanger and coils and drain pans in addition to the ductwork. Air conditioner evaporator coils can collect a lot of dirt because they get damp when the unit is running. Dust in the air sticks to the wet surfaces. This
A long vacuum hose is inserted into the wall return duct to clean the air duct. It is connected to an indoor vacuum unit with a HEPA exhaust filter.
reduces the energy efficiency of the entire system, as well as the health of the air. If the contractor who services the HVAC system also does duct cleaning, a discount may be offered for having the service and cleaning done at the same time. The typical cost for a complete cleaning ranges from about $500 to $1,000, depending on the size of the home and the complexity of the duct system. It is a good idea to have the duct system inspected before going to the full expense of a cleaning. Look for a company that will deduct the inspection cost from the total project cost should you choose to have it cleaned. Technicians conduct the inspection by looking into ducts and the furnace blower unit and using mirrors at bends. They can also move a mini television camera through the ducts. When selecting a duct-cleaning company, there are several factors to consider. As with any project, the reputation of the company is highly important. Although the ducts can be inspected afterward to see how well they have been cleaned, your best assurance is to start with a reliable contractor. Always check references with past customers. The National Air Duct Cleaning Association is the trade group that certifies HVAC system cleaning contractors. The certification is legitimate and requires extensive training. For a company to be certified, it must have a certified special-
ist on staff. Find a national listing of certified companies, along with its number of specialists, at www.nadca.com. Also, when selecting a contractor, ask about the type of cleaning equipment each uses. If an indoor vacuum unit is used, it must have a high-efficiency particulate air, or HEPA, filter on the exhaust to trap all the particles. Some of the particles dislodge from the duct walls can be extremely fine, and a lesser quality filter will not remove them from the exhaust air. Another option is an outdoor truck with a built-in vacuum unit and a long hose. Because it is located outdoors, the exhaust filter is not critical. These large vacuums are powerful in order to overcome the airflow resistance in the long hose. Their only downside is that during the winter they suck the heated air out of the house during the cleaning process. Some duct-cleaning companies may suggest spraying a chemical biocide inside the ducts to kill mold and bacteria and to keep them from growing in the future. If opting to have this procedure done, make sure they use EPA-approved chemicals designated for sheet metal ducts. Questions? Send inquiries to: James Dulley, Colorado Country Life, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.
!
!!For more information on energy saving ideas, visit www.coloradocountrylife.coop and click on Energy Tips.
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 25
MARKETPLACE
Colorado Electric Cooperatives
26 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
MARKETPLACE
A Different World BY JANE AMBROSE MORTON
Before big ag conglomerates or online cattle sales, each family ranch had horses, cows and their own ranching tales.
FOLLOW CCL ON FACEBOOK AND WIN PRIZES.
Machines are making inroads now; horse jobs have been downsized. Folks round up cows on ATVs; data’s computerized. Our global trades are taking place on Internet TV. No need for livestock auction barns, where grandchildren can see. So if one day computers crash, wreak havoc with our lives, how will we pass on memories recorded on those drives? — Reprinted from Western Poetry in this Land of Little Rain
This book is available at 480-984-8856 or dickandjane2earthlink.net
Place an ad in Market Place and watch your business grow. Call Kris at 303-902-7276. WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 27
TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD Please type or print your ad on a separate paper. Indicate how many months you would like your ad to run and which month to start. There is a minimum of 12 words at $1.63 per word/month. Be sure to include your full name and address for our records. Check MUST accompany this order or call to pay with a credit card. Send your ad to: Mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 Email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org
ANTIQUES
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
CHAIR CANING, hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-5470723. chaanita@aculink.net. (858-10-11)
(These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.)
COMPLETE RESTORATION of antique woodburning stoves. Some parts available. Free estimates. 719-924-9192. (874-02-11)
ANTLERS ANTLER CHANDELIERS made only from REAL antlers. We are the manufacturer and we sell all of our products at wholesale prices; save as much as 60% from store prices. Many other antler products and mounts, including 5’ Moose Mount, 56” Elk Mount and giant Moose Paddles. Showroom open May 15 through October 15 in Granby, CO. 15 years at this location, over 900 satisfied customers! 970-627-3053. (105-12-11)
BOOKS LET US PUBLISH your book! We can take your manuscript, design a cover, edit and format it, and print it. Check us out. Personalized service is our specialty. 719-749-2126. www. peakvistapress.com (93303-11) NEED A SPRING GIFT idea? Valentine’s Day memento? Something to enliven the season? Check out Colorado’s Rodeo Roots to Modern-Day Cowboys. This is a book about the Wild West. It can be yours for only $25. Call 303-455-4111 to order one today. (106-12-11)
BEGIN YOUR OWN BUSINESS! Mia Bella Candles/Gifts/ Beauty. Try the best! www. naturesbest.scent-team.com. Free weekly drawing. Great income potential. (831-02-11) INSTANTLY RENEW METAL, rubber, flat roofs. Saves replacement. E-mail azteccollc @socket.net, 573-489-9346. (856-08-11) K-LAWN – LAWN FERTILIZING business opportunity. Parttime seasonal work. Be your own boss. NOT a franchise. It’s YOUR business! Training by turf professionals. Superior quality products. Protected territory. Low startup costs. www.k-lawn.com. 800-4459116 (914-03-11) LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME opportunity. No sales. No investment. No risk. Training/ website provided. Weekly/ monthly income plus bonuses and benefits. Call Carrie at 303-579-4207 or fill out form at www.workathomeunited.com/ ourabundance (932-03-11)
CARS/TRUCKS/BOATS
FREE
POULTRY/GAMEBIRDS
1985 CADILLAC ELDORADO Barritz Conv., mint condition, collector’s dream, $15K, 970-522-4600 (899-02-11)
FREE BOOKS/DVDS. Soon the “Mark of the Beast” will be enforced as Church and State unite! Let the Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebible saystruth@yahoo.com, 888211-1715. (814-04-11)
FREE – 5 EXOTIC CHICKS or 3 ducks with 100 frypan special @ $35.95 plus shipping. Also Cornish Cross, standard breeds, fancy chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, bantams, guineas, pheasants, quail, supplies, video. FREE COLOR CATALOG 417-532-4581. Cackle Hatchery – PO Box 529, Lebanon, MO 65536. www.cacklehatchery. com. (876-07-11)
1995-2010 — SUBARUS, Foresters, Outbacks, Imprezas, WRXs and Tribecas! Great Prices! One-Year Warranty! Dealer: 719-510-2212 or 303-870-2212. (574-02-11) 2005 40 FT. ALFA GOLD motorhome, diesel, loaded, 2 slides, non-smokers, new $400K, now $145K, 970-522-4600 (899-02-11)
CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Call Robert 970-2477729. (109-03-11)
DIET FOOD DISCOUNT DIET FOOD. Highest quality, lowest prices. Our plan or yours. Diethighprotein. com. (763-06-11)
FARM MACHINERY & PARTS SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North America’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings. THE place to sell equipment. 800-459-2148 www.saw millexchange.com. (267-03-11)
FINANCIAL SERVICES Great rates on mobile/ modular home insurance, auto, motorcycle. Colorado licensed agent. Dennis 719-641-6713 (905-05-11)
MAKE MONEY PLAYING THE LOTTERY. Guaranteed system. FREE report. Call toll-free 1-877-526-6957 ID# S4465 or visit our website — www.flalottomagic.net/?S4465 (911-04-11)
FOR SALE
PIANO TUNING PAYS. Learn with American School homestudy course. Tools included. Call for info. 800-497-9793. (158-14-10)
WORK CLOTHES – good clean rental type, 6 pants and 6 shirts $44.95. Lined work jackets $10.95. Denim Jeans $6.00. Call 1-800-233-1853. www.usedworkclothing.com. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. (610-04-11)
!
!Read classified ads at www.coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Classifieds.
28 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
HEAVY DUTY CATTLEPENS. Portable or Permanent; 32x45 working pen w/ 16’ crowding tub, $3,015. Call Kenneth 580876-3699, www.cccattle equipment.com. (882-05-11)
HEALTH AMERICA’S LARGEST naturalremedies encyclopedia. Covers 11,000 inexpensive home remedies, 730 diseases and disorders. 970-946-9706. (944-03-11)
HELP WANTED $400 WEEKLY ASSEMBLING PRODUCTS FROM HOME. For free information, send SASE: Home Assembly – CC, PO Box 450, New Britain, CT 060500450. EARN $60,000/yr PART-TIME in the livestock or equipment appraisal business. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. 800-4887570. www.amagappraisers. com (935-05-11)
HOBBIES & CRAFTS AWARD WINNING LONG-ARM QUILTING — reasonable rates, quick turnaround. Karen Niemi, 303-470-9309, http://creative. stitching.home.comcast.net, creative.stitching@comcast.net (846-08-12) SPINNING, WEAVING, KNITTING, crochet, felting, dyeing, books, patterns, classes. Table Rock Llamas Fiber Arts Studio, 6520 Shoup Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80908, 866-4957747. (791-03-11)
MISCELLANEOUS PUT YOUR OLD HOME MOVIES, slides or photos on DVD. 888609-9778 or www.transferguy. com. (465-12alt-11)
REAL ESTATE 35-ACRE PARCELS, overlooking North Sterling Reservoir, ideal for custom home, exc. hunting, 970-522-4600. (899-02-11) BUSY, FULL SERVICE, AUTO REPAIR workshop in SW Colorado. Est. 35 yrs. Owner retiring and may carry. 6 bays, paint booth, and offices. Little competition. 1-970-563-4500. Please ask for Joyce. (942-05-11) COMMERCIAL LAND 1-25 Exit 106 north of Pueblo. 17.5 acres, 1/4 mile frontage on west side of I-25. Great location. Some owner financing. Additional properties available. Call Fran at ERA Herman Group Real Estate 719-251-4038. (945-04-11) FT. COLLINS EQUESTRIAN ESTATE. 8720 sq. ft. home on 35 acres with lakefront, mtn. views, trees, barns, steel fencing, arena… www.obeo. com/637253 or call John Stegner 970-412-1657 or email jfstegner@msn.com (93704-11) LAND WANTED — large land buyer looking to purchase 500-20,000 acres in Colorado. Will consider bail outs, foreclosures, joint ventures, condo/commercial projects. Will close quickly. Call Joe @ Red Creek Land 719-543-6663. (648-02-11) WINTER PARK AREA. Unbelievable horse property. 12-stall barn, foaling apartment, 2400 sq. ft. home, 10 fenced acres. Ride to national forest. $777,000. OWNER FINANCING. www.gingeryinfo.com, 970-5315050 (934-03-11)
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
RELIGION
VACATION RENTAL
WANTED TO BUY
BECOME AN ORDAINED Minister by correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, PMB 207, 7549 W. Cactus, #104, Peoria, AZ 85381. http://www.ordination.org. (44106-11)
KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-245-6500; makana crest.com; kauaiweddings.com. (756-05-11)
OLD POCKET WATCHES – working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209 watchdoctor@hotmail.com. (87006-12)
WANTED TO BUY
OLD TRACTORS that don’t run. Jerry Browne, 2707 Weld Co. Rd. 19, Fort Lupton, CO 80621. 303-659-7026. (220-04-11)
We had no idea, so my husband said, “I think I will marinate them.” With gusto in his voice, my 4-year-old looked up at him and said, “Them mares ain’t going to eat them.” Monica Halde, Cheyenne Wells
THREE shares of CBT. Call Water Colorado 970-493-4227. (94302-11)
We were getting ready for a benefit dance when I
SPECIAL SERVICES CHIMNEY CLEANING. Gas, wood, and pellet stove installations/ service. Factory trained. Serving Custer and Fremont County. 719942-3880 (929-02-11) LAKE OR POND? Aeration is your 1st step toward improved water quality. Complete systems $199 to $369!! Waterfall? 7,000 gph super Hi-Efficiency waterfall pump, just 3 amps! $399.99! www.fishpondaerator.com, 608254-2735. (879-12-11)
TICKETS NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. All seating levels available. Call 1-888-NFR-rodeo (1-888637-7633) or www.NFR-Rodeo. com. *BBB Member; Since 1990. (912-11-11)
VACATION RENTAL HIDEAWAY CHALET vacation home in Winter Park. Sleeps 6. Close to town. No smoking. No pets. Free front door shuttle. Call Judy 847392-9713. (941-03-11)
I WILL BUY YOUR German daggers, helmets and other military items. Don Simmons, PO Box 4734, Springfield, MO 65808, 417-8815645. DSimmons@corpranet.net. (470-06-11) NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com. (817-04-11) OLD CARS. PRE 1970. Prefer complete cars. Not running okay. 970-565-2653 after 3pm. (94002-11) OLD COLO. LIVESTOCK Brand Books prior to 1950. Call Wes 303757-8553. (889-03-11) OLD COWBOY STUFF–hats, boots, spurs, chaps, Indian rugs, baskets, etc. ANYTHING OLD! Mining & railroad memorabilia, ore carts! We buy whole estates. We’ll come to you! Call 970-759-3455 or 970565-1256. (871-05-11) OLD GAS AND OIL items: Gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc. Pieces, parts, etc. considered. Also 1932-34 Ford cars and trucks, parts and pieces too. Any condition. Brandon, 719-250-5721. (519-11-11)
WANT TO PURCHASE mineral and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-02-11) WANTED: JEEP CJ OR WRANGLER. Reasonably priced. No rust buckets. 888-735-5337. (227-09-11) WE PAY CASH FOR minerals and oil/gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800-733-8122. (227-09-11)
WEDDINGS DO YOU WANT TO CREATE a magical, romantic, unforgettable wedding on the beach? The NEW Beach Wedding Planning Guide and Workbook shows you how. Download now at www.BeachWedding Magic.com. (106-12-11)
!"#$%&'($)*+",#-,"$*$.&&/
Since all of my children were little, I have owned and raised horses. One day, when my youngest son was 4 years old, my oldest son brought us home plenty of pheasants. With gun in hand, he asked, “How should we cook them?”
asked my 4-year-old son if he was going to dance with a young girl named Amanda. He replied, “Sure.” Then I asked him if he was going to dance with Amanda’s younger sister, Shayla. He again said, “Sure.” Finally, I asked him if he was going to dance with Melissa. He looked at me straight in the eye and said, “Mom, I only have two hands.” Heidie Marriott, Kit Carson
My 5-year-old son, Ezekiel, and I were sitting at the table eating dinner last night, and out of the blue he starts talking about chicken spots (which I began to understand were chicken pox) .Then he said, “Man, I bet those chicken spots sure do hurt.” “Yes, they do,” I said. “Why do you think they hurt?” He answered, rather excitedly, “Because those chickens start peckin’ ya and you’re left with all those scabs!” K atie Harrington, Englewood
I was standing in the customer service line at Walmart today with my 8-year-old daughter, Kayla. A young lady in front of us purchased a $300 money order. She pulled lots of cash from her pocket, which included two $100 bills. My daughter was watching her closely and was in awe of all the cash this young lady had. Kayla said to me, “She’s lucky. She must have lots of grandmas!” Barb Wanderlingh, Sheridan Lake
A Scottish friend of mine has a granddaughter
0'%$1-2$ .&&/$*.&'#$ #1"$3-+4$3"5#6$ 7,$5*+"$8&($9:;6 <-,=+'4"5$51->>-,?@
A*++$BCBDE;;DEFFF WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP
who lives in Scotland and recently started kindergarten. She was so excited to tell her granny all about her first day: who she sat beside, what the teacher said, what the other kids said, etc. She ended the recital by saying, “And do you know what, granny? I’m the bonniest lassie in the class.” “Are you?” responded Granny. “Who told you that?” “No-o-o-o-o-body,” replied the grandchild. “I just looked round about me.” Miriam Traynor, Monument We pay for funny stories. Email to funnystories@colorado countrylife.org.
FEBRUARY 2011
Colorado Country Life 29
In the Footsteps of the Famous FIND YOUR WAY
D
id you ever want to step behind the silver screen to find yourself in a movie with your favorite stars? “Filmed in Colorado” tours, offered by Colorado Tourism, get you as close as you’ll ever be. These tours allow you to visit the shooting locations of some of the hundreds of movies that have been filmed in Colorado, as well as restaurants, hotels and resorts also enjoyed by famous film icons. Custom maps and special packages are available for some of Colorado’s more illustrious films. Learn more about how you can walk in the footsteps of the stars by visiting www.colorado.com/SeeFilmedIn Colorado.aspx.
TO FASCINATING FILM FESTIVALS
I
f your appetite for some good film has been whetted by our articles this month, check out these film festivals coming to a Colorado town near you: Durango Independent Film Festival March 2-6 in Durango Contact: Joanie Fraughton, 970-375-7779 Vail Film Festival March 31-April 4 in Vail Contact: Sean Cross, 970-476-1092
HOLDING ON TO OUR PRECIOUS PAST
W
ithout anyone to pass on the memories, the history of a place and its people can easily fade into obscurity. Luckily for Colorado’s Black Forest area, its residents are determined to remember the past. They produced a 45-minute DVD full of images and narration that record the early years of the town’s existence. Names, stories and pictures that would otherwise be forgotten make this film a priceless treasure. DVDs are available from Terry Stokka by calling 719-495-0895 or by email at tstokka@juno.com.
Filming the Heart of the West
F
rom Union Station to Colfax, from Aspen to the indomitable life of Molly Brown, the stories of the West have been captured through the lenses of the Havey Productions team in its films and photography. Jim and Charlotte Havey began the company in Denver in 1979 and have been producing quality documentaries, promotional media and gorgeous photos ever since. If you need to be reminded of just how lucky you are to live in Colorado, take a look at some of the projects Havey Productions has posted on their website, www.haveypro. com. You won’t be disappointed.
Indie Spirit Film Festival April 14-17 in Colorado Springs Contact: Chris Loud, 719-502-7057 Silver Spoon Film Festival April 16 in Loveland Contact: Jenni Dobson, 970-962-2562 5 Point Film Festival April 28-May 1 in Carbondale Contact: Julie Kennedy, 970-963-2188 Mountain Film in Telluride May 27-30 in Telluride Contact: Peter Kenworthy, 970-728-4123 ext. 10 Breckenridge Film Festival June 12 in Breckenridge Contact: Dawna Foxx, 970-453-6200 Film Festival of Colorado June 23-26 in Denver Contact: http://thefilmfestivalofcolorado.org Gilpin County Film Festival July 30 in Central City Contact: Kerri Atter, 303-722-2850 Estes Park Film Festival September 16-18 in Estes Park Contact: info@estesparkfilm.com or 970-231-2580
!
!!Enter to win a movie night — a package that includes family movie package and movie munchies. Visit our website at www.coloradocountrylife.coop and click on Contests. Deadline is February 15. We will also be giving away romance and western movies during February. You’ll find us at www.facebook.com/COCountryLife.
30 Colorado Country Life FEBRUARY 2011
WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP