Mendo Lake Family Life March 2015

mendo lake

Wise Words From a local centenarian

Easter Egg Hunts

4 Top spots

Curvy Girl Club Teach body-love

March 2015

20 Camp Tips

Choose the best

B-day Parties

That give back

With three children under age nine, Carlos and Julia Naja understand that life can occasionally be stressful.

Between school, sports, play dates, and family activities the Naja family is constantly on the move. Sometimes it’s challenging to get all three children to listen and stay focused and motivated. Through patience and healthy communication they’re encouraging their children to become responsible and respectful members of their community someday. If that’s something you want for your children, take our 1.2.3. Breathe Challenge and commit to using positive parenting techniques with your family each day.

BE A HERO: BREATHE Join the Hero Project - Take the Challenge - FREE Prizes and Fun

Check out the Hero Project website & facebook page!

Go behind the scenes with families just like yours and discover proven parenting methods designed to help you become the best parent you can be.

lakecountyheroproject.com @lakecountyheroproject

...and tag your posts #lakecountyheroproject so we can love you back!

SPONSORED BY:

Lake County Office of Education • St. Helena Hospital – Clearlake • Sutter Lakeside Hospital

Health Leadership Network • First 5 Lake County • Redbud Health Care District

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Close toHome

Caring For Your and Your Family

As part of our mission to improve the health of our community, we are excited to bring quality care closer to home. From the common cold to annual exams and vaccinations, your care team at the Redwood Medical Clinic is here for you.

MEET YOUR PRIMARY CARE TEAM John Glyer, MD | Family Practice Dr. Glyer has served the Willits community for 37 years.

He enjoys caring for adult and pediatric patients. Dr. Glyer also has a special interest in caring for patients in recovery from drug and alcohol.

Now Accepting New Patients

To schedule an appointment, call 707.459.6115

Suki Spillner, FNP-BC | Family Practice Suki Spillner is excited to serve the Willits community and is accepting both adult and pediatric patients. She enjoys managing complex chronic illnesses, with an emphasis on health education and helping her patients achieve their goals.

88 Madrone Street | Willits, CA 95490 | 707.459.6115

March 2015

Feature Stories

8

8 The Wisdom of Jean Gowan Near

A local centenarian’s reflections on family and community.

10 The Curvy Girl Club

How to help your daughter love her body.

12 Get Ready for Summer Camp!

Tips on selecting a program that meets your children’s needs.

16 Benevolent Birthdays Use your child’s party to teach the value of serving others.

18 Be a Better In-law How to help your relationship run smoothly.

12

Every Issue 6

Dear Reader

22 Calendar of Events

7

Bits and Pieces

Road Show Brings Local History to Life It’s Time to Get Wild!

Catch a World-class Act

20 Kids Craft

Lucky Leprechaun Art

Tune in to Classical Music

24 Celebrate Whales at

Three Local Festivals

26 The Search for

Easter Treasure

29 Measles Outbreak Hits Home

28 Cooking with Kids

A Better Corned

20 4 MendoLakeFamilyLife

Beef and Cabbage

30 Humor Break

MendoLakeFamilyLife.com March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

HEALT L A

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cs etri st

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TRIB

YOU’RE INVITED!

r ic s & Ob

Come Celebrate Our Newest Arrival!

Friday, March 20th, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at 359 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport (the oLd BLockBuster BuiLding)

tour the new clinic Meet the care Providers dance Performance by the Pomo dancers Face Painting, Magic show & hot dogs

Lake County Tribal Health Modern Medicine

Personalized Care

707-263-8382 • 925 Bevins Ct., Lakeport • www.lcthc.com

Dear Reader

D

ays are warming, flowers are blooming, trees are leafing—it’s spring, a time of inspiration, Sharon Gowan renewal, and, of Publisher/Editor Sharon@family-life.us course, the Easter Bunny! Where will the celebrated rabbit be? At local Easter egg hunts, of course. Read “In Search of Easter Treasure” (page 26) to find out about area hunts, and find even more hunts at mendolakefamilylife.com.

While kids love dreaming about Easter chocolate and eggs, sometimes their little minds are filled with worries— problems with other kids at school, or trouble doing homework. In “The Wisdom of Jean Gowan Near (page 8), Mendocino’s newest centenarian—a

great-great grandmother and educator—offers her advice on helping kids to help themselves.

Office Manager

Kids worries aside, one thing that may be troubling your parental mind is how to keep your kids entertained over summer. Camps are a great solution. Sign ups for area programs are happening now. “Get Ready for Summer Camp!” (page 12) will show you how to choose one that best suits your children’s needs.

Patricia Ramos patty@family-life.us

Business Marketing Renee Nutcher renee@family-life.us Jolie Cook jolie@family-life.us Marie Anderson marie@family-life.us

Wishing you rainbows and pots of gold this March!

Features Editor Melissa Chianta melissa@family-life.us

Production Manager Donna Bogener production@family-life.us

Marketing Jordan Lewis jordan@family-life.us

LEARN THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE!

Calendar Patricia Ramos

Contributing Writers John Corippo Denise Yearian Christina Katz Bull Garlington Roberta Werdinger Jan Pierce

WITH LOCAL EXPERTS Join Our NEW Junior Pool League

Billing Jan Wasson-Smith

For age 7-15

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Sign up during month of March

134 Lystra Court, Suite A Santa Rosa, CA 95403 Tel (707) 586-9562 Fax (707) 586-9571

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209 S. School St. • Ukiah 707-462-PLAY www.popukiah.weebly.com 6 MendoLakeFamilyLife

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Bits & Pieces

It’s Time to Get Wild!

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s the Discovery Channel your best friend? Does the PBS show Nature leave you enthralled? Then you’ll love the International Wildlife Film Festival Post-festival Tour, which will screen flora and fauna flicks at the Ukiah Civic Center on Fridays in March.

Road Show Brings Local History to Life

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he history of Mendocino County is packed with colorful characters, from pioneering settlers to poet robbers. They all come to life in the Mendocino County Museum Road Show, which will be performed at various local venues in March.

Museum Road Show Artistic Director Linda Pack created the show from oral history accounts and historical archives with help from Ukiah Players Theatre director Kate Magruder. Pack and Magruder also act in the show, along with local talent. An old-fashioned proscenium arch, period costumes, and archival photos projected onto the stage flesh out the drama, along with tunes such as “Lorena,” a song whose strains used to drift between enemy campfires at night after the battles of the Civil War. An original tune by Americana trio All About Sally member Dave Alden, “Ballad of Black Bart,” will also debut during the show.

The show will start at 7:30 p.m. for one night only at each of the following venues: March 7, Willits High School, Willits; March 13, Arena Theater, Point Arena; March 14, SPACE Theater, Ukiah; March 20, Anderson Valley Grange, Philo; and March 21, Cotton Auditorium, Fort Bragg. There will be an additional matinee at 2 p.m. on March 15 at SPACE Theater in Ukiah. Doors open a half hour before the show for guests to enjoy refreshments and pre-show music. See mendocinomuseumroadshow.org for details. ¶

Start off the month with Bears of the Last Frontier, screening on March 6, and learn about the lives of bears caught between wilderness and urban development in Anchorage.

Catch, too, the short Raccoon Nation, Part 1, which investigates how human efforts to outwit raccoons are actually making them smarter. On March 13, Spirit Creatures explores the spiritual relationship of Northern Mozambique’s Cyao culture to animals. (You can also see Raccoon Nation, Part 2.) Meanwhile River in Ireland, showing on March 20, takes you through four seasons on the River Shannon, Ireland’s longest river.

The last film in the series, Wildest Islands, screening on March 27, lets you peek into one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, the Philippines.

Tickets are $10 for each film. All shows begin at 7 p.m. with pre-show live music and snacks starting at 6:20 p.m. Films are appropriate for kids ten and up; younger children are discouraged from attending. For more information, see rvoep.org. ¶

—Roberta Werdinger

Catch a World-class Act

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t’s unusual for a chamber music trio to include a wind instrument, especially a clarinet, which is part of what gives the Zodiac Trio its charm. The young ensemble, which formed in 2006 at the Manhattan School of Music, features Kliment Krylovskiy, clarinet; Vanessa Mollard, violin; and Riko Higuma, piano. They all enjoy individual international concert careers, each having performed extensively in Europe. Due to its unusual instrumentation, the trio’s repertoire consists largely of new commissioned pieces as well as older works. The group will perform at the Gualala Arts Center in Gualala on March 15 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $25; youth ages 7–17 are free. You can buy tickets at gualalaarts.org. ¶

www.mendolakefamilylife.com

March 2015

MendoLakeFamilyLife 7

The Wisdom of Jean Gowan Near A Local Centenarian’s Advice to Parents

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lot of things may have changed since Mendocino County native Jean Gowan Near was born 100 years ago—but Near’s belief in the importance of family and community has stayed the same.

Born December 31, 1914, Near grew up on a farm in Potter Valley during a time when everyone relied on each other’s help to take care of the land and feed their families.

When she was 17, she went to the East Bay to attend the University of California, Berkeley, and got married her senior year. She had two sons and lived with her family in the East Bay until World War II broke out.

When her husband joined the US Naval Mobile Construction Battalion in 1943, she found herself moving back to Mendocino County with an infant and a preschooler to teach in a one-room Covelo schoolhouse. Her mother-in-law lived near the school, 8 MendoLakeFamilyLife

“Life is a series of problems to be solved. Our young people need to learn how to think, and how to figure out how to solve problems.”—Jean Gowan Near

The next year, in 1944, she taught at a high school in Covelo, and then in 1945 took a job teaching at a one-room schoolhouse in Philo.

year, she got her teaching credential from UC Berkeley, and then started working at Ukiah High School, where she stayed for 28 years, serving as the school’s Dean of Girls for the last nine. Along the way, she married Lowell Near in 1953.

Her husband came back from the war, but it wasn’t long before they divorced. A single mom, she took a job in 1947 teaching at a high school in Mendocino. The following

After retiring in 1976, she took on various roles in the community, including director of the local fire department and inspector for the election board.

and took care of her kids while she taught her four students. She loved the experience.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Today she keeps busy tending her garden of vegetables and raising sheep, which she’s done for 50 years, winning county fair awards for her fleece as recently as this year.

Near has witnessed many changes in the world of education and parenting, but still believes, as she has for decades, that cultivating a “friendly” relationship between parent and child is key to creating a harmonious family life.

Kids need to feel comfortable talking about their problems with

young people need to learn how to think, and how to figure out how to solve problems.

“Rather than tell kids what to do, ask them questions to get them to figure out what they should have done.

Even little kids know when they’ve made a mistake. [Ask them] ‘What do you think about what happened?

Was there a better way to do it?’”

Near remarks that, in today’s world, it’s hard for families to make the time to even have these kinds of conversations, which is one of

“Everybody is doing the very best that they can…with the situation they have to deal with.”—Jean Gowan Near their parents, she says, and for that to happen parents need to focus on connecting with, not criticizing, their children.

“Kids don’t want to be judged. If they know immediately that their mother or father is going to criticize them…they will be afraid to tell them [about a mistake]. Maybe they’d like to ask their parents how they should do something. If they’ve already been scolded, it’s hard for them to ask,” Near advises.

She adds that it’s very important for parents to help kids think through their choices in any given situation, so that they learn to figure out the solutions to dilemmas themselves.

“There’s an old saying,” she remarks. “‘Mama said it wouldn’t be easy.’ Just about the time you think everything is going pretty rosy, something happens. It always does. Life is a series of problems to be solved. Our www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Near says, it might be easier to talk about troubling issues when they arise.

Near thinks communication and a sense of togetherness are a necessity not just for families, but for communities. She wants neighbors to talk to each other, and to think about what it’s like to “walk in another person’s shoes.”

Remember, she says, “Everybody is doing the very best that they can…with the situation they have to deal with.”

Near’s tai-chi class, which has been meeting for ten years, seems to offer an example of this kind of community awareness and connection. After practicing tai-chi’s gentle exercises together, the eight-person class always chats over tea, a ritual Near relishes.

“We’ve gotten to be almost like family, those of us who have been meeting together for so long,” she says.

Once Near turned on the TV and saw 200 Chinese people of all different sizes and ages practicing tai-chi in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.

Near dancing the jitterbug.

the reasons why she is a big fan of reinstating the tradition of the family dinner.

“When we were living on farms, there was no question. We always ate together in the evening, and we always had breakfast together, even though we had to catch the bus,” she says, reminiscing.

If everyone gets used to talking about everyday matters at the family meal, March 2015

“Oh what a wonderful thing that truly was,” she enthuses. “So many people getting together and doing something like that, feeling good about being together.” And age didn’t matter.

She thinks tai-chi has the potential to bridge gaps not only between generations, but also races. “It doesn’t make any difference if you’re Japanese, Hispanic, or American,” she says, the important thing is that everyone feels “happy together” doing something.

“And we need to get together,” Near says emphatically, her centenarian’s eyes looking toward the future of our families and communities. “All of us.” ¶ MendoLakeFamilyLife 9

Teach Your Daughter to See Herself in a Positive Light

The Curvy Girl Club

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By Christina Katz

ake a look at the magazine racks in any grocery store and you’ll be inundated with images and words that tell girls and women what they should look like and how they should act in order to be considered attractive and worthwhile human beings. Many of these messages make girls feel inadequate, which is

why it’s not surprising that a 2014 UCLA study found that girls need to hear words that accurately describe them in a favorable light on a regular basis. The study discovered that girls who had been called “too fat” by family members and peers were more likely to be obese a decade later. Researchers also found that labeling children as “fat” to motivate them to lose weight seemed to stigmatize them, rather than help them shed pounds.

The results of this study made me think of a very important 10 MendoLakeFamilyLife

conversation I had with my daughter Samantha when she was in the fourth grade. We were sitting on the end of my bed when she made the teary announcement that she was “fat” compared to her gaggle of friends, who were all quite lean at the time.

Naturally, I told her that she was not fat. I said she just happened to have thin friends, but not everyone in the world was skinny. I suggested that she try the word curvy to describe herself because calling herself fat seemed mean.

I emphasized that there was nothing wrong with being curvy, that many girls and women are curvy, and that

I did not want to encourage my daughter to diet, as I constantly had done in my youth, in an effort to be skinny like her friends. it is something to be proud of, not embarrassed about.

She sniffled, wiped away a couple of tears, and seemed intrigued by

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

the idea. “Who else is curvy?” she wanted to know.

I rattled off the top of my head the names of a few famous curvy women: Beyoncé. JLo. Jennifer Hudson. Kim Kardashian. Each time she recognized a name, she seemed to brighten up a bit.

“What about at my school? Who is curvy at my school?” she asked with a dubious tone. But I was able to come up with several girls who were curvy like her and some who were even curvier.

“So I am curvy?” She said the word as though tasting a new food she wasn’t sure she was going to swallow.

“Will I always be curvy? Will I ever get to be skinny?”

It seemed best to just level with her.

“Honey, you will always be curvy.

Curvy is who you are. You were born this way, and you will probably always be this way.”

I held my breath a bit, unsure a definitive statement like that was

My daughter uses the word curvy with pride and self-acceptance rather than disappointment and self-pity. really appropriate. All I knew was that I did not want to encourage her to diet, as I constantly had done in my youth, in an effort to be skinny like her friends.

Ukiah Unified School District

Ukiah Unified Kindergarten Enrolling Now

The UCLA researchers may be glad to know that curvy has since become a part of Samantha’s identity. Several years after our talk, it is a word she uses to describe herself with pride and self-acceptance rather than disappointment and self-pity. She is more physically fit today than she has ever been, and puberty has gifted her with more curves in more places than she ever could have imagined in fourth grade. Instead of feeling down on herself, she feels like she is part of a secret club, the curvy girl club, with millions of unofficial members around the globe. ¶ Christina Katz is an author and freelance journalist. Her latest book is The Art of Making Time for Yourself.

Celebrate SpringGala A Benefit for Mendocino Ballet

SATURDAY, MARCH 14TH

6-10 PM Barra of Mendocino Winery 7051 North State Street, Redwood Valley An Elegant and Fun Evening featuring:

2015-16 Kindergarten Registration and Transitional Kindergarten Registration Students age 5 by September 1, 2015 will be enrolled in Kindergarten

• Delicious Cuisine and Desserts with fine wines and beer, coffee and tea.

• Entertainment, Dancing and a Performance by dancers from Mendocino Ballet.

• A Silent Auction featuring local gift items and ware, jewelry, services, gift baskets, and more!

• A Live Auction featuring vacation getaways, fine liqueurs, brandy and more!

Students turning 5 between Sept. 2 and Dec. 2, 2015 are eligible to enroll in our Transitional Kindergarten Program “Where Dreams to Dance Come True”

Registration forms available at school offices and at www.uusd.net www.mendolakefamilylife.com

205 South State Street, Ukiah • 463-2290 www.mendocinoballet.org March 2015

MendoLakeFamilyLife 11

Get Ready for Summer Camp!

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How to Choose the Best Program for Your Kid

By Christina Katz

hat child doesn’t anticipate the long days of summer, when school classrooms seem like a world away, and all that’s on the schedule is play, play, play? Still, kids need activities that make use of their abundant energy and engage their innate curiosity. A summer camp is the perfect way to keep them entertained—and learning something new every day. There are camps to meet every interest, price range, and schedule.

Knowing your options, as well as your child’s personality, will help you identify which programs will most benefit your child.

12 MendoLakeFamilyLife

Resident camps: Most of these camps offer a variety of programs for children ages seven and up.

Resident camp options include coed, single sex, and those that specialize in a particular program. Resident camps offer varying overnight accommodations such as cabins, tents, and tepees.

Day camps: These camps are similar to resident camps except campers are somewhat younger (some take kids as young as four years old), and everyone returns home at the end of the day.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Specialty camps and programs: Campers can embark on adventures as varied as learning how to ride a horse, water ski, or dance. If your child has a favorite interest, there likely is a camp that specializes in it.

Camps that cater to special needs: A physical, medical, or mental disability is not a roadblock to a camp experience. Each year more than a million children with special needs benefit from summer camp.

Some camps specialize in serving certain groups while others integrate children with special needs into the general camp population.

Children may stay at camp for a few days, a few weeks, or the entire summer. In addition, a large range in pricing is available, depending upon the choice of camp, the facilities offered, and the camper’s needs. Many camps and other organizations offer financial assistance based on need.

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Clear Lake High School, 2014-2015 Lake County Academic Decathlon winner! Good luck at the state competition in Sacramento March 19-22!

Pictured left to right: Wilda Shock of the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, Brock Falkenberg, Lake County Superintendent of Schools, Jim Rogers, CLHS team coach, Chris Vincent, Kennedi Syphax, Noelani Urquiza, Dakota Durbin, Melissa Thibeau, Julie Ann Mather, Emily Seeley, Linda Ralosky, Cord Falkenberg, Savannah Rasmussen, Nate Falkenberg, Narumi Jo Mitchell.

How to Choose the Right Camp When beginning the camp selection process, consider your child’s interests and personality. With a variety of programs and activities available, there’s a camp to match your child’s passions and maturity level.

Together with your child, explore camp options and examine the materials the camp provides. Many camps have websites that include photos, maps or virtual tours of the camp facility, sample daily schedules and menus, and information about the directors and key staff. Involving your children as much as possible in the decision-making process will help ease their anxiety about going away to www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Career & College Readiness Department 994-9001

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WORK AT HOME • CHOOSE YOUR OWN HOURS • WORK WITH CHILDREN Own Your Own Business • Free Training and other great incentives for attending fun workshops.

• Child Care Assistance for lowincome eligible families.

• Free Child Care Referrals.

1-800-606-5550 ext. 211 March 2015

Rural Communities Child Care

MendoLakeFamilyLife 13

Proud Sponsor of the Humane Society adopt-a-pet discount

Blue Ribbon Pets Like our Facebook Page for Special Discounts

(707) 485-8454 www.brpets.com

camp. Think about what you want in a camp before you enroll your child:

Questions to Consider in Selecting a Day Camp

Questions to Consider in Selecting a Resident Camp

1

1

What locale is best? (Consider geography such as mountains or oceanfront, as well as distance from home.)

2

Do I want a camp that gives my child a wide variety of experiences or a specialty camp that focuses on a particular activity or set of skills?

3 Humane Society 4 Pets of the Month 5 6 FOR INLAND MENDOCINO COUNTY

What size enrollment will feel comfortable to my child?

How rustic do I want the camp to be?

How structured do I want the program to be? Does my child like to have lots of activity choices?

Max

6 years old and has been at the shelter for a whole year! He is a very sweet guy and as you can see, he only has one eye, but he doesn’t let his disability get him down.

Abigail

9 year old terrier mix with a personality as sweet as her face. She gets along with small dogs.

She may feel intimidated by a larger dog. She is a major cuddle bug.

Lacy

7 years old, she is a very quiet kitty, but not shy, loves to have attention.

Lacy does well with other cats. If you meet her and get to know her, you will see her true beauty.

Daisy Mae

Large 6 year old collie mix. She loves to walk and chase tennis balls. Her home would need to have secure fencing and no cats. She is great with big dogs but would need to meet, with supervision, new dogs.

9700 Uva Dr. Redwood Valley

(707) 485-0123

www.mendohumanesociety.com 14 MendoLakeFamilyLife

Is my child ready to sleep away from home for an extended stay? The answer to this question will help you to select either a resident or day-camp setting.

7 8 9 10

What session length will work for my child and our family’s summer plans? (One week? Eight weeks?)

How can I stay in touch with my child? Does the camp allow mail, phone calls, or e-mail? Visitation days?

How will the camp meet my child’s special dietary or physical needs?

What is my budget for camp tuition? (Remember, many camps offer financial aid.)

Day camps offer experiences that are different from resident camps.

Because of this, there are specific points to consider when choosing a day camp.

What training does the staff receive on safety, supervision, counseling, problem solving, and other issues unique to working with young children?

2 3 4 5

Is the price all-inclusive or are there extra activity charges?

If transportation is offered, where is the closest pick-up location?

Does the camp have an “express bus” that transports children quickly?

If before- and after-camp extended care is offered, who is with the children and what activities take place?

6 7 8

Is lunch served or do campers bring their own sack lunch? Are snacks and drinks provided?

If the camp offers swimming, are lessons or just recreational swimming offered?

Are campers in a group with a counselor all day? Or, are campers free to go from one activity to another with appropriate supervision?

In this case, whom would you talk to if you had a question or concern about your child?

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Before camp starts, will you be able to meet your child’s counselor and van/bus driver at an open house or some other event?

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Are parents allowed to drop by for visits or is there a special parent visitation day? ¶

Adapted from ACACamps.org. Reprinted with permission of the American Camp Association. ©2015 American Camping Association, Inc.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

707-468-1010

707-263-7725

707-456-9600

333 LAWS AVE., UKIAH

5335 LAKESHORE BLVD. LAKEPORT

45 HAZEL ST., WILLITS

Now accepting Medicare, Medi-Cal Covered California & other insurance

Parties that Teach Kids to Give Back

Benevolent Birthdays

By Denise Morrison Yearian

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t a time when parents are pulling out all the stops for their children’s birthday parties, some families are hosting hooplas to give gifts away. A growing trend, children’s charitable birthday parties encourage youngsters to think and act altruistically. And some parents and children are embracing the idea with open arms.

When Tracy Crowley and Ingrid Yerger’s two ten-year-old sons and fellow schoolmates Cayden and Bo wanted to share their shindig, their mothers suggested they have a Hawaiian-themed party with a community-oriented twist.

party theme—kids giving kids presents—and would involve sharing with those less fortunate. We threw the idea out to the boys but said, ‘It’s up to you.’ They thought it was a great idea.”

“We both knew what the boys really wanted was to have fun with their friends, and they didn’t need any more toys. So we suggested they have a party and donate their gifts to the children’s hospital,” says Cayden’s mother, Tracy. “It went with the whole

For the Morris family, benevolent birthdays are a burgeoning tradition. When their oldest son, Jake, celebrated his seventh last year, he had a baseball-themed blow out and asked attendees to donate children’s essentials to a local

16 MendoLakeFamilyLife

nonprofit organization. His younger brother Cole latched on to the idea.

“During that time, Jake explained to Cole why he chose to do this, and Cole said he wanted to have a charitable party, too. So when his birthday rolled around, we rehashed the idea to

Parents agree the no-gift notion didn’t detract from the celebrations.

It stirred up a sense of gratitude. make sure he was still up for it, then decided on a tie-dye t-shirt party,” says Elisa of her now eight- and four-year olds. “We wanted to stay with the t-shirt theme, so we contacted a charitable organization Cole was familiar with to okay the idea of donating shirts, and then sent out invitations asking that, instead of gifts, guests bring a shirt to give to a needy child.”

Cole’s celebration was a full-blown festivity with 30 pint-sized partakers and a variety of art-and-craft stations dedicated to t-shirt tie-dying, clay sculpting, and wooden toy painting. Cayden and Bo’s bash was bountiful, too, with swimming, an inflatable moon bounce, and a water-ice truck. The 50 kids who went donated a deluge of dolls, art activities, building blocks, and books.

“After the party the boys sorted the presents by gender, and then they each

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

chose one gift they wanted. The rest were bagged and taken to the hospital,” says Crowley. “That’s when it really hit home. A hospital representative met us at the front door, shook Cayden and Bo’s hands, and thanked them profusely. Although we couldn’t give the presents directly to the patients, she talked with the boys about how their giving would help and took them on a tour of the facility.”

Cole experienced an outpouring of offerings, too.

“We got tons of shirts—stacks! People brought outfits, too!” says Morris.

“After the party we went to the agency and together handed over the shirts.

The representative thanked him, took his picture to include in an upcoming newsletter and said, ‘Maybe when

other people see your photo they’ll want to have parties like yours.’ I looked at Cole, and his face was beaming. That’s when I knew he got it.

He really got it!”

“Helping others is our responsibility, and with a little creativity it can be a fun and rewarding experience.”

—Tracy Crowley

Both parents agree the no-gift notion didn’t detract from the celebrations. It broadened their children’s community awareness and stirred up a sense of gratitude.

the people he loves, doing what he loves, which is arts and crafts.

And that’s what’s really important,” says Morris. “He also learned an important lesson about giving and developed a greater appreciation for others’ needs. And he had a great time in the process.”

The event left an indelible impression on Cayden, too. “He learned that he’s fortunate to have family and friends who love him, good health, and a comfortable lifestyle,” says Crowley. “And that helping others is our responsibility, and with a little creativity it can be a fun and rewarding experience.”

Denise Morrison Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children and three grandchildren.

“I think the whole event benefitted Cole in that he enjoyed being with

RIVER OAK CHARTER SCHOOL Kindergarten – 8th Grade A Free Public School – Established in 1999

Open Enrollment March 2-May 28 Steiner-methods/common core standards, Foreign language, Instrumental music, Art, Woodwork, Drama, Leadership

555 Leslie St., Ukiah, CA 95482 (707) 467-1855 www.riveroakcharterschool.org www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Family health care for all of Lake County.

HOSPITAL SERVICES 707-262-5000 COMMUNITY CLINIC 707-263-6885 AFTER HOURS CARE 707-262-5088 sutterlakeside.org

March 2015

MendoLakeFamilyLife 17

How to Be a Better In-law 21 Tips for Creating Strong Family Ties

By Jan Pierce

I

remember the day my son announced his engagement.

I was thrilled—just filled with happiness for him and his intended bride. But soon after came the realization that I’d be a mother-in-law. I wasn’t quite as thrilled.

Why? Well to be honest, mothersin-law have a bad reputation for heavy-handedness, unwanted advice, and seeing no wrong in their precious sons (or daughters), even when they’re acting like rats.

How do we combat the stereotype and craft a better mother-in-law/ daughter-in-law relationship?

To get to the heart of the matter, I e-mailed some of my women friends and asked them to comment on their relationships with their in-laws. When 18 MendoLakeFamilyLife

Learn to trust and let go. Many younger women spoke of feelings of uncertainty and a lack of confidence as they took on the responsibilities of being a wife and developing a relationship with their mothers-in-law, whom they barely knew. Those who went on to develop a positive relationship, even a friendship, with their mothers-in-law went through a time of testing during which mutual trust was developed.

Get your spouse’s support.

Another young woman spoke of feeling offended and even attacked when her mother-in-law dispensed unwanted advice and criticism about matters such as time management, finances, and disciplining her children. The relationship was in jeopardy—until the young woman’s husband stepped up and stood by her.

Once she felt affirmed by her spouse, she was free to see her mother-in-law’s advice not as condemning, but as an expression of opinion that she was free to accept or ignore.

Accept what is. One of the loveliest replies I got was from a woman in her fifties who had learned to accept her mother-in-law just as she is—a quirky, sometimes inappropriate, and seemingly unloving person. Her mother-in-law gave strange re-gifts rather than store-bought ones, and was not interested in playing the role of a loving grandmother. Even given these qualities, this woman felt determined to love her mother-in-law as she was and not as she wished she would be.

Respect each other. Whenever one of the survey respondents mentioned a healthy in-law relationship, she almost always said that mutual respect was a key component of it. Being respectful doesn’t mean taking advice or believing in the same ways of doing things. It also doesn’t mean managing another’s behavior or trying to change someone’s personality. It does mean letting the other person be themselves, warts and all.

they answered right away, I knew I had hit on a hot topic. Here is some of the wisdom and advice they had to offer.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Tips for Mothers-in-law

Tips for Daughters-in-law

• Accept the fact that your son has chosen another woman to love and respect.

• Allow your mother-in-law to continue to play a role in her son’s life. She’s earned it.

• Display love and affection honestly.

Know it may take some time for the relationship to mature.

• Be willing to let small conflicts go.

• Overlook flaws or failings in your daughter-in-law. Try to remember what it was like to be a new wife.

• Speak positive things to her and about her.

• Understand she is young and may change some of her opinions and habits.

• Don’t assume your mother-in-law will be just like your own mother (or any other person you know).

• As much as possible, keep conversation positive, free of gossip, and respectful.

• Agree to disagree on touchy topics.

• Appreciate efforts to help, even if you have to set boundaries.

• Refrain from giving unsolicited advice, even if you’re “right.”

• Learn to listen to advice without necessarily taking it.

• Be supportive and willing to help if needed.

• Be patient. You may one day become a mother-in-law.

• Be patient. You were once a young, inexperienced woman.

Assume positive intentions.

Kindness and a sense of humor also go a long way in any new or awkward relationship. People are less likely to offend or become competitive when they give each other the benefit of the doubt. Many pitfalls are avoided if both women see the other through the eyes of love and acceptance, ascribing positive motives to their sometimes less than admirable behaviors.

In general, very few of the respondents reported a perfectly smooth road to a healthy relationship. They did, however, learn over time to build a friendship with their mothers- or daughters-in law based on acceptance, kindness, and love. You can, too. ¶ Jan Pierce, M.Ed., is a retired teacher and freelance writer specializing in education, parenting, and family life articles. Find her at janpierce.net.

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March 2015

MendoLakeFamilyLife 19

Kids Craft

Lucky Leprechaun Art

Celebrate St. Patty’s Day with Fun Crafts

By Denise Morrison Yearian

F

or one day in March, the ends of rainbows promise pots of gold, and four-leaf clovers grant us a bit of good luck. You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. All you need is a little green garb and a festive spirit.

Here are a few activities to get your celebration started.

SHIMMERY SHAMROCK CARD

Heart-shaped stencil, pencil, green and white construction paper, scissors, glue, paintbrush, green glitter, markers.

1. Use stencil, pencil, and green paper to create three hearts. Cut out.

2. Fold white construction paper in half to make a card.

3. On the front side of the card, glue hearts in a cluster with the bottom ends of the hearts overlapping to create a shamrock. Cut out a stem from the remaining green paper and glue in place.

4. Use a paintbrush to spread glue over the shamrock leaves and stem.

Sprinkle with green glitter and shake off excess. Let dry.

5. Write “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” on the front cover with a marker. Open the card and include this festive greeting, or create one of your own: “May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go.”

20 MendoLakeFamilyLife

TASTY RAINBOW FINGERPAINT Six zip sandwich bags, Cool Whip whipped topping or vanilla pudding, food coloring, scissors, cookie sheet, camera.

1. Place one-half cup of whipped topping into each of the six bags.

2. To create the colors of the rainbow, place the following drops of food coloring into each respective bag: Red bag: 3 drops red; orange bag: 2 drops red, 3 yellow; yellow bag: 3 drops yellow; green bag: 3 drops yellow, 1 blue; blue bag: 3 drops blue; violet bag: 5 drops red, 1 blue.

3. Remove excess air from each bag before zipping closed.

4. Mix food coloring with the whipped cream in each bag by pressing it with your fingers until the colors blend.

5. Use scissors to snip off the bottom corner of each bag.

6. Squirt whipped cream onto a cookie sheet, and use your fingers to draw a picture. Take a snapshot to remember your masterpiece, then gobble up your creation.

ST. PATTY’S POSIES Carnations, daisies, or other white flowers, glass with water, green food coloring, green ribbon.

1. Place five drops of food coloring into the glass of water.

PRIESTLY PURSUIT

E

very March 17 St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated.

But just who was this patron saint? Legend has it he was a British boy, captured by a band of pirates and sold into slavery in Ireland. For six years, Patrick worked as a shepherd and, grieving his plight, sought comfort in religion. When he finally escaped slavery, the young man fled to France, where he joined a monastery and became a priest. One night he had a dream the Irish needed his message of hope. Leaving his life as a recluse, St. Patrick traveled back to Ireland and spent the next 30 years starting hundreds of monasteries and churches before he died on March 17, the day we honor his life.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Bob Rider photography

Family Portraits

2. Cut flower stem ends at an angle and place in colored water.

Individuals • Families • Events

3. Wait 24 hours. Water will travel through the stalk and turn the white flowers green.

4. Gather into a bouquet, tie a green ribbon around the stems, and give as a gift.

TATER TOM LEPRECHAUN Large potato, washed and dried, olive slices (for eyes), carrot rounds (for ears), celery slice (for nose), bell pepper strip (for mouth), toothpick pieces or straight pins, old cookie sheet, styrofoam cup, green acrylic paint, paintbrush, black and yellow construction paper, pencil, ruler, scissors, glue.

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF. 2. Slice off the bottom end of the potato so it stands independently on a flat surface.

3. Use toothpick pieces to affix facial features. Set potato aside.

4. Place Styrofoam cup, bottom facing up, on old cookie sheet. Bake for two minutes or until it shrinks to resemble a small hat. Cool.

5. Cover exterior of hat with green paint.

Let dry.

6. Measure and cut a strip of black paper that is ¾-inch thick and long enough to wrap around the lower end of the cup to create a hatband.

7. Measure and cut a square from yellow paper, then hollow out the center so it resembles a buckle.

8. Glue the band and buckle in place. Place on top of Tater Tom Leprechaun. ¶ Denise Morrison Yearian is the former editor of two parenting magazines and the mother of three children.

www.mendolakefamilylife.com

BobRiderPhotography.com • (707)245-5321

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Mendocino County Farm Bureau 27th Annual Fundraiser

Denim & Diamonds Saturday March 28 Silent & Live Auction Benefit Dinner Benefiting our Scholarship Fund & Agricultural Programs Ukiah Conference Center, 200 South School St., Ukiah, 5pm

BUY YOUR RAFFLE TICKETS TODAY! $2000 Travel Gift Certificate for Trip of Your Choice, Princess Cut Diamond Pendant, and $750 Cabela’s Gift Card

Suggested raffle ticket donation $20/each or $100/6. Need not be present to win.

RSVP

by March 15th!

Contact Mendocino County Farm Bureau, 303-C Talmage Road, Ukiah, 462-6664 $55pp/$550 for diamond sponsored table for 8

March 2015

Limited Seating - So Don’t Delay

MendoLakeFamilyLife 21

March

Calendar of Events Tune in to Classical Music

D

o swirling violins and booming trumpets tickle your eardrums? Go see the Symphony of the Redwoods perform Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, Grieg’s Piano Concerto (featuring pianist James d’León), and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Performances will be held at 8 p.m. on March 28 and 2 p.m. on March 29 at the Cotton Auditorium in Fort Bragg. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at symphonyoftheredwoods.org. ¶

Sunday 1 FREE First Fiddlers’ Jam. Listen to some terrific fiddle tunes played by members of the Northern California Old Time Fiddlers Group. Noon–2 p.m. Ely Stage Shop & Country Museum. 9921 Soda Bay Rd. (Hwy. 128), Kelseyville. elystagestop.com.

FREE Kids Fun Day! Sports,

skateboarding, inline skating, snack shop, Bible time & more. Preschool–12th grade. Adult supervision. Parental permission slips required. Sundays. 4–6 p.m. Lucerne Community Church.

5870 E. Hwy. 20, Lucerne. 274-8326. lucernecommunitychurch.com.

Venetian Masquerade at Rosa d’ Oro. A celebration inspired by

Carnevale of Venice. Italian masks are optional but encouraged. $10.

6–8 p.m. Rosa d’Oro Vineyards.

3915 Main St., Kelseyville. RSVP at 279-0483. rosadorowine.com.

FREE Lakeport Kitchen Project.

A hot meal provided every Sun. in Lakeport for anyone, children included.

Sundays. 4–5 p.m. 3/1 & 3/15: United Christian Parish. 745 Brush St., Lakeport St. 3/8: St. John’s Episcopal.

1190 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. 3/22 22 MendoLakeFamilyLife

Tuesday 3 & 3/29: St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

801 N. Main St., Lakeport. 279-8512.

San Francisco Zoo Lunar New Year Celebration. Year of the Goat commemoration. Chinese acrobatic performances, traditional Chinese lion & folk dancing, Chinese yo-yo tricks, Zodiac Scavenger Hunt. Access to the celebration is free with paid admission to the zoo. However, guests born in the Year of the Goat (2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955) get free zoo admission.

San Francisco Zoo. 1 Zoo Rd., San Francisco. sfzoo.org.

Monday 2 FREE American Legion Lewis White Post 76. All eligible veterans: Come

join us for camaraderie & community service. Potluck 6:30 p.m. Meeting starts 7 p.m. Ukiah Veteran’s Memorial Hall.

293 Seminary Ave., Ukiah. 968-7315.

FREE Karate Program. Sponsored by

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Activities League. Mondays. Ages 5–10: 5:30 p.m.

Tweens–adults: 6:30 p.m. Ukiah High School. Room L4. 1000 Low Gap Rd., Ukiah. Senseis Michael Tobin & Cody Burford instructing. 354-0565.

FREE After-school Fun for Youths.

Full program of after-school activities for kids, including homework assistance.

Tuesdays. 3:30–5 p.m. Action Network.

200 Main St., Point Arena. 884-5413. actionnetwork.info.

Wednesday 4 FREE Mendocino Museum. Free admission first Wed. of each month. 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 400 E. Commercial St., Willits. mendocinomuseum.org.

Thursday 5 FREE Story Time at Redbud Library.

Stories, crafts & fun for preschoolers.

Older children & babies welcome, too.

Thursdays. 11 a.m.–noon. 14785 Burns Valley Rd., Clearlake. 994-5115. library. co.lake.ca.us.

The Diary of Anne Frank. An

impassioned drama about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic, seen through the eyes of a young girl.

This is a new adaptation for a new generation. Thursdays. 7 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays. 8 p.m. Sundays. 2 p.m.

Thru Mar. 15. Ukiah Players Theatre.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

1041 Low Gap Rd., Ukiah. 462-9226. ukiahplayerstheatre.org.

Etty. A play based on the writings of

Etty Hillesum, a Jewish teacher & lover of life who lived in Holland during WWII & chose not to go into hiding.

Featuring Susan Stein, playwright & actor from New York. 7 p.m. Suggested donation: Adults $10. Students $5.

Ukiah United Methodist Church Social Hall. 270 N. Pine St., Ukiah. 462-3360. kolhaemek.org/newsletters/Shema2-3-15.pdf.

38th International Wildlife Film Festival. Presented by Redwood

Annual Variety Show at the Anderson Valley Grange Hall. Open

Valley Outdoor Education. Viewers will journey to remote & magical places as the films explore ocean habitats, bears of the last frontier & more! Fridays.

Live music & snacks 6:20 p.m. Film begins 7 p.m. Suggested donation: Adults $10. Children $5. (Films appropriate for children 10 & over.)

Ukiah Civic Center. 300 Seminary Ave., Ukiah. rvoep.org.

to any kind of talent or variety skit you can put together. It’s so popular, it takes two nights to present all the serious & crazy stuff. Let your hair down & join in—either on stage or in the audience. Thru Mar. 7. Tickets at door.

7 p.m. 9800 Hwy. 128, Philo. 895-3807. andersonvalley.org.

FREE Art Clock Design Competition & Fundraiser. The clocks will be on

Friday 6

exhibit thru Mar. 27 at Art Center Ukiah (ACU) Gallery & featured as part of Art Walk Ukiah. The clocks will be sold via silent auction, with final bids accepted at a special reception held on Mar. 27, 5–7 p.m. ACU. 201 S. State St., Ukiah. 462.1400. artcenterukiah.org.

FREE Grace Hudson Museum. Free

admission first Fri. of each month. 10 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. 431 S. Main St., Ukiah.

467.2836. mendocinomuseum.org.

FREE Story Time at Lakeport Library. Fridays. 10:15 a.m. & 3 p.m.

1425 N. High St., Lakeport. 263-8817. library.co.lake.ca.us.

Drive Thru Tri-Tip Dinner. Includes whole tri-tip, salad, beans, French bread, cookies & a rose. $60. All proceeds go to support teachers, students & programs in Willits Unified School District. Pickup 4–6 p.m. Willits Rodeo Grounds. Willits. 459-6588.

Saturday 7 Eighth Annual Pruning & Pastries.

Watch pros compete & then join a

SAVE 25% On Your Business Phone Bill!

SAVE BENJAMINS!

SUNDAY MARCH 8TH 12 noon

Saturday Afternoon Clubhouse 107 South Oak Street, Ukiah Presented by: The Mendocino Women’s Political Coalition, Co-sponsored by AAUW, Ukiah Saturday Afternoon Club, Soroptimist International & Cloud Forest Institute

Honoring: Jean Near, Cathy Monroe, Victoria Patterson, Leslie Dahlhoff, and Merita Whatley

Call for Free Consultation 462-8098

Featured Speaker: Fiona Ma, Representative on the California Board of Equalization

Hors d’oeuvres, old friends, Tickets $10 silent auction, music from the Available Raging Grannies and much more at the door

245 E Perkins St. Ukiah • 707-462-8098 Business Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm www.mendolakefamilylife.com

March 2015

MendoLakeFamilyLife 23

hands-on demo of winter pruning techniques. Prizes will be awarded. $25 includes breakfast. Dress for the weather; sturdy shoes or boots recommended. Rain cancels. 10 a.m.– noon. Meet under the oak trees just inside the ranch gate at 13372 Spruce Grove Rd., Lower Lake. To reserve your spot, call 994-4068. sixsigmaranch.com.

Mendocino County Museum Road Show. Mendocino County history is

brought to life through stories & song in this old-fashioned traveling variety show, complete with a pop-up gallery of artifacts, and docents who become actors. All show times 7:30 p.m., except where noted. Mar. 7. Willits High School. 299 N. Main St., Willits. Mar. 13. Arena Theater. 214 Main St., Point

Arena. Mar. 14. SPACE Theater, 508 W. Perkins St., Ukiah. Mar. 15. SPACE Theater. 2 p.m. Mar. 20. Anderson Valley Grange. 9800 Hwy. 128, Philo.

Mar. 21. Cotton Auditorium. 500 N. Harold St., Fort Bragg. 459-2736. info@mendocinomuseum.org.

FREE Saturday Morning Matinee.

Family-friendly movies first Sat. of each month. Current releases & old favorites; animated & live-action films. Children must be accompanied by adult. 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Lakeport Library. 1425 N. High St., Lakeport. 263-8817. library. co.lake.ca.us.

Mendocino Whale Festival. Chowder Tasting & North Coast Brewing Company. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Crown Hall.

45285 Ukiah St., Mendocino. Buy tickets at event. visitmendocino.com.

Be Our Guest. Annual fundraiser for Redwood Coast Medical Services.

Food, wine, entertainment, live & silent auctions. $50. 5–9 p.m. Tickets available at Four-Eyed Frog Books, Gualala.

Gualala Arts Center. 46501 Old State Hwy., Gualala. 884-1138. gualalaarts.org.

Celebrate Whales at Three Local Festivals

F

or 33 years, northern Californians have been celebrating the annual migration of whales with festivals. This year there are activities in Mendocino, Little River, and Fort Bragg.

At the Mendocino Whale Festival, March 7 and 8, you can watch whales in the Mendocino Headlands State Park as well as munch on chowder, sip beer and wine, check out art exhibits, and browse through local shops. Buy tickets online via mendowhale.com/page/ mendocino.

The Little River Whale Festival, March 14 and 15, is a fundraiser to save Spring Ranch barns and will feature sea kayaking cave tours, wine tasting, and a free whale watch walk (dogs on a six-foot leash allowed; binoculars available). Find out more information at mendowhale.com/page/littleriver.

At the Fort Bragg Whale Festival, March 21 and 22, you can catch a glimpse of whales from Pomo Bluffs Park as well as from miles of area beaches. You can also vote for your favorite chowder, walk or run a 5K or 10K, or take a lens tour at Point Cabrillo lighthouse. For dates and times of events, see mendowhale.com. ¶

24 MendoLakeFamilyLife

12th Annual Housing Task Force Dinner. Along with a

melt-in-your-mouth brisket dinner, the evening will include a silent auction & dessert auction. Adults $12. Kids under 10 $8. 6 p.m. Kelseyville Presbyterian.

Friendship Hall. 5340 Third St., Kelseyville. 279-9740. lakeconews.com.

FREE Ukiah Bicycle Kitchen. Our friendly local bicycle cooperative.

Volunteers show patrons how to maintain & repair their bicycles. No one turned away for lack of funds. Saturdays.

10 a.m.–noon. Alex Thomas Plaza. 300 State St., Ukiah. visitukiah.com.

FREE Lake County Milers. Meet us at Kelseyville Lumber parking lot for a casual 2–5 mile run/walk. We always love seeing new faces. Saturdays. 8:30

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Sunday 8 FREE Friends of Boggs Mt. Hike Trail Maintenance. Bring water, work gloves & a hand tool such as a lopper or clipper. Meet in Boggs parking lot. 9–11 a.m. Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest. Rt. 175, 8 miles south of Clear Lake. boggsmountain.net.

Fourth Annual Pianists Concert.

Presented by Soper Reese Theatre & Lake County Friends of Mendocino College. Premium $30. General $25.

No-host reception 2 p.m. Show 3 p.m.

Soper Reese Theatre. 275 S. Main St., Lakeport. soperreesetheatre.com.

Party with a Purpose. Lakeport

Enhanced Education Foundation annual fundraiser. Catered dinner dance with professional musicians. Live & silent auctions. Balloon raffle. 6 p.m. Lake County Fairgrounds. Fritch Hall. 401 Martin St., Lakeport. lakeportleef.com.

FREE Meet the Midwives! Learn

more about home birth, licensed midwifery & personalized care before, during & after pregnancy. 7–8 p.m.

Coldwell Banker. 190 S. Main St., Lakeport. 972-9443.

✓ 1/2-day & full-day classrooms for ages 18 months to 5 years ✓ Potty-trained not necessary ✓ Children with disabilities welcome ✓ Referrals for transportation available

FREE AWANA Kids Club. For kids

Applications Applicationsonline: online:www.ncoinc.org www.ncoinc.org•• (707) (707) 462-2582

Windshields

$

Saturday 14 Beef & Cabbage Dinner. 3–8 p.m.

Greenwood Community Center. 6129 S. Hwy. 1, Elk. 877-3275. elkweb.org. www.mendolakefamilylife.com

NorthUkiah Ukiah--Bush Bush St. North Nokomis- -Washington WashingtonAve. Ave. Nokomis SouthUkiah Ukiah--S.S.State State St. St. South PeachTree Tree--S.S.Orchard Orchard Ave. Ave. Peach

Willits ••Willits

NearBrookside BrooksideSchool Schoolatat Near SpruceSt.St.&&Lincoln LincolnWay Way Spruce

Head Start Child Development Program License #230111843

Friday 13

St. Patrick’s Day Feast. Corned

••Ukiah Ukiah

••Lake LakeCounty County

Also providing FREE in-home services for infants, toddlers & pregnant women!

Tuesday 10

featuring art by local students. 5–7 p.m.

Exhibit runs thru Mar. 29. Gualala Arts Center. 46501 Gualala Rd., Gualala.

884-1138. gualalaarts.org.

Lake County Carnival. The Scouts of Lake County have created a carnival of crazy games & great food. Spin Art, Cake Walk, Car Bashing, Toilet Bowl Toss, Rubber Chicken Fling. Door prizes include a used car from Guy Strohmeier’s Auto Center, a recliner

Free & Low-Cost Quality Preschool!

auction, music from the Raging Grannies. $10. Noon. Saturday Afternoon Clubhouse. 107 S. Oak St., Ukiah.

FREE Arts in the Schools: Young Creative Minds. Reception for exhibit

marching bands & much more. 11:30 a.m. Parade starts at 2nd & Market Streets, making its way down Market St. to Civic Center Plaza. 355 McAllister St., San Francisco.

Give Your Child a Head Start!

32nd Annual Women’s History Gala Celebration. Hors d’oeuvres, silent

from three years to sixth grade. It’s a great night of games, Bible & fun.

Tuesdays. 6:30–8 p.m. Clear Lake Baptist Church. 555 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. 263-3256. clearlakebaptistchurch.org.

FREE St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival. Music, Irish dancers, floats,

CC E N T E R S

a.m. 3505 Merritt Rd., Kelseyville. lakecountymilers.com.

Starting at

99

UpperLake Lake--2nd 2nd Street Upper UpperLake Lake--Clover Clover Valley Upper Lakeport- -Howard HowardAve. Ave. Lakeport Clearlake--Pearl Pearl Ave. Ave. Clearlake Clearlake--Meadowbrook Meadowbrook Dr. Dr. Clearlake

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FortBragg Bragg-- Lincoln Lincoln St. St. Fort

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MendoLakeFamilyLife 25

The Search for Easter Treasure Egg Hunts for the Whole Family Come visit the Easter Bunny at Twin Pine Casino and Hotel in Middletown.

from Allen’s Furniture, photo art

by Lyle Madeson, a steel rolling ball sculpture by Matt Gaulden & more.

Admission is free. Activity tickets are 5 for $1. Pre-sale tickets are $1 & include a $2 coupon for most Lake County Pizza Parlors. Noon–5 p.m. Lake County Fairgrounds. 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

Celebrate Spring Gala. Benefit for

Mendocino Ballet. Food, wine, beer; dance performance; silent & live auction.

Advance $50. Door $60. 6–10 p.m. Barra of Mendocino Winery. 7051 N. State St., Redwood Valley. mendocinoballet.org.

Wednesday 18 FREE Redbud Family Movie. Free

What has the Easter Bunny left your family? Grab a basket and go to one of these local events to find out. (Be sure to go to www.mendofamilylife.com to find out about late-breaking hunts.)

Friday 20

Boonville The Anderson Valley Lyons Club will be hosting its annual Easter egg hunt on April 5 at 1 p.m. at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds.

Cobb On April 4, the Jellystone RV Park and Camp Resort will hold both an Easter egg hunt and bonnet-decorating contest. Bring an already festooned hat or come at 11 a.m. and adorn a bonnet using your own or the resort’s materials. Entries will be judged at noon. At 1 p.m., after the best bonnets have been chosen, the search for eggs will begin. Both events are free, but bring your own basket to the hunt. Call 928-4322 for details.

Lakeport For 90 years, the Lakeport Rotary has been delighting area kids with its annual free Easter egg hunt. Volunteers will hide 2,880 eggs this year, including two silver and two gold eggs, which will fetch $5 each. The popular event, open to kids 12 and under, will be held on April 5 at the Lake County Fairgrounds, rain or shine. Gates open at 1:15 p.m. The search for eggs begins at 1:30 p.m.

Middletown The Eggstravaganza at the Twin Pine Casino and Hotel will include not only an egg hunt, but also bouncy houses, craft projects, and complimentary hot dogs and popcorn. The free event will be held in the casino’s event center on April 4 at 11 a.m. No need to bring a basket; they’ll be given out to kids. Call 987-1276 for more information.

26 MendoLakeFamilyLife

family movie. Children must be accompanied by a parent. Third Wed. of month. 5 p.m. Redbud Library. 14785 Burns Valley Rd., Clearlake. 994-5115. library.co.lake.ca.us.

FREE Snak, Yak & Write Back. A new book discussion & writing group where tweens & teens can chat about their recent or favorite reads. Writing for fun will also be explored. Snacks will be provided. 3:30–4:30 p.m. Ukiah Library.

105 N. Main St., Ukiah. visitukiah.com.

Tribal Health Pediatrics & Obstetrics Grand Opening. Tour

new clinic & meet care providers. Pomo Dancers, face-painting, hot dogs. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Tribal Health Pediatrics. 359 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport. lcthc.com.

Saturday 21 FREE Know Lake County. Family friendly lecture series held third Sat. of month. February–December. Topics include many facets of Lake County, including human & natural history, outdoor recreation, science, performing arts & programs for children. 2 p.m.

Lakeport Library. 1425 N. High St., Lakeport. 263-8817. co.lake.ca.us.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

49th Annual Lakeport Lions & Elks Crab Feed. $45. Raffle, silent

auction, silent dessert auction.

All-you-can-eat cracked crab, pasta, garlic bread & salad. Full no-host bar.

4–8 p.m. Lakeport Elks Lodge. 3775 Lakeshore Blvd., Lakeport. 263-7789. northshorebusinessassociation.com.

33rd Annual Fort Bragg Whale Festival. Watch from the Pomo Bluffs

Park, as well as from miles of beaches.

Chowder Tasting: 11 a.m.–1 p.m. or until the chowder runs out. Town Hall.

363 N. Main St., Fort Bragg. $10. See mendowhale.com/page/fortbragg for more events.

Sunday 22 Signups for Jr. Giants. If interested

in coaching or volunteering, call Mike 916-541-7613. Signups at Clearlake Youth

Hunting for Egg Hunts?

Find your local list of latebreaking egg hunts online.

MendoLakeFamilyLife.com

Center. 4750 Golf Ave., Clearlake.

994-KIDS. clearlakeyouthcenter.org.

Saturday 28 FREE Technology Petting Zoo.

Try out an iPad, Galaxy Tab, Kindle Fire & Nexus 7 Tablet. Bring in your own devices to get help. Library staff will demonstrate how to download free e-books from the library. 1–3 p.m.

Lakeport Library. 1425 N. High St., Lakeport. 263-8817. co.lake.ca.us.

FREE Symphony of the Redwoods Spring Concert. Featuring pianist

James D’León. Thru Mar. 29. Adults $20. Under 18 free. Sat. 8 p.m.

Sun. 2 p.m. Cotton Auditorium.

500 N. Harold St., Fort Bragg. symphonyoftheredwoods.org.

Color Me Green 5K Walk/Run.

Hopland Research & Extension Center.

4070 University Rd., Hopland. 744-1424.

4hgina@gmail.com.

Denim & Diamonds. 27th Annual Mendocino County Farm Bureau Fundraiser. Silent & live auction benefit dinner. Raffle for travel gift certificate, diamond pendant. Dinner $55. 5 p.m. RSVP by Mar. 15. Ukiah Conference Center. 200 S. School St., Ukiah. 462-6664.

Tuesday 31 FREE Clothing Swap. All gently used clothing welcome, especially for school-age children. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Last Tues. of month. Safe Passage Family Resource Center.

208 Dana St., Fort Bragg. 964-3077. safepassagefortbragg.org.

Join us for a fun-filled color walk/run.

Support your local 4-H Clubs. 10 a.m.

Sonoma County Airport

Travel on Nonstop Flights to/from Los Angeles; Portland; San Diego; Seattle

Experience Flight Training Aircraft; Helicopters

Discover Scenic Tours Aircraft; Helicopters; Balloons; Historic Aircraft

©P N

TS

www.sonomacountyairport.org 707.565.7240 Follow STS on

www.mendolakefamilylife.com

March 2015

MendoLakeFamilyLife 27

Cooking with Kids To up the yum factor, sauté your cabbage.

A Better Corned Beef & Cabbage A Traditional Meal Gets a Facelift

By John Corippo

I

f you listen closely on St. Patrick’s Day, you can hear a collective groan as soggy cabbage and mushy potatoes are slopped onto plates with corned beef.

What a culinary catastrophe! But it doesn’t have to be.

It’s easy to transform this traditional meal from a nose turner into a plate cleaner. Just apply a little patience.

Most people boil corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes in one pot. But if you take some time to prepare the

potatoes and cabbage separately, it will be well worth the effort. Potatoes roasted in olive oil, rosemary, and garlic are a savory treat, while cabbage sautéed in a bit of butter, salt, and pepper will turn your kids into crucifer lovers. Add a slowly cooked brisket to these two delicious veggie sides, and you’ll have a meal that would leave any Irishman proud—and will have your kids asking for more.

Sautéed Cabbage Ingredients

Directions Cut the cabbage in half. Cut out and discard the core.

Thinly slice the remaining cabbage.

• 1 head cabbage • 2 tablespoons butter • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (Kosher preferred) • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan or heavy-bottomed pot. Add the cabbage, salt, and pepper and sauté for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and begins to brown. Season to taste, and serve warm.

Rosemary-garlic Roasted Potatoes Ingredients • 5–6 red potatoes • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon salt (Kosher preferred) • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced

Directions Preheat oven to 375ºF. Cut the potatoes in quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Pour the potatoes on a baking sheet, spreading to make an even layer; roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, or until browned and crisp. Flip potatoes halfway through cooking to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, season to taste, and serve.

John Corippo lives in Ukiah, where he is a husband and father to two sons as well as a fire captain, paramedic, hazmat specialist, journalist, college instructor, avid sports fan, and stand-up paddleboard representative.

28 MendoLakeFamilyLife

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Health News

Marketplace Tutoring

Schools

Tuition-free Montessori elementary for ages 5-13  Hands-on, arts and music integrated with academics

 National Green Campus  Promotes responsibility, respect, and peace

307 North State Street Ukiah

707-468-1300

Located on north end of Fairgrounds PO Box 966 Ukiah 95482

www.tutoringcenter.com

Health

Calm, Relaxed Birthing

Measles Outbreak Hits Home

R

ed bumps, fever, and a cough are popping up in kids again. Measles is apparently making a national come back, and California has been the hardest hit. Since December 2014, there have been 113 confirmed cases in California, two of them in Marin County. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the majority of cases in this recent multi-state outbreak can be linked to a Disneyland in Orange County, California. Those traveling in areas of the world where measles is still common, such as parts of Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, can bring the disease to the US. According to the CDC, this current outbreak was most likely begun by an infectious international traveler who visited Disneyland. Last year, the US experienced a record 644 measles cases in 27 states, the most reported cases since the disease was officially eliminated in the US in 2000.

www.mendolakefamilylife.com

treeoflifeschool@pacific.net www.treeoflifeschool.net

Mindfulness • Relaxation A great start for your baby & you!

La Vida Charter School

Birthing Classes Starting Soon!

707-263-7359

Susan Perry BA Cht Certified Birth Hypnotherapist and Doula www.syperry.wix.com/hypnotherapy

Get Mom’s Attention!

YOUR AD HERE

High immunization rates are needed to achieve herd immunity, or general immunity to a disease in a population. Once immunization rates fall below the herd immunity threshold, a disease can easily spread throughout a community.

According to Dr. Gil Chavez, deputy director and state epidemiologist at the California Department of Public Health, because measles is such an infectious disease, the threshold is an immunization rate of 92–94 percent. Once rates fall below these levels, the disease may reappear.

The percentage of local kindergarteners who have received required immunizations, including the measles, mump, and rubella vaccine, are as follows: Marin County 84.16 percent, Sonoma County 90.05 percent, Mendocino County 81.19 percent, Lake County 90.89 percent. To find out more about the measles outbreak, see cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html. For a list of measles symptoms, see mayoclinic.org. ¶

707-462-0913

Classifieds Work Call 586-9562

• Independent Study • K –12 • Free Public Charter • Academic & Specialty Classes • Gifted & Talented Served • Inspired by Waldorf Education 16201 N. Hwy. 101, Willits

707-459-6344

www.lavidaschool.org

Accelerated Achievement Academy • • • •

Free Public School Grades 4-12 Small classes Support for struggling students

(707) 463-7080 1031 N. State St.

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MendoLakeFamilyLife 29

Humor Break

The Vacation Traveling Blues with Kids 101

By Bull Garlington

I

did it. I invoked karma as a threat, as an epithet, as a balm for my dignity. We were at an airport, and strangers were staring and glaring at me, crossing their arms, occasionally whispering unsolicited advice as my children unleashed their pre-flight fury.

We had made a critical error.

As newbie parents, we thought our family vacation flight would be easier if the kids were asleep. So we kept them up late and woke them up early, bringing them to the plane in their PJs. In retrospect, from the battered perch of a wizened old dad, I can say that our strategy was dead wrong.

There was no way our kids were going to sleep on a plane bound for our vacation.

First of all, my daughter was jacked up on theme-park anticipation. She loudly and diligently planned our trip, assuming I was noting her every command on a spreadsheet and alerting the authorities.

Simultaneously, her parental-induced sleep deprivation was apparently causing her to hallucinate because she thought she was somehow related to Mickey Mouse, and that when we got to our destination, he was going to send us a carriage so that we could all do lunch. I wanted to avert 30 MendoLakeFamilyLife

disappointment so I told her, gently, carefully, that Mickey Mouse was busy and that we’d probably not be lunching with him, to which she replied “AAAAA!” and threw herself on the floor.

Meanwhile, my son was using his incredible toddler superpowers to give himself an ear infection that

As we boarded, each row of passengers greeted us with laser-focused preflight hatred. would cause his head to explode somewhere over Alabama. Not exactly a sleep-inducing scenario.

As we boarded—last—our progeny howled and gnashed their teeth as each row of passengers greeted us with laser-focused preflight hatred.

I got in my seat, leaned over to my wife, and spoke the karma-invoking words: “I’ll NEVER judge screaming kids on a plane or diapers or anything!”

Flash forward 13 years later. My wife and I are sitting comfortably in the

second to last row of a plane, on our way back home from a kidless vacation, when we hear a tornado of wailing and sneezing.

We look up to see a set of lugubrious triplets being pushed, dragged, and carried to the seats directly behind us by a couple who looked like earthquake survivors. The second the wheels left the ground, all three kids pooped in unison, engulfing our section of the plane in a sulfuric death plume that made my eyes water and broke my iPad. Yet I smiled. I smiled and inhaled deeply the fecund perfume of new life. Never did I grimace. Never did I glare over my seatback. I didn’t even cross my arms.

These poor people were experiencing enough hell all on their own. Who was I to add to their worries? Who was I to judge? I ordered a scotch.

When the stewardess asked me how I was enjoying the flight, looking at the guilt-ridden suffragettes in the last row with a glance that threatened to poorly adjudicate triple poops, I spoke up loud and clear: “Why it’s delightful.

Could not be happier. I’m having a marvelous time.” ¶ Bull Garlington is the author of Death by Children, the ForeWord Review’s Humor 2013 Book of the Year.

March 2015 www.mendolakefamilylife.com

Summer Camp & Fun Fairs Santa Rosa Saturday April 11 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at Coddingtown Mall

Petaluma Saturday May 16 11 a.m.–3 p.m. at Petaluma Dental Group

When Feeling Better Can’t Wait ...

Rapid Care is here.

Rapid Care is Open After-Hours & Weekends Rapid Care is designed for urgent, but non-life-threatening conditions. Our staff of highly trained medical professionals are ready to care for your urgent need. We treat cuts, bumps and sprains, minor skin rash, ear infections, mild asthma, flu and pneumonia, animal bites, fever, sinus infections and other minor illnesses and injuries.

Pediatrics 707.463.7459

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Walk-Ins Welcome.

Open After-Hours and Weekends.

Accepting Medicare, Medi-Cal and all forms of insurance.

Family Practice 707.463.7488