Sunday Signal 121122

As the drought continues, one of the most meaningful gifts we can share this season is reducing our water use at home.

IN THE KITCHEN

Wash Full Loads in Dishwasher

Instead of handwashing dishes, load up your dishwasher and wash full loads to maximize water savings. Ditch prewashing your dishes and scrape your plate before placing items in the dishwasher.

Recycle Water Used for Food Prep

Save water used from steaming and boiling holiday food favorites and use to water trees and gardens outdoors.

AROUND THE HOUSE

Run Full Laundry Loads

Save water, time and energy washing full loads of your favorite holiday sweaters and cozy blankets.

Take 5-minute Showers and Turn Off Water

When Brushing Teeth

Being a “water scrooge” is a good move when it comes to taking 5-minute showers and switching off water when you brush your teeth.

OUTDOORS

Turn Off Sprinklers When it Rains

If a rainy winter storm (or snowy winter wonderland) hits, shut off your outdoor irrigation during and within 48 hours following precipitation.

(661) 259-1000.

The Perfect Christmas Tree

Come the holiday season, perhaps no tradition evokes the warm and fuzzy “feels” more than a family outing to pick a Christmas tree. Whether it’s a trek to a live Christmas tree farm or a short drive to the nearest pre-cut tree lot, the process of selecting a tree that will serve as the crown jewel of the entire season is a great way to make lasting memories.

Christmas tree selection is as individual as the person, or family, making the selection. Many factors go into making a selection of the perfect Christmas tree — price, space, lifestyle and aesthetics.

Selecting a tree is a yearly ritual and each person has his or her set of criteria for what makes the ideal Christmas tree. These tips can help families find the right tree.

Choose your species

Do some homework on the type of tree you want prior to buying the tree. Balsam fir and Fraser fir are popular Christmas tree varieties, but there are many others, such as noble fir and Norway spruce. Balsams are known for having the most fragrant smell, but Frasers tend to keep their needles the longest.

For those who prefer a Douglas fir, keep in mind that they sometimes drop their needles prematurely due to foliar diseases like needle-cast fungus.

For a primer on different types of Christmas trees, visit realchristmastrees.org/dnn/Education/ Tree-Varieties.

Space for ornaments

In addition to aroma and needle longevity, look for trees that have a desirable shape and allow for adequate space between branches, advises the home and garden resource The Spruce.

Trees groomed to be lush and full will look beautiful unadorned, but once ornaments are added, full branches may cause those ornaments to hang low or even fall off. Trees with sparse branches allow for ornaments to hang straight.

Measure your space

Trees in the field or in a lot may look much smaller than they do when brought into the living room. Don’t make the mistake of selecting a tree that is too large for your home.

The agricultural firm Ragan & Masey says to measure the room from floor to ceiling and subtract the height of the tree stand and tree topper. It’s equally important to measure the width of the area where the tree will stand and allow for ample space for foot traffic around the tree.

Perform a needle check

Every tree will drop some needles, and most evergreens hold their foliage. Modest needle loss is not an indicator of a poor tree. However, Deck-

er’s Nursery in Greenlawn, New York, says if 50% of the needles are lost when you swipe your hand down three to five different branches around the tree, the tree likely is not a good choice. In addition, avoid a tree that has glaring defects in the trunk as it can impede water flow through the tree.

Heavier is better

A heavy pre-cut tree means it is full of water and has been cut more recently. A healthy, fresh tree is going to require an effort to lift. Older, dried out trees will not be heavy.

Upon arriving home, make a fresh cut off the tree trunk and get it in water as soon as possible — even if that’s a bucket until the tree stand can be set up.

Where to buy your tree

There are several choices for Santa Clarita Valley families to purchase trees.

The holidays are a busy time for many families. However, the Christmas tree may be your most important holiday purchase. Take time to make Christmas tree selection a family affair.

Bennett’s Best Christmas Trees 27000 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus Info bennettsbest.net; (661) 481-1569 24910 Valencia Blvd., Valencia Info (661) 481-6960

Doug Bennett has been in the Christmas tree industry since he was 15, when he began working on local lots. He turned his passion into a business in 1997 when he and his wife opened up four pumpkin and Christmas tree lots.

Freshness is important to the Bennetts and they do everything possible to make sure that their trees are as fresh as possible. They do this by purchasing from small farmers who harvest their trees as close to the shipping date as possible, according to Bennett’s.

Frosty’s Forest Christmas Tree Farm 25235 Orchard Village Road, Valencia Info greennurseryscv.com/cut-your-ownchristmas-tree; (661) 259-6450

Frosty’s Forest Christmas Tree Farm is one of the last cut-your-own Christmas tree farms in Southern California. Take your family and roam through a four-acre forest to find and cut your own perfect tree. Frosty’s also sells a variety of containerized living Christmas trees such as Blue Spruce, Monterey Pine, Cedar Deodar and Eldarica Pine. Pre-cut Noble and Nordmann firs are also available. Enjoy Christmas holiday

music, free hot chocolate on cold nights, giant inflatables and Christmas decorations throughout the farm, and free candy cane treats.

Green Thumb Nursery 23734 Newhall Ave., Santa Clarita Info greenthumb.com

Green Thumb is a family-owned local lot that prides itself on being a “full-service operation.”

The company has been helping Santa Clarita Valley families find a tree for nearly 50 years, and in addition to a wealth of experience, the lot offers Douglas, Noble and Nordmann firs, which come fresh from the Pacific Northwest.

Green Thumb will offer help picking the tree, taking it down, “netting” the tree to make it easier to transport and then loading it on top of the family station wagon. (MC) 

By Jim Walker Signal Staff Writer

Gift of Experiences Giving the Gift of Experiences

Recent psychological research indicates that experiences bring more happiness than possessions do. And so, following that thinking, one of this year’s trends in gift-giving is to give experiences.

These are things that can be enjoyed by the recipient alone or, even better, shared with friends and family, and relived and remembered in smiles and photos long after the latest iPhone might be recycled and forgotten.

And, quite often, giving an experience might save you money as compared to pricey tech items that might not survive the first fumble.

Here we list six imaginative experiences that can be enjoyed by most of the family, and none of them is too expensive. We’ll start out with a couple easy, observatory types for L.A. sports fans, and then take you into those with an otherworldly, SciFi or Jurassic flavor.

Tour of Dodger Stadium

For full-on Dodger fans or those with a mild curiosity, a 90 minute tour of the beautiful Dodger Stadium complex is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Highlights include a trip down to the field, a visit to the center field plaza and pavilions, a look at the 2020 World Series trophy and a walk through the team Trophy Gallery, and a visit to the Vin Scully Press Box, “where the story of Dodger baseball is covered from every angle.”

Adult tour tickets are $25, children 14 and under $20, seniors over 55 $20, military $20, and children 3 and under free. Pregame tours, $40, also include

access to the Dodger Dugout AR Experience, and early entry to watch Dodger batting practice and/or warmup exercises.

Info www.mlb.com/dodgers/ballpark/tours, Tour of SoFi Stadium

Ram fans, Charger fans and those seeking an AR-enhanced tour of LA’s cutting edge professional stadium will enjoy a visit to SoFi. Tours offer a behind-the-scenes look at the venue’s most exclusive areas, including the premium suites, locker rooms, player entry tunnel and more. All of this is enhanced by Augmented Reality technology, so you can feel a part of the action.

The 60 minute guided tour ($39) includes the above, plus a trip through the Kinsey Collection art exhibit.

The Combination Tour ($49) includes the 60 minute guided tour, plus a tunnel run experience, plus field access, locker room access (subject to availability), and a tour of the Kinsey Collection art exhibit.

The All Access tour ($59) includes all of the combo tour highlights plus a $15 shop or eat voucher and a catch AR photo ($15 value).

Info www.sofistadium.com/stadium-toursW Astra Lumina

Astra Lumina is described as “an enchanted night walk amongst the stars.” Running Dec. 8 through Jan. 15 at the South Coast Botanic Garden, “The stars are descending from the night sky. Set off across mysterious grounds to discover a celestial pathway of lustrous light, cosmic visions, and astral song.

Immerse yourself in illuminating encounters of lighting, projection and sound, and connect with the stars before they return to the sky above.” For a better idea of what all that means, visit youtube/ R4WWjRR5sC8 to watch a short video clip.

The venue is open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the tour takes about 60 minutes. All ages are welcome. Children ages 4-12 $20, adults 13 and older $29, and senior/student/military $24. Onsite parking $20. Offsite parking (with shuttle) $8.

Info astraluminalosangeles.com/.

Stranger Things, the Experience

Located in Montebello and running through February 2023, this venue is for fans of the Stranger Things show, and anyone else looking to enjoy an interactive thrill. “Immerse yourself in Stranger Things and be the hero in an interactive experience where you will unlock your powers to save Hawkins alongside your favorite characters. Enjoy an 80s-style medley of locations and fan-favorite

PHOTO COURTESY SOFI STADIUM

PHOTO COURTESY

moments with merchandise, food and drinks, photo ops, interactive performers, and more surprises. Enjoy a stunning production with talented actors, immersive sets and impressive special effects.”

The experience runs about 45 minutes and is recommended for ages 13 and up. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Children under 5 will not be admitted. Wednesdays through Fridays 4 - 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets run from $49 to $85 and dates are selling out.

Info bit.ly/3iizzYc.

Area15

Yes, that’s 15 and not 51, but probably as close as copyright allows. Area15, located in Las Vegas, offers a selection of experiences, a few of which should entice anyone. There are soaring “rides,” an arcade, axe throwing, a full bar, food, sound and light spectaculars, and much more. “Throw and axe, improve your golf swing, hunt down zombies, fly up or around, alter your perception or enter into immersive worlds. Can’t decide? Book a self-guided Experience Bundle.”

Entry is free during certain hours, however, an Entry Pass is required and the pass does not include access to any of the ticketed experiences, rides or events. During other hours you must purchase your Entry Pass unless you have tickets to rides or experiences or events. With far too much to experience in one visit, various levels of bundled activity passes range from $49 to $139. Open until midnight and beyond daily (21+ after 10 p.m.). Info area15.com.

Dinos Alive

Also located in Montebello, Dinos Alive features more than 80 life-sized animated dinosaurs. Im-

merse yourself in a journey to the Jurassic period and see the dinosaurs in their natural habitat, enhanced by the latest VR technology. You can also dive into the seas with video mapping technology in the virtual aquarium. Kids can enjoy the Budding Experts interactive space, where they can become paleontologists. Kids and grownups will learn about the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods in a fun and interactive way.

The experience runs from December through

January and will take you about 60 to 75 minutes. All ages are welcome and those under 3 don’t need a ticket. General admission is $20 and VIP admission $28. Group bundles reduce the individual prices. The VIP admission allows you to skip the entry line and includes the VR experience and a magnetic poster. Dino rides have an additional cost. Daytime hours only, which vary by day and holidays. Info dinosalivelosangeles.com.

PHOTO COURTESY STRANGER THINGS THE EXPERIENCE

Holiday Travel Updates

Busy, Expensive But Better

By Jim Walker Signal Staff Writer

With gas prices, hotel prices and airfares trending a bit downward from their highest levels earlier this year, they are still well above pre-pandemic prices. And the experts always recommend that you book your flights and hotels well in advance of your trips to save money.

We mention that here, but the truth is, we’re past Thanksgiving, and there isn’t much “advance” left for Christmas and New Year traveling. With that being said, things are looking up for holiday travel in many ways — but things will also be busy. So, every day-earlier you can book will benefit you.

Travel is Back

The big travel-downer of the last couple years was, of course, Covid. And, though the bug is still with us, travel restrictions relating to it have eased dramatically. This, naturally, has led to a rebound in all types of travel, domestic and foreign. Travel for Christmas and New Year celebrations this holiday season is expected to be at or above pre-pandemic levels.

The American Automobile Association notes that, “Road trips remain the top mode of travel during the holidays, with over 100 million planning to head to their destinations in cars despite gas costing $1.25 per gallon more than a year ago. More than 6 million people are expected to travel by air, while 3 million people are booking buses, trains and cruises.”

Covid Still a Concern

The CDC recommends that you are up to date on your Covid vaccines before you travel interna-

tionally, and that you follow its guidelines before and after your trip, including those relating to test ing and masking.

You should also stay informed of CDC travel rec ommendations by destination that will warn you about high Covid transmission rates in an area. All of these recommendations also apply to domestic travel, with an added emphasis on checking transmission rates in the area of your destination.

Air Travel

The cost of air travel is up significantly this year, owing to increased fuel costs and increased demand. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics notes that, “adjusted for inflation, the second quarter 2022 fare is up 22.0% from the second quarter 2021 fare of $326.” International fares are up as well.

As noted, domestic air travel and international air travel are expected to be at or above pre-pandemic levels this holiday season. And while you will certainly remember, and may have experienced firsthand, the massive number of flight cancellations earlier this year, these were, in large part, caused by staffing shortages. Consequently, the airlines have been hiring more pilots and other personnel, and some are offering fewer flights to reduce staffing issues.

If the early results from Thanksgiving travel are any indication, the staff-related flight cancellations should not be a concern this Christmas or New Year’s. But things will be busy, and weather-caused cancellations are always a consideration.

Christmas and New Year’s Day both fall on Sundays this season. And that will affect when people chose to fly. Flights on the Friday and Saturday before Christmas, and even the Thursday before, should book out early and be packed. The same

will hold for return flights on the Monday and Tuesday after Christmas. Travel for New Year’s should follow the same pattern.

Travel by Car

There is little need to inform you how gas prices will affect your automobile trips this holiday season. You watch those prices closely. However, gas prices at your destination, especially if out of California, may be notably less, which is a pleasant thought.

As reported in CNN Business in November, “… prices for airfares, gas and hotel rooms are down from the record highs hit earlier in 2022, but they’re still among the highest on record for this time of year. Only rental car prices are lower than what travelers were paying at the end of last year, although they’re still far above pre-pandemic levels.”

As with flights, you probably should have booked your auto-trip hotels some time ago, but there are still deals to be had if you search carefully online. Or, you can just sleep in your old room at Mom and Dad’s place. 

Choosing Your Mode of Travel

People planning a trip may be considering whether to drive or fly and wondering which is the better value. Each mode of travel has its pluses and minuses and associated costs.

When gauging whether to drive or fly, think of the outright and ancillary costs of each type of travel. For example, driving costs associated with vacationing can include fuel, vehicle maintenance, hotel stays, food costs, and tolls.

Costs related to flying are ticket prices, any additional checked bag fees, parking at the airport/ transportation to and from the airport, terminal food costs, and rental car needs.

It is often less expensive to drive, particularly if a person can share fuel costs with another traveler and if the trip can be made with as few stopovers as possible. However, flying can be a more frugal option for solo travelers who can capitalize on flexible schedules and discounted tickets. (MC)

Hop Aboard the Holiday Light Tour with Santa Clarita Transit

By Ken Striplin Santa Clarita City Manager

This week, see Santa Clarita in a whole new way when you take a one-of-a-kind ride on the Holiday Light Tour. Offered each year by Santa Clarita Transit, the Holiday Light Tour allows you to experience the magic of the holidays by seeing a variety of festive light displays throughout our community.

You will be able to ride comfortably on a Santa Clarita Transit vehicle — or even our classic wood trolley — for a festive tour of some of the best displays of holiday décor in the City of Santa Clarita.

The Holiday Light Tour will take place from December 16-18 beginning at 6 p.m., each night. The tour takes approximately 45 minutes and begins and ends at the McBean Regional Transit Center (Valencia Boulevard just west of McBean Parkway). Tours will depart every 15 minutes with the final one beginning at 9 p.m.

The Holiday Light Tour really is a magical way to connect with your friends and neighbors here in Santa Clarita. Last month, we saw thousands of residents visit Old Town Newhall for the City’s an-

Seating on the tour is available on a first come, first served basis only. Tickets can be purchased when you board for $3 per person, but the ticket price will be waived for those who bring a canned food item to donate.

All canned food donations will benefit the SCV Food Pantry. This way, you will be able to help a family with much needed items while you are making memories with your own.

The event is fun for the whole family and you are going to want to sit back and watch your children’s faces light up with each twinkling display they see as they get ready for the holidays to finally be here. Pack snacks, bring a blanket to get cozy and warm up your singing voice – you never know when the inspiration for caroling will strike!

While the Holiday Light Tour primarily takes you through residential neighborhoods, you will also see some business areas that have also been festively decorated. Even longtime residents are sure to discover a new location with holiday spirit in Santa Clarita.

After your tour is complete, make a plan to visit the City of Santa Clarita’s holiday displays in Old Town Newhall. From the Santa Clarita Public Library Old Town Newhall Branch to the end of Main Street, you can experience a one-of-a-kind Winter Wonderland of dazzling lights and decorations through the end of the year.

Enjoy the magic of the season, right here in Santa Clarita with your loved ones. Happy Holidays!

Ken Striplin can be reached at kstriplin@santaclarita.com. The views expressed in his column are those of the City and do not necessarily reflect those of The Signal.

nual Light Up Main Street event, and the Holiday Light Tour builds off that festivity and camaraderie by taking you on a journey through different Santa Clarita neighborhoods.

HOLIDAY

By Michele E. Buttelman Signal Staff Writer

Oil played a significant role in the Hanukkah story, the small jug of oil that miraculously provided fuel for the Temple Menorah for eight days. It is tradition to eat foods that use oil and dairy during Hanukkah. I recently reconnected with an old college friend who shared a few of the easy desserts she makes every year to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah.

Caramel Glazed Applesauce Donuts

Drop donuts

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. soft butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

Oil for frying

Caramel glaze:

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cups caramel sauce

2 tbsp. milk

Whisk the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

With a hand mixer cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beat until smooth. Add applesauce and vanilla extract. Mix.

Add in the flour mixture, in small amounts, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix, your donuts will be tough.

Heat three to four inches of oil in a deep, heavy bottomed pot or deep fryer to 375 F.

Drop batter, one tablespoon at a time, into the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pot, only cook four to five donuts at a time. Fry until golden brown, flipping once halfway.

Remove cooked donuts from oil with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel lined plate to cool. Mix ingredients for caramel glaze in a small bowl.

Dip cooled donuts into glaze.

Easiest Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)

1 Roll of store-bought regular biscuit dough (not the flaky biscuit kind)

Oil for frying Powdered sugar

1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jam

Let dough sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling out on a floured surface. Roll 1/2-inch thick, then cut out 3-inch circles using a round cookie-cutter.

Heat oil in a pot or deep fryer to 370 F. Fry discs until each side is a deep brown. Test to ensure inside is not doughy.

Cool donuts on a paper towel. Then, fill cooled donuts using a squeeze bottle with jam.

Tip Warm jam in microwave for 30 seconds to make it easier to squeeze into donuts).

Sprinkle donuts with powdered sugar.

Gelt Fudge

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

Combine chocolate chips and condensed milk in bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. If more time is required, continue heating in increments of 10 seconds. Stir in vanilla and salt. Spread into a dish lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Cut fudge into desired shapes and wrap in foil. Refrigerate fudge until ready to eat. 

Recipes courtesy Miriam Hersh

Breakfast for Dinner

tomatoes, water and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.

To make huevos rancheros: In medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat oil, swirling to coat bottom. Cook eggs 3-4 minutes, or until whites are set and edges are fully cooked.

Place one tortilla on each plate. Top each tortilla with beans and one egg, being careful not to break yolk. Gently top each egg with warm salsa, cheese and avocado slices.

Sprinkle each serving with cilantro and serve with lime wedge, if desired.

Egg, Avocado and Black Bean Breakfast Burritos

Servings 4

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/3 cups liquid egg whites

1 can (15 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

4 whole-wheat tortillas (6 inches, lowest sodium available)

2 medium avocados, sliced

1/4 cup hot sauce or salsa (lowest sodium available, optional)

Despite busy lives and full schedules, finding time for regular meals with loved ones encourages connections and conversations that can benefit mental and physical well-being. Gathering your family, friends, coworkers or neighbors at least once a week to spend time together over a meal provides opportunities to decompress and socialize.

If you’re looking for a little delicious inspiration, the American Heart Association recommends scheduling one night per week to create a recurring tradition and enjoy favorites such as breakfast for dinner. The Egg, Avocado and Black Bean Breakfast Burritos recipe is from the Healthy for Good Eat Smart initiative, nationally supported by Eggland’s Best.

Meals don’t have to be elaborate for a successful evening together. Despite the perceived effort involved with preparing a meal, research published in “Preventive Medicine” shows those who have frequent meals with others, particularly parents with their children, may improve social and emotional well-being.

To find recipe ideas, conversation starters and more tips for mealtime, visit heart.org/together. (Family Features)

Huevos Rancheros

Servings 4

Salsa

1 teaspoon canola oil

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1/2 cup diced poblano pepper, seeds and ribs discarded

1 small fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs discarded, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Huevos Rancheros

1 teaspoon canola oil

4 large eggs

4 corn tortillas (6 inches), warm

1 can (15 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup shredded low-fat Mexican cheese blend

1 small avocado, quartered and sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1 medium lime, cut into four wedges (optional)

To make salsa In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil, swirling to coat bottom. Cook onion 2 minutes, or until almost soft, stirring frequently. Cook poblano and jalapeno peppers 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic. Cook 1 minute. Stir in

Lightly spray large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat.

In skillet, stir egg whites constantly with rubber spatula to scramble. Cook until eggs are almost set. Add beans, stirring until combined and heated through.

Microwave tortillas on high 45 seconds. Transfer to work surface.

Spread egg mixture in center of each tortilla. Top with the avocado and hot sauce, if desired.

For each burrito, fold two sides of tortilla toward center. Starting from closest unfolded side, roll burrito toward remaining unfolded side to enclose filling. Transfer with seam side down to plates.

Egg, Avocado and Black Bean Breakfast Burritos

NYE Show: Prince Tribute by Prince Again

It doesn’t get more legendary than the music of Prince. When the iconic performer passed in 2016, the world mourned the loss of the multi-instrumentalist savant who was well ahead of his time musically.

Whether you were a fan of Prince’s irrevocable style, or only discovered his catalog after his passing, Prince Again is a show for all to enjoy.

Prince’s hits smashed the Billboard Charts and created memories for generations — after all,

Prince penned arguably some of the best songs in music history; with tracks such as Little Red Corvette, 1999, Kiss, Cream, Diamonds & Pearls, I Wanna Be Your Lover and the iconic Purple Rain.

With no doubt that Prince Again will pay homage in a party fashion, audiences are guaranteed to be on their feet from start to finish. Fans will revisit and keep those purple memories alive along with creating new ones in deference to the Prince. Don your Raspberry Beret, recreate the magic of

Prince live on your stage or at your special event and make a beeline for this fantastic live show which punches out all of the icon’s top numbers, dance moves and stagecraft with perfection.

You can see Prince Again live at The Canyon Santa Clarita on December 31. Tickets are available online through AXS, over the phone at (888) 645-5006, and in person at the Canyon Santa Clarita box office. For more information, visit www. wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com. 

ENTERTAINMENT

Shannon, Chastain Deliver Impressive Performances

By Richard Roeper Signal Contributing Writer

‘George & Tammy’ (out of four)

Airing Sundays on Showtime and streaming on Showtime platforms.

If you added up all the scandals, fights, affairs, betrayals, legal troubles, bouts with addiction, backstage dramatics and onstage antics depicted in “Ray,” “Walk the Line,” “Respect,” “Elvis,” “Fosse/ Verdon,” and let’s throw in the fictional “A Star Is Born” as well to make it a fair fight, “George & Tammy” might have the lot of ‘em beat, put together.

Over the course of this Showtime six-part limited series, we’re equal parts entertained and exhausted by the trials and tribulations of country music legends George Jones (Michael Shannon) and Tammy Wynette (Jessica Chastain), and we’re not sure which is more impressive: that George and Tammy were responsible for so much enduring music, or they were able to even stand up and perform on a semi-regular basis.

George Jones was one of the biggest names in country music in the mid20th century and had more than 150 charted singles in his career, but he was also a self-destructive, sometimes violent alcoholic and drug addict with a long history of missing shows and squandering his fortune before staging yet another comeback.

Tammy Wynette was an enormously popular country music icon with the signature song “Stand By Your Man” and dozens of other hits, but she was plagued by health issues, became addicted to painkillers, endured dozens of operations, was involved in a number of tumultuous marriages and famously claimed to have been kidnapped, among other controversial incidents.

Separately, they were train wrecks; together, they were the Titanic meets the iceberg, yet through all the madness, they managed to make some beautiful music together

“George & Tammy” is at times overwrought, and the dialogue occasionally veers into soap opera territory, but thanks in large part to Shannon and Chastain delivering powerful, fiery,

larger-than-life performances suitable for the characters they’re portraying, it’s a compelling period-piece melodrama, filled with impressive musical performances.

Created by Abe Sylvia (who wrote “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” for which Chastain won an Oscar), with all six episodes helmed by longtime music video director John Hillcoat (his extensive credits go all the way back to co-directing Elvis Costello’s “Veronica” in 1989), “George & Tammy” isn’t subtle about piling on with the wigs and costumes and cars and interior designs of the 1960s and 1970s.

The series kicks off with a graphic telling us, “In the late ‘60s, George Jones was the undisputed king of country music … but he was slipping. Then he met a former hairdresser just starting to climb the charts. Her name was Virginia Pugh ... better known as Tammy Wynette.”

Cut to a drunken George stumbling onto the stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in 1968 and singing with Roy Acuff (the great Tim Blake Nelson in a quick cameo) as the promising young star Tammy Wynette races to the auditorium just in time to catch George performing “White Lightning.” Tammy’s a goner. George is everything. And once George meets Tammy, he’s a goner, too.

Before you can sing a chorus of Wynette’s “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” Tammy is leaving her volatile husband and songwriting partner, Don Chapel (Pat Healy), collecting her kids and running off with George, and off we

go on a Greatest Hits medley chronicling their tumultuous love affair and the recording and performing of such No. 1 classics as “We’re Gonna Hold On,” “Golden Ring” and “Two Story House,” the latter of which was recorded long after the pair had split. (As Tammy puts it, “Why should we let divorce ruin a perfectly good partnership?”)

While George often crawls inside of a bottle and Tammy’s dependence on painkillers (both pills and injections) turns into a crippling addiction, songwriter George “Rich” Richey (Steve Zahn) insinuates himself into Tammy’s life, first as her colleague, friend and self-appointed protector, eventually as her husband. (Richey is portrayed as an absolute garbage human being whose manipulation and abuse of Tammy is horrific and downright criminal. The likable Zahn, who is most closely associated with playing affable goofs, gives a chillingly effective performance here.)

The songs are often employed as literal commentaries on what’s happening in the personal lives of George and Tammy, e.g., when George is a no-show for their heavily hyped Vegas debut, Tammy wades into the crowd and sings “Stand By Your Man,” winning the audience over one member at a time.

Shannon and Chastain do their own vocals, recorded live, and while no one would expect either one of them to match the majestic talents of the stars they’re portraying, they acquit themselves well. And though we find ourselves wondering time and again why these two didn’t quit one another much sooner than they did, we understand the power of the bond between them. George and Tammy made some memorable music when they were happy, and even more memorable music when they were miserable. Their entire union feels like one gigantic country song. 

Copyright 2022 Chicago Sun-Times

PHOTO

hristmas carols can be heard far and wide from Thanksgiving weekend through Christmas Day. “The 12 Days of Christmas” is one of the most recognizable carols, and for good reason, as the popular song can trace its history back several centuries.

Researchers have traced the earliest printed version of the poem on which the song is based all the way back to 1780. That’s three years before the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which officially ended the American Revolutionary War.

The song has long been suspected to have been a way for Catholics in Britain to teach their children the catechism, as the 1700s was a contro-

versial period for Catholicism in the country. However, no documentary evidence exists in support of that theory, and many historians feel it is inaccurate.

Others indicate that, while 1780 is likely the first time the poem was printed, the poem is likely much older than that with origins potentially in France or Scotland.

What is known is that the version many people recognize today, namely in song form, can be traced to the early twentieth century, when English singer and composer Frederic Austin first popularized the melody for the song. Austin performed that version of the song beginning in 1905, and it was first published in 1909. 

Photo by Doug Mangun

Photo by Dan Harding

SENIOR LIVING

Retirement is a life-changing experience. For some older adults it can be relaxing, for others it can be energizing. But it should never be stressful.

But retirement in the United States can be expensive, and even savvy seniors who have budgeted for this phase of their lives may feel squeezed in areas such as housing and health care. COVID-19 has made things even harder for many.

Many older Americans who have worked hard all their lives are unaware that they qualify for a range of public and private benefits to help pay for food, medicine, utilities and many more essentials that ensure a safe and stable retirement.

Every year, $30 billion in benefits go unclaimed because eligible older adults don’t know the programs exist or how to apply.

These programs are not scams, and they are not loans. They are legitimate public and private funds designed to help older adults boost their budgets.

The National Council on Aging is the nation’s oldest and most trusted nonprofit working on behalf of seniors. It offers the latest information on benefits programs on its free and confidential website, BenefitsCheck Up.org.

The site includes a simple search

tool to help retirees and their caregivers safely and securely identify programs that may help meet their financial needs. There are benefits that help pay for medication and other health care costs (including home care and nursing home care), as well as food, housing, and utilities.

For those living on a fixed income, an extra $200-$300 a month can make a significant difference in their standard of living and quality of life.

Approximately half of all Medicare beneficiaries live on incomes below $26,200 a year. For those who qualify, Medicare’s special programs can save them thousands of dollars annually on their premiums, medications, deductibles, and co-pays.

BenefitsCheckUp.org also includes information on employment and volunteer programs, programs for veterans, property tax relief, travel and recreation discounts, and support for families and caregivers.

Interested older adults can visit ncoa.org/Boost to start their free BenefitsCheckUp. Or they can connect with one of NCOA’s local community organizations across the country for in-person assistance. Partners can be found on ncoa.org/ Map. (NewsUSA) 

Holiday Gifts Made From Your Garden

Personal, handmade gifts are always the best, and as gardeners, we have many options to choose from. Of course, the more you plan ahead, the more materials you’ll have to work with. Here is a selection of garden gift ideas sure to please everyone on your list.

Use your herbs. Dried herbs packed in pretty glass jars are a welcome gift for the foodies on your list. Easy-todry favorites include bay leaves, tarragon, sage, and thyme. Stored in a cool, dry location, these herbs will hold their flavors for a year or two.

Teas can be made using herbs harvested from your garden. Dry the leaves by bundling and hanging them, or spreading them out on a piece of cheesecloth or an old window screen.

Popular tea plants include holy basil, also known as tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), mint of any kind (Mentha spp.) and anise hyssop (Agastache foe-

niculum). Package a couple of bags of dried tea leaves with a tea strainer and voilà! — a perfect gift for a tea lover.

Herbal vinegars are versatile and easy to make. Start by packing a glass jar with fresh herbs, stems and all. Basils, rosemary, tarragon, lemon thyme or garlic chives all make flavorful vinegars.

Heat a mild type of vinegar, such as rice vinegar, almost to a boil and pour it over the herbs. Cover and store your infusions in a cool dark place for 2 to

4 weeks, then strain and pour the flavored vinegars into decorative bottles. A holiday wreath, made using natural materials can last for weeks if hung on an outside door. You can start with a basic purchased wreath and augment with a variety of greens using a hot glue gun. From there, the list of possible adornments is endless. Cones, cayenne peppers, Thai peppers, okra pods, broom corn, dry wheat or rye stalks, coneflower seed heads, acorns and gourds are popular embellishments.

Grow gourds. Not only are they beautiful and interesting as is, they can be dried and decorated for use as holiday ornaments. Cut gourds from the vine when they are mature, leaving an inch or two of stem, and wash and rinse them. Place them where they will get good air circulation and turn them every week or two. Or, hang them from a fence or from tree branches.

Succulents are easy to propagate. Simply take a cutting and poke it into moist soil, keeping it moist until the

cutting develops roots. With many succulents, this happens within three to four weeks. Transplant your cuttings into small clay pots for attractive, easy-care gift plants.

Seeds from your garden, placed in envelopes decorated with a photo of the plant, are great gifts for gardener friends. Let a few of your plants go to seed for this purpose.

Keep in mind that the seeds of flowering plants that are insect-pollinated may produce flowers or fruits that differ from those on the parent plant.(Home Garden Seed Association) 

Herbal tea

PUZZLES

SOLUTIONS

READER LETTERS

If I Am a Liberal...

So let me get this right. If I am a liberal, after this last election, I believe that people of all ages can’t make a decision whether to vape or smoke flavored products (Proposition 31 passed with almost two-thirds of votes) yet across the land we are being pushed to believe that 12- and 14-year-olds should be able to decide what sex they want to be. They can’t think for themselves about smoking, but can make a sound decision changing their sex! Hummm!

You can go to war for this country at 18, but can't buy tobacco products. Hummmm!

If I am liberal, I voted to have the personal right to have an abortion at any trimester, yet I voted to give the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors my vote as to who or who may not be sheriff of L.A. County! I gave them the power to fire someone I voted into office! Hummmm!

Eighteen is when most states say you are an adult. After that you should be able to make decisions about smoking, abortion, voting and sex changes by medical measures! Period! Wake up people! We are giving away all of our individual rights and giving those in government the right to make all those decisions for us.

Wake up soon, or you will be living the nightmare.

Ronald Perry Canyon Country

An Interesting Overlap

Millions of otherwise sane people were vexed by Donald Trump enough to vote for a corrupt, creepy, incompetent alternative who, in just one month, asked to speak to a dead woman, claimed he was raised by Puerto Ricans, had to be escorted off stage, wandered off during a hurricane briefing and claimed his son “lost his life in Iraq.”

Consider further that millions of otherwise sane people were vexed by COVID — a germ rarely fatal even to the elderly or infirmed — enough to stand on dots, trust in Plexiglas, follow arrows around stores, wear worthless homemade masks, close down schools and businesses, force an experimental drug on everyone (including immune people), close parks and beaches, fire nurses and doctors, issue vaccine “passports” for something that prevented neither infection nor transmission, borrow and spend and inflate the currency unconscionably, and then fear/hate/muzzle anyone who dared to disagree.

Next: Consider how much these two groups overlapped.

Lastly: Consider how much the senile guy in the first paragraph advocated for all of the mindless madness in the second paragraph, and how major media, tech giants, and government bureaucrats censored and advocated for both.

Rob Kerchner Valencia

ETHICALLY SPEAKING

It Matters How You Christmas

Ican remember back in 1994 when, for the first time, a family asked the question, “Will you be holding services on Christmas since it falls on a Sunday?” When I assured them we would be gathering for worship, their response was “Oh good! We’ll be there!”

Since then, in 2011, 2016 and as recently as a few days ago, that same question has been raised with increasing frequency. But now, my response of “Absolutely we will be gathering to celebrate the faithfulness of God the Father in sending God the Son!” garners a shocked response. “Really? Don’t you know families have important traditions on Christmas morning?”

Turns out I do know about family traditions. Growing up our Christmas season was all about certain gatherings we attended, special goodies we ate, beautiful songs we sang, and most of all, a certain baby we celebrated. I still insist Jesus was born on Christmas Eve, clamor for stollen and springerle, and I even remember some of the words to “Stille Nacht,” and “O Tannenbaum.”

We celebrated on Christmas Eve, and as children we struggled to contain our energy as my father would read several Old Testament prophecies and their New Testament fulfillment texts before we could open our gifts. And yes, we also attended the Christmas morning service at our church even though I had a hard time listening knowing that new basketball was waiting for me at home.

But somehow, despite the joy they brought, those traditions never replaced what they were meant to celebrate. After all, Christmas in our home was always about the faithfulness of God the Father in fulfilling his promise to send God the Son into the world to save his people from the power and penalty of their sin.

So, when folks ask if we’re having church services on Christmas Sunday, I know a couple things. First, I know they really don’t know me, or our philosophy of ministry at Grace Baptist Church. If they knew either, they’d know the answer without asking. And second, I understand the tension families today face when it comes to making a sincere religious ethic a life priority.

Savior. That doesn’t mean family traditions aren’t important, but it does mean that exalting Christ in those traditions must always be our priority. As Kevin DeYoung has said, “Family is a gift, not a god.”

Second, in a time when our society is lurching away from a theistic worldview and the truth of natural law that flows from it, and our children are being bombarded with the images and ideology proclaiming that the psychologized, me-centered self is now sovereign, the way families celebrate Christmas matters.

As a country we are reeling from the pervasive absurdity that has so recently become dogma. The effects of removing the guardrails of truth and love that have historically been derived from a theistic view of the world are clear for all to see. Natural law and its undeniable facts have been thrown out with yesterday’s trash and it feels like we’re all living inside a perpetual episode of “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Spoiler alert: The emperor is naked, and so is the progressive ideology of wokism that is, for some reason, threatening to make cowards of us all.

I’m not suggesting that celebrating Christmas for what it really is and has always been will stop the this flood of silly irrationality. But I do believe putting some historical reality into our lives and those of our children will help us find some stability in the foundations of truth and tradition.

How you and I do Christmas really does matter. For almost 2,000 years, the world – not just us! – has taken time to build traditions, write songs, hold festivals, and engage in joyful celebrations to remember and commemorate that night outside Bethlehem when the most significant event in human history occurred. Are we really ready to say those who do so both intentionally and reverently are “on the wrong side of history?”

Because Christmas falls on Sunday we’ll be open for the business of worship, reverence and celebration. Join us if you can, but whatever you do, take some time to reflect on the historical reality that makes Christmas, Christmas. And when you do, you’ll be joining with millions around the world who are doing the same thing.

Submit a Letter to the Editor

Include name, address & phone; Anonymous letters aren’t printed; email: letters@signalscv.com.

At the risk of offending some, here are a few reasons we’ll be gathering and celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas Sunday this year.

First, as I’ve already said, Christmas is – and has always been! – about God’s gift to us of a

Merry Christmas!

Local resident David Hegg is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church. “Ethically Speaking” appears Sundays. 

OpinionUnless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent the views of The Signal.