Spring 2023

Meet the Artist • Michael Maloney

After a distinguished 37-year career as a photojournalist mostly with the San Francisco Chronicle, Michael Maloney is now retired, living on 12 acres of land near the quaint village of Volcano, California.

With the fast-paced, always-a-deadline world of news and sports photography behind him, Michael is now enjoying the slower pace of the Sierra foothills where he is focused on his passion, capturing all the beauty he sees in nature.

Michael is self-taught in photography, starting back in the days of film and darkrooms to currently using the latest in digital cameras and photo processing. His first love was landscape photography, however that took a back seat to a career in photojournalism when in 1973, he landed a job as a staff photographer at a small newspaper in the San Francisco Bay Area.

His striking images eventually attracted the attention of the San Francisco Chronicle editors who offered him a staff photography position in 1980. While at the Chronicle, Michael shot a wide variety of assignments which took him literally around the world. Sports photography is what he enjoyed the most, covering many Super Bowls, the World Series, World Cup soccer and the Olympics. Michael worked

at the Chronicle until he retired in 2009.

When Michael is not out creating images, he can be found hiking, biking, kayaking, snowshoeing, tending to an organic vegetable garden or listening to live music; all with his wife Cynthia.

Spring in the Sierra foothills

29th Year • 2nd Quarterly Issue Spring 2023

PO Box 641, El Dorado, CA 95623 Phone: 530-303-8980

Web: aroundheremagazine.com

Publisher Westword Publishing

Editor Sara Pagano

Writers: Mary Cory, Randy Hodges, Jolene Tompkins, Keith Atwater, Elizabeth Ketelle, Gina Posey, Joyce Harris, Ellen Osborn, Dee Owens

Distribution per quarterly issue: 12,000+ in the Foothills of El Dorado County, Northern California, USA.

A copy of the current issue is available to individuals at no charge from the libraries, our advertisers and other hightraffic businesses. We reserve the right to limit quantities.

Submissions: Calendar events, news releases of upcoming events and articles of local interest with photos are welcomed, if it’s timely material. Call for deadline. Publisher cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. To be returned to sender, an SASE must accompany material submitted to Around Here Magazine.

Nonprofits: To submit a community event, note the events listed in the calendar in this issue. The order of the information must be: Date first, Title of event, time, location, Activities, etc., with Contact for the Public at the very end. Email to sara@aroundheremagazine. com. Follow up to make sure it was received.

The information published in Around Here Magazine is believed to be accurate and authoritative but is not intended to substitute for legal, accounting, medical or other professional advice. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Around Here Magazine.

The use of Around Here’s artwork, design, articles or information is prohibited without prior written consent of the publisher. Contents copyright © 2023 by Around Here Magazine, published by Around Here Magazine.

Help Your Community – Join the El Dorado County Civil Grand Jury

by Gina Posey

Would it surprise you to learn that El Dorado County’s [EDC] first published Grand Jury report is only a few months younger than the City of Placerville? Both began in 1854, and California is one of only two states, Nevada being the other, that has a Civil Grand Jury [CGJ]. The CGJ is imbedded within California’s Constitution and Penal Code Sections 888-939.

President George Washington, in his first inaugural address in New York City in 1789, embraced the noble principle that “… office holding ought to be understood as a responsibility assumed rather than an opportunity exploited.” This is what Civil Grand Jurors practice.

Each year in EDC, the Superior Court chooses a foreperson, then randomly selects 19 residents of the County from applications submitted. These individuals then serve as Civil Grand Jurors. The CGJ is “an arm of the Court” and jurors act as a member of Superior Court, the Judicial Branch of Government. It is mandatory during each CGJ session to inspect incarceration facilities and investigate one County entity, or they can determine their investigations based on resident complaints, media stories, the jurors themselves or through referrals from the preceding CGJ. The CGJ investigations consist of conducting research, inspections, making observations and direct interviews.

It is each CGJ’s goal to produce impactful reports to increase their County’s efficiency and effectiveness. Each year, more than 350 reports are written from each of the 58 California counties. CGJs are impaneled for one year and spend at least eight hours

Why Join The EDC Civil Grand Jury?

Yes, it does take a significant commitment to participate, and it can be challenging, but where else can citizens work together with access to interviewing county officials, reviewing internal and external documents that offer detailed information about the internal operations of our local government, and all with the opportunity to bring to light findings and recommendations for improvements?

Many former grand jurors say their time on the CGJ was an unforgettable experience. Many say it has been an honor to serve. They have made many new friends and have kept them long past their time on the jury.

Recruitment

within Plenary, committee meetings and ongoing investigations, with the option to join more than one committee. Each committee takes an unbiased look at the way local government agencies operate, known as the "watchdog" function - a civil, rather than criminal review. Committees include Audit/Finance, County or City Government, Special Districts and some aspects of local school districts. Because the CGJ operations are separate from the entities and officials it investigates; it can write comprehensive reports with detailed findings and recommendations for improvement. In this way, the CGJ acts as a representative of its county residents in promoting government accountability.

The CGJ has broad investigative powers including subpoena power, though rarely used. EDC, has gone even farther, stating within its Charter, Article VII, Section 703, “Every county officer and employee shall cooperate in providing the Grand Jury with any requested information or document, except when disclosure is prohibited by law. “This significant access carries with it the responsibility to focus on important investigations most impactful for the County.

Grand Jury reports must be approved by the presiding judge. Then the agency investigated is given two days’ notice to review the report before it becomes available to the public and the media. The governing body of the public agency investigated is then required by the California Penal Code to respond to the CGJ report findings and recommendations within 90 days for officials and 60 days for elected boards.

What makes a good Grand Juror?

Grand jurors are civic-minded citizens that want to give back to their communities, are agents of change and come with a broad range of interests, talents and life experiences. Together, they share a dedication to democratic ideals along with a willingness to devote their time and energies to matters of civic importance.

Standard skills for a good grand juror are patience, ethics, strong listening and speaking skills, an ability to be a team member, can use a computer, and a strong desire to make a difference with the capability to maintain confidentiality for life.

There are a few mandatory requirements that include:

» Being a citizen of the United States;

» At least 18 years old;

» Be a resident of the county for at least one year immediately prior to selection;

» Possess ordinary intelligence, sound judgment, and good character;

» Possess a sufficient knowledge of the English language to communicate both orally and in writing;

» Not serving as a trial juror or as an elected public officer; and

» Not been convicted of a felony.

The EDC CGJ recruitment period is now open and runs from March through April each year. Applications due for the next session must be received no later than May 1st, 2023. The new term will be from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Apply to join the CGJ on the EDC Grand Jury website: www.edcgov.us/grandjury

EDC grand jurors are compensated with a per diem of $15 per day plus round-trip mileage.

Residents can also show support for EDC’s Grand Jury by reading Grand Jury reports and responses.Ideas for the Grand Jury to consider investigating can be sent via the Grand Jury website. For more information, visit the www.edcgov.us/grandjury website or simply scan this QR code.

It's Galaxy Season!

by Randy Hodges

Imagine a piece of the sky that is the size of a grain of sand, held at arm’s length. The “Hubble Deep Field” image is the result of the Hubble Space Telescope focusing on a piece of sky that big for 10 days in 1995. The resulting image appeared to show a dense field of stars. A closer look revealed that almost all of those "stars" were really galaxies. We have repeated this many times since then and have discovered that any other long exposure on a grain of sand sized piece of the sky would yield a similar result. The James Webb, with its expanded capabilities, has revealed even more galaxies. The Universe is immense. The latest estimate is that the Universe may

include between 100 to 200 billion galaxies.

What is a galaxy? It is an island consisting of millions to billions of stars, gas, and dust that are all held together by gravity. Our galaxy, known as the Milky Way, may have anywhere from 200 to 400 billion stars. It is difficult to even begin to know that number. It is much like trying to know how many trees are in a forest while standing in a clearing somewhere within it.

It turns out the late winter and early spring months are great times to view galaxies. The reason has to do with the direction the night side of the Earth is facing. During the summer months, the night sky points towards the dense center of the Milky Way, but winter finds us facing away from the crowded part of the galaxy. There are fewer stars to block our view of the rest of the Universe.

collide with us in about three billion years. The collision likely won’t involve individual stars crashing into each other, the distances between stars precludes that, but the collision of dust and gas from both galaxies and the gravitational interaction will make this a pretty exciting place. They will pass through each other and then slow down and collide again multiple times until the two merge as one.

CALL 530-906-6704

Astronomers call this “Galaxy Season” because there are many wonderful objects to image and view. To the naked eye, even the closest and biggest of these just looks like a fuzzy patch through telescopes. But, when you attach a camera to a telescope and use long exposures, the images are amazing.

The Andromeda Galaxy is the closest large spiral galaxy to us. It is the biggest member of the “Local Group” of about fifty galaxies in our cosmic neighborhood. The Milky Way, our galaxy, is number two. The interesting thing about Andromeda is that it is headed our way and will

Join us at the observatory this spring to see some of these amazing galaxies. We are open most Friday and Saturday nights. Check communityobservatory.com for details and to make sure that we don’t have a weather closure. See you there!

Randy Hodges is a lead docent at the observatory. He retired after a career as an educator and businessman. His most recent assignment was teaching astronomy at William Jessup University in Rocklin.

This picture of the Andromeda Galaxy was created by Brian Halkett, one of the Community Observatory docents.

Living Life Local

As I write this, we seem to be nearing the end of (seemingly) forty days and forty nights of rain, wind and snow. I hope, dear reader, that by the time you read this, warmer days have taken hold.

During one particularly long and wild night, as I sat editing, I couldn't help but stop to think about what the emigrants had gone through on their journeys to California. Weather and all. Or how the Chinese had lived and overcome life in the gold fields and in town. Can you imagine the winters that some of the women who ran roadside resorts survived? The weather of today, then. Many of the articles touch on the hardships and challenges in years gone by.

But this issue also contains so many reminders of new beginnings. What a joy that spring is almost here and I'll be out in the garden soon with plenty to do! Emigrants must have been so relieved to see the Sierra Nevadas fade away into the foothills, their new life beginning as their journey ends. Women have made their mark with their own new beginnings. And "Life in the Thrift Lane" prompts the imagination in the new beginnings of some delightfully memorable home goods.

Things aren't always perfect or easy, but there are beautiful, fun, delightful things all around us. Hopefully somewhere in these pages you recognize the balance of challenges and hardships and new beginnings, and it makes you smile.

The Whirlpool Galaxy is a favorite target. It consists of two interacting galaxies about 31 million light years away.

Photo by Randy Hodges

The Spring constellation Virgo has a particularly rich field of galaxies. The most famous group of these is “Markarian’s Chain.” Look closely. How many galaxies can you count in the picture?

Photo by Brian Halkett

Galaxies come in many sizes and shapes. The most famous shape is the “Spiral Galaxy.” You can clearly see the spiral structure in this photo of the third largest member of our Local Group, the Triangulum Galaxy.

Photo by Brian Halkett

El Dorado County Fraternal Orders

by Keith Atwater

Visitors who drive by Placerville’s historic buildings or stop at the Uniontown cemetery on Bee Street, or wander elsewhere in El Dorado County and beyond, might find their historical curiosity piqued by plaques, buildings, and gravestones referencing colorful and mysterious names. Who were the Druids, the Red Men, the Woodmen of the World, the Oddfellows, “Clampers,” Masons, Elk, Moose, Eagles, and Knights of Pythias and Columbus? Some may know of the Freemasons via famous members such as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, Masonic halls dotting the landscape, and their ubiquitous geometric compass symbol on gravestones everywhere. But other men’s fraternal orders are unknown – even though most still thrive today in our area. This and subsequent articles in Around Here will shed light on some of these organizations.

In 19th Century America, long before any social services existed, a plethora of private men’s “benevolent fraternal orders” flourished, providing not only “fellowship” but also significant cooperative enterprises not available through churches or businesses. These were more than “men’s clubs” for mostly middle-class family men who preferred networking and camaraderie with peers to frequenting taverns, bars, gambling and billiard halls, and risqué entertainments – or staying home in a pre-TV, preradio era. Membership dues funded far more than the construction of meeting spaces and weekly meals and social events. Most offered life insurance, elderly nursing care, hospitalization funds, funeral expenses, and widows’ care. This explains why several contiguous lots of gentle hillside close to Placerville were purchased by the Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Independent Order of Red Men, and the United ancient Order of Druids, followed shortly by more burial plot spaces for the Knights of Pythias, the Native Sons of the Golden West, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Non-white men were excluded from membership, although auxiliary chapters for their wives and other white women were eventually created. While not specifically religious (with a few exceptions like the Catholic Knights of Columbus) members were required to be God-fearing, virtuous, patriotic, civic and serviceminded citizens. Charity work was a hallmark of all these groups; today’s Order of Druids, for example,

still awards thousands of dollars annually to deserving students. The IOOF funds tree planting, medical research, and senior housing.

One interesting co-founder of the Placerville cemetery was the Independent (also called Improved) Order of Red Men. It had very little to do with authentic Native American culture; American Indians weren’t eligible for membership until recently. Its official aim was to “perpetuate the beautiful legends and traditions of a once vanishing race and to keep alive its customs, ceremonies and philosophies.” Their rituals and terminology were colorful, to say the least. Like many other orders, their practices were private and a bit secretive. Local units called “tribes” met in their lodge hall, “the wigwam,” non-member invited guests were “pale faces,” and the “Sachem” (leader) opened their rites by kindling a “sacred council fire” and collecting “wampum” (dues). Rituals with a bow and arrow and initiations of blindfolded “pale faces” (new guests / members) during specific renamed months (snow moon is January; flower moon is May) occurred regularly. Members were expected to believe in the “Great Spirit” (God) and have deep patriotic love for America, its flag, democratic ideals, and freedoms. Charitable work was expected. Members rose up through the ranks, from “Adoptive” to “Warrior” to “Chief.”

At the corner of Main Street and Cedar Ravine in old downtown Placerville stands a monument erected in 1926 and dedicated to Frederick Sieg, a Noble Grand Arch of the United Ancient Order of Druids and founder of the first “Groves” (lodges) in California, in Placerville, Coloma, and San Francisco. Sieg was a miner, philanthropist, and visionary leader of the

First in a series on the local history of fraternal organizations that impacted the establishment and growth of El Dorado County, and where their contributions can still be seen.

Charity work was a hallmark of all these groups...

Druid Monument as seen in downtown Placerville.

Photo provided by Keith Atwater

Druid organization, which he began organizing when he arrived in the foothill gold fields in 1859. He died in 1888, and is buried in the Druid section of the Bee Street cemetery. Fulsome tributes to him published by fellow Druids testified to his integrity, generosity, kindness, and deep concern for the people of Placerville. These “modern” American Druids were inspired by the mysterious (and possibly legendary) legacy of pre-Christian Celtic priests / visionaries / healers called Druids, who inhabited what is now Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. They call the wizard Merlin from the King Arthur legends a Druid, and indeed created the “seven precepts of Merlin” to guide their study, activities, and moral conduct. But their own website says it best:

“The UAOD (United Ancient Order of Druids) of California is a non-political non-denominational fraternal benefit society. The California Druids were formed as a brotherhood united to assist the families of miners injured or killed in the gold fields of the Sierra Nevada. It spread statewide and became a booming organization. Over 200 local Groves have been chartered over the years and membership approached 15,000 in the early years of the 20th century. As with most fraternal organizations membership has dwindled over the last half century. The ritual and ceremonies were based loosely on ancient Druidic myths. Our mission is to promote knowledge, unity and peace. Currently there are 14 Groves (community lodges) plus the Grand Grove in California.”

Although some fraternal organizations like the Red Men are small and hard to find, the Druids can be seen in Placerville every year honoring their founder. The Mountain Democrat recently noted that “according to Chuck Myer of the Sacramento Bee newspaper, Druids charter a bus from San Francisco to Placerville. There they tip their fezzes (a type of hat) to the Druid monument on Main Street. They then adjourn to the Union Cemetery on Bee Street, where Frederick Sieg, the founder of the Placerville Grove is buried." The UAOD website indicates that this year’s Pilgrimage to Placerville takes place on Saturday, May 13, 2023, stopping at 11:00 A.M. at Sieg’s grave in the Uniontown Cemetery, followed by a formal meeting of California Grove #1 (the first) in the Cary House Hotel at 2 P.M.

These men’s fraternal organizations like the Druids and several others burgeoned after the Civil War – in part due to efforts to restore harmony among men who supported or fought on opposing sides. Some estimates say that one in four (white) men belonged to one and often more than one such group. The Druids, for example, were so established that Frederick Sieg’s widow was able to live out her life on very limited income in a Druid sponsored old folks’ home in Sacramento. The Great Depression and subsequent development of programs like Social Security caused a steep decline in membership. All organizations revised their charters to include non-white men (and women) several decades ago. And while distinctive and different in many ways, founding charters of all such fraternal orders shared almost the same exact language: they existed to foster “harmony, fellowship, friendship, brotherhood, charity, upift – to come to the aid of those in need.”

A 31 year resident of El Dorado County, Keith Atwater is a recently retired educator, having taught humanities, history, literature and religion at Sacramento State, Union Mine High School, and American River College.

Photograph of Frederick Sieg

Sieg grave located in the Bee Street Cemetery, Placerville.

Photo provided by Keith Atwater

Women Making History

Part three: transportation

by Mary Cory

"Women Making History" is part of a continuing series about women who made history in El Dorado County, and is based on the Women of Influence exhibit at the El Dorado County Historical Museum, incorporating historical photographs and artifacts from the Museum’s collections. This third installment is about women involved with transportation.

Road Houses and hotels sprang up along wagon roads as soon as there were travelers looking for a bed and a meal. Women became inn keepers, a good job from the beginning of the Gold Rush, and continued through the twentieth century, with road houses, hotels, resorts providing travelers with a meal, a place to spend the night, and traveling supplies. The resorts became destinations themselves, taking advantage of El Dorado County’s recreational opportunities.

Annie Spriggs (1871-1970) was the well-known and beloved owner of a resort named Fred’s Place on the Placerville-Tahoe Road from 1918 to 1951.

Annie, born in 1871, was the daughter of a white mother and a native Tahitian father. Orphaned at the age of 2, she was raised by her mother’s family in Chicago. She moved to California with her first husband and after his death, Annie lived in Oakland and worked for the Key transit system as a stewardess for the railroad, and then the San Francisco Bay Ferries. Annie survived the 1906 earthquake and fires, and then in 1918, she married Fred Spriggs and moved to El Dorado County where she resided for 63 years.

In the year she married Fred, Annie secured leases from the US Forest Service for land along Highway 50, 25 miles east of Placerville and just east of Kyburz. She immediately set up two tents and began serving refreshments such as soda, water and sandwiches, and selling supplies.

Fred Spriggs was one of the first drivers on the old Richardson Automobile Stage route from Placerville to Lake Tahoe. He worked in several of the resorts at Tahoe and cut ice during the winter for use during the summer at many of the resorts along the American River.

Annie used her savings to build the resort from the ground up, and it became a major stop in the area for the automobile stage, and for tourists and vacationers. Eventually, she added a swimming pool and cabins. Folks came year after year to fish or swim and to picnic. Fred’s Place was a favorite resort for visitors and locals alike with Annie as the business manager and Fred as the genial host.

Annie and Fred had no children of their own but raised five orphaned boys, two of whom died in World War II. She was known as “Mom” by many, including her five sons and many of the girls employed by her at the resort, a name that stayed with her until her passing.

After Fred died, Annie continued to run the resort, retiring at the age of 80. She moved to Placerville where she lived until her death. Her home was decorated with her own handiwork, embroidery and crochet, antique china, crystal, ornaments and pictures, and was always filled with friends.

Annie Spriggs purchased, developed and operated Fred's Place for 33 years. Seen here with visiting travelers.

Fred’s Place was demolished in the 1960s as Highway 50 was being improved. Fred’s Place was located near what is now Mile Marker 36 and, several years ago, it gave its name to a wild fire in the area.

Sarah Fossati (1866-1947) operated the Three-Mile House, also known as Smith Flat House, a road house along the Placerville-Tahoe Wagon Road.

Sarah’s family homesteaded two miles from Smith Flat and built the “Old Stone House,” which is now part of Boeger Winery. Her family were farmers raising vegetables and fruits. Eventually they had a small vineyard which made sacramental wine for the Catholic Church.

Sarah left school after the 3rd grade but her father continued to tutor her and she became quite accomplished for a young woman of her time. She spoke 5 languages: English, Italian, Spanish, French, and later, Chinese.

When she married Nicoli Fossati, 11 years her senior, she was expected to take over all the duties of running the Smith Flat House. The two-story Smith Flat House had on its first floor, a general store, saloon, card room, post office, and family living quarters. The second floor

consisted of eleven rooms for boarders, a large dance hall and an auditorium which served as a community center for events. Sarah was an excellent cook, tended the post office, ran the general store and her gardens with the help of one woman. She was also the bookkeeper of the entire operation. However, Sarah refused to take care of the card room or saloon because when one of the children was sick and the doctor came, he stopped off at the saloon and when he saw the child, he was so drunk he didn’t know what he was doing and the child died.

Sarah was an excellent tutor. When a young man named John Lagomarsino arrived from Italy and needed help with his English and math, she tutored him. He went on to help found the Bank of Italy, later known as the Bank of America.

Sarah lived her entire life in Smith Flat, making occasional trips to Placerville. She had an excellent memory and recall, and people were always asking her about the past. Smith Flat House has been restored and continues to be a welcome stopping place along Highway 50, bringing back memories of the importance of these road houses, and the people who ran them, such as Sarah and her family.

Sierra Nevada Phillips (1854-1921), known as “Vade”, she developed the Rubicon Mineral Springs Resort, the Meeks Bay Tenting Camp and the Phillips Resort.

Vade's parents, JWD & Mehitable Phillips, first developed Phillip’s Station as a road house along the great “Bonanza” Road (Placerville-Virginia City Wagon Road) and named their daughter after the mountain range they called home. Vade’s mother, an excellent cook, taught her to cook, a skill that came in handy as an adult.

In 1884, Vade bought the Rubicon Resort and Springs in a wild, remote area. All supplies were brought in by pack mules from Lake Tahoe. She rebuilt the Resort and renamed it the Rubicon Mineral Springs and Resort, and it became a popular “spa” resort. She convinced El Dorado County to build a road to the Resort, which is now known as the Rubicon Trail.

In 1890, she sold the Rubicon Mineral Springs and Resort and moved to Meeks Bay on Lake Tahoe where she operated a large hall, adding a dairy, laundry and tents to accommodate tourists.

Later that same year, she rebuilt her childhood home at Phillips Station creating a full-fledged resort with cabins, general store, lounge, and campground. The resort had families return year after year. Without refrigeration, an icehouse by the river kept fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, butter and cheese cold.

Vade opened post offices at these different resorts and served as Postmistress. When she requested Phillips as a Post Office for the Phillips

A young Sarah Lombardo (later Fossati) with her mother, Candida.

Get Ready! Spring Gardening Chores

Glorious spring! As the weather slowly warms and the sun shines, what gardener isn’t itching to get out there and start planting? It’s wise to not be too hasty, as this time of the year our temperatures still plummet after the sun goes down. The good news is, there is still plenty to do in our gardens while we all wait to put our vegetables and flowers in the ground. Ready to get out there? Here’s a brief list of chores to tackle now.

General Maintenance. Eliminate standing water in gutters, drainpipes, and flowerpots, to deter mosquitoes. Clean winter debris from ponds, fountains, and bird baths. Aerate and fertilize lawn in late spring and reseed bald patches. Start mowing warmseason turf.

Irrigation. Check your irrigation systems for leaks and broken emitters; repair as needed.

Tools. Sharpen pruning shears and other garden tools as needed. Clean and disinfect your pruning shears. Finish with a light coat of oil to protect the blades.

Compost. Turn compost and keep it as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Add garden waste, grass clippings, pruning material and leaves. Cover compost during rainy weather to avoid the pile becoming waterlogged.

by Susan O’Reilly

Weeds. Manage weeds using methods such as tilling, hand weeding, or mowing. Use chemicals as a last resort. Soil. Apply one inch of compost around landscape plants and work in lightly, followed by a layer of mulch. Prepare your edible garden plot three weeks before planting. Weed your plot and dig in any cover crops. Loosen the soil 10-12 inches deep, breaking up the soil. Add a one-inch layer of compost or high-quality organic material to the bed, work the amendments into the top four inches of soil. Water the bed evenly without over-wetting; let the bed rest. Mulch. Apply two to three inches of mulch where existing mulch is thin, or soil is bare, especially around newly planted trees and shrubs. Keep mulch back 12 inches from tree trunks and six inches from perennials to discourage pathogens. Mulch reduces water evaporation, prevents weeds, and buffers soil temperatures.

Feed Existing Plants. Determine the nutritional needs (N-P-K and pH) of your various plants. Feed with an appropriate fertilizer and determine the timing for repeated application of nutrients with an established schedule. Be sure to read directions and follow the application rate for your product. Protect. Frost is still possible. Protect sensitive plants from cold injury when frost is predicted. To do so, water your plants, keeping the root zone moist but not soggy. Throughout spring, some trees may still need to be covered. Keep frost-tender plants covered as appropriate.

Prune. Prune dead or diseased twigs, stems and branches from winter-flowering shrubs. Thin fruit

tree blossoms and developing fruit as needed. Clean up fallen leaves and blossoms from the area below and around your plants. Plan, plan, plan. Develop your edible garden layout and timetable for your crops, taking plant rotation into consideration.

Ahhh! Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. You’ll be planting and then enjoying the fruits of your labor soon!

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open weekly on Friday and Saturday from 9a -noon, March through November.

Gardening question? Use “Ask a Master Gardener” on our website or leave a message on our office telephone: 530-621-5512.

For more information or to sign up for newsletters, visit the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County website found at mgeldorado.ucanr.edu.

Susan O'Reilly is a member of the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado.

The Mountain Challenge of the Carson Emigrant Trail

As Described by the Emigrants

by Dee Owens

On January 24, 1848, gold was discovered at Coloma. By 1849 the rush was on to the gold fields. It is estimated that 300,000 people arrived in California to make their fortune during the Gold Rush. Some came by sea from all over the world, but probably half came overland. Opened between 1848 and 1854, six trails brought the emigrants to El Dorado County.

The Carson River Route, opened in 1848, left Carson Valley at the start of Carson Canyon. The trail led to Hangtown and Weberville, roughly following Highway 88 and then the Mormon Emigrant Trail through the Eldorado National Forest

During the following years, thousands of wagons and tens of thousands of gold seekers followed the Carson Route over the Sierra during the three-month, snow free period. Temporary trading posts were located all along the trailsupplying the emigrants with much needed supplies during the final and most difficult part of their journey.

Crossing the Sierra was unlike anything the emigrants had experienced on the trail headed west. Prairie travel, the gradual ascent of the Rocky Mountains, and crossing the desert could not be compared to the steep climb

over the Sierra. Diaries written on the trail offer a remarkable glimpse into the difficult mountain travel weary emigrants experienced. There are many locations described by the emigrants that are recognizable today.

The journey through Carson Canyon was usually included in the diaries as it was their start across the Sierra and the road was difficult with large boulders and several river crossings. In August 1850, William Black, the cook in the Jefferson California Company, originating in Greene County, Pennsylvania, described the journey through Carson Canyon.

“On either side the mountain arose to a hight of from 300 to 5000 feet. The scenery wild and romantic, yes sublime, in the highest degree. 4 miles of this road was the worst we have passed over. You will not credit me when I state that we took a wagon, heavily loaded, to which was attached 8 mules over roads that no man would be willing to ride over, more particularly if his charger should be high mettled. We passed over large granite rocks, made short

turns by lifting our wagon around and finally reached the Head or Top of the Canyon at sundown.”

Coming out of Carson Canyon the emigrants entered Hope Valley. It was a short respite from the difficulties of the trail. In August1849, James Pritchard enjoyed some fishing in the Carson River.

“We found just below our selected sight for the camp a handsome little bottom of green fresh grass where we turned our mules. After all the business of the day (intending to remain here till morning) was over I took my fishing line and tried my luck amongst the stone and roaring waters. I caught two fine Mountain trout, and we had a kind of feast for supper. Several of the party tried it but met with no

continued on page 14

Beautiful rainbow over Carson West Pass.

Photo provided by Dee Owens

Map created by Dee Owens

continued from page 13

success. We havve just before us now what the emergrants generally call the Elephant. We are resting our teams this afternoon in order to give him a fair tryal in the morning.”

Leaving Hope Valley and reaching Red Lake, the emigrants could see the first mountain ahead of them. They often called it the First Summit. It was less than a mile in length but a nearly verticle climb over slick rock in spots. This ascent to Carson Pass was also called Devil’s Ladder, for good reason. It was so difficult that wagons got in line and waited sometimes days for their turn. There was no choice.

Patrick McLeod, in his 1849 diary, described the assent to the First Summit, or Devil’s Ladder.

At ten we reached the foot of a craggy mountain of granite rocks – covered with pine, at least 2000 feet high, from the surface of the

lake that rippled against its base below ………It was truly a tremendous undertaking, but the kanyon scenes had somewhat prepared us for almost any kind of difficulties in the way of teamstering, so to work we went and in the course of an hour we succeeded in gaining a foothold on the first bench, here we took lunch – doubled teams, and began ascending the next streach of about 400 yards forming an angle of nearly 45 degrees, After whipping, whooping, yelling, pushing and stopping several times, unhitching at short turns and using every faculty we possessessed in the locomotive department, we gained the next resting spot then going through similar evolutions only on a grander scale we succeeded in landing our rugged and dangerous ascent – at one time a leading team broke a chain, the wagon commenced a retrograde motion

dragging along with it 3 yoke of oxen had it not been stopped as soon as ‘twas it would have carried destruction to every thing behind it…..The scene as viewed from the top was one well worthy the pencil of a good artist, the placid surface of the lake at the bottom reflecting the shadows of tall pines, then the tall cliffs jutting from the mountain sides, the little brooks forming small casccades yet sounding as loud as if their volume was ten times greater, add to this the ascending wagons forming a long caravan, winding around the rocks and trees driven on by the united power of the whips, lungs, and physical force.”

After conquering the first summit it was less than five miles to Twin Lakes, Caples Lake as we now know it. Francis Hardy, from Ohio, a member of the Piqua Independent California Company, described the climb up to the Second Summit, also known as West Pass, the highest Sierra pass taken by the emigrants at over 9,600 feet elevation. Most diarists mentioned the year round snow bank near the top.

“Tuesday, Aug 20, 1850

Traveled 5 miles which brought me to the summit of the Snowy ridge- the ascent is very rough in places but the most of the way is tolerable passable- just before reaching the summit the road passes over (or rather through) a large snow bank which is so hard that it will bear up a loaded pack mule, but where the wagons pass over it they have worn out a deep channel in places reaching to the ground – the view from the summit of this mountain is very extensive and presents some of the most sublime scenery which I have ever witnessed – the constant melting of this snow forms numerous small creeks which come leaping down from crag to crag forming beautiful cascades which sparkle briliantly in the light of the sun and make the

continued on page 15

Slippery Ford Crossing of Pyramid Creek at Johnson Cutoff.

Photo provided by Dee Owens

woods vocal with the music of their rushing, foaming waters. ”

The next location often mentioned in the diaries is Tragedy Spring where three of the scouts from the Mormon group opening the trail in 1848 were murdered. Palmer C. Tiffany described it in 1849.

Monday, August 20, 1849

Two or three miles drive this morning brought us to Rock Valley, and we must have descended nearly a mile in this distance. A few miles from Rock Valley, on the side of a mountain of great height and nearly at the top, breaks out a bold, clear spring of water, so cold as to make the teeth ache. A few rods below this spring is a large grave with a rough stone wall and on a large pine tree that stands near its foot, is the following inscription: ‘In memory of Daniel Browett, Ezra H. Allen, and Henderson Cox, supposed to have been murdered by the Indians on the night of June 27, 1848’ This spring, from this circumstance has received the name ‘Tragedy Spring”.

Carolyn Richardson described

immigrants. There was a station at this place, a mere booth of brush and shakes. Under the counter and about one foot from the top was a shelf, upon which was a large cheese and many other things, and under this was the proprietor’s sleeping bunk or rather, a nest. Now at that time the western slope of the mountains was filled with grizzly bears; and during the night a large grizzly came into the place, ate up the big cheese and made off without waking the proprietor.”

A murder was described at Leek Springs in the Sacramento Daily Union, October 30, 1852.

The news learns that a man by the name of James Dean, from North Bend, Indiana, was murdered near Leak Springs on Monday of last week. He was engaged in trading on the emigrant road, and is supposed to have had some $3,000 or $4,000 in his possession. He took dinner at Leak Springs not more than fifteen minutes before he was shot. Only $280 was found upon his person.

The 49er tree still stands at the fork in the emigrant road. Here the traveler had to decide whether to head to Hangtown or on a newer road to Diamond Springs. They often complain about the lack of feed for the stock during this last leg of the journey.

James Shields on August 12, 1850 wrote:

(as it is sometimes called) & the right hand leads to Hangtown or Placerville. We concluded to take the left hand road to Weaverville…. Now we commence a gradual descent….. when to my astonishment I was landed in a dust heap waist deep out of which I groped my way as soon as possible.”

Most diaries end upon reaching Hangtown or Weberville, near Diamond Springs. Carson Canyon, Hope Valley, Red Lake, Carson Pass, Caples Lake, Tragedy Spring, Leek Spring and the 49er Tree at Darlington Flat are all stops the emigrants made on the trail that can be visited today. For further information on the historic emigrant road in our own backyard, visit the California-Nevada Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association at canvocta.org.

Leek Spring as the most dangerous place on the trail. Col. L. A. Norton recalled that in 1852 an experience with a grizzly while camped there.

1852

“At Leak Springs we encamped for the night, with many other

We ascend and traveled along a ridge for 9 miles. ….. There is no grass but some weeds & willow in the ravine nearby. Our cattle are very weak not having had anything to eat for the last 4 days of any consequence. We moved on at the usual time, 3 miles to where the roads fork. There is an old log cabin situated nearby. The left hand road leads to Weaverville or Weberville

Dee Owens is a Placerville local and member of the Oregon-California Trails Association. In her spare time she enjoys doing local research and locating and mapping the emigrant trails to the Gold Rush.

Photo provided by Sara Pagano

Grizzly Flat Cutoff as seen today.

Photo provided by Dee Owens

Map created by Dee Owens

Placerville’s Chinatown

by Ellen Osborn

When you visit the Post Office on Sacramento Street in Placerville you are on the site of Placerville’s historic Chinatown. It is estimated that 600 Chinese people lived there by 1880. Most had come during the Gold Rush in the hopes of taking home riches from Gold Mountain, as they called the Mother Lode. Some had left China to avoid the strife of a civil war in their home land. All were willing to work hard for low wages.

The Chinese did well re-working placer mining claims abandoned by less patient American miners. When those mines were played out, they hired on to work in the hard rock mines. Their willingness to work for less money than American workers was a cause of resentment. When the Camino Railroad was being built, they provided much of the labor. Daily they would march to the worksite from Chinatown. Along the way, they were often tormented by small boys.

Following the passage in 1882 of what were known as the Chinese Exclusion Laws, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers for 10 years, the number steadily dropped. The law was later extended and in force until 1943. Finding work became much harder. The law created barriers to the creation of wealth through land ownership, or the opportunity to bring a wife to America to have a normal family life. So most drifted away to Sacramento, San Francisco or Stockton where there were larger communities of Chinese. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were only about 200 still living in all of El Dorado County.

Placerville’s Chinatown and its inhabitants are long gone. Old maps and long memories tell us where it

once was. It was a cluster of businesses and dwellings mostly contained by Sacramento, Benham, and Pacific Streets. The only remaining building is the Stone House located at 841 Pacific Street. Once an opium den and brothel, it now houses businesses.

Nearly every town in the Mother Lode had a Chinese settlement. The existence of a Chinatown provided a supportive community for the overwhelmingly male Chinese population. In addition to housing, there were stores that stocked goods the ethnic Chinese wanted. In their community there would be a bilingual fellow who could find work for them, or write a letter. It is a mistake to think they weren’t literate, many of them were. There was often an herbal doctor who offered traditional Chinese medicine. There were restaurants, barbershops and laundries to provide day-to-day services. The Celestials, as they were called, were thought to be honest, clever, frugal, and possessed of good business acumen. Locals visited Chinatown to shop and eat as an exotic adventure.

Occasional visits from touring Chinese opera companies would provide entertainment. Traditional Chinese plays could last for days. According to the Mountain Democrat

Newspaper, in 1886, there was even a Chinese Masonic Lodge.

An important feature of Placerville’s Chinatown was the Joss House. A Joss House embraced many faiths & deities. It was the center of celebration on important holidays, and the festivities included fire crackers shot into the air and the loud music of a Chinese band. In the 1920s Placerville lost its Joss House in a fire.

Their American neighbors objected to opium smoking, but that didn’t deter the practice carried on in buildings made for opium use and other vices, which included gambling. On New Year’s Day, 1886, two boys from prominent local families in the town of El Dorado were found intoxicated in one of the opium dens, enraging the citizens. By coincidence or not, a fire broke out in Placerville’s Chinatown a day later, destroying

The building known as the Stone House at 841 Pacific Street, Placerville, as it appears today. The two small trees on the right side are the Chinese Tree of Heaven, an invasive plant brought from China at the time of the Gold Rush.

about a third of it, including their Masonic temple.

There is evidence that the Chinese sometimes punished members of their own community. This may have been carried out under the Tong system of governance. Tongs existed to provide services to the immigrants and to resolve disputes. Another function of the Tong was to enforce payment of the debt owed under the credit-ticket system they had used to pay for their passage to America.

Another debt each Chinese miner owed was the Foreign Miner Tax, payable to the local government. The Chinese did not have recourse to the American system of justice, which allowed non-Chinese to prey upon them with impunity.

Frederick A. Bee, a respected businessman formerly of Placerville, was appointed Chinese Consul by the Chinese government in San Francisco on December 2, 1878. He worked tirelessly to combat anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States. In his official capacity he represented the interests of Chinese immigrants.

Significant differences separated the Chinese from other ethnic groups. Language was a real barrier. While there are several Chinese languages and dialects, Placerville’s population was from South China and spoke

Cantonese. Their appearance was quite distinctive. The worker’s dress consisted of blue blouses and belted black pantaloons. The practice of wearing their hair in a long queue or pigtail also was quite different from anything Americans were accustomed to. All these things worked against assimilation.

While there may be no descendants of the residents of Placerville’s Chinatown still living here, they did leave us with reminders of their presence. They gave us a fondness for Chinese cuisine. It seems we have always had a Chinese restaurant in town.

Chinese workers brought the China Lily to California during the gold rush. Every year, around the time of the Chinese New Year, gardens and roadsides bloom with clusters of the sweetly fragrant China Lily that was once used as an offering at the Joss Houses on important occasions to bring good luck and happiness as the lilies mingled their sweet scent with that of burning incense.

Ellen Osborn lives in Pollock Pines, CA. She recently published a book of early El Dorado County history, A Lovely And Comfortable Heritage Lost available at local booksellers, Amazon or slyparkbooks@gmail.com.

love what you have, you have everything you need.

continued from page 11 Resort, the name was already taken. The US Postal Service instead selected her nickname, “Vade.” Phillips is still the location for measuring snowfall. Vade married twice and had two children, Mehitable, known as Hettie, and Alice. Vade was also known throughout the Sierra as Mrs. Hospitality.

in her backyard, the old Hughes place on Broadway.

Emma married Owen Bosquit, the son of Sheriff Archibald Bosquit, in 1911. When Emma and Owen married, they slipped away from the city without telling anyone and were married in Sacramento. They had been childhood sweethearts who met again at the University and became betrothed. They told no one they were getting married and where they were to honeymoon. However, his father had died in 1911, the very year they were married, and perhaps they thought it would be unseemly to have a big wedding. Emma worked as a bookkeeper and was a member of the First Church of Christ Scientist of Placerville

When the automobile industry was new, some manufacturers even marketed to women. The Maxwell Company, later to become Chrysler, sponsored Alice Ramsey on a cross country automobile trip in 1909. Alice later wrote a memoir about her trip from New York City to San Francisco, called “Veil, Duster and Tire Iron.” Another memoir, written in 1915 by Effie Gladding Price, was a travelogue called “Across the Continent by the Lincoln Highway” and described the automobile trip that she and her husband took on this new highway. The Lincoln Highway Association, founded in 1912 to encourage better roads, was the first coast-to-coast automobile road in the United States. Both Alice and Effie describe traveling through El Dorado County and the challenge of achieving Echo Summit, as well as noting the spectacular views seen as they traveled.

Stagecoach travel was an important mode of transportation in El Dorado County during the second half of the 1800s. Stage routes were established between towns, carrying passengers, mail, gold and other goods. A famous stagecoach driver, also known as a “whip,” was Charley Parkhurst (1812-1879). She was well-known and respected, driving stages all over California. She lived her adult life as a man, even voting in the 1868 Presidential election many years before the 19th Constitutional Amendment allowed women to vote in 1920. It wasn’t until she died that it was discovered that Charley was in fact a woman, born Charlotte Parkhurst in Vermont. She came to California as an experienced stagecoach driver in 1849.

In the early 20th century, automobiles were gaining in popularity, with several local dealerships getting established. According to a Mountain Democrat newspaper article published in 1961, Emma Crocker Bosquist (1892-1985) was the first woman to own an automobile in the county.

Born in Placerville to pioneer parents who owned Crocker Brothers General Store on Broadway, Emma purchased a one cylinder REO in 1908. She taught herself to drive while a sophomore in high school by studying the instruction manual that came with the car and practicing

Gertrude Kirk (1889-1974), mentioned in a previous installment, helped out at her father’s Ford dealership in Placerville and even taught brand new automobile owners how to drive. She owned the Dodge Brothers dealership on Placerville’s Main Street and drove a brand new 1919 Dodge Touring car from Detroit to Placerville on the new Lincoln Highway.

The El Dorado County Historical Museum’s newest exhibit is Wagon Road to Highway 50, highlighting the history of what is now the Highway 50 corridor in El Dorado County. First as an original route into California for the '49ers, then the “Bonanza” Road carrying freight and people to the Virginia City Comstock Lode. The Pony Express used the road to deliver mail between Washington, DC and Sacramento, and it became California State Route #1 in 1898. After that, it was the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway before being designated as US Highway 50. You can visit the County Museum for free to learn more about El Dorado County’s history, located at 104 Placerville Drive, Wednesday – Sunday, 12PM – 4PM. For research, email your question to museum@edcgov.us or visit the website at edcgov.us/government/museum.

Mary Cory is the curator for the El Dorado County Museum and has a tangible passion for history and all things El Dorado County.

All photos are courtesy of the El Dorado County Museum and its Research Room.

Mrs. Hospitality herself, Sierra Nevada Phillips.

Life in the Thrift Lane

One year ago, I began a journey through the world of a thrift store; a journey that has taught me not just the important role that thrift stores play in the recycle culture, but also one that has illuminated the need we all have for beauty and originality, as well as practicality, in our lives. When the price is right, all things are possible.

I have watched a set of small Art Deco crystal perfume vials on a mirrored tray (something most of us probably never dreamed of owning) bewitch shoppers, compelling an answer to the question: “Do I really need this?” The answer, of course, is yes.

Working one shift a week as a volunteer in re:Visions Home and Decor, the beautifully curated thrift store in Cameron Park run by the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northern Sierra, I have learned that thrift store life is a series of captivating objects that appear and disappear like magic, leaving in their wake a sense of wonder. The store takes mostly household goods, furniture, and jewelry - all in excellent condition and all priced to move; its collection is eclectic, charming, and frequently offbeat.

by Elizabeth Ketelle

One of my favorite items was a one foot tall dachshund candle, the dog sitting upright on its hind legs (luckily not anatomically correct), the wick coming out of its head. My primary impression was how depressing it would be to watch the animal disappear one inch at a time. Who would manufacture such a thing? Are they available for every dog breed? We get many donations of unusual lamps: a ridiculously ornate Victorian brass cherub lamp a “See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” monkey lamp; a peacock lamp with an exquisite aquamarine shade; a palm tree lamp; a Steampunk lamp; a balloon lamp. All were sold to satisfied customers.

One of my favorite pieces to watch week after week was a 3 inch tall Leaning Tower of Pisa candlestick that actually leaned. Once again, who would manufacture such a thing? Even a dripless candle wouldn’t be able to defy the law of gravity, would it? Buyer beware.

Started in October 2014, re:Visions is staffed completely by approximately 15 volunteers who love their jobs and find great joy in unpacking donation boxes, cleaning and prepping the merchandise, and then staging it beautifully. We have one volunteer whose full time job is to polish silver. Another curates the jewelry collection. Another arranges furniture to look like a Brueners showcase.

One week a 3 inch tall plastic Catholic nun in full, detailed black habit appeared on the shelf. Was she once part of a convent set with a miniature priest, Pope,

and altar boy? Such are the myriad mysteries of the world of miniatures.

At times, we carry stacks of LP records: Sinatra, Doris Day, Count Basie, Elvis, Glenn Yarborough, Dinah Shore, Benny Goodman - LPs pulled from estate sales or attics. The Kingston Trio College Concert album from 1962 was snagged by a woman who shared the memory of her father lining up the family on the living room couch and playing this record on the stereo. The store gets occasional donations of those stereo consoles - long, elegant, Mid-century Modern pieces meant for the formal living room.

A sad fact amid so many donations from estate clean-ups is that, as we are told so often, young people have no desire for the 60 piece set of formal Lennox china or cut glass punch bowls or crystal stemware. Their lives are decidedly different from those of their grandparents. Who uses candy dishes, coffee urns, relish trays, and luncheon sets these days? Our continued on page 26

Welcome the Highway 50 Wagon Train!

by Joyce Harris

WAGON’S HO! The shout will soon be heard as the wheels of wagons begin to roll and the clatter of hooves echo along canyon walls.

Want to experience the life and trials of westward expansion? Find a seat on one of the wagons as they follow the trails cut by early pioneers. Their trek westward was far from easy, crossing the plains, rivers and mountains to make their homes along the Western Slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.

In the early 1850’s, one of the major land routes to California and the gold fields was over Echo Summit, and the route became known as the “Roaring Road”. Traffic was so heavy that often times wagon trains were forced to wait for several days to have their turn on the road. Through the years, the Roaring Road continued to grow, and as early as 1946, a group of local citizens began to ponder the idea of recreating a wagon train to commemorate the valiant struggles of the early emigrants who found their way to California.

By 1949, the dream had become a reality! To

commemorate the 100th anniversary of the “Gold Rush”, a Wagon Train was formed to travel west from Lake Tahoe to Placerville (Old Hangtown) along Highway 50. The Hwy 50 Wagon Train was a smashing success!

Fast forward to June 2023, the 74th annual Hwy 50 Wagon Train will once again travel the Roaring Road from Round Hill, Nevada, over Echo Summit westward to Pollock Pines and ultimately ending in Placerville (Old Hangtown). about 1:00pm.

Bryan Wild

Branch Manager

NMLS: 26361

BRE: 1266745

Call me today for a free quote and consultation.

• Take the stress out of retirement

• No monthly mortgage payment

• Preserve your portfolio during bad economy

• Your heirs still inherit your home

• Can create additional income

• Helps with budget during high inflation

The wagons arrive in Pollock Pines on Friday, June 9, 2023 near CVS and El Dorado Savings Bank, where witnesses will be treated to entertainment by the Hangtown Marshals and their Jr. Marshals. Leaving there, the train will continue along the original wagon trail, known today as the Pony Express Trail to the Pollock Pines/Camino Community Center where the Wagon Train will “circle the wagons” to enjoy an afternoon of fun, food and music and sleep under a clear star-lit night sky for a last overnight on the trail.

Bryan Wild, Branch Manager

Cameron Park, CA 95682

Ph: 800 361-9357 Dir 530 677-5484

bryan@bryanwildmortgage.com

www.BryanWildMortgage.com

OC Home Loans: DRE #'s 02077787

NMLS: 1842513

23402 Del Prado # B Dana Point, CA 92629

Gather up your family and friends and come to the Pollock Pines/Camino Community Center on June 9 at noon. Enjoy an old-fashioned, fun-filled day with activities provided by local entertainers, games, vendors, crafters, pony rides, a kids' fun area, fair foods, drinks and mouthwatering BBQ’d vittles for lunch and dinner!

For more information or to register to participate, visit them online at Hwy50WagonTrain.com.

“A Reverse Mortgage isn’t the answer for everyone, but for those that get one, it is life changing.”

A Brief History of Wine and How It Came to El Dorado County

Come along and let’s visit the colorful history that led to El Dorado County’s wine industry as we know and enjoy it today.

It began, surprisingly, in San Francisco when a ship landed in Yerba Buena (the original name of San Francisco) in 1846. Samuel Brannan, a Mormon Elder, had brought around 200 followers from the East Coast in order to colonize the area and create a safe haven for the Mormons. Among the followers were skilled tradesmen and brave women and children. Brannan would become known as the Builder of San Francisco as he established schools, banks and newspapers, becoming the richest man in California. He was also a boozer and womanizer who concocted countless shady

by Jolene Tompkins

business deals, and, later in life, he lost control of his finances and became pennyless.

After promising his friend James Marshall he wouldn’t share the news of Marshall’s gold discovery in 1848, he published the news on the front page of his newspaper Californian – GOLD, GOLD, GOLD! The news set off the largest migration of people in history. Brannan capitalized on the Gold Rush by establishing sources of provisions for the miners. He stocked picks, pans and tents, but he realized miners needed women and drink, too. You may remember the musical, “Paint Your Wagon.”

and planting fruits and nuts since they were better cash crops.

By Debbie

But there wasn't just gold. There were also grapes in them thar hills! In earlier years, Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan priest and missionary, established 21 Missions along the coast of California. The Missions were planted with vineyards for the purpose of making sacramental wines. These were not premium wine grapes, but were hardy and produced quickly. Brannon used these grapes to quench the miners, adding to his fortune.

Are you still with me? Before we make our way to El Dorado County, let’s stop in Sonoma, where Aguston Haraszthy, the founder of Buena Vista Winery, noticed how the old Mission grapes were flourishing under the California sun. He went home to Europe and brought back hundreds of cuttings from premium European wine grape varietals. Haraszthy became know as the Father Of Modern California Viticulture. Fine wines were emerging in the US at a quick pace, until WWII slowed production. Prohibition then brought wine making to a slow grinding halt. Farmers were pulling out their vines

But the 1960’s brought a resurgence in the wine industry, and in 1976, California wines were winning honors over French wines in The Judgement of Paris. California Premium wines were sought after worldwide. During this time, Greg Boeger, founder of Boeger Winery in Placerville, was graduating with his Viticulture & Enology Degree from UC Davis. Boeger was no stranger to wine, grape growing and wine making. He grew up as a child in the cellars and barrel rooms at his Grandfather’s Nichelini Winery in St Helena. Boeger found his property in Placerville when it was still just a pear orchard, but he understood that this was a perfect place to start the first post-prohibition winery in El Dorado County. His skill, patience and vision sparked a wine boom in El Dorado County, and Boeger Winery set an example that helped create our outstanding wine region as it is today.

For more information, visit the El Dorado County Winery Association at eldoradowines.org

Jolene Tompkins is the former founder & editor of the Sierra Foothill Vine Times and grew up in the Foothills while the wineries were establishing and quietly evolving.

Mission San Juan Capistrano, known as Vina Madre (Mother Vineyard), is only one of many vineyards throughout the missions of California.

continued from page 23

young people have transitioned from heirlooms to Ikea.

Perhaps they, understandably, have a shorterterm view of an uncertain future.

A child’s bright floral tea set sat on the shelf for months, its only defect the red stains in the cups and teapot, no doubt from using cherry Kool Aid for “tea.” I smiled every time I looked at the set, imagining those tea parties. I like to imagine the parties continuing with whoever bought it.

Or how about the bench with gold legs and a seat covered with long, white fur. After grabbing a brush from the cleaning supplies and giving the fur a good going over, we named him Yeti. I would have taken him home, but our dog wouldn’t have gotten along with him.

Three gorgeously detailed leather camels in graduated sizes (the tallest 28”) enchanted many shoppers, their lifelike, soulful eyes begging a new owner to take them home. They were purchased by separate buyers weeks apart, perhaps to complete nativity scenes?

One surprising sale was an unusual cookie jar - a scuzzy yellow hobo/clown with a cigar hanging from his mouth. Maybe the jar would discourage kids from stealing cookies by giving them nightmares.

100% of the profits from purchases goes to support the local Big Brothers and Big Sisters program, through which thousands of children on the West Slope have been matched with mentors and are enjoying rewarding relationships with caring adults. More Big Brothers and Big Sisters are always needed - there is currently a backlog of

67 children in need of adult mentors. Interested adults can contact the Enrollment Manager, Heather Hamilton at 530.626.1222.

Ceramic vegetables, a footlong decorative cow complete with udders, opera length faux pearls, a bridal veil, a single demitasse cup etched with an illustration of the East Arch of Stanford University, a set of 30 punch cups without the punch bowl, a perfectly detailed plastic cantaloupe, a cassette tape of “The World’s Favorite Merry-Go-Round Music.” This is life in the thrift lane, a rewarding and fantastically enjoyable enterprise..

April

Every Tuesday

Senior Socials * 10a - 1:00p

Cameron Park Community Center

- Looking to socialize or meet new people in the community? Come play games, chat, enjoy a cup of coffee!

Bingo Night * 6:15p - 9p Pollock Pines Community Center

Every Wednesday

Farm Work Days * 10a - 12p

Wakamatsu Farm - improvement projects include: weeding, native plant cultivation, orchard care, trail maintenance and upkeep tasks within the Outdoor Learning Campus. stewardship@arconservancy.com

Every Thursday

Pickin on the Patio * 6p - 8p Smith Flat House - Live music in the courtyard. Reservations strongly encouraged. 530.621.1003

Senior Socials * 10a - 1:00p

Cameron Park Community Center

- Looking to socialize or meet new people in the community? Come play games, chat, enjoy a cup of coffee!

Every Friday & Saturday

Night Sky Viewing * 7:30p

Community Observatory - free public viewing with docents on hand. Clouds, bad weather cancels. Check website after 3p. CommunityObservatory.com

On Stage in El

Dorado County

Rocket Girl Imagination Theater

April 21 - May 7

Not Worth Their Weight in Sterling or Are They Worthy?

Olde Coloma Theatre

May 5 - June 11

EVENTS

Every 1st & 3rd Sunday

Train Rides * 10a, 11a, 12p, 1p

El Dorado Western Railroad - Trips from El Dorado Station, 4650 Oriental St. Rides are on historic gang cars. First come, first serve. $3-$8; Doors open 9:30a. Information on Facebook: El Dorado Western Railroad, or call: 530-663-3581 (Sun)

April 1

Poppy Walk * 9a - 12p

Wakamatsu Farm - One-of-a-kind Poppy Walk with glowing orange fields overlooking the crystal water of the South Fork of the American River, the stunning contrasts and vibrant colors are a sight few have the fortune of witnessing. Can be steep in places but has a good flat bed. Hiking to the flowers is 15-20 minutes. $30 at app.donorview.com/1WVJL

Egg-Streme Egg Hunt * 10a - 12p Rasmussen Park - Bring your favorite easter basket and search for colorful eggs! The first hunt will begin at 10am and the second hunt will begin at 11am. Register in advance and choose the age group and time you would like to participate in. cameronpark.org

Basket & Bunnies * 10a - 12p

El Dorado Hills Town Center - All children 12 and under will receive an Easter basket with a list of all participating businesses that will have Easter eggs filled with candy,

Spring Arts & Crafts Fair * 10a - 3p Rescue Community Center - Join multiple vendors and crafters to find your something unique!

First Saturday Garden Day * 9a - 12p Sherwood Demonstration GardenJoin Master Gardeners for a tour of the 16 gardens every first Saturday. Tours start 9a sharp. mgeldorado.ucanr.edu

Before you head to an Event

April 3 - April 7

Placerville Arts Association (PAA) Spring Membership Show

El Dorado Government Center - The public is invited to this exceptional art show. The artist members of PAA look forward to the opportunity to share extraordinary 2D and 3D art pieces in this beautiful venue. Take home a “one-of-a-kind” work of art. Join us for the Artists’ Reception Friday, April 7, at 4p for refreshments and award presentation. placervillearts.com

April 7

Friday Night Fiesta * 4:30p - 7p Pollock Pines/Camino Community Center - Join the PPCCC for tacos, beverages and good company! pollockpinesca.org

Music at the Fairgrounds * 6p - 10p Placerville Fairgrounds - Live music with The Fabulous Liars Band, kicking off “Music At The Fairgrounds” BBQ, Beverages and live music.

April 8

Living History Days * 10a - 4p Marshall State Park - Hands-on history day features many historical interpreters who come out to demonstrate different aspects of pioneer life during the Gold Rush. $10/parking. Marshallgold.com

Zen Meditation, Qigong * 1p - 2:30p Wakamatsu Farm - Join us for a peaceful and relaxing event. Includes sessions of Qigong, mindfulness meditation and walking meditation. app.donorview.com/N7kge

Aqua Easter Egg Hunt * 2p - 4p

El Dorado Hills CSD - The annual Aqua Egg Hunt is back! Join the Easter Bunny on the pool deck and search for egg in the water. A basket will be provided, and eggs will be exchanged for goodies. Aqua Egg Hunt will start 30 minutes after opening. Gates will open at 2pm and Easter Bunny will be available for photos. Pre-registration required. eldoradohillscsd.org

continued from page 27

April 13

FamilySearch Catalog * 10a - 12p & 7p - 9p

Placerville Family History CenterThe FamilySearch Catalog is a guide to many kinds of records that contain genealogical information. Many of these records are searchable online. The Catalog opens the doors of the Salt Lake City FamilySearch Library collections.

April 15

Acorn Creek Photo Hike * 8a - 10a Marcus Christian, ARC Board Member and photography-lover wants to share his interests. Join him solo or bring friends and family to get an introduction to hiking and tips on taking nature photos. All ages are welcome. Well-behaved dog on-leash OK. Meeting location Pilot Hill area. Suggested donation on ARC properties: $5/members, $10/nonmembers. app.donorview.com/wkLzV

Spring Plant Sale * 8a - 12p

Sherwood Demonstration GardenJoin the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado at Sherwood Demonstration Garden for their annual Spring Plant Sale!

CA Gold Rush Trail Run * 8:30a Marshall State Park - 5k, 10k 15k, half marathon. tctruns.com

Nature Walk at Bass Lake * 9a - 11a

Meet at Sellwood Field parking lot (3240 Bass Lake Rd.) Free for all ages. Please bring water and comfortable shoes.

Placerville Art Walk * 4p - 8p

Main Street - Placerville Art Walk takes place 3rd Saturday every month. Galleries stay open late and often have special events like music, preforming arts, and artists’ reception. For more info, visit facebook.com/ PlacervilleArtWalk

EVENTS

April 15 & 16

Rock & Gem Show * 10a - 4p El Dorado County Fairgrounds

- The El Dorado County Mineral and Gen Society presents exciting demonstrations and offerings by rock and gem dealers. Something for everyone including free rocks and activities for kids. Showcased will be minerals, crystals, petrified wood, fluorescents, geodes, slabs, rough & finished material, gemstones, custom jewelry, unique gifts and more.

April 16

Sogetsu Ikebana Classes * 10a - 1p Wakamatsu Farm - Create your own arrangements using flowering branches, with focus on disassembling and re-assembling materials app. donorview.com/VjqYz

Equestrian Drill Team Open House & Fundraiser * 10a - 2p

Join us for an open house to meet the team, the horses, and watch us do a showcase ride for you! Lots to do for the whole family! Get your tickets online through FB Flying Arrows Equestrian Drill Team.

Empty Bowls Supper * 3p - 7p

Placerville Shakespeare Club - Soup and bread dinner to support Upper Room Dining Hall, Earth's Angels and Hands4Hope.

April 17

Placerville Arts Association

Membership Meeting *2:30p - 4:30p Placerville Senior Center - You might like to join PAA. There is a short general meeting and then a guest speaker. The Judge, Leslie McCarron, of the Spring Member Show will be sharing her “critique” of the Member Show that was held a few weeks earlier.

Before you head to an event, check the website or call ahead to make sure it’s still on!

April 19

Union Mine FFA Drive-Thru Tri-Tip Dinner * 5p - 7p

Union Mine - Let us cook! Meal includes whole Tri-Tip, dinner rolls, salad, beans & dessert! Pre-Sale tickets only at umhs.myschoolcentral.com

Fishing on the Farm * 5p - 7:30p

Wakamatsu Farm - ARC is excited to announce the return of a monthly fishing night at Wakamatsu Farm. Enjoy the serenity of the 8-acre lake. All ages welcome, 16+ must have valid CA fishing license. All ages welcome. $10/members, $15/non-members. More info - app.donorview.com/y9JeY

April 20

Writing Our Words: Writing Workshop * 5:30p - 6:45p

Cameron Park Library - This workshop will take you on a personal writing journey to discover and hone your unique voice and expression, and to develop your individuality as a poet or writer. From handouts, you will read notable poetry and prose for inspiration, and there will be writing and sharing.

Understanding Bird Bones and Skeletons * 6:30p - 7:30p

Virtual presentation - get excited about what’s hidden under the feathers of birds, and the ways that bones shape how birds move and adapt to their environments. David Lukasprofessional naturalist and author of Sierra Nevada Birds and Sierra Nevada Natural History. All ages welcome. app.donorview.com/vOmk9

El Dorado Community Concerts * 7p - 9p

Placerville Seventh Day AdventistBending genres and uplifting spirits. The Moanin' Frogs offer an electrifying approach to chamber music.

continued on page 29

EVENTS

Continued from page 29

April 21

Monthly Presentation *1p - 3p

Mother Lode Lions Club - "Book Bans and Other Library Issues" presented by panel from our local library.Free for members; public may attend 2 meetings/year free. Visit srsedc.org

Bunko Fundraiser * 5:30p - 9p

Shingle Springs Community Center

- Join us for easy to learn, fun to play Bunko! Dinner, dessert, bunko, cash prizes and raffle. Tickets $25 at shinglespringscommunitycenter.org

April 22

Community Yard Sale * 8a - 12p

Cameron Park Community CenterCome find your next treasure! Rain or shine. Vendor info at cameronpark.org

Salmon Falls Ranch Hike * 9a - 1p

Hike the new and old trails at Salmon Falls Ranch with ARC board member Scott Vail. Explore proposed and new construction of trails on intermediatedifficult hike of 6-7 miles. Wellbehaved dogs OK. Rain or shine. Ages 12+ welcome. Meeting location in Pilot Hill. $5/members, $10/nonmembers. app.donorview.com/Vjqro

Craft and Craftsmen Fair * 9a - 2p

Ponderosa High School - This year we are offering crafts, craftsmen, small businesses, and live demonstrations. Rain or shine. Vendors contact Mike Roth: phsffaboosters@gmail.com

38th Annual Kids Expo * 10a - 2p

El Dorado County FairgroundsThis free event is for families and all outdoors. Includes hands-on activities and children’s performances. Enjoy a fun day with the family and learn about the many community resources available for families

Friends of the NRA Dinner * 4p - 10p El Dorado County Fairgrounds - Join us for dinner, games, auctions, and fun with a chance to win exclusive NRA items! Tickets available online at friendsofthenra.org

April 23

Capturing Wakamatsu * 12p - 2p Taylor Graham, El Dorado County’s first Poet Laureate, and award-winning Sacramento-area poet Katy Brown lead an exploration of farmhouse, barn, and surroundings, then participants write a poem inspired by what they’ve experienced. Children 8+ ok with adult. $5/members, $10/non-members. app.donorview.com/JDMAK

April 27

Researching the British Isles* 10a & 7p Placerville Family History CenterWhere can I look to find records from England and other countries of the British Isles? What resources will help you get started and move forward in finding those ancestors? Class will discuss basics and share ideas.

April 28

Stand up for MORE * 5p - 9p

El Dorado County Fairgrounds - Back by popular demand! The 7th Annual Stand Up for MORE is excited to be able to showcase terrifically talented top-notch acts benefiting MORE and the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce. Tickets at morerehab.org

April 29

36th Annual Fishing Derby * 9a - 11a Lumsden Park - Preschool through 8th grade can participate, but bring your own gear. Registration taken day of. Direct questions to 530.642.5232

North County Cemetery Crawl * 9:30a - 12p

Eexplore three of Georgetown and Greenwood's cemeteries with optional “stop for a pop” at a classic roadhouse dive bar in Greenwood. Your host is ARC volunteer Mike Roberts, retired local journalist and self-proclaimed taphophile. All ages welcome. Well behaved dog on-leash OK. $10 app.donorview.com/7eokA

Train Rides * 10a, 11a, 12p, 1p

El Dorado Western Railroad - Trips from Shingle Springs Station, 4241 Mother Lode Dr. Rides are on historic gang cars. First come, first serve. $3-$8; Doors open 9:30a. Info on Facebook @ElDoradoWesternRailroad

Spring Tea Celebration * 12:30p - 3p

Wakamatsu Farm - Enjoy Tea and Lunch, stroll the grounds, visit the historic farmhouse museum, hear the History! $30/person, reservations required. Contact Barbara at 916 8499618, NDGWSutter336@gmail.com, or send payment to Beckie Galloway 3511 Eskaton Dr, Placerville, Ca 95667 (Make checks payable to: NDGW Sutter’s Mill Parlor No. 336)

April 30

Author's Day * 12p - 3p

Placerville Shakespear Club - Authors' Day features author presentations, questions & answer period, book sales, book signings, door prizes and light refreshments. All event proceeds will fund scholarships for local students placerville-shakespeare.com/

May

Every Tuesday

Senior Socials * 10a - 1:00p

Cameron Park Community Center - Looking to socialize or meet new people in the community? Come play games, chat, enjoy a cup of coffee!

Bingo Night * 6:15p - 9p

Pollock Pines Community Center

continued from page 30

Every Wednesday

Farm Work Days * 10a - 12p

Wakamatsu Farm - improvement projects include: weeding, native plant cultivation, orchard care, trail maintenance and upkeep tasks within the Outdoor Learning Campus. stewardship@arconservancy.com

Every Thursday

Pickin on the Patio * 6p - 8p Smith Flat House - Live music in the courtyard. Reservations strongly encouraged. 530.621.1003

Senior Socials * 10a - 1:00p Cameron Park Community Center - Looking to socialize or meet new people in the community? Come play games, chat, enjoy a cup of coffee!

Every Friday & Saturday

Night Sky Viewing * 7:30p Community Observatory - free public viewing with docents on hand. Clouds, bad weather cancels. Check website after 3p. CommunityObservatory.com

Every 1st & 3rd Sunday

Train Rides * 10a, 11a, 12p, 1p El Dorado Western Railroad - Trips from El Dorado Station, 4650 Oriental St. Rides are on historic gang cars. First come, first serve. $3-$8; Doors open 9:30a. Information on Facebook: El Dorado Western Railroad, or call: 530-663-3581 (Sun)

May 5 - 7

Placerville Home & Garden Show * El Dorado County Fairgrounds - Local Contractors, Seminars, New Garden Building, Tiny House, Commercial Vendors, Crafters, Food, Wine and Beer Garden and much more! placervillehomeshow.com

May 5

EVENTS

Music at the Fairgrounds * 6p - 10p Placerville Fairgrounds - Live music with the Beer Scouts. BBQ, Beverages and live music!

May 6

Labyrinth Wander * 10a - 12p Abode of Peace Labyrinth - Join Labyrinth builder David Blonski to learn the history and uses of this meditative pathway. Bring picnic lunch to enjoy with live music after. Ages 8+ welcome. $10/members, $15/nonmembers. Register at app.donorview. com/MMpb0

A Taste on Main * 1p - 4p Main Street Placerville - Join the El Dorado Music Program for a night to remember on Main St! Food and Beverage Tasting: $30 Food Only, $45 for both. For tickets and info, contact jcollins@eduhs.k12.ca.gov

May 10

EDH Park Party * 5p - 7:30p Lake Forest Park - Enjoy food, music, and family-oriented activities and games at your local park. Be sure to bring your picnic blanket! For information, eldoradohillscsd.org

May 11 - 13

Spring Rummage Sale * 9a - 4p Placerville Shakespeare Club - this year's sale features large selection of jewelry, clothing, house wares, decorative items, garage items, books, dolls, toys, and many other treasures.  In addition, a Saturday only plant sale will begin at 8:00a. Saturday ends 2p. placerville-shakespeare.com

May 12 - 14

Golden Road Gathering * El Dorado County Fairgrounds - A multi day outdoor music gathering focused on bringing live funk and soul music. goldenroadgathering.com

May 13

Nature Walk at Bass Lake * 9a - 11a Bass Lake - Meet at Sellwood Field parking lot. Free for all ages. Please bring water and comfortable shoes. eldoradohillscsd.org

Tai Chi-Qigong and Dance * 10a-11a Wakamatsu Farm - Welcome the spring with selected Qigong movements from Five-Animal Play and a short sequence of Tai chi movements that promote qi circulation to our overall health and are also dedicated to body balance and flexibility. 5/members, $10/nonmembers. app.donorview.com/wkXYk

Living History Days * 10a - 4p Marshall State Park - Hands-on history day features many historical interpreters who come out to demonstrate different aspects of pioneer life during the Gold Rush. $10/parking. Marshallgold.com

May 13 - 14

Art, Beer & Wine Festival * 11a - 5p El Dorado Hills Town Center - fthe event features the best artists from both near and far, displaying their fine art along Town Center Boulevard. In addition to wonderful art, there is great food and live music, plus some of the area’s most prestigious wineries and award-winning craft breweries pouring unlimited tastings each day. eldoradohillsartfestival.org

May 17

Fishing on the Farm * 5p - 7:30p Wakamatsu Farm - Return of monthly fishing night at Wakamatsu Farm. Enjoy the serenity of the 8-acre lake. All ages welcome, 16+ must have valid CA fishing license. All ages welcome. $10/members, $15/non-members. More info - app.donorview.com/y9JeY

continued on page 31

you head to an event, check the website or call ahead to make sure it’s still on!

May 18

Writing Our Words: Writing Workshop * 5:30p - 6:45p

Cameron Park Library - This workshop will take you on a personal writing journey to discover and hone your unique voice and expression, and to develop your individuality as a poet or writer. From handouts, you will read notable poetry and prose for inspiration, and there will be writing and sharing.

May 19

Monthly Presentation *1p - 3p

Mother Lode Lions Club - "Preserving Rivers and Land for Life" presented byElena DeLacy of American River Conservancy. Free for members; public may attend 2 meetings/year free. The Sierra Renaissance Society of El Dorado County hosts presentations and workshops throughout the year. Visit srsedc.org

May 20

Youth Fishing Derby * 8a - 11:30a

Village Green Park - Kick your summer off with a splash and get hooked on fishing at the 3rd annual youth fishing derby!Registration required at eldoradohillscsd.org

Ninja Warrior Course * 11a - 3p

El Dorado County Fairgrounds - Ninja Warrior is back! Two courses for different ages, food vendors, a bounce house, face painting, and more! Come have fun while raising money for children in need within El Dorado County! goldrush1034.org

Placerville Art Walk * 4p - 8p

Main Street - Placerville Art Walk takes place 3rd Saturday every month. Galleries stay open late and often have special events like music, preforming arts, and artists’ reception. For more info, visit facebook.com/ PlacervilleArtWalk

EVENTS

Farmer's Markets

El Dorado County West Slope

Placerville (Cinema Parking Lot)

Begins May 7

Saturdays 8a - 12p

Cameron Park (Burke's Junction)

Begins May 11

Wednesdays 8a - 12p

El Dorado Hills (Town Center)

Begins May 15

Sundays 8a - 1p

Placerville (Mooney Lot across from Sweetie Pie's)

Begins June Wednesdays 4p - 12p

Placerville (Marshall Hospital)

Begins June

Tuesdays 9a - 1p

May 21

Sogetsu Ikebana Classes * 10a - 1p

Wakamatsu Farm - Create your own arrangements using flowering branches, with focus on arrangements in “Tsubo” vases. Ages 8+ with adult. $35/members, $45/non-members. app.donorview.com/VjqYz

May 27

Train Rides * 10a, 11a, 12p, 1p El Dorado Western Railroad - Trips from Shingle Springs Station, 4241 Mother Lode Dr. Rides are on historic gang cars. First come, first serve. $3-$8; Doors open 9:30a. Info on Facebook @ElDoradoWesternRailroad

Cardboard Boat Racing * 1p - 3p

Cameron Park Pool - Bring your already made cardboard boat! Pools opens at 1p, race starts 2p. Register in adanved and choose the age group. cameronpark.org

June

Every Tuesday

Senior Socials * 10a - 1:00p

Cameron Park Community Center

- Looking to socialize or meet new people in the community? Come play games, chat, enjoy a cup of coffee!

Bingo Night * 6:15p - 9p Pollock Pines Community Center

Every Wednesday

Farm Work Days * 10a - 12p

Wakamatsu Farm - improvement projects include: weeding, native plant cultivation, orchard care, trail maintenance and upkeep tasks within the Outdoor Learning Campus. stewardship@arconservancy.com

Every Thursday

Pickin on the Patio * 6p - 8p Smith Flat House - Live music in the courtyard. Reservations strongly encouraged. 530.621.1003

Senior Socials * 10a - 1:00p

Cameron Park Community Center - Looking to socialize or meet new people in the community? Come play games, chat, enjoy a cup of coffee!

How Is Your Doing?

On a recent visit with my mother in Idaho, I went to the hardware store to pick up a new lock for the front door. As I stood in the checkout line, I was compelled to pick up a bag of cheddar and sour cream chips - one of my favorite comfort foods! Oh, and a chocolate bar with almonds. The big one. You can never have too much chocolate. And then I needed something to drink so I grabbed a Coke Zero - gotta be careful with calories, you know.

After I left the store I drove to my favorite resale store that often has shirts I like. I looked around and

by David Cooke

found some great high quality shirts from a brand that fits me really well. Score! I then went back to my mother’s home, installed the lock with a few challenges (as always) but in the end, it worked perfectly. Satisfaction.

Salt. Chocolate. Retail therapy. Accomplishing something meaningful. It has to be a great day, right?

Or maybe all of those things were trying to tell me something…

How Is Your Doing?

All of us have been asked the question, “How are you doing?” It is our common social engagement question. Most of us also recognize the question isn’t necessarily insincere, but we know the right answer is “Fine. How are you doing?”

But if we want someone to think a little more deeply, we should be asking the question “How is your doing?” Here’s why that question is important:

Our doing reveals our feeling which reveals our thinking.

Bayside Church of Placerville

Worship: Sun 10am; Youth: Thurs 6pm

4602 Misourri Flat Rd, Placerville info@baysideplacerville.com baysideplacerville.com

530-626-7288

Church of Our Savior

Rev. Deborah Sabino

Worship: Sun 8am & 10:30am

2979 Coloma St, Placerville 530-622-2441 • oursaviouroffice@gmail.com oursaviourplacerville.org

Freedom Church

Pastor Scott & Pastor Colleen Williams

Worship: Sun 9 & 10:30am. Youth: Tuesdays 6pm.

Men’s Bible Study: Fri 8am.

4414 Commodity Wy, Cameron Park, 530-677-7212 www.freedomchurchcp.org / office@freedomchurchcp.org

St. Patrick Catholic Church

Fr. Hernando Gomez Amaya

English Mass: Sat. 4pm; Sun. 8am, 10am; M-F 8:30am;

Spanish Mass: Sun. 12:30pm & Wed. 6:30pm; 3109 Sacramento St., Placerville 530-622-0373

Camino Seventh-day Adventist Church

Sat. study session 10:00am; worship 11:00am

3520 Carson Rd, Camino

530-644-2236 • elarsen.office@gmail.com www.caminoSDA.org

Church of the Nazarene

Reverend Dan Hopkins

Worship: Sun 10:30am 6040 Mother Lode Dr, Placerville plaznaz@yahoo.com • www.plaznaz.com 530-622-3217

Holy Trinity Catholic Parish

Fr. Larry Beck Mass: Sat. Vigil Mass 5:30pm; Sun. Mass 7:30am, 9am, 11am Weekdays, M-F 8:15am. 3111 Tierra de Dios Dr., El Dorado Hills. holytrinity@holytrinity.parish.org • 530-677-3234 www.holytrinityparish.org

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church

Pastor Trudy Franzen

Sun. Worship: Zoom Service 8:30; In-Person is 9:30am 1001 Olson Lane (at EDH Blvd), El Dorado Hills 916-933-1441 • st-steph@sslcedh.org, www.sslcedh.org

Church of Christ • Rescue

Phil Rembleski • Sunday worship only during pandemic!

Worship: Sun 10:30am & 5:30pm; 9:30am Sunday School classes all ages; Bible class Wednesdays 7pm 4200 Green Valley Rd, Rescue 530-677-4502 • rescuechurchofchrist.org

Federated Church

Pastor Rev. Dr. Laura Barnes

Worship: Sun 10:00am. 1031 Thompson Wy, Placerville www.EldoradoFederatedChurch.org office@eldoradoFederatedChurch.org, 530-622-0273

Sentinel Ministries, Inc.

Pastor Veronica Parker

Worship 1st Sunday only 1pm, Parish Hall at St.Stephen’s Lutheran Church 1001 Olson Ln, El Dorado Hills. 916-968-7844

Churches, To list in Around Here Magazine, call 530-303-8980 or email information below to sara@aroundheremagazine.com. Cost is $100/year for 4 issues.

One of the best ways to become aware of the stress we are feeling is to become aware of the actions we regularly do to help us feel better. I call these actions our self-medication routines.

Some people might compulsively clean under stress, trying to create order in response to the dis-order they feel inside. Others might disappear physically or emotionally, pulling the drawbridge up on the castle. Or how about checking out by binge watching Netflix? Or eating salt, chocolate, buying something and doing something meaningful. Those just might be self-medication routines.

Being A Person of Influence

I teach Leadership and Life Coaching and my favorite course is The Neuroscience of Coaching. I teach how understanding the brain can help clients have deeper awareness and engage in more successful actions to reach their goals. A fundamental understanding in neuroscience is the four-fold self. Every person is a thinking person, feeling person, doing person and a being person. Healthy people have a good awareness of those four parts of themselves. A good word for health from this perspective is integration. It is where all of those things are working together in a positive way for ourselves and others. An unhealthy person experiences dis-integration. Which is a self-descriptive word because when we are disintegrating, we are falling apart!

If we want to be a person of positive influence, we have to know ourselves. In knowing ourselves we

can move from reaction to response, which is leading ourselves. And when we lead ourself well - living a more integrated life of thinking, feeling, doing, being - we are able to influence others in positive ways. It all starts with self-awareness. Know yourself, lead yourself, lead others.

Living Life Aware

You probably have heard of mindfulness. Living mindfully is not living mindlessly. Mindfulness is practicing being aware. It is being aware of your thinking, your feeling, your doing, your being so you can choose health and life.

Eating chocolate isn’t a bad thing. Time alone is important. Watching Netflix for 6 hours straight might even be necessary! The important question is, what’s your motivation? And is it contributing to your wellbeing and those around you?

Here’s an assignment for you. Sometime in the next few days, when you notice yourself engaging in a self medication routine walk through this:

I am doing _____________, because I am feeling ____________, because I am believing (thinking) _________________.

What I became aware of in the midst of that little shopping trip in Idaho was the grief I was experiencing over the loss of my father the previous Fall. And I was wanting to feel better. My doing (seeking pleasure) revealed my feeling (grief) revealed my thinking (“I used to do these things with my father.”).

Living well is something we can all improve. Growing in your selfawareness will help get you there.

David has been the Lead Pastor of Cold Springs Church since 1998. David continues to mentor and coach leaders through his personal ministry of The Leadership Catapult and is a mediocre golfer, mountain biker, enthusiastic motorcycle rider and a backpacker.

Feel Good Funnies

Did you hear about the tree that went into banking? It started its own branch.

How does a lumberjack know how many trees he’s cut down? He keeps a log.

Why do barbers make good drivers? They know a lot of short cuts.

When does a joke become a dad joke? When the punchline is apparent!

Why did the Oreo go to the dentist? It lost its filling.

Ladies, if he can’t appreciate your fruit puns, you need to let that mango.

Every Friday & Saturday

Night Sky Viewing * 7:30p

Community Observatory - free public viewing with docents on hand. Clouds, bad weather cancels. Check website after 3p. CommunityObservatory.com

Every 1st & 3rd Sunday

Train Rides * 10a, 11a, 12p, 1p

El Dorado Western Railroad - Trips from El Dorado Station, 4650 Oriental St. Rides are on historic gang cars. First come, first serve. $3-$8; Doors open 9:30a. Information on Facebook: El Dorado Western Railroad

June 1

4th Annual Fashion Show * 6p - 8p

Serene Ranch - Dress up in your favorite western attire and join us for an evening of finger foods, fashion, and fun, featuring many local shops! Proceeds support New Beginnings. newbeginningsgoldcountry.org

EVENTS

June 3

Images of Hope Garden Party * 4p8p

Rainbow Orchards - Guests and supporters will enjoy an idyllic Spring Evening with great food, local wines, music, and a sneak peek at the 2023 Banners on Parade entries. imagesofhopeeldorado.com

June 3 - 4

Gardens of the Hills Tour * El Dorado Hills - Tour five diverse private gardens offering stunning views, lush landscapes, eco-friendly designs, whimsical décor and expansive entertainment spaces at this popular event. Enjoy master gardener demonstrations, a signature raffle, pop up boutiques, and food and beverages for purchase. Tickets available April 27 at assistanceleague.org/sierra-foothills. Proceeds benefit El Dorado County youth and seniors.

CRYPTO-QUOTE

A cryptogram is a short quote that has been encrypted by taking each letter in the quote and substituting it with another letter. Your challenge is to decrypt it back using your liguistic skills.

Hsaovcno aol dvysk pz mbss vm

zbmmlypun, pa pz hszv mbss vm

FIRE/LAND: Knowing the Territory, Inspiring Community Resilience with a Public Forum and One-Night Performance is a unique event on Saturday, June 10, 2023, from 4p-10p at Wakamatsu Farm.

The event features a musical and media performance conceived and created by Myrtle Tree Arts, and is preceded by a Community Resilience Forum hosted by the American River Conservancy.

FIRE/LAND: Knowing the Territory is a public art performance with live musicians, singers, storytellers, and video projections to offer a creative exploration of wildfire, forest health, ecological change, and resilience in El Dorado County. The performance will serve as inspiration to support community resilience through awareness and education, and building an emotional connection to shared histories and experiences in the local landscape.

Designed to build understanding and participation, the public forum program will feature a selection of speakers, panel discussions, and facilitated conversations centered on forest and land management, wildfire protection and safety, and community health and resilience. Forum participantsl include local organizations such as El Dorado County’s Office of Wildfire Protection and Resilience, CAL FIRE, USFS, fire safety councils, prescribed burn associations, and others to offer this three-hour community forum.

The June 2023 event is envisioned as the first in a series of events to convene EDC leadership and citizens, develop awareness of community resilience and increase communal engagement and understanding through public art. For more information, contact Melissa Lobach with the American River Conservancy at melissa@ arconservancy.org, or Ameera Godwin with Myrtle Tree Arts at ameeragodwin@gmail.com.

June 9

74th Annual Wagon Train * 12p - 9p Pollock Pines/Camino Community Center - Enjoy an old-fashioned, fun-filled day with activities provided by local entertainers, games, vendors, crafters, pony rides, a kids' fun area, fair foods, drinks and mouthwatering BBQ’d vittles for lunch and dinner! hwy50wagontrain.com

June 10

Thunder in the Car Park * 9a - 3p Cameron Park Lake - Classic cars, vendors, food trucks, raffle prizes, live DJ and more! $5 parking. sscpchamber.org

Historic Downtown Placerville Antique Faire * 9a - 4p Main Street - Come stroll Main Street while you find the perfect antique! 1950s and earlier only. Vendors contact Greg Rezak at grdiehard1@ gmail.com

Living History Days * 10a - 4p

Marshall State Park - Hands-on history day features many historical interpreters who come out to demonstrate different aspects of pioneer life during the Gold Rush. $10/parking. Marshallgold.com

Fire/Land: Knowing the Territory * 4p - 10p

Wakamatsu Farm - The performance will serve to inspire and support community resilience through awareness and education, building an emotional connection to shared histories and experiences in the local landscape. Information available arconservancy.org. or bit.ly/fireland

It's

EVENTS

June 15

Writing Our Words: Writing Workshop * 5:30p - 6:45p Cameron Park Library - This workshop will take you on a personal writing journey to discover and hone your unique voice and expression, and to develop your individuality as a poet or writer. From handouts, you will read notable poetry and prose for inspiration, and there will be writing and sharing.

June 15- 18

El Dorado County Fair * El Dorado County Fairgrounds - This year's theme is "Country Nights and Carnival Lights" For information, visit eldoradocountyfair.org

June 16

Monthly Presentation *1p - 3p Mother Lode Lions Club - "Genealogy and Your Family" presented byDebbie Hutchison. Free for members; public may attend 2 meetings/year free. The Sierra Renaissance Society of El Dorado County is dedicated to lifelong learning and hosts presentations and workshops throughout the year. Visit srsedc.org

June 17

Placerville Art Walk * 4p - 8p Main Street - Placerville Art Walk takes place 3rd Saturday every month. Galleries stay open late and often have special events like music, preforming arts, and artists’ reception. For more info, visit facebook.com/ PlacervilleArtWalk

June 19

PAA Monthly Meeting * 2:30p-4:30p Placerville Senior Center - The presenter at this month’s Placerville Arts Association meeting will be Nikki Thompson. She will be sharing all she knows about “Zines”.

Before you head to an event, check the website or call ahead to make sure it’s still on!

June 24

Train Rides * 10a, 11a, 12p, 1p

El Dorado Western Railroad - Trips from Shingle Springs Station, 4241 Mother Lode Dr. Rides are on historic gang cars. First come, first serve. $3-$8; Doors open 9:30a. Info on Facebook @ ElDoradoWesternRailroad

Summer Spectacular *

Cameron Park Lake - There will be live music, Kids fun zone, firework show, and food trucks For tickets and information, visit cameronpark.org

Trail Etiquette

Before you head out to the trail, take a moment to brush up on some trail etiquette! Following these rules will help keep everyone safe and having fun.

Dirt Trails

Always be sure to be prepared with plenty of water, sturdy, comfortable shoes and layers. Stay to the right and always announce yourself as you approach others.

• Equestrian riders always have the right of way.

• Bike riders must yield to hikers and equestrian riders.

• Hikers in a group should hike in a single file and must yield to equestrian riders.

Paved Trails

Universal trail rules are different in our area than many others.

• Walkers and runners should stay to the left so that oncoming traffic is easily visible.

• Cyclists should utilize the right side of the trail.

Share the trail. Be nice. Have fun!

20 Minute Sheet Pan

Sausage and Veggies

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 20 min

Servings: 4 - 6

* 12-16 oz Smoked Turkey or Chicken Sausage, about 3 cups

* 2 c. sweet potato diced into 1/2'' cubes

* 2 c. broccoli florets and/or cauliflower

* 1 c. bell pepper chopped (any colors you like)

* 2 cloves garlic minced

* 2 tbsn olive oil

* 1 tbsn Italian seasoning or taco, Cajun of your favorite spice blend!

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.

2. Slice the sausage into 1'' rounds. Dice the sweet potatoes into small 1/2'' cubes.

3. Add the sausage, veggies and minced garlic to a large baking sheet.

4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the Italian spices or your favorite spice blend. Seasoning with salt and pepper.

5. Toss veggies with your hands until they are fully combined and coated with olive oil and spices.

6. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.

7. Enjoy with rice or quinoa.

Around the tAble

Chicken and Dumplings

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 1 hr 20 min

Servings: 6

* 3 c. chicken (about 2-3 chicken breasts)

* 2 qt. chicken broth

* 2 c. all-purpose flour

* 1/2 tsp baking powder

* 2 tbsn cold salted butter, cubed

* 1 c. milk

* 2 tbsn olive oil

* salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place chicken breast on the baking sheet and Drizzle a little olive oil on the chicken and season with salt and pepper.

3. Bake chicken for about 45 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, shred it with two forks.

4. Pour 2 quarts of chicken stock or broth into a large pot and start warming it up on the stove top while you make the dumplings..

5. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Then add in cubed butter.

6. Combine using your fingers, fork or pastry cutter.

7. Pour in the milk. Mix it all together.

8. Dust your counter with a generous amount of flour. Place dumpling dough on the counter and dust it with more flour.

9. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about ¼" thickness. Be sure to add flour as necessary to keep it from sticking underneath or to your rolling pin.

10. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, start cutting out your dumplings into squares.

11. Dust dumplings with a bit more flour. The extra flour is all gonna

help keep them from sticking but will also thicken your chicken broth some as well when you add them to the pot.

12. Bring chicken broth up to a boil. Add in shredded chicken and stir.

13. Begin adding dumplings one at a time so they don't all stick together. Stir frequently while adding them.

14. Allow dumplings to cook for about 15-20 minutes. You should notice your broth starting to thicken (from the extra flour) and your dumplings may start to sink a little to the bottom because they are soaking up the broth.

15. Take one out and taste test it. It shouldn't have a doughy taste.

Trail Mix Cookie Cups

* 1 tube (161/2 oz) refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough

* 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

* 1/2 c. Nutella

* 11/2 c. trail mix

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 24 balls (about 1-1/4 in.). Press evenly onto bottom and up sides of greased mini muffin cups.

2. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, reshape cups as necessary. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

3. Fill cups with 1 teaspoon each peanut butter and Nutella. Top with trail mix.

Laughter is brightest in the place where food is good.

-Irish Proverb-

Pagano Family

Homemade Pizza Dough

Prep Time: 1 hr 30 min

Cook Time: 15-18 min

Servings: 1 pizza

Pizza Dough:

* 3 1/2 c. unbleached flour

* 1 package rapid rise dry active yeast

* 1 tsp salt

* 1tbsn sugar

* 2 tsp olive oil

* 1 1/3 c. water

1. In a large bowl, add flour, yeast, salt and sugar.

2. In microwave safe bowl, add olive oil to water, then heat for one minute and thirty seconds. Bowl will be hot, so handle carefully and let cool momentarily as needed.

3. Pour water mixture into large bowl with other ingredients and combine thoroughly.

4. Place dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.

5. Return well-kneaded dough back into bowl and cover with warm, moist towel. Let sit for one hour while dough rises.

6. Preheat oven to 425

7. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to just larger than the size of your pizza pan.

8. Brush pizza pan lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking, then slide prepped pizza dough onto pizza pan.

9. Fold and pinch outside edge of dough to create crust.

10. Add desired pizza sauce, cheese and toppings, then brush another coat of olive oil on crust.

11. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

12. Remove, let cool and enjoy!

Horchata

Prep Time: 10 min

"Cook" Time: 3 hrs

Servings: 6

* 5 c. water

* 1 c. uncooked white long-grain rice

* ⅔ c. white sugar

* 1/2 c. milk

* 1/2 tbsn vanilla extract

* 1/2 tbsn ground cinnamon

1. Pour water and rice into a blender; mix until rice begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours.

2. Strain rice water into a pitcher and discard rice. Stir in sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon.

3. Chill thoroughly before serving over ice.

Sun Tea

Prep Time: 5 min

"Cook Time": 2 - 3 hrs

* 8 tea bags of your choice (you can even mix and match!)

* 1 gal. of water

* honey or agave to sweeten tea

* lemon or lime as desired

1. Fill glass container with 1 gallon of water per 8 tea bags.

2. Let sit in sun 2-3 hours depending on temperature.

3. Taste test until just right.

4. Add honey or agave, lemon or lime to taste.

Recipes used from thecountrycook.net, AllRecipes.com and the family archive.

Local Groups & Organizations

American River ConservancyWhether it’s trail building, leading a hike, data entry, oak seedling watering, baking cookies for trail workers, working an information booth, preparing mailings, or helping the Conservancy in other ways, we appreciate each and every volunteer. arconservancy.com/join-us

Assistance League of the Sierra Foothills - Chapter Meetings (public welcome) are held every fourth Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at Faith Episcopal Church in Cameron Park. Assistanceleague.org/sierra-foothills/ for more information!

Catalyst Community - A nonprofit organization offering free support for parents and childcare providers in El Dorado County. Parenting classes, provider trainings, childcare referrals and subsidized childcare are just some of the services offered. To learn more, visit www.catalystcomm.org or call 530.676.0707.

El Dorado County Ag in the Classroom - High quality educational programs to increase awareness of the importance of agriculture in our lives. We welcome volunteers to lead educational lessons for our Fields of Learning school field trip and presenter volunteers for our Annual Farm Day event at the Fairgrounds. Contact Melissa Neal, Executive Director, m.neal@agintheclass-edc.org

El Dorado County History Museum

- There are three main areas of need for volunteers: research room, museum docent, El Dorado Western Railroad. For more information, fill out the volunteer interest form online at museum.edcgov.us/volunteers.

El Dorado County Widowed Persons Club - Support group for widowed men and women. General meetings 4th Friday of the month at Cold Springs Country Club at 11:30a. Breakfasts are Tuesday mornings, 8:30a, at Placerville Denny’s and Wednesdays at 8:30a, held at Diamond Springs Hotel and Cameron Park Denny’s respectively. To register, call Glenda (530.295.8374) or Nancy (530.919.8276)

El Dorado Tax Payers Association

- A non-profit citizen taxpayers group whose mission is to educate and advocate for county taxpayers. Meetings are held Monday mornings at 7:30a-8:30a at Placerville Denny's. Information at taxpayersedc.org or C. Louis at 530.622.6763.

FIA & F3 Nation - National network of free, peer-led workouts dedicated to growth and community. FIA (Females In Action) schedule/ info at fiasouthfork.com. F3 for men schedule/info at f3southfork.com.

Gold Country WoodworkingMeetings second Tuesday of every month at 7p at Park Community Church, 3901 Wild Chaparral Dr, Shingle Springs.

SIR - Social Activities for Men

Over 50, SIR Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides social activities for men over 50. Gold Country branch meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month at Cameron Park Country Club and membership gives access to outings such as wine tasting, golfing, fishing and more. Contact SIRBranch95@gmail.com for more details, or visit our website at sirinc2.org/branch95.

TOPS - Real People Real Weight Loss. Meetings held Tuesdays at 9:30a, weigh-ins at 8:30a at the Veteran's Memorial Building in Placerville. More information at tops.org.

Send AHM info About your locAl group or non-profit!

SArA@AroundHereMAgAzine.coM

Name: ____________________________

Brief Description: ___________________

Meeting Time(s) & Location: __________

Website: __________________________

Contact Information: ________________

Groaners from Next door

If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims

What do you call a fish wearing a bowtie?

So-fish-ticated!

What has more letters than the alphabet? The post office!

Why couldn't the bike stand up by itself? It was two-tired.

How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh? Ten tickles.