Should you feed winter wildlife?
Board games make a comeback
Fake trees serve a real purpose
A GUIDE FOR LIVING IN SIOUXLAND
DECK THE HALLS NEW IDEAS FOR A NEW HOME
COZY UP WITH A GOOD BOOK DECEMBER 2016
SIOUXLAND LIFE IS ON THE WEB! VISIT WWW.SIOUXCITYJOURNAL.COM/SIOUXLANDLIFE
Managing Obesity with Bariatric Surgery Obesity is a global problem, more so in the United States. By recent estimates, nearly two-thirds of adults are overweight (Body Mass Index or BMI >25), and one-third, or half of those, are obese (BMI>30). The prevalence of obesity has increased exponentially in the last 30 years (4 percent to 67 percent). What’s more frightening? Childhood obesity has increased by more than 400 percent in the same period. Not surprisingly, obesity is associated with many diseases, affecting almost every system of the body: high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary artery disease, increased risk of stroke and heart attacks, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, sudden death, back pain, arthritis, limited mobility, gallstones, acid reflux and cancer, just to name a few. Several studies have shown that diet, exercise and medical means only provide temporary weight loss, with a tendency for the weight to bounce back once the intense period of dieting or medication is done. Bariatric (weight loss) surgery, in combination with diet and exercise, has been proven to provide a long-term solution to this problem. Surgery helps in the initial stages with rapid weight loss, allowing people to get more active, and adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle plan, thus continue the weight loss. Weight loss after bariatric surgery improves the overall quality of life tremendously, as it helps with virtually all of the comorbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis, etc. It has been proven to help with fertility issues as well. Bariatric surgery reduces the size of the stomach to limit the amount of food eaten at one time. This is the main mechanism by which weight loss is achieved. In addition, procedures such as gastric bypass also bypass a portion of the intestine, providing additional benefits. Three bariaTric procedures are commonly performed in The uniTed sTaTes: 1. laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: The surgeon puts an adjustable band around the top part of stomach, which can be loosened or tightened by injecting water into a port that is placed in a pocket beneath the skin. Tightening it would ensure that food passes through slowly and lets you feel full longer, causing weight loss.
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2. laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy: this procedure staples and removes about 80 percent of the stomach, leaving a “sleeve� of stomach behind. This sleeve does not stretch much and holds very small amounts of food at a time. The idea is the same: to get full by eating less. It works very well for long-term and sustained weight
loss. This procedure produces changes in hormones that reduce appetite. 3. laparoscopic roux-en-y gastric bypass: this procedure combines the restrictive and malabsorptive techniques. A large portion of stomach is closed off,
SIOUXLAND LIFE
leaving a small pouch to receive the food. The small intestine is then cut below the duodenum and attached to this pouch, so that food passes directly to this portion, bypassing the duodenum. The duodenum and remaining small intestine are then reattached further downstream, allowing digestive juices to act on the food. This procedure works very well for weight loss, but is especially useful for long standing diabetes and acid reflux as well. Bariatric surgery has been around for a long time, and has proven to be an effective solution for long-term weight loss. The weight loss makes it easier on the joints and allows people to start getting active again. On average, diabetic and hypertensive medications are cut in half immediately after surgery, and titrated individually from then onward. The resulting energy, when combined with healthy eating, continues this positive cycle, and can improve quality of life tremendously, reducing reliance on medications and, in many cases, eliminating some medicines completely. The likelihood of that would depend on the duration and severity of conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, etc. If you are thinking about weight loss surgery but have doubts or questions, a bariatric surgeon can help. You can discuss your options; compare all the procedures with their potential side effects, risks versus benefits of surgery, etc. You can get these and many other questions answered including chances of having laparoscopic versus open surgery, hospital stay, post-operative recovery, diet, and many others. The surgeon and their office can also help guide you through the insurance process, and fulfill the requirements necessary to get you approved for surgery. So, if you have been struggling with weight gain for a long time, have tried medical means that have partially worked or not worked at all, and are considering weight loss surgery, schedule your appointment with a Bariatric surgeon today!
CONTENTS December
2016
Got that baking done? Are all the presents under the tree? Do you know what the family will do when everyone’s home? There are lots of questions to be answered in a short period of time. Hopefully, Siouxland Life can help with some of them. This month, we take a look at the holiday season and what it means to Siouxlanders. We’ll give you a few decorating hints, some food ideas and, maybe, a smile or two to brighten a cold winter’s day. Happy holidays!
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BAUBLES AND BANGLES Ornaments have special meaning for several Siouxlanders, particularly when they’ve been collecting specific ones for years.
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GENERATIONS Families share recipes throughout generations — they’re one of the reasons people love to gather during the holidays.
4 ON THE COVER Mike and Connie Schmidt had help decorating their Whispering Creek home this year, thanks to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Tour of Homes. Take a peek inside and see how they brought their own personality to the season. Photograph by Jim Lee FEATURES 4 HOME above par 14 HOLIDAYS fake trees are OK 16 HOLIDAYS board games return 18 HOLIDAYS let there be light 20 HOLIDAYS home ready 23 HOLIDAYS special meaning 26 HOLIDAYS what to read
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HOLIDAYS good troops HOLIDAYS family recipes HOLIDAYS wildlife life ADVICE medical answers HEALTH staying fit PARTING SHOT
PUBLISHER Steve Griffith EDITOR Bruce Miller EDITORIAL Dolly A. Butz, Tim Gallagher, Earl Horlyk, Jackie Foster PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Hynds, Jim Lee, Justin Wan DESIGN Diane Cunningham, Jill McCarter ADVERTISING SALES Nancy Todd ADVERTISING DESIGN Kayla Fleming
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©2016 The Sioux City Journal. Siouxland Life is published monthly by The Sioux City Journal. For advertising information, please call (712) 224-6281. For editorial information, please call ((712) 293-4218.
STAY FIT Even if you can’t resist holiday goodies you can find a way to reduce their damage. We’ve got some clues.
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DECEMBER 2016
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HOME above
par
WITH THEIR WHISPERING CREEK VIEWS, GOLFERS
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DECEMBER 2016
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Mike and Connie Schmidt in their modern Sioux City home.
Text by Tim Gallagher | Photographs by Jim Lee
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SIOUX CITY | REAL estate, the saying goes, is all about “location, location, location.” That’s certainly true in the case of Mike and Connie Schmidt, whose spectacular home overlooks Whispering Creek Golf Club in Sioux City. Their expansive west-side windows nearly put the Schmidts, both avid golfers, on the luscious green fairways of one of Iowa’s top 18-hole courses, a layout dubbed “Iowa’s 18-hole Course of the Year in 2007” by the Iowa Golf Association. Fairways? Yes, plural. Fairways. “We can see holes 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 from here,” Mike Schmidt said while glancing west as the sun set, closing out yet another picture-perfect mid-November day. “We’ve also got the driving range right down below us.” The 2-year-old home featuring 3,715 square feet of finished living space towers above an edge of the course, a home nestled at the end of the Celtic Way cul de sac at Whispering Creek, nearly giving Mike and Connie the view commentators Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo enjoy from their tower while calling PGA action for CBS Sports. “It really is a wonderful view,” said Connie, who has two holes-in-one to her credit, one at Sioux City Country Club and one at Willow Creek Golf Course in Le Mars, Iowa, where the Schmidts resided for much of their 39 years of married life. “I have two holes-in-one, but Mike is the better golfer,” Connie said. The two don’t just roam the greens and fairways together, they’ve been on the move elsewhere throughout their family life; for when they worked with Rick Wegher of Brown Wegher Construction on planning and building this home (their third home with Wegher at the helm), it represented the 13th time in their 39 years the Schmidts would move. Connie smiled as Mike finished the statement, summing up their penchant for relocating. “I like to move,” she said.
Decorators add festive touches to the dining table.
The downstairs living area features several niches for photos or displays.
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The stage is set for holiday decorations on the dining table.
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Decorations in home of Mike and Connie Schmidt.
“Grass doesn’t grow under our feet.” The Schmidts raised their three children in Le Mars, Iowa, which was home base for both of them during their formative years. After their children left the nest to start their lives, the couple moved away from Willow Creek Golf Course and headed to Dakota Dunes, where they resided in three different homes over the past 13 years. Along the way, the Schmidts have enjoyed playing golf and making friends at the courses in Le Mars, Dakota Dunes and, now, at Whispering Creek. Mike is the director of business development, business health and
Mike Schmidt with a painting of him by his sister.
The PerfecT chrisTmas GifT - an in-home sPa Do you often dream of vacationing at a relaxing spa and unwinding in an oversized soaking tub or steam shower? Today’s home owners aren’t saving decadent spa experiences for once-a-year vacations anymore; they’re remodeling their own homes to have luxurious spa-like baths for everyday enjoyment. In fact, making the bathroom a place to slow down and relax is one of today’s most popular home remodeling projects. Bathroom remodels also add value to your home. Here are some bathroom tips and trends to help you design a bathroom that beckons you to relax and unwind
Wash the Day Away Home owners are knocking down walls to make their current bathroom larger, more functional and comfortable. Expanding the size of the room allows home owners to design “his and hers” private space, such as separate showers, deep double sinks, dual mirrors and adjustable vanities. Today’s showers offer more sophisticated features than ever before. More than ever, home owners are opting for showers with automatic temperature controls 8
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and frameless edges that present a clean look in the bathroom. For home owners yearning for a relaxing bath, consider a near total immersion whirlpool bathtub that continuously re-circulates heated water. Make the experience more enjoyable by listening to music from a surround sound entertainment system or speakers built into the shower head and wirelessly connected to your iPod or smart phone. Or, watch a flatscreen television that is built into your mirror or shower or tub wall.
Buck Tradition Home owners are including furniture like chaise lounges, chairs and recliners for reading and relaxing in their remodeled bathrooms. Even gas or simulated fireplaces are making their way into master baths to help complete the warm and inviting haven. Include nontraditional furniture such as an armoire for linen storage or as an entertainment center in your new bath. More home owners are selecting vintage pieces to use as vanities or for decorative accents such as towel racks or sitting chairs.
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Create One-of-a-Kind Designs Heated tile flooring will take the edge off stepping out of your warm shower or bathtub. For a personal touch brilliantly colored tile floors now come in myriad designs and materials. Not only are home owners using tile on the floor, but they are creating unique designs for the shower and tub area. To create the look on a budget, many home owners are opting to combine glass and porcelain tile to craft accents or borders that are more affordable. To help you create your perfect in-home retreat, find a professional remodeler at www. siouxlandhba.com/members/.
Todd Hagaman President
Todd Hagaman Construction
712-255-3852 siouxlandhba.com
The Bottom Line: Mothers Love Us
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Left: The master bedroom. Above: Mod House Interiors added festive touches for the holiday Tour of Homes.
rehabilitation services for Unity Point Health-St. Luke’s, while Connie serves as a senior vice president, retail manager for Northwest Bank, a locally owned full-service community bank. “We still maintain our membership at Willow Creek, too,” said Mike, explaining how the residential development at Whispering Creek offers quick travel access in all directions, being just short-iron shot away from Highway 75, Interstate 29 and Highway 20.
A HOME WITH A VIEW The home itself is a spacious, open marvel, featuring 12-foot ceilings and windows that cover much of the west side of both levels, opening up vistas that extend into the Morningside region of Sioux City. Doorways in the home are 10 feet tall, each featuring minimal woodwork, as do the Gerkin commercial windows, a feature of modern design the Schmidts sought. The living room on the upper level has a metal fireplace just left of a
Happy Holidays from your friends at the Home Builders Association!
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DECEMBER 2016
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flat-screen TV, allowing viewers to enjoy the visual delights of both while relaxing in the living room or in the kitchen. The fireplace, in its original state, looked like a piece of tin until a chemically-treated process by Wegner gave it a patina look and feel. It was then shaped and bent around a corner before being waxed smooth. The flooring is natural maple, a feature in the last three homes the couple has built. Natural maple wears incredibly well, according to Connie, and lightens up living space naturally. Oversized cherry cabinets stained in a dark espresso, or dark cherry finish, line the kitchen, which features a fourperson quartz countertop island and an induction stove, which heats quickly, yet remains cool to the touch, an important safety feature for both Mike and Connie and their children, who often visit with grandchildren in tow. “Only the pan gets hot,” said Connie, who likes to bake each week. “Mike is the cook,” she added, “and all three of our children love to cook!” A TOUR OF HOMES MASTERPIECE The master bedroom off the living room has a master bath featuring floating cabinets and a heated floor. LED illumination back-lights long, narrower mirrors in the master bath, and illuminate mirrors in the other bathrooms as well. The home, which was included on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Siouxland Annual Tour of Homes along with homes of Roz and Rob Koob, Dustin and Gretchen Cooper, Todd and Rhonda Moss, and Tyler and Christi Meeka, also boasts of original artwork in several rooms and hall spaces, works of Mike’s sister, Karen Schnepf, of Omaha, Nebraska. Her blend of colorful, modern and abstract paintings are completed in a resin process she patented, according to Lisa Kalaher, who worked with her design team from Mod House Interiors to ready the home for the holiday tour. “Lisa has sold her paintings in Europe and has had rugs made to complement her works,” Connie said.
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December 2016
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Bathroom niches are ideal for holiday decorations.
Works by Schnepf add incredible flair to the living room, dining area, the entryway, upper-level hallway, master bath and more, all done in Pavestone, the home’s primary color. One of Schnepf’s earliest works is immediately off the entryway, a coloredpencil creation from the early 1970s. The framed drawing shows brother Mike playing his tuba while a student at Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa, a period of time, ironically, where he was volunteering with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization of that community. Four decades later, Mike and Connie note they’re still working for a great organization by participating in the Tour of Homes. And while opening their home for the tour has been fun, it also represents a change for them. “We’re always visiting our children at Christmas,” Connie explained, noting how she and Mike haven’t decorated their home for the holidays for several years. “So, having Christmas decorations is something new.” A 48-inch wide stairway leads visitors downstairs to the lower-level living room
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and bar area that includes space for a wireless office. The lower level follows the modern design concept with immense window space, stained concrete flooring and 10-foot-tall ceilings that, like on the upper level, are wired for sound. “We put commercial windows in from Gerkin and, again, featured no woodwork in the windows,” Mike said. The two bedrooms downstairs have a walk-in closet, just like the bedrooms on the upper level. Those closets allow more than ample storage space for the couple. Coming from one of the basement bedrooms, Mike points west toward the doors, which, of course, feature glass. “It’s a walkout with the same great view,” said Mike, nodding to an area of wildflowers that arises on the western edge of their halfacre lot on the edge of the golf course. Upstairs, on the other side of the home, there are three windows in the entry, a trend that seems to be taking off at Whispering Creek. The home also features stone on the exterior, allowing the Schmidts to again fully embrace natural elements that surround this residence, the 13th they have enjoyed together.
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Downstairs bedroom in home of Mike and Connie Schmidt. Left: The master bathroom, including a makeup table.
The kitchen and dining room boast sleek designs and open spaces.
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HOLIDAYS fake
trees are OK
FAKE
FIR ARTIFICIAL CHRISTMAS TREES EMPHASIZE WARMTH, PERSONALITY
t
Text by Earl Horlyk | Photographs by Jim Lee
THIS TIME OF YEAR, Edna Mosher is all about festivities, foo-foo and fluff. According to the Earl May Nursery & Garden associate, festivities naturally come in the form of Christmas gatherings between family and friends. Foo-foo is simply the frilly, over-thetop decorations designed to make the holidays fun. And what does Mosher mean by fluff? “You gotta fluff an artificial tree a bit after it comes out of the box,” she said in the middle of the store’s 4101 War Eagle Drive showroom. “You want to make sure that all of the branches are out and not scrunched up.” As she unscrunches a tree, it’s clear Mosher knows a thing or two about the art of Christmas tree decoration. “I started in this business 40 years ago,” she said. “Back then, real trees were big. Nowadays, it’s the artificial tree that many people want.” OK, so what’s changed over the years? Mosher said convenience is a factor. After all, a cut tree needs some upkeep while an artificial tree requires less. Also, an artificial tree can be kept year after year. “I know people who simply keep their Christmas tree in the basement throughout the year,”Mosher said. “Put a cover over it and you’re good to go for next year.” But mostly, today’s artificial trees are of a better quality. “Our artificial trees look like, you guessed it, real Christmas trees,” she said with a smile. A WARM AND INVITING DESIGN Walking through a display of artificial trees, Mosher noted that many sport a longer, skinnier look. 14
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Earl May Nursery & Garden Center’s Edna Mosher said recommended fluffing an artificial Christmas tree after it’s been in a box Christmas time. That’s why Mosher emphasizes personality and creativity during the holiday season.
“It’s deliberate,” she said. “A tree that has a big bottom takes up a lot of unnecessary room in cramped spaces.” Another advantage to a slender tree? More room for more gifts. “That’s also true,” she noted. According to Mosher, the trend in Christmas decoration design is a return to nature. “I hesitate to call it a ‘country’ look,” she said as she pointed out trees boasting birds, pine cones and sparkly snowflakes. “It’s more of a traditional, warm look.” LIGHT UP YOUR HOLIDAYS This warm look continues with a type of lighting a person chooses. Mosher said many of her customers gravitate towards clear lights as opposed to a multicolored route. “While it’s very pretty to see multicolored lights blink on and off, clear lights continue to be more popular,” she said. Plus, clear lights are easier to detect when one goes out. “When you see one light go out, take care of it right away,” Mosher said.
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Earl May Nursery & Garden Center’s Edna Mosher said colorful, elegant decorations can elegance to your Christmas tree.
a box. Below: There’s no one way to achieve a perfect look at
With more than 40 years of experience, Earl May Nursery & Garden Center’s Edna Mosher said she can decorate a Christmas tree quickly but prefers to take her time in order to achieve the right look.
Decorations boasting colorful details never go out of style. Top: The 4101 War Eagle Drive showroom has been decorated with Christmas trees since early November. “People like to do their shopping earlier and earlier,” she said. “As soon as Halloween’s over, we gear up for Christmas. That’s sad for me since Thanksgiving gets lost in the mix and that’s actually my favorite holiday.”
“Some people, they’ll take care of it after Christmas but I recommend doing it before that.” Mosher also suggested investing in a surge protector for safety reasons. She also said people should refrain from lighting up their trees when no one’s at home. “I always say safety first,” she said, “especially around the holidays.” TREES THAT REFLECT PERSONALITY Mosher believes Christmas should never be limited to a single tree. That’s why she’ll have a traditional tree for the family, a tree decorated by children as well as a tree meant solely for her friends. “A Christmas tree should reflect the things that you like,” she said. “Sometimes, you like many different things.” One surefire way to have a Christmas tree reflect the true you is in the topper. “People used to simply put an angel on top of their tree,” Mosher said. “I can’t tell you the last time I sold someone an angel tree topper.” Nowadays, customers are topping their trees with beautiful garlands, festive decorations and additional branches designed to give depth, drama and allure. Or as Mosher would say, some extra “foo-foo.” “You can never have enough foo-foo for the holidays,” she said with a smile.
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HOLIDAYS board
games return
GAME BOYS
Never heard of Betrayal at House of the Hill? According to Games King’s James King, you soon will. The horror-themed game is popular due to its replayablity.
FORGET MONOPOLY, TODAY’S BOARD GAMES ARE MUCH MORE CHALLENGING
e
Text by Earl Horlyk | Photographs by Jim Lee
EVERY MONDAY NIGHT, A group of people walk through the doors of James King’s 504 Nebraska St. store. The people – who come from all walks of life – are there for a singular reason. They want to play board games. “Some people want to get out of the house and play poker with their buddies,” said King, owner of Games King, a specialty game store. “These guys, on the other hand, just want to play board games with their buddies.” And no, we don’t mean old-school games like Monopoly or Risk. Brought up on a steady diet of video
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games and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, Jeff Baumgardner said today’s board gamers want something more substantial. “Video games can be fun but they’re fixed to a certain level of play,” explained the Monday night regular. “A good board game has a level of play that is much more fluid.” So, what does Baumgardner like to play? Currently, Betrayal at House on the Hill – a horror-themed game that incorporates game pieces, character cards, special tokens and even a bit of role playing. “There so many different scenarios that it’s like you’re playing a different game every time,” he said.
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“Are you guys talking about Betrayal?’” Travis Dill asked. “I love that game too.” A Dungeons & Dragons aficionado, Dill likes to switch things up with board games. “It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re playing a good board game,” he admitted. But it’s also fun to win, said gamer Sioux City gamer James Smith. “I’m pretty competitive and board games stoke that competitiveness,” he said. Currently, Smith’s favorite game is 7 Wonders, which uses three decks of cards that feature depictions of ancient civilizations, military conflicts and commercial activities.
Dice used as men play Dungeons and Dragons at Game King in Sioux City.
Wow, that sounds complicated. Don’t they make Candyland, anymore? Yes they do, according to King. However, his customers much prefer Catan. “Catan is a multiplayer board game in which players build settlements, cities and roads on an island,” he said. “Even though Catan requires a great deal of strategy, it’s simple to play.” King said that makes Catan a perfect introduction for people entering the world of strategic board games. Want a good party board game for the holidays? King recommends both Wits & Wagers (a trivia game that can be played by four to 20 players) and Apples to Apples (a game that can use four to 10 players with a playing time not taking more than one hour).
If those games are the most flexible, which one is the trendiest? “Pandemic is pretty popular,” King said of the game based on the premise that four different diseases have broken out in the world. “What makes Pandemic different is the fact that game play is cooperative, not competitive.” “A team must work together in order to save the world,” he said. Which is a sentiment that even a competitive guy like Smith can appreciate. “A board game allows you to step outside of the ordinary,” he said. “You can build new worlds and you can save some old ones.” King nodded his head in agreement.
Even though Travis Dill and Angel Ruvalcaba are playing Dungeons and Dragons at Games King, the Sioux Cityans are also avid board game players.
“People love cards games, role-playing games and board games,” he said. “What makes them fun is the strategy involved as well as the interaction with your fellow players.” It’s also what motivates a person to make a weekly trip to play a hot new board game. “This is geekdom,” Smith announced with obvious pride. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a geek.”
Lost in concentration, James Smith (standing) contemplates his next move. According to Smith, board games satisfy his competitive nature.
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HOLIDAYS let
there be light
MAYOR
LIGHTS UP
DAKOTA CITY
d
Text by Tim Gallagher | Photographs by Jim Lee
DAKOTA CITY, NEB. | Jerry Yacevich took a week of vacation during midNovember, as he’s done for many years in a Tyson Fresh Meats career that spans 35 years. He spent his week off completing annual medical appointments, hunting deer and setting up Christmas lights at the Dakota City home he shares with wife, Benita. “I’ve got eight to 10 totes alone for lights,” said Yacevich, who resides at 1608 Mulberry St. on the southern edge of Dakota City. “He actually starts getting things out two days after Halloween,” said Benita, who estimates his Christmas-on-steroids enthusiasm began lighting up the neighborhood 15 years ago. “My job is to be in here, in the garage, scraping and painting.” The couple also spent part of the afternoon shopping. It seems they’re always looking out for new holiday decorations. On this day, they visited Home Depot and didn’t come home emptyhanded. “I love the looks on kids’ faces when they come around,” said Jerry, who also serves as Dakota City mayor. “It’s neat to see them light up as they stop by. We have lots of adults who come here each year, too.” Jerry Yacevich plans to don a Santa suit and beard this season. He’ll hand out candy canes to children as time and Mother Nature permit. Thus far, Mother Nature has been extremely kind to Christmas decorators. On this night in mid-November, for example, Yacevich was clad in jeans and a T-shirt as he set up illuminated inflatables that ranged from Santa Claus to Frosty the Snowman. “If the weather gets cold after we light things up, I might have to duck into my heated shop,” he said, explaining that even the Dakota City version of Santa
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DECEMBER 2016
Christmas decorations light up a two-lot space at the home of Jerry and Benita Yacevich in Dakota City, Nebraska. The couple has gone all-out to light up their corner of Dakota City for the holidays, a tradition that dates back at least 15 years.
will need a respite from single-digit temperatures. The garage, which has become this Santa’s workshop each fall, contains thousands of lights and assorted Christmas village items. Another shed, built several years ago by Jerry, houses the bulk of his Yuletide collection. There’s even a small Ferris wheel showing elves, a project that involved assembly under the sunny skies of this November. The power to illuminate and move all these parts caused some “sticker shock” for Jerry and Benita a few years ago. Benita remarked they were on a “total 12” utility payment plan when
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representatives from their provider called to warn them of four $400 bills that would be forthcoming in January, February, March and April. Benita said she’d been paying $100 per month. “The Nebraska PPD (Public Power District) recommended we switch to LED lighting, which would help lower the costs for electrical usage,” she said. “We’re sold on LED lighting because the colors are sharper and they use less power,” Jerry said. Typically, their December bill rises to
$500, a cost the couple happily absorbs as long as it keeps putting smiles on the faces of young and old. Benita told of a bus from Embassy Suites that makes multiple visits to their neighborhood each holiday season. Visitors enjoy the sights of both the Yacevich display and that of the (Cantrell) just a block or so southeast of here. “Jerry and Terry (Chantrell) are crazy about Christmas,” Benita said. “They’ve even talked about someday having a Santa fly through this area at night,
maybe down the 1500 block of Willow.” A far-fetched thought? Maybe. Maybe not. It certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility when one considers how bright this two-lot corner has become in recent years. Such a Santa display would take one part ingenuity, two parts power. “I do have to watch my circuits,” Jerry said, throwing caution to the wind, a wind presumably roaring from the Arctic Circle. “I’m already pulling power from nine different places.” That’s one for each of Santa’s reindeer.
Jerry Yacevich is pictured with some of his Christmas decorations at his Dakota City, Nebraska, home in midNovember. Yacevich, a longtime Tyson Fresh Meats employee, takes a week of vacation each November to set up his elaborate display of Christmas lights and figures.
AGLOW FOR CHRISTMAS The Christmas display at the Jerry and Benita Yacevich home, 1608 Mulberry Street, Dakota City, Nebraska, fires up the day after Thanksgiving and continues each night from 5 to 9 o’clock through New Year’s Eve.
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HOLIDAYS home
ready
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HOLIDAY WREATHS
WREATHS ARE SYNONYMOUS WITH the holiday season, and they can range from intricate to simple to flashy to rustic. Creating festive wreaths does not necessarily require a lot of skill, and wreaths can be fashioned from a variety of different materials. The first step to crafting wreaths is to gather the foundation pieces. This usually involves a sturdy material that will serve as the wreath round. It can be vine, foam, branches, or even wire. You’ll also need decorative items that fit the theme of your wreath. These may be berries, ornaments, ribbons, bows, and other trinkets that will be attached to the wreath. Florist wire and tape can be used to attach the ornaments to the wreath.
‘Say cheese’ wreath Purchase a premade evergreen wreath or wrap boughs of pine around a wreath frame to make your own. Glue or tie on small wooden frames with photos of the family to the wreath. Fill in the barren spots with small bows and ornaments.
Fruitful wreath Instead of an evergreen wreath, create something festive and edible. Fruit and vegetables in vibrant colors can be used to fashion a wreath. Use picks or wire to attach oranges, lemons, limes, clementines, and any other produce desired to a foam wreath. Use leaves to fill in sparse areas and a thick ribbon to hang the wreath.
Holly vine wreath Purchase a plain grapevine wreath and decorate it with sprigs of holly leaves and stems with berries. Simple and festive, this wreath should take only a few minutes to make and then hang.
Metallic wreath Add a glamorous touch to an evergreen wreath with faux fruit and pine cones that you paint with glimmering metallic colors. Intersperse items in gold, copper and silver for an eye-catching piece 20
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SIOUXLAND LIFE
that can adorn any spot in your home. Add a few twinkling lights to reflect off of the metallic elements to add even more appeal.
Bells or glass ornament wreath Use flexible wire to string a wreath of metal bells or glass ornaments together in a ring shape. Bells not only look nice but also lend a gentle twinkling sound anytime the door is opened.
Floral wreath Make a fresh flower wreath from a florist’s wreath and fresh blooms. Soak the foam wreath in water according to the packaged directions. Trim flower stems (carnations are durable) and insert the stems into the wreath. Attach a bow to the bottom of the wreath and then hang. This is one wreath that is best displayed the day of the festivities because it has a short shelf life.
Cinnamon wreath This wreath looks beautiful and gives off that quintessential holiday aroma. Begin with a foam wreath and wrap with a two-inch wide ribbon to cover. Use hot glue to secure cinnamon sticks all around the wreath. For more color, add sprigs of holly, bows or mistletoe.
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FOR SIOUX CITYANS Text by Dolly A. Butz | Photographs by Jim Lee and Justin Wan
SIOUX CITY | WHEN he was a child, Steve Lundberg would accompany his grandmother, Grace, to the Hallmark store after grocery shopping. Whenever she sent a greeting card, she always sent Hallmark. Lundberg’s grandmother, who told him, “When you care enough to send the very best, you send Hallmark,” naturally started his Hallmark ornament collection. Each Christmas, she’d place a Hallmark ornament in his stocking. He carries on the tradition, buying Hallmark ornaments for his nieces and nephews. “Of course, I didn’t understand that it was their logo until many years later,” Lundberg said with a chuckle as he sat in his living room. Keepsake ornaments of the U.S.S. Voyager and U.S.S. Enterprise from Star Trek dangled from greenery draped above a doorway amid lights and sequinencrusted planets. Nearby, dozens upon dozens of other Hallmark ornaments were tucked away in plastic tubs. In total, Lundberg guesses he has more than 100. “I obviously have the spaceship Hallmarks, and that’s because I’m a huge science fiction fan. I have been ever since I was 12 years old,” he said. “One of the things I love about the Hallmark ornaments is that they’re so personal. I picked them out because they mean something to me whether they’re animals or Sarah, Plain and Tall.” Lundberg paused for a few moments when asked which ornament is his favorite. “They all just mean so much to me,” he said, before rummaging through the boxes and finding “Party Line,” two raccoons wearing red scarves and green mittens playing telephone with Campbell’s Soup cans. The ornament conjured up a memory for Lundberg, who used to live on a farm with his husband, Randy Peters. They raised a couple orphaned raccoons, but as
Steve Lundburg shows some of his Christmas ornament collection.
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they grew, one of the raccoons became aggressive. Eventually, they released the raccoons from their large cage into the wild. “Randy gave me that, that Christmas of the two raccoons,” he said. “Everyone of them has a story behind them. Some of these have magical qualities.” A teddy bear sitting at a lighted mirror applying makeup is another Hallmark ornament Lundberg, an actor, singer, pianist and Morningside College voice faculty member, received as a gift. “When you let people know that you love Hallmark ornaments, it’s amazing the gifts that they give you,” he said. “They see something that reminds them of me and they’ll pick it up and send it for Christmas.” June Sneller, of Sioux City, received her first Sioux City-themed ornament in 1986 during a Christmas ornament exchange among friends. The ornament and 18 others in her collection decorate her 7-foot-tall tree. For 19 years, the Sioux City Cosmopolitan Club, “The Club that Fights Diabetes,” produced an annual ornament. The inaugural ornament featured an illustration of the Grandview Park Bandshell in white on a bright blue background. “I liked it so much, so the next year I found out the head of (the Cosmopolitan Club) in Morningside was Randy Kramer, so I kept getting them from him,” Sneller said. “They started because someone said, ‘We don’t have anything representing Sioux City.’” Other landmarks featured over the years include City Hall, Queen of Peace – a 30-foot tall stainless steel statue at Trinity Heights – the Sioux City Municipal Auditorium, Central High School and
June Sneller keeps her prized ornaments in a special box.
Space travel is just one of the themes in Steve Lundberg’s tree.
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A Lewis and Clark Park ornament celebrates Sioux City’s baseball team.
SIOUXLAND LIFE
Yup, those space vehicles do light up.
A closer view of Sneller’s Sioux City collection.
the Bruguier Monument. Sayings, such as “Glad tidings” and “Happy Holidays,” are written on the back of the ornaments. The Cosmopolitan Club quit creating ornaments in 2004 after sales dropped off, according to Sneller. “When you live here, you don’t realize what things aren’t here anymore, like the Arches,” she said of the Gateway Arches, which graced the Cosmopolitan Club’s 1996 ornament. The 32-year-old concrete arches, in the 600 block of Gordon Drive, were demolished in July 2015 to make way for the widening of nearby Interstate 29. Sneller’s favorite ornament in her collection pays homage to the Sioux City Explorers baseball team and their home ballpark, Lewis and Clark Park. Sneller doesn’t miss a game. She traveled with her late husband to away games in Fargo, North Dakota, and Winnipeg, Canada, among other places. Sneller said she accidentally broke two ornaments in her collection over the years, but luckily she was able to replace them and maintain a full set. She said she wishes another community club or organization would come up with a similar keepsake.
Ornaments aren’t confined to trees in Steve Lundberg’s home. They’re part of other decorations, too.
“I think the biggest part for me is the iconicness of it,” she said. “For me, it was
started as a gift and turned out to be a prized collection. I just love it!”
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Winter books bring chills, thrills
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Text by Dolly A. Butz
when the weather outside is frightful, what better way to spend the day than to curl up in a chair by the fire and get lost in a good book. Kelsey Patterson, Sioux City Public Library reader services specialist, and Elisha Karr, Southern Hills Barnes & Noble’s community relations manager, share some of their favorite winter/holiday reads that are sure to keep you turning the pages as temperatures plummet and snowflakes start flying. Patterson’s recommendations can all be checked out from the Sioux City Public Library:
‘The Snow Child’ by Eowyn Ivey
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Alaska in the 1920s is a difficult, brutal place to homestead, especially for new arrivals Jack and Mabel. Drifting apart, the childless couple builds a youngster out of snow. The next morning the couple finds the snow child is gone. But they soon discover Faina, a young girl living alone in the wilderness and soon come to love her as their own. Why did you read it? “I picked it because it combines Alaska history – there aren’t a ton of books out there on that --as well as kind of a fairy tale and pioneer life. It’s a pretty haunting book. The setting is pretty rugged and it plays a huge role in the book.”
Why would you recommend it to other people? “I would recommend it because it is definitely just kind of one of those general fiction books that could appeal to just about anyone. It has a little bit of everything.”
‘In a Dark, Dark Wood’ by Ruth Ware Reluctantly, crime writer Leonora Shaw accepts an invitation to a bachelorette party in a remote cabin in the woods. But as the first wintry night falls, revelations unfold among friends old and new, an unnerving memory shatters Leonora’s reserve, and a haunting
realization creeps in: the party is not alone. What should be a cozy and funfilled winter weekend deep in the English countryside takes a sinister turn in this suspenseful and darkly twisted psychological thriller. Why did you read it? “I picked this one because I personally am a huge fan of psychological thrillers – the Gillian Flynn ones, ‘Girl on a Train’ and kind of all of those that fit into that current trend of publications.” What did you like about it? “I just really liked that the suspense just kept building. Right off the bat, the author goes back and forth. You know something bad happened during the weekend, but you just don’t know what. It’s definitely a page-turner. You can’t put it down.”
‘The Children’s Blizzard’ by David Laskin The devastating blizzard of 1888 swept across the Great Plains and killed more than 500 people including numerous
schoolchildren. Shattered, these immigrant families had moved to the West on the promise that the prairie would offer them land, freedom, and hope, but they had no idea how hard and unforgiving a place it could be. Why did you read it? “I read it because I’m a huge fan of Midwest history. Knowing more about the area I live in always appeals to me.” What did you like about it? “I liked how moving it was – from the very first page you just get caught up in the story of all of these different families and the horrible events that happen to them as a result of this blizzard.” Find Karr’s recommendations at Southern Hills Mall Barnes & Noble or barnesandnoble.com.
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‘The Christmas Town’ by Donna VanLiere About the book: Lauren Gabriel spent many years of her childhood in foster homes, wishing her mother would come back for her. As Christmas approaches, the now 20-year-old cashier finds the songs, carols and holiday chatter she hears throughout the day unbearable. But when she witnesses a car accident in the small town of Grandon, her outlook changes. Could this town and its people be the home she has always longed for? Why did you read it? “This is the author of ‘The Christmas Shoes.’ I loved that book. When this came into the store I knew it would have to go on my ‘to be read’ pile.” What did you like about it? “I loved the premise of the story. I love reading something hopeful during the holiday and winter season. It can remind you of the goodness of people.”
‘Winter Storms’ by Elin Hilderbrand
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About the book: This year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinn family prepares to host Kevin and Isabelle’s wedding at Winter Street Inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-ina-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place – and the people – they love most. Why did you read it? “I picked this book because it was a continuation of a series I had been reading. The Winter Street Series. I love reading trilogies. I like being immersed in stories that pull you into the characters’ lives.” What did you like about it? “Elin Hilderbrand writes such beautifully complex characters and puts them into situations that may be happening in your families. She develops the story in such a way that you can’t stop reading
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“Elin Hilderbrand writes such beautifully complex characters and puts them into situations that may be happening in your families. She develops the story in such a way that you can’t stop reading the books. She was also a teaching/ writing fellow at the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop so I can’t help but pull for her success.” the books. She was also a teaching/ writing fellow at the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop so I can’t help but pull for her success.”
‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ by Debbie Macomber About the book: Julia Padden likes nearly everyone, but her standoffish neighbor Cain Maddox presents a particular challenge. She decides she’s going to break through Cain’s Scrooge-like exterior by killing him with kindness. To track her progress, Julia starts a blog called The Twelve Days of Christmas. Her first attempts to humanize Cain are far from successful. Julia brings him homemade Christmas treats and the disagreeable grinch won’t even accept them. Meanwhile, Julie’s blog becomes an online sensation, as an astonishing number of people start following her adventures. Why did you read it? “I love Debbie Macomber. She always does a great read for someone who likes light romance.” What did you like about it? “Her Christmas novels always leave you feeling hopeful and full of Christmas spirit.”
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HOLIDAYS good
troops
Rob Wiese, left, puts the finishing touches on a care package that is heading from Kingsley, Iowa, to soldiers in the Middle East. Wiese is assisted by eighth-grader Rachel Bohle. At the far left is retiree Randy Wiese, who helped lead the care-package assembly line at First Lutheran Church in Kingsley, Iowa.
KINGSLEY-PIERSON STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THINK
CHRISTMAS FOR SOLDIERS
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Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher
KINGSLEY, IOWA | BOB Tolliver served with the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Lexington in 1953, toward the end of the Korean War. “I got a lot of newspapers sent to me,” said Tolliver, a resident of Kingsley. “They were probably a month old, but I really liked getting them.” Tolliver spent a morning last month packing different treats for those deployed and spending time away from home. He worked with a couple of dozen students and community members in boxing up candy, toothpaste, peanuts
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and more, all to be sent to soldiers currently serving in the Middle East. The group grew out of a men’s weekly prayer breakfast group, a group with which Tolliver is involved at his church, First Lutheran Church in Kingsley. The idea came from another member of that group, retiree Randy Wiese. “My wife, Nita, and I send a care package each month to our grandson, Tyler Wiese, who is serving overseas,” Randy Wiese said. “Tyler told us that he really appreciates the care packages. But he also said the other guys he was serving
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with were getting a little envious. So, Wiese took an idea for an expanded care-package effort to his prayer breakfast group. Donations quickly came pouring in. “We didn’t even really ask for donations,” Wiese said. “They just came in.” Rob Wiese, the K-8 principal serving Kingsley-Pierson and the father of Tyler Wiese, soon got his students involved. Not only did several write letters to these soldiers, they also reported to the church to join folks like Randy Wiese and Bob Tolliver in packing up these care
Daily-care products were packed with food items at First Lutheran Church in Kingsley, Iowa, in mid-November. Fifty care packages were sent to soldiers serving in the Middle East.
packages for delivery through the U.S. Postal Service. “We were told by the U.S. Postal Service to have these 50 care packages in the mail by Thanksgiving,” Randy Wiese said. “That allowed us to beat the Thanksgiving rush. They should get to these soldiers (members of the U.S. Army Reserve 960th Quartermaster Unit of Sioux City) just before Christmas.” “When Tyler and his group returns in April, we hope to have an assembly at the school when they can speak with these kids,” said Randy Wiese, who still coaches girls track for Kingsley-Pierson/ Woodbury Central. “I think the most important items in these care packages are the cards and letters from the school.” A letter from Jordyn goes like this: “Dear soldier, Thank you for serving our country. Hi. My name is Jordyn and I am 8. I go to school at Kinsgley-Pierson. I am in 3rd grade. My teacher is Mrs. Bailey. I have one brother that is in sixth grade... Did you miss your family when you left? What is your daily schedule like at noon? Your friend, Jordyn.” A group of Kingsley-Pierson High School students addressed a letter to a “Dear American Hero, We can never express how truly thankful we are for your service to our country. You have bravely left the safety of our country and put your life at risk so that we may stay safe. Your family has given the ultimate sacrifice of a loved one, and we must not thank just you, but them as well.
Sydney Seuntjens and Hope Bollin, seniors at Kingsley-Pierson High School, help assemble care packages for soldiers deployed in the Middle East. The effort took place at First Lutheran Church in Kingsley, Iowa, in midNovember.
“We have come to understand that many of you don’t receive care packages or Christmas presents due to the cost that it takes to send them, so we decided that we can show just a small token of thanks, even if it is small compared to your sacrifice, with a present...” Each package also contained a letter from those at First Lutheran Church and a prayer pamphlet, all tucked away as one student’s phone played the Bing Crosby World War II classic, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Hope Bollin, a senior at KingsleyPierson, packed a box of goodies and daily supplies and said, “It is fun helping
soldiers and knowing they get something for Christmas.” “It would be scary to be away from home,” said Malakie Christophersen, a seventh-grader. “It is important to support those in a war, to give them some of what we have,” added Boe Harvey, an eighth-grader at Kingsley-Pierson. “I’m glad I could help,” said Hayden Dunne, an eighth-grader, who noted that her grandfather and great-grandfather, men like Bob Tolliver, also served in the military and spent time like this far from the safety and security of home.
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HOLIDAYS family
Gretchen Gondek shows off her mother’s famous Never Fail coffee cake, a recipe Mary Ellen Orth shared with the small community of Northwood, Iowa, for many years.
recipes
MEMORIES
OF MOM GONDEK REFLECTS ON BELOVED COFFEE CAKE Story by Earl Horlyk 32
DECEMBER 2016
SIOUXLAND LIFE
Photographs by Justin Wan
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IF YOU GREW UP in the small town of Northwood, Iowa (population 1,989, according to the 2010 U.S. Census), Mary Ellen Orth probably made you one of her “Never Fail” coffee cakes. It didn’t matter whether you were celebrating a birthday or grieving the loss of a loved one, chances are you’d soon be the recipient of some straight-out-of-theoven goodness. “My mom was the coffee cake lady,” said Orth’s daughter Gretchen Gondek, smiling at the memory many years later. “It was her signature dish and people loved it.” Yet Orth wasn’t always adept in the kitchen. “My mom lost her own mom when she was only 3 or 4 years old,” Gondek said. “She was raised by family members and didn’t learn how to cook until she was already an adult.” Many of Orth’s recipes came from “The Joy of Cooking” cookbook she received after marrying her husband, Joseph. Yet Orth, a Northwestern University graduate, also wanted a career. “When I was growing up, many women were stay-at-home mothers but my mom always worked,” said Gondek, 60. “Even though she worked in social services or for the Girl Scouts, Mom always made dinner for my dad, older brother, my twin brother and myself.” Orth’s nightly meals epitomized Midwestern home cooking. From large lettuce salads made with fresh veggies from her home garden to the roast beef she made on the weekends, Orth made sure her family was always well fed. “This is going to sound funny but I don’t think we ever had leftovers,” Gondek said. “Apparently, we ate everything Mom put in front of us.” Mostly, Gondek remembers the extravagant dinner parties her parents would throw for family and friends. “Those were the times my mom really shined,” Gondek said. “She got to be a hostess as well as a cook.” It was also when Orth could break out her fancy Haviland & Co. dishware. “Times were more formal back then,” Gondek recalled. “It’s to bad we’ve gotten away from a time when a dinner party wouldn’t be a dinner party without one’s Haviland china.” More than five years has passed since Orth died. “My mom had a great life,” Gondek said, smiling. “She died at age 83, in her sleep while vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We should all be as lucky to go like my mom.” Gondek pulled out photos of herself and her mom. She glanced at a picture taken at her own wedding to husband
Above: Gretchen Gondek, right, with her mother, Mary Ellen Orth. Below: The two on the day Gretchen married her husband, Russ.
MARY ELLEN ORTH’S ‘NEVER FAIL’ COFFEE CAKE 1/2 cup of butter 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 cup sugar 2 well-beaten eggs 1 1/2 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup sour cream and cinnamon mixture Mix ingredients and put in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Source: Gretchen Gondek Russ Gondek. “This was in 1987 and Mom got me a copy of ‘The Joy of Cooking,’ “ she said. “I guess she wanted that to be a family tradition.” Even more than that, Orth began sharing many family recipes with her only daughter. “Mom was never afraid to try anything,” Gondek said. “Everything didn’t turn out the way she wanted but it was still good.” Over time, Gondek became an excellent cook and hostess in much the same way her mom had been. Just like Orth, her time was limited due to a hectic career. Gondek retired in August after a 30year career as general manager of KWITKOJI Public Radio. Still, she became known for making stuffed peppers and creating elaborate melt-in-your-mouth meringues. Gondek also refers to the little checkered file card box she inherited from Orth.
“When a recipe is passed down from one generation to the next, it becomes a part of our legacy,” Gondek said. “If I cook from one of Mom’s old recipe cards, I’m keeping a part of my mom alive.” And that includes the scrumptious “Never Fail” coffee cake Orth was always known for. Eating a fresh piece of coffee cake that she made in her mom’s memory, Gondek can’t help but smile. “My mom was right to call this her ‘Never Fail’ coffee cake because it’s just as delicious as ever,” Gondek said. But the dessert is much more than that. It’s a memory of spending time with her mom on a cold winter day in a small town in northern Iowa. The recipe represents a moment of time but it also represents a heritage passed down from one generation to the next. “My mom loved thus recipe because it was something she loved to share with other people,” Gondek said. “Whenever I make it, it reminds me of her.”
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HOLIDAYS wildlife
An English sparrow visits a bird feeder at Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve in North Sioux City, South Dakota.
life
SHOULD YOU FEED WILDLIFE IN THE WINTER?
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Compiled by Dolly A. Butz Photographs by Jim Lee
JODY MOATS LEARNED ABOUT the different species of birds while watching the feathered creatures gather at her grandfather’s bird feeder. Moats, Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve park manger, said feeding birds in your own yard can be a great hobby. She said there’s no harm in feeding wildlife, including birds, during the wintertime as long as you keep the suet, sunflower seeds and cracked corn coming. “It’s kind of fun to bird watch,” she said. Theresa Kruid, a naturalist at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, puts bird seed, including black oil sunflower seeds, in a variety of types of feeders to attract the likes of woodpeckers, chickadees, cardinals, finches and more. “Some birds don’t like the flat surface feeders. Some don’t like the long tube feeders, so by providing a variety of them you can attract more birds,” she explained. Put bird seed in hanging feeders, set it in a tray or toss it on the ground. The more varieties of feed you have, Moats said the more birds you’ll attract. She said different birds have different taste buds, so they prefer certain seeds to others. “A lot of people put out their bird feeders and feed them all year round. Some people start putting them out in October when the weather is supposed to get colder,” she said. Bird feeders won’t serve as a dining option just for feathered friends. Moats said squirrels and raccoons are also known to frequent them. She said she’s even caught footage of deer on trail cameras sticking their tongues up into the bird feeders. In 2012, the Sioux City City Council SIOUXLAND LIFE
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A white breasted nuthatch visits a bird feeder at Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve.
enacted a feeding ban designed to reduce traffic accidents and damage to plants caused by the wild animals. Purposefully feeding wild turkeys and deer within Sioux City city limits could result in a fine of $65 for a municipal infraction and up to $100 if convicted of a simple misdemeanor. Feeding birds and squirrels and planting foliage that deer and turkeys eat is allowed. If you can’t feed them, should you help shelter them? Some animals hibernate during the winter, some stay active, while others take little naps here and there. Moats said you don’t need to leave piles of leaves and other debris in your yard to shelter small wildlife, especially squirrels. While they’re sure to take advantage of your feeders, Moats said squirrels are independent critters who know what they need to do to prepare for the coming winter. She said they’re busy burying walnuts and acorns in the yards and building nests in trees as the temperature gets colder. “They know how to prepare themselves,” she said. “If there’s a tree, they usually make a nice nesting up there. When you see a big bunch of leaves in the top of your tree or the middle of your tree, that’s probably a little squirrel’s nest.” While feeding animals in your own yard can be a fun hobby, Moats said it’s discouraged in state parks and nature areas. Heed rules and regulations designed to protect against malnutrition, disease, overpopulation and human/animal conflict. 36
DECEMBER 2016
Park manager Jody Moats fills a bird feeder just in time for visitors.
MAKE YOUR OWN BIRD FEED AND FEEDERS
Place seed in onion bags; fill hollowed oranges or grapefruits with suet and seed; spread peanut butter or shortening on bagels, bread, or pine cones and roll in seed; or make one of the following recipes: Marvel Mix Recipe: Mix 1 cup peanut butter, 3 cups cornmeal, 1 cup shortening and 1 cup of flour in a large bowl until well blended. Add birdseed, raisins, peanuts or corn a little at a time. This mixture can be spread on log feeders or put into plastic containers and refrigerated until harden. Then place in suet feeder or onion bag. Birdseed Biscuit: Mix together 3/4 cup birdseed, 1 Tblsp flour and 2 Tblsps of water. Spray a metal cookie cutter with cooking spray and place on a foil-covered cookie sheet. Pack the mixture into the cookie cutter and insert half a straw near the top to create a hole for hanging. Bake the biscuit (with the straw) in a 170 degree oven until hard (1 hour). Cool, remove straw, thread a ribbon in the hole and hang outside. Source: Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
SIOUXLAND LIFE
Moats makes her rounds filling bird feeders.
The preserve is a welcoming sight for birds.
TYPES OF FEEDERS
A red bellied woodpecker perches on top of a tree near the bird feeders at Adams Homestead and Nature Preserve.
Bird Feeders can be separated into three functional categories based on perch type of birds. Providing a variety of feeder types and seeds will provide you with the most variety of birds. Platform-perch: can be open or partially enclosed flat, stable feeding surface. Most attractive type of feeder for ground-feeding and large songbirds, but can attract all types
of birds (cardinals, bluejays, juncos) and squirrels, too. Peg-perch: feeders such as tublular sunflower and niger feeders with pegs or dowels to allow smaller songbirds (finches, chickadees, siskins) a place to perch. Clinging-perch: feeders with little perch support like wire mesh are preferred by woodpeckers and nuthatches. Source: Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center
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DECEMBER 2016
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Here Comes
The Guide Howard Johnson
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ask a professional Q: Holiday shopping and activities can leave me tired and frizzled by the end of the day, what can I do to help myself from getting so stressed out? A: Around the holidays we usually do see more patients who have the “holiday aches and pains”, whether it’s from over-arching their back to get those last lights on the tree, over-eating at Christmas. I usually give a few tips to Dr. Joel everyone before we get too far into the holidays. Pistello, DC While shopping, you are usually walking well over your normal daily steps, in a stressed environment, and switching environments from hot to cold, all of which is hard on our body. Anything we don’t usually do is hard on our body. So instead of just getting up in the morning and just putting on your shopping game face for the day, go one step further: treat it like an athletic event. How does an athlete prepare for a match? What do they do during a meet? How do they plan? - Stay hydrated. Try to avoid coffee, tea, and soft drinks as caffeine can make the stress worse. - Stretch before, during, and after shopping as stress makes your muscles less flexible. - Wear cushy but well supportive shoes. - Dress in layers and take as little as possible (purse, etc.). - Be sure and take breaks as necessary to minimize stress (about every 45 minutes). There’s a reason the coffee shop in the mall is always busy during the holidays. When you do stop for a break, be sure and eat lighter foods so you don’t feel weighed down. Once you get your gifts home and sit down to wrap them, you likely will look to a Pinterest to see what the best way to wrap presents is, but in reality – there is no ideal position to wrap gifts. The only position to avoid is sitting on a hard floor – it tends to create low back pain and achiness. Always remember the reason for the season – if you feel over stressed – feel free to stop by the clinic for a free cup of hot cocoa throughout the holidays – on me. Taking a few minutes to relax and enjoy some cocoa (and a treat) will help ease your holiday stresses. As always, stay safe Siouxland!
Call 276-4325 today for an appointment 3930 Stadium Drive. (Between Wal-Mart & Explorer Stadium)
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November 2016
39
ADVICE Medical
Answers
‘DOC, I’VE GOT A QUESTION …’ answers to your medical questions
MEET THE DOC Dr. Katie Savio is a resident at the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation. She is a Fremont, Nebraska, native who attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for her undergraduate degree. She then attended the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania. Katie enjoys playing volleyball, softball, cooking and spending time with her family.
What causes a pain in the side? Is that something wrong with my kidneys? Did I just pull something or will it go away? A pain in your side could be caused by a large number of things. Without knowing the actual location of the pain or any background information, I cannot say with any confidence what is causing your pain. If you are concerned, you should make an appointment with your doctor. You may have done something simple, like straining a muscle. Think about your activities over the day or two prior to having the pain. If you did anything more strenuous than usual or outside your normal routine, a pulled muscle could be your culprit. Muscle strains will gradually get better with time and the use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory (NSAID) medication, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, is helpful for symptomatic relief. If you had a fall prior to the pain starting, a rib fracture is possible. If you have other symptoms besides pain, such as fever, chills, painful urination, or blood in your urine, you could have a kidney stone and/or a kidney infection. Many people with kidney stones are able to pass them on their own; however, if the stone is too big, other interventions are necessary. In the case of infection, antibiotics are needed. These are just a few of the many possible reasons you may be having a pain in your side. Again, the only way to know for sure the cause of the pain is to be evaluated by your physician.
Why do doctors perform circumcisions so soon after a boy is born? Is it better to do it right away or could you wait until the child can make a decision? The decision for parents to circumcise their son can be based on several factors, including medical benefits, religious reasons and social reasons (father’s circumcision status, for example).
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Circumcision is an elective medical procedure and the potential benefits and disadvantages should be considered carefully by parents. From a medical standpoint, the benefits include lower rates of urinary tract infection (most benefit during infancy), penile cancer, penile inflammation, penile dermatoses (skin diseases), and sexually transmitted infections. Complications of circumcisions are rare (approximately 0.2 percent in the United States during and in the first month after procedure) but can happen. Complications include inadequate skin removal, bleeding, infection, penile injury, adhesions, and removal of excessive skin. Complications are more common in premature newborns, newborns with a congenital anomaly, and circumcisions performed after the newborn period. Additional benefits to doing circumcisions in a newborn include a shorter healing time, less postprocedure discomfort, and less cost. Electing to delay a circumcision until adulthood also delays protection from sexually transmitted infections. As an adult, circumcision involves a trip to the operating room and is done under general anesthesia, like any other surgery. For the newborn, a circumcision is done in a room adjoining the regular nursery and only a very small amount (1 milliliter) of local anesthesia is needed for pain control.
Are there risks to getting tattoos? What precautions should I take? Or questions I should ask? The biggest risk of getting a tattoo is infection. This includes a local skin infection at the site of the tattoo as well as the transmission of systemic infections, such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. Hepatitis B and C infection is more of a risk if that tattoo is done in
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an unregulated setting, i.e. a studio that reuses or does not adequately sterilize instruments. HIV infection is possible during tattooing, though there are no known cases of such transmission. To minimize these risks, use of sterile procedures is of utmost importance. Aseptic techniques include proper hand hygiene, using disposable gloves, using new needles for each tattoo, and using singleuse disposable ink cups. These are all things you should ask the tattoo artist about. Some people also find it helpful to ask friends and relatives that have tattoos for recommendations for or against establishments or specific artists. It can also be helpful to go and observe a tattoo being done at several different studios before making your final decision.
Is it possible to be allergic to a Christmas tree? I have relatives coming for the holidays and one of them is allergic to everything. I just want to hedge my bets. It is possible for a person to be allergic to pine trees? Generally speaking, symptoms of environmental allergies (grass, weed, tree pollens, etc.) are able to be improved with over-the-counter medications. However, depending on the severity of the allergy, the symptoms may not be eliminated and the day may not be very enjoyable for your relative. If you ask the relative, he or she will likely be able to tell you if a real Christmas tree will be a problem. But if you’re uncomfortable with asking them, an artificial tree is a safe bet (with the added bonus of no watering duties and no needles to clean up). WHAT KINDS OF HEALTH QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE? Submit your questions and they may be used in this monthly feature. Write to Siouxland Life at 515 Pavonia St., Sioux City, Iowa 51102.
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November 2016
41
HEALTH staying
fit
WATCH YOUR WEIGHT,
STAY FIT
Perez
Saenz
Weston
Kramer
DURING THE HOLIDAYS
t
Compiled by Jackie Foster | Photographs by Tim Hynds
The holidays are here… and along with the yuletide greetings and gifts come those extra, unwanted pounds. With this in mind, we asked the trainers at Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA in South Sioux City to share some tips and words of encouragement:
How can people avoid extra weight gain during the holidays? JACQUE PEREZ, wellness director: It is a hard thing to avoid. Studies show most people do gain a few pounds over the holiday season. I think the key is awareness: know what you are eating and hold yourself accountable. Don’t hide from it! And have fun with physical activity! Turn on some tunes and move. Decorating the house is a great activity; shopping is a great way to get your steps in; and look at shoveling snow as something to keep you fit over the winter! CARLOS SAENZ, Rx health coordinator: Portion control. During the holidays it is very difficult to say “no” to Mom’s or Grandma’s food because it’s delicious. But limiting the amount of food and moving more and being active during the holidays will avoid extra weight gain. DYLAN KRAMER, fitness coordinator: Don’t celebrate with food. You got an A on your test? Celebrate with something besides food. MINDY WESTON, wellness coach: Keep active and stay on track with your food.
What tips or tricks do you have to help people stay on track? JACQUE: Don’t do it alone. Find a friend or family member who will PLEASE SEE STAYING FIT, PAGE 46 42
DECEMBER 2016
Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA fitness coordinator Dylan Kramer demonstrates a yoga pose at the South Sioux City club.
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Carlos Saenz, Rx health coordinator at Norm Waitt Sr. YMCA, works with member Joe Loutsch of Le Mars, Iowa, at the South Sioux City fitness center. Saenz suggests tracking everything you eat, and the amount of time you spend doing physical activities, to ward off holiday weight gain.
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November 2016
43
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STAYING FIT FROM 42
support you or wants to stay on track themselves. Set a visual reminder to eat healthy and stay active, like a sticky note on your computer screen. Or leave your tennis shoes in your car. Something that you will see everyday to help keep you on track. CARLOS: Track everything you eat and the amount of time you spend doing physical activities. Smartphones
now are a good resource to track this. Smartphones have some apps that tell you based on your biometrics how much food you should be consuming. This app will let you know if you are consuming too much food and if you are getting enough physical activity. DYLAN: Track food. Don’t let food on your plate touch. Drink water in between bites. When you’re full – but so is your plate – just place a napkin over the remaining food. You don’t have to eat it! MINDY: Pay attention to your
stomach’s “fullness gauge” and only eat until satisfied.
Which holiday food should be limited or avoided? JACQUE: We never mention restricting or avoiding anything. Instead I would focus on portion sizes and making sure we are eating from all food groups. Don’t feel guilty and eat what you want. Especially if it is something you look forward to having. Just try taking a smaller portion, use a smaller plate or just practice reading nutrition info. This might help carve down the amount you have. CARLOS: We do not tell people what to or to not eat. It is more about portions than the kind of food they are eating. Of course always refer to and try to follow the guidelines from myplate.gov. DYLAN: Only the food you don’t like! MINDY: Any of the foods you can get all year round.
What’s the best way to get over the holiday bloat hangover? JACQUE: Get moving. It’s as simple as taking a 10-minute walk a few times a week. Get that metabolism rolling again; find something you like to do and try and get active. CARLOS: I will say drink a lot of water because it will help with digestion. DYLAN: Walk after meals. Go for a walk, walk away from the food and avoid the bloat all together. MINDY: Drink plenty of water and avoid sugar.
What is your favorite exercise routine? JACQUE: You can’t go wrong with a simple walk or jog. To up the ante, increase your incline on the treadmill to get some extra calorie burn. And I also love classic bodyweight exercises that can be done anywhere, from a gym, to a park bench, to your living room. Things like lunges, squats, planks, push-ups, etc. CARLOS: I like circuit training or tabata-style workouts. They are HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) where you perform an exercise for a short period of time (20, 30 or 45 seconds) with short breaks (10-15 seconds) at a high intensity. DYLAN: Yoga or a heart-pounding HIIT circuit. MINDY: My favorite workouts are probably anything with a friend or in a group. 46
DECEMBER 2016
SIOUXLAND LIFE
PARTING SHOT By
Bruce Miller
DISNEY DOESN’T GUARANTEE
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
I
If you’ve dreamed of a Disthe Evil Queen after she had ney Christmas (and, come on, taken the magic potion. A cold what kid under 12 hasn’t?), sore had broken out on my upthen you know how I’ve felt for per lip, my eyes were crusted several decades. over and the hearing in my left Oh, sure, I could always ear had disappeared. watch that parade on Christ“Why don’t we just spend mas Day and get my fix. But the day by the pool?” my sister I wanted to be there – in the asked. park where it happens – savorShe obviously underestiing every minute of the magic. mated my passion for a Disney The Christmas after Mom Christmas. died, I convinced my sister I When we walked out of the “needed” that and, surprishotel, I saw a mirror and realingly, she went along with my ized I was the Hunchback of plan. Because there were cheap Notre Dame. Still, I pressed on. flights out of Sioux Falls, she We got to the Magic Kingdom, said yes. watched the parade (much Unfortunately, we didn’t reof it, I learned, had been prealize those cheap flights landtaped) and noticed that none ed in some orange grove so far of the costumed characters from Orlando it was practically wanted to get remotely close Miami Beach. At 11 p.m., two to me. I made it through sevdays before Christmas, we eral rides, too, leaving a trail of were in a crop-dusting field Kleenex. My head felt terrible; that wasn’t exactly on Magical my throat had been lubricated Mickey’s route. with so much hot chocolate We had to get a cab – which I might as well have wet my cost $200 – to get us to Dispants just to complete the ney World. There, we realized picture. the hotel we booked was full Early in the afternoon, we (“Sir, if you had arrived earlier, made our way to Epcot where we could have honored your we were expected to get in line Mickey and Minnie were having fun at their holiday parade. Others weren’t so lucky. original reservation”) and got for the nighttime Candlelight alternate accommodations, Procession – a religious cerwhich meant we had to walk to hell and back just to get to the emony that I figured would be a nice touch on Christmas Day. courtesy bus to take us to the parks. The line was so long it felt like we were pilgrims on our way Undaunted, I told my sister (who, by the way, is not a Disney to Lourdes. I tried to visit with others in line but they weren’t fan) this was just a minor glitch. “We won’t be spending much having any of it. Just as we got closer to the ticketing cut-off, I time in the room anyway.” caught sight of Santa Claus and had to make a decision – talk To take advantage of the early entrance plan, we were up to Santa or stay in line for Baby Jesus. at 6 a.m., ready to get the 7 a.m. shuttle to the Disney Studios. I waved at Santa and when he recoiled in horror, I knew Everything went like clockwork and, then, somewhere around what my decision was going to be. 1 p.m., I started feeling kind of punk. “Maybe we should go back “Anyone behind this line is not guaranteed a seat,” an usher to the room and take a nap,” I told my sister. Now, if you have said 10 people in front of me. And then, like a Christmas mirany hint of my obsession, this is akin to conceding the presiacle, I got a coughing fit, the seas parted and all those waiting dential election after one state’s votes were counted. ahead of me let us step to the front, assuming my days were She agreed and, three hours later, I awoke feeling like I had numbered. been hit with an ACME anvil. Unwilling to admit defeat, I pulled We got good seats, too, enjoyed the program and I teared up myself together and we headed out for an evening of fun and – not because my cold had gotten worse, but because I realized fireworks. My nose, started to run, however, and soon my eyes I had made the right choice – Jesus over Santa. were red, my lips were chapped and an Ursula-level cough After “Silent Night,” I probably could have found Santa began to appear. We made it through the evening, saw the firemilling about, but I didn’t need him. An hour of Christmas works and trudged three miles back to our room, on foot. carols gave me enough peace to head back to the hotel, sleep Clearly, some virus not called Zika had settled in and wasn’t soundly and dream of one more day at the park. This time, going to leave my magic kingdom. The next day, I looked like with feeling.
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New Year’s Eve Party! Help us ring in the New Year at Blackbird Bend when we host our biggest party of the year to usher out 2016. On Saturday, December 31st, win your share of thousands of dollars in cash when we host a series of drawings from 10:00pm to 1:00am. Enter the drawings by picking up one free entry slip at Player Services just for visiting any time after 4:00pm. Also earn additional entries by playing slots, table games and bingo during the evening. We will also be hosting “Good Neighbor Hot Seats” on New Year’s Eve. Every 20 minutes from 6:00pm to 1:00am, we will randomly choose the name of one lucky guest playing slots with his/her Club Blackbird card inserted for an instant $30 Free Play prize. What’s more, guests sitting immediately to the right and left of the hot seat winner will each be awarded $15 in Free Play. We’re also adding live music to the festivities. The popular band Badd Combination will play on the casino stage from 8:00pm to 1:00am. We’ll also break out the complimentary champagne later in the evening. The Upstream Café will offer a special New Year’s Eve Buffet from 4:00pm until 10:00pm. Feast on chef carved prime rib, jumbo shrimp, braised beef short ribs, broasted chicken, risotto alla Milanese, baked potatoes with all the fixings, seasonal roasted and sautéed vegetables, Manhattan clam chowder, freshly baked breads and rolls, plus our salad and dessert bars for $17.99 per person. Come early and stay late… We’re open all night!
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