C8 petaluma estates by MHBgroup

Petaluma Estates Observer

Officers, Chairpersons & Volunteers

President: Diane Pimentel

772-7514 dpimentel@earthlink.net

VP Patti Dellabruna 765-2363

Secretary Annette Allsup (369) 208-8029 jonanncan97@comcast.net

Treasurer Nancy Jamarck

774-6168 ncjam@sbcglobal.net

Activities Director Libby Bianchi (253) 509-4842 eliz.bianchi@gmail.com

Observer Delv Nancy Jamarck

774-6168 ncjam@sbcglobal.net

Sunshine report Ellen Reinhold (415) 419-7267 ellenreinhold@icloud.com

GSMOL Rep Diane Pimentel

Neighborhd Watch Carole O’Brien

Hospitality Nancy Jamarck

Library Dennis Vollmer

772-7514 dpimentel@earthlink.net

981-3589

774-6168 ncjam@sbcglobal.net

Observer Editor Diane Hawley 971-5339 cell or 981-7079 Home

Email: jumbaco56@gmail.com

Submissions are due to Diane by the 5th of the monthprior.

The current month’s issue can also be accessed electronically at https:// mobilehomeparkmagazines.com/editorial

President’s Message

Life is good here in Petaluma Estates, and you may have noticed that the Observer is not being delivered as early in the month as it used to be. This is because the Publisher of the Observer used to print the Northern California parks before Southern California parks, but they flipped that around, in an attempt to give equal treatment to the parks. Therefore, we have to advertise events sooner than you might think, since we have been receiving the Observer around mid-month, which is much later than before. If the event is in early July, it needs to be sent by May 5th. Diane Hawley has been doing a wonderful job of sending each edition by the deadline, but we have no control over their printing and delivery schedules.

The Observers are drop-shipped to Nancy Jamarck, who promptly distributes bundles to each member of her team, who then delivers them to the residents on their route. We are ALL Volunteers and as you can see, IT TAKES A VILLAGE! We appreciate each and every person who takes part in the creation and distribution of this monthly magazine.

I am grateful to MHB Group and Mobile Home Park Magazines for publishing the Observer magazine FREE OF CHARGE, for close to 300 California mobile home park communities every month. Now it is for us to adjust our timeline for sending articles. For example:

Our 4th of July BBQ and Family Fun Day plans were completed in late April. We checked with the office and reserved the date.

I submitted the information to Diane Hawley on April 29th, so she could create the flyer. The completed edition will be sent to the publisher by May 12th Once printed, the Observer will be delivered to Nancy (around June 10th). Volunteers will deliver the June Observer to the residents on their designated route within 1 – 3 days (depending on the weather)

Then it is up to our residents to read the June issue and hopefully plan to attend the event. The flyer will also be posted on the kiosk bulletin boards, ideally 30 days before July 4th. Please remember, this is planned as a BBQ/Potluck & FAMILY FUN DAY, so we are hoping you will invite your close friends, adult children, and grandchildren. Please sign up at the Clubhouse with a payment of $5 per person ~ 10 days before the event. This gives us time to buy all the necessary supplies. The pool will be open to all ages during the party. (Children under 18 require adult supervision). We hope you will join us!

As you can see, ADVANCED PLANNING is needed. If you have an idea of something you would like to do for our community, please contact our Events Coordinator, Libby Bianchi. She can brainstorm ideas with you and help guide you through the process.

It’s time to review your PEHA Directory & call me with any additions, corrections, or to simply confirm that you want the same info in the 2025-2026 Directory. Otherwise, one of our team members will be contacting you directly to gather this information. ~

Yours Truly, Diane Pimentel (707-772-7514)

4th of July BBQ-Potluck & Family Fun Day

BBQ and POTLUCK

1:00pm until 2:30pm.

Festivities, including swimming, games & conversation from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.

The pool will be open to all; however, children must be supervised at all times & no food is allowed in the pool area.

PEHA will provide the hamburgers, hot dogs, buns & garnishes (lettuce,tomato,onion,pickles) with Chili & Vegetarian Beans.

If you have special dietary needs, you are invited to bring the protein of your choice and we will be happy to BBQ it for you.

Please sign up at the clubhouse & pay by ,

Recurring events

Monday: Pinochle 12:00-3:00 coordinator: Patti Dellabruna (707) 529-2294

Tuesday: Yoga 10:00 Coordinator: Stephanie Stone (707) 364-3178

Wednesday: Group Pool Exercise Coordinator: Jean Williams (707) 939-8666

Thursday: Rummikub 10:00-3:00 Coordinator: Dennis Vollmer (707) 763-6524

Friday: Yoga 10:00 and Mexican Train 1:00-3:00 Coordinator: ?

Treasurer’s Report

Check # 524 (Popcorn)

Sunshine Report 04/25

4/07 Get well to Carol George

4/18 Sympathy to family of Gene Shern

5/1/25 PEHA General Meeting

Petaluma Estates Homeowner's Association

5/1/25 General Meeting Minutes

Call to Order: 7:01 PM

In Attendance: Nancy Jamarck, Diane Pimentel, Roberta Lupton, Rhonda Hobbs, Lucy Childs, Libby Bianchi, Luise Pommermayer, Ellen Reinhold, Patti Dellabruna, Arlyn Serber, Annette Allsup, Phillip Willcher, Mike Smith, Carol George, Noelle O'Loughlin, Ann Marie McCaffrey-Bledsoe, David

Donaldson, Beth Wehlage, Julia Marshall, Lisa Davis

Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Patti Dellabruna

New Resident: Noelle O'Loughlin

Guest Speaker: Bonnie Petty, California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA)

Bonnie lives in the Santa Rosa Village Senior Mobile Home Park. She has been active in CARA for many years and is currently the Chairperson of the Sonoma County Chapter. CARA is a statewide network of more than 300 member organizations and has memberships of over a million CA seniors.

CARA is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that advocates for senior activism and senior advocacy which seeks to influence elected officials and sponsors many bills. They are especially concerned with supporting Social Security benefits, Medicare and Medicaid

Bonnie announced that Attorney General Rob Bonta welcomes seniors to go to his website to file a complaint of any sort about Social Security, difficulty scheduling a meeting, etc. since staffing has been cut dramatically by the Federal Government. His website is www.oag.ca.gov. CARA also seeks to provide education to its members in the form of empowered elder workshops. Some of its more popular workshops include Hospital Rights, Writing an Advanced Directive, and Emergency Evacuation Preparedness. Everyone agreed that we would like to have Bonnie come back another time to teach one of her elder workshops.

Treasurer’s Report: Nancy Jamarck (see report in this Observer)

Secretary’s Report: Annette Allsup (see the May Observer)

Committee Reports

Hospitality & Observer Delivery: Nancy Jamarck stated that we used to receive our Observers in a timelier fashion because Northern CA was printed before Southern CA. Now, Southern CA is printed and delivered before Northern CA, so our delivery dates are much later. That makes many of our events outdated before we can get the news out.

Sunshine: Ellen Reinhold (see report in this Observer)

Golden State Mobile Home Owners League (GSMOL) Update: Rhonda Hobbs & Diane Pimentel

GSMOL Top Legislative Priorities (We are Opposing 1 Bill & Supporting 4.)

Oppose:

AB 813 (Solache) Mobilehome parks termination of tenancy

OVERVIEW Liberalizes causes for termination of tenancies. KEY PROVISIONS: Adds “substantial annoyance” to park staff, or park employees as a cause for termination

IMPACT Opens process to abuse as a retaliation tactic by park management.

Support:

AB 546 (Connolly) Mobilehome Sales

AB 925 (Addis) Emergency Preparedness

AB 636 (Ahrens, Umberg, Krell) Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program

Support AB 456 (Connolly) Mobilehome Home Sales

Recent Activities:

4/19 Brown Bag Luncheon – Nancy Jamarck reported that there were 37 people, and everyone had a great time!

Activities Coordinator – Libby Bianchi

Upcoming Activities:

5/8 Intro. to Zingo (Bingo Renamed): Co-Chairs, Patti Dellabruna & Libby Bianchi

Doors open at 5:30 PM to purchase cards: $10/pack of 6 sheets + 1 Blackout card

Additional Blackout Cards available $2 ea. or 3 for $5 (Please bring exact change)

NO Cards sold after 6 PM. Games start at 6:10 (Expected to end by 8 PM)

90% of proceeds paid out to winners & 10% reserved for refreshments & supplies

6/7 Spring Breakfast and GSMOL Annual Membership Meeting: 10 AM – 11:30 AM The breakfast will be followed by the GSMOL Annual Zoom Membership meeting at 11:30 AM

7/4 – 4th of July BBQ/Potluck Family Fun Day 12-2pm

8/15 – Ice Cream Social with Dancing to New Horizons Swing Band 3 – 5

SAVE THE DATES:

10/25 Halloween Party

12/1 Decorating the Clubhouse for the Holidays: 9 AM – 11:30 AM

12/6 Holiday Luncheon – Saturday afternoon: TBA

1/2/26 Take Down & Store Holiday decorations: 11:30 – 1:00

President’s Report:

2025-2026 PEHA Phone Book canvassing during July (need to send to Publisher by 8/10)

Nominating Committee will be needed Sept/Oct – need slate of officers by 10/5 for Observer Emergency Preparedness Committee – Need Committee Chair with organizational & computer skills To date we have 3 volunteers, willing to serve on a committee: (Patricia, Lauren, & Miles)

Old Business: none

NEW BUSINESS: Diane mentioned that the food from the pantry in the clubhouse has been moved to shelves inside the kitchen. Everyone is still welcome to take donated food stuffs. Please do not donate any food items that have been opened and DO NOT leave any medications. The closet in the entryway to the clubhouse will be kept locked and used for supplies that belong to PEHA.

For the Good of The Order: Julia Marshall has been working on getting a much nicer piano donated to the clubhouse. It is in tune and the keys do not stick. As an added bonus, it is also taller so that people will be able to view our big screen TV which will again be located on top of the TV.

Next Board Meeting: Wed. June 4th @ 9 AM in the Clubhouse

Next General Meeting: Thursday June 5th 6:30 Social / 7:00 Start Meeting adjourned: 8:16 PM

The GSMOL Legislative Action Team invites Your Participation in the following 5 bills:

OPPOSE AB 813 (Solache) Mobilehome parks termination of tenancy

OVERVIEW Liberalizes causes for termination of tenancies.

KEY PROVISIONS:

Adds “substantial annoyance” to park staff, or park employees as a cause for termination

IMPACT Opens process to abuse as a retaliation tactic by park management.

SUPPORT AB 925 (Addis) – Emergency Preparedness

OVERVIEW Enhances emergency preparedness within mobilehome and special occupancy parks in California.

KEY PROVISIONS:

Raises inspection fee from $4 to $10 per lot until January 1, 2030.

From Jan 1, 2027, parks with 50+ units to have someone with emergency plan knowledge and access to utilities and exits.

Mandates emergency preparedness plans approved by the Standardized Emergency Manage ment System Advisory Board

Ties operating permit issuance or renewal to emergency plan compliance.

IMPACT Improves safety and readiness, though increased fees (may burden some park owners or residents)

SUPPORT AB 635 (Ahrens, Umberg, Krell) Mobilehome Residency Law Protection Program

OVERVIEW Targets enforcement of egregious Mobilehome Residency Law violations by involving the Attorney General.

KEY PROVISIONS:

Allows up to 25 serious MRL violation cases per year to be referred to the Attorney General. Authorizes legal action including arbitration, mediation, or litigation.

Permits program funds to support the Attorney General’s enforcement efforts.

IMPACT Strengthens legal recourse and accountability for serious violations affecting mobilehome residents

SUPPORT AB 456 (Connolly) Mobilehome Home Sales

OVERVIEW Protects homeowners from unfair interference during the sale of their mobilehomes.

KEY PROVISIONS:

Prohibits management from requiring interior repairs or inspections for home sales. Requires repair summaries to be provided within 15 days or rights to request are waived. Automatically approves sales if no response is received within 15 days. IMPACT Simplifies and safeguards the home-selling process for residents.

SUPPORT AB 806 (Connolly) Cooling Devices and Cooling Centers

OVERVIEW Improves resident health and safety by addressing extreme heat conditions.

KEY PROVISIONS:

Allows installation of cooling devices in mobile homes. • Requires mobile home parks to provide access to cooling centers.

IMPACT Supports safe living environments during heat waves, especially for vulnerable populations.

If you are interested in making phone calls, sending e-mails, or writing letters, please contact our Legislative Action Team leader, Rhonda Hobbs ~ (707) 762-5475 or our Chapter President Diane Pimentel (707-772-7514

June 12th and July 10th

DOORS OPEN AT 5:30 to purchase cards

$10/pack of 6 sheets, 6 cards per sheet + 1 Blackout card

Please bring the exact change, if possible.

NO CARDS SOLD AFTER 6:00!!

GAMES START AT 6:10 & are expected to end by 8 p.m.

90% of all proceeds will be paid out to the winners and 10% will be saved for refreshments & supplies.

Sponsored by PEHA - for questions call (707) 772-7514

If you would like to sign up for GSMOL please visit the website below and follow the instructions. If you need a paper copy of the application, please contact Diane Pimentel at (707) 774-7514

The cost is $25 per year for yourself and an additional $10 for a family member.

https://forms.gsmol.org/forms/member-signup

Directions

Mascarpone-Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients

• 1 pint blueberries

• 1 quart strawberries

• 5 ounces mascarpone cheese

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• Juice of one lemon

• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla, or for a boozy kick, use something delicious from your bar, such as, bourbon, brandy, Kahlua, etc.

Wash the blueberries and pat dry with paper towel. Wash and hull the strawberries, pat dry. Slice off the bottom of each strawberry to make a flat end. This allows the strawberries to stand upright on a platter. Cut two cross slits in the top 1/3 of each berry (being careful not to cut all the way through!) and poke a blueberry into the cavity to open the strawberry up a little.

Mix together the mascarpone cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. Spoon the mixture into a re-sealable bag and snip off one of the corners of the bag (you can also use a pastry bag). Pipe the mascarpone filling into the cavity of each strawberry and top with another whole blueberry.

Naturally sweet and so fun to eat! A thin layer of candy coating and some decorating sugar gives plain strawberries a little razzle dazzle!

Ingredients:

• strawberries

• vanilla candy coating

• blue decorating sugar

How to Make Red White and Blue Strawberries:

1. Wash and dry whole strawberries.

2. Melt vanilla candy coating according to package directions.

3. Dip whole strawberries halfway into the melted candy coating, let the excess drip off.

4. Then dip the strawberry 1/4 of the way in blue decorating sugar.

5. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan to set before serving.

Red, White and Blue Strawberries

Balclutha is on the move! This 1886 “Cape Horner” is hitting open bay waters once again as it makes it journey to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

This national historic landmark has had many careers in its lifetime. It traded grain and jute across the globe, was part of the Pacific lumber trade, and worked in the salmon packing industry. It even had a career in Hollywood.

At its temporary home at Mare Island, Balclutha will be able to resume its current career as a floating museum. Follow our social media and check the parks website for updates on when the ships will be open and accessible to the public (link in bio).

https://www.facebook.com/SanFranciscoMaritimeNHP

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

For historic ships, the Hyde Street Pier can't be beat in California. It's home to the 1886 square-rigger Balclutha, 1914 paddlewheel tug Eppleton Hall, 1890 steam ferry Eureka, 1895 schooner C. A. Thayer, 1891 scow schooner Alma, 1907 steam tug Hercules, 1890 San Francisco Bay Ark, 1915 steam schooner Wapama and many smaller watercraft.

Most noticed, due to her three masts and size, is the 301-foot Balclutha, a three-masted square-rigged schooner launched in 1886 by a shipyard in Scotland, which carried a crew of 26 men to handle her 25 sails. This stately ship carried coal around Cape Horn (tip of South America) from Wales and Australia to San Francisco to fuel American railroads and steamships. Later it served as a part of the Pacific lumber trade, as a salmon packet, and appeared in the Clark Gable movie "Mutiny on the Bounty."

Other ships of unique interest are the Eppleton Hall, a 100-foot steel tug built in 1914 in England. It features two side paddle-wheels, each powered by a steam engine. This ship was designed to move ocean-going coal ships on the River Tyne, with the two engines/paddlewheels allowing for highmaneuverability.

Further down the pier is the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, one of only two remaining of 2,710 "Liberty Ships" constructed during the war. These ships were built from identical parts by "Rosie the Riveter" in plants across the U.S. The ship was our answer to Hitler's U-boats, built to haul "beans, bullets and black oil" to our troops around the world - faster than Germany could sink them.

Mare Island Naval Shipyard

Photo by U.S. Navy, NH 98906, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1381727

Mare Island became the first United States naval base on the West Coast in 1854. Spanish ship captain Don Juan Manuel de Ayala y Aranza touched here in 1775. It received its present name from Mexican calvary commander General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo in 1830. Mare Island illustrates the Nation's effort to extend its naval power into the Pacific Ocean. The first U.S. warship (1859) and first dry dock (1872-91) constructed on the West Coast were built here. To this day, Mare Island holds the record for building the destroyer USS Ward in 17½ days during World War I. The shipyard has been associated with military affairs, development of industrial design and persons significant in U.S. maritime history beginning with David Farragut through World War II leaders.

During World War II, the shipyard turned out scores of ships and submarines, assembling new destroyer escorts with prefabricated sections brought in from as far away as Colorado. Warships damaged in battle were also repaired and refitted in the base's drydocks. By the end of the war, Mare Island had produced 17 submarines, four submarine tenders, 31 destroyer escorts, 33 small craft and more than 300 landing craft. Mare Island's sprawling National Register historic district boasts hundreds of buildings built between 1854 and the end of World War II, including ranking officers' mansions (c. 1900), duplexes for junior grade officers (1940), and ammunition depots (1856-1960s). Building 46 (1855), which served as an active pipe shop until 1984, is scheduled to reopen as the Mare Island Artifact Museum in 2004. St. Peter's Chapel (1901), the West's first nondenominational military church, features 29 stained glass windows designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. At Alden Park, visitors can inspect a German Marder Suicide Submarine and Torpedo (1944) and explore bomb shelters built during World War II.

https://www.nps.gov/places/mare-island-naval-shipyard.htm

Flowerstone

Flowerstone (also known as Chrysanthemum Stone, Snowflake Stone and is similar to Chinese Writing Rock and Rice Rock) is a gabbro porphyry of feldspar crystals usually in basalt that shows a distinct flower pattern.

When the feldspar crystals are well-developed, Flowerstone is a rock unlike any other. Its crystal petals bloom and reflect the beauty of British Columbian nature. They are thought to have blossomed in an explosion, creating the flower shape of the crystals bursting in all directions.

Flowerstone is found only in some places on Vancouver Island and in Japan. Texada Island was known for its supply but has since put a moratorium on mining it. It is still permitted for rockhounds to remove Flowerstone by hand but is found very rarely.

Flowerstone ranges in crystal development. Classic pieces are flurries of white flowers on a black background, but some have just a few flowers on a gray background, some have flowers in different colors, and some resemble pieces of rice, snowflakes or lettering.

Reminders

 Please park in the designated parking lots. If you are hosting a party or several people, please make sure to have a “parking attendant” on hand who can shuttle people and/or cars to and from the lots.

 Please keep your pets inside. Management has set out traps and if your beloved kitty escapes, it may end up at the pound!!

 Incessantly barking dogs can be very annoying for your neighbors and you may not even realize it. If your dog(s) bark a lot, please do what you can to dampen the noise. Your neighbors will thank you!!!

Thank you

History of Petaluma

Few cities of our size in America have earned the reputation that Petaluma can claim. We have gone from being one of California largest cities (1860s) to the World’s Egg Basket (early 1900s) to Telecom Valley, the thriving economic and progressive community we are today.

Though the origin of the name “Petaluma” has been debated, it’s now generally accepted to mean “flat back,” from the language of native Americans in the area more than 5,000 years ago, and interpreted to mean mesas or hills within the valley ‘Valley of the Little Hills,” or ‘City of Little Hills” is often used as a translation for Petaluma.

Whatever its name, Petaluma natural wealth has attracted mankind since prehistoric times. For more than three thousand years, the Coast Miwok Indians lived off the river and marshlands. In 1846, three Spanish land grants were established along the Petaluma River, and the area flourished as an economic and social center until gold was discovered in 1848.

With the surge of gold miners to California, the Petaluma River became the major source of wild game to supply a growing population. In 1851, hunters set up camp at what is now Petaluma, and soon wild game was the main export from the area.

The city was founded in 1852 and chartered in 1858, becoming a thriving shipping and manufacturing center. For 98 years, the waterway contributed to Petaluma’s commercial success, making it at one time the ninth largest municipality and the third busiest inland port in California. Once the transport for miners and gold from Sacramento to San Francisco, relics of the two most remembered paddlewheelers, the steamers “Gold” and “Petaluma,” are displayed in the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum.

From the 1880s through the 1940s, Petaluma became famous as a poultry town and was known as the “World’s Egg Basket.” Petaluma was home to the world’s only Chicken Pharmacy (as featured in National Geographic and Ripley’s Believe It or Not). Great wealth was accrued during this period and is still evident in commercial buildings and homes from that time.

By the late 1940s, high costs forced thousands of chicken farms into the hands of a few large producers. In the 1950s, dairy farming and the charm of country living made Petaluma what it is today. Dairy is still a principal industry now, along with a variety of specialty agricultural products, high tech industries including telecommunications, and tourism.

THE SWEET SPOT

There’s a small range of temperatures you’re looking for to achieve perfect cake doneness.

For denser cakes like flourless chocolate cake, carrot cake, and red velvet cake, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the cake (avoiding the bottom of the pan) should measure: 200-205°F.

For lighter cakes like angel food cake or sponge cake, the thermometer should measure: 205-210°F.

Just be sure to avoid 212°F and beyond, since that's the temperature that water turns to steam, which means you'll start losing precious moisture fast.

Easy One Pan Creamy Baked Ravioli

This easy one-pan creamy baked ravioli dish uses store-bought Alfredo sauce and frozen ravioli for convenience and ease. It's wonderfully creamy and rich.

By Nicole McLaughlin (All Recipes website)

Published on February 14, 2025 Ingredients

• 1 (25-ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli

• 3 1/2 cups store-bought Alfredo sauce

• 1-pound Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled

• 3 cups baby spinach

• 1/2 cup chopped marinated sundried tomatoes

• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spread about 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish and arrange half of the ravioli in a single layer over the sauce.

2. Top with cooked sausage, spinach, and sundried tomatoes. Pour 1 1/2 cups of alfredo sauce over the spinach mixture. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and top with the remaining ravioli in a single layer.

3. Pour over the remaining sauce and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

4. Cover and bake for about 1 hour, uncovering during the last 15 minutes, until golden brown around the edges and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Green Velvet Cake

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1/2-pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 ounces red food coloring (Replace with GREEN for green velvet cake!)

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup melted marshmallows

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup chopped pecans

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Icing:

Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

The Beauty of Ancient Egypt

Antirhodos was a small island in the eastern harbor of Alexandria, Egypt, notable for its historical significance as the site of Cleopatra's royal palace. The island existed until 365 CE when a devastating earthquake, believed to be the most powerful in the ancient Mediterranean, caused massive destruction and triggered a tsunami that reached as far as the shores of Spain. Today, the site lies submerged under approximately five meters (16 feet) of water near the modern Alexandria seafront.

In 1996, Franck Goddio, a renowned underwater archaeologist, conducted an exploration in the harbor of Alexandria. His findings revealed the location of Antirhodos, which was situated on the opposite side of the harbor from the position described by the ancient geographer Strabo. Goddio unearthed the remains of a modest palace measuring about 90 meters by 30 meters, featuring a marble floor. This structure is believed to have been the royal quarters of Cleopatra VII Philopator, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, who reigned from 51 to 30 BCE.

The archaeological evidence suggests that the structures on Antirhodos date no later than the Ptolemaic period. This indicates that the palace may have been abandoned shortly after Cleopatra's death and Egypt's subsequent incorporation into the Roman Republic. Today, this underwater site serves as a testament to the rich history and legacy of ancient Alexandria and its legendary queen.

In the year 1918, an astonishing discovery surfaced deep within the coal mines of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania – a petrified tree stump snugly nestled within a seam of coal. This remarkable specimen dates back roughly 300 million years to the Carboniferous Period, when the land was blanketed by sprawling, swampy forests. Over countless eons, the remnants of these ancient trees and plants were buried, undergoing a magical transformation into coal, which now serves as a vital resource for us.

This fossilized tree stump, remarkably preserved, offers an incredible window into a time when Pennsylvania was not just a state, but a vibrant, green haven teeming with life. Its existence is a fascinating testament to the intricate tapestry of natural history that lies just beneath our feet, telling the story of the processes that formed the fossil fuels we rely on today.

Container Gardens

A container garden can comprise almost any plant or a combination. Discover how to create the most colorful containers for every spot in your landscape, whether you'd like to fill them with flowers, grow tasty vegetables, or experiment with larger plants like trees and shrubs.

Best Vegetables to Grow in Pots

Choose from these vegetables to grow in pots to enjoy plenty of homegrown produce even from a small space.

Beets

Broccoli

Cabbage

Cantaloupe

Green Beans

Lettuce

Peas

Pepper

Spinach

Swiss Chard

Tomatoes

From Better Homes & Gardens https://www.bhg.com/best-vegetables-to-grow-in-pots-8594136

Puzzles and Word Games you can

COMMON MEDS SMALL INCREASES

ADDERALL AMLODIPINE ATIVAN

BENZONATATE BIKTARVY CYMBALTA DUPIXENT

EMTESA FARXIGA GABAPENTIN

HUMIRA

KEYTRUDA

LEXPRO

LYRICA MELATONIN METFORMIN NALTREXONE NAPROXEN NARCAN OPDIVO

OZEMPIC PREDNISONE TRAMADOL

VIAGRA XANAX

Across 1.Carbonium, e.g.

4.Charm

9.“Gimme ___!” (start of an Iowa State cheer)

10.Trowel wielder

11.Flexible mineral

13.Believed

14.African conflict of 1899-1902

16.Not out

17.Big Apple attraction, with “the”

18.In attendance

20.Shiver from fear

22.Chill

24.Big time?

25.Wuss

27.Chemical ending

28.“The Republic” writer

29.Darling Down

1.Poets’ feet

2.Part of “the works”

3.“Good one!”

4.Morning, for short

5.Gandhi’s title

6.Conniver

7.Fa follower

8.Terminate

12.Chair part 15.___ bit 18.Companionless 19.C.I.A. director under Clinton and Bush 20.Charlie, for one 21.Page 22.Software program, briefly 23.“For Me and My ___”

26.Rocky’s greeting

The headline is a clue to the answer in the diagonal.

Heliport Wordoku

How to solve wordoku puzzles

You only need logic and patience to solve a wordoku.

Simply make sure that each 3x3 square region has only one letter from the word HELIPORT. Similarly, each letter can only appear once in a column or row

in the larger grid. The difficulty on this puzzle is medium.

TRIVIA TEASER

Looking Glass

1.What weekly radio program has been hosted by Ira Glass since 1995? a"Car Talk," b-"This American Life," c-"All Things Considered," d-"A Prairie Home Companion."

2. What broken crystal animal is offered to Jim by Laura at the end of the Tennessee Williams play "The Glass Menagerie"? a-Unicorn, b-Swan, c-Deer, d-Alligator.

3.What architect designed the glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre Museum in Paris? a-William Burgess, b-I.M. Pei, c- Eliel Saarinen, d- Benjamin Latrobe.

4.What New Wave band had a #1 hit with the song "Heart of Glass" in 1979? a-The Happenings, b-The Dolls, c-Blondie, d-Wang Chung.

5.Father Time carries an hourglass in one hand, and what object in the other hand? a-Football, b-Flute, c-Beaker, dScythe.

6.What actress is accused of being a Soviet spy in the comedy film "The GlassBottom Boat"? a-Doris Day, b-Eleanor Powell, c-Judy Garland, d-Brigitte Bardot.

7.Which of the dwarves in Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" wore glasses? a-Happy, b-Bashful, c-Doc, d-Grumpy.

8. What was the last name of the police detective played by Ron Glass on "Barney Miller"? a-Meyers, b-OíHara, c-Harris, dRiley.

9. Who recorded the 1974 top 10 song "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)"? a-John Denver, b-Engelbert Humperdinck, c-Carl Douglas, d-Leo Sayer.

10.Selenium is used in glassmaking to create glass of what color? a-Red, b-Yellow, c-Violet, d-Green.

QUOTES

Less ego, more wealth. Saving money is the gap between your ego and your income, and wealth is what you don't see. So wealth is created by suppressing what you could buy today in order to have more stuff or more options in the future.

Morgan Housel

More people can be greater leaders than they think they can, but they need a purpose greater than themselves.

William J. Clinton, 42nd president of the United States.

Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.

Frequently attributed to Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United State

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan, "Press on," has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States, from a sign on his desk.

Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error.

Andrew Jackson, 7th president of the United States

Live without pretending, Love without depending, Listen without defending, Speak without offending.

Aubrey Drake Graham (Drake), Recording artist, songwriter

If Trivial Pursuit had been designed by economists, it would have had 100 questions and 3,000 answers.

Ronald Reagan

The Lighter Side

Rice Preference

The young woman really thought she'd been very patient through a protracted period of dating with no talk of marriage.

One night her steady boyfriend took her to a Chinese restaurant. As he perused the menu, he casually asked her, "So . . . how do you like your rice? Boiled? Steamed? Or fried?"

Without missing a beat, she looked over her menu at him and replied clearly, "Thrown."

Talking Clock

While proudly showing off his new apartment to friends late one night, one wag led the way to his bedroom where there was a big brass gong.

"What's that big brass gong for?" one of the guests asked.

"Why, that's the talking clock," the man replied. "Watch", the man said, giving the gong an ear-shattering pound with a hammer.

Suddenly, someone on the other side of the wall screamed, "F'gosh sakes, you idiot, it's 2 a.m. in the morning!"

Apples

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

"Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

Answers to Looking Glass

1-b, "This American Life" 2-a, Unicorn 3-b, I.M. Pei 4-c, Blondie 5-d, Scythe 6-a, Doris Day 7-c, Doc 8-c, Harris 9-d, Leo ayer 10-a, Red

Anna Harris & Berni Baxter

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