Colorado Country Life June 2016 KC by American MainStreet Publications

Exterior Home Improvements Central Heating / Cooling Systems

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Call to schedule your FREE in-home design consultation! Offer Code: 052-472 *IMPORTANT SPECIAL FINANCING/DEFERRED INTEREST DETAILS (when offered); Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period or if you make a late payment. Minimum payments required. With credit approval, for qualifying purchases made on a Sears card (Sears Commercial One® accounts excluded) Sears Home Improvement Account (sm) valid on installed sales only. Offer is only valid for consumer accounts in good standing; is subject to change without notice; see store for details. May not be combined with any other promotional offer. Sears cards: As of 5/3/2016, APR for purchases: Variable 7.49%-27.49% or non-variable 14.00%-29.99%. Minimum interest charge: up to $2. See card agreement for details, including the APRs and fees applicable to you. Sears cards are issued by Citibank, N.A. **Applies only to ENERGY STAR® rated windows. Energy savings may vary depending on your home and windows selected. ***Ask your Sales Project Consultant about written limited warranty

details. §ENERGY STAR® estimates that ENERGY STAR® qualified cooling equipment, when properly sized and installed, can save up to 20% on your annual energy bills with a properly sealed duct system. Energy efficiency may vary depending on your home and climate. Home Improvement products not available in all areas. +See www.searshomeservices.com/shs/info/satisfaction-guarantee for Satisfaction Guarantee details. Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc. is a division of Sears Roebuck and Co. The ‘Sears Home Services’ brand logo is used with the permission of Sears, Roebuck and Co. ±The following licenses are held by or on behalf of Sears Home Improvement Products, Inc.: WI (Dwelling Contr. Cert. #15151; Dwelling Contr. Qualifier #982570; HVAC #15151); Some services performed by Sears’ associates. Other services and installation performed by Sears-Authorized licensed contractors; additional Sears license information available upon request.

VIEWPOINT 4[contents ]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

EVENTS CALENDAR

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

NEWS CLIPS

INDUSTRY

FEATURE

RECIPES

GARDENING

OUTDOORS

ENERGY TIPS

FUNNY STORIES

DISCOVERIES

JUNE 2016 Volume 47, Number 06

Facebook Post, March 30 — Ron Ruhoff photographs Pikes Peak at sunset through wind turbines that dot Colorado's eastern plains.

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INSTAGRAM PIC OF THE MONTH

Colorado Country Life Posted:

Where's your favorite place to enjoy a spring day in Colorado?

[cover] A Albertosaurus sarcophagus greets visitors at Rocky Mountain Resource Center in Woodland Park. Photographed by Mona Neeley.

You Said:

Red Rocks- Colorado Springs Tobi Steinberg Lake City @ Castle Lakes campground!!! Tina Baldwin

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor; mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, Designer; cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING: Kris Wendtland, Ad Rep; advertising@coloradocountrylife.org Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216-1731. Individual subscription rate: $9 per year for Colorado residents or $15 per year for out-of-state residents, taxes and postage included. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. © Copyright 2016, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. Subscribers: Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Advertising Standards: Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual. EDITORIAL: Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Phone: 303-455-4111 | mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org | coloradocountrylife.coop | facebook.com/COCountryLife | Twitter. com/COCountryLife | Pinterest.com/COCountryLife | YouTube.com/ COCountryLife1 Advertising: advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-902-7276 National Advertising Representative: National Country Market | 611 S. Congress Street, Suite 504 | Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181

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Colorado Country Life is giving away a Styracosaurus skull model and a kids dinosaur goodies bag full activities for kids 6-yearsold and up. Click on Contests at coloradocountrylife.coop for information on how to enter.

[viewpoint]

2016: A Successful Legislative Session BY KENT SINGER

CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

With the completion of the 2016 legislative session, we want to say "thank you" to legislators on both sides of the aisle for passing bills that aided Colorado’s electric coop members. The Colorado General Assembly adjourned for 2016 on May 11 after completing Kent Singer the latest 120-day session. And with that, our staff breathed a sigh of relief. The Colorado Rural Electric Association monitors all of the bills introduced in the legislature each year to determine whether they will have any impact on the business operations of member co-ops or their member-owners. CREA supports or opposes individual bills after discussion with and at the direction of its board of directors. Although some commentators suggested that the 2016 legislative session was a failure since the General Assembly failed to address big issues like transportation and Medicaid funding, CREA sees 2016 as a productive legislative session. As I reported in the February issue of Colorado Country Life, CREA initiated a bill relating to co-op board elections to clarify a couple of provisions in the current Colorado law. That bill, SB 16-055, revised the co-op board election statute in two ways. First, the bill made it clear that votes cast for candidates for electric co-op boards will be counted regardless of whether or not they are returned in a security envelope. Second, the bill clarified that while candidates for co-op boards are entitled to audit the results of the board elections, they are not entitled to be present when the votes are counted by third parties. This change recognized that, in some cases, co-ops use out-of-state firms to count ballots, and it’s not practical for the candidates to travel to these locations. SB 16-055 passed unanimously in both the Colorado House and the Senate and was signed by Gov. John Hickenlooper on

JUNE 2016

KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG

March 23. We are grateful for the leadership of state Sen. Kevin Grantham (R-Cañon City) and state Rep. Dominick Moreno (DAdams County) in carrying the bill and shepherding it through the Senate and House. While we thought that SB 16-055 might be the only bill we would initiate this year, about halfway through the session we became aware of another issue that required a legislative fix. Since 1980, electricity sales to residential users were exempt from Colorado state sales tax. Like many other exemptions from

the sales tax, certain basic necessities like food and electricity used in residences were exempted from the tax by the legislature. However, in a recent audit the Colorado Department of Revenue determined that one of our member co-ops should have been collecting sales taxes on the sale of electricity to any account that is not in the name of an individual. So even though the use of the electricity was for residential purposes, the state concluded that the tax applied.

Once again, we sought bipartisan support for a bill, HB 16-1457, that addressed this situation. The bill made it clear that if a coop applies its residential rate to an account, the co-op is entitled to presume that the account holder is using the property for residential purposes and therefore the co-op is not required to collect sales tax. The bill also added definitions of the terms “residence” and “residential use” to make it clear that multiunit apartments that are billed under one meter are exempt from the sales tax. These clarifications codify the practice that has been in place at the Department of Revenue for many years. HB 16-1457 also sailed through both chambers of the legislature with unanimous support, and we are grateful to the prime sponsors, state Reps. Alec Garnett (D-Denver) and Jim Wilson (R-Salida) and state Sens. Tim Neville (R-Jefferson County) and Leroy Garcia (D-Pueblo) for their work on the bill. We’re also grateful for the efforts of the whole team of co-op lawyers and lobbyists who assisted us in crafting the right language for the bill and moving it through the process. We were successful sponsoring legislation in each of the past two legislative sessions because, as an organization, we bring legitimate issues to the legislature and seek commonsense, bipartisan solutions. We appreciate the willingness of both Democrats and Republicans to hear our concerns and help us work out issues of importance to Colorado’s electric co-ops. Although some people suggest that the Colorado legislature is just as fractured and deadlocked as the United States Congress, that has not been our experience. Just remember: While a lot of important issues were not resolved this year, at least our legislature balances the books and allows open hearings on hundreds of pieces of legislation. Maybe the U.S. Congress should take a few notes.

Kent Singer, Executive Director

coloradocountrylife.coop

[letters] Baseball Banter

I especially enjoyed reading “For the Love of Baseball” by Sharon Sullivan (May ’16). I knew the Junior College World Series was big for Grand Junction and the state and appreciated all of the background. I also appreciated her writing about the Rockies farm team. Great story. My wife and I enjoy your magazine. She especially enjoys the recipes and it’s always nice to read about the employees we know. First class magazine, one you can be proud of. Paul Matlock, Pagosa Springs

Concern for the Grid

My wife and I enjoy Colorado Country Life. Thank you for [this] source for great industry information and news. I was really interested in the recent articles on the greatly increased power reliability from all providers, large and small. I completely concur with these articles. However, I have noticed an increase in news from other sources regarding our power grid resiliency in light of possible electromagnetic pulses and cyber attacks, as well as physical attacks to our electric power infrastructure. [Articles on this topic] would be of extreme interest to me (and many others I am sure) given our world events and the recent proliferation of interconnected services and technologies, along with the worldwide Internet. Jim Porter, Poudre Valley REA member

Energy Conservation

In response to the short article ("Electric Use Drops," May ’16), couldn’t part of the reason that electricity sales fell in 2015 be that people are shutting off unused lights and electric items? This has been asked of the public for years and years. Why do they not mention that possibility in the article? M. Cary via email

Send Us a Letter Send your letter to the editor to 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org. You must include your name and address to be published. Letters may be edited. coloradocountrylife.coop

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TIME TO REGISTER:

2016 PEDAL THE PLAINS

When you register: Register as a team — Pull down menu to: Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives After you register with Pedal the Plains send an email to cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org with your Touchstone Energy jersey size and let us know you are on the team.

3-DAY RACE SEPTEMBER 16-18 ORDWAY, CO FOWLER, CO LA JUNTA, CO

It is going to be a great ride — join us! 4

JUNE 2016

[calendar] [June] June 9 Durango Quilt Trunk Show

First United Methodist Church 5:30 pm • lpqgdurango.com June 10-11 Pueblo Barbed Wire and Collectibles Show Colorado State Fairgrounds’ Creative Arts Building 719-989-0201 • coloradostatefair.com June 11 Akron Charity Poker Run/Motorcycle and Car Run Washington County Event Center john2nree@gmail.com June 11-12 Buena Vista Collegiate Peaks Stampede Rodeo Rodeo Grounds buenavistacolorado.org June 11 Fort Collins Big Splash at the Water Works Water Works 10 am-3 pm • 970-221-0533 June 11 Grand Junction Pancake Day & Fun Fest Two Rivers Convention Center 7 am-2pm • kiwanis-gj.org June 11 Mancos “Gourd Ocean Drum” Workshop Artist’s Studio 10 am-4 pm • schoolofthewest.org June 11-12 Grand Lake Arts and Crafts Fair Town Square Park grandlakechamber.com June 11-12 Rye American Indian Festival Rye Home United Methodist Church 10 am • 719-676-3741 June 12 Durango Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Barn Dance and Picnic Fundraiser River Bend Ranch 5-8 pm • 512-517-5619 6

JUNE 2016

June 13 Colorado Springs Golf Tournament Colorado Springs Country Club 719-347-7638 • coccenter.org June 17-18 Calhan Summer Rummage Sale Whittemore Hall at the El Paso County Fairgrounds 8 am-3 pm lynn_anderson32@yahoo.com June 17 Durango Demonstration Garden Tour Durango Public Library 9:30 am • 970-769-3091 June 18-19 Durango Dinosaur Train™ Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad 888-872-4607 • durangotrain.com June 18 Fort Collins Tea on the Avery Lawn Avery House 10 am-1 pm • 970-221-0533 June 18 Fraser Pet Pals “Doggie Drag” Grand Park 9 am-12 pm • 970-887-2988 June 18 Holyoke Dandelion Daze Courthouse Lawn 970-854-3517 • holyokechamber.org June 18 Loveland and Surrounding Areas Garden Tour and Art Show View lakeside gardens 8 am-3 pm • 970-669-7182 June 18 Pagosa Springs Relay for Life Celebration Town Park 10 am-10 pm • 970-507-0345 June 18 Peyton Peyton Country Fair and Market Front Street 8 am-8 pm facebook.com/peytoncountryfair/

“Little Women” Musical Theater Performances

June 17-18 and 24-25, 7:30 pm, at the Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre, Trinidad Sisters Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth await your presence in a musical theater performance based on the novel Little Women. Whether you read the classic or not, this is a story your whole family will enjoy. Additional showings through September 3. For more information, call 719-846-4765 or visit scrtheatre.com. June 23 Durango “Celebrating the National Park Service in the Southwest” Opening Reception Fort Lewis College’s Center of Southwest Studies 4-6 pm • 970-247-7456 June 24-26 Estes Park Scandinavian Midsummer Festival Bond Park 303-449-9596 estesmidsummer.com

[July] July 2 Durango Durango Half Marathon Animas Valley Elementary 7:30 am durangohalfmarathon.com July 2 Granby Community Breakfast and Fly-In Grand County Airport 7-11 am • 970-531-9641

June 25 Bayfield Bayberry Jam Music Festival Eagle Park 1-7 pm • sites.google.com/site/ baammusicboosters

July 2 La Veta Spanish Peaks Music Festival LeVeta Airport on Highway 12 4 pm spanishpeaksmusicfestival.com

June 25-26 Colorado Springs and Surrounding Areas Parade of Ponds Self-guided pond and waterfall tour 9 am-5 pm • 719-896-0038

July 4 Kiowa Independence Day Celebration Elbert County Museum grounds 10 am-3 pm elbertcountymuseum.org

June 25 Dove Creek Dolores County Jr. Rodeo Series Dolores County Fairgrounds 9 am • 970-677-2283 June 25 Meeker Moto Mayhem Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds 8 am-10 pm montrosemotomayhem.com June 29-July 4 Gardner Rocky Mountain Star Stare Starry Meadows • rmss.org

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS

TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE TO: Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303455-2807; or email calendar@ coloradocountrylife.org. For more information on these activities, visit coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Community Events and discover what’s happening. coloradocountrylife.coop

K.C. ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

[Country News] Electric Co-ops and a Culture of Safety BY DAVID CHURCHWELL || GENERAL MANAGER

There is a children’s book Through the use of strategy titled Safety 1st, Safety labs across the country, FederAlways. As you can imagine, ated brought together cooperait encompasses many of the tive general managers, operation traditional safety lessons managers, safety directors and parents should teach their linemen to better understand children. We drill youngsters how each group viewed safety. In about safety from an early age doing so, differences in percepbecause we know how impor- David Churchwell tions regarding safety within tant it is to protect ourselves cooperatives were identified, aland those we care about. Let’s take a look lowing for much needed conversations and at how electric cooperatives have stepped evaluations of how to raise awareness and up to the plate when it comes to safety at improve local safety cultures. The “Speak the co-op. Up, Listen Up” program is designed to Up until 2007, there was an alarming empower anyone who sees a potentially national trend among electric co-ops, unsafe situation to speak up and encouragwhich was the fact that the number of es everyone to listen up to their concerns. “lost-time” accidents was increasing. Lost The results have been dramatic, with more time is defined as anything resulting in an than a 30 percent decline in the number employee missing time at work; these acof accidents nationwide over the past nine cidents could range from a sprained ankle years. to the ultimate tragedy of a fatality. In 2015, K.C. Electric employees worked This is why Federated Rural Electric over 53,833 hours without a lost-time acInsurance Exchange, which insures K.C. cident, and a number of these hours were Electric Association and the vast majorworked in extremely hazardous weather ity of electric co-ops nationwide, initiated conditions. K.C. Electric crews also drove a campaign called a “Culture of Safety.” over 252,000 miles without being involved It was designed to create a much greater in a vehicle accident. In April, K.C. Electric awareness about safety issues at all electric participated in the National Rural Electric co-ops. Cooperatives Association’s Rural Electric

Safety Achievement program by allowing a team of four safety professionals to conduct an unannounced multi-day inspection of our facilities, equipment, work practices and safety program. Although K.C. Electric did well on this inspection, we continually strive to ensure the safety of our employees and our consumers, and this inspection helped us to identify areas where we can improve. As a member, you too have a role. If you see any potential dangerous situations or practices, you should report them as soon as possible to K.C. Electric. The implementation and success of the Culture of Safety program demonstrates an extremely important point. If we are intentional about our actions, we can indeed change the culture in our organizations. The same is true for our families, our teams and any groups we may belong to. We also know that living our cooperative principles and values is equally important. We have the best business model because it puts you, the member-owner, at the center of our efforts. We look forward to being your safe electricity provider and energy advisor long into the future. (Edna Fross 1101560000)

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL Teach children to never play around pad-mounted transformers, solar panels, wind turbines or electrical substations. If a ball or other toy goes over a substation fence, call your utility for help. (Ruby Gibbs 1110220001)

coloradocountrylife.coop

JUNE 2016

[Country News] K.C. Electric Bids Farewell to Ben Orrell BY DEE ANN BLEVINS

Member Services Manager Ben Orrell has worked for K.C. since 2007, a mere nine years in K.C. Electric Association’s 70-year history. He will retire on July 31, 2016, having made a big impact. As member services manager, Ben connected with many members, helping with rebates for energyefficient products, teaching electrical safety to youngsters, promoting scholarships and educational trips, helping members understand high-bill issues, managing the Annual Meeting and sharing stories in Colorado Country Life magazine. Member services is not everyone’s career choice, but then, this is not his only career. Ben’s own story is an interesting backdrop that continues to bring color and life to all of his pursuits. Raised in Hugo, Ben graduated from Hugo High School and attended what was then Colorado State College in Greeley. He joined the Air Force ROTC and became a second lieutenant upon graduation. At Williams Air Force Base in Arizona, Ben received pilot training. He was involved in transport missions for a year, with the bulk of those missions in and out of Vietnam. He then served as a rescue helicopter pilot, picking up fighter pilots and other crew members who were shot down. Ben flew rescue missions in North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Later, Ben became a flight instructor, as well as a graduate of Texas Tech with a Masters of Arts in mass communications. He was then assigned to Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico for three years and served as the public information officer. Following that assignment he became a squadron commander for a fixed and rotor wing rescue unit. Next, he was assigned to Hurlburt Field, Florida, which is a special operations wing. Ben also participated in the removal of Manuel Noriega from power in Panama. Shortly after that he deployed with his unit to Saudi Arabia for Desert Storm in 1991. His unit had the honor of starting the war by flying in and destroying the Iraqi radar so the fighters and bombers could go through

JUNE 2016

undetected. He also participated in the capture of the Kuwait airport from the Iraqi soldiers and then the retaking of the American Embassy. Ben went on to Germany as the vice commander of the 39th Special Operations Wing and moved on to England as the wing commander. His final military assignment was as a professor at the National War College in Washington, D.C. During his 30-year career, Ben was in more than 30 countries. After all that traveling, Ben wanted to come back to Hugo and be a rancher. He worked at the First National Bank of Hugo as the Limon branch manager and loan officer before coming to K.C. Electric, where he brought his unique personality and diverse skills to

the position in member services. Ben has a strong sense of family and a strong sense of community that was instilled in him as a child. He learned a strong work ethic delivering newspapers on his bicycle and working as a printer’s devil in the newspaper business as a teen. He learned about responsibility while working as a lifeguard in the summertime. Always focused on improving the community, Ben was involved as a past president of the Hugo Improvement Partnership and currently heads the Hugo Economic Development Group. His support was seen and felt in restoring the Hugo Union Pacific Roundhouse and in obtaining “The Partners,” a bronze statue on Main Street depicting the area’s agricultural heritage, among other projects. Ben

is an active member of the Hugo United Methodist Church and serves on the administrative council. Ben’s narrative flows on, completing his latest chapter at K.C. Electric Association. He continues to build on previous chapters, moving forward with his roots deeply planted in rural life. His nine years at K.C. Electric were productive and valuable, not only for him, but also for his fellow K.C. members and co-workers. Already his life makes for amazing reading. He is comfortable and efficient behind any wheel and in any role, ensuring the job is done well. Ben is a team leader and accomplishments are day-to-day events. He has his moments of frustration. Those moments may serve as catalysts for future projects. He may vent about something, and then he says, “OK, I’m over it,” and moves on. He has the ability to make a difference with passion. Ben is not a mediocre fence-rider. He has opinions and he walks the talk. Where will he go after he retires? His first trip is a cruise to Europe with his wife of 50 years. He and Linda earned this vacation. That may be a challenge for a man who doesn’t goof off much or for long. When he returns, there may be future community projects, but definitely there will be more time to devote to country living, building fence and caring for his livestock — and finally, chores can be done in daylight after retirement. Ben hopes to have more time to spend with his five grandchildren. He also hopes to have more freedom to create each day in his own way. Many folks have heard Ben say, “You’re a great American” when they did a favor for him or just a good deed. It is a certainty that Ben Orrell won’t be merely observing what happens in his community; he won’t be complaining either. This man is involved in living and making his world a better place. K.C. Electric wishes him the best, because he truly is a great American! (WIN Orin Jacobson 1103420001)

coloradocountrylife.coop

[Country News]

Adding a new building to your farm?

BIRDS ON A WIRE Why don’t they get electrocuted?

W Plan ahead for safety! We care about the safety of you, your family and farm workers. That’s why we urge you to call us before you break ground on a new grain bin, barn, or other building. Building a structure too close to overhead power lines can create an electric shock danger during and after construction.

power line clearances for your addition.

coloradocountrylife.coop

While it is safe for a bird to sit on an overhead power line, it is not safe for people to be near overhead power lines. So how can birds sit on a power line unharmed? Safe Electricity reveals insights into the “bird on a wire” phenomenon and separates fact from fiction. In order for an electrical charge, or electrons, to move from one spot to another, it must be in contact (or sometimes close proximity) with conductive material that has at least two different points of potential. Electrons will move toward lower potential. That is why it is said that electricity is always looking for a path to ground (lower potential). A bird remains safe because it is sitting on a single wire and is at one point of contact, and consequently one electrical potential. If the bird sitting on this one potential was to also make contact with another object of different potential, that bird would be completing a path to ground, causing severe electric shock or electrocution. For larger birds with wider wingspans, reaching and touching another cable is a real hazard.

JUNE 2016

[Country News] THE COUNTRY KITCHEN

CHUCK WAGON MAC 1 package Kraft Macaroni and Cheese dinner 1 pound ground beef ½ cup sliced celery ¼ cup chopped green pepper 2 tablespoons chopped onion 1 pound can whole kernel corn, drained 1 6-ounce can tomato paste ½ cup water 1 tablespoon beef bouillon 1 teaspoon salt dash pepper Prepare Kraft dinner as directed on box. In a skillet, brown meat, celery, green pepper and onion. Stir in corn, tomato paste, water and beef bouillon. Add to pot of mac and cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a 2-quart casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serves 6 people. (David Long 937300006) Joyce Colvin, Kit Carson

BEEFY CORN AND BLACK BEAN CHILI 1 pound ground beef 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 package of frozen corn 1 can black beans (drained) 1 can beef broth 1 can diced tomatoes Brown meat and add chili powder. Drain meat and add 1 package frozen corn, black beans, broth and tomatoes. Bring to boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serves 6 people. (Dan Knudsen 434800009) Ida Mae Davis, Kit Carson 10

JUNE 2016

STATEMENT OF NONDISCRIMINATION K.C. Electric Association is the recipient of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, veteran status and any other status protected by law, reprisal or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). This association is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust. html, or at any USDA office, or call 866-632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter by mail to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax 202-690-7442 or by email to program.intake@usda.gov.

CLAIM YOUR CREDIT ON YOUR BILL Each month, K.C. Electric offers consumers a chance to earn a $10 credit on their next electric bill. If you recognize your 10-digit account number in this magazine, call 719-743-2431 and ask for your credit. It couldn’t be easier. In April, Larry Easton of Arriba and Victor Bergquist of Cheyenne Wells called to claim their credit and Steve Miller of Vona called to win a prize. Get acquainted with your account number, read your Colorado Country Life magazine and pick up the phone. That’s all the energy you’ll need to claim your energy bucks. You must claim your credit during the month in which your name appears in the magazine (check the date on the front cover).

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[news clips] Co-op Communicators Win National Awards Seven national awards came home to Colorado after a recent national electric co-op communications conference. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association took the top prize, winning the 2016 Edgar F. Chesnutt Award for best total communication program for its “Power” campaign. The star of this program is the familiar “Power” robot-like guy that has made appearances at electric co-ops and coop events around Colorado this past year, as well as appearing in Tri-State advertising in Colorado Country Life. Power was designed to give Tri-State’s member co-ops a way to draw attention to how electricity (power) fuels communities that depend on electric co-ops. Tri-State also won a Gold Award for its communication program, as well as Gold Awards for best graphic design, best wild card and best special publication. Mountain View Electric Association, headquartered in Limon, won a Silver Award for best column and Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association, headquartered in Fort Collins, won a Silver Award for best individual ad.

Grand Valley Power board Vice President Rod Martinez presents the Palisade High Schools team with its Matchwits trophy.

Co-ops Sponsor Final West Slope Matchwits Battle Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives congratulate Palisade High School, the 2016 Matchwits champions. The final quiz of the Sunday evening show on Rocky Mountain PBS was between Grand Junction High School and Palisade High School, with the Palisade Bulldogs coming out the victors. The electric co-ops helped sponsor Matchwits, which is open to all high schools throughout the state, for the past three seasons. The on-air knowledge tournament

includes four rounds of competition with three of those rounds including toss-up questions for individuals and a speed round in which the team must answer as many questions as possible. Questions cover English, history, geography, science, math, current events and other topics. The individual rounds for the 16 final teams run from January through April on Rocky Mountain PBS. Look back at those individual rounds at http://video.rmpbs.org/ show/matchwits.

Pedal the Plains Moves South Get ready to ride! A new, more southern route was selected for the September 16-18 Pedal the Plains bicycle tour of Colorado’s eastern plains. Over the three days, riders will go from Ordway to Fowler to La Junta and back to Ordway. Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives will again be among the sponsors for the event and will sponsor the co-ops’ “Powering the Plains” bike team, which will raise money for Energy Outreach Colorado. The new route was announced at an April 27 press conference at the Capitol. After the ride being in northeastern Colorado for the last two years, a more southern ride through the Arkansas River Valley was selected for 2016. The local communities are preparing for the expected 1,000 bicyclists riding in Pedal the Plains. Readers and co-ops employees and members are invited to join the electric co-op bike team. Register as a team member at pedaltheplains.com.More information is also available at www.poweringtheplains.coop or by contacting cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org. 12

JUNE 2016

coloradocountrylife.coop

[ news clips] Colorado Co-op Reps Visit Capitol Hill About 50 directors, managers and staff members from Colorado’s electric cooperatives joined 1,500 other co-ops representatives to carry the co-op message to Washington, D.C., May 1-3. The three-day conference, hosted by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, included a series of forums on subjects such as the co-ops’ community storage initiative, drones and their use by electric co-ops, and the Clean Power Plan and what to do following its stay by the U.S. Supreme Court. Both houses of Congress were in recess during the conference, so there was time to meet with congressional staff members, who provide background information and context for the elected officials on issues such as energy. Colorado’s co-op representatives met with energy staff members from the offices of U.S. Sen.Michael Bennet (D) and U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R). The group also conducted a session with staff members from Colorado’s seven U.S. House district offices. Issues brought to the attention of the legislators were: the need for rural broadband; regulations on pole attachments; the geothermal tax credit; support for final coal ash regulations that regulate coal combustion residuals as nonhazardous; support for Federal Emergency Management Agency reauthorization that also helps cut the red tape within the agency; and support for federal land management policies that will help co-ops manage vegetation in rights-ofway through federal lands.

CO-OPS SEND YOUTH TO WASHINGTON This month, nearly 1,700 students from America’s electric cooperatives. electric cooperatives across the counAll of these students on Youth Tour try, including 29 from Colorado, are are leaders back home in their schools converging on our nation’s capital for and communities. These are top students youthwho tour the annual Electric Co-op Youth Tour. are involved in a variety of extraColorado students will spend June 9-16 curricular activities including sports, visiting monuments school clubs, church and museums, meetgroups and commuing the state’s U.S. nity groups. They were senators and represenselected by their local tatives, and learning electric co-op for this about leadership and trip with the belief that the cooperative busiit will open their eyes ness model. They will to even more possibilialso be forging lifeties as they learn about long friendships with electric co-ops and fellow Youth Tour about their govern2016 Washington, D.C. Youth Tour participants from farment, up close and away places who were personal. strangers just a few days before. “Every kid on Youth Tour has big Each of the 44 states that participate in aspirations,” said one Youth Tour particithis program will also select one mempant. Going to Washington, D.C., further ber of their delegation to represent that inspires these young participants, showing state on the Youth Leadership Council. them new possibilities for their future and Members of the council come back to helping them believe that they can make Washington, D.C., for additional leadera difference. That is why the local electric ship development experiences, serve as co-ops, in cooperation with the Colorado youth ambassadors at events hosted by Rural Electric Association, cover the their state’s electric co-ops and represent expenses of this program each year. their states at the annual meeting of

D.C. Peeps

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Deer Trail Ranch Wins Leopold Keven and Sani Turecek of the Stacked Lazy 3 Ranch outside Deer Trail were selected as the recipients of the 2016 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award, co-sponsored by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, the power supplier for 18 of Colorado’s 22 electric co-ops. The award, named for renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. It aims to inspire landowners and provides a visible way to recognize farmers, ranchers and private landowners as conservation leaders. The Stacked Lazy 3 Ranch runs a commercial cow-calf herd as well as harvesting dryland crops. The Tureceks converted hundreds of acres of marginal farmland back to native grass pastures, installing over 50,000 feet of terraces and planting thousands of trees. “Tri-State and its member cooperatives are proud to support the Leopold Conservation Award,” said Tri-State CEO Mike McInnes. “The award’s recognition of environmental stewardship in protecting our rural landscapes reflects the strong conservation ethic of rural communities and their electric cooperatives.” 4

JUNE 2016

[industry]

Solar Energy Heats Up

Electric co-ops guide consumers through the promise of power from the sun BY PAUL WESSLUND

Solar energy is really heating up. Use of photovoltaic cells to make electricity grew 30 percent each of the last two years. Experts expect that pace to continue because of falling prices for solar equipment and December’s three-year extension of federal tax credits for solar energy. As with any new and booming technology, solar brings promise and problems. On the upside, making electricity from sunlight would seem to solve the need for energy. But the sun doesn’t shine all the time we want power, the equipment can be expensive and the nation’s electricity transmission system was not designed for the widespread use of solar energy. “We’ve seen very quick growth already,” says Andrew Cotter, program and product manager for renewable and distributed generation at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. “And we’re going to see more of it.” Electric co-ops are among the leaders in testing how community solar technology will work in the real world. “The consumer-owned cooperative 14

JUNE 2016

business model is promoting the growth of solar,” says Tracy Warren, senior communications manager at NRECA. “Co-ops are getting involved in solar energy because their members are asking them about it.” The country will need more solar. U.S. energy experts say we will not be able to meet national energy goals — achieving energy independence and meeting new requirements connected to the government’s Clean Power Plan — unless we increase our solar energy capacity. Now before you start thinking that solar power is taking over, you should know that the huge growth in solar energy starts from a small number; even with the explosion of the past few years, solar energy still generates less than 1 percent of the nation’s electricity. It will take many years of equally strong growth to even get near the portions of electricity generated nationally by wind and other nonsolar renewable energy (6 percent), hydroelectric power (6 percent), nuclear (19 percent) or coal and natural gas (about 33 percent each). The basic way that solar energy works

is that when light hits certain speciallydesigned materials, it releases electrons from the material’s atoms, and electricity is really nothing more than flowing electrons. When these materials are manufactured into photovoltaic cells and connected, they can produce enough electricity to power a calculator, a lightbulb, a house or even several houses. The recent growth of solar is happening in three different ways. One is utility-scale solar — large banks of photovoltaic panels that produce enough electricity for thousands of homes or businesses. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which supplies electricity to 18 of Colorado’s 22 electric co-ops, buys power from the 30-megawatt Cimarron Solar Facility for its members. When it was built, it was the largest facility of its kind. A second growth area is community solar. United Power, an electric co-op in Brighton, pioneered this concept back in 2009 when it built a solar power facility. Interested United Power members bought a share of the electricity the solar farm produced. Now 13 coloradocountrylife.coop

[ industry] of the state’s 22 electric co-ops have similar community solar facilities and more co-ops will be adding them in the near future. The third solar category goes by the fancy term “distributed generation.” That just means that the nature of solar cells can be made in lots of different sizes that can be distributed to make electricity from a lot of different places, from a little cell that powers a handheld calculator to a panel the size of a tabletop that could operate a remote water well on a cattle ranch, without the expense of building a long-distance power line. Rooftop solar is an increasingly popular kind of distributed generation that allows homeowners to set up a bank of solar cells on their rooftops. Rooftop solar raises some of the trickiest issues for this developing source of electricity. One of those issues comes from home solar energy owners selling excess electricity back to the utility. Designing those reverse rates can be complicated, since they need to account for a lot of factors, including the homeowner’s need for electricity all the time, not just when the solar panels are working. Other technical issues include safety. Lineworkers repairing what they expect is a de-energized line can’t afford to be surprised by home solar panels suddenly sending electricity back through the wires. “There is a whole new set of safety protocols and best practices that are being developed,” Cotter says. “When home solar generation becomes part of the electric grid, it is plugging into what has been called the most complex machine in the world.” Another area of caution involves the cost and financing. The popularity of rooftop solar created an industry of vendors making a variety of claims in their sales pitches. Cotter advises people to be smart shoppers, read the fine print and get advice from your local electric co-op. He especially advises asking whether the homeowner or the vendor is getting the benefits of the renewcoloradocountrylife.coop

able energy credits known as RECs. “Electricity is a commodity; it is all the same whether it comes from a photovoltaic system or a power plant," Cotter says. The RECs are the renewable attributes of that electricity, and if you are not able to keep them, then the power is not ‘green’ and is exactly the same as what you are normally purchasing, even if you have a photovoltaic system on your roof.” Cotter also says some of the claims for how soon the solar project will pay for

itself are based on unrealistic projections of how much electric rates will increase in the future. “Keep an eye out for any claims higher than 2 to 3 percent per year,” Cotter says. “Every utility is different, and members interested in solar energy for their home should look to their local electric co-op as the first source of trusted information.” Paul Wesslund writes on cooperative issues for the nation's cooperative.

SOLAR CONSIDERATIONS Solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology is heating up on the consumer market. If you are considering solar panels for your roof, or if you want to know more about residential solar, here are three important factors to consider. TAX CREDITS—Ask questions and read the fine print. Federal solar energy tax credits are available. Check to see how they apply to your plans. If you’re working with a contractor to install solar panels, make sure you know who gets to take advantage of those credits—you or the contractor. PAYBACK—Work with your local electric co-op to find out how long it will take for the solar savings to pay for your up-front investment. Be aware that some solar energy contractors base their payback claims on unrealistically high predictions of future electricity rate increases. Special electric rates may apply in the case of a residential solar energy system, so be sure to talk to your electric co-op first. SAFETY—Make sure your electric co-op is aware of your solar energy system, especially if the system is connected to local power lines in any way.

Most importantly, check with your local electric co-op before taking any major step toward installing solar energy at your house. 4

JUNE 2016

A GIG YOU CAN DIG BY AMY HIGGINS

Step into the world of prehistoric beasts

West of Colorado Springs, nestled among vacation destinations along Highway 24, is an unexpected discovery: a dinosaur wonderland. Colorful, life-sized dinosaur statues welcome visitors to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, a low brick building in downtown Woodland Park. Even with the Daspletosaurus and the Styracosaurus beckoning dinosaur fans off the main road, these two prehistoric animals are only a hint of the treasure trove of dinosaurs and sea creatures that inhabit this unlikely museum. Inside, the main space is filled with amazing skeletons of a Pachycephalosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Anzu wyliei and Edmontosaurus annectens, all dinosaurs that once walked what is now the Midwestern and Western United States. Another room is filled with ancient sea creatures that swam the great ocean that covered what is now the Midwest. Some of these skeletons were built from the actual fossilized bones of these creatures. Others are molds cast from actual fossilized bones. That process of finding the remains of a dinosaur and replicating it is the truly unique and exciting behind-the-scenes part of this Colorado business.

JUNE 2016

Finding Fossils Triebold Paleontology, Inc., was founded by Mike Triebold in 1989. TPI specializes in unearthing, restoring, replicating and selling fossils, which now appear in museums all over the globe. Mike’s team of talented paleontologists unearth those fossils at ranches throughout the Midwest. Paleontologists Triebold, Anthony Maltese and Jacob Jett scout areas around these ranches and uncover fossils of all shapes and sizes. “We know what kind of animals lived in the outcrops that are on (these) ranches,” Triebold explains. “So, I will go to a rancher and explain what I want to do and how it works. We discuss what we will be doing, how we do it, how they benefit. All my ranchers receive a royalty. If they’re interested and they want us to do it, then we sign the license and go to work.” Often, they can guesstimate promising areas that may reveal fossils based on rainfall activity and erosion. “If you’re in a drought, not much happens. If you got normal rainfall, it’s predictable. If you have really heavy rainfall, things can change dramatically from one year to the next,” Triebold explains. The heavier the rainfall, the more erosion will take place, revealing fossils unseen in 65 million years or more. “We usually only spend a short amount of time at each ranch each summer and walk through the outcrops,” Triebold says. “It’s not a matter of if we find something, it’s a matter of when because we know we’re going to find things.” In 2006, the team discovered a Daspletosaurus, a type of tyrannosaur smaller in stature than the T-rex and with longer arms. More than 80 percent of the dinosaur was recovered from that dig, which is extraordinary in the paleontological world. “Usually skeletons are not complete; sometimes individual bones are missing little pieces,” Jett says. “So, we have to restore them, because if we mold and cast them into a skeleton and they’re missing a chunk, it’s really obvious to even your casual observer. The average 5-year-old can tell that something’s up.” The TPI crew worked intently to create a cast of the Daspletosaurus, which they nicknamed Pete. (The TPI staff found it is easier to nickname fossils than to continue to call them by their scientific name or a catalog number.) The cast of Pete will be finished in the coming weeks and will then find its home at the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience in Cañon City. (Read about this new dinosaur museum in the Discoveries section on page 30). But as the crew works, it becomes clear that Pete’s identity is more of an anomaly than the team originally thought. coloradocountrylife.coop

“As we’ve been working in the lab, we’re finding it’s more unusual than we first thought. [Daspletosaurs are] not well-known. This was number eight or nine that has ever been found, as opposed to the T-rex, which there are more than 50 out there,” Jett says. “And as we’re getting into this one, there’s going to be a lot of science done on this particular specimen. I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a new species out of it.” Maltese adds, “It happens all the time, though, with stuff we've dug up. We just described two or three new species of fish about a month ago.” “Described” is a scientific explanation of a specimen used among scientists. Describing a species is important in this line of work because it is used as a type of reference tool for future finds. “If somebody else finds another skeleton or animal with those features on its skull, those will be classified as that species because they’ll refer back to the first one that was found,” Maltese says. Jett adds, “It’s also how you know if it’s something different as well. If somebody else comes along and finds another fish head and it differs in substantial ways, they know that it’s not the same thing.” TPI finds fossils in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Kansas. TPI has explored some of the ranches for nearly 30 years. Why not Colorado? “It’s not because I don’t want to,” Triebold says. “Basically what’s happened is, they keep us really busy. But, if a rancher from Colorado wanted us to scout their land for them for fossils, I’d be happy to do that.” An All-Star Casting Crew Pete is just one of the projects under way in the TPI lab, just beyond the viewing windows in the museum. At one end of the building in the paleo lab, Catrina Callahan and April Patton work meticulously on a Hell Creek Pterosaur, a pint-sized dinosaur with a wingspan of approximately 4.2 feet that was discovered in 2010. Callahan and Patton mold the Pterosaur to the company’s high standards, using metal to keep the parts in shape. Bedecked in her powder blue gloves, Callahan carefully “flips the mold” of the Pterosaur to finish the already completed side. Amid their work on the Pterosaur, the two are also meeting a deadline to finish pieces for Pete. Molds of the fossils were created soon after the removal of the Daspletosaurus from the site, but since October 2015 the crew has concentrated on completing the rest of the dinosaur. “It’s fun working here,” Patton says. “You get lots of gratification from this job.” Moving down the hallway to the casting lab, Caleb Lewis is busy making repairs on a latex mold of a Brachiosaurus. “Remember the first ‘Jurassic Park’ movie where there’s a huge dinosaur there and Sam Neill falls down crying? That’s what this is,”

“… as we’re getting into this one, there’s going to be a lot of science done on this particular specimen. I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a new species out of it.”

— paleontologist Jacob Jett

coloradocountrylife.coop

(At top) Caleb Lewis makes repairs on a Brachiosaurus mold. (Bottom left) Mike Triebold searches for fossils on a dig. (Bottom right) David Livingston welds segments of a Brontosaurus.

Lewis says. “Kind of makes Apatosaurus look like a pipsqueak.” Looking back at his work, he notes, “This is a latex mold and sometimes they’ll get tears and you have to repair it. I’m just trying to stuff latex in there and make it OK again.” TPI uses a laser scanner, mirror imaging and 3-D printing to recreate the missing features of its dinosaurs. TPI also uses scanning and prototyping to create 1/18th-scale copies of full-size dinosaurs to sell in the museum’s gift shop. As you approach the assembly area, sparks fly as David Livingston welds segments of a Brontosaurus. Maltese and Jett work on Pete’s metatarsal as it dangles from the ceiling. Several other men on the crew are loading a big order onto a big rig. And at the north wall of the lab, a silver-haired gentleman peeks through a public viewing window from inside the museum.

DASPLETOSAURUS “PETE” Still not done In progress/molded JUNE 2016

A full Xiphactinus audax hangs from the museum ceiling.

Mike Treibold shows off a rare Thescelosaur skull.

An average size Conchoraptor gracillis is on display in the museum

For Your Viewing Pleasure Visitors on the museum side of the facility are greeted by prehistoric fish suspended from the rafters and on floor displays. A massive fossilized Xiphactinus fish, nicknamed Mildred, covers virtually the entire wall where it is displayed. “I’m actually one of the people who helped dig this up,” says Stephen Woolf, a visitor experience guide. “Mildred is a record holder. Normally they’re 9 to 11 feet, maybe 13 feet. Mildred is the record holder at 18 and a half feet.” Woolf ’s knowledge of the surrounding fossils is vast and his animated gestures and facial expressions along with the inflection of his voice are captivating. He spiritedly explains how scientists believe what was once Pangea, a supercontinent, split and formed new land masses and what the climates were like. “It was very, very much like a rain forest in lots of parts of the world with some really, really big herbivores. Long necks in general thrived very much at this time,” Woolf explains, adding, “This is a time period Colorado is really famous for. We have something called the Morrison Formation. It’s a Jurassic layer that’s thick with these animals.” It takes about an hour for a guided tour through the museum. Consisting mostly of three rooms, the museum is small in size, but

the fossil collection is immense. “We’re, at the moment, the largest dinosaur museum in the entire state, but we’re still not as big [in area] as those museums,” Woolf says. “We actually have close to the same amount of skeletons on display as the Smithsonian does.” Woolf guides guests through myriad displays, answering questions from eager dinosaur enthusiasts along the way. While every skeleton on display is fascinating, there are a few that have particularly interesting stories. For example, a Pachycephalosaurus, which the museum proudly displays, is a prized discovery by Triebold. Triebold is currently the only person to discover both the skull and body of this species. Also, in 2012, TPI discovered a new species of Ceratopsian when crews assembled a new find. “Originally we thought it was something called an Avaceratops until it was put together. [Then] we thought, that’s not an Avaceratops at all,” Woolf says. Part of a group called Centrosaurines, this fossil, nicknamed Ava, has some peculiar features that are uncharacteristic of this group. “Usually Centrosaurines are all nose and very little brow horns to speak of. She’s the opposite. Not only that, they’re curving in,” Woolf says.

MORE COLORADO DINOSAUR EXPERIENCES

low the trail south about a quarter mile. dinoridge.org/tritrail.html

Dinosaur Ridge — Morrison The Discovery Center features Jurassic dinosaur bones, such as Stegosaurus and Apatosaurus. Enjoy hands-on Dinosaurs for kids, including the Backyard Bones Dinosaur Dig, the Cretaceous Crossroads Dinosaur Track Site, and other activities. C-470 and Alameda Pkwy; dinoridge.org. Denver Museum of Nature and Science — Denver Dinosaur highlights include the Prehistoric Journey exhibit and Dinosaur Gulch in the Discovery Zone. 2001 Colorado Blvd.; tinyurl. com/PrehistoricJourney. Triceratops Trail at Parfet Prehistoric Reserve — Golden This half-mile hiking trail is full of trace fossils. To get to the trail, park in the lot west of the Ford dealership on 19th Street, just east of U.S. Highway 6 in Golden, then take the bike path west and fol18

JUNE 2016

Picketwire Canyonlands — south of La Junta The nation’s largest collection of fossilized dinosaur footprints. Visit Comanche National Grassland Visitors Center for info. tinyurl.com/PicketwireTracks. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument — near Cripple Creek Find enormous petrified redwoods and detailed fossils of ancient insects and plants. Located south of Hwy. 24; nps.gov/flfo Garden Park Fossil Area — Cañon City Owned by the BLM, this natural research area and site of fossil discoveries for nearly 130 years. North of Cañon City; tinyurl.com/GPFossils. Dinosaur Diamond Scenic and Historic Byway — Plan a Colorado road trip along the byway to see multiple dinosaur attractions in one journey. tinyurl.com/DinoByway.

LOOKING FOR MORE DINOSAUR FUN? TURN TO PAGE 30.

coloradocountrylife.coop

Stephen Woolf leads a group of curious fossil fans through the museum's exhibits.

An Albertosaurus sarcophagus is part of the main room's display.

A Passionate Profession Regardless of who you talk to at the museum or TPI, there seems to be a common theme: job satisfaction. Not everyone who dreams of working with dinosaurs actually sees it come to fruition. Jett and Maltese are so passionate about their jobs that they decided to share interesting and fun aspects with the world on a YouTube channel called “Dinosaur Nerds.” The compilation of videos featured on their page shares information on how to collect data on a dinosaur dig, how TPI uses 3-D printing, what makes Ava the Ceratopsian so special and more. Check it out at dinosaurnerds.com. “I’m very fortunate because a lot of my friends in the sciences work in nut factories. Literally a nut factory, and [that friend] has his doctorate in chemistry, so I’m very fortunate to work in something I care about,” Woolf says. “I get to talk about dinosaurs all day.” What’s not to love? Working with artifacts of magnificent creatures that lived eons ago is a gig you can dig.

HOURS OPEN YEAR-ROUND, 7 DAYS A WEEK Monday-Saturday: 9 am to 6 pm Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm Center will be CLOSED on the following holidays: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day

Amy Higgins is a freelance writer from Centennial. With a fifth-grade son, dinosaurs are an intriguing subject in her household. They plan to visit several dinosaur museums in Colorado this summer.

* The center offers a military discount of $1 off all above General Admission with current military ID.

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Plan a visit to the ROCKY MOUNTAIN DINOSAUR RESOURCE CENTER

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JUNE 2016

[recipes]

Give Them Something to Talk About Stir up something sensational for your guests BY AMY HIGGINS Season’s Greetings June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, and there are countless options available at your local grocery store or farmers market. When brainstorming side dishes, keep seasonal produce in mind. In Colorado, squash, potatoes, tomatoes and strawberries are good choices this month.

TIP

Set the Tone Before your guests arrive, be sure they’re aware of the mood you want to create. Is it casual and lively? Low-key or formal? Your guests will appreciate the insight. 20

JUNE 2016

RECIPES@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

Dreaming up a delicious main dish for friends and family is simple in comparison to side dishes. Runof-the-mill go-tos are potato, macaroni or egg salads. Those options are dandy and delicious, but why not mix it up with a dish that’s worthy of applause? We found some tasty side dishes that are far from garden variety. Give them a whirl and ready yourself to take a bow at your next get-together.

Blended Chili and Macaroni 1/2 pound mushrooms 1 pound lean ground beef 1 package chili seasoning 1 can (14 ounces) beef broth 1 can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 1 cup medium salsa 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked cheddar cheese, to taste sour cream, to taste cilantro, to taste In food processor with metal blade, pulse mushrooms until finely chopped. In large saucepan, brown meat and mushrooms with chili seasoning. In another saucepan, mix broth, kidney beans, tomato paste, salsa and macaroni. Bring mixture to boil and cover. Simmer on low 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When noodles are al dente, stir in browned meat and mushrooms. Serve topped with cheese, sour cream and cilantro. Source: Mushroom Council

Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Tater Topped Casserole 1 package (16 ounces) frozen broccoli florets, thawed 1 package (16 ounces) frozen cauliflower florets, thawed 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup chopped onion 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 1 1/4 cups milk 4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, cubed 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 pound frozen fried potato tots Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut up any large broccoli and cauliflower florets into bite-size pieces. Set aside. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, Italian seasoning, garlic salt and pepper. Add milk; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese and Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Mix in broccoli and cauliflower; toss gently to coat. Spoon into a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese and top with potato tots. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until heated through and potato tots are golden brown and crispy. Source: McCormick Spice

For more tasty side dish recipes, visit coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Recipes. coloradocountrylife.coop

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[gardening] SALVIA

DIANTHUS

HIGH-COUNTRY GARDENING

Tips on how to make this challenge a success BY VICKI SPENCER

MASTER GARDENER

When I moved to Gunnison, fellow gardeners warned me of the difficulty of producing a decent crop of tomatoes above 7,000 feet, so I dipped my toes in gradually, rather than plunging in full force. The first year, I planted golden sweet tomatoes and grape tomatoes, with a shorter growing season. I also planted zucchini because it seems to grow anywhere. My crop was small, but gave me the track record I needed to expand my vegetable garden in subsequent years to include potatoes, garlic, onions, beans and peas. However, early season plants are at risk if you don’t monitor the weather vigilantly. One summer, my tomato plants were covered with fruit and I lost them all when I went to Denver for the weekend and failed to check the forecast. Flowers are less challenging at high altitudes, especially if you focus on native plants. Salvia is one of my favorites. The flowers come in many varieties, and their aroma makes them resistant to deer. The deep blue of the award-winning Salvia sylvestris Blue Hill in my yard is not only brilliant to my eye, but also attracts pollinators, which are always welcome. The Blue Hill blooms all summer and thrives well in Colorado’s clay soil. Companion plants like Oriental poppies, daisies and dianthus really make the garden “pop.” 22

JUNE 2016

GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG What I love about dianthuses is that they come in a variety of colors (red, white and pink) and bloom all summer. I plant them in clusters, arranged by color and scatter around the garden borders. There are differing opinions as to whether you need to deadhead (remove spent blooms) from dianthuses, but I do. Some may find deadheading to be a tedious task, but I think it is a relaxing activity after spending the entire day in the office. To deadhead, you just pinch off the flower under its base. This leaves stems that stick up, so if I have more time, I will get my pruning shears and cut the stem just above the next leaf. You can try saving the blooms for the seeds for the following year, but I just let mine fall into the soil. If they self-seed, all the better. I have a strong preference for native plants because they make sense in Colorado where water is scarce and we are constantly reminded to be water wise. I am also drawn to perennials because they will fill in empty spaces over time, reduce the need to weed and save lots of money. Nonetheless, each year I maintain a modest gardening budget that allows me to experiment with new plants and fill in winterkill with colorful annuals. Pansies and snapdragons are good choices because they can handle cold

temperatures. Cosmos and alyssum also work well once the weather settles down in the summer. Flowering kale and cabbage make great filler and provide color well into the fall.

More Online

If you want to explore new high-altitude plants, I suggest going to the High Country Gardens website: highcountrygardens.com. The “Plant Finder” page suggests plants according to hardiness, ease-of-care and beauty. Read previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Gardening.

CORRECTION In May’s column on pollinators, writer Vicki Spencer mentioned pasqueflowers as being in her garden that attracts bees. Auto correct changed pasqueflowers to pascal flowers and we did not catch the switch during proofing. Our apologies for the resulting confusion. coloradocountrylife.coop

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JUNE 2016

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[outdoors]

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If you haven’t already done so, call a professional to schedule maintenance on your air conditioner. Your A/C unit will run more efficiently and effectively while saving money on your electric bill. 24

JUNE 2016

OUTDOORS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

My grandmother was a resilient, high-spirited widow who suffered no fools. She was also a walking encyclopedia of aphorisms, many of them, I suspect, inspired by the harsh realities of raising nine children on her own during the Great Depression. That she managed to maintain such an incredibly witty sense of humor remains a positive marvel to me. No matter what misfortune befell her, she never got rattled. She either conquered it or got over it before she let it ruin her day. “Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed,” she told us. “Expect the unexpected, then embrace it. No matter your lot in life, build something on it.” We didn’t know what she was talking about half the time, but her endless supply of seemingly silly sayings would eventually become words to live by for me, my cousins, our children and our children’s children. I’m constantly reminded of her wisdom almost every time the boys and I take off on some kind of outdoor adventure. Case in point: This past April, we camped on a prairie creek bottom determined to bag a tom turkey with our bows and arrows. We scouted the area two weeks before and located at least two large flocks and a couple of smaller ones. We not only found where they roosted, but where they strutted, fed and dusted their feathers during the day and the return path they took to the big cottonwood stands at dusk. We counted more than 50 turkeys in one flock alone. Careful not to disturb them, we crept out of the area and planned our hunt for the follow-

ing weekend. We fully expected to pot one of those big ol’ gobblers, maybe even two of them when we returned. Turkey dinner was as good as in the oven. Then the unthinkable happened: Four straight days of rain turned access roads into a network of evil, slimy goo slicker than a bowl of boiled okra and fit to swallow a Sherman tank. We had to cancel our hunt. When shotgun season opened the next weekend, out-of-state hunters swarmed into the area and scared our turkeys into the next county. Oh, we heard a few gobblers at sunrise, but none came to our decoys as expected, and we saw only a few random hens. We were disappointed, but not for long. We flushed a covey of bobwhite quail on our way to our blinds each day, had a chance encounter with a prairie rattler, witnessed a big bull snake shedding his skin, watched a hair-raising fight between two boar raccoons and got some moody photos of a greater prairie chicken doing his crazy love dance on a fence post at dawn. Gram’s words filtered into the conversation around the fire that night: “Expect the unexpected, then embrace it.” We almost forgot about the turkeys.

Miss an issue? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors. coloradocountrylife.coop

[]

ENTRIES DUE

August 1

Photo Credit: Flickr user Wonderlane

WHO RESCUED WHOM? amazing rescue pet stories

Passive and active solar can help achieve zero net energy.

Zero in on Efficiency BY PATRICK KEEGAN AND AMY WHEELESS

Do you have a fascinating story about how your pet became a member of your family?

TELL US ABOUT IT! Enter today:

Go to COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP to download an entry form

A Zero Net Energy home is one where all the energy that is used in the home is completely offset by the production of on-site power, such as through rooftop solar photovoltaic panels. Before buying a solar panel system, remember this mantra: “Reduce before you produce.” Retrofitting a home to be ZNE will require investments, large and small. Upgrading your heating and cooling system to something more efficient is a large investment, but, as heating and cooling usually make up half of the average home’s energy use, the upgrade will have a substantial impact on your home, especially when combined with insulation improvements. Sealing air leaks and replacing lightbulbs with LEDs are smaller investments but can also help you reach ZNE. Behavioral changes, such as using a clothesline to dry your clothes and turning off electronics and lights when you leave a room, are easy ways to reduce your energy use. Harness the power of the sun in other ways. For example, solar water heaters can be cost effective. Or you can use passive solar techniques, like strategic window placement, landscaping and shading, and specific building materials to heat certain areas of your home in the winter or reduce sun and heat exposure in the summer. Once you reduce your energy use as much as you can, you can think about producing. Remember to talk with your electric co-op's energy experts before making any major upgrades, like rooftop solar, to your home.

Selected stories will be published in the October 2016 magazine and winners will receive a $25 gift card. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn more energy-saving tips. Look under the Energy tab. coloradocountrylife.coop

JUNE 2016

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[classifieds] TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

Please type or print your ad on a separate paper. Indicate how many months you would like your ad to run and which month to start. There is a minimum of 12 words at $1.63 per word/month. Be sure to include your full name and address for our records. Check MUST accompany this order or call to pay by credit card. Send your ad to: mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org

ANTIQUE RESTORATION CHAIR CANING – Hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-10-16)

ANTLERS

ANTLER CHANDELIERS made only from REAL antlers. We are the manufacturer and we sell all of our products at wholesale prices; save as much as 60% from store prices. Many other antler products and mounts, including 56” elk mount, giant moose paddles, and elk antlers. Showroom now open year ’round in Granby, CO. 18 years at this location, over 900 satisfied customers! Designers: We can provide you a single item or a whole houseful. Call ! (970) 627-3053. (085-09-16)

BOOKS/CDs/DVDs

CHANT OF A CHAMPION: Auctioneering DVD from World and International Champion Auctioneer John Korrey. Let John show you how to improve all aspects of your auctioneering chant. Order online at www. chantofachampion.com (210-08-16)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

(These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.) HEALTH FOOD STORE & DELI: 2 turnkey businesses in one. Strong income/customer base. Colorado mountains (970-641-5175), leave name & number. (252-08-16)

CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION

www.clockrepairandrestoration. com DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Clocks bought and sold. bob.scott@usa.net Call Robert 970-247-7729. (109-06-16) 28

JUNE 2016

EVENTS

CUCHARA HERMOSA ANNUAL ART SHOW – Cuchara Recreation Center, Cuchara, Colorado, June 24-25, 10a-5p. Questions? Appel2us@yahoo.com. (241-06-16) DOLORES, COLORADO – July 9, Navajo Taco Lunch, 11:00–1:30, Dolores Methodist Church, 105 N 8th St., 970-882-2363 (303-07-16)

FISHING

PHILLIPSON POWER PACK BAMBOO ROD – 8’6”, 5oz., mint condition, extra unused tip, full wells grip, Ni-silver ferrules, anodized down-lock reel seat, in original bag and tube. Jim, 970-731-3478 or mushroomhunters@frontier.net (302-06-16)

FOR SALE

MAJESTIC woodburning cookstove with oven. Awesome condition. Works great! $3800. 719-564-5865, 719-485-1543. Beulah. (270-06-16) OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS - $380 with warranty. Also sell portable concentrators and oxygen supplies. Repair and service of equipment. Aspen Concentrator Repair Service 719-471-9895 (040-08-16) SELLING 60A & 60B (used, good condition) Hesston Stakhands and parts. Stan 719-829-4425 or clineherefordfarms@gmail.com (292-06-16)

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FREE BOOKS/DVDS. Soon the “Mark of the Beast” will be enforced as Church and State unite! Let the Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@ yahoo.com 888-211-1715. (814-08-16) FREE $25 Gift Card. Enter by emailing number of classifieds to classifieds@ coloradocountrylife.org with JUNE $25 as the subject. Include addess and phone #. Deadline June 15.

HELP WANTED

LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME opportunity. No sales, investment, risk. Training/website provided. Monthly income plus bonuses, benefits. Call Carrie 303-5794207, www.workathomeunited. com/ourabundance (932-02-17)

IMPROVEMENTS & REPAIRS

I CAN MAKE YOUR LOG HOME like new! Chinking, caulking, staining, log repairs. 30 years experience. References available. 970-389-0995 (285-06-16)

MACHINERY & PARTS

www.sawmillexchange.com SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North America’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings. THE place to sell equipment. 800-459-2148. (267-09-16)

PETS

I PAINT PETS, capturing the essence of your treasured pals & creating family keepsakes. Julie 719-539-4260 (300-09-16)

POULTRY & GAMEBIRDS

FREE COLOR CATALOG. 193 varieties, Cornish Cross, standard breeds, fancy chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, bantams, guineas, pheasants, quail, supplies, video. 417-532-4581. PO Box 529, Lebanon, MO 65536. www. CackleHatchery.com. (876-08-16)

REAL ESTATE

BAYFIELD / VALLECITO – Beautiful mountain retreat, 4bd, 3ba, approx. 3436sf on 1.2 acres, well water, septic, 5 minutes from Vallecito Lake. $467,900. 970-884-9324. (163-08-16) CHEYENNE, WYOMING DUPLEX – 2, 1 bedrooms. $1175 monthly income, tenants pay utilities. Great downtown location. $139,000. Dave 303-881-2411. (297-08-16) GUNNISON / MONTROSE – Level, heavily wooded, ¾ round lot. ALL utilities installed. 2 sheds. Many Arrowhead activities. Reduced to $59,900. Carol, 970-497-9740. (109-09-16) LOCATED BETWEEN Cortez and Dolores on 16 acres – 11 bedroom lodge, 5 bedroom house, 2 bedroom cabin. SWColoradoDream.com (304-06-16)

REAL ESTATE

MOUNTAIN GETAWAY – Spectacular piece of property. 60 acres. Magnificent views of Pikes Peak, Green Horn Mt. & canyons. House like new! Complete with NEW kitchen & appliances. 1bd, 1ba, 3-car garage. 719485-0560, 719-582-0560 (301-06-16) OWN PROPERTY? NEED INCOME? We’ll rent exclusive hunting rights from you. Looking for antelope, goose, duck, coyote, & prairie dog habitat. Encourage young sportsmen by providing safe, private access. You make the rules. 303-460-0273 (069-08-16) READY TO RETIRE? +- 13 acres near Mancos, CO. Trout-stocked canyon lake, commercial greenhouse, gardens, lots of water, passive solar timber frame home. $509,000. Jim, 970-769-1391, for pictures. (282-06-16) WE BUY LAND and/or mineral rights. CO TX NM KS. 1-800316-5337 (099-03-17) YEAR ROUND LOG HOME, 32759 W Hwy 14, Poudre Canyon, Colorado. Roomy living area, 2bd, 1.5ba. Beautiful 17' ceiling in living area, stairs to open loft & out of sight storage. Full walk-out basement, appliances, cabinets, 2 furnaces (propane & wood). Outside porches N & W. Concrete pad, storage shed, 30amp RV hookups, riding mower for ½ acre property, 300 yds to Cache la Poudre River. Good fishing. 970-881-2476. aapachuck@aol.com (296-08-16)

TICKETS

NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. Call 1-888-NFR-Rodeo (1-888637-7633). www.NFR-rodeo.com A+ rated BBB Member. (912-04-17)

VACATION RENTAL

BAYFIELD ATTIC INN – A vacation rental in downtown Bayfield, Colorado. bayfieldatticinn.com 970-759-6957, bayfieldatticinn@ gmail.com (263-09-16) KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-2456500; mokihana@hawaiian.net; kauaiweddings.com. (756-05-17)

WANTED TO BUY

CAST-IRON COOKWARE (Wagner & Griswold). Pyrex. Old toys in good condition. Vintage signs. Anything cowboy and Indian – hats, boots, rugs, etc. Before the yard sale and after family gets what they want, we’ll buy the rest. Antiques, collectibles, furniture, glassware, etc. We come to you! 970-7593455 or 970-565-1256. (871-08-16) NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-06-16) OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1975. Call Wes 303-757-8553. (889-08-16) OLD GAS AND OIL items: Gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc. Pieces, parts, etc. considered. Also 1932-34 Ford cars and trucks, parts and pieces, too. Any condition. Brandon, 719-250-5721. (519-11-16) OLD MODEL AIRPLANE ENGINES, unbuilt airplane kits. Will pick up or pay shipping. Don, 970-599-3810. (233-06-16) OLD POCKET WATCHES – working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209. (870-12-16)

Find hidden treasure in the classifieds Read through the ads and FIND the CCL classified explaining how to WIN a $25 gift card. It’s easy. You could WIN. The classified ads May contest winner is Gina Littlefield of Cortez. She correctly counted 37 ads. coloradocountrylife.coop

[ funny stories] WANTED TO BUY

SMALL OLDER CAMP TRAILER about 15' long. 970-739-5050 (299-07-16) VINTAGE FISHING TACKLE. I buy rods, reels, lures, creels, etc. Gary, 970-222-2181 (170-10-16)

Tyler and Laur next to a Cess en Curtis stand in Anchorage, na 180 float plane Alaska.

WANT TO PURCHASE mineral and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-03-17)

After visiting a new barbershop, Sid came out and met up with his friend Bill. “Do you think he did a good job?” Bill asked. “The haircut looks OK, but I didn’t like the four-letter words he kept using when he cut my hair,” Sid said. “What did he say?” Bill asked. Sid replied, “Oops.” Lila Taylor, Stratton

WANTED: JEEP CJ OR WRANGLER. Reasonably priced. No rust buckets. 888-735-5337 (099-04-17) WE PAY CASH for minerals and oil/ gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800-733-8122 (099-02-17)

Our neighbor’s precocious 3-year-old grandson was baffled about a recent power outage due to their bad weather. He couldn’t understand why the television went off, so she patiently tried to explain. He followed her everywhere and as she opened the refrigerator door, he peered in and said, “Not sunny in there.” Donna Verderaime, Pueblo West

Josephine Fleming celebrates her 30 of Pueblo West th anniversary in Maui, Hawaii.

mboat aile from Stea Kealia and Med this photo with us ar Springs sh Bahamas. from Exuma,

WINNERS

Mountain Parks members Randy Sue and Ken Fosha enjoy Colorado Country Life while on a cruise on the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary.

TAKE YOUR PHOTO WITH YOUR MAGAZINE AND WIN! It’s easy to win with Colorado Country Life. Simply take a photo of someone (or a selfie!) with the magazine and email the photo and your name and address to info@coloradocountrylife. org. We’ll draw one photo to win a $25 gift card each month. The next deadline is Wednesday, June 15. This month’s winners are Ken and Randy Sue Fosha from Mountain Parks Electric. coloradocountrylife.coop

We were driving to town with our 4-yearold granddaughter on a nasty, windy day. She suggested we look for and count deer along the way. Her great-grandpa told her it was so cold and windy, the deer would be hiding in the trees. After a few moments of silence, we heard her say, “But Grandpa, deer can’t climb trees.” Mailene Duran, Cortez Prior to taking my 9-year-old daughter to a girls’ fashion show at the YMCA, my 5-yearold daughter appeared, dressed in a fancy dress. She asked me if she was too fancy. I said, “It’s better to be overdressed than under dressed.” When I asked her if she knew what that meant, she replied, “It means it’s better to wear clothes than to go naked!” Amy McKenzie, Monument We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year we will draw one name from those submitting funny stories and that person will receive $200. Send your 2016 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check.

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JUNE 2016

[discoveries] ROYAL GORGE DINOSAUR EXPERIENCE

Morrison Natural History Museum If you want a close-and-personal experience at a dinosaur museum, Morrison Natural History Museum near Denver is the place to go. Not only can guests view the amazing exhibits, but they can also touch them and clean fossils in the paleo lab. The staff at MNHM pride themselves on teaching children significant and exciting scientific information, creating a love for the sciences. Visitors will see T. rex and Triceratops skulls, the first Stegosaurus fossils ever found, live snakes, an interactive fossil lab, and the Big Stego Dig. Located one half-mile south of Red Rocks Park in Morrison. MNHM is open daily at 10 am. Admission is $8 for ages 12 and older; $6 for ages 3-11; free for ages 2 and younger. For more information, call 303-697-1873 or visit mnhm.org. Watch what happens at MNHM: www.youtube. com/watch?v=YKVj8QA3rQw.

DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT The great wall of dinosaur bones at Dinosaur National Monument’s Quarry Exhibit Hall is a must-see. The cliff wall features approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones. In the Carnegie Museum, folks can feast their eyes on specimens like Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus and Stegosaurus. The Apatosaurus on display at the museum was the first specimen ever found at Dinosaur National Monument. While you’re in the area, be sure to check other regional attractions, such as Echo Park, Harpers Corner Area, Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery and Cub Creek Area, an area packed with petroglyphs and pictographs from the Fremont people who lived in the area 1,000 years ago. For information, call 435-781-7700 or visit nps.gov/dino.

The newest dinosaur museum in Colorado is the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience in Cañon City, slated to open June 18. This new museum will house hordes of dinosaur casts including a Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Brontosaurus and Pete, the Tyrannosaur mentioned in this month’s feature story. To make the most of the fascinating displays, RGDE tour guides will offer comprehensive information about the area’s paleontological history. The "down low" on dinos continues outdoors on the museum’s easy-to-hike nature trail where guests will encounter 17 full-scale lifelike and moving animatronic dinosaurs. As if that’s not enough excitement, RGDE will offer two rope obstacle courses: one for junior guests ages 2 to 9 and a separate three-story course for the adventurous, older guests. General admission for adults is $12; children under 12 are $8. Ropes courses and Dinosaur Wild Walk cost extra. For more information, visit dinoxp.com.

Dinosaur Journey Museum In the western area of Colorado is the Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita. This gem of a museum features real fossils, cast skeletons and robotic reconstructions of dinosaurs. Guests will ooh over the life-sized exhibits and ahh over the on-site activities, including a simulated earthquake ride and a sandbox area where they can create dinosaur tracks. Kids can get their hands dirty in the quarry area and unearth real Jurassic dinosaur bones on their own. Summer hours are May 1 through September 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission prices are $9 for adults; $7 for seniors; and $5 for children. For information, call 970-858-7282 or visit museumofwesternco.com/ dinosaur-journey.

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JUNE 2016

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Nebraska Eye Doctor Helps Legally Blind To See High Technology For Low Vision Patients Allows Many To Drive Again

are not familiar with the condition. As many as 25% of those over the age While there is some currently no of macular of 50 have degree cure,degeneration. promising research is being The macula is only one donesmall on many fronts. “My part of the retina,job however it is is to figure out everything and the most sensitive and gives us sharp anything possible to keep a person central vision. When it degenerates, functioning” says Dr. Stamm macular degeneration leaves a blind “Even if it’s driving”. spot rightbenefit in theofcenter “The major the of vision makin it difficult or impossible to recognize bioptic telescope is that the lens faces, readfocuses a book,onor pass the driver’s automatically visionyou’re test. looking at,” whatever Same scene of Grandchildren as viewed Nine of 10 through telescope glasses. “It’s likepeople a self- who have or many patients with macularsaid Dr. Stamm.out macular degeneration degeneration and other visionfocusing camera, but muchhave morethe dry form. New research suggests vitamins related conditions, the loss ofprecise.”

A scene as it might be viewed by a person with age-related macular degeneration

For many patients with macular telescopes to help those who central visual detail also sig- For more information and to degeneration and other visionhave lost vision due to macular nals the end to one of the schedule an appointment today, related conditions, the loss of degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, call: of independence - driving. A central visual detail also signals last bastions and other eye diseases. Wilmington optometrist, Dr. Edward Paul, the end to one of the last bastions Imagine a pair of glasses Robert Stamm, O.D. telescopes of independence - driving. Kansasis using that miniaturized can improve your visionwhich are in to glasses helplife. people who Low Vision Optometrist optometrist, Dr. Robert Stamm mounted enough changetoyour have lost vision from macular is using miniaturized telescopes Bioptic telescopes may be degeneration Member IALVS eye conditions. which are mounted in glasses to and other the breakthrough in optical “Some of my consider help people who have lost vision technology thatpatients will give you me Toll Free: forindependence. people who have vision from macular degeneration and the last backstop your Patients other eye conditions. loss”with saidvision Dr. Paul, one of only a few doc- A scene as it might be viewed by a person with in the 20/200 range “Some of my patients consider tors can many times improved to in the world whobespecializes in fitting age-related macular degeneration me their last chance for people bioptic 20/50. telescopes to help those who have can help. The British medical journal who have vision loss” said Bioptic telescopes both lost vision due to maculartreat degeneration, BMC Ophthalmology recently reporte Dr. Stamm, one of only a dry and wet forms of macular diabetic retinopathy, and other debilitating that 56% of patients treated with a high few doctors in the world who eye diseases. degeneration as well as other dose combination of vitamins experispecializes in fitting bioptic vision limiting Imagine a pairconditions. of glasses that can im-

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enced improved vision after six month prove your vision enough to change your TOZAL Comprehensive Eye Health life. If you’re a low vision patient, you’ve Formula is now available by prescripprobably notwww.NebraskaLowVisionDoctor.com only imagined them, but tion from eye doctors. have been searching for them. Bioptic teleWhile age is the most significant scopes may be the breakthrough in optical risk factor for developing the disease, technology that will give you the indepen- heredity, smoking, cardiovascular disdence you’ve been looking for. Patients 4 JUNE 2016 have 31 ease, and high blood pressure also with vision in the 20/200 range can many been identified as risk factors. Macular

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