Roaring Fork February 2017

Roaring Fork FEBRUARY 2017

RoaringForkLifestyle.com

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Celebrating our Local Handiwork

SOPRIS REC RIDERS BREAK TRAIL FOR SNOWMOBILERS TOUGH NIESLANIK COWBOYS RAISE TENDER BEEF ROARING FORK LEADERSHIP GROOMS OUR MOVERS & SHAKERS

I’M SOLD

on authentic relationships.

Calm. Cool. Connected.

The essential foundation of successful transactions is when client and agent are of like minds. Katie Mac found not only a kindred spirit in Jackie Daly, but the resources and network to put up the SOLD sign.

888.354.7500 www.masonmorse.com

www.ranchaspects.com CARBONDALE Immaculate one owner custom home backing up to the 17th fairway at River Valley Ranch. Comfortable main level master suite, fabulous kitchen with stainless appliances, double dishwashers, wine cooler, pantry, Frigidaire Professional Series gas range with pot filler and granite counters. $1,100,000 WEB ID#: RF143490

NANCY EMERSON

970.704.3220 | nemerson@masonmorse.com

REDSTONE Surrounded by mature blue spruce and ponderosa, this log home is highlighted by large open living spaces and floor to ceiling south facing windows. Three-bed/two and one-half bath, office/library, workshop/ studio and an additional building lot included. $745,000 Web Id#: RF141131

MEET OUR RANCH ASPECTS SPECIALISTS

JEFF BIER 970.963.1061 | jeffbier@masonmorse.com CHRIS LAWRENCE 970.963.1061 | chrislawrence@masonmorse.com

GLENWOOD Beautiful mountain contemporary home located in the gated Elk Springs community. This custom built home sets the standard for quality and craftsmanship. Incredible Sopris Mountain and the valley floor views. Main level master with beautiful views throughout. $875,500 Web Id#: RF143335

BECKY CIANI

970.309.1027 | becky@masonmorse.com

Coldwell Banker Mason Morse Real Estate expanding our firm’s offerings with the debut of Ranch Aspects, a ranch division to best serve clients seeking to buy, sell and manage ranch and farm properties throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and the Western Slope of Colorado.

Pictured from left to right: Jim Cardamone, Jim and Anita Bineau, Jack K. Pretti, Sarah and Rod Woelfle, Michele Roberts. Not shown: Robert Starodoj and John Wendt.

Get ready to ride with us.

Lifestyle Letter

Made in and for the Roaring Fork Valley

M

ost months, my editor's letter explains how the articles we've picked relate to a theme, and this one is no exception. I'm going to tell you how my favorite local product, this magazine, came to be.

But let me start with a confession: when it came to selling "beat tags", I was a waste of space.

"Beat tags" were little chunks of cardboard on string tags that were sold before high school football games. They bore catchy mottos like, "Go Kennedy High! Beat Lincoln!" My senior class asked me to sell 10¢ beat tags to help pay for a class trip.

That was the hardest 50¢ I ever earned!

Each time I tried to approach a customer, my heart would pound. I'd break into a cold sweat. I wanted to bolt in terror. I couldn't fathom how bits of paper could possibly affect the physical prowess of the quarterback, or why anyone would want to give me their dime. (Don't write to explain. Years later, when I went to management school courtesy of General Electric, they managed to explain team dynamics to me.)

Which is why, right now, I'm tossing my editor's cap into the air and saying "hip, hip, hooray" for the man who made this magazine exist.

Nicest guy you'd ever want to meet. Drives a shiny, black pickup truck, has a handsome head full of silver hair, and a big grin. And a talent for sales that would have taken my whole senior class to Hawaii. I'm talking about my boss, Rick French. The guy who hired me for a job I happen to love.

Rick had already made this magazine a reality long before I showed up. He had a vision for a publication that would tell neighborly tales, build communities, and build businesses too. It's working.

He's done it for two years now, and that's impressive. Not only because he's done it here in the mid valley where other publications haven't made the grade, but also that he's done it in a fairly rural environment. Roaring Fork Lifestyle has about 50 sister publications around the country now, nearly all of them in big cities. I think it might have been that fact that earned Rick French a featured speaker role at the big Lifestyle conference in Missouri last fall.

You're not going to hear many sales pitches from the editor; she got beat by beat tags.

But I'm making a pitch for Rick French. He made it happen for this magazine.

With your help.

If you've got a business, he's a good guy to have on your team.

Give him a hand. Call him up and buy an ad!

FEBRUARY 2017 PUBLISHER

Rick French | RFrench@LifestylePubs.com 970-618-8981 EDITOR

Nicolette Toussaint | NToussaint@LifestylePubs.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caitlin Causey, Julie Edson, Bridget Grey, Bill Kight, Nicolette Toussaint, Geneviève Joëlle Villamizar CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Katie Beiser, Julie Edson, Jo Hunter, Vicky Nash.

Andrea Palm-Porter, Nicolette Toussaint

CORPORATE TEAM | Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CHIEF SALES OFFICER

| Matthew Perry

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DIRECTOR OF MARKETING ART DIRECTOR EDITORIAL MANAGERS

| Sara Minor

| Nicole Sylvester, Nicolette Martin

OPERATIONS MANAGER AD COORDINATORS

| DeLand Shore | Brad Broockerd

| Janeane Thompson

| Cyndi Harrington, Chelsi Hornbaker, Megan Seymour, Chad Jensen

LAYOUT DESIGNERS

| Cyndi King, Jessica Sharky, Dana Rudolph

DESIGN SPECIALIST

| Ashleigh Thomson

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

| Melanie Carlisle

EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTANT APPLICATION ARCHITECT WEB DEVELOPERS

| Randa Makeen

| Michael O’Connell

| Hanna Park, Scott Lavigne

Nicolette Toussaint, Editor

by Community ™

ON THE COVER A snowcat, owned

RoaringForkLifestyle.com

and operated by the volunteer-supported Mt. Sopris Recreational Riders Club, grooms the Sunlight to Powder trail.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTO BY NICOLETTE TOUSSAINT 4

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

JOIN US

TALK TO US

P.O. Box 12608 Overland Park, KS 66282-3214 Proverbs 3:5-6 Roaring Fork Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Roaring Fork’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Roaring Fork Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

Announcing The Law Office of

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February 2017

Departments

16

8

Publisher’s Letter

10

Good Times

12

Around Town

16

Animal Kingdom

28

Trend Setter

32

Giving Back

34

Water & Woods

36

Lifestyle Calendar

42

Parting Thoughts

16 Preparing Your Dog for Fun in the Snow

A Vet Gives Advice for Dogs in Winter

24 Marble Distilling’s Leftovers Grow Happy Hogs

Recycling from “Grain to Glass to Ground”

24

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Lifestyle Publications Arizona | California | Colorado | Florida | Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Kansas | Minnesota | Missouri | Montana North Carolina | Ohio | Oklahoma | South Carolina | Tennessee | Texas | Utah

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Publisher’s Letter

Small Businesses - the Stars in Our Local Economy

T

he theme of this issue is “home grown”.

That term makes many people automatically think of our locally grown produce; the valley is full of many quality growers.

When I think of “home grown”, I look at a bigger picture.

Wherever you’re standing, look down the road. Just glance at the businesses to the right or left. Most of what you are going to see are entrepreneurial businesses. These are places in which some enterprising person had an idea for a new product or service and decided there was a fit in our local economy for it.

If you look up “entrepreneurial” in the dictionary, you will see that it references a risk-taker, someone who is innovative, ground-breaking and empire-building. I think that very few of us look at ourselves as empire builders, but anything is possible!

As an “empire-building publisher”, I have the pleasure of meeting entrepreneurs on a daily basis. If you take the time to talk to those entrepreneurs, you will find that they have a fire in their soul, brightness in their eyes, and a commitment to succeed. They talk a little faster when describing their dream, the need for their creation or service. When you hear their excitement and see that vision, you know you are talking to a risk taker.

NEW YEAR

FRESH START!

There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of cottage businesses in the Roaring Fork Valley. If we could find a way to harness their energy, each one powering a small light, together they would light up the night with a glow brighter than the Denver skyline. We would look like the stars in our own heaven.

Roaring Fork Lifestyle is designed to introduce local readers to the entrepreneurs of our valley. We write about our neighbors and about local organizations because we seek to build community.

This magazine is mailed to 15,000 Roaring Fork Valley residents, circulating from Old Snowmass down through Glenwood Springs and New Castle. We will soon be adding Aspen and Snowmass Village residents to our mailing list. When you advertise in this magazine, your business will be presented to homeowners throughout the valley and passed on at office and medical buildings. So if you’re building a small business empire, give us a call. We’d like to help you to let your little light shine.

Rick French, Publisher RFrench@LifestylePubs.com 970.618.8981

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

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February 2017 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

9

Good Times

United Way Benefits from Sunlight Mountain Bash

Sunlight Mountain Resort and United Companies recently sponsored their annual Skier Appreciation Day, a benefit for United Way Battlement to the Bells. The day included $20 ski tickets, a 1960's theme, a hippie costume contest and a prize drawing that include specially-designed ski and snowboard equipment commemorating Sunlight’s 50th anniversary.

A visitor from Argentina won a new pair of limited edition Sunlight Meier skis.

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

Rev. Shawna Foster of Two Rivers UU Congregation won two raffle prizes and gave one back so someone else could win it.

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February 2017 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

11

Around Town

AROUND TOWN

MT. SOPRIS REC RIDERS GALA HELD FEB. 11

and two skylights as shown in the architectural illustration by Charlie Manus. Repositionable seating will be added, along with other interior upgrades to make the room more attractive. Third Street is also seeking a new name for the gym space, and invites locals to contribute ideas via their Facebook page.

Third Street Center’s gym is three times as large as the Calaway Room, which is constantly in use for events that range from the popular Naturalist Nights lectures to concerts, meetings, and even church services. The upgrades will enhance the gym’s rental potential and help keep Third Street Center in the black; 85 percent of the Center’s

The Mt. Sopris Recreational Riders (MSRR) club will be holding a

operating revenue is earned through below-market leases and rentals.

gala fundraiser to support the grooming of the Sunlight to Powderhorn

Two initial gifts quickly jump-started the campaign, putting the

(SP) trail. Not coincidentally, it will also celebrate the 65th birthday of

nonprofit center one-quarter of the way to that goal. More details at

the club’s treasurer, Carbondale Police Chief Gene Schilling. MSRR,

ThirdStreetCenter.net.

which is celebrating its 37th year as a club, is raising funds to pay for fuel, maintenance, and the snowcat that is used to groom more than 100 miles of the SP trail system.

BASALT GARNERS A YEAR OF ARCHITECTURAL HONORS

Held at the Orchard in Carbondale, the fundraiser will include

The Rocky Mountain Institute's Innovation Center, a net-zero

a dinner, a silent auction, door prizes, and live music. Dinnertime

energy demonstration conference center located on Two Rivers Road

music will be provided by Twirp Anderson and an after-dinner

in Basalt, continued to rack up awards all through 2016. Fast Company

dance party will be enlivened by the 50/Fifty band, a group that

recognized the building with an Honorable Mention in their 2016

frequently tops favorites polls in Glenwood Springs. The evening

Design Innovation Awards. ZGF Architects, the Portland firm that

will feature prizes that range from snowmobile tours, riding gear,

designed the building, was named “Top Firm Overall in Sustainability

and hats to spa tickets and car washes.

2016” by Architect Magazine. Engineering News Record recognized

The MSRR club invites all snow trail enthusiasts – skiers, dog

the building with awards for “Best Green Project” and “Safety Project

mushers, snowshoers, hikers as well as snowmobilers – to come to

of the Year.” American Institute of Architects (AIA) Portland honored

the party. Jo Hunter, club publicist, says that the evening offers all

the RMI Innovation Center, touted as “the most energy-efficient

trail users a chance to “put a face to the helmet or find out who was

building in the coldest climate zone in North America” with its 2030

behind those goggles, and to make new friends and/or riding part-

Challenge Award. (The 2030 challenge is an architectural goal that

ners. And who doesn't like to dance to great music!”

calls for all new buildings, developments, and renovations to be car-

WOMEN’S SAFETY NIGHT HELD FEB. 24

bon-neutral by the year 2030.)

Also during last year, CCY Architects of Basalt totaled up some

Ladies of all ages are invited to enjoy a “girls’ night out” and learn

impressive honors for its Colorado projects. Gamble Oaks Ranch,

the basics of self-defense. On Friday night, February 24th, join PRO

a residential building rated LEED Gold by the US Green Building

TKD Martial Arts for a special night of women’s empowerment, This

Council, received an Award of Excellence from AIA Colorado and

evening features women’s world power-breaking champion Master

was featured in the November/December issue of LUXE Colorado. A

Sloane Cameron, who empowers women to break stereotypes and to

Woody Creek residence designed by CCY earned an AIA Colorado

be all they can be. This self-defense seminar will provide real-world

West Citation Award, and their Meadow House in Aspen was hon-

skills to help keep women safe physically, mentally, and spiritually.

ored with an AIA Colorado West Merit Award.

On Saturday, February 25th Master Cameron will also hold a power-breaking seminar for all martial artists who are interested in beginning or refining their breaking skills. Seminars will be held at PRO TKD Martial Art Center at City Market in Carbondale. More information can be found at ProTKDmac.com or by calling 970.963.2685.

“LET THERE BE LIGHT” AT THIRD STREET CENTER To provide an attractive space for events that are too large for the much-used Calaway Room, Carbondale’s Third Street Center has undertaken a $200,000 capital campaign it hopes to complete by this April. As shown at right, the money will be used to renovate the building’s former gym, giving it six big windows, doors with windows, 12

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

Artist's rendering of the modeled gym at Third Street Center; image by Land & Shelter Architecture, Planning & Development.

CONTINUED >

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February 2017 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

13

Around Town

(CON TI N UED)

WHITE RIVER FOREST PROJECTS ON TAP FOR 2017 This year, the US Forest Service has five major projects underway in the

Quality, Experience, Innovation, Convenience

Aspen-Sopris Ranger District and more that are slated nearby. Staff is working on a plan to limit overnight use of high-profile destinations in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness; it’s likely that those limits will first be applied to Conundrum Valley, near the popular hot springs. The Forest Service is

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continuing to collect public input. Implementation won't occur until 2018.

Aspen Skiing Company wants to expand summer recreation in the Elk Camp section of the Snowmass Ski Area. Skico is proposing 16 miles of additional mountain biking and hiking trails, an alpine coaster, a canopy tour, a zip line, a rope challenge course, and a climbing wall.

The Forest Service has proposed a timber sale and additional vegetation management on 1,964 acres in the Upper Fryingpan Valley. Logging trucks would haul out most of the timber using 20 miles of the Eagle-Thomasville Road and then exit in Eagle. However, timber sales on 233 acres around Diemer and Seller lakes would require the trucks to use the Frying Pan Road and travel through Basalt. The Basalt and Pitkin County govern-

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ments are concerned about added truck traffic, and the Forest Service is performing an Environmental Analysis. A draft management plan should be released this summer. The White River Forest is also proposing to sell two parcels of land adjacent to Crown Mountain Park in Jebel: 40 acres along the Roaring Fork River and 30 on a bench above the river’s riparian area. A decision isn’t expected until March 2018.

THERE'S STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR GIRL SCOUTS' CAMP During summer 2017, girls can rough it survivor-style, summon the cour-

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WOOD FL D R OO A H R ITE

age to zip down the zip line, sing and dance with new friends, or even paint a chicken’s toenails at a Girl Scout camp. Girl Scouts of Colorado offers camp sessions designed for girls entering first grade through seniors in high school. Sessions take place at both Sky High Ranch near Colorado Springs and at Tomahawk Ranch southwest of Denver.

Summer 2017 camps include "Pioneers" during which girls will travel back in time to the 1800’s, learning to cook over a fire, preparing food as their ancestors did, tracking animals, and making their own soaps and lotions. There's also an "Oopy Goopy Science" session and an "On Targets" session that enables girls to become skilled archers, even whittling their own arrows and fashioning them with arrowheads and fletching! The Water Fillies session will enable girls to split

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

their time between the pond and barn, to canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard, as well as to groom, feed and play with animals.

Overnight camp sessions are three days, six days or two weeks. Registration began in January and continues online at GirlScoutsOfColorado.org. Girl Scouts of Colorado is proud to serve nearly 25,000 girls statewide with the support of 10,000 adult volunteers.

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February 2017 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

15

Animal Kingdom

VET GIVES ADVICE FOR DOGS IN WINTER ARTICLE BRIDGET GREY

K

atie Beiser holds up her right hand and points to the tip of her pinky. “This is the go-to map of Michigan, and this is where I was working before moving here.” Having spent time with Dr. John Kuck at Willits Veterinary during her fourth year of veterinary school during spring ski season, Dr. Beiser became hooked on our valley. Accordingly, Dr. Beiser recently joined Willits Veterinary.

Since Michigan is arguably colder than Colorado, and since Dr. Beiser loves hiking and snowshoeing with her two rescue mutts, Roaring Fork Lifestyle recently asked her advice about dogs and winter sports.

Lifestyle: Do owners need to do anything special for smaller breeds like terriers and chihuahuas before going out on snow adventures?

Dr. Beiser: Know their limits. A lot of people think that because our pets have a built-in fur coat, they can tolerate the cold better than us humans. But most pets live indoors with us, and they have become accustomed to our warm shelters and cozy blankets. Pay attention to your dog’s outdoor behavior. If you notice your dog whining, shivering or appearing anxious, if he stops or slows down and appears to be looking for a place to burrow, it’s probably time to go inside and warm up.

While smaller guys can enjoy the outdoors just as much as big dogs, we need to be careful we don’t push them too far. Keeping them warm with functional (and usually adorable) sweaters and jackets can help. Don’t leave them outside in the cold, and make sure your dog has access to some form of water while outside. Although some dogs love to eat snow, it’s not an adequate substitute for fresh water.

Giving older dogs a joint supplement such as glucosamine and fish oil can help lubricate joints and ease the discomfort of arthritis.

Cold weather can be especially difficult for our senior buddies with degenerative joint disease.

16

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

PREPARING

YOUR DOGS FOR FUN

IN THE

SNOW

Lifestyle: When does a dog need a sweater?

Dr. Beiser: Dogs with a thin or shorter fur coat, little body fat, or dogs in poor health are particularly vulnerable to cold. A good winter jacket should reach from the neck to the base of the tail, while also protecting the dog’s belly. Never use a wet or damp sweater, as this can actually make your dog colder.

Lifestyle: What's your advice about preparing a pooch's paws for outdoor adventures in winter?

Dr. Beiser: Trim long hairs between toes to prevent ice and snow balls from forming between their pads. If your dog’s paws are dry and cracked, you can apply coconut oil topically as needed to help moisturize. I make a simple four-ingredient wax to protect my dogs’ paws.

Cheyenne in Snowmass; photo by Katie Beiser.

Dr. Beiser’s Paw Wax Recipe • 3 ounces beeswax (to form a protective barrier)

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• 3 teaspoons of coconut oil (for antibacterial properties) • 3 teaspoons of calendula (heals and soothes cracked pads) • 3 tablespoons of avocado oil (for moisturizing) Place all ingredients in a pan on low heat

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Cheyenne shares a moment of joy with Dr. Beiser.

Booties can be great for protecting dogs’ feet from the chemical used to melt snow and ice, if you can get your dog to wear them. If your dog won’t wear booties, be sure to rinse or wipe your pet’s feet, legs, and underside after walks.

Don't let your dog lick his/her feet because they can ingest these chemicals following treks around the neighborhood or town.

Lifestyle: How can you tell if your dog is getting hypothermia or frostbite?

Dr. Beiser: Frostbite, in dogs and humans, occurs when the body is forced to conserve heat, pulling blood from the extremities to the body’s center. The dog’s ears, paws, and tail are the most vulnerable, but frostbite isn’t always immediately obvious. Watch for pale or gray skin; it may (or may not) become firm, waxy or form blisters. Remember how painful it feels when your frozen toes defrost; dogs feel this pain too, when frostbitten areas warm. Severely frostbitten skin may eventually turn blank and slough off.

We see hypothermia most often when dogs are left outside for too long. That can happen if they have to tolerate cold temperatures when wet, or have poor health or circulation problems. As hypothermia progresses, dogs can appear lethargic, weak, or depressed. Their heart and breathing rate will slow down, muscles will stiffen, and they may not respond to external stimuli. Severe hypothermia can become life-threatening in a hurry.

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THE NIESLANIK CLAN THREE GENERATIONS OF RANCHERS It Takes Tough Cowboys to Raise Tender Beef ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY NICOLETTE TOUSSAINT

I

t’s 8 a.m. Christmas morning. The thermometer hovers at four above. The black cattle are silvered with frost. Oblivious to the fact that it’s a holiday, they trail inquisitively along behind a green tractor carrying a 1,200-pound hay roll. The massive round bale is speared through like a spool of thread, and every few feet, the tractor shakes it, winnowing hay down onto the frozen earth. As it falls, the cows trot over to each new mound, sniffing, their breath steaming in the cold.

Marty Nieslanik laughs. “They’ve gotta see if the new patch is better or different from the last one, even though it’s all from the same bale.”

It takes tough fellas to raise tender beef. Because cattle don’t take vacations, don’t come in from the cold, and don’t observe office hours, ranching isn’t for the lazy, the faint of heart, or the squeamish. “When you’re born into it, when you’ve done it all your life, it is your life,” Marty explains.

Perhaps this explains why Marty, 55, is still ranching—despite being hooked by a cow’s horns, thrown into a barn wall, and having to have his head stitched up a couple of years back.

Marty marks the middle of three Nieslanik generations. In 1952, Marty’s dad, John Nieslanik, now 84, bought three ranches just east and above Carbondale. A cluster of buildings perches at the top of the family’s 200-acre family spread. In the ranch house kitchen, sun pours in through wrap-around windows that offer a panoramic view of East Mesa and Mt. Sopris. Marty gestures across a weathered table at John, his dad. Gray-haired and ruddy-faced, John, the family’s patriarch, is clad in a leather coat, jeans and stocking feet. His muck boots, along with those of his son and grandsons, have been left out on the doorstep.

Marty exclaims, “He’s still workin’ and he shouldn’t even be walkin’!”

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

At the age of 80, John was tossed over a fence by a bull. “Broke his neck,” says Marty. “Docs said he shoulda been dead or paralyzed.”

John Nieslanik was born and raised on a ranch in Spring Valley, a few miles from Carbondale. Most of John’s 11 brothers and sisters still live a rural lifestyle, but over his eight decades, he’s watched dozens of local ranches sold off. It’s happening statewide; the American Farmland Trust says that Colorado is losing more than 75 acres of agricultural land each day to urbanization.

But John and the two following generations are determined to hold onto their way of life. “We don’t want to get rid of the land,” John proclaims. “Land is precious. If you sell your land, you got money, but pretty soon that money just flows out. And then you don’t got nothing.”

Marty reminisces, “In places where we used to put up hay, they’ve put up apartments.”

“Look around this valley and there’s no young folks ranching,” he continues. “But I’m just like my dad. I wanted to see my kids grow up here, and I want to be able to see my kids’ kids grow up here.”

Marty’s kids, Parker James, 28, and 22-year-old John Slater, called “Johnny”, are making a go of it, so far. Parker—who earned an agricultural degree in Nebraska— worked in construction for five years before coming back to the family ranch. Parker’s earliest memory is of his dad sliding a pillow under his butt so that he’d be tall enough to drive a water tank truck. His dad was burning brush out of the irrigation ditches and putting out fires—he needed a hand.

“Parker was probably no more than about eight, but I needed a driver!” Marty chuckles.

Did he know how to drive? “Nope,” says Parker. “But on the ranch, you learn something new every day.”

“Yep,” adds Johnny. “We call it Nieslanik U.” No two days out here are alike. Ranch work ranges from clearing ditches, irrigating, sowing, and reaping hay to branding, repairing fences and fixing machinery.

CONTINUED >

February 2017 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

19

THE NIESLANIK CLAN (CON TI N U ED)

Ranchers must learn to perform artificial insemination, deliver calves, and doctor sick cattle.

The Nieslaniks regale their magazine-writer visitor with tales of cows struck by lightning, cows stalked by coyotes, cougars, and bears, and cows ingesting poison. Mag chloride is used to control ice and dust on roads; if a cow ingests it from drinking contaminated water, the animal will die within minutes. Larkspur, which grows wild on Mount Sopris, is also a deadly poison.

Marty interjects a tale. “One day, we saw one of the cows stumbling about, like she was drunk. That’s a telltale sign of larkspur poisoning.

We’d heard from one of the old timers that if you cut off a cow’s tail and let it bleed, the cow would recover.” Figuring that the cow was going to die anyway—a loss of nearly $1,000—Marty decided to experiment.

After having a portion of her tail cut off, the cow bled most of the day.

But by nightfall, she was walking straight; all signs of the poison had vanished! She lived on for years as a healthy, if stump-tailed, cow.

Between the loss of cattle, rising fuel and machinery prices, and market volatility, the economic pressure on family ranches is unrelenting. “The price of everything except cattle goes up every year,” Marty laments. He notes that while he’s never drawn a salary, the ranch has been able to provide modest paychecks to Parker and Johnny. “Dad’s vision is to keep this place a ranch as long as it can be a ranch, and right now, we’re making it available to the third generation.”

The family’s economic strategy involves selling more cattle each year, raising pigs, growing wheat for a local brewery (see related story page 24), and selling direct to the public rather than auctioning off their cattle to middlemen. Because large-scale packers and distributors pay prices that fluctuate from year to year, a calf can sell The Neislaniks. Front row: Cara and Jerilyn Nieslanik. Back row: Parker, Marty and Johnny Nieslanik.

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

Frost marking the backs of the Nieslanik's Angus and Simmenthal cattle.

for anywhere from $250 to $400. At that scale’s lower end, ranchers can’t pay their overhead.

Asked where beef-lovers can purchase the Nieslanik’s grass-fed, hormone and antibody-free natural beef, Marty says, “Folks can just stop by and we’ll sell a quarter, a half, a whole, a steak, whatever you need.” The beef is sold at Carbondale's Dandelion Market and the family’s website— NieslanikBeef.com —offers rib-eyes, T-bones, New York Strip, back ribs, flank steaks, and even beef jerky, complete with shipping and local delivery options. (An inch-thick ribeye runs $11.99 a pound.)

The Nieslaniks raise grass-fed, Angus-Simmenthal-mix cattle, and the quality of their beef reflects the care they give the herd. In June, they herd the cattle through Carbondale to summer pastures up in the Thompson Divide. (Last year, the herd was only slightly confused by the new roundabout on Route 133.) In winter, the cattle feed on hay grown by the Nieslaniks.

By February, about the time this article appears, the Nieslanik’s 250 cows will be delivering roughly the same number of calves. All three generations of cowboys will be sleeping in shifts while on round-the-clock maternity watch. Usually it goes pretty well, but in any species, nature’s fiercest critter is known by just one name: mom.

“We know which ones will get you,” laughs Marty. “We’ll be guardin’ each other with pitchforks.”

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RECENTLY SOLD PROPERTIES OVER $600,000 NEIGHBORHOOD

ORIGINAL LIST

SOLD PRICE

BASALT Sopris Mtn Ranch River Oak Park Modern Basalt The Wilds Basalt Emma Big Hat Park Modern Meredith Park Modern Southside Elk Run

%SOLD/ ORIGINAL

$3,200,000 $1,797,000 $1,427,130 $1,757,000 $1,699,000 $1,595,000 $1,499,000 $1,250,000 $865,280 $1,250,000 $678,915 $624,500 $625,000

$1,740,000 $1,600,000 $1,580,938 $1,500,000 $1,500,000 $1,450,000 $1,200,000 $1,050,000 $865,880 $725,000 $678,915 $618,500 $600,000

54% 89% 111% 85% 88% 91% 80% 84% 100% 58% 100% 99% 96%

CARBONDALE Blue Creek Gabossi Midland Point

$1,525,000 $995,000 $699,000

$1,525,000 $1,060,000 $685,000

MISSOURI HEIGHTS Missouri Heights Hawk Ridge Sopris Mesa Panorama Ranch

$2,200,000 $1,295,000 $950,000 $675,000

GLENWOOD SPRINGS Faranhyll

$1,100,000

DAYS ON MARKET

BEDS

FULL BTH

HALF BTH

SOLD PRICE/ SQ. FT

748 190 400 199 534 168 299 161 380 819 391 225 37

4 4 4 5 4 3 4 4 2 7 2 3 3

3 3 5 3 4 3 3 3 2 5 2 2 2

1 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 1

396.27 439.44 576.14 385.51 466.27 411.81 368.32 323.87 525.73 194.58 535 354.64 391.13

100% 107% 98%

30 65 108

4 3 4

4 2 2

1 1 1

349.93 366.02 295.9

$1,648,000 $1,030,000 $872,625 $655,000

75% 80% 92% 97%

266 495 177 52

8 3 5 3

6 2 4 2

4 1 1 0

177.53 310.47 191.91 337.98

$890,000

81%

222

3

1

1

320.61

(This data is a sampling of sold properties from 12/1/16 to 12/31/16, Source: Aspen Glenwood MLS)

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HAPPY HOGS GROW FAT ON STILLAGE FROM MARBLE DISTILLING RECYLING FROM "GRAIN TO GLASS TO GROUND"

ARTICLE GENEVIÈVE JOËLLE VILLAMIZAR

A

Grain fields at the Nieslanik Ranch; photo courtesy of MDC.

long Carbondale’s Main Street, the Marble Distilling Company (MDC) cranks out internationally award-winning spirits. They also crank out tons of an aromatic by-product.

“In the vodka distilling process you do a 500-gallon mash,” explains co-owner and Head Distiller Connie Baker. “It then goes into the strip still. From that, we pull off 125 gallons of low wines. That’s the start of the alcohol process. So that means there are 375 gallons of waste from every ferment.” Baker throws her hands up, eyes bugging out, and her voice rises.

“That’s huge! The whole time we were getting ready to do this, we were thinking, what are we gonna do with our stillage?”

Baker's spouse, Wm Carey Shanks, who is MDC’s spirits advisor, knew the solution needed to be a local one because “sustainability is Marble Distilling’s foundation.”

From its physical structure to energy systems, procuring resources and all the way through to use, reuse, and recycling of resources—closed loops drive the MDC business model. “We’re now trying to get recognized for something more important than just our spirits—what we put in behind it," says Baker. “We want to be #1 in the state for sustainability.”

Baker and Shanks reached out to the farm and ranch community, offering their stillage for compost or feed. Connie admits, “A lot of people didn’t want it. Or they tried it and went ‘Nah.’ I don’t know why,” she exclaims.

“I was shocked because it’s great animal feed!”

CLOSING THE LOOP ON EAST MESA On a shelf of East Mesa above Carbondale, life and action hum. Wild turkeys hang out under a juniper tree, scratching and stirring as a tractor purrs by. Further beyond, a watchful buck beds down on the side slope of an arroyo, its 4x4 tines blending with the dark boughs of a cedar as the flat gray of winter presses down on the Roaring Fork Valley.

Manure stains the compacted snow of tractor treads.Thick-haired horses and cattle mill about the yard. The family dog, a red heeler, nips at a calf ’s ankles, being a brat. It’s a typical afternoon at the Nieslanik Ranch.

As the tractor’s motor expires, new sounds cut in: the grunting, snuffling, and squealing of 30 adorable, young hogs. They went nuts at the sight of the tractor, dashing, leaping, and scrambling about, wild with desire. It’s feeding time. As brothers Parker and Johnny Nieslanik fill the long metal troughs, a cocktail of aromas fills the air: dank mud, pig… and the sweet stew of stillage.

It was a different kind of cocktail, though, that brought rise to hogs for Nieslanik Beef.

It was booze, actually. The award-winning vodka produced at MDC, less than a mile downhill from the ranch.

BUILT ON A HANDSHAKE Last spring, Parker and Johnny Nieslanik were at the Marble Distillery when Parker noticed that MDC’s grain sacks were stamped "Alamosa, Colorado". That was the nearest CONTINUED >

24

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

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HAPPY HOGS GROW FAT ON STILLAGE FROM MARBLE DISTILLING (CON TI N UED)

that MDC could source its grain. In a lightbulb moment, Parker, one of three generations that run the Nieslanik’s family beef ranch, thought, “We’ve grown oats our whole life, feeding our animals. We could grow this stuff.

So I asked ‘em, ‘You wanna give it a shot?’”

“The coolest thing about this whole deal,” Parker marvels, “We were sittin’ down in the distilling room—” “Doing shots,” the younger Johnny interjects.

“—And it was like, ‘Let’s grow this. When you harvest it, we’ll buy it.’ We shook hands. That was the deal. No paperwork, no contracts. A handshake. They’re just good old fashioned people. There’s not many people like that anymore.

There’s a lot of trust built into our relationship.”

GRAIN TO GLASS TO GROUND Recognizing gold, Parker Nieslanik sent a sample off for nutritional analysis. At 36 percent, the stillage came back 10 percent higher in protein than any commercial feed available.

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

“The pigs just love it! They literally ‘hog’ it up,” Connie snorts, laughing. The Nieslaniks also fatten up their cattle, topping the hay-alfalfa mix they feed twice a day. (See Nieslanik beef story page 18.)

While MDC isn’t certified organic, the Nieslaniks trust that the stillage they feed to animals that will soon sizzle on grills valley-wide is pure. “We grew the grain!” Parker says with pride. “We don’t use chemicals.”

Shanks is all over it. “You get that full cycle of community. The stuff we’re doing with Parker, and what we’re doing here, it’s strong. ‘Grain to glass to ground.’”

SUSTAINING COMMUNITY “What makes community to me,” Shanks continues, “is connections. Our connections with the Nieslaniks go way beyond business at this point.” He scrolls to an iPhoto. “That’s what gets me. I go up, hang out up there.

That’s our wheat in the background growing.

And that’s me, going up there to feed animals and just being able to take this moment, take a deep breath. This is why I get up every day.

We get up every day and we’re not begrudging having to go to work. We love what we do.”

This first season, the Nieslaniks grew 12 acres of wheat for MDC on their East Mesa ranch.

Two miles away as the crow flies, they leased six more acres for rye and triticale, putting fallow fields into production. Both sets of fields have been prepped to double the harvest this spring.

“The local and the sustainable,” Baker grins, “Two separate things, but they go together. We’re supporting the local economy. That local aspect of all the grain being grown here and then being recycled here with a low carbon footprint. That’s where it seems combined: money stays in the valley and we’re 3. not shipping shit all over the place.”

“If we focus here—we don’t want Carbondale to be Aspen—but if we just focus our energy here,” predicts Baker, “It’s just going to get better and better. I think that’s why Carbondale is so cool, because a lot of like-minded people feel that way. Now how do we get that message out to the world?”

“If you ask me,” Carey says, “it’s blossomed into a much larger area that’s connecting people and businesses around town.

And it’s got legs. It’s actually growing.”

Above- Marble Distilling was founded by husband and wife, Wm. Carey Shanks and Connie Baker; they run it with Carey ’s sister, Dorian DiPangrazio and her husband Robert. Keith and Michelle Marlow round out the team.

HAPPY PIGS Pining for pork raised humanely? For dibs on a half or whole, phone the Nieslaniks at 970.963.1644 or 970.379.5437.

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Giving Back

Roaring Fork Leadership The RFL team that will work on publicizing the 2-1-1 referral service.

Grows Community and Leaders

Andrea Palm-Porter, executive director of Roaring Fork Center for Community Leadership.

2017 CIVIC PROJECTS ANNOUNCED ARTICLE BRIDGET GREY Roaring Fork Leadership's class of 2017.

E

ach year, the Roaring Fork Leadership (RFL) program adopts civic projects that strengthen communities all up and down the Roaring Fork Valley. RFL is sponsored by the Roaring Fork Center for Community Leadership (RFCCL), and it provides more than 100 hours of training and dialogue designed to enhance personal, professional and community problem-solving and effectiveness.

Over the past 28 years, RFL has trained more than 750 leaders; 80 percent of them live here in the Roaring Fork Valley.

During the 10-month RFL program, each annual class of about 40 students divides into 6-to-8 person teams that take on civic projects.

“These projects provide an opportunity for a real community change initiatives that need leadership input, direction and recommendations,” explains Andrea Palm-Porter, RFCCL executive director. “What is really neat is that we get to partner with area organizations that allow the teams to apply what they are learning while creating an impact through what we call a ‘community return on investment’.”

This year’s civic projects were chosen this past November. One of them is Project PACK (Providing A Crisis Kit), which provides necessary personal items for children who cannot return home in a family crisis. "We are thrilled that a civic project team [from RFL] picked Project PACK to expand from Garfield into Pitkin County,” said Amber Wissing, Project PACK’s founder. “RFL is an incredible resource for us since we’re a small, volunteer-based, grassroots program. The sheer caliber of talent and the passion of RFL's participants simply cannot be bought."

RFL will also be recruiting 75 English language tutors. “As a small organization, I deeply appreciate having an RFL team working to help English In Action recruit more tutors over the year to come,” said English in Action’s Executive Director Lara Beaulieu. “English In Action has more than 100 adult students waiting for a tutor. The RFL team will allow us to capitalize on the deep desire by many in the valley to help immigrants feel included and supported in our community.”

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREA PALM-PORTER

Parents of disabled children will also benefit. One of RFL’s teams plans to raise awareness about the lack of playgrounds for kids who use a wheelchair or live with other handicaps. Right now handicapped kids must travel all the way to Grand Junction or Denver to find an accessible playground! “As a mother of two children with spina bifida, living in a rural place without local access to an accessible playground is difficult to grasp. It’s a law and civil right to have this kind of facility in our community,” commented Kim Cassady, who will be sponsoring the playground project. The accessible playground team plans to create an awareness campaign; its goal will be to summon the public's will to build one or more universally-accessible playgrounds here in the valley.

Smiling Goat Ranch will also get a helping hand from RFL. Smiling Goat helps children with neuro-sensory issues like autism and ADD, as well veterans with PTSD. Smiling Goat Ranch uses the Horse Boy Method, a scientifically-proven method of gaining communication and re-patterning the brain. One of RFL’s teams will create a strategic plan for the year-old nonprofit. That plan will include housing for college interns pursing equine therapy careers.

“We feel fortunate and blessed to have this group of energetic, talented emerging leaders reviewing what we have accomplished in our first year and giving us a fresh perspective,” said Sheryl Barto, Smiling Goat’s executive director. “We desperately need a refined strategic plan. Our group, along with the amazing programming provided by the RFL curriculum, has already brought so much value to the planning process. Can’t wait to see how this unfolds!”

In addition to those projects, the 2017 RFL class will create a local media campaign for 2-1-1, a free, statewide confidential information and referral navigation service that serves 16 Western Slope counties.

Another RFL team will work on identifying resources and strategies for improving the caliber of the Roaring Fork Valley’s next generation of young leaders.

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ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY NICOLETTE TOUSSAINT

A

fter Steve Burns nimbly maneuvers the snowcat up a bank and to the side of the snowbound Sunlightto-Powderhorn (SP) trail, half-a-dozen snowmobilers zip by. “I bet if you asked them who maintains this trail, they’d tell you it was the Forest Service,” he says.

The packing and grooming of over 100 miles of the SP trail system on the Roaring Fork Valley side is done almost entirely by the 98 members of the Carbondale-based Mount Sopris Recreational Riders (MSRR) club. The nonprofit, volunteer-run club was formed about 30 years ago by Carbondale rancher Ernie Gianinetti and half-a-dozen friends, many of whom have now ridden off into the sunset.

“Everybody needs to recognize that this is not a government thing,” Burns says. “It’s not your tax dollars at work. It’s user funds. People are paying for this trail through their snowmobile registrations.”

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Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

Christy Palazzi and friend prove that women love snowmobiling; photo by Jo Hunter.

Following the 17-foot-wide tiller of the snowcat.

In December, Gianinetti and Burns gave a tour to this magazine’s editor, its publisher, Rick French, and his wife Linda French. These three tourists took turns riding in the snowcat and Gianinetti’s white Geo truck, which is equipped with snow tracks instead of wheels.

“I’m such a motorhead,” chuckles Gianinetti. “I just love it out here.”

Under startlingly blue skies, amid stands of bare aspen and majestic blue spruce, their boughs heavy with loaves of new snow, it’s easy to see why so many people love snowmobiling. The SP trail, which was dedicated by former Colorado Governor Roy Romer in March 1989, begins from two different Roaring Fork Valley access points and climbs up to the Tri-County Ridge, a scenic spot where three local counties meet. It tracks through untrammeled miles of the Thompson Divide, climbs to the 10,000-foot heights of Grand Mesa, and terminates near the Powderhorn Ski Area.

Starting in 1986, the continuous SP trail was created by the Mount Sopris Recreational Riders, linking a patchwork of Forest Service, cattle trails, and oil and gas exploration roads. Each summer MSRR members maintain the trail, clearing fallen trees and repairing cattle-damaged road shoulders. Each winter, the club spends over $27,000 to pack, groom, and maintain the trail. The snowcat, bought used, cost MSRR $108,000.

The maintenance money is partly derived from snowmobile user fees rebated to MSRR by the State of Colorado, from club memberships that cost just $55 for a family or an individual. That fee includes membership in the Colorado Snowmobile Association. MSRR encourages all sorts of trail users, not just snowmobilers, to join the club, get to know each other, and work together.

(MSRR is holding an important fundraiser this month; see Around Town and Lifestyle calendar.)

Steve Burns, the son of a local family that once owned ranch land around El Jebel’s Crown Mountain Park, is one of only three professional snowmobile trail groomers in Colorado. He takes the snowcat out three or four times a week, depending on snow conditions. He handles the huge machine, 14-feet wide at its front plow and 17-feet wide at its trailing tiller, with aplomb, tracking up steep grades and maneuvering around low-hanging spruce boughs with just inches to spare. That’s not surprising since Burns is both an experienced excavator and a cowboy who can square dance

“ I ’ M SUCH A MOTORHEAD, ” CHUCKLES GIANINETTI.

“ I JUST LOVE IT OUT HERE. ”

Ernie Gianinetti, who helped build the SP Trail along with locals Carl Vetter, Bob Sewell, Randy Parson, and Wyle Silva.

Roaring Fork Lifestyle publisher Rick French waves from the snowcat's cab.

on horseback! (Although no photos confirm this claim, the story is put forth with authority by Gianinetti, who reported taught equine square-dancing to Burns.)

“Some jobs are just too big to expect them to get done on donated time,” Gianinetti observes. “This is one of them. Other clubs in the state have had a lot of friction around operating their cats. You know, ‘You got it stuck, so now you get it out’ or ‘you didn’t fill out the right forms’ kinda stuff. We know what we’ve gotta do to make the trail work." MSRR avoids friction both by employing Burn's professional services and by paying someone to fill out the many government forms required.

During the magazine staff’s trail ride, cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and sledders were all spotted along the trail. “ATVers, backpackers, jeepers, dog mushers, horseback riders, and skiers all use these trails,” Gianinetti observes. “We don’t mind. We’re kinda for everybody. That’s why I’m so excited about MSRR. It’s a do-good kind of organization. But we’d sure appreciate it if all the trail users would give us a hand by becoming club members or just being benevolent donors.”

February 2017 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

35

Lifestyle Calendar

February FEBRUARY 1 PAINTING WITH A PALETTE KNIFE THE ART BASE

FEBRUARY 7 - 14 AFTERNOON ART FOR SENIORS THE ART BASE In a fun, social environment, learn about current Art Base exhibitions and their historical context. Participants use a variety of artistic media to create their own work inspired by Colorado-based artists. Instructor Liz Waters' class, held first Tuesdays, is designed for members of local senior centers and adults in, or nearing, retirement. $5 per class, drop In. Details at TheArtBase.org.

Create a looser, more unconstrained style of painting. Explore texture

FEBRUARY 7

by using a palette knife instead of a brush. With instruction from artist

WINTER WORDS: KEVIN FEDARKO & PETE MCBRIDE

Dave Notor, practice painterly acrylic technique, drop the paint brush,

PAEPCKE AUDITORIUM

and pick up a palette knife! Register online at TheArtBase.org

Kevin Fedarko’s bestselling book, The Emerald Mile, takes readers on the

FEBRUARY 3

fastest boat ride down the Colorado River, while illuminating the history of the environmental movement to save the Grand Canyon. Fedarko

FAMILY FEUD ASPEN

trekked the length of the Grand Canyon’s interior rim alongside National

HOTEL JEROME

Geographic photographer/filmmaker Pete McBride, documenting the

Join Family Feud Aspen, benefitting Aspen Youth Center. Enjoy delicious

development threats to the Canyon. More info at AspenWords.org.

libations, dinner, silent/live auctions, and a new hilarious game show!

Want to create a team? Purchase a table. Four of your guests compete

FEBRUARY 9, 16, 23 & MARCH 2

for the crown! Don't want to compete? Make your friends, spouses, or

AFTER-SCHOOL ART PLAY

co-workers take the stage. More info at Family Feud Aspen on Facebook.

THIRD STREET CENTER

FEBRUARY 4

The Circus is coming to town for a fun, process-oriented, 4-week session of creative play taught by artist Pam Porter. These sessions, design for

GARFIELD COUNTY AG EXPO

youngsters ages 5-1/2 to 10, meet Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:15 p.m. in Stu-

GARFIELD COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS

dio 10. Cost is $115 for 4 classes. Sign up at TheCreativeFlowStudio.com.

Bookcliff, Mount Sopris and South Side Conservation Districts have partnered with Garfield County CSU Extension to offer Ag Expo. This

FEBRUARY 10

event will offer exhibitors, speakers, kids corner, scholarship, lunch and

BRIAN COLLEY, JOHN COHORST & ANDREW RICE OPENING

much more! Presentations on no-till agriculture, Colorado water issues,

CHARLES J. WYLY GALLERY

llamas as protectors, permaculture, grafting fruit trees and more. Tick-

Exploring themes of space and how humankind's desire for under-

ets $10 per person, $15 per couple. More info at SouthSideCD.org.

standing and knowledge takes us beyond this small planet, this exhi-

FEBRUARY 6, 13, 20 & 27 KIDS' CLAYMATION CLUB THIRD STREET CENTER

bition asks: is there a wormhole that connects space and time? Exhibition remains on view at the Art Base's Charles J. Wyly Gallery from February 10 through March 4.

Artist Eliza Rogan teaches 4th through 8th graders to bring their sto-

FEBRUARY 11

ries to life through the exciting art of "claymation" - a filmed form of

MT. SOPRIS REC RIDERS GALA

animation using clay figures. Mondays from 4 to 5 p.m. Cost is $25 per

THE ORCHARD

class or 5 classes for $100. Takes place at Studio 10 in Carbondale's

Mt. Sopris Recreational Riders' gala supports grooming of the Sunlight

Third Street Center. Register at MuralFarm.com.

to Powderhorn snowmobile trail. Dinner includes appetizer, main course,

FEBRUARY 7

birthday cake, ice cream and non-alcoholic drinks. Enjoy prizes, dancing and music from Twirp Anderson and the 50/Fifty band. $25 for MSRR

BIRDING WITH ACES

members; $30 nonmembers; youth 10-17 for $10; under 10 free. For de-

ACES HALLAM LAKE

tails, contact mntsoprisrecriders@gmail.com or call Jo at 970.379.5643.

Birding in fall, winter, and early spring is great for exercising your birding skills, learning some non-breeding plumages, and observ-

FEBRUARY 12

ing foraging behaviors of both migratory and resident species. De-

MOMMY & ME JEWELRY MAKING

signed for all birders from novices to experts, we focus on birding

THE ART BASE

skills, fun, and being in tune with nature. $15 members, $25 non-

Collaborative parent/child teams will select their beads and follow

members. Details at AspenNature.org

step-by-step tutorials to learn beading techniques with instructor CONTINUED >

36

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

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Photography Credit: Greg Watts February 2017 | Roaring Fork Lifestyle

37

Lifestyle Calendar

(CON TI N UED)

Jessica Lovett of Jessie's Jems Jewelry Design. Walk away with a well-designed bracelet and many helpful tricks and tips! All ages.

Register online at TheArtBase.org.

FEBRUARY 16 BASALT CHAMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS ELEMENT HOTEL, BASALT Join the Basalt Chambers' monthly after hours, hosted by Element Basalt - Aspen, Market Street Kitchen and Guild Mortgage. Enjoy food, drinks and fun with friends! A benefit networking event for Basalt Chamber members and guests of the event co-hosts. RSVPs required.

For Chamber membership information and to RSVP write info@BasaltChamber.com or call 970.927.4031. See BasaltChamber.org.

FEBRUARY 16 SNOWSHOE TOUR, CAMPFIRE & STORYTELLING EMMA OPEN SPACE Explore Emma Open Space by moonlight on snowshoes with Roaring Fork Conservancy and Pitkin County Open Space & Trails! Then hear stories about the native people and animals of Colorado, by Nina Gabianelli from the Aspen Historical Society and the Roaring Fork Chapter of Spellbinders. Ages 8 and up. Minors must be with parent.

Free. Call 970.927.1290 with questions.

FEBRUARY 16 CLAUDIA MEYER OPENING RECEPTION ANDI-LE GALLERY Elegant, abstract mixed media works. Claudia Meyer’s art depicts the imaginary, which is magnified by the light and mingles, in turn, with the shadows of its structures, angles and volumes. For more info, call 970.922.0909 or visit Andi-le.com.

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FEBRUARY 21 OWL NIGHT ROCK BOTTOM RANCH Join a magical nighttime stroll at Rock Bottom Ranch to learn about these amazing nocturnal hunters. Before heading out, participants will meet ACES’ resident Great Horned Owl, hear a favorite owling story, and learn about adaptations that enable owls to master the night sky.

Dress warmly! Hot beverages provided. Members free; donation $5/ person or $10/family nonmembers. Details at AspenNature.org.

FEB. 24 & 25 WOMEN'S MARTIAL ARTS SAFETY EVENTS PRO TKD MARTIAL ART CENTER Join PRO TKD Martial Arts for a Friday night of women’s empowerment featuring women’s world power-breaking champion Master Sloane Cameron.

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VISIT US AT

RoaringForkLifestyle.com 38

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

safe physically, mentally, and spiritually. On Saturday, Master Cameron holds a power-breaking seminar for martial artists interested in beginning or refining their breaking skills. See ProTKDmac.com or call 970.963.2685.

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business directory DENTISTS & ORTHODONTICS

Jack B. Hilty (970) 945-1185 hiltyortho.com

Murray Dental Group (970) 945-5112 murraydg.com

Verheul Family Dentistry P.C. (970) 963-3010 verheulfamilydentistry.com

ENTERTAINMENT & RECREATION

Sunlight Mountain Resort (970) 947-7491 sunlightmtn.com

FASHION & ACCESSORIES

Country Rose Boutique (970) 319-8894

HEALTH & WELLNESS Burn Fitness Studio (970) 379-7403 burnfitnessstudio.com

Contour Body Spa (970) 355-4897 contourbodyspa.com/

Fahrenheit Body Spas (970) 315-1234 fahrenheitbodyspas.com

Simply Massage (970) 306-0098 simplymassage.com

HOME BUILDERS & REMODELERS 3 G Construction (970) 984-7046

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Ace Roofing & Sheetmetal (970) 945-5366 aceroof.co

B & H General Contractors (970) 945-0102 bandhgeneralcontractors.com

HOME SERVICES

Seamless Design (970) 876-2232

Tom Roach Hardwood Floors (970) 274-0944 tomroachfloors.com

LANDSCAPING

Aspen Grove Property Services (970) 279-5530 agps.biz

LEGAL

Balcomb & Green P.C. (970) 945-6546 balcombgreen.com

Law Office of Jamie J. Roth (970) 987-5216

The Noone Law Firm PC (970) 945-4500 noonelaw.com

MORTGAGE

Bay Equity Home Loans (970) 330-5010 bayequityhomeloans.com/ glenwood-springs

OTHER

Ajax Mechanical Services (970) 984-0579 ajaxmechanical.com

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AV by Design (970) 945-6610 avbydesignllc.com

Community Valentine's Day Ad (970) 618-8981

Delta Disaster Services (970) 712-5298 deltawesterncolorado.com

Elite Hardwood Floors (970) 366-1676

Gianinetti Spring Creek Ranch (970) 379-0809 springcreekspavilion.com

Green Tech Electrical (970) 618-2163 green-techelectrical.com

Iron Mountain Hot Springs (970) 945-4766 ironmountainhotsprings.com

Midland Shoe (970) 927-0902 midlandshoe.com

Network Interiors (970) 984-9100

Nieslanik Beef, LLC (970) 963-1644 nieslanikbeef.com

Roaring Fork Valley COOP (970) 963-2220

Spring Creek Land & Waterscapes (970) 963-9195 springcreeklandandwaterscapes.com

The Glass Guru (970) 456-6832 theglassguruofglenwoodsprings.com

True North Hearth & Home (970) 230-9363 truenorthfireplaces.com

West Canyon Tree Farm (970) 305-7556 westcanyontreefarm.com

PET CARE

Alpine Animal Hospital (970) 963-2371 alpinehospital.com

Willits Veterinary Hospital (970) 510-5436 willitsvet.com

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Parting Thoughts

I LOV E Y O U M O R E T H A N W O R D S C A N S AY THE TIMELESS ROMANCE OF HANDWRITTEN LOVE NOTES ARTICLE CAITLIN CAUSEY

I

n the bottom drawer of a dresser in my bedroom, I store some of the most precious items in my possession. This drawer holds a couple boxes of old faded photographs, a few mementos from the lives of my family members, some tattered birth announcements, wedding invitations, and funeral programs—nothing of any particular value beyond the sentimental. And yet, these are the items that come to mind when I think of what I would try to save first if I was at risk of losing everything I own.

Within this collection of paper ephemera is also a bundle of love letters. They were penned by my paternal grandparents shortly before and just after their marriage in 1951, while my grandfather was in the Navy. I keep the letters safe in a plastic storage bag, and every time I open it their scent emerges: old books, like the aged pages of time. Some of the letters are encased in envelopes, many printed with my grandmother’s maiden name and hastily ripped at one end.

I like to imagine that she ran home to scour her family’s mailbox in Harvey, Illinois each day and, upon finding one of Grampa’s letters, tore into it with girlish glee and a dramatic flop on the couch.

Aside from their 60-plus year old postmarks, six-cent stamps and a few stains, the letters look as if they could have been written yesterday. My grandparents have been gone now for many years, but reading these letters, as I do once or twice a year, brings them very much back to life; they are reminders that Gramma and Grampa were real people. They were filled with very real passions and filled with all the blissful torment of lovers separated by miles and the military. In July 1951, my grandfather wrote this in his rather fine

42

Roaring Fork Lifestyle | February 2017

penmanship on crisp Navy-issued stationery. It came from his post in Jacksonville, Florida: “...you know honey, I consider myself a very lucky fella to have such a nice girl as you are, and I didn’t fully realize just how good you were until I got into the service. Now you’re one gal in a million in my book. I love you more than words can say. I wish I knew how to write this stuff better because I can’t possibly put into writing how much I love you, but I think you understand just how much I do.”

And I’m sure she did understand. About three weeks after this letter was written, Grampa got unexpected leave and took a trip to visit her at home in Illinois. It was the same weekend her sister was getting married. The trip ended with not one wedding but two, as my grandparents decided to get hitched as well. Newly minted husband and wife, their marriage would last almost 52 years until my grandmother’s passing in 2003.

My reasons for treasuring these letters is obvious. Romantic, heartfelt, tangible remnants of a fleeting youth, they are also relics of the very foundation of my grandparents’ story—and thus, a part of my own story as well. Many years from now, I trust they will be read by my grandchildren and inspire the same feelings of joy.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I hope we all find time to send something personal—a card, a handwritten note or even a full-blown love letter—to someone we care about. We’ve got the rest of the year to type emails and text messages. Someday, a distant relative might even find your note in a dusty box of old papers, read it aloud, and learn a bit more about how you lived—and loved.

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