NY/Winter 2023

Meet the Photographer: Stephanie Gabler

Stephanie Gabler is a freelance photographer, specializing in nature photography. She has taught photography through the Placerville Parks & Recreation, and now offers private photography lessons.

Stephanie has loved photography since she was just 8 years old, and she received her first SLR camera at 16 years old. In fact, in most of her old family photos you can see her holding a camera. Stephanie says that for her, photography is therapy. Since she is primarily a nature photographer, being outside exploring is relaxing. Her advice for aspiring photographers? Do what brings you joy! She also says that photography doesn't require an expensive camera, and shared that the cover image was actually taken on her iPhone!

Stephanie has lived in El Dorado County for over 25 years, and currently lives with her high school sweetheart turned husband in Pollock Pines. Their daughter lives close by in Sacramento County. Stephanie is a member of the Placerville Garden Club and loves spending time at Jenkinson Lake and Lake Tahoe.

To see more of her work or to purchase a print, visit her website at stephanie-gabler.pixels.com, and follow her on Instagram @StephanieGablerPhotography.

Stephanie's work as seen at the National Mother Lode Art Exhibition.

29th Year • 1st Quarterly Issue NY/Winter 2023

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

Web: aroundheremagazine.com

Publisher Westword Publishing

Editor Sara Pagano

Writers: Kim Burkhardt, Merry Campbell, Mary Cory, Christopher Couper, Randy Hodges, Ellen Osborn, Jolene Tompkins, Bryan Wild.

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, 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.

☼

What kind of shorts do clouds wear?

What do you call a story about a broken pencil?

Stephanie Gabler

It’s spring and the 11th year of the LUNAFEST® film festival is here once more! Hosted by Soroptimist International of Cameron Park & El Dorado Hills, it is set for March 30th through April 1st. This year, the festival will again be held both in person and online. The in-person event is scheduled for Thursday, March 30th at the Cameron Park Community Center and the films (80-90 minutes) will be available for viewing for over 2 days. For those attending in person, besides the viewing of films, the event provides social camaraderie, fabulous raffle items, complimentary desserts, plus small plates, wine and other beverages for purchase.

Thursday, March 30 6p - 9p

Cameron Park Community Center

Soroptimist is a women’s community service organization and this event is the club’s largest annual fundraiser. As always, LunaFest promotes the awareness of women's issues, highlights women filmmakers, and brings women together in their communities. The films will cover such topics as women’s health, body image, relationships, cultural diversity and breaking barriers. In short, the films (usually 8-9) are by, for and about women. For more about the films, go to lunafest.org/filmmakers.

Proceeds from the event benefit the club’s mission to provide financial aid for the education of women who are solely responsible for themselves and their families. The club has given

over $30,000 from local LunaFest proceeds to women needing extra funding for education and to entities that fight against sex-trafficking.

Tickets are $25 each. The in-person event on March 30 is at the Cameron Park Community Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the social hour and films start at 7 p.m. The online event, for home viewing, starts at 11 a.m. (3/30) and goes thru 11 a.m. (4/1), a 48-hour virtual viewing window.

For membership or details about the Soroptimist Club of Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills, please contact: Marlyn Pino-Jones, pinojones@yahoo.com or 916-933-8205.

For tickets and more information on LunaFest, go to sicpedh.org. The hope is for a full house enjoying the movies at this major fundraiser, thus enabling Soroptimist Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills to continue its mission.

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Out And About

We look forward to seeing your photo here and learning about the place you visited!

Email your photo and information to sara@aroundheremagazine.com

Be sure to show Around Here Magazine prominently when your high-resolution photo is taken.

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

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815819

Our Winter Skies

article and photos by Randy Hodges

Our yearly orbit around the Sun means that our evening skies face a different part of the sky each season. During the summer, our evening skies are facing the center of the Milky Way. The summer Milky Way is magnificent and is clearly visible from dark sites. Winter has us facing the opposite direction, looking away from the galactic core. Astronomers often call the winter skies the “Orion Season” because one of the most iconic constellations dominates the skies.

Orion is second only to the “Big Dipper” as the most readily recognized pattern of stars. It depicts a hunter facing the bull in the constellations: Taurus with his dogs at his heels. The story we are most familiar with is from the Greco-Roman world. Orion claimed that he would kill all the animals on Earth. The god Gaia decided to kill him with a scorpion. Another god, Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer, revived him with an antidote. Thus, the constellation Scorpius is on the opposite side of the Sun from Orion and the two are never visible at the same time. Many other cultures had stories about Orion. The constellation was mentioned in the Bible three times.

It is a remarkable constellation with many fine stars and nebulae. There are seven bright stars with names.

Betelgeuse is near Orion’s head. It is a huge, old, cool red star. It is about 548 light years away, which means that the light we see now left there about the time Columbus was leaving for the new world. Scientists think it is near the end of its life cycle and that it will end its life in a supernova explosion relatively soon. Soon, in astronomical terms, is defined as some time in the next five to fifty thousand years.

The star Rigel is near Orion’s foot. It is very different than Betelgeuse, being extremely hot, blue, and

relatively young. Stars like Rigel live relatively short lives as they go through their fuel quickly. A good analogy is a campfire. A big campfire gets very hot but uses up its fuel quickly.

The star Bellatrix, like Rigel is a very hot blue star located in Orion’s right shoulder.

Three bright stars make up the belt around Orion’s waist. A dimmer group of stars descend from the belt’s left side and make up his sword. The center star of the sword is the famous “Orion Nebula” which is one of the few naked eye nebulas. It takes up an area of about twice the size of the full Moon. It is a “Stellar Nursery” where gas and dust are coalescing into new young stars. The “Horsehead” and “Flame” Nebulae are near the right-hand star of the belt. The horsehead is created by dark dust that is silhouetted against the

bright glowing hydrogen gas in this area.

Orion faces the constellation Taurus. If you follow the belt of Orion to the right, you will come to a group of stars in a “V” shape. That is the head of the bull. The tip of the “V” on the left is the star Aldebaran which is also a cool giant star. The group of stars to the right of Aldebaran are called the Pleiades or “The Seven Sisters.” The Japanese call this group of stars “Subaru.” If you own a Subaru automobile this group of stars is on the emblem on the back of your car.

If you follow Orion’s belt to the left, you will come to the star Sirius also known as the “Dog Star” which is the brightest star in our sky. It is a young hot blue star. It is so bright because it is close to us, only about 8.6 light years away. It is the brightest star in one of Orion’s hunting dogs.

The winter sky has many other wonders for both your eyes and telescopes. Come visit the Community Observatory and we will introduce you. The observatory is open on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7:30-9:30 during the winter.

Winter is not my favorite season. In fact, it's not my 2nd or 3rd pick either. I do love the part of winter though that includes the warmth of lights and fireplaces, cozy afternoons with hot cocoa and a book, and I won't shy away from a fun trip to the snow, but that's pretty close to where my love stops.

This issue of Around Here Magazine is brimming with warmth and winter, perfect for a hot cocoa afternoon. "What's Overhead" will inspire you to bundle up on a clear night, crisp air on your cheeks and nose, and take in the constellations above. Talk of quilts ("Women Making History") will make you feel cozy and "Mediterranean Climate Gardening" will remind you of warmer days.

Winter is often a difficult time of year: shorter, darker days that we know will eventually yield to longer and brighter days.

Many of the articles this issue also remind us to connect to those around us as a community. "Wine Times" encourages us to get together and get out, the recipes are meant to be shared, there are several community events meant to connect and support each other, and stories that show human (and dog!) connection and its positive impact. So grab your hot cocoa, settle in and enjoy this issue of Around Here.

See you in Spring!

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.

Guide Dogs for the Blind

Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) is the largest guide dog school in North America. The organization is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, with a continued mission to provide independence and inclusion for people who are blind or visually impaired, using well-trained guide dogs. GDB currently uses yellow and black Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Lab/Golden crosses. Guide Dogs for the Blind provides all of their services free of charge, receives no government funding, and are supported entirely by private donations.

Some may not know that Cameron Park is the home of an active group of puppy raisers who are proud to raise guide dog puppies for this amazing organization—puppies that will go on to transform the lives of the clients with whom they are paired. It takes 18 to 24 months to fully train a guide dog. They spend about a year with puppy raisers and another 12 weeks on campus learning specific guiding skills in their formal training. Guide Dogs for the Blind operates two campuses—one in San Rafael, CA and the other in Boring, OR, a suburb of Portland.

GDB Puppy Clubs were created to support and educate our volunteers; they receive extensive support from GDB staff. The Cameron Park club has existed and actively supported the Guide Dogs for the Blind mission for 45 years - since 1977. Originally, puppy clubs were associated with 4-H Club groups of young people whose members took puppies and raised them in their homes. Young raisers also took their puppies to school with them.

As years went on, adults became interested in raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the face of puppy clubs began to change with older volunteers. Some of the adults who initially became involved were parents of the original 4-H puppy raisers.

Puppy raising today requires much more from raisers by way of training and socializing puppies. The

b y Kim Burkhardt

skill set for raising and preparing a puppy for guide work is extensive. Thanks to raisers’ efforts, puppies are well prepared for success when they return to GDB’s campuses “for college.”

As a puppy raiser, one is never alone on this journey. The Cameron Park Puppy Club has volunteers with DECADES of combined experience. Our club supports raisers in learning specific training techniques that lead to formal guide dog training when the puppy goes back to campus. Additionally, our club goes on socialization outings as a group, to acclimate puppies to a variety of experiences in the world. This exposure is critical to producing well-adjusted, confident guide dogs. We appreciate continued on page 26

Who Is Thinking of Retiring?

by Bryan Wild

After working in reverse mortgages for 22 years, I find there are two groups of people. People who can’t wait to retire and people who want to work forever.

Although he would say otherwise, my father is the latter. At 76, and after years of doing a physically demanding job, his body finally forced him to retire. Although he has been talking about retiring for years, I am not 100% sure he planned his retirement out.

That is the thing about retirement. You have to plan for it. Both long term and short term.

I recently sat down with him and went over his retirement. I realized he had planned it years ago by completing the important longterm goals. He had a single level house that was prepared for senior years, he had his health plan in place, and he had discussions with a Financial Advisor who informed

him of his assets. And that's about where it ended.

I sit down with lots of seniors and I realize that he is not the only one in this situation. When planning for retirement, you need to make short-term goals, too, preferably meeting them a year or two in advance. The goal? Having a comfortable retirement that will last beyond the age you actually think you will live to. Comfort is the goal.

It all starts with a budget. Write out a budget. Physically get a paper and pen and write down your retirement income. You will have a good idea what your retirement income will be. This is where everything starts. Then look at your bank statement and see what “actually” goes thru your bank account. I promise you it is different from what you “think” you are spending. How far off are you? In an effort to help align these numbers, you must think a short time ahead. Some simple planning will help tremendously in the long run.

Flexibility

The key to a good budget is the ability for it to be flexible.

Anticipate when you think you will need certain expenses, like traveling nurses and when other expenses go away like car payments. Like most things in this world, you will need to re-visit this budget as life unfolds. Don’t be scared of a budget. A budget can be the reassurance you need to let you know you’re on the right path.

Car Payments

Time large purchases that require payments to end prior to retiring, specifically cars. The average car payment is well over $500 per month. Hopefully, you have a car that will be conducive to retirement. An Escalade or dully truck looks great, but are not retirement friendly. With today’s gas prices, these types of vehicles will burst a budget; even if you have it paid off. You want a “last” car. Good gas mileage, reliable, and easy to get in and out of.

Credit Card Debt

Do not carry credit card debt into retirement. Period. Credit card interest is a budget killer. Today’s inflation is bad. Credit card interest only gets worse during high inflation. Cards can easily get

continued on page 14

This winter I’m looking forward to getting together with my “extended family” once again. Who are they and why should you care? “They” are the staff and my fellow skiers at the Sierra at Tahoe Winter Resort.

The “family friendliness” or “family vibe” began way back in 1945 when the Barrett family started Sierra Ski Ranch. The current staff at the resort still goes out of their way to infuse this atmosphere into their operations and the customer experience. As long as general manager John Rice has his way, this will continue indefinitely. He has

Seasons of Sierra At Tahoe

by Christopher Couper

built an entire program around it and makes sure that every employee, at every level, is trained that way and operates in that manner. And the goal is to encourage customers, even first-time visitors, to join in too. Read on to find out how this tradition began.

The tradition began when Ray Barrett attended Sacramento City College, where he joined the ski club. The ski club is where Ray met his future wife, Jenis. Most of the frequent weekend trips into the Sierra Nevada were to the Donner Summit area, and occasionally other

areas. Ray felt that it was a shame that there were not more options up on Echo Summit, so in the Spring of 1945 he began inquiring with the US Forest Service about what would be required to open a small ski area near the summit. Encouraged by their response, he located a nice area to the south of Mount Ralston and the American River. Ray enlisted the help of his brother Floyd, who had just been discharged from the Navy, and Floyd’s new wife, Audrey. Accompanied by Ray, the new couple drove cross country from West Virginia to help. Together they began laying out locations for ski

continued on page 11

The Sprocks hosted a weekly “Ladies Day” of skiing.

runs and a coffee shop.

Putting in a ski area requires much more than thought. The Barretts were short on funds for such an adventure, but Ray did have many friends and classmates. So the model that was created in those early days of “Sierra” was “work a bit, play a bit”. Essentially, everyone that wanted to be a part of the resort traded work time for play time. Work might be felling trees, building and maintaining lifts, working in the coffee shop, constructing the lodge or providing ski patrol services. It was hard to differentiate staff from customers because many were both. When you came to the early Sierra Ski Ranch, you were immersed in a gigantic extended family experience. This elevated the ski area’s reputation and the family vibe was one of the reasons the resort became so popular, even though it was only open on weekends and holidays.

One summit area local, Vern Sprock, was so enthralled that he started to work part time for the Barretts and even convinced them that he could keep the resort operating on the weekdays too. With the technology boom after WWII, the Barretts were working

full time at McClellan Field. They also had young children and found themselves with little time to operate a ski resort. So, in December of 1953, the Barretts sold Sierra Ski Ranch to Vern’s new in-laws, and Vern and his new wife, Bobbie, operated the resort.

The Sprocks continued with the resort’s extended family model. To extend the operations, the Sprocks reached out into the local community. Word soon got out and more and more people from both the west slope and Tahoe Basin came to the little roadside ski area to see how they could be a part of the experience. The extended family was growing, and now included the Sprock’s own children, Kathy and Peter. Winter resorts have a unique staffing issue; they generally operate in the summer “off season” with a skeleton crew doing maintenance and improvements. But then, with the onset of winter, staffing needs to escalate rapidly. This dynamic makes it difficult to build and run a winter resort business. But the experience at “Sierra” was so positive, most of the employees wanted to come

back each season. The Sprocks were excited about that arrangement. The idea of permanent part time became part of the vernacular and continues to this day at “Sierra”.

The resort grew, moving upslope to its current location in 1968. It prospered because employees, even though part time, felt as if they were part of the Sprock family, that they were important and critically valued. Parking lot attendants, bus boys clearing tables, ski instructors helping you learn to ski and lift operators helping you get on the lift, all gave the impression you were skiing at “their ski resort”. This feeling expanded and

continued on page 16

When you came to the early Sierra Ski Ranch, you were immersed in a gigantic extended family experience.

A group of Sierra friends help the Barretts complete the fireplace and chimney of the lodge in the summer of 1949.

Photo courtesy of the Barrett Family

Georgia Nail Leoni in her garden.

“Women of Influence: Women Making History in El Dorado County” was an exhibit at the El Dorado County Historical Museum that told the stories of women who lived, worked, and contributed to the rich history of El Dorado County. Artifacts and photographs in the Museum’s collection guided the research, allowing us to uncover stories about these women who were part of the county’s history. Sometimes history of a particular person or region is equated to constructing a quilt, where many bits and pieces eventually become a whole.

Sarah Ingham (1826-1898) Quilter

Sarah and her husband moved to Placerville in the 1850s. Sarah’s husband, George Ingham became a County Judge and later Justice of the California Supreme Court. Their daughter Albina, known as Bine, learned the newspaper business at the Mountain Democrat, and was eventually named publisher, a position she held until her death. (Bine’s story will be told in another installment!)

We don’t know very much about Sarah Ingham. However, the beautiful crazy quilt that she created is an example of an artifact that can help us better understand the times she lived in. The quilt is displayed on the Museum’s 1878 walnut bed from a home in Indian Diggings. Made from scraps of silks and velvets held together with decorative hand embroidery, crazy quilts were a very popular textile craft of the 1880s and 1890s. Sarah incorporated silk ribbons about local groups and event into the quilt, including this one celebrating the completion of the Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad to Placerville in 1888!

continued on page 14

Crazy quilt created by Sarah Ingham on display at the El Dorado County Historical Museum.

Silk ribbon showcasing the completion of the Placerville & Sacramento Railroad.

Lucinda Nail lived her whole life in the Somerset and Grizzly Flats area. Her parents owned the toll ford/bridge on the middle fork of the Cosummes River below Somerset. Lucinda married George Nail who was the superintendent of a mine in Grizzly Flat and was drowned at Bucks Bar trying to ford the rising river. Lucinda was expecting her second child at that time. To support herself and her two daughters Lucinda took in work as a seamstress and became a wellknown dressmaker. She owned property and made a good living as a dressmaker raising her two daughters by herself.

Sewing and needlework were important skills for women to know. Treadle sewing machines became available and affordable after the Civil War and most women had basic sewing skills in order to make clothing, quilts,

and other household textiles for their families. However, some women such as Lucinda, were able to make a living sewing the complicated and fashionable dresses for women in the community.

Lucinda pieced and embroidered a Crazy Quilt Pillow on display in the Museum’s Bedroom exhibit. The pillow is hand stitched, made with silks and velvets and has silk embroidery embellishments.

Georgia Nail Leoni was born six months after the death of her father. Her mother, Lucinda Nail, raised Georgia and her sister Hattie alone as a dressmaker in Grizzly Flats. In 1910 Georgia married Stephen Leoni, a dairy cattle rancher in Grizzly Flats. Together, they operated the ranch and drove their cattle seasonally between the Mountain Meadow Ranch in Grizzly Flats and Clay Station in the western part of the county for winter grazing. Stephen died in 1927 and Georgia continued to live at the Mountain Meadow Ranch (now known as Leoni Meadows) until 1941. She walked the three miles to Grizzly Flats to get her mail, and when she needed to go to Placerville, she drove an automobile. However, she only knew how to put the car into second gear, so she drove all the way to Placerville in second!

Georgia did all her own chores like chopping wood, hunting for food, growing and

continued on page 15

Georgia Nail Leoni (1885-1975)

Lucinda Nail (1859-1909) Seamstress

Georgia and Stephen Leoni on their wedding day.

Crazy Quilt Pillow on display at the museum..

preserving fruits, vegetables and meats, and she helped with the dairy animals, making the butter that they provided to restaurants and the Caldor logging camps. Georgia used an outdoor kitchen as much as possible because the heat was so extreme in the kitchen. The story is that her staff in the kitchen kept fainting from the heat so she had a fainting couch placed there!

After 1941, Georgia moved to her mother’s home in Grizzly Flats. Known by many as “Georgie” she was an active member of the community. Although she never had children of her own, she loved children and was member of the local school board. She and Stephen were very hospitable people and hosted many parties and events.

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

Vittorio

PortWinery& Bar

Camino ~ El Dorado County

Wine& Port Tasting Wine& Port

diVittorio Winery is a boutique winery in the Sierra Foothills. We have used a traditional wine making process since the diVittorio Family emigrated to America about 1904. The commercial winery opened in 2001.

El Dorado County fruits are used to produce fine red wines, fruit wines and port wines. Enjoy table wines and spirits that reflect traditional taste and quality, enhanced by innovation and creative thought.

Winemakers: Albert & Sally diVittorio Tasting Room is Open Friday - Sunday, 11-5pm or by appointment

Camino Wine Plaza ~ 3500 Carson Rd, Camino, CA ~ divittoriowinery.com ~ 530.621.2166

continued from page 9 20% and up. A year or two ahead, develop a plan for getting out of card debt. Start working on the highest interest rate cards and work your way down.

Social Security

Can you postpone your Social Security to 65 or even 70? By doing so, you maximize your Social Security by up to 30% more. That can turn a $2000 monthly income to $2700. That is an investment in the rest of your life. Life expediency increases every year. Are there any assets you can live off during these years? Talk to your Financial Advisor. They have ideas.

Mortgage

How about housing? Is your home paid off? Most are not. This is probably the biggest expense on your budget. There are ways to cut down on this expense. With the current rates, refinancing probably isn’t an option. Is retirement worth relocating? Is a reverse mortgage an option? Sometimes it is worth drawing against your savings to pay off a mortgage to eliminate a mortgage payment. Watch out for tax implications if you do.

Healthcare

Health costs are going up every year. You will need to budget

for this. Will you need part time nurses? Most people I talk to, do not need full time help; they only need a couple of hours a week aid from traveling nurses. You can sign up for Medicare at 65. Is it worth working until then? You can sign up at www.medicare. gov or call social security at 800-772-1213. There are several plans available to you. There are also professional services to help navigate Medicare.

I talk to seniors all the time who are in financial trouble. Most tell me, “I never expected to live this long.” With some advance thought and a good budget, you can prepare for retirement and avoid the stress that can occur with late planning. In the end, know that you are not alone on this financial journey. I as well as other financial professionals can help point you in the right direction.

When it is finally time to stop living at work, you can begin working on living.

Bryan Wild is a reverse mortgage lender with 23 years’ experience servicing our local area. He enjoys snowboarding, BBQ’ing, the 49ers and helping people out with their retirement.

When planning for retirement, you need to make short-term goals.

Wine Tasting ~ Sales ~ Distribution

customers started feeling like “Sierra” was their ski resort too. Familiar faces would appear each season with old friends (customers and staff alike), reacquainting after a long summer break. It was not unlike moving away from home and returning to your family during the holidays. Having transformed the little roadside ski area into a full ski resort, the Sprocks stayed true to this model. In 1993 they sold Sierra Ski Ranch and it became Sierra-atTahoe, with John Rice at the helm.

At Sierra-at-Tahoe today you get the same feeling that early Sierra Ski Ranch customers had, one of being part of an extended family. This permeates all activities at the resort and is noticed by most customers, even those visiting for the first time. Often, I will be riding up a chairlift and talk to my seat partners about what brought them

Sierra-at-Tahoe uses a combination of paid and volunteer mountain safety staff to help keep their guests safe.

Got Jokes?

A man walks into a lawyer's office and asks, "How much do you charge?" The lawyer says, "$5,000 for three questions." The man asks, "Wow, that's pretty expensive, isn't it?" And the lawyer says, "Yes. Now, what's your third question?"

I told my friend not to get too excited about turning 62, since her birthday party would be so short. "Why would it be short?" she asked. I said, "Because it's your sixty-second birthday."

to Sierra. It’s fun to hear out-oftowners say they discovered Sierra by accident or perhaps from a basin local telling them it’s the most fun area. The smiles and stories they tell confirm how quickly they are assimilated into the Sierra extended family. Most state they have never been to a resort with the same atmosphere as Sierra and wished it was everywhere.

Christopher Couper is a long time "Sierra" skier and lives with his wife in Shingle Springs. You can read more about "Sierra's" extended family atmosphere and how local history influenced the resort, including a chapter on the impacts of the Caldor Fire, in the book: From Ranch to Resort, the History of Sierra at Tahoe.

I bought a universal remote today. I was disappointed to find out that it does not, in fact, control the universe. Not even remotely.

When my wife caught me standing on the bathroom scales, sucking in my stomach, she laughed, “Ha! That’s not going to help!” I said, “Sure, it does.” “It’s the only way I can see the numbers.”

A group of families pick up discarded items off the trails at Sierra-at-Tahoe.

Photo courtesy of Sierr-At-Tahoe

Photo courtesy of Sierr-At-Tahoe

American River Conservancy (ARC) recently announced the completed purchase of 972 acres protecting 3 miles of creek frontage and important oak woodland and forest habitat near the South Fork American River in El Dorado County, California. The property, Lewis Ranch, is a working cattle ranch and contains remnants of a historic homestead. Now owned and managed by American River Conservancy, the property is permanently protected from subdivisions and development.

“Lewis Ranch is part of an important wildlife corridor between Greenwood and the South Fork American River Trail system,” stated ARC Director Elena DeLacy. “This acquisition helps protect native plant and wildlife habitat, safeguards the quality of water flowing downstream to Sacramento, builds upon existing partnerships to reduce fuel loads and protect nearby communities from wildfire, and protects working agricultural lands.”

“When the owner of Lewis Ranch approached American River Conservancy with an interest in seeing their property conserved, of course we were pleased,” noted

Lewis Ranch Acquisition

by the American River Conservancy

Conservancy President Scott Vail. “We only work with willing sellers on projects with clear conservation benefit and multiple resource values.”

Lewis Ranch contains approximately 3 miles of creek frontage on Greenwood Creek and two tributary streams. The property boasts a diverse mix of habitats, including blue oak woodland, grassland, and mixed conifer-hardwood forest. Protected ranch lands also contain ponds that provide habitat for native amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Seller representative Darin Lewis stated, “For over 60 years our family has owned this very special place. We have shared in its many blessings. We are happy to partner with ARC to preserve it for future generations. We are humbled to have been a partner in caretaking it for many years and are gratified to pass this responsibility to ARC.”

American River Conservancy raised $4.47 million from four different sources to purchase Lewis Ranch. “The Wildlife Conservation Board is proud to partner with the American

River Conservancy, California Natural Resources Agency, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to protect this important wildlife corridor, continue cattle grazing and provide public access and recreation,” said Executive Director John Donnelly. Additional funding to cover acquisition costs came from community members and private foundations. “It’s inspiring to know that our community cares so much about ensuring these places are protected forever,” stated DeLacy. “Grassroots support from individuals helps us leverage larger grants from public agencies that save the best of our rivers, recreational lands, and scenic landscapes. What a wonderful legacy to be a part of.”

continued on page 26

56th Annual National Mother Lode Art Exhibition

In November, the 56th Annual National Mother Lode Art Exhibition was hosted at the Mills Station Art & Culture Center in Rancho Cordova. Sponsored by the Placerville Arts Association, there were a record-breaking 413 entries, many from El Dorado County artists.

Art included beautiful paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, jewelry, baskets, ceramics, gourds and other inspired art.

The Mills Station Art & Culture Center (MACC) was standing room only as Ms. Barbara Burge, judge for the event, took the microphone at the evening art reception.. Of the 413 entries from across the country, only 137 were selected to be on display for the Exhibition. Those selected pieces were then curated by Cheryl Gleason of MACC. Gallery viewings were open to the public, as well as select art workshops, throughout the 16-day event.

You won’t want to miss next year’s 57th Annual National Mother Lode Art Exhibition, November 2 - 18, 2023.

For more information about the Placerville Arts Association, membership, or events, visit them online at placervillearts.com.

ClimateMediterraneanGardening

Why does anyone living in El Dorado County need to know about Mediterranean climate gardening? What does it have to do with us?

Depending on where you live in El Dorado County, it could help you understand how to be a more successful gardener. Anyone gardening in Placerville and areas to the west have to deal with aspects of Mediterranean climate. For me, living in Pollock Pines, it is interesting to know, but not as relevant, and I’ll explain why.

First, just what does the phrase mean? It comes from the coastal areas around the Mediterranean Sea which all experience the Mediterranean climate. However, other parts of the world, including much of California, also have

Mediterranean climates. The characteristics of a Mediterranean climate include wet, mild winters and dry, hot or warm summers, and often sea breezes.

The two major seasons of wet, mild winters and dry, hot summers are influenced by the ocean currents and water temperatures that are found around the coastal areas. In all, there are five major regions that are considered to have a Mediterranean climate. In addition to the countries around the Mediterranean Sea, there are southwest and southern Australia, the western Cape of South Africa, central Chile, California, and the northern Baja Peninsula.

In Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area is a classic example of this climate.

In the regions closest to the bay, summer temperatures rarely exceed 72 degrees and winters fall between 30 and 65 degrees. The hills around the Bay Area trap some of the westerly winds that keep temperatures moderate in the summer months. Due to that influence, places like Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill have summer temperatures that are much, much higher than the coastal Bay Area, but both the Bay Area and inland areas still stay predominantly dry during the summer months.

Now, to answer the question that we started with: Why do El Dorado County gardeners need to know about the Mediterranean climate? Simply put, to garden in most of the western area of El Dorado County means that you deal with long periods of drought

continued on page 23

by M erry C a M pbell

p hotos by s u MM er b rasuel

continued from page 18

in the hotter months and your plantings must take that into consideration. This doesn’t mean you can’t grow fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants, but it does mean you have to have a good understanding of the water needs of the plants.

If you choose plants that require regular water, you will need to provide more water than you would for plants that are considered drought tolerant. There are several references for determining the water needs of plants, but the UCCE Master Gardeners recommend WUCOLS (Water Use Classification of Landscape Species), a tool found online at ccuh.ucdavis.edu/wucols, and also as a chart in the Sunset Western Gardening Book.

If you wish to take full advantage of the climate in which you live and garden, then you may want to look for many of the drought-tolerant plants listed below. This is only a small list of plants that will do well in a Mediterranean climate:

» Rock Purslane - Calandrinia spectabilis

» Yanagi Ichigo - Debregeasia edulis

» Chinese Dregea - Dregea sinensis ‘Variegata’

» Smoke Tree - Cotinus coggygria

» Canary Island Foxglove - Isoplexis canariensis

» Anchor Plant - Colletia paradoxa

» Viper’s Bugloss - Echium vulgare

» Bugle Lily - Watsonia pillansii

» Pouch Flower - Calceolaria tomentosa

» Kangaroo Apple - Solanum laciniatum

» Lizard Plant - Tetrastigma voinierianum

» Cunco Rojo - Colletia ulcinia.

Master Gardener classes are offered monthly throughout the county and there are several recorded classes on gardening.

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 about any of the above, or to sign up for newsletters, visit the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County website found at mgeldorado. ucanr.edu.

Merry Campbell is a member of the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County.

A Chinese Boy in the Gold Rush

by Ellen Osborn

This unusual old photograph of a young Chinese man raises some interesting questions. What brought a young Chinese man and a small American child together? What was their relationship?

Dressed in Western clothes, this young man, Sam Wam, with his serene face, presents a contrast to the rebellious expression on the face of little John Calhoun Johnson Jr. Note the firm grip on the wrist of the camera-shy youngster. Was Sam Wam included in the picture to restrain the rambunctious two-year-old? Or because he was considered a part of the family of John Calhoun Johnson? We do know that the picture was taken at the ranch home of Emily and John C. Johnson, located six miles east of Placerville. Photographs of all their children were made that day.

Photography in the 19th century wasn’t like today. In those days, portraits were taken by a professional photographer. The exposure took time, so the subject had to sit very still for the camera. It was an expensive luxury. Pictures were taken on special occasions with the resulting image treasured and kept.

The clothes Sam Wam was wearing appear to be too large for him. Perhaps they were borrowed from Johnson, or the photographer carried extra clothing for his subjects to wear. Unfortunately, we are unable to see Sam Wam’s hair, hidden under his hat to give him a more Westernized appearance. A traditional

hair style would give a clue to the Chinese province from which he came.

We have to rely on a family tradition to learn how Sam Wam became a part of the Johnson household. The story is that Johnson found a little Chinese boy, about eight years of age, wandering in the streets of Placerville alone. Historians tell us that it was not uncommon for unaccompanied boys to be included in parties of Chinese departing for “Gold Mountain,” as they called California. Their families intended for them to mine gold and come back with wealth for the family. John and Emily took Sam Wam into their home and raised him. Based on his age as recorded in the 1870 U. S. Census, this event would have taken place in the late 1850s. He was fortunate to live in a household that would insulate him from the prejudice and violence that surrounded the Chinese in California.

The Chinese were not generally welcomed by the miners in the gold fields, where the number of Chinese had grown until by 1852, in some mining camps, the ratio of Chinese to all others was three out of ten. The growing number of Asiatics alarmed the American miners who reacted with increasing violence and resentment. Placerville had a large and thriving Chinatown that experienced several fires, some thought to be caused by arson. Sam Wam undoubtedly visited there, keeping him in touch with his culture and countrymen, but also with the division between Chinese and Americans.

One response to the influx of Chinese was the passage of the Foreign Miner’s License Law of 1850. This law was largely enforced only on the Chinese. One correspondent of the Mountain Democrat went so far as to express the opinion that the Chinese, by paying for a foreign Miner’s License, were supporting El Dorado County! While serving in the Sixth State Assembly in 1855, Johnson himself sponsored a bill that provided for a graduated tax on those foreign miners who were ineligible for citizenship. This tax included the Chinese. Following a long and inglorious period of restrictive local laws and acts of violence, the issue was resolved to the satisfaction of the legislature in 1882, when a bill to exclude all Chinese emigrants was approved. Later this law was extended well into the twentieth century, preventing further emigration from China.

.

might have been made possible by his familiarity with American customs and language, learned during his years in the Johnson household.

For Johnson, his relationship with the Chinese miners was similarly conflicted. The June 15, 1867, Mountain Democrat carried the following article about the proceedings of the local Democratic Convention, of which Johnson had been elected secretary. In addressing the topic of the Chinese in California, the committee passed the following resolution: “Resolved, that the continued emigration of Mongolians to this State, to be used as the ill-paid slaves of capital are evils of startling and increasing magnitude, that to the utmost extent consistent with public faith and humanity, should be corrected by Federal and State legislation.”

It was a popular sentiment expressed repeatedly throughout the diggings,

The Chinese issue became a personal one for Johnson

In the Chinese culture parents are honored and children are valued.

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.

The 1870 U. S. Census confirms Sam Wam’s presence at the ranch. At age 22, he had come of age. In 1867, he is also listed as an occasional laborer in the records of the Vallejo Mining Company, located on the Johnson Ranch. Following the 1870 Census, he disappears from the official record. It is probable he returned to his home in China. Sam Wam’s leaving of his American family could have been the occasion for this picture.

The family story is Sam Wam returned to China as an adult where he enjoyed success in the export business. If this is true, his success

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the welcoming attitude in public places so that we can prepare our puppies to be successful in their future service with their partners.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Cameron Park Puppy Raisers always welcome those interested in learning more about what we do, and in becoming involved with our group. Please find more information about puppy raising by visiting www.guidedogs.com.

A parent or guardian can sit with the child and dog and read to them. For more information or to register, you can call the Cameron Park library at 530-621-5500. Sign-up and release paperwork is required before a child can participate and is available at the library.

The “Paws for a Cause” group has also visited retirement centers and volunteered by giving presentations in El Dorado County on an asrequested basis.

Continued from page 17

Since 1989, American River Conservancy has completed 88 conservation projects protecting over 29,300 acres of native fisheries, endangered species habitat and recreational lands. ARC also provides interpretive hikes, educational programs to schools and volunteer opportunities to the greater Sacramento region. Learn more at ARConservancy.org.

Paws for a Cause

“Paws for a Cause” is an independent group that was formed in 2009 with dogs that were career-changed or retired from Guide Dogs for the Blind service work and then went on to work as therapy dogs. Part of this group participates in the Cameron Park Library “Paws for Reading” program. This group of therapy dogs spends most Tuesdays from 4pm to 5pm at the Cameron Park library, offering their listening services to young readers. Children who want to improve their reading skills, can sign up for 15-minute reading sessions. They come prepared with a book to read and sit down with one of our calm and loving dogs. As the child reads their book, they pet and snuggle with their assigned dog. The dog’s handler is there to ensure the dog is maintaining proper etiquette, but for the most part, fades into the background to leave the student and the dog to do their work. The program is also available to children who are only just learning about reading.

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Kim Burkhardt is the club leader of the local Guide Dogs for the Blind.

El Dorado County Wine Country: Get Out Of That House!

Call some friends, go solo or gather the family and dog, then head to wine country. El Dorado County wineries are open and ready for guests.

With seventy wineries to visit, you will discover what you desire. Bad weather? You are in luck. Wine tasting is an indoor sport! Remember to check the winery website to learn if they require reservations to taste, and ask if they are family and/or dog friendly to prevent unexpected surprises.

Do you desire grand vistas?

Boeger, Lava Cap, Lewis Grace, Starfield Vineyards and Wofford Acres are spectacular choices. These wineries are along the Hwy 50 corridor, with craft breweries and hard ciders to try in that area as well. Grab a warm lunch at the Hwy 50 Brewery where dogs are welcome, and taste wines from Nello Olivio in the same building. Then walk around back to Bumgarner, Red Poet and Crystal Basin Cellars.

There are plenty more wineries heading southwest into Pleasant Valley, Somerset and Fairplay, all with stunning views to behold! I suggest visiting each section of the county’s wineries on different visits to allow for time to relax and steep yourself in the surroundings.

by Jolene Tompkins

A picnic in late winter or early spring with wines you have tasted and purchased creates experiences and memories you will never forget. A good thing to remember is to consume only wines purchased at that winery. Most wineries have picnic grounds and some have food for purchase as well. Some are dog friendly so remember to check into it ahead of time.

This time of year each winery is working on developing their personal products. Taste a barrel sample if offered. It is the subtle flavors that are developing in the barrel that the winemaker or cellarmaster is searching for before bottling. During the months of April and May, vineyard managers are watching for "bud break". When vines produce very small, insignificant flowers which will transform in later months to small tight grape bunches loaded with concentrated juice. It is a very precarious time in the growing process since these little buds can freeze and be lost, resulting in much smaller harvests. Winery owners pay close attention but know it is a part of raising an agricultural product. That said, the first few months of the year are quiet times in the tasting rooms with less visitors.

Joining a wine club is a way to have a connection with the wineries you fall in love with. Often your membership will have special discounts, parties and dinners. There is no better way to stock your favorite wines in your home, ready to enjoy all year long.

Remember the Six "S's" of wine tasting: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Savor and Spend! CHEERS!

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.

By Debbie

EVENTS

December 31

Labyrinth Wander * 1p - 3p Celebrate the close of 2022 with a mindful labyrinth walk at the Abode of Peace Labyrinth in Georgetown, Ca. This is an easy 1-mile walk. Rain postpones. app.donorview.com/g9eNO

January

Every Tuesday

Tech Time * 10a - 11:30a

Placerville Senior Center - This is a free event, so please bring your tech devices and you can sit down with our volunteer for some one on one support. Questions? Call Andrea at 530.621.6150

Bingo Night * 6:15p - 9p

Pollock Pines Community Center

Every Thursday

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

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 Sunday

Live Music * 5p - 7p Smith Flat House - Carol Tuttle & the Jazz Trio

January 2 - 14

The Sacred Arts of Tibet Tour * Federated Church - Celebrating 20 years of "Gratitude" and support. For a full schedule of events, visit placervillefriendsoftibet.org

January 7

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

Acorn Creek Hike * 9a-11a Pilot Hill - Join us for an introduction to hiking, and tips on taking nature photos. app.donorview.com/wkLzV

Heroes Night * 5p - 9p

Placerville Fairgrounds - Dinner, drinks, live, silent & dessert auctions and raffle to support the Boys & Girls Club. Tickets at bgce.org/heroes

January 8

Capturing Wakamatsu * 12p - 2p Wakamatsu Farm - Poetry Walk: explore the farmhouse, barn, and surroundings, then write a poem. app.donorview.com/6YrDv

January 10

Basic Research Skills * 10a/6p

Placerville Family History CenterCome and learn basic research skills that apply to all. 3275 Cedar Ravine Rd * 530.621.1378

Femme Trail Rippers * 11:30a - 3p

Interested in mountain biking? Beginner+, but know how to fix a flat. Free. app.donorview.com/LrvKP

January 14

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

Snowshoe Gerle Creek * 9a - 4p Snowshoe hike (5-6 miles) on the El Dorado NF near Wentworth Springs. app.donorview.com/y9Vgn

New Year Cleanse Hike * 11a - 12:30p 2.5 mile hike to the South Fork of the American River near Greenwood Creek. Includes light Tai Chi. Free. app.donorview.com/oGxDo

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Art & Wine w/ Something More * 6p - 9p

Placerville Fairgrounds - featuring art, wine, local brews and eats, and raffles & auctions. morerehab.org

January 15

Sogeetsu Ikebana Class * 10a - 1p Wakamatsu Farm- Create your own New Year flower arrangements app.donorview.com/WGk89

January 17

Femme Trail Rippers * 11:30a - 3p Interested in mountain biking? Adult Beginner+, know how to fix a flat. Free. app.donorview.com/LrvKP

January 20

Homegrown Comedy * 8p - 10p The Stage at Burke Junction - Happy Hour 6p-8p,comedians at 8p. Tickets at stageatburke.com

January 21

Fruit Tree Pruning Demonstration * 9a - 12p

Sherwood Demonstration Gardenlearn the basics and general sanitation of fruit tree pruning. mgeldorado@ucanr.edu

Gold Discovery Days * 10a - 2p Marshall State Park - The discovery of gold is commemorated every year with living history, interactive period trade demonstrations, music and Gold Rush Symposium featuring noted authors and scholars on gold rush history. $10/ parking. Marshallgold.com

"Green Room Confidential"

Auditions * 2p - 5p

Crocker Creative House - Original script by local women produced by Theater One. Performances 4/21 - 5/7. Questions: jeankopania@att.net

Before you head to an Event

Check the website or call ahead to make sure it’s still on!

EVENTS

Placerville Art Walk * 4p - 8p Main Street - Placerville Art Walk takes place 3rd Saturday of 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

Spaghetti Dinner * 5p - 7p El Dorado Community Hall - raffle prizes, dinner and live music. Start the year right! Tickets available at the door

January 25

Burn's Night Dinner * 6p - 9p Placerville Shakespeare Club - 7 course dinner with wine pairings, whiskey samples, dancing and entertainment. kiltandcork.com

January 27

Homeschool Fridays * 9:30a - 12p Wakamatsu Farm - Join us for a hike around our lake trail, where students will explore tree interactions."Tree Stories" will transport participants through time as they experience the history of the land from the perspective of our living trees. Best for K-6. app.donorview.com/WGOXy

January 28

EDC Swap Meet * 9a - 1p Placerville Fairgrounds - Held in Pavilions if bad weather.

Learn About Cole Crops * 9a - 12p 311 Fair Lane - Learn about Cole Crops (Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower & Brussel Sprouts) when the Master Gardeners and Master Food Preservers team up for this class. Learn how to grow these healthy veggies and how to prepare, preserve and enjoy these veggies. mgeldorado@ucanr.edu

Mushrooms in EDC * 10a - 1p

Wakamatsu Farm- Basics of mushroom identification, local botany and hike. App.donorview.com/EWL55

Do you know who has something happening six days a week!? The El Dorado County Library. Their calendar is chock full of activities!

www.eldoradolibrary.org/

Family Center Open House * 10a2p

Placerville Family History Center - Our facility includes; computer stations, scanners, large printers, and a library of books and resources. Consultants will be on site to demonstrate and help visitors. 3275 Cedar Ravine Rd * 530.621.1378

Search & Rescue Crab Feed * 5:30p - 11p

Placerville Fairgrounds - No host bar, dinner, auction and dancing. For tickets, call Christi at 530.626.7111

January 29

Murder Mystery Luncheon * 11a3p

Placerville Shakespeare Club - You're invited to experience Engagement of Murder, lunch and silent auction! Tickets are $35, call 916.337.5045.

February

Every Tuesday

Tech Time * 10a - 11:30a

Placerville Senior Center - This is a free event, so please bring your tech devices and you can sit down with our volunteer for some one on one support. Questions? Call Andrea at 530.621.6150

continued on page 30

Continued from page 29

EVENTS

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

Quilt Silent Auction

On Sunday, February 12, 2023

Sierra Wildlife Rescue and the Placerville Shakespeare Club are co-hosting a one day only “QUILT SILENT AUCTION”. A large selection of quilts of various styles, patterns, sizes and colors will be available for purchase. Several other quilted items will also be a part of the auction. A number of the quilts are from the Alice Henry Estate. Alice, an avid quilter, was a beloved and active member of both organizations for a number of years. Each stitch of Alice’s quilts was made with love and care. Also available for the silent auction bidding is an all-time quilters’ favorite from the 1950’s, a Singer Featherweight 221K sewing machine with attachments and case, in excellent condition.

The sale will be held at the Placerville Shakespeare Clubhouse at 2940 Bedford Ave. All sale items will be on full display and open for Silent Auction Bids beginning at 10:00 A.M. Bids will close at 3:00 P.M.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to purchase a one of a kind treasure. For further information call 530-644-4565.

Every Thursday

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

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 Sunday

Live Music * 5p - 7p Smith Flat House - Carol Tuttle & the Jazz Trio

February 4

First Saturday Garden Day * 9a12p

Sherwood Demonstration GardenJoin Master Gardeners for a tour of the 16 gardens every first Saturday. Tours start 9a sharp. mgeldorado. ucanr.edu

Can We Plant...? * 9a - 12p 311 Fair Lane - Considerations when determining which plant to choose, appropriate species and desired outcome. mgeldorado@ucanr.edu

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

Buck Stop Gun Show * 9a - 5p Placerville Fairgrounds

Roots Man Project * 8p - 10p Green Room Social Club - California based band with fun, upbeat reggae vibes. Tickets at clubgreenroom.com

February 5

Buck Stop Gun Show * 9a - 3p Placerville Fairgrounds

February 7

Basic German Research * 10a/6p Placerville Family History CenterWhere can you look to find German records? What resources are there that will help you get started and move forward in finding more about your German ancestry? 3275 Cedar Ravine Rd * 530.621.1378

Class will discuss the basics and share ideas.

Femme Trail Rippers * 11:30a1:30p

Interested in mountain biking? Adult Beginner+, know how to fix a flat. Free. app.donorview.com/LrvKP

February 8

Gardening in Small Spaces * 9a Cameron Park Community Center - covers site location, design, raised bed options, container gardening and other methods that will allow anyone to have a vegetable garden in a small backyard setting. mgeldorado@ucanr. edu

February 11

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

continued on page 31

continued from page 30

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

February 11 & 12

Jurassic Empire * 10a - 8p

Placerville Fairgrounds - Check the website for information as it becomes available. eldoradocountyfair.org

February 12

Quilt Silent Auction * 10a - 3p

Placerville Shakespeare Club - Silent auction bids start at 10a and close at 3p. For information call 530-6444565.

February 17

Homeschool Fridays * 9:30a - 12p

Wakamatsu Farm - Learn orienteering: use a compass, orient the map, read the symbols and practice a small course within our fenced Outdoor Learning Campus. For grades 4-12. app.donorview.com/ WGOXy

Monthly Presentation * 1p - 3p

Mother Lode Lions Club - Speaker: El Dorado Community Foundation. Free to members; non-members may attend two presentations/year at no charge. SRS is dedicated to Life Long Learning. Visit srsedc.org

February 18

Battle of the Badges * 4p - 8p

Placerville Fairgrounds - Chili cookoff with vendors, auction & raffle items, kid’s activities, local beer, wine, music, live entertainment and hosted by KCRA’s Ty Steele. 911chili.org

Even more up-to-date events on the website! AroundHereMagazine.com/ Events

EVENTS

Placerville Art Walk * 4p - 8p Main Street - Galleries stay open late and have special events: music, preforming arts, and artists’ reception. For more info, visit facebook.com/PlacervilleArtWalk

February 19

Sogeetsu Ikebana Class * 10a - 1p Wakamatsu Farm - Create your own arrangements using flowering branches. app.donorview.com/ WGk89

February 21

Femme Trail Rippers * 11:30a - 3p Interested in mountain biking? Adult Beginner+, know how to fix a flat. Free. app.donorview.com/LrvKP

February 25

Snowshoeing w/ a Forester * 9a - 4p Foresthill - Easy-moderate introductory snowshoe hike to learn about the ecology of forests environments in the winter and basic winter back country awareness. app.donorview.com/rORq1

Crackin' Crab for Kids * 4:30p - 7p Placerville Fairgrounds - Fundraiser for Big Brothers, Big Sisters. More info available soon. bbbsns.org

February 28

Using the Photo Scanner * 10a/6p Placerville Family History CenterBring a few photos to practice and a flash drive to save them. 3275 Cedar Ravine Rd * 530.621.1378

March

Every Tuesday

Tech Time * 10a - 11:30a

Placerville Senior Center - This is a free event, so please bring your tech devices and sit down with a volunteer for some one on one support. Questions? Call Andrea at 530.621.6150

On Stage in El Dorado County

January

Imagination Theater presents “Inherit the Wind”

For show and ticket information, visit itplacerville.org

Spring Ponderosa Stage Productions presents “The Bold, The Young & The Murdered.”

For show dates and ticket information, visit pondodrama.com

Spring Oak Ridge High School Theatre presents “Clue”

For show dates and ticket information, visit ORTAB.org

March 17 - April 2

Imagination Theater presents “Frozen Jr”

For show and ticket information, visit itplacerville.org

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

See your fundraiser or event in Around Here Magazine! Send information to sara@aroundheremagazine.com.

Laugh, Celebrate, Rejoice!

by Will Salyards

We're better when we laugh. In fact, laughter helps us to relax, improves our immunity to disease, relieves pain and improves cardiovascular circulation.

With these benefits, who wouldn't want laughter in our lives and churches? Centuries before it was popular to promote it, sacred text had already made the case saying, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." So yes, celebration

and the sense of happiness that makes it possible is important. In fact, it's essential.

Happiness can be thought of as being satisfied or fulfilled. Satisfaction with life is the degree to which we perceive our relationships, health, work and leisure as being more pleasant than unpleasant. Essentially, it's a subjective way of looking at the world; it places our contentment at its center. Infants realizes form

of happiness when dry, fed and in their mother's arms.

A sense of fulfillment is felt when doing what is right and virtuous, which enables personal or spiritual growth. Because you cannot answer everyone's subjective claims and make them happy, it is better to find the enduring reasons for our fulfillment. Rabbi Schachtel said, "Happiness isn't having what you want, but wanting what you have.

Bayside Church of Placerville

Pastor Al Soto

Worship: Sun 10am; Youth: Thurs 6pm

4602 Misourri Flat Rd, Placerville info@baysideplacerville.com · baysideplacerville.com 530-626-7288

Bible Baptist Church

Pastor John Labins, conservative, evangelistic, independent Sun: 10am classes for all ages; 11am & 6pm Preaching; Wed: Bible Study & Prayer 6pm, Bible Club for kids

5391 Mother Lode Dr, Placerville 530-621-0482; www.BetterThanGold.org

Camino Seventh-day Adventist Church

Pastor: Avi Mendoza - Call 1st for updated info. Sat. study session 10:00am; worship 11:00am

3520 Carson Rd, Camino 530-644-2236 • elarsen.office@gmail.com www.caminoSDA.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

Church of Our Savior

Rev. Deborah Sabino

Worship: Sun 8am & 10:30am

2979 Coloma St, Placerville

530-622-2441 • oursaviouroffice@gmail.com oursaviourplacerville.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

Discovery Hills Evangelical Free Church

Pastor Christopher Feigles

Worship: Sundays 9am, 10:30, 10:15 online 4270 Shingle Springs Dr., Shingle Springs www.discoveryhills.org • zoe@discoveryhills.org 530-677-1875

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

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church

Pastor Trudy Franzen

Pastor George Turnboo

El Dorado Community ChurchCongregational

Sunday Worship 11:00 am 4701 Church St, El Dorado, racecar56g@yahoo.com, eldoradocommunitychurch.com, 530-622-8868

Federated Church

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Perhaps this simple structure will help:

1) Pursue personal growth, relationships, community, and health, rather than wealth, fame, image, and power.

2) Behave purposefully and with mutual consent toward others, rather than in ways that emphasize individual contentment.

3) Be mindful and act with a sense of awareness.

It's helpful to see that celebration occurs in our life and church when we intentionally move away from a sense of self fulfillment and celebrate the achievements that make others successful.

I think that's the way New Testament believers lived. Did the New Testament Church celebrate? It's difficult to find examples of an office party, corporate cookout, or some other artifact that gives proof of early church celebration, but I think so.

Their celebration was congregational rejoicing as part and parcel of what they did. In that common task they found reason to celebrate their shared achievement.

What I hope to learn from their example is the commitment to mission and each other rather than personal advancement or advantage. I see this when Peter, released from jail by an angel, made his way to the prayer meeting at Mary's house.

Is there any doubt that his release and appearance before them was cause of great joy?

Yet, no mention is made of a specific time of rejoicing. It appears that they're celebrating God's works was to be taken in stride with seeing the mission advance.

Maybe there really is something to keeping celebration and mission linked.

Will Salyards is an executive coach and mentor in the El Dorado Hills area.

Orthodox Psychotherapy: The Science of Spiritual Medicine

Orthodox psychotherapy functions beyond the limits of science, without ignoring it. At the same time, it helps both the psychosomatic composition and the socialization of a person, EXPOSING THE SPIRITUAL ROOTS of DISEASES.

Neuroscience and Medical Hypnosis:

* Change Your Weight

* Increase Memory

* Stop Smoking

* Stop Pain

* Improve Sports Performance

* Better Health

* Lower Blood Pressure

* Improve Eyesight

* Control A Tumor

* Decrease Risk of Heart Attack

* Slow Down Aging

* Control Other Diseases

Holistic Medical Hypnoanalyst

Neuro-Linguistic Professional Call: 530-644-4588

916-812-9706

Groaners from Next door

Not to brag, but I already have a date for Valentine's Day. February 14th. 

Where do hamburgers take their dates on Valentine's Day?

The meat ball.

Some people eat snails. They must not like fast food.

Which rock group has four guys that can't sing or play instruments?

Mount Rushmore

A linguistics professor was lecturing his class one day. 'In English', he said, 'A double negative forms a positive. In some languages, though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative.'

* Stop Fear and Phobias

* Overcome Alcohol and Drugs

* Increase Sexual Responsiveness

* Emotional Stability and Development of Your Full Potential

* Increase Extrasensory Perception

* Enhance Your Religious Experiences

* Motivate Yourself To Success

A loud voice from the back of the room piped up, 'Yeah, right.'

A pair of cows were talking in the field. One says, “Have you heard about the mad cow disease that’s going around?”

“Yeah,” the other cow says. “Makes me glad I’m a penguin.”

Want to hear a roof joke?

The first one's on the house.

The past, present, and future walked into a bar. Things got a little tense.

Fr. Dr. Richard Ward, AOCCA., Msc.D., Ph.D. Therapeutic Orthodox Psychotherapist

continued from page 31

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 Sunday

Live Music * 5p - 7p

Smith Flat House - Carol Tuttle & the Jazz Trio

March 4

All About Roses * 9a - 12p

Sherwood Demonstration Gardencovers topics from selection and planting to pests, care and pruning. mgeldorado@ucanr.edu

March 8

All About Berries * 9a - 12p

Cameron Park Community CenterMaster Gardeners will discuss how to grow and care for the various berry plants, and the most common diseases and pests in our area. Then Master Preservers will show you how to make f rom basic jams and jellies, flavored vinegars, pie fillings, and more. mgeldorado@ucanr.edu

March 11

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

Spurs & Sparkles * 5p - 9p White Barn @ Powell Ponds, Gold Hill - Fundraiser for Ponderosa FFA includes dinner, live auction and live music.

EVENTS

Become a California Naturalist! March 8 - May 17, 2023

This 40 hour course combines science curriculum with guest lecturers, field trips and project-based learning to explore the unique ecology and natural history of the Sierra Foothills. Geared towards adults ages 18+.

Ten virtual classroom sessions via Zoom and three in-person, Saturday field trips. Early registration (by February 17th) $425 or late registration (Feb. 18th – March 8th, if not full) $455. Registration includes materials.

app.donorview.com/g9Ewk www.arconservancy.org/ education/

March 14

FamilySearch Wiki * 10a/6p

Come get an overview of what this site offers. 3275 Cedar Ravine Rd, 530.621.1378

March 17

Monthly Presentation * 1p - 3p

Mother Lode Lions Club - Speaker: El Dorado Fire Council. Free to members; non-members may attend two presentations/year at no charge. SRS is dedicated to Life Long Learning. Visit srsedc.org

March 18

Back to Basics * 9a - 12p

Union Mine Football Crab Feed Placerville Fairgrounds - More info coming soon on umboosters.com

Placerville Art Walk * 4p - 8p Main Street - Galleries stay open late and have special events like music, preforming arts, and artists’ reception. Visit facebook.com/ PlacervilleArtWalk

March 18 & 19

Pacific Airgun Expo * 9a

Placerville Fairgrounds - Only airgun show West of the Rockies! Two days of buying, selling, trading, shooting, learning about or displaying airguns. 3/18 - 9a - 5p, 3/19 - 9a - 12p pacificairgunexpo.

March 19

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)

March 25 & 26

Ride the Line Bike Show * 10a Placerville Fairgrounds - Live music, bike games, food trucks and vendors. 3/25 - 10a - 10p, 3/26 - 10a - 6p. 41live.com

To find your St. Patrick's Day festivities, visit us online at AroundHereMagazine.com/ Events

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

Sherwood Demonstration GardenThis presentation will cover topics such as soil types, watering techniques, planting methods, sun/ shade exposure, mulch, proper tools to use and much more.

mgeldorado@ucanr.edu

March 28

Saving in FamilySearch * 10a/6p

Placerville Family History Center - Learn to get your photos and documents into FamilySearch. 3275 Cedar Ravine Rd. 530.621.1378

March 29

Bridge Party * 9:30a

Placerville Shakespeare Club - Bridge, food and door prizes. $50/pair, applications must be received by 3/22. Call Ruthie (530) 919-6362 for reservations.

March 30

Lunafest * 6p - 9p

Cameron Park Community Center - Film festival by, for and about women. Fundraiser for Soroptomists of EDH and CP. Tickets and info at sicpedh.org or si.cpedh@gmail.com

March 31

Homeschool Fridays * 9:30a - 12p

Wakamatsu Farm - Get your hands in the dirt with the farmers at FogDog and Freehand Farms. Make some compost, plant some seeds, meet the animals and try some fresh veggies as we spend the day with our farmers and families! Best for K-8. app.donorview.com/WGOXy

EVENTS

April

Sneak Peak!

1st & 3rd Sundays

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

El Dorado Western Railroad - Trips from El Dorado Station, 4650 Oriental St. Rides are on historic gang cars and 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

Folsom Lake Falcon Crest Trail Run

* 8a

Monte Vista Trailhead, EDH - 5k, 10k, 8 mi, half marathon. tctruns.com

April 1 & 2

Subaru WinterFest * One-of-a-kind music and mountain lifestyle tour. sierraattahoe.com

April 7

Music at the Fairgrounds * 6p - 10p Placerville Fairgrounds - Fabulous Liars kick off this warm weather series.

April 15

California Gold Rush Trail Run *

8:30a

Marshall State Park - 5k, 10k 15k, half marathon. tctruns.com

April 15 & 16

Mineral & Gem Show * Placerville Fairgrounds - Hosted by the El Dorado County Gem & Mineral Society. edcmgs.org

April 16

All Aboard! 5k & 5 miler * El Dorado Trail - celebrate the history of the El Dorado Western Railroad on this scenic run. Information coming soon to Facebook.com/ ElDoradoWesternRailroad

April 22

Friends of the NRA Dinner * 4 - 10p

Placerville Fairgroundsfriendsofnra.org

April 28

Comedy Night with MORE * 5:30p - 9p

Placerville Fairgrounds - Proceeds benefitting MORE. Additional information at morerehab.org

April 30

Author's Day * 12p - 3p

Placerville Shakespeare ClubAuthor presentations, book sales, book signings, door prizes and light refreshments. Proceeds fund scholarships for local students. placerville-shakespeare.com

EasyBreakfastor BreakfastforDinner!

Sheet Pan

Buttermilk Pancakes

10 min prep

15 min cook time

6 servings

3 c. baking mix (such as Bisquick)

2 c. buttermilk

4 large eggs

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray

3. Combine mix, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Mix until ingredients are well combined, but don’t overmix.

4. Pour batter onto parchment-lined pan.

5. Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden, about 15-18 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and lift parchment from pan. Cut with pizza cutter or use cookie cutters.

7. Serve with butter and maple syrup and enjoy!

Around the tAble

Texas French Toast Bake

20 min prep

40 min cook time

10 servings

1/2 c. melted butter, 1 stick

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 entire loaf, 1 lb, 12 oz Texas Toast fresh sliced bread (Not frozen. Don’t use other breads.)

4 large eggs

11/2 c. whole milk

1 tbsn vanilla extract

2 tbsn light brown sugar, mixed with 2 tsp cinnamon

Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Real maple syrup for serving, if desired

1. Put butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Add 1 cup brown sugar and stir until well incorporated Pour into bottom of a greased 9×13 pan, spreading mixture evenly.

2. Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla until incorporated. Set aside.

Easy Breakfast Egg Muffins

15 min prep

30 min cook time

12 muffins

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

8 large eggs

2 ¾ oz fully-cooked bacon pieces (such as Oscar Mayer®)

1/4 c. whole milk

1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste

1 pinch onion powder, or to taste

salt and ground black pepper to taste

8 oz package shredded mild Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

2. Place green onions and bell peppers into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, bacon, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese into the bowl and whisk ingredients together until incorporated.

3. Pour mixture equally into the prepared muffin cups.

Did You Know?

National Pancake Day is Fat Tuesday, February 21, 2023. But why?

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. Traditionally, all animal products, not just meat, were banned during Lent. In order to use up their supplies of eggs, butter and milk, Christians would make pancakes and other sweets on Fat Tuesday.

3. Lay a single layer of Texas Toast in pan, cutting pieces to fit if needed. Spoon 1 cup of egg mixture evenly over bread. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Repeat with second layer, using up the rest of egg mixture over that layer, and ending with a sprinkling of brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Try to get the custard evenly soaked into the bread slices.

4. Cover tightly and chill overnight in fridge.

5. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes on lower middle rack — covered for the first 30 minutes, and uncovered after that. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Be sure to scrape up all the bottom sticky goodness. If desired, serve with pure maple syrup.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Sheet Pan Beef Nachos

15 min prep

15 min cook time

Party Size

1 tbsn olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

13 oz tortilla chips 1 bag

1 large green bell pepper diced

1 small red onion finely diced,

1/2 c. black olives sliced

1 c. Monterey Jack cheese shredded

1 c. cheddar cheese shredded

1 jalapeño pepper seeded, thinly sliced

1 Roma tomato diced

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Coat a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.

4. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain the excess fat.

5. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper. Cook for 2 minutes using a wooden spoon to break up the ground beef. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. Place 1/2 of the bag of tortilla chips onto the prepared sheet pan.

7. Top the chips with half of the beef mixture, half the diced green pepper, half the diced red onion, half the black olives and half of each of the two cheeses.

8. Repeat the layers.

9. Bake for 5 minutes, until the cheeses have melted.

10. Top with the slices of jalapeno, diced tomato, and fresh cilantro.

11. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole on the side.

Buffalo Chicken

Meatballs

20 min prep

40 min cook

16 meatballs

1 lb of lean ground chicken

2 cloves garlic minced

1 egg

1/2 c. Italian-style bread crumbs

1 tbsn powdered ranch dip seasoning or low-fat ranch

1/4 c. blue cheese crumbles (or chunks cheddar or mozzarella)

2 tbsn unsalted butter

1 c. Buffalo Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. With a fork, stir together chicken, garlic, ranch, egg, and bread crumbs until mixed. Using an ice cream scoop (or your hands), mold the mixture into meatballs.

3. Press a cube of your choice of cheese into the center of each meatball, then fold the mixture around the cheese and press together. Roll into a ball so that the cheese is completely covered.

4. Place meatballs on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 16-18 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

5. Place the meatballs in a slow cooker with the butter and buffalo wing sauce. Place on high for about 20 minutes until hot. Keep on warm while serving.

Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

10 min prep hr cook time

12 servings

1 can (14 oz) water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 c. fresh baby spinach, chopped

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella

cheese

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1/3 c. chopped red onion

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Whole wheat baguette slices, chunks of rainbow carrots and celery

1. Place the first eight ingredients in a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker; stir to combine. Cook, covered, on low 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until heated through.

2. Stir to blend. Serve with whole wheat baguette slices and chunks of rainbow carrots and celery.

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!

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

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

Name: ____________________________

Brief Description: ___________________

Meeting Time(s) & Location: __________

Website: __________________________

Contact Information: ________________

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

SArA@AroundHereMAgAzine.coM

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.