IMPROVE YOUR ATTIC EFFICIENCY PG 6 / DESSERTS WITH HALF THE SUGAR PG 12 / HELPING AFTER DISASTER STIKES PG 20
POUDRE VALLEY RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC.
DECEMBER 2020
MAKE-A-WISH COLORADO
Generosity isn’t just for the holidays At Tri-State, supporting our members and their communities is what we do. We tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow together – that’s the cooperative difference. From our family to yours, stay safe and happy holidays. Find these stories and more at www.tristate.coop.
Tri-State is a not-for-profi t power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
Volume 51
Number 12
December 2020 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, CCC, Production Manager/Designer cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Kylee Coleman, Editorial/Admin. Assistant kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING Kris Wendtland, Ad Representative advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-902-7276 National Advertising Representative, American MainStreet Publications 611 S. Congress Street, Suite 504, Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181 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. Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216-1731. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. ©Copyright 2020, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. EDITORIAL Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-455-4111 coloradocountrylife.coop | facebook.com/COCountryLife Pinterest.com/COCountryLife | Instagram.com/cocountrylife Twitter.com/COCountryLife | YouTube.com/COCountryLife1 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. SUBSCRIBERS Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. Cost of subscription for members of participating electric cooperatives is $4.44 per year (37 cents per month), paid from equity accruing to the member. For nonmembers, a subscription is $9 per year in-state/$15 out-of-state. POSTMASTER Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216
DECEMBER 2020
MAKE-A-WISH COLORADO
“Full Steam Ahead” by Michael McCaffrey, a consumer-member of Y-W Electric Association.
4 VIEWPOINT
5 LETTERS
6 ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT
7 YOUR CO-OP NEWS
12 RECIPES
14 NEWS CLIPS
16 COVER STORY
20 INDUSTRY 22 GARDENING
24 OUTDOORS 26 MARKETPLACE
28 COMMUNITY EVENTS
On the
29 YOUR STORIES
Cover
30 DISCOVERIES
coloradocountrylife.coop
COCountryLife pinned: Heat up the oven and try Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel’s Salted MapleDate Caramel Molten Chocolate Cakes. These sweet indulgences are low in sugar and a great festive dessert.
GRANTING WISHES
Colorado Make-A-Wish kid Zack Montgomery enjoys the horses he dreamed about. Photo by John Russell.
PINTEREST SNEAK PEEK
FACEBOOK CHATTER Colorado Rural Electric Association posted: After a long week of long days, great progress has been made on restoring the damage done to Mountain Parks Electric’s system by the East Troublesome Fire, which is yet to be fully contained. Mutual aid crews from other Colorado electric co-ops will be heading home as MPE continues the restoration progress.
Monthly Contest Win and support a local business This month enter for your chance to win a $100 gift card or certificate to the local business/restaurant o f yo u r c h o o s i n g . Go to Contests at coloradocountrylife.coop to learn how to enter.
INSTAGRAM PIC of the month cocountrylife posted: Sick of Netflix? Read a great book by a Colorado author! Visit our website and read the reviews: coloradocountrylife.coop. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
3
VIEWPOINT
PVREA’S MOST CHERISHED ASSET BY JEFF WADSWORTH
A
PRESIDENT & CEO
s the spirit of the holiday season ripens compassion shown by our team when working into celebrations and the exchanging with members who are experiencing a difficult of traditional gifts, it is important to time paying their bill but are willing to work find time to pause and reflect on the blessings with us to find a solution. Our engineers work surrounding us all. In 2020, the employees tirelessly to figure out how to make the next providing us with essential services are renewable project a reality. I could go on and rightfully being cherished more than ever. As on with examples of their commitment and the President and CEO of Poudre Valley REA, dedication. I count myself blessed to be around some of the That same dedication was recently most dedicated, passionate and hardworking displayed by our employees responding to the essential service employees around. devastating wildfires that hit our region. It was The work at inspiring to see Poudre Valley them focused REA is certainly and working challenging. The together to put employees I have the needs of our the privilege of members first. working with And by doing do not hesitate so, we were able to face those to positively challenges impact the local Poudre Valley REA employees respond to the devastating wildfires. head-on with communities the best interests of our members in mind. we call home – that is what co-ops are all about. Poudre Valley REA employees take their Poudre Valley REA employees take pride responsibilities very seriously, and they are in their work, and they are always looking out true advocates of our local communities. for the best interest of all our members. No Our linemen respond to outages with matter what the task, they approach it with devotion and as the top priority. They know spirit and determination. They make my job exactly where they need to be and what they easy, but none of their jobs are easy. They need to do when an outage hits our service truly are a great group of individuals, and I’m territory. Regardless of the hour, the day or proud to be associated with each and every the weather, they’re on the job within minutes one of them. They are Poudre Valley REA’s if the power goes out. They put their family life most cherished asset. on hold, leave their spouses and children, and From all of us at Poudre Valley REA, please work until every member has electricity. accept our wishes for happiness and joy to you The commitment to serving our members and your family now and throughout the New doesn’t stop with the linemen. It is seen Year. Merry Christmas! day-to-day and throughout our cooperative. I have witnessed firsthand the care and
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
ABOUT YOUR CO-OP PVREA serves electricity to 45,000 homes and businesses in Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties. We are a member-owned co-op, led by those we serve.
OUR MISSION We are committed to providing safe, reliable, efficient energy solutions with exceptional service to our members.
CONTACT US
1-800-432-1012 pvrea@pvrea.coop www.pvrea.coop
MAILING ADDRESS
Poudre Valley REA PO Box 272550 Fort Collins, CO 80527
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Steven Anderson Larimer County
Director Thaine Michie Larimer County
Vice Chair Rick Johnson Larimer County
Director Jan Peterson Larimer County
Secretary James Fender Larimer County
Director Jack Schneider Weld County
Director Bryan Ehrlich Larimer County
Director Ronald Sutherland Boulder County
Director Peter Hyland Weld County
LETTERS
FROM THE EDITOR It’s a time for giving
BY MONA NEELEY
L
EDITOR
ast night I finished packing a few shoe boxes full of soaps, toothbrushes, school supplies and toys. The boxes, now wrapped in red and green Christmas paper, will be sent to kids in other countries via Operation Christmas Child, a program of Samaritan’s Purse. Often these boxes are the first gifts that the children have ever received. The kids, selected through local church programs, are in orphanages, living in refugee camps or growing up in povertyor war-stricken areas. They are kids who have had to grow up too fast and have so little. It breaks my heart. My kids lived their first months in an orphanage half a world away. If my husband and I hadn’t adopted them, they could have been among kids receiving similar shoe boxes. So, each year we pack shoe boxes for orphans and others less fortunate. It’s our way of giving during the holidays.
It’s certainly not the only way MONA NEELEY to give. You’ll find other possibilities in the following pages. The cover story reminds us of the kids here, close to home, who are facing their own difficulties that are lightened by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Find out how to support that organization on page 19. And there are fellow Coloradans and communities who were affected so much in the recent wildfires. Find out how to help them on page 13. Find the need that speaks to you and give — of yourself and your funds, if you are able — this holiday season. Mona Neeley is the statewide editor of Colorado Country Life, which is published in coordination with your local electric cooperative. Its goal is to provide information from your local electric co-op to you, its consumer-members.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Carousel of Memories
My great-grandfather, R.T. Dowis, bought a C.W. Parker Baby Q carousel in 1908. From his base in Sterling he traveled throughout Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota and purchased more rides and built a nice carnival. The horse shown in July’s Letters column is called Star Gazer. We had one on our ride. I set up that carousel hundreds of times and painted the horses every winter as a kid. That carousel was steam (driven) and used until my father sold the carnival in 1969. It is possible that the Star Gazer in your magazine is the one from our carousel. Victor Wisdom, Sterling Highline Electric consumer-member
When R.T. Dowis’ carousel was on the Pine Ridge Reservation, its Star Gazer was featured on the August 1942 cover of Collier’s magazine.
Just Say No to RTO
Earlier this year, Kent Singer laid out the case for why Colorado should cede authority of its electric power grid to a regional transmission operator, or RTO. AARP respectfully disagrees. RTOs are a 1990s idea never adopted in the West nor the Southeast. Recent developments underscore that they are not needed in Colorado. RTOs promote costly transmission development socialized over a multistate footprint. This promotes an overreliance on costly transmission development when local solutions like solar and energy efficiency would be cheaper. Kellie Fritts, AARP Colorado
SEND US YOUR LETTERS Editor Mona Neeley, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or mneeley@ coloradocountrylife.org. Include name and address. Letters may be edited for length.
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
5
ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT
Three Steps to an Efficient Attic BY PAT KEEGAN AND BR AD THIESSEN
A Just For
9
$
in-state
KNOW SOMEONE WITH MORE TIME ON THEIR HANDS OR LOOKING TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW?
Give them a subscription to Colorado Country Life. For 12-months they will discover new places and products from right here in Colorado. ORDER a 12-month subscription today. It’s just $9 for instate, or $15 for outof-state. JUNE 2020
To order, call Colorado Country Life at 303-455-4111.
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Stay in & Stre am YouTubers Chann el
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
Colorado
ttention to your attic is often the area of your home where you can get the most bang for your buck on energy efficiency investments. Insulation is actually just one part of the energy-efficient attic puzzle. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare to make your attic more efficient.
done by installing soffit vents and insulation baffles around the perimeter, plus vents near the peak of the roof. If there is no way to install enough attic ventilators, an attic fan can be installed to provide mechanical assistance to exhaust overheated air.
Step 1: Sealing
The three main types of insulation for attics are loose-fill, batt and rigid. Whichever type you have, it needs to provide a high-enough level of insulation for your region, measured in R-value. Batt and rigid insulation will often have the R-value printed on them. Loose-fill, which is blown in, is the most common for attic floors, and its R-value is approximately its depth in inches multiplied by 2.8. Generally speaking, your attic should have anywhere from 11 to 24 inches of loose-fill insulation, depending on where you live. You can find the recommended level for your region at Energy.gov.
Attics are often the place where warm air leaks out of the home in winter or into the home during summer. Trouble spots include anything that comes through the attic floor, such as recessed lights, the chimney and the attic hatch, as well as pipes and ducts or wires coming through the attic floor. It’s best to properly seal these trouble spots before adding or improving the insulation. Invest a small amount of money in the necessary supplies, such as caulk, expanding foam or weather stripping, to seal any air leaks in your attic.
Step 2: Ventilation Many attics are not well-ventilated, which allows moisture and heat to build up. Moisture causes harmful mold and wood rot. During the summer, a poorly ventilated attic is prone to overheating, which can bake shingles and shorten their life. During the winter, a warm attic can melt snow on the roof, causing it to run into your gutters and then freeze, causing ice dams. Proper attic ventilation lets air flow from a low point to a high point. This is usually
Step 3: Insulation
This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency. For more information on ensuring an energy-efficient attic, please visit collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips.
LEARN MORE ONLINE Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn more about ways to improve the efficiency of your home. Look under the Energy tab.
PVREA NEWS
Christmas Light Display
I
f you’ve lived in this area for a while, it’s likely that you’ve seen Poudre Valley REA’s annual Christmas light display. If you haven’t, make sure you add us to your list when driving around neighborhoods viewing all the festive decorations. The display is right out in front of our headquarters on Highway 392 and County Road 5. Our lighting tradition has been in place at the co-op for over fifteen years. We hope our display gives you some holiday cheer! Merry Christmas!
PVREA Donates and Gains Matching Donations for Local Organizations
P
oudre Valley REA values the seventh Cooperative Principle - Concern for Community, immensely. Both the Cameron Peak and Calwood Fires caused damage to our system. But more importantly, our members experienced the their devestation and unrest firsthand. That’s why we extended a helping hand to those impacted. We donated $5,000 to both American Red Cross of Northern Colorado and United Way’s Cameron Peak Fire Fund. Two of our partners – Co-Bank and Basin Electric Power Cooperative – matched our donations, bringing the total amount given to each of these organizations to $15,000. Co-Bank and Basin Electric also matched the $2,500 donations we gave to the Boys & Girls Club of Larimer County and Food Bank for Larimer County. The total amount given to each of these non-profits was $7,500. PVREA cares about the communities we serve, and we pride ourselves in our commitment to help them succeed, flourish and pull through after facing challenges.
See page 4 for the message from our CEO.
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
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PVREA NEWS
Hit the Road Safely this Holiday Season
T
he winter holiday season is a busy time of year for many of us. Along with putting out decorations and baking cookies, we often spend more time in our cars than usual: shopping for presents, traveling to family gatherings or attending holiday events. However, all that time in the car can also mean facing extreme weather conditions that make safe driving difficult. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, winter weather conditions, such as snow, sleet and slush, cause more than 550,000 traffic accidents each year, leading to approximately 138,000 injuries and 1,700 fatalities. Along with risk of injury and damage to your vehicle, collisions may also involve downed power lines or other electrical hazards. Unfortunately, when this happens, it adds another very significant danger to the mix that can cause severe shock, burns or electrocution. Knowing what to do in this situation can save lives.
If you are in an accident involving a downed power line: • Call 911 and tell the dispatcher a downed power line or other electrical equipment is involved. Power company personnel will be dispatched to the scene to deenergize the power. • Put your window down and alert others not to approach the scene. They could be shocked or electrocuted if they walk or run over the energized area or touch anything that is energized. • Never attempt to drive over a power line or through water, snow or other debris that could be hiding one. There is no way to tell if a power line is energized, even if it is not sparking or buzzing. • Do not exit the vehicle unless the vehicle is on fire or you see smoke. The vehicle acts as an insulator that keeps you safe from stray electricity. • If you must exit the vehicle, cross your arms across your chest, put your feet together, and make a clean jump from the vehicle. Then hop with feet together as far as you can, but at least 50 feet away. Once a power line is in contact with a car or truck, the ground or other objects, it energizes the area. The electrical current spreads to the vehicle and ground, and it ripples out. Each “ring” of the ripple represents a different voltage. Stepping from one voltage to the next can cause your body to become a path for electricity and electrocute you. • If a power line is inside the vehicle due to damage or an open window, stay in the vehicle. Do not touch or try to move the wire, and do not attempt to use other objects to move it. • If your vehicle collides with a pad-mounted transformer, which houses electrical equipment connected to underground power lines, the same safety precautions apply. Keep your family safe while on the road this holiday season. For more information about safety around electricity, visit SafeElectricity.org.
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
KNOW WHAT TO DO
if in an Auto Accident with Power Lines If the car you are in hits a utility pole, your vehicle and the surrounding area can become energized.
Even if you do not touch lines or equipment, you can still be killed or seriously injured.
1. Do NOT leave the car, and warn others to stay away.
2. Call 911 to have the utility notified.
3. Wait until a utility professional has told you it is safe. The only reason to exit the vehicle is
if it’s on fire. If the car is on fire, jump clear of the vehicle: with feet together, and without touching the car and the ground at the same time. Continue to hop away with your feet together as far as you can. Learn more at
PVREA NEWS
Join PVREA’s New Pilot Rate Program
P
oudre Valley REA is now offering several new pilot rate options to better enable energy efficiency and beneficial electrification. We are looking for residential or small commercial members to join this program! Great candidates for these pilot rates would fit at least one of the following:
• Ability to have flexible electricity consumption allowing the use of electricity in off-peak windows, ownership of electric vehicle, electric heat- especially with thermal storage, or a willingness to change behaviors to save money.
• Willingness to have their electricity interrupted (fully shutoff) a few times a month to save money. These members could have second electric meters (shop or barn), water pumps (such as small irrigation), backup generators, batteries, or a flexlbe, laid back attitude, preferably with good neighbors who will let them to come to supper when their power is off.
Want to learn more about these rates? Visit www.pvrea.coop/pilotrates to find out all the details and fill out your interest form.
WE DARE TO BE DIFFERENT No rate increase for 2021.
This will be the 5th year in a row with no rate increase. That’s the co-op difference.
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
9
PVREA NEWS
Need Help Paying Your Electric Bill? There are Resources That Can Help. Energy Outreach Colorado
The Energy Resource Center
If you need help with paying your electric bill and do not qualify for LEAP assistance, Energy Outreach Colorado can help you. Call 1-866-432-8435 to find an agency near you that can help, or visit them online at www.energyoutreach.org.
The Energy Resource Center offers free energy efficiency evaluations and upgrades to income-qualified residents of Boulder, Larimer, and Weld counties.
PVREA Payment Arrangement We know this year has been difficult. During this hardship, we are taking steps to help PVREA members who are experiencing difficulties. Residential members can apply for a payment arrangement to pay the balance on their account in installments. Visit www.pvera.coop/payment-arrangements for more information and to apply.
If you qualify for the income-qualified Energy Assistance Program – LEAP – or Supplemental Security Income, you automatically qualify for free assistance from The Energy Resource Center. Other automatic qualifiers include: SNAP, TANF, AND, or OAP. If you do not receive aid from the above programs, you still may qualify for free assistance if your household income is 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level. Apply online at www.erc.org, or by calling the Northern Colorado office at 970-617-2801.
Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) LEAP is a state-run program that provides energy bill payment assistance. Assistance is available November 1-April 30. To see if you qualify, contact LEAP at 1-866-432-8435 or find more information at www.pvrea.coop/payment-assistance.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The PVREA office will be closed Thursday, December 24, and Friday, December 25, for Christmas. Our office will also be closed on Friday, January 1, for the new year.
December 2020
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Energy bills can increase during winter for a variety of reasons, such as house guests, more time spent at home, and shorter days and longer nights. Small actions, such as turning down your thermostat, replacing old bulbs with LEDs and washing clothes in cold water can help you save.
Don’t Forget! Scholarship Deadline Approaching Apply by February 19! More details and application online at www.pvrea.coop/scholarships.
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
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For many patients with macular degeneration and other visionrelated conditions, the loss of central visual detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence driving. Colorado optometrist, Dr. Robert Stamm is using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration and other eye conditions. “Some of my patients consider me their last chance for people who have vision loss,” said Dr. Stamm, one of only a few doctors in the world who specializes in fitting bioptic
Same scene of rancher as viewed by a person without macular degeneration
telescopes to help those who have lost vision due to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough to change your life. Bioptic telescopes may be the breakthrough in optical technology that will give you back your independence. Patients with vision in the 20/200 range can many times be improved to 20/50. Bioptic telescopes treat both dry and wet forms of macular degeneration as well as other vision limiting conditions.
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RECIPES
DON’T DO WITHOUT DESSERT
Get all the satisfaction with a little subtraction BY AMY HIGGINS
| RECIPES@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG
WIN A COPY
M
any Americans would agree that some of the best dishes are derived from the holidays. But when the new year approaches, our growing waistlines and blood sugar levels are a concern. However, perpetually dismissing dessert doesn’t bring comfort and joy, so cut down on the sugar instead. Half the Sugar, All the Love by Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel, M.D., MSPH, features 100 low-sugar recipes that can cut down the guilt and elevate the merriment. This “kid-tested, doctor-approved” cookbook not only features festive desserts, but it also includes an array of awesome main courses, snacks and beverages. But we digress — let’s skip to dessert first with this low-sugar front-runner:
Enter our contest to win a copy of the Half the Sugar, All The Love cookbook. Visit Contests at coloradocountrylife.coop for details on how to enter. Excerpted from Half the Sugar, All the Love by Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel, M.D., MSPH. Photographs by Erin Scott. Workman Publishing ©2019.
Caramelized Pumpkin Pie
SUGAR COMPARISON
1 prepared (8-inch) pie crust, blind baked (baked unfilled)
Half the Sugar = 2 teaspoons Other recipes = 4 3/4 teaspoons
Serves 8
23 ounces canned pumpkin puree (about 2 3/4 cups) 1/3 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup low-fat milk or almond milk 3 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice* 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, gently whisked whipped cream, for serving (optional) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you’re looking for Line the pie crust with a round another great dessert to of parchment paper (cut to the serve this holiday season, diameter of the pan), then fill it with try Pecan Pie Bars. pie weights or dry rice. Bake for 15 Get the recipe at minutes, then lift out the parchment coloradocountrylife.coop. and weights/rice and prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Return the crust to the oven and continue baking until it is golden brown; about 5 minutes longer. Cool completely.
Combine the pumpkin puree with the maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and caramelized; 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool completely. Add the milk, pumpkin pie spice*, vanilla, salt and egg mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into the pie crust and smooth into an even layer. Bake until the top is slightly browned and the filling is set throughout; about 50 minutes.
QUICK TIP STORE-BOUGHT SHELLS Use a store-bought pastry crust to cut down on time. Choose one with no added sugar if possible.
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
Let the pie cool completely before slicing. Serve with whipped cream, if you like. *If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can create a substitute by combining 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or ground allspice.
Wildfire Relief Fund COLORADO ELECTRIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE
TRIPLE YOUR DONATION TODAY
HELP COLORADO ELECTRIC CO-OP COMMUNITIES THAT BATTLED WILDFIRES THIS YEAR! The Colorado Electric Educational Institute (CEEI) will match your donation up to $50,000, and Tri-State G&T will match donations up to $50,000, too! That means a $25 donation now becomes $75. 100% of contributions to the Wildfire Relief Fund will go to support electric co-op employees or directors who lost their homes or were displaced because of a wildfire, to first responders who lost their home in a fire and to local organizations who responded to the fires.
YOUR DONATION IS TAX EXEMPT AND CAN BE MADE ONLINE OR BY CHECK: crea.coop/community-outreach/current-causes Checks should be made payable to the Colorado Electric Educational Institute and sent to: Colorado Electric Educational Institute c/o Wildfire Relief Fund 5400 Washington Street Denver, CO 80216
SCAN & DONATE NOW CEEI is the philanthropic arm of CREA, the trade association representing Colorado’s 22 electric distribution systems and Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association. Tri-State G&T is the power supplier to 17 of Colorado’s co-ops, and serves 41 distribution cooperative members in four states.
NEWS CLIPS
Thinking Inside the Box
New farming option in NW Colorado
A
n innovative collaboration among electric co-op power supplier Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the national Electric Power Research Institute, and Moffat County School District provided northwestern Colorado high school students and faculty an opportunity to learn as they grow crops indoors and year-round with EPRI’s “Farm in a Box.” This cutting-edge indoor agriculture facility, installed at Moffat County High School in Craig, is a 40-foot long shipping container now known as the Agricultural Farm. Flat screen-type surfaces hang from the ceiling
CCL EXTRA
Brings More Colorado Stories, Recipes Want a preview of stories coming in next month’s Colorado Country Life magazine? Interested in additional recipes? Looking for a quick link to extra stories and more on the magazine’s website? There’s no cost to subscribe to CCL Extra. Simply visit coloradocountrylife. coop and click on the top banner to fill out the form. Or use your smartphone and hold your camera up to the QR code below. We’ll add you to the list, and twice a month you will receive an e-newsletter filled with previews of what’s coming and links to all the current month’s stories, as well as the extra digital articles.
Sign Up Today! 14
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
of the container in polymer “pods.” The container is temperature-controlled, with energy-efficient lighting and plumbing infrastructure to support the production of vegetables. The Farm in a Box will offer educational opportunities for Moffat County High School students and research data for EPRI. EPRI staff will monitor the container for the first two years to evaluate different metrics, such as nutrient quality of the produce, community impacts, sustainability performance and electricity load profiles.
Inside the Farm in a Box are hanging flat surfaces of polymer pods that allow vegetables to grow with their roots inside the pods. Tri-State Generation and Transmission is sponsoring the Ag Farm as it reinvests in the community where it is closing a power plant and a mine.
The box represents a convergence of energy, agriculture, biodiversity and sustainability.
First Team Completes Tests of CO2 Emissions Conversion
I
nnovatively converting carbon dioxide emissions into useful and viable materials is the goal of the Carbon XPRIZE. The international contest took a step forward in late October when one competing team finished its project. Teams from around the world are competing for the $20 million XPRIZE based on how much CO2 they convert, how energy efficient the conversion is and the net value of their products. XPRIZE teams test their emissions projects at the Integrated Test Center, located at Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Dry Fork Station north of Gillette, Wyoming. The ITC is a carbon utilization research facility that operates alongside the power plant. It’s a private-public partnership with supporters such as Colorado-based Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, which committed $5 million to the design, engineering and construction of the ITC. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association provided $1 million in support of the ITC. Interest is high since the greenhouse gas CO2 is a byproduct of coal-fired power plants and other manufacturing processes. Capturing the CO2 and converting it to a useful product would mean less CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. Due to coronavirus constraints, the XPRIZE competition was delayed and only two teams made it to the ITC this year. CO2Concrete™, based in California, tested its technologies to convert carbon dioxide emissions into construction materials and was the first team to finish the project after successfully completing 12 operation runs. The other team to test onsite was Dimensional Energy from New York, which focuses on making jet fuel from carbon emissions and sunlight. The Carbon XPRIZE winners will be announced in 2021.
NEWS CLIPS
Electricity from Coal
Down Thanks to COVID-19, Renewables The United States’ electric power sector consumed less coal in the first half of 2020 than it did during the same period in 2019, according to the Energy Information Administration. From January to July, 184.8 million short tons of coal were used, which is 30% less than was used the year before. This drop was brought about by a drop in usage because of pandemic lockdowns and business closures, as well as changes in the electric industry. After an annual record of 1,045 million short tons of coal being consumed in 2007, usage has declined. Most of this is due to coal plant retirements, such as Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association’s closure of the Nucla power plant this year, as well as air standards, price drops and power plant conversions to natural gas. Usage is expected to show a slight rebound during the last six months of 2020 as some pandemic restrictions were loosened and some businesses were able to reopen.
CREA Continues Promoting Energy Innovation Due to COVID-19, there was no annual Colorado Rural Electric Association Energy Innovations Summit in its traditional sense. However, the electric co-op trade association hosted several webinars for the usual Summit audience, which gave those in the energy industry opportunities to hear about and discuss innovative ideas. Topics included electric vehicles, advances in energy storage, power market options, heat pumps and beneficial electrification, and more. All of the webinars were recorded and can be accessed at crea.coop/webinars. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
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Make-A-Wish Colorado turns little dreams into big reality year-round 16
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
COVER STORY
BY MATT VINCENT
A
little boy has dreamt of horses for more than two years. Big horses, little horses, anything associated with horses, and the equine world has helped him focus on good things while distracting him from stuff that little boys should never have to think about. Stuff like cancer. That was the cold, hard reality facing Zack Montgomery and his parents, Nicole and Mike, in the days leading up to the Winter Carnival in Steamboat Springs in 2018. Rather than focusing on the excitement of skiing, sledding and other festivities of this annual wintertime celebration in Yampa Valley Electric’s service territory, something else was happening. Something foreboding and sinister. Zack awoke one morning with a pain in his leg. He told his parents that it really hurt. Several days later he awoke to a different pain. His side hurt. Increasingly concerned, Nicole and Mike took their then 4-year-old son to their pediatrician for tests where it was determined that Zack had abnormal fluid around one kidney. The pediatrician recommended they immediately take Zack to Children’s Hospital Colorado on the Colorado Front Range for additional tests. And it was there, at this world-renowned medical facility, that doctors discovered a mass on one of Zack’s kidneys. Nine days later a team of physicians removed a cancerous hematoma, along with roughly 40% of the surrounding kidney tissue. And to make sure the cancer would not return, 22 weeks of chemotherapy was recommended. Month after month the family traveled the long stretch of road between Steamboat Springs and the Denver metro area in what must have seemed like an endless nightmare of visits to the Anschutz Medical Campus and Children’s Hospital in Aurora. Yet throughout the grueling ordeal, Zack thought of horses — and his Labrador
Zack Montgomery sits in his happy place on the on the back of a horse.
The Montgomery family: Nicole, Zack, Skylar and Mike of Steamboat Springs.
retriever, Jake, and any soft, furry animal that took his mind off the chemotherapy and instead to a happier place. On his 5th birthday, despite the painful side effects of chemotherapy, Mike and Nicole arranged a horseback ride for Zack near their hometown of Steamboat. And Zack’s interest in horses quickly became a full-blown obsession, according to Nicole. “We had to find a way to keep horseback riding in his life.” Enter Make-A-Wish Colorado, a nonprofit organization founded on the hopes and dreams of children with critical illnesses. Earlier this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Zack and his family were granted what seemed like an impossible dream, considering all they had gone through and the debilitating financial pressures involved in expensive medical treatments.
Given his infatuation with horses, animals in general, as well as the great outdoors, Zack and his family were given a dream vacation on the Latigo Ranch, a fivestar dude and guest ranch near the foot of the Gore Range outside of Kremmling in Mountain Parks Electric’s service territory.
Together with his sister, Skylar, and his parents, Zack enjoyed some priceless recovery time in the Rocky Mountains, riding his own horse for days, just like he dreamt of doing some day. Owned and operated by Lisa and Randy George and their family, the Latigo Ranch was big medicine for the entire Montgomery family and just what the doctor ordered for Zack. “Every day was special,” Nicole said. “We were each assigned a horse for the week and we had two rides a day. Zack absolutely loved his horse and learned so much. As a family we got to wrangle a herd of cows, try cow penning and just enjoy the outdoors. The kids also got to fish, rock climb and swim. The people were wonderful, the food was COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
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Zack is all smiles while being surrounded by horses at Latigo Ranch near Kremmling as part of a dream come true provided by Make-AWish Colorado.
Time at Latigo Ranch provided powerful ‘medicine’ for Zack.
Every day was special. We were each assigned a horse for the week and we had two rides a day. Zack absolutely loved his horse and learned so much. As a family we got to wrangle a herd of cows, try cow penning and just enjoy the outdoors. The kids also got to fish, rock climb and swim. The people were wonderful, the food was incredible and the surroundings stunning.” — Nicole Montgomery, Zack’s mother
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
Zack learns to care for his horse during his family’s stay at Latigo Ranch.
incredible and the surroundings stunning.” Despite the darkest hours, sometimes wishes do come true. And happiness happens. “Zack cried the whole way home, the rest of the day and until he fell asleep,” Nicole said. The blueprint for the Make-A-Wish Foundation began in 1980 in Arizona. Before dying from leukemia, 7-year-old Christopher Greicius was asked what he wanted if he was magically granted one final wish. He said he wanted to become a police officer. When Tommy Austin with U.S. Customs and Border Protection heard about Christopher’s wish, he immediately contacted
the Arizona Department of Public Safety and a small trickle of goodwill became a flood of benevolence and unexpected generosity. Christopher’s last wish was granted by an army of volunteers and public servants. He rode in a police helicopter, was presented with his own police uniform and was sworn in as an honorary Arizona highway patrolman. And from those humble beginnings, a nonprofit organization was created that has since grown to 62 chapters across the United States with 47 affiliated charities worldwide. Along the way more than 330,000 wishes have been granted to children ages 2 to 17. In 1983, Colorado’s chapter was among the first state MakeA-Wish organizations formed. It has granted more than 5,500 wishes statewide, and as everyone involved in this program soon discovers, a child’s dream is powerful medicine — for both the recipients and for the thousands of volunteers who become involved in the gift of giving. “A wish come true helps children feel stronger, more energetic, more willing and able to battle their critical illnesses. For many, the wish marks a turning point in the fight against their illnesses. Doctors, nurses and other health professionals say the wish experience works in concert with medicine to make their patients feel better emotionally and even physically. That is why wishes matter. That is why we grant wishes,” a spokesperson for Make-A-Wish said. That’s not some unfounded, wild-eyed theory. It is scientific fact supported by recent findings in a study that analyzed the comparative health benefits between two separate
COVER STORY groups of children. One group consisted of kids who participated in the Make-AWish program and another group that did not. Those who participated in the MakeA-Wish program benefited both mentally and physically, according to Dr. Anup Patel, a pediatric neurologist with Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “There is a return on investment from the (Make-A-Wish) experience,” Patel said. “Not only are you giving a child and a family hope, not only are you giving a child and a family a break from the illness, not only are you giving a child and a family an opportunity to give back to their siblings and to the other loved ones, you’re giving them an opportunity to save health care dollars; you’re giving them an opportunity to spend time with their family where they belong when they’re sick and have an illness. “A wish is more than just a nice thing to do,” he added. “You’re going to help them get better. And now I’m passionate to make sure that every kid out there has that chance.” You would not have to convince Nicole about the intrinsic value of a child’s dream come true. She has seen the benefit of the program firsthand through her son Zack, who turned 6 this year. “To be honest, Zack is doing so well that I don’t like to think of him as sick,” she said. “He is nearing his two-year scans, which is a big milestone for us. The wishes, as I understand them, are not just a pause but
Wishes come in one of three ways:
Wish Kid Zack a way to celebrate being on the other side of treatment; a way to connect and relax as a family while creating memories that will last for Zack, more so than the memories of being sick. “It’s almost like a gift to cherish after the suffering, pain and fear endured by the entire family. It also means so much more coming at this time, during the pandemic, which is obviously another time of such deep stress and worry, when travel is limited and finances are stretched. “It’s an added gift. We feel such appreciation that people make it their life’s work to help families heal, and we plan to pay it forward in any way we can forever,” she said. And the prognosis for Zack? Well, if his periodic CT scans go well for the next five years — and there’s every indication that they will — he will be considered
1
through the medical professionals treating an individual child;
2
by a parent or legal guardian;
3
by children themselves. Referrals for wishes are available online at the Make-A-Wish Colorado website at colorado.wish.org.
cured of this deadly form of pediatric cancer. In the meantime, his family will continue to hope and pray — and Zack will undoubtedly continue to dream of horses. Matt Vincent is a freelance writer and photographer living on the northeastern plains of Colorado and a former editor of ESPN Outdoors.
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
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INDUSTRY
Helping Hands are Standing By Tradition and pride create effective outage restoration teams BY MONA NEELEY
EDITOR | MNEELEY@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG
B
eing part of a large network is never more important than when a natural disaster hits an electric cooperative. Take, for example, when the monstrous and destructive East Troublesome Fire swept through Grand County and Mountain Parks Electric’s service territory in October. The 60 employees of the area’s local electric cooperative were not on their own. MPE is a small, local, independent organization that serves Grand and Jackson counties as well as parts of Larimer, Routt and Summit counties in the central mountains of Colorado. But the co-op is not totally on its own when disaster strikes. It is part of a network of electric co-ops that all adhere to the sixth cooperative principle: cooperation among cooperatives. With a call to the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the electric co-ops’ statewide trade association, the word was out that MPE needed assistance. Just a couple days later utility trucks from electric co-ops across the state rolled in to Granby. Crews of lineworkers were there to assist MPE in getting the backbone of its system back on line so that the local crews and hired contractors could then methodically replace and repair individual services and infrastructure. The same thing happened back in June when the derecho made meteorological news as it ripped across Colorado with its thunderstorms and extreme wind gusts. Tens of thousands of Colorado electric co-op consumer-members were without power in territories served by Highline Electric Association in Holyoke, K.C. Electric Association in Hugo, Morgan County Rural Electric Association in Fort Morgan, Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association in Fort Collins, Southeast Colorado Power Association in Lamar, United Power in Brighton, Y-W Electric Association in Akron and Yampa Valley Electric Association in Steamboat Springs. But as soon as the windstorm was over, electric co-ops across Colorado and western Nebraska that had not been affected by the
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
After a spring storm in K.C. Electric’s territory, assistance from neighboring co-ops restores power quickly.
storm stepped up to assist in safely getting the lights back on for these co-ops. Neighboring co-ops that could spare a crew, sent it to help. Contractors, who supplement co-op crews on projects throughout the year, made their crews available. That quick response from other co-ops comes from a combination of a centuries-old co-op tradition and agreements among electric cooperatives. This help is needed, especially by smaller co-ops, because these large natural disasters (such as wildfires, derechos, ice storms, blizzards
Through a mutual aid agreement, electric cooperative line crews from any co-op can arrive on the scene, ready to lend helping hands after disaster strikes.
INDUSTRY and tornadoes) that cause devastation is more than many local electric co-ops can quickly repair on their own. When multiple areas in a co-op’s service territory are without electricity and there are only four or five crews available to restore the system, electric co-ops depend on other co-ops in their state and national network for assistance. The residents of Grand County saw crews from Highline Electric, Gunnison County Electric Association in Gunnison, Southeast Colorado Power Association, United Power and White River Electric Association in Meeker arrive October 26. They came from all corners of the state as part of a plan called a “mutual aid agreement.” And San Miguel Power Association in Nucla arrived a couple days later, once it was determined that more help was needed. “It is a natural extension of who we are,” says Kent Singer, executive director of CREA. “Helping each other is something we do naturally as part of our co-op family and our culture.” An agreement is one thing, but success means carrying it out Lineworkers prepare to get the poles and lines back up in a neighborhood effectively. To that end, electric co-ops rely on planning and shared affected by the East Troublesome Fire. experiences, says Dale Kishbaugh, CREA director of safety and loss control. Colorado’s electric co-ops spend time planning for disasters, talking through the what-ifs of problems and sharing experiences with each other as they meet regularly to keep procedures updated. The response to the East Troublesome Fire came together relatively quickly after that fire took a turn and developed a speed no one expected. Once it burned through the system and MPE knew where it lost its lines, the response was quick but planned, with the idea that when mutual aid crews arrived the work could begin and materials would be available. With other natural disasters, even with other wildfires, that planning can often start before the disaster actually strikes. For example, weather Crews from neighboring electric co-ops assist in getting powerlines restored after a summer storm on the eastern plains. predictions can give a co-op notice of a possible blizzard or ice storm. Then materials can be readied and preliminary assistance can be arranged. the fire burned through an area and it was deemed safe to enter that Another example is the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest fire in area, PVREA crews and contractors got right to work replacing burned Colorado history, which ignited in August and was still only 92% poles and restringing power lines. They were prepared and, this time, contained at magazine deadline. While dangerous and, at times, PVREA did not have to rely on the mutual aid agreement. But that unpredictable, it burned at a slower pace than the East Troublesome agreement was there and could be used if needed. Fire. This gave Poudre Valley REA crews opportunities to prepare for No electric co-op has to go it alone. Each independent, local co-op where the fire might burn through its system. is part of the electric co-op family, part of a statewide and nationwide Before the fire arrived, PVREA lineworkers wrapped poles in network of electric co-ops, all ready to lend a hand to get the lights high-risk areas with fire protection materials. They met regularly with back on safely wherever they go out. incident command to determine where the electric system might be Mona Neeley is the publisher and editor of Colorado Country Life magazine. affected and where the co-op might need to de-energize lines. Once COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
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GARDENING
Nature’s Beauty Beckons Holiday Cheer Discover what’s around you to create festive decor BY VICKI SPENCER
MASTER GARDENER | GARDENING@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG
D
ecember marks the 10 month for many of us staying home with only occasional visits from friends and relatives. Now that cold weather is further restricting social activities, I wonder how the pandemic will affect the holidays. Will religious services be broadcast in parking lots? Will parades and tree-lighting ceremonies be canceled? Will children be unable to put on school plays and musicals? These things could put a damper on our holiday spirit. But they don’t have to. It’s a perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature, use our imaginations and bring the holiday spirit into our homes. On a nice day, go on a fun-filled scavenger hunt and wander around your yard or take a walk to look for interesting twigs, leaves, pinecones, seed pods, etc. The materials you collect can be used to create nature-inspired holiday decorations. Evergreens, bare twigs or twigs with a few leaves or berries can be used in many arrangements. If you have a favorite color scheme, you can spray paint them, or you can go with a natural look. Place the twigs in a vase and decorate with ornaments or
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
even holiday cards. Just punch holes in the cards and slip yarn through for hangers. Tuck family photos in between branches, or attach with a small clip, to remind you of loved ones. Try bundling dry twigs or fresh evergreen sprigs to make hanging door decorations; add ribbons or tree ornaments for color. You can make wreaths out of evergreens even if you don’t have a form. Bend a wire hanger into a circle and attach small sprigs in an overlapping pattern. If you feel that’s too much work, simply tack a single evergreen branch to the wall and decorate it. My favorite displays are made with pinecones, which I collect all year round. A friend who makes pinecone wreaths told me to heat them briefly in the microwave to kill any bugs. I use pinecones to make centerpieces by arranging them around candles and evergreen sprigs, and adding oranges and apples for color. Sometimes I spray paint pinecones white or gold to make them stand out. If you don’t feel like venturing outside, you can make your own nature-inspired decorations with just a few supplies. Create
holly leaves from dark and light green card stock, indent veins in the leaves with a wooden skewer and trace the indentations with a colored pencil. Use these leaves to make paper wreaths, centerpieces or decorative picture frames. Making handmade ornaments is a fun family project. Mix 4 cups flour, 1 cup salt and 1-1/2 cups warm water in a bowl. Knead until the dough is firm and smooth, roll it out and cut with cookie cutters; or form your own shapes and poke holes for hanging before baking, about an hour at 300 degrees until dry. My family has always enjoyed making nature-inspired decorations such as these. It’s a simple tradition that brings us together to enjoy the holidays. Gardener Vicki Spencer has an eclectic background in conservation, water, natural resources and more.
LEARN MORE ONLINE Read previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Gardening under Living in Colorado.
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OUTDOORS
DAWN, DUCKS AND DOGS
A story of watching the wonders of the wilderness BY DENNIS SMITH
| OUTDOORS@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG
I
t’s a half-hour before legal shooting light on a bone-cracking cold December morning. Hoarfrost glistens from every twig, leaf, branch and blade of grass in the creek bottom, the stars have faded and the last inky-black remnants of night are retreating from the sky. Dawn is a soft, glowing tapestry of salmon-colored streaks on the eastern horizon, and the two Labrador retrievers at our sides are shivering with excitement at the far-off whistle of wings only they can hear. Gun dogs can sense the presence of ducks long before hunters ever see them — a mysterious canine ability that never fails to amaze us. My sons and I are hunkered down behind a makeshift blind of fallen cottonwood boughs thicker than a bull elephant’s trunk. Weathered gray, and brushed in with coarsely woven branches of alder and switch willow, the thing looks like an overgrown pile of rotted logs, bank rubble and creek flotsam. We’re straining our eyes against the dawn searching for the ducks the dogs have warned us are coming. We see nothing but sky. Silly dogs. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a flock of green-winged teal buzz the blind like a squadron of miniature fighter jets, brake sharply and pitch into the decoys. The dogs were right. Again. Of course, they were; they’re always right. Unfortunately, we can’t shoot because legal shooting light is still 15 minutes off. The dogs whine and scowl their disappointment as if to say, “How come you jerks didn’t shoot?” Their frustration is palpable. Apart from the often ridiculous, never-the-same-thing-twice beauty of a prairie sunrise or the fascination of watching hunting
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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
dogs at work, the inevitable wildlife drama that unfolds around a duck blind at dawn while the woods and creek bottoms are waking is a continual source of wonder and entertainment to anyone who’s paying attention. On our duck hunts over the years, we’ve watched great horned owls and red-tailed hawks catch birds and rodents in the cottonwoods; seen golden and bald eagles soar overhead; and watched harriers and goshawks hunt the marshes for muskrats and voles. We’ve seen great blue herons spear shad and bluegills, and watched belted kingfishers dive for minnows on the Platte and ospreys snatch carp from duck ponds. We’ve listened to coyotes howl at dawn and witnessed them stalking prairie dogs in pastures across from our blind. We’ve seen white-tail deer and their fawns sneak out of the cornfields to bed down in the woods nearby, and just recently watched a small flock of turkeys scratch their way through the woods behind our blind, yelping and clucking quietly all the way. That’s not even the half of it. Sometimes we actually shoot a duck or two, just to keep the dogs happy, you understand, but usually we just sit quietly, sip coffee and watch the wild. Dennis Smith is a freelance outdoors writer and photographer whose work appears nationally. He lives in Loveland.
MISS AN ISSUE? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors under Living in Colorado.
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26
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
READER POETRY Snow Day
HURRY Last Chance to Enter
2021
Photo
Con t es t
Categories are: • The Golden Hour • My Stomping Grounds • Family Fun • Colorado Birds • CCL Cover Contest
Deadline: December 15, 2020
4 CATEGORIES & CCL COVER CONTEST Contest rules:
• Read the full list of official rules and requirements and enter online at coloradocountrylife.coop • Photographer must be a member of a Colorado electric co-op. • Photographer may enter up to 2 photos per category. • If people appear in the photo, it is the photographer’s responsibility to have the subject’s permission to enter his or her image in the contest. • Photos must have been taken by you. • General Category Contest: Photos must be 8×10 inches and must not be printed on a home printer. • Cover Contest: Photos must be at least 10×13 inches in size and vertical in orientation. • Photographer may win only one first-place prize. • ONLY first and second place photos in each category will be published in the magazine. Third place photos will appear only on the website and will still earn an award. Only one award will be given for the cover contest. • By entering the contest, photographers give Colorado Country Life permission to publish the winning images in print and digital publications, to social media and on websites.
Send entries to: Photo Contest, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or enter online at coloradocountrylife.coop.
What we did with this gift of hours that fell from the sky unbidden: We put on our mittens and scarfs and clunky boots We made tracks on the blank page of prairie; we let the dog run We hammered and bent and formed We FaceTimed and talked and read from The New Yorker We slurped tomato soup and sweet potato chips We napped We walked and we skied We drank Earl Grey from homemade cups and read Billy together. That is what we did with this gift of time and snow. David Reynolds, Colorado Springs Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member
Arrested Water
Water, free flowing; sun warmed sheets of liquid tumbling to the ground. A concussive sound like that of waves crashing on a shore. Then as the seasons change, the air turns cold. As frost appears and snow descends, the mighty flow slows to a trickle. Giant icicles take shape, like that of an elongated beard. The once clear, free flowing water turns a frozen whitish, gray color. The waterfall is suspended, its waters arrested. Kevin Wherry, Aurora
HAPPY
Holidays
DO YOU WRITE POETRY?
Mona Kylee Cassi
Send us your best work; we’d love to read it. Submission: Submit your poetry via email to: info@coloradocountrylife.org or by mail to: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St. Denver, CO 80216
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
27
COMMUNITY EVENTS Due to COVID-19, some of these events may be canceled, modified or rescheduled. Please contact the host of the events if you have any questions.
December 2020 Throughout December Fort Collins
Self-Guided Historic Homes Tour: Street Stories 23 Historic Buildings in Old Town poudrelandmarks.org/historichomes-tour
Through December 20 Online
Salida Council for the Arts’ Holiday Art Show salidacouncilforthearts.org
Through December 24 Fort Collins
Santa’s Workshop Old Town downtownfortcollins.com
Through December 27 Pueblo
Electricritters Light Show Pueblo Zoo pueblozoo.org/electricritters
Through December 31 Denver
Zoo Lights Denver Zoo 5-10:30 pm • denverzoo.org
Through January 1 Loveland
Winter Wonderlights Light Show Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra visitlovelandco.org/ winterwonderlights
Through January 3 Littleton
Trail of Lights Light Show Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms botanicgardens.org
Through January 10 Granby
Model Train Display, Christmas Caboose and Gift Shop Moffat Road Railroad Museum 970-281-9094 • moffatroadrailroadmuseum.org
SEND CALENDAR ITEMS
Through January 16 Denver
Blossoms of Light™ Light Show Denver Botanic Gardens botanicgardens.org
Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303455-2807; or email calendar@ coloradocountrylife.org.
December 4 Mancos
Christmas Tree Lighting Pioneer Plaza 6-7 pm • mancosvalley.com
December 5 Timnath
Colorado State Questers Christmas Tea • Timnath Presbyterian Church • 10 am-1 pm coloquesters.com
December 9-27 Virtual
Please send name of event, date, time, venue, brief description, phone number, a photo, if you have one, and email and/or website for more information. December 14 Pueblo
FAR Out Trail Challenge Fremont Trail System joinfar.org
Save the Magic! Nutcracker, The Ballet Fundraiser Virtual event sdc-arts.org/dance/nutcrackerfundraiser
December 12 Denver
December 22 Virtual
Christmas Lights of Denver by Bus History Colorado Center 5:30-9 pm • historycolorado.org
“Parenting in a Pandemic” Virtual Gathering 10:30-11:30 am • fcmod.org
Colorado’s small businesses need your support now more than ever. HOW TO
Colorado’s electric cooperatives support local businesses in their communities. One way they are doing that is focusing on the many small Colorado businesses that have been featured on the Discoveries page of this magazine and other similar businesses just trying to make it during this difficult time. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop/ support-colorados-small-businesses to see the wonderful list of Colorado small businesses needing your support.
28
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES BUY GIFTS CARDS TO USE LATER Purchase online or over the phone. SHOP ONLINE Many local businesses offer online shopping. Visit their website to make a digital purchase and get their product delivered to your home. CONNECT ALTERNATIVELY Follow your favorite Colorado businesses on social media, websites and digital newsletters. See if they are offering ways to connect, such as pick-up or home delivery. BUY NOW, PICK UP LATER Give the business a call, pay for a product, set it aside to pick up later. HELP GROW SUPPORT Give a business a shout-out on social media. 2 MONTHS ADVANCE Leave it IN a review. Like, share and post on social media; the extra virtual love is appreciated. Be sure to tag your posts using #CoOpsSupportCO
YOUR STORIES
READERS’ PHOTOS
FUNNY STORIES When we were back at school after
Christmas break, one of the second-graders told me that his family has Alexa now. He told me that he asked, “Alexa, did you fart?” Over the laughter I asked what the answer was, and he stated that Alexa said, “I never ever have broken wind.” Needless to say, the roar of laughter got even louder. I wonder about technology sometimes. Lori Peek, Deer Trail
On Christmas day our 28-month-
old great-granddaughter, Arry, let her hair down after being in ponytails all day. Her hair was sticking out wildly. Great-granddad asked where she got that pretty hair. Without hesitation she said, “Walmart.” We all had a good laugh. Marie Swanner, Dolores
Poudre Valley REA consumer-members Isaac and Sam Neal quarantining at home in Lyons dreaming of a vacation!
Poudre Valley REA consumer-member Phyllis Jachowski at home in Fort Collins with granddaughter, Brie, enjoys the gardening, recipes, poetry and book reviews in their November CCL.
San Isabel Electric Association consumer-members Brad and Tammy Shaver enjoy CCL while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
It has become a family tradition to
visit the Denver Zoo Lights every year around Christmastime with our daughter Rachel and her family. A couple of years ago we had just finished walking through the exhibit and were waiting for Peepaw and the children’s father to get the cars and warm them up for us. While waiting, there was a commotion behind us. I looked over and saw that a young man and woman just got engaged and they had a photographer along with several friends all joining in on the celebration. Our granddaughter Phoenix, who was 4 at the time, wasn’t paying any attention to what was happening. I said, “Look behind you! That couple just got engaged!” She looked over at them and said, “That’s disgusting!” I said, “Phoenix, now why would you say something like that? It’s a good thing! It means they are going to get married!” She then said, “Yeah, well that’s what all of the boys at school say: That’s disgusting!” Roslyn Swofford, Elbert WINNER: This year’s $200 winner is Ingrid Garver of Fort Collins, a consumer-member of Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association.
Bob and Nora Matteo, consumer-members of both Yampa Valley Electric and Poudre Valley REA, escape the wildfire smoke by going to Cannon Beach, Oregon.
WINNER: San Isabel Electric consumer-member Brenda Vitale enjoys CCL while riding the ferry from Salem to Boston, Massachusetts.
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 $25 each month. The next deadline is Monday, December 14. Name, address and co-op must accompany photo. See all of the submitted photos on Facebook at facebook.com/COCountryLife.
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 2021 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. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
29
DISCOVERIES
’Tis the Season of Giving Discover ways Coloradans spread the holiday spirit Courtesy James Edward Mills of the Joy Trip Project
Colorado Provides America’s Christmas Tree Since 1970, a different national forest has provided a live tree, dubbed “The People’s Tree,” to the White House to be lit and decorated for the holidays. For 2020, the tree was provided by the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in partnership with the nonprofits Choose Outdoors and Colorado Tourism. This tree travels the nation with stops along the way for planned special events. This year, the tree-cutting ceremony was on November 5 and the tree began its journey to the White House on November 10, making its appearance on the West Lawn on November 20. Learn more about the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree at uscapitolchristmastree.com.
Wreaths of Remembrance Representing three U.S. National Cemeteries in Colorado — Pikes Peak, Fort Logan and Fort Lyon — Colorado Springs-based Senior Veterans, Inc., provides remembrance wreaths at the gravestones of the veterans who were laid to rest there. While the deadline to purchase a $15 wreath for 2020 was November 30, keep in mind this fantastic fundraiser next year. The 2020 wreaths will be placed on December 19. For more information, visit coloradohonor.com.
Helpers Add Heart to the Holidays
Celebrating Women Voting The Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund, which supports education and preservation projects at the historic Boettcher Mansion, is offering a special holiday ornament to honor the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment. This ornament is the 12th in a series that includes depictions of the White House Chandelier, Claude’s Cutty Sark, the Governor’s Garden and more. Cost is $35. For more information and to purchase, visit coloradoshome.org/ gift-shop.
30
COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2020
Colorado Springs-based The Christmas Tree Project will celebrate its 10th year of donating fully decorated Christmas trees to families in need this holiday season. The organization receives thousands of requests every year from all around the nation and the globe and, with the current economic struggles, the need for Christmas trees is expected to be amplified. Read more about The Christmas Tree project, which was featured in Colorado Country Life’s December 2017 issue, at coloradocountrylife.coop/ sharing-magic-christmas-brings-smiles-2. To donate, volunteer or request a tree, visit thechristmastreeproject.org.
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