Ardentcontentfood& flavor 22. Staycation c indy Della Monica 26. t o M atoe S Galore! c arole Morris 30. Paella Mc c onnell e states 32. Whoo P ie Pie S r ebecca Voorhees love 36. Je SS ica & c aleb feature 16. “ take o ne, l eaV e o ne” l ittle Free l ibrary 34. SaV e t he M a ll h or S e r e S cue design 42. l et' S aDD a Po P o F c olor! r ed Door a ntiques home 44. t hin GS r eal eS tate aG ent S aG ree to Di S a G ree a bout education 48. What i ’ V e learne D ct Morris art 50. b ook r e V ie WS Sacramento Public l ibrary health 56. c are F ro M the h eart k aiser Permanente community 54. e lk Gro V e h i G h School Multi-cla SS r eunion 62. Goal S ! Goal S ! e lk Grove Vitamins 64. Salute to the r e D , White & b lue 66. Moonli G ht S W in G 30. 34. 4 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022
Bioidentical ReplacementHormoneTherapy
No doubt you’ve heard a lot about Bio-identical Hormone Re placement Therapy lately. What is it all about? How does it work? Who needs it? Is it something you could benefit from? Bio-identical Hormone Replace ment Therapy, also known as BHRT, is exactly what it sounds like. Your declining hormones are replaced with hormones that are structurally identi cal to the hormones produced by your own body. Why is this important? Hormones that are not structurally identical to your own (for example, Premarin, which comes from horse urine) do not act the same on your body, may contain hormones that your body does not make and has no receptors for these hormones, so you waste energy by giving incom plete messages to cells which then fail to produce a balanced hormonal response. Also, your body cannot ef fectively metabolize these foreign hormones, which may have long term unknown, potentially, negative effects on your body.
MYTH: Our hormones levels are declining because we are growing older. FACT: We are growing older because your hormones are declining. The goal in BHRT is to turn back the hormonal clock to around age 35, or around 20 years younger than your chronological age. Anti-aging medicine is a personalized, meta bolic medicine. We now have the sci ence to individually customize your care and we can look at the cause of the problems, instead of just treating symptoms. If you are basically healthy, we can look at how your body breaks down things to help you be healthier and stay healthy. All the patients in my practice have a totally different treat ment regime, there are no protocols. It is a very personalized approach. So is
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, bio-identical hormone ther apy may be just what would benefit you. How does the process work? After obtaining lab testing of saliva, blood or urine, you meet for a consultation with Dr. Dayle A. Imperato, an American An ti-Aging Academy trained physician for evaluation of your unique bio-identical hormonal needs. You are prescribed the specific hormones that your body needs! We use a quality compounding pharma cy and carry a high pharmaceutical grade of supplements for your use. Your hormones are a symphony of in teractions. All of your hormones are de signed to work together and if one is al tered, or deficient, it will affect the actions of all of the other hormones in your body. It is an interactive balance and as unique to an individual as a fingerprint. One size does not fit all. Treating even “mild” hor monal deficiencies can dramatically im prove quality of life. Longevity medicine is aimed at the early detection, preven tion, treatment, and reversal of age related Wedecline.are not prisoners of our genetic des tiny. Chronic inflammation is the cause and the effect of most illnesses and the diseases of aging. Balanced hormone optimization and a balanced life style de creases chronic inflammation. Hormone optimization is the finishing touch of an anti-aging lifestyle of good nutrition, ex ercise, stress reduction, anti-oxidants and nutraceuticals
HormoneBio-identicalReplacementTherapyrightforyou?
Do you find yourself wondering……? Why am I so tired? Why am I gaining weight? Why do I have mood swings? Why do I have a low sex drive? Why am I not able to sleep well? Why am I having memory lapses? Why do I have frequent urination and/or incontinence? Why do I have migraine headaches?
Singh Owner of Elk Grove Vitamins for the past six years. Dave Soto Award Winning Photographer & Videographer. Has produced work for NBC Nightly News and Good Day Sacramento.
Carole InstructionalMorrisSpecialist, Author and Adjunct Professor. She is married to an outstanding, brilliant man and the mother of two grown awe-inspiring children, and grammie to three flawless grandchildren.
Louis NewsletterSilveiraEditor, Webmaster, and Archivist at the Elk Grove Historical DiannaSociety
Justin Azevedo Justin has been a Youth Services Librarian for Sacramento Public Library since 2010, and is currently the Youth Materials Selector for the system.
D’Lee Daleo Switch Fitness Owner with a passion for life, family, friends and fitness. She's never met a stranger, loves the movie Elf and is living proof that fitness can be Aaronfun.
Dr. Dayle A. Imperato A Board Certified physician, she has served the Sacramento community for the past 20 years. Owner of Rejuvenation Wellness & Aesthetic Medicine in Old Town, Elk Grove. Nan Mahon Is an author and journalist. She is a member City of Elk Grove Committee for the Arts and received the Elk Grove 2011 Mayor’s Award for volunteerism in the Arts.
Andrew Grove Serial Entrepreneur and Owner of Purely CBD of Elk Grove
Contributor’s Corner
Cindy Della CheesemongerMonicaandOwner of Cheese Central in Lodi, Ca.
Justin Pinnell Justin is not just another pretty face in Real Estate. He enjoys long walks on the beach and high mountain sunsets.
Zachary Wackman General Manager at McConnell Estates Winery Brendle Wells Is a librarian and lifelong reader who has a passion for sharing books with pretty much anyone she meets. She currently works as the Adult Materials Selector for the Sacramento Public Library and asks, “What have you read lately?” For full bios of our contributors, please www.ardentforlife.net.visit
10 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022
Jamie McCalman Switch Fitness Owner and Mom to Braden, Kyla and Lea. Some Moms can juggle a lot, Jamie can literally juggle her three kids; yeah, she’s that strong.
Anna Osborn Anna lives in Elk Grove with her husband and school aged twins. She owns Life Unscripted Counseling in Midtown Sacramento.
Scott and Dana Halvorson We are Sacramento photographers, shooting everywhere from Tahoe to San Francisco, and we have a love for travel beyond.
Elizabeth Pinkerton Teacher and Administrator for 40 years, she is now a historian and author.
Copyright © 2022 Mrs. and Mr. Publishing Published by Mrs. and Mr. Publishing six times a year
Want to know about great events, open houses, and more? Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ardentforlifeelkgrove Ardent For Life is distributed in Elk Grove, Sacramento, Lodi, and every point in between.
business manager Justin Pinnell justin@mrsandmrpublishing.com executive editor carole Morris carole@mrsandmrpublishing.com art & production info@mrsandmrpublishing.com creative director Sara Pinnell sara@mrsandmrpublishing.com sales sales@mrsandmrpublishing.com
Jose Andres
The information in this publication is for informational purposes only. Mrs. and Mr. Publishing Inc. (DBA Ardent for Life) assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual, event or organization is not necessarily the views of the magazine.
Have a great story idea, or know someone that we should feature? Email us with your comments & suggestions at info@mrsandmrpublishing.com Interested in increasing your business and partnering with Ardent For Life? Check out www.ardentforlife.net.
There is nothing better than picking up sun-warmed tomatoes and smelling them, feeling them and scrutinizing their shiny skins for imperfections, and dreaming of ways to serve them.
View ardent for life online at www.ardentforlife.net
Checking
bountiful harvest of fruits and vegetables that are in your garden, and at your neighborhood market, we have some delightful recipes for you to try.
executive editor Carole Morris
Gatherfamily.upthe
There is a heartwarming article about Save Them All Horse Rescue, a place of safety for abandoned, abused, or injured horses. The article really touched my heart because I adore horses. If you want to lift your spirit out of the doldrums, the rescue would be the perfect place to volunteer. Have you ever known someone who caused you to scratch your head and mutter, “where’s their common sense?” Do we have the article for you! In What I’ve Learned About Common Sense we discuss the steps needed to gain common sense.
In the article Care from the heart by Kaiser Permanente we learn that health care goes beyond physical treatment; there is a deeply emotional side, too. They do this by focusing on a theory called Caring Science which connects the nurse, patient, family, and members of the health care team in authentic caring human relationships–honoring the humanity of the patient and
Ardent for life Have I told you how much I love summer? There is absolutely nothing that can dim my love of “all things” summer. However, with a heavy heart I must accept the fact that autumn is starting to breathe down my neck. Nights have that autumn feel to them…the birds have left their nests and harvesting has begun. But right now, in this moment, let’s celebrate late summer by sitting outside, feeling the warm breeze and reading our latest edition of Ardent! In
What did we learn after reading this issue?
16 ardentforlife.ne “TakeLeaveOne,One”
Strong family matriarch Jeanne Strong is the woman behind the first book-share box I spot ted. Jeanne shared that it may be the best thing she ever did! That's quite a thought consider ing the many other community-minded things she and her husband Jerry have been involved in, including being instrumental in creating and sustaining Project Ride, the area non-prof it that pairs horses and people with disabili ties. Jeanne was already doing things to share her love of reading and books with the commu nity. She recalls inviting various authors and community members to the ranch for book discussions throughout the years. Sometime prior to 2015, Jeanne came across an article about book-share boxes in a maga zine. Jeanne proposed the idea to Jerry, who at first balked at the idea, fearing it would be a target for vandalism, especially with the high visibility out on Bond Road. Jeanne countered with her refusal to believe people would be de structive. She had a pretty strong feeling that the Elk Grove community would really enjoy a little library. Jerry enlisted the help of a bud dy, and the yellow and green library box was built and installed at the end of their driveway, where it remains. Library share-boxes are everywhere, if you know what you are looking for. They are com monly found in front of people’s homes and come in all shapes and sizes. Many are deco
featured}
LittleLibraryFree
By Denise Henderson Have you ever experienced the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon? I bet you have, but perhaps did not know there is a name for the occasion you notice a particular thing for the first time… and then shortly thereafter begin to see it seemingly all the time, everywhere. I experienced the phenomenon when I no ticed my first library book-share box several ing western scenes because something new caught my eye. There was a newly installed wooden box on a post at the foot of the ranch long drive. I wondered if it was some kind of bird house, it was cute with bright green and yellow colors and a shingled, pointed roof.
A hand-lettered inscription said “Take One, Leave One”. There was a pretty ceramic knob that invited me to open the glass door behind which I found two shelves full of books. I had discovered what I would come to learn was a library book-share box. The purpose of a library book-share box is to be an exchange point for books. Operating under the “Take One, Share one” philosophy, patrons are encouraged to visit the boxes and to take a book of interest for free (no library card needed, or return due date assigned) with the idea that the patron will “pay the service forward” by either returning the book when finished or by replacing it with another book. The original book could be donated to a whole different box thus expanding its circulation.
Library share-boxes are everywhere, if you know what you are looking for. They are commonly found in front of people’s homes and come in all shapes and sizes.
Many of the LFL’s around the Sacramento area have been built by Sean Witt and can be found in Galt, Elk Grove, Wilton, Sacramento, Folsom, and Davis. Since creating the first box for a former neighbor in the Fallbrook neighborhood, Sean has trouble-shooted and refined the plans to ensure the protection of the books from various weather issues. Sean shares that while shingles are cute, but they are not 100 percent waterproof; suggesting instead a roof of corrugated metal with a generous overhang. He recently sent one library kit to a little girl, after some confusion when the family contacted Sean to order a box via an internet search. After some communication about pick-up, it became apparent that the family assumed Sean was in Elk Grove, Illinois (while he was really in California)! The little girl wanted a library book-share box so badly that Sean sent a kit to her at no charge. Sean does more than make LFL’s, he is a steward as well. Sean and his wife recently moved to Santa Cruz, but they often make trips back to Elk Grove, making it a point to bring plenty of books to replenish any boxes that are low on books. Sean is so enthusiastic about the idea of library book-share boxes that he created a Facebook page, Little Free Library Elk Grove.
Teri Lagrassa is a big fan of library boxes. When I see Teri walking East down Bond Road with a bag in her hand, I know she is headed to that first library box I spotted years ago at Strong Ranch. Teri shares that delivering books (to one of four library boxes that are within walking distance) gives purpose to her daily walks. Another favorite library box of Teri’s is at her family's favorite camping spot near Half-Moon Bay. Teri has lots of access to books as a volunteer at The Book Den, a book store run by Friends of the Sacramento Public Library, whose
Page 16 - top: Charter #86301 located in the Laguna area was gifted to Robbie Payne by Pamela Payne in celebration of Robbie’s birthday and love of books and reading.This LFL is decorated intricately front to back, top to bottom with lots of bright colors and whimsical designs.
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Page 17 - top: Charter # 85104 Located at James Mckee Elementary School Top right: LFL Charter # 65035 Funded by Pacific Powder Coating Built By Sean Witt - Located near Wilton Post Office
rated with book lovers at heart with a steward’s fa vorite book titles included in the design. Some repre sent the special interests of the steward. There are more than a few boxes that place Snoopy in his honorary place on top of his dog house. Some are miniature models of the houses where they are posted. Many are designed with great attention to detail with decorative knobs, tiny shingles, miniature weath ervanes, or finials. Some are made from recycled materi als or things like repurposed retired newspaper stands. Some are built right into the landscape. Several have been created out of tree stumps. Some are combination library boxes and succulent planters. Many are impressive works of art and craftsmanship. Some are made in memo riam, and some are celebrations of special events. Some are even mo bile built on wheels! Library book-share boxes can be found in schools and community areas as well, and many originate as group endeavors. Check out Instagram #littlefreelibrary to see all the creativity!
Library book-share boxes do not have to be “registered” or “official,” but there is the op portunity to do so with the “Little Free Library” organization. It is a 501 ( c )(3) non-profit organization and a leader in a global literacy movement with the mission to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all. Todd H. Boi es tablished the first Little Free Library (LFL) in 2009 in Hudson, Wisconsin. As the co-founder Todd Bol (late) believed strongly in the power of individuals to change the world through acts of kindness. June 22, 2022, marked the estab lishment of the 150,000th Little Free Library (LFL) in 115 countries. There is even one at the South Pole! More than 250 million books have been shared worldwide through the efforts of the organization and hundreds of stewards.
The LeBron James Family Foundation’s I PROMISE Village has a LFL and Steph and Aye sha Curry’s Eat.Learn.Play foundation pledged to build, install and steward 150 book-shar ing boxes in Oakland with plans to distribute 50,000 books annually in the Oakland area. More information can be found at the Little freelibrary.org , website which includes infor mation about the organization as well as infor mation on how to get started with creating and maintaining a LFL. There are plans available
Impact Library Program shares that 30 mil. adults cannot read above a 3rd grade level. Studies prove that the more books in or near a home, the more likely a child will love to read. The easy access provided by book exchange opportunities is an excellent vehicle to encourage the love of reading. efforts are to raise funds to enhance services at all library branches. The Book Den supports the book-share box community by providing a 10% discount on book purchases to stewards who have official charters through an organi zation called “Little Free Library”. Diana and John Lagousis are stewards of char ter # 97693 that was installed in front of their home in Camden Estates a few years ago. Their LFL is an altered replica of a London telephone booth reminiscent of a trip across the pond. The tall, bright red library is quite eye-catching and inviting. It has the capacity to hold A LOT of books! The ebb and flow of the “take one, share one” policy keep the li brary pretty full. As a steward of the library, Linda monitors the library daily, straightening and organizing as needed. Since establishing their library Diana and John have accumulated many books. Once word got out about their li brary, people have been donating to the cause, even leaving bags of books on their porch. John had to build bookshelves in their attic to hold the overflow. When the couple modified their scaled-down telephone booth turned LFL with shelves, Linda made it a priority to desig nate lower shelves for children’s books. Linda places hand-made bookmarks in the LFL and occasionally wraps up a special book to entice a patron to give it a try. As a recently retired primary grade teacher, Linda knows firsthand the importance of the availability of books for children as the key to building lifelong readers. (Thank you, Linda, for 30 plus years teaching in EGUSD). Jasmine Garcia earned her Girl Scout Silver Award when she established a LFL as an 8thgrade Cadette. Jasmine chose a LFL project because she wants to share her love of read ing and books by making more books avail able to the community. Her box is Charter # 72938 and is in Laguna near Franklin Blvd. As a member of a bi-lingual family herself, Jasmine chose to have her charter plate for #72938 written in Spanish. Jasmine, who is now a senior and a Girl Scout Ambassador, continues to be a dedicated steward to her LFL. The clever design has the post of the box secured in a wine barrel base surround ed by succulents and garden decorations. At night the box is lit up with solar-powered fairy lights. Jasmine reports that her box is very active and is used by all ages.
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18 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022
LFL Charter # 54995 - Built By Sean Witt - Located on Grantline Road Ashlynn and Aaron Padilla check out the childrens selection at Diane and John Lagousis Charter # 97693 Little Free Library Charter # 72938 Steward Jasmine Garcia Located in Laguna
My Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon expe rience led me to become obsessed with library book-share boxes. Books and lit eracy have been a passion of mine from an early age. My love affair with books started the first time I checked out a stack of books on my own from my local library. I vividly remember the librarian ask ing me if “little me could carry all those books by myself?”. Books have been pass ing through my life ever since. I unabash edly admit to being a “bibliophile”, a per son who collects and or has a great love of books. While I do not drink tea, have a cat or a cool bookish tattoo as one might assume of a bibliophile, I do have a fair ly large amount of books. This surprises some people, especially when consider ing there are so many ways to access book content now with ebooks, audiobooks, ect. While I do enjoy those options, there is something special about the experience of holding and reading a physical book. The idea that one physical book can go through many hands, endlessly enriching people’s lives is a powerful thing. The bibliophile in me is obsessed with trying to match the books I have read with the people I think will enjoy them. Library book-share boxes are a wonderful way to spread the love of books and joy of reading. That is why this bibliophile is becoming the steward to Lit tle Free Library Charter #149684 coming to the Elk Grove area in October. Use the LFL map/ app to find the location. It will be the one with a bunny on top!
featured} Take One, Share O ne
Top left photo: Charter # 138973 found in East Sacramento has a little treat holder for four-legged patrons. Top right: This Library book-share box can be found in San Luis Obispo. Its shabby chic design includes a place to sit and enjoy your book! Middle and bottom right: Charter #34585, 3-story LFL, a large chest filled with puzzles, a smaller-sized Adirondack chair, and a dog watering station.
20 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 for building your own and the option to order a ready-made Amish built box. Each registered LFL is issued a unique charter number and corresponding metal plate designating it as official. There are many benefits to having a charter for a LFL that are accessed via including access to the Steward Web Portal, where one can update information specific to the individ ual charter, including the ability to share dedications or brief stories about the li brary's origin. The site also highlights op portunities for free or discounted books and access to monthly newsletters. The benefits of a LFL charter is the place ment of each library on the LFL World Map. The map is also accessible via phone app. The map/ app can be utilized by LFL patrons in three ways: 1) Near me (choose a search based on your current location 2) Location (choose a certain area, perhaps a travel destination by searching city, state/ providence, or postal code 3) Unique Charter Number. The app will also help you get directions and create a route for you. There is the opportunity to create a favorites list and a tracker option through which one can track their favorite LFL’s. I recently used the map app while visiting my son in San Luis Obispo. The map pin pointed a LFL a little way off well-traveled Highway1, heading east away from Avila Beach to Squire Canyon. “Charter #34585 Neighborhood Nourishment” is part of an entire corner of the Murphy family proper ty dedicated to community sharing. In ad dition to the three story LFL (which holds something for all ages of readers) there is a large chest filled with puzzles for shar ing, a smaller-sized Adirondack chair and a dog watering station. In order to draw interaction to her little corner, Steward Janet Murphy included a secret hidey-hole in the area where she stashes little trea sures for geo-cachers to find…using gps coordinates. Other stewards encourage visits to their LFL’s (from the public) by providing other interactive activities like special events, treasure hunts, book give aways, etc. that can be posted and shared via the LFl Map App. How fun would it be to incorporate visits to LFL’s into a family road trip. Family members can each pick a book of their own and then donate them to the next library on the trip and maybe find a little treasure.
By Cindy Della Monica, Cheesemonger and Owner, Cheese Central akaatHolidayHome
Staycation, food} Chee S e Cen T ral
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1. Pre-staycation cleaning of your home, even if you splurge on a cleaning service
2. Pre-plan a few activities, balancing relaxing and anticipated fun
Alternative? Staycation… stay at home for the intended holiday. Sound boring? I can tell you it is not! You can be a tourist in your own town…so I ask you: what treasures will you find within a day trip from home? I’m amazed daily at the first-time local guests who have been coming into our Lodi shop (for the past 11 years). We hear “I come downtown for the movies,” or “dined at that restaurant, but haven’t walked downtown.” CHEESE CENTRAL is the only free-standing cheese shop in a 50-mile radius. Shouldn’t ALL locals visit for the tasting experience? The waning days of summer are perfect for staycation. Research to visit towns around you or places where you might take visitors (call the Chamber of Commerce for suggestions). City llandmarks; bus tours; day pass for a local resort pool; new restaurants…it doesn’t have to be expensive. Try another town’s farmer’s market (stroll to gather goods for a cheese board), go to free outdoor concerts, plays, movies, free museum admission day, a new hike or walk to a different park. One summer, with our teenagers, I planned a day-trip of stops between Lodi and Sacra mento on Day three–of our five-day holiday. No phones were allowed all day. I provided the kids with a paper map (gasp!) and a list of addresses. Though I knew the planned route, Dad the Designated Driver, did not. Lukewarm teenage attitudes at first, but they got a kick out of giving Dad directions to the targeted stop. First, breakfast diner in the lower foothills—don’t pancakes perk everyone up? Next, a visit to a nursery in Elk Grove, where Jacuzzi-style pools with hand-raised koi--baby-sized (to great big ones) let us “pet” them and feed them… kids loved it!
3. Pre-pack or gather grab-ngo bag for themed activities during holiday 4. Bring your best holiday mindset at the very beginning---get out of your routine! 5. Resist checking your work email. An “Out of the Office” notice will help. 6. Put the down!phone Easy rules for a great staycation? Absolutely: The result? Leisure time is important for the mind and body. You are a happier, calmer person, and a more engaged worker when you go back to the office. Relax, de-stress. Social media is not a necessity to daily life! Immediate friends and co-workers can call in case of emergency. But any contact is off until you are “back” from holiday. Take time to actually enjoy early morning sunrises, birds chirping, stillness of the water, smell of bacon frying and coffee brewing. Be in the moment. Use your senses to fully enjoy the opportunity to just BE…
All big smiles now, and an eager hunt for the next address was on! We explored a brand-new IKEA (girls love to shop, boys love the food court for snacks). Toured a pop-up art fair, had a mid-afternoon swim in a community pool, and visited an unusual Russian chocolate shop. I really thought handmade, ethnic chocolate would be fun, but found ourselves looking over our shoulders at dusty empty shelves, a sketchy shopkeeper, and cob-webbed windows (front for a Russian Mafia safe-house, maybe)? The family never lets me forget this one! Our day ended at an upscale Italian restaurant for dinner and gelato. The rest of our holiday was spent putting together and enjoying “the Puddle''… a 12’ round, metal-skeleton and electric-filtered, family backyard pool (thank you WalMart!). Sunscreen, snacks and cold beverages, anyone? Dusk brought a bedsheet “screen,” popcorn and Raisi nets, which had us lounging in the backyard for movie time, waaaaaay past bedtime.
Wanderlust. (noun. The strong desire to travel). Today’s traditional travel can be difficult, confusing, canceled, or not on time. Unless required travel, i.e. for wedding or funeral, you might not WANT to travel due to pricing, restrictions, and uncertainty of arrival date or time. Stressful, right? Choosing optional travel indicates you REALLY want a break!
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3. Summer fruits and veggies are at their peak! Offer bite-sized colorful cherry tomatoes, grapes, berries, and dippable veggies like green beans
4. There are sooooo many types of olives and pickles—leave the black canned version on the store shelf. Be adventurous!
5. Jams, spreads, honey and hummus…. Really good dippables are great options for cheese top pers and accompaniments to the veggies
food} Chee S e Cen T ral 24 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 Create “signals” in your home to remind yourself this is a spe cial time, cues that this isn’t a routine day. Fresh flowers, bath tub bubbles, candles (or diffuser of relaxing essential oils), and new music playlists will give the impression of hotel pamper ing. Fresh bed linens, new pillows, or a dinner using your best china feeds the soul. The alternative to home-sprucing would be to make a reservation for a night or two at a local AirBnB or boutique hotel. Doesn’t have to be expensive, but does lend the “I’m away” feel without the household projects in close proximity. Check Groupon or other similar special offers. Though I didn’t mind loading the dishwasher, paper-plate dining every meal is mindless, leaving time for the art or pasta class you’ve dreamt about. Enjoy your picnic and wine at a local winery’s evening music performance. Think of the fun and relaxing things that you and your family like to do! New sights, card or board games, the family “puddle,” and minimal cooking make for a get-away “hotel” experience. Stock up on delicious freezer meals, cheese and charcuterie board supplies, take-out favorites, and freezer treats. This is also the time for Happier Hour! Plan a late-afternoon break for great cocktails or mocktails, and a summery cheese board to whet the appetite in anticipation of dinner or BBQ later in the evening. Google “summer cocktails” for inspiration-oodles of great choices. Easily accomplished with the fridge stocked with premade pitchers of your favorite sippables, and fresh lemonade or iced tea for impromptu service. For ap petizer inspiration, check Pinterest for cheese board arrange ments. Now, plan and enjoy a Staycation holiday!
7.boardAssemble it all on ANY flat surface… a kitchen cutting board, any ceramic or plastic platter, a large floor tile (for a few dollars, purchase a sam ple tile from a local flooring shop), a flat basket lined with fig or grape leaves. The choices are endless and probably laying around the house! No need to buy anything new (unless you really want to do so).
8. Find a shady, comfortable spot to serve. A few knives and spoons on the board, and dinner napkins or small plastic plates for each diner. Poolside under an umbrella? Lakeside under a tree? Floor pillows and Netflix? As always, our staff at CHEESE CENTRAL is ready to help you with samples of our 100+ cheeses at the counter. Visit us at 11 N School St, Lodi, CA 95240 or visit our website at www.cheesecentrallodi.com
Summer Fruit and Cheese Board
2. Wander the cracker aisle for something new to try, and slice a baguette
6. Don’t forget the crunchy factor: all kinds of nuts, lightly toasted to bring out their great flavors, fill in the holes on that yummy cheese
1. Pick 3-5 types of cheese: spreadable or slice able, sweet, spicy or salty, a total of 1 oz of each cheese per person. Cured meat is optional. The exception is small pieces of prosciutto-wrapped melon or halved figs
food} TomatoesGalore! 26 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 By Carole Morris
At least 3 pounds ripe to matoes. Wash and quarter if tomatoes are large. Cut in half if the tomatoes are medium-sized. Try to keep the sizes uniform so they dry at the same rate. Salt with desired or favorite salt type Use dried herbs/spices of choice if you desire a fla vor for specific recipes. Olive oil for packing in jars to store or give as gifts.
food} Directions Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. On a rack, or parchment-lined bak ing sheet (do not use foil, it can react to the tomato acids), arrange the tomatoes cut side up and sprinkle very lightly with sea salt (or salt of choice). Add your dried herbs or spices… if desired. Turn the tomatoes over around the halfway point (about 1 ½ hours) so they can continue drying on the other side. For larger tomatoes press down on them gently with a spatula to flatten them a little to help release some of the liquid. Drying will take 3 hours or more in the oven. To store, keep them in an airtight freezer bag in the refrigerator or freezer. Another alternative is to store the dried tomatoes in jars of olive oil and keep in the fridge.
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Drying Tomatoes is an easy way to make them last well af ter the growing season. A dried tomato loses its moisture but keeps all the flavor and nutrients.
Oven Dried Tomatoes
4. Bake, uncovered, for about 2 hours When the tomatoes are done, they will be soft, and the skins will look wrinkled (and just be start ing to burst in areas). Don’t overcook.
Cherry tomatoes are sweet, delicious and vitamin-packed! If your plants produce like mine, they are joyful to behold. But, you are left wondering…how I can preserve this boun tiful harvest? Behold– a baked treasure that will impress and delight the whole family.
28 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 food}
5. Cool tomatoes in the pan at room tempera ture, then place in airtight jars. Store refriger Serveated. them on crackers or a slice of crusty bread with your favorite cheese. For a zesty twist, add balsamic vinegar (your family will love it). Ingredients 2-1/2 pounds of cherry tomatoes 4 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed to release flavor 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest extra virgin olive oil (enough to cover tomatoes depending on pan size) 2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 12 fresh basil leaves (more or less for desired strength of flavor) 4 sprigs thyme (more or less for desired strength of flavor)
3. Add all the ingredients together and fold them into the tomato oil mix. Flatten mix and level again.
1.Directions Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. 2. Pour olive oil into the dish, coming halfway up the sides of the tomatoes.
Roasted TomatoesCherry
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5. Bring the mix to a boil and then reduce the heat to low-medium. Let your pan simmer. Give it a shake once or twice to make sure that the rice is falling to the bottom of your pan. Cook uncovered for 15-18 min utes on low-medium heat
Paella paired with McConnell Estates Tempranillo
3. Add your chicken pieces, parsley, and rice to the pot. Stir to make sure the rice and parsley are spread out.
NOTE: Our McConnell Estates Tempranillo is available in our tasting room or e-store. You can visit our online store by scanning the QR code or through our website www.mcconnellestates.com.
6. Add shrimp, mussels, and lemons (halved) and place them on top of the dish. Do not stir the rice. Keep the heat on low for about 5 min utes. At this point, most of the broth should be absorbed by the rice. It is okay if the rice at the top is still not fully cooked. If the rice is completely hard, add a ¼ cup of chicken broth.
Late summer at the winery is a sight to behold. The vineyards are becoming awash in golden hues. Harvest transports heaps of grapes to our crush pad. And the wines we start to pour into glasses are deeper reds like our Tempranillo. The winery on the cusp of autumn truly is a feast for the senses, making us crave dishes that are equally so. Enter paella.
By Zachary Wackman, General Manager at McConnell Estates and Kayla Webb, Marketing Manager at McConnell Estates www.mcconnellestates.com
2. Add diced tomatoes, two bay leaves, paprika, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat. Stir for about 5 minutes, then add white wine and cook for 10 more minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
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7. Remove from heat and cover the pan with either a lid or tin foil. Let rest for 5 minutes while covered, then serve.
¼IngreDIentscupextravirgin
DIrectIons:
olive oil 1 white onion, diced 2 bell peppers, diced 4 cloves of garlic, sliced 3 roma tomatoes, finely diced 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 pinch saffron threads ½ cup white wine 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, 2choppedcupstraditional spanish style Arroz Redonda rice 5 cups chicken broth ½ cup frozen peas ½ lb. shrimp or prawns ½ lb. mussels 2 lemons salt and pepper to taste
1. Add olive oil to your skillet and bring to medium heat. When hot, mix in onions, bell peppers, and gar lic; cook until the onions are trans lucent.
4. Pour chicken broth slowly and evenly into the pan. Be sure the rice forms an even layer. (Note: from this point on we will not be stirring or mixing our paella.)
Paella is a versatile dish that any home chef can tweak to their liking. Here at McConnell Estates Winery, we prefer to combine the brininess of shrimp and mussels with the fattier, darker meat of chicken thighs. The result is a kaleido scope of colors like those happening in the vineyards and a flavor depth that pairs deliciously with the smooth tannins and fruitier notes of our Tempranillo.
Scoop large equal sized spoonsful of batter onto the lined baking sheet keeping them a couple of inches apart. Bake the “cakes” for about 6–7 minutes. Make sure they are puffed up and looked cook through but don’t overcook them.
WhoopiePies
There is something so fun about whoopie pies. That creamy marshmallow filling sandwiched between two fluffy chocolate cakes. Yes, please! 1/2cAKec unsweetened cocoa 2 c flour 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 c vegetable oil 1 c sugar 1 egg 1 c whole milk 2 tsp vanilla MArsHMALLoW FILLIng 1 c powdered sugar 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 c marshmallow creme/fluff IngRedIents:
I recently saw an article about the history of whoopie pies and it’s too cute not to share. According to legend, Amish wives would take leftover cake batter and make the tiny cakes. The next day, husbands and kids would then find the little “pies” in their lunch boxes and would exclaim, “Whoopee!” Cute right? That would probably be my reaction if I found a pie in my Theylunch.may seem complicated but are super easy to make. You basically make cookies out of cake batter… bake them for a few minutes, let them cool, then fill them with gooey goodness and serve with a cold glass of milk. food} notes: This recipe makes about 10–12 assembled pies. You can put the marshmallow filling between the cakes just by scooping it on (I like to use a piping bag with a large tip to get smooth edges). You can have fun using decorative piping tips too. Store uneaten whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge for best results. Then allow them to come to room temperature for about 10–15 minutes, so the cake soft ens back up. My husband and son like to keep them in the freezer, so they can eat them frozen (they are like a super indulgent ice cream sandwich). stePs: Preheat the oven to 400º. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Stir together the cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a me dium bowl and set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the vegetable oil, sugar, egg, milk, and va nilla extract until well-integrated.
32 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 By Rebecca www.divadicucina.comVoorhees
Place a matching cake flat side down on top of the filling and push it down to spread the filling evenly from edge to edge (I like my filling to be about 1/2” thick). Repeat until all the pies are complete! For more great recipes www.divadicucina.comvisit
Take one of the cakes, turn it upside down, and put a nice sized dollop of the marshmallow fill ing in the center of the underside of the cake. (If your filling is squishing out from the weight of the cake on top, you can place the filling in the fridge for about 30 minutes. The butter chilling will help to thicken it up.)
Using a spatula, immediately transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and allow them to cool com pletely. Prepare the marshmallow filling by beating to gether all the powdered sugar, butter, and va nilla until nice and smooth. Gradually add the marshmallow creme until it is mixed in. (If the frosting doesn’t seem thick enough, add in a bit more powdered sugar a little at a time. You want it to be about the consistency of frosting.)
Slowly, add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat until just combined.
Dianna, the owner of Elk Grove Vitamins, had told me about this fantastic lady. She described an extraordinary woman who has a heart to save as many displaced horses as she possibly can. Even though she has very little resources, she makes up for it with hard work and determination.
Written By Justin Pinnell
Dianna said, “This has been personally for me the most rewarding partnership, as I watch this remarkable, strong, independent, and incredible selfless woman. Vikki lives and breathes making it possible for these horses to escape being slaughtered.”
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Sanctuary, a place of safety, an oasis of sorts is what Vicki and the Save Them All Horse Rescue of fers abandoned, abused, or injured horses. I spent some hours with Vicki and the twenty-one horses currently housed, and looking for adoption, at the sanctuary site in northeast Elk Grove. I soon came to realize that this is in fact not just a sanctuary for horses waiting for new homes, it is also a refuge for the volunteers who make Save Them All Horse Res cue possible.
Dianna arrived at the rescue and quickly grabbed a wheelbarrow and pitchfork weaving around horses and picking up after them. "Words do not justify the connection between you and a 1200 pound animal. Though it may be an intimidating meeting at first, the love connection develops quickly!" Dianna told me.
ThemSaveAll Horse Rescue
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After exchanging pleasantries, Vicki began tear fully telling me about the horses and each of their stories. She told me the tales of horrible abuse and abandonment. Then the stories be came uplifting when she told me about the care and love she and the volunteers give to the noble Vickibeasts.works very closely with veterinarian Dr. Robert Hunter, farrier Chris Culcasi, as well as horse trainers. Together they find the best path forward for each horse (individually) to get the horse healthy, adjusted, and ready for adoption. An example of one success is Jazz, a retired thoroughbred racehorse who was brought to the rescue with extremely damaged hooves. “His feet were like pancakes,” Vicki said. Vicki and Chris Culcasi put Jazz on a special diet and shoed him with special rubber booties to help protect his feet, as he began his healing process. Now, after three years, Jazz’s feet finally look normal. Jazz doesn't have a problem galloping all over the pastures at all, and he's a happy fella.
Dianna suggested for me to go and see the res cue for myself. So, I took Dianna up on her invi tation. When I arrived, I saw a woman diligently tending horses with skill and a robust authorita tive air about her… I knew this must be Vicki.
ardentforlife.net 35 featured} r e SC ue
This endeavor is not only labor intensive, but it also costs a lot of money to rehabilitate horses. The average cost to care for and shelter a horse is over $325 per month. Abused and ne glected horses average $500 per month (until they are nursed back to health). Some things that could help… besides time and labor, and of course money… are donating supplies such as feed, veterinary supplies and medicine, barn supplies, cleaning and shelter tools, and equine enrichment supplies, to name a few.
Visit https://savethemallhorserescue.com/donate to see a complete list of all the different ways you can support them!
Save Them All Horse Rescue’s mission statement is to rescue horses that are unwanted; whether they have been abused, neglected, abandoned, or in threat of be ing sent to slaughter. Our goal is to rehabilitate these beautiful horses, both physically and mentally, and re home them to permanent, loving homes. It is also our mission to educate the public on the plight of horses in America today and to make a difference in the lives of horses and people. While spending time at the rescue, I wonder to myself who is rescuing who? The volunteers (living life during these un settling times) find serenity and peace just being with these beautiful, intelligent horses. I asked Dianna for a final comment, she said, “It's an honor to be part of such an amazing organization. Giving is something that should be taught to both children and adults. Therefore, we all need to lead by example, it's never too late!”
Save Them All Horse Rescue P.O. Box 1704 Elk Grove, CA 95759 - (916) 335-5661
Volunteers are the backbone of making our horses trust and feel loved. Without the assistance of volunteers, we would not be as successful as we are in our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome unwanted horses. While watching Dianna working, I noticed she would often stop to pet the curious horses while talking endearments to them. I could see the joy this was bringing both the horse and Dianna. Vicki together with Saving Them All Horse Rescue of fers many programs to the public and provides vital education regarding horses and their welfare. Programs such as Open Houses and Community Days, community service hours for high school students, internships for students, and community service hours for Sacramento County Sheriff's Dept.'s Alter native Sentencing Program for traffic violations. Vicki states, “Volunteers are the backbone of making our horses trust and feel loved. Without the assistance of volunteers, we would not be as successful as we are in our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome unwanted horses.”
www.savethemallhorserescue.com
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My name is Jessica and my husband's name is Caleb. We currently live in Wil ton, California. Caleb grew up in Fairfield and I grew up in Galt. I am currently still in school earning my Bachelors in Psychol ogy and Caleb works as an engineer in Elk Grove. We got married this year in Wil ton on March 6, 2022! how did you meet? Caleb and I met in 2018, at Creekside Christian Church in Elk Grove. I first remember seeing him after church one Sunday and thinking to myself, "Creekside doesn't normally have cute guys like Afterthat."
Photographed by DeAnna Gallardo Photography - www.deannagallardophotography.mypixieset.com
Jessica & Caleb
love} stories
seeing him from across the room, I decided to follow him on Instagram (I know typical). This led to messages back and forth between the two of us. On April 24th, 2018 we had our first date. However, Caleb decided that since he had just moved here, he wanted to just be friends and not take our relationship any further. He said, "You are definitely the type of woman I could see myself marrying but..." I held onto those words and made it my mission to become his best friend. We didn't have our second date until October 25th, 2020. I began to move on from the idea of Caleb and I being together. So, he caught me off guard when he asked me out the second time. After a normal night of leading bible study, we both hopped in our cars. Caleb called me as we sat in our cars across from each other and asked me to go on a date with him. I was speechless but somehow managed to get the word "yes" out. As crazy as it sounds, agree ing to that first date in my mind was agreeing to spend the rest of my life with Caleb. the Proposal? Caleb asked me to marry him on July 31, 2021. He insisted that we have a date in Napa and my red flags went up. I anticipated that Caleb would ask me to be his wife, however, I didn't know how he would do it. We had an amazing day in Napa go ing wine tasting, eating at really great places, walking around all the shops. We pulled up to the Cosumnes River Preserve while the sun was set ting. The Cosumnes River Preserve happened to be where Caleb asked me to be his girlfriend. We held hands and walked silently. Caleb was laughing and crying at the same time. It is a moment I will always remember so vividly. When we reached the end of the walk there was a trail of candles and pic tures that lead to a table with a white table cloth on it with the ring, a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, and a sign that said “I'll love you to the End." It is the song that we always dance to and it was playing in the background as Caleb knelt down and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. We go back to where we got engaged often. We even went there the morning of our wedding to say personal vows to each other and I gave Caleb a journal I had been writing in for my husband since 2018. What is love? Jessica: 1 John 4:10 says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son
Who are you?
ardentforlife.net 37 love} stories
The best way I would describe love is thinking less of yourself and more of others. To love someone is also costly and requires sacrifice, but there is absolutely no greater feeling than to know you are loved by someone else.
When did you know you were in love?
feeling. I often get caught up in the fast pace of life, making the "right" decisions, and being efficient, but Jessica helps me to slow down and remind me that it's people that matter most.
What is love? Caleb: I'm still learning myself what love is and I might not have the best definition, but I can defi nitely recognize love when I see it or when I'm the recipient of it. The best way I would describe love is thinking less of yourself and more of others. To love someone is also costly and requires sacrifice, but there is absolutely no greater feeling than to know you are loved by someone else. What do you love most about him? Since I was a young high school student, I prayed that God would give me a man who is kind. Caleb is such a kind man, if someone is in a conversation with him, he will make that person feel like they are the only one in the room. He is a great friend, brother, and son. And an amazing husband. He truly is my best friend. Every night he prays for me. I love that he is a faithful follower of Jesus and it shows in every part of his life. He is an amazing man and I am so grateful that I get to be his wife.
What do you love most about her? I love so many things about her, but I definitely admire her empathy most. When I'm telling her something that's on my heart, she does a great job of validating me and making me feel like I'm heard. She doesn't fake interest, because she's fully invested in the things that I'm thinking about and
Caleb: I was in love before we even started dating! I knew I wanted to marry a woman who loved God and others. And the first time I remember seeing her do this, she had made a very thoughtful, unique COVID/Easter gift basket for several of our mutual friends. When she did this, she included a gift bas ket for one of our friends who had recently been feeling left out. I held in my feelings toward her for a little while after that, but I already knew that I wanted to marry her right when I asked her out on our first date.
Love is less about a feeling and the happiness we can get from another person and more about sacrificing our own needs, wants, and desires for someone else. Love is choosing my husband on days when I don't necessarily feel like loving him. Love is selfless and love forgives. as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." When I read this verse, it is clear that love is less about a feeling and the happiness we can get from another person and more about sacrificing our own needs, wants, and desires for someone else. Love is choosing my husband on days when I don't necessarily feel like loving him. Love is selfless and love forgives. My great grandparents have been married for almost 79 years. I can tell you their love is built on way more than just feelings. It is a rich love built on Jesus as the center. As I walked down the aisle, I surprised Caleb by singing these words, atifulmyTheseWhen"AndI'dsay'Ido'Fortherestofmylife,WithallthatIhave,IdoAndIwilltheskyisfallingIpromiseyou,I'mallinNoturningbackAndeveryday,everymomentAndeverybreathyoutakeIchooseyou."wordsarestillmyreminderofmyvowstohusband.ItisnotalwayseasybutitissobeauandmarriagethewayGodintendedissuchbeautifulgift.Iamsograteful.
When did you know you were in love? Jessica: In June of 2021 I went with Caleb and his family to Oklahoma and Arkansas to meet his grandparents and extended family. One of the days I went out shopping with Caleb's mom, grandma, and sisters. I was so excited to get home and see him. I remember thinking to myself that Caleb felt like home and that I truly loved him.
38 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 love} stories
Fun facts
ardentforlife.net 41 love} stories Photographer Deanna Gallardo Photography Videography caleb Williams with elevate-Weddings Venue heavenly events at heavenly harvest Farm Musician brandon Pasion and channing and Mikayla Stockman Florist etsy- the Faux bouquet Bride’s Dress Dressmaker Studios by inna rowe Rings arden Jewelers Wedding Coordinator amber luiz Coffee Bar Coram Deo Coffee Roasters
honeymoon plans The day after our wedding we drove to the Oregon Coast and stayed in a gorgeous air bnb that overlooked the ocean. After stressful weeks leading up to the wedding, we were both so grateful for a gorgeous place to rest and relax together. Just recently we took money from the wedding and put it toward a trip to Rwanda, Africa. We definitely thought of it as a second honeymoon.
My six-year-old sister was a co-maid of honor with my best friend. The dress I wore was re-created from my mom's dress from 1995. All the beading, lace, sleeves, and even parts of the skirt were sewn onto my dress. I was Caleb's only girlfriend. Valentine’s day dating, we both unknowingly purchased the same gift for each other. What did you enjoy most on your wedding day? Before the ceremony started, I was in the bridal cottage with all 10 of my bridesmaids and my mom. We spent time worshiping together. I was so grateful for the prayers before the day began.
By David Hipskind, Red Door Antiques
Let's Add a Pop Color!of Do you love neutral colors but feel the tug toward your favorite bright colors? Can you have those grays, browns, and beige hues and include the bright colors harmoniously? We're here to help give you motivation and inspiration to do it. base colors to choose from. If none of those color choices catch your fancy, develop ing a custom color is easy. The Anne Sloan Colour card is an excellent Don't be afraid to add color. Starting with neutral colors and adding a pop of color can bring life to older pieces. David and The Red Door Antiques staff can lend a helping hand. Add life to your project with a pop of color!
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® was introduced over 30 years ago. I have been painting for more than 50 years. With that kind of experience, we can assist in answer ing all your questions. We also offer monthly workshops. We offer the Annie Sloan Method. We focus on four techniques for a more rounded approach. Plus, we apply those techniques to repurposed frames that you get to take home when the workshop has concluded. Call the store for more information and to register. (916) 714-0619 - 9056 Elk Grove Blvd, Elk Grovewww.thereddoorelkgrove.com
design}
My name is Dave Hipskind, owner of Red Door Antiques. As certified “Stockists” for Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan, we can help you with any of your paint projects. We have new colors and a new and improved formula that assures you the finest results. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is the “Original” (don’t settle for imitations). There is only ONE Chalk Paint.
Rodmell is a dusty damson purple. Inspired by the atmospheric indigo tinted purpleblues of twilight, this is a sophisticated and elegant shade with real design kudos. The complex purple favoured by Gaugin. Partner with other cool shades for a contemplative space or juxtapose against warmer tones as the Fauvists did. -featured colourrOdMeLL
When you list your house for sale, you must sign a listing agreement with a brokerage and agent for a specific number of months. Buyers generally don’t have to commit to an agent in many areas. You may have to sign some agency paperwork, but you don’t have to tie yourself to an agent. However, an “exclusive buyer agency agreement” that an agent could ask you to sign would bind you to that particular agent.
3 - Holding open houses Do open houses work to sell homes or not? It depends on who you ask. Some agents feel like they’re a waste of time and rarely result in the sale of the house. Others swear by them and feel like they do sell homes. No matter how they feel about it, they will probably host one for you… if you list your house with an agent and want an open house. Don’t base your decision entirely on whether or not they believe in them, so much as whether they’re willing to do one if you want one.
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4 - Exclusive buyer agency agreements
Another agent believes in taking a day or (gasp!) two off each week, and some even set hours of the day they’re Neitheravailable.wayisright or wrong. While you certainly don’t want to work with an agent who is never available, get a clear picture of the hours of operation of your agent… make sure it works for your needs and expectations.
Real estate is a cooperative industry. You won’t survive long in this business if you can’t get along and work with other real estate agents. That doesn’t mean agents don’t have differences in doing their jobs well! There’s no one-size-fits-all way of working with clients. For every way one agent goes about getting their clients the best results, there is an equal and opposite approach another agent firmly believes will get the best results. Let’s look at ten things agents tend to be divided into (two different points of view) and give you a little perspective on why there’s such a divide.
1 - Working 24/7 Real estate isn’t a 9 to 5 job. The realtor returns to work whenever a showing or inspection call comes in. I know a realtor who left his birthday party to get an inspection done. He abandoned all the guests (who were there to celebrate him) because the market never rests. On one side, you have agents who boast they’re available 24/7, 365 days a year. Whether it’s a call, text, or email from a buyer, seller, or another agent; they try to be available at any given moment.
2 - Showing houses to buyers who aren’t pre-approved It is actually for your good to get pre-approved before you start going to see homes. It helps ensure you only look at houses you can afford, so you don’t waste your time (or an agent’s time) looking at property you can’t even buy. Plus, it prevents the heartbreak of finding a home you love, only to discover you can’t purchase it. Some agents draw a firm line in the sand and won’t show you a single house if you are not pre-approved. Others will show you a few before insisting you have pre-approval. And some may never insist on you getting pre-approved. Almost every agent wants you to be pre-approved upfront, but many let it slide because they don’t want to be too pushy and scare a potential buyer away. Again, it’s for your good equally as much as the good of the agent. The earlier you get it, the better.
10 Things Real Estate Agents Agree to Disagree About Agree Disagree
Every agent knows that a house shows better when it is shown in its best light. What constitutes “better” depends on the agent. Some think it will be acceptable to work with what you’ve got and ensure it’s clean, tidy, and not cluttered. Others believe you need an entire staging company to revamp your Ifdecor.you have a professional staging company or an agent who has a knack for staging and indeed “stage” your house, it won’t hurt! So you probably won’t find an agent out there who won’t agree that having your home professionally staged is a good idea. How much it will benefit you versus how much it will cost you can be hard to quantify. ardentforlife.net 45
6 - Showing houses above what buyers can afford
Showing homes above a buyer’s preapproval is the cousin of taking an overpriced listing. Much like sellers who want to try and get more than the data shows they can get for their house, buyers often want to look at places way above their price range, hoping they can negotiate it down to a price they can Mostafford.agents will likely agree to show you a house if it’s a little over what you can afford, but it depends on the agent. Some will humor you and show you any house you want (within reason); others won’t and feel like it’s negligent even to give a buyer hope and end up in heartbreak. There’s no right or wrong approach for an agent to take. The realtors who practice this behavior try to be accommodating, while those who won’t see it as protecting you.
There isn’t an agent in the United States who wouldn’t like to know they have a committed relationship with their buyer. However, some specific agents say they don’t believe in them and feel that if a buyer doesn’t want to be loyal or work with them, that’s how it goes. A piece of paper doesn’t create loyalty; doing a good job does.
Regardless of the market, an overpriced listing will take longer to sell. It will often never sell unless the price is adjusted or you take an adequately revised Prettyoffer. much every agent knows this and ideally doesn’t want to take an overpriced listing, but the reality is if they don’t another agent will. Listings don’t grow on trees, so it’s a tough call to firmly say no to a seller who wants to list it too high. It could never sell and be a total waste of time and money for the agent, but at least they have the chance to sell it. The hope is that the seller will come to terms with reality and lower their price during the terms of the listing agreement, and it will sell. But some agents will not take an overpriced listing and think any agent who does is wasting their time and setting their clients up for disappointment. It’s a tough stance to take, and they often see people list with another agent, only to lower their price to where the agent had recommended.
The chances are you can easily find an agent (or thousands of them) who will never even ask (or expect) you to sign one of these, but if one does, give it some thought. If the agent is a good fit for you, and you trust them, why not give them the security of knowing they have a client who’s fully committed to working with them?
7 - Staging listings
5 - Taking a listing that is priced too high Even though agents will thoroughly analyze the market and suggest an accurate listing price, the homeowner ultimately decides how much to ask for their house. But, the buyers ultimately decide on how much it’s worth in the open market by how they react.
Real estate isn’t a 9 to 5 job. The realtor returns to work whenever a showing or inspection call comes in. I know a realtor who left his birthday party to get an inspection done. He abandoned all the guests because the market never rests. It is tough to ask for an exclusive buyer's contract. Most agents do not insist on one. It is hard for most agents to ask for an exclusive buyer's agreement.
10 - Closing gifts (buyers and sellers) After working with a real estate agent to buy or sell a house, you may receive a closing gift. It’s of ten something like a bottle of champagne or wine, something for your new home, or a gift certificate. But there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a gift. No rules say an agent has to give you a gift, but if you hear about agents doing it or have gotten one in the past, you may expect one. As with so many other things, some agents swear by giving gifts every time. Some give them occasionally, and others never share them. To advocates of gift-giving, it’s an excellent way to thank you for the business and something for you to remember them and the great job they did helping you buy or sell a home. But some agents think that it takes away from the integrity of their service, and they point to how few other professionals give a gift after providing a service.
Hire the person you think will do the best job for you, whether they promise a gift or not, and don’t expect a gift when you close. And if you get one, just appreciate that not every agent gives one to every client, and your agent probably put some thought into what they gave you!
It’s more important about how you feel, of course! So, if having a single agent represent you and the other party feels acceptable to you, then go for it. Don't agree to a dual agency if you’d rather have an agent representing only you and your interests.
Dual agency is when an agent represents both the buyer and the seller in a sale. In some areas, it’s not legal, but it is and becomes more of a philosophical debate for agents in many areas.
9 - Professional photography Because you can take pictures of a house you’re listing with your phone nowadays doesn’t mean you should. However, it also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. If you know what you're doing, some phones can take as good a picture as a camera. If you’re interviewing agents to list your house, there’s a good chance you’ll have some agents touting that they’ll hire a professional photographer to come in and take pictures. But you may also find some who say they take their house photos, whether it’s with their phone or a camera.
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Some feel it works very well and that they can represent both parties equally and fairly and put together a deal that both parties are happy with. Others think it’s impossible to express either side entirely well if you represent both parties.
But if you interview an agent who doesn’t believe it will help and can offer reasons, advice, and guidance on making your home show well without staging, don’t disregard them just because they don’t believe in staging as much as another might.
Hopefully, this helps you understand when you hear different opinions from different agents. There’s not always one way of doing things or even a “right” or “wrong” approach to many aspects of helping someone buy or sell a house. But there’s one thing you can know for sure. No matter where an agent stands on these ten topics, they all agree on one thing—they’ll do whatever it takes to get the best results for their client.
There’s not always one way of doing things or even a “right” or “wrong” approach to many aspects of helping someone buy or sell a house.
8 - Dual agency
Agents who firmly believe in hiring a photographer often scoff at agents who say they just do their photography. Who’s to say that an agent doesn’t have the skills to take amazing pictures independently of professional photographers? If an agent believes in hiring a professional pho tographer, that’s fine. When you find the agent you think fits best for your needs. I would ask to see some examples of past houses they have sold and marketed.
Contact Justin Pinnell, DRE- 02045095, M&M Real Estate at (916) 812.0576 or www.jpsellscalifornia.com
education}
What I’ve Learned AboutCommon Sense CT Morris - BS Elementary Ed., MS Ed. who
By
When I think about common sense, my mind goes to ALL the people that I’ve encountered in my life
lack it. So, I know what not having common sense looks like…in a real and close up way! 48 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022
education} ardentforlife.net 49
One of the most common reasons that people lack common sense is they’re trapped in short-term thinking. We all know people who say…I’m going to eat what I want (when I want); I’m going to sleep with who I want (when I want); then I’m going to indulge in every appetite that I may have…when I want, and work (when I want)—well, you get the gist of the mindset of short-term thinking. That’s the first indicator of an individual who is lacking common sense. They don’t consider all the possible consequences of their actions.
The old law of cause-and-effect is a concept that we try to teach children at a very young age, because it affects them in a real way. They need to learn how to consider the vast array of options when choosing the “best” way to do something. Then consider the immediate consequences and the long-term con sequences. Parents and educators need to teach children the process of applying the cause-and-effect concept to their lives, then they will learn how to internalize it in their everyday life. They’re better at giving advice than following it. Many times, individuals know that com mon sense suggests they do one thing… and yet they do the opposite anyway. They make bad choices that go against sound reasoning, based on emotion, instincts, or the powerlessness to resist temptation. Sadly, they are the ones who will tell other people not to do the exact thing they are doing. This goes back to the cause-and-ef fect concept and internalizing it. To have common sense means that when giving others advice, we follow that advice our selves. Remember to encourage decision making with your child or student. Ask their opinions and guide them in the decision-making process between one thing or the other. Model how to make choices that depict cause and effect, this is an excellent way for kids to think about their decisions and develop common sense.
Let’s explore why some people lack common sense, then we can guide our children and students in ways to gain common sense. Short-term thinking
The synonyms for common sense are varied…good sense, native intelligence, mother wit, sound judgment, level headedness, discernment, wisdom, and shrewdness. These are all attributes that we want our children to have, so that they can be successful in life and living in a world that is uncharted for them.
The best books out there not only captivate the reader with a great story, but also help them understand something about themselves or others. True Biz is such a book. Turning to the opening page, readers meet February, Charlie, and Austin, each a member of the River Valley School for the Deaf community. February is the Principal (she is hearing, a child of Deaf adults). Austin is a student and member of a prominent Deaf family. Charlie is a new student. She is Deaf, but has grown up with a faulty cochlear implant which has kept her separate from both the Deaf and hearing worlds, but now finally has a chance to fully embrace one of those worlds. The book shifts back and forth between their points of view over the course of the school year--a year in which everything will change for each of them. As entertaining and fast paced as this coming of age novel is, as I said, it is also something more. In addition to providing a window into the varied experiences of the Deaf community for the reader, Novic includes interstitial sections with information about ASL (American Sign Language), Deaf history and Deaf education. This is a book that can transform understanding and conversations. It would be an excellent selection for book groups and readers of all sorts.
Random House 2022 T R By: Sara Novic
u E B I z
In recent years, there has been a wave of books that retell a variety of well known stories from myth and legend, re-centering them around neglected or ill served female characters. Up until now, most of the books in this genre have focused on western myth, think Circe by Madeline Miller or Ariadne by Jennifer Saint. Vaishnavi Patel takes this trend and moves it eastward to India. Kaikeyi retells the story of the despised queen of Indian mythology who pitted herself against the gods in the epic poem, the Ramayana. In the original tale, she’s a power hungry stepmother, scheming so her son should rule. Here she is fighting against a patriarchal society to earn her rightful place in the world. She will still make terrible mis takes and hurt those she loves, but the context for her actions means she is not spiteful or villainous, but rather a revolutionary challenging the status quo and the gods themselves. Retelling this story of this magnitude is an ambitious task, but in her debut novel Patel has created a lush, spellbinding tale with a complex and determined heroine at its center. It’s a beautifully written and imaginative epic, perfect for lovers of historical fiction, family sagas, book groups, and anyone in search of a great story.
50 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 art} books Reviews brought to you by the Book Reviews by BRENDLE WELLS
Redhook 2022 Kaikeyi By: Vaishnavi Patel
Author: Emi Watanabe Cohen
WWW SACLIBRARY ORG For details, telephone the Sacramento Public Library at (916) 264-2920 or visit www.saclibrary.org. art} books
Children's Book Reviews By JUSTIN AzEVEDO Kohei has heard stories of the ryū—giant dragons that flew majes tically across the sky, commanding respect wherever they went— his whole life. But those big dragons haven’t been seen in Japan since the end of World War II, twenty years ago. The only dragons Kohei has ever known are the humble little creatures that can ride on one’s shoulder, like his own beloved Yuharu. Except, Kohei is sure he has seen one of the big ryū before. He has a long-held, deeply cherished memory of glimpsing one with his grandfather, and the look of awe on his grandfather’s face as they did. And now that Ojiisan is increasingly angry, increasingly sad, and desperately ill, Kohei is sure that finding the lost dragons is the thing that will bring him back to himself. So, with the awkward but determined help of his new Japanese Jewish American neighbor, Isolde, he sets out on his mission: with the help of his missing father’s con troversial research, he will discover what happened to the ryū, and bring them back for good. Sporting a premise with a lot of moving parts, this is a slim book that packs a lot into its spare, introspective prose. Instead of spending a lot of time on worldbuilding, Cohen jumps right into the heads of Kohei and Isolde, two complex and extremely sympathetic characters. The story touches on themes of intergenerational trauma and personal identity, all while conveying a readable middle-grade adventure that is both historical and fantastical. A quiet, satisfying, and deceptively deep fantasy book, recommended for ages 9-14. Querido, 2022
Levine
The Lost Ryū
High school seniors Salahudin and Noor have been best friends since they were six years old, but they haven’t spoken to each other since The Fight—that awful day when Noor pushed past her walls to tell Salahudin how she felt about him, and he retreated behind his and said awful things he can’t take back. But Noor has always been close to Salahudin’s mother, and when Misbah’s health suddenly fails, Noor slowly comes back into Salahudin’s life as she tries to support him. Facing the loss of the family motel and with no help from his grieving, alcoholic father, Salahu din makes increasingly ill-advised decisions in order to keep everything afloat and avoid reckoning with his own grief. As things spiral beyond his control, he finds himself in danger of destroying both his fragile reconnection with Noor and her chances of escaping their small, oppressive town… unless he can face and conquer the demons hidden inside his head, and Noor can reconcile with the secrets she has been keeping and redirect the rage she has been keeping a tight lid on. Both of the teen characters reckon with traumas born from abuse (which can be trig gering for some readers) and racism, and both struggle to persevere against com pounding crises with the odds unfairly stacked against them. But hope remains, embodied by interspersed chapters detailing Misbah’s past and current point of view, which unspool from an occasional third perspective in the beginning into the connective tissue that ends the teens’ story on a bittersweet but ultimately satisfy ing note. Deeply affecting and expertly written contemporary YA fiction, recom mended for ages 14 and up.
52 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Razorbill, 2022 All My Rage
Multi-classReunion
community}
By Louis Silveira, Elk Grove Historical Society
The official date of the first Multi-class Reunion is 1974 and classes have consistently worked the annual reunions ever since (with the exception the pandemic year). We all went to high school where we transitioned from children to young adults, well most of us! We learned socialization skills, worked on our self-esteem, had our first dates, learned to drive, some had jobs, and many played sports (we are starting to feel the impact on our old bones). Those four little years (in the scheme of life) were huge and we made many life-long friends.
54 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 Reunions are a way to keep many of those relationships going and catch up on each person’s latest achievements. Usually classes meet every five years after graduation with the milestone being the 50th reunion… and an all-out attempt is made to attend. It is often planned a year (maybe two) ahead of time and there is a real effort to find many of those old classmates we had lost touch with. The reunions are usually a lot of fun, and a lot of work! By then, statistics say ¼ of the class will usually attend, ¼ have passed, and the last half aren’t interested or can’t be found. So, you have all these friends, you just celebrated your 50th EGHS Reunion–now what? Some classes continue with mini reunions (maybe a 55th or 60th reunion) but how about a EGHS Multi-Class re union? That’s what I want to write about. But first, here are some interesting facts about Elk Grove High School. Elk Grove High School was built in 1893 (The second public high school in the county) with 13 students, graduating its first student in 1894. It was the only high school in the school district until 1977. That is 114 years of Elk Grove teenagers of Elk Grove residents graduating from the same high school. So literally, if you are 63 years (or older) and raised in Elk Grove, you graduated from Elk Grove High School. That is a lot of 50th Class Reunions! No other high school (except Daylor) can celebrate their 50th Reunion yet. The next high school built; Valley High School, can celebrate their first 50th in 2027. For those who are interested in the EGUSD history, since then, the school district has expanded and is filled with many “other” high schools, starting with Valley HS (1977), followed by Florin (1989), Laguna Creek (1994), Sheldon (1997), Franklin (2002), Monterey Trail (2004), Pleasant Grove (2005), and Cosumnes Oaks (2008). The total of high schools is rounded out to 13 when including Daylor (1966), Rio Cazadero (1881), Las Flores (1988) and Calvine (1991). There are six more high schools planned in the next 20 years for the fifth largest school district in California. That is a lot of students building their memories and growing up.
Present Chairperson Kay (Pudge ’60) Barnes shared the history that was passed on down to her… The classes of the 1930s were meeting and dis cussing their reunions. Some of the class re unions had been luncheons. They were small, and they decided they wanted to bring the classes together. The group of Vivian (Venn ’31) Kara, Bud Jones (’31), Lois (Coons ‘32) Toquero and perhaps others, donated money to start reunions as multi classes. Then graduates of the 1940s joined the group. This group was led by Lillian (Henderson ‘46) Kneppel, Doris (Butler ‘43) Leverton, and John (’45) and Louis (’46) Zehnder.
Elk Grove High School
Usually classes meet every five years after graduation with the milestone being the 50th reunion… and an all-out attempt is made to attend. It is often planned a year (maybe two) ahead of time and there is a real effort to find many of those old classmates we had lost touch with. The reunions are usually a lot of fun, and a lot of work!
Over the years the reunion has changed from invitations made on a typewriter and mimeo graph machines to modernizing to comput ers. In 2022, some of the invitations will be sent by email address rather than by US Mail.
The reunion locations have changed over the years; Valley Hi Country Club, SES Hall, Carmichael Elks Club, and in the last five years at the Dante Event Center because it has higher occupancy capacity. Initially, they attempted to include any class after their 50year reunions. However, with the class size growth, this was not always possible. Many of the venues have attendance capacity, so including groups each year must be predicted and watched. Currently the reunion includes Classes 1936 – 1965 in 2022 and meets the occupancy requirements (300). Depending on attendance it remains to be seen if the class of ’66 will be added next year.
Irene (Johnson '36) Stone100 years old in 2020
community} Reunion
This year’s 48th Multi-class Reunion is scheduled for Sunday, October 9, 2022, from 11:00 am – 3:30 pm at the Dante Event Center (2330 Fair Oaks Boule vard, Sacramento 95825). Costs have escalated recently, and it is now $50 per person, but it is a really good meal and great friendships.
Barnes'60)(PudgeKay
Addresses and telephone numbers were orig inally kept on a Rolodex and have now been converted to rosters which now even include emails. With so many classes (29 invited), each has a class representative that is respon sible for class information, addresses, emails, deaths, etc. The multi class tradition would not be pos sible without the alumni who have stepped forward with their dedication, guidance, and leadership to direct the reunions over the years. We thank them all for keeping this fun event going. This year, 2022 will be the 48th year of the multi-class reunion. (Just think, in 2024 will be its own 50th Reunion!)
ardentforlife.net 55 Later Betty (Webb ’51) Schauer took over chairpersonship for many years, and now Kay (Pudge ’60) Barnes is at the helm.
('58)VancoreFrank
Source: Jean Watson's Theory of Caring
1. Practicing loving-kindness to self and others
Health care goes beyond physical treatment; there is a deeply emotional side, too. A Kaiser Permanente nurse leader explains how certain principles guide the healing care patients receive.
Care from the Heart
56 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022
5. Forgiving and showing empathy to self and others
3. Fostering one's own spiritual practices
Johnson, RN, MSN, manager of Peri natal Services at Kaiser Permanente South Sac ramento Medical Center, is a specially trained Caritas Coach, and a Heart Math trainer. She brings Caring Science to other health care work ers by providing training and experiences that focus on a sense of belonging. Charlene shares some of her perspectives about Caring Science and what this means to patients: What is Caring Science and what does it mean to you as a nurse? Caring Science is an underlying foundational framework which raises our consciousness of the importance of presence and connection of one hu man being to another. In 2010, Kaiser Permanente leaders recognized the importance of transforming nursing care within our organization to connect our intrinsic “why” into our daily practice by adopting Caring Science. It consists of the 10 Caritas prac tices, the transpersonal caring relationship, and the caring moment. Caring Science guides our nurs ing practice which has a heavy emphasis on the art of caring. It involves our values which gives us an orientation for humanity by honoring mind, body, and spirit. It provides moral and ethical codes which guide nursing practice, and it invites us back to the heart of our humanity. The way that I explain it to staff is the ability to “be” while we are “doing”. How does Caring Science impact care? This theory gives the nurse (or health care profes sional) 10 practices that can be performed to enhance human caring. These 10 practices become our core values of caring for another human being. It gives our profession the language of how to “be” or behave in every situation that we may encounter. Those 10 practices, developed by Dr. Jean Watson, are: By Kaiser Permanente
2. Being authentically present to enable faith, hope, and the innersubjective life world of oneself and others.
8. Creating a caring-healing envi ronment for all involved 9. Valuing humanity
10. Embracing the unknowns and miracles in life 10 CARITAS PROCESSES®
6. Using all ways of knowing 7. Engaging in genuine teachinglearning experiences
Kaiser Permanente nurses are committed to de livering high-quality, compassionate care to their patients every day. They do this by focusing on a theory called Caring Science which connects the nurse, patient, family, and members of the health care team in authentic caring human relation ships–honoring the humanity of the patient and Charlenefamily.
4. Developing trusting interper sonal caring relationships
health} Caring S C ien C e ardentforlife.net 57
How do you put these concepts into practice with your team and patients? The theory guides the nursing practice. There are several times when pa tients are not feeling well and may treat the health care professional rudely or abruptly. The first Caritas practice says that we practice loving kindness towards ourselves and others, so this practice invites the caregiver to not take the negative behavior personally and to care for the patient respect fully even in the most trying times. Childbirth is such a special and sensitive time. How does Caring Science and HeartMath positively impact this care? In labor and delivery, it is critical to remain calm during the entire experi ence and to be authentically present for the patient. Before entering a room, or while washing your hands, a caregiver can do a 30 second to 1 minute breathing technique called quick coherence. This short micropractice allows the caregiver to move from potential chaos to peace before the next task. Why do you believe so strongly in Caring Science? I want to inspire health care professionals to transform themselves and the systems they are a part of by creating these caring moments every day. In 2010, I had become somewhat burned out, but Kaiser Permanente adopted Jean Watson’s Science of Caring, and the trajectory of my career happened. I finally found a language that explained the type of care that I was authentically giving to my patients, and I was immediately able to give voice to my profession. I became very passionate about teaching and training others. I also experienced a powerful caring moment that changed me, the family, and all those involved. I truly believe this combination of Caring Science and HeartMath is a gamechanger for health care profes sionals, especially right now coming out of the pandemic. Caring Science and HeartMath invites us to provide an exceptional care experience for the patient, as well as focus on the health care teams’ well-being. Caring Science guides our nursing practice which has a heavy emphasis on the art of caring. It involves our values which gives us an orientation for humanity by honoring mind, body, and spirit. It provides moral and ethical codes which guide nursing practice, and it invites us back to the heart of our humanity.
What is Heartmath and its connection to Caring Science? HeartMath is a technique that can assist us with making authentic con nections with others and provide deep care for ourselves by teaching the health care worker how to be more resilient. It is grounded in the concepts of Caring Science with tools to help lower stress, build energy, and develop enhanced coping skills. When people come to a hospital, they just want to feel better. These practices are a part of that. How? Because we practice, research, educate, and live out who we are. Health care practitioners who care for others require more personal work than ever before. For example, the first Caritas Process is to practice loving kindness toward self and others. To care for others authentically, the care provider must engage in caring practices that nurture themselves first (mind, body, spirit).
Kaiser Permanente is committed to providing resources and education for our care providers to ensure they are attending to their own wellness, so they can be the best providers for our patients. Many nurses have been called into this noble profession and love what they are doing, but over time burnout and exhaustion can happen. Caring Science reignites the passion of why we went into this profession in the first place. Caring Science empowers us to really “be there” face to face with humanity at their most vulner able state. Personally, I believe that love always wins, and as we navigate through our turbulent world, I choose love (Caritas #1) and I believe we can choose to love (beyond where a person is in a particular moment) which is so needed in our world today.
58 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 health} Caring S C ien C e MSNRN,Johnson,Charlene
You mentioned Caring moments or Caring occasion—what is that? Most days as we head to work, we never think about the impact that we will make in someone’s life or the impact they will have in ours. In 2010, I never imagined I (along with so many other caregivers) would be involved in what I consider to be a miracle. I believe everyone involved with the care of this patient had their lives changed for the better and will never be the same again. As we began caring for the patient, a laboring mother who needed an emer gency C-Section, the baby was born lifeless. We all jumped into action, trying to resuscitate the newborn. After 15 minutes, and still no heart rate, we all looked at one another and knew that we had done all we could do. The tears began to stream down our cheeks, and we were all devastated. I was so broken up, but I took the compassion in my heart and all the prayers in that room, and touched the newborn and said softly, “God grant this family a miracle tonight”. All of a sudden ( as we stood there in disbelief) the pediatrician said, “I am going to listen one more time.” He listened and said softly to me, ‘Hey there's a faint heart rate.” Joy erupted in that room. That night will forever be considered a miracle in our department. I don’t know if I would have done that had I not learned about Caritas practice #10, which is being open to miracles. That empowered me and made me believe that miracles can happen. Many years later, the care team has reunited with the family on several occasions and celebrated many milestones. I often tell my nursing team that you can make an impact everywhere you go, even if it is just with a smile, a touch, or an embrace; however small it may seem to you, there is someone waiting for you to be a miracle in their lives.
What do you want readers to take away from this?
62 ardentforlife.ne t - Late Summer 2022 Elk Grove Vitamins community} happenings Goals! Goals!
How to accomplish our goal for Elk Grove to become the healthiest city? Constant and continued education is Elk Grove Vitamin's number one priority. One of the most significant components and (in our opinion) the "backbone" of the health industry are the Brick and Mortar, Mom and Pop vitamin stores. Initially, we had this seminar set two weeks after Covid shut the city down. To acquire a Naturopathic Doctor - Dr. Holly Lucille, ND, RN, to speak for us was quite an honor. We received many wonderful testimonials from our community, that attended and supported our health seminar. We are so grateful to see the number of people who have chosen to prioritize their health. Elk Grove Vitamins will continue our efforts to make Elk Grove the healthiest city!
Photos by Dave Soto Productions Salute to the
Red,White & Blue
community} happenings
More than 25,000 guests celebrated the USA and the city’s birthday on July 4, at Elk Grove Park’s annual Salute to the Red, White & Blue. The event was presented by Sky River Casino and produced by the City of Elk Grove and the Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD). Guests enjoyed a perfect day in the park with family picnics and barbecues. Some participated in the Let Freedom Ride Bike Parade, and many rocked out to tunes provided by Apple z… in advance of a spectacular evening fireworks show.
66 Late Summer 2022 community} happenings Moonlight Swing
The sounds of the 1940’s big band era drifted across Elk Grove’s beloved Old Town Plaza on June 25. The Elk Grove Arts Commission hosted this free concert with Councilmember Pat Hume serving as the evening’s emcee. Despite the warm temperatures, guests took to the dance floor to jump, jive, and enjoy the music provided by the Moonlight Swing Living History Big Band. Photos by Dave Soto Productions
