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In this
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Summer Recipes
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Dryer Vent Cleaning
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SunWest Services Specials
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Fertilizing in Southern Utah
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Exploring Duck Creek
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Fitness Trends of 2021
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Eric Dodge at the Villas
#swm l ife This publication is provided for informational purposes only. SunWest Management does not endorse any of the businesses, products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility or liability for the statements made in this publication.
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Calling All Collaborators! Would you like your message to reach our customers? Contribute to The SunWest Life magazine with educational articles, stories, or other content, or by advertising with us! Please contact collab@swmlife.com or 435-773-6456. Sandy Naylor has infused her creative passion as editor, writer, & designer into SunWest’s publications for over 12 years. She loves creating educational & entertaining products for our customers. sandy@swmlife.com
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Your Summer Looking for a delicious way to liven up your hydration this summer? Give these drinks from food.com a try! They’re full of refreshing ingredients that will give your taste buds an invigorating break from the plain old water and sports drinks we’ve all been chugging the past couple months!
Raspberry Peach • • • • • • • • •
2 white peaches, stoned, finely chopped 1/3 cup lime juice 1/4 cup caster sugar Thinly sliced peach, extra, to serve Raspberries, to serve 1/2 cup gin, soda water, or mineral water Crushed ice, to serve 1.25L sparkling lemon or lime mineral water Mint leaves, to serve
Combine chopped peach, lime juice and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 mins or until peach is very tender. Remove from heat. Transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Chill. Divide extra peach & raspberries among glasses. Combine peach puree and gin & pour evenly among the glasses. Top with ice, mineral water & mint.
Watermelon Cooler • 2 cups finely chopped watermelon • 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced • 1 cup coconut water, chilled • 1 tbsp fresh basil, shredded • 3 cups sparkling wine or mineral water • Ice cubes, to serve • Crushed ice, to serve • Basil leaves, to serve Process the watermelon and strawberry in a food processor until smooth. Add the coconut water and shredded basil and process until well combined. Place the watermelon mixture in a serving jug and top up with wine and ice cubes. Serve with the basil leaves.
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Dryer Vent Cleaning Before Lint build-up should be taken seriously, and SunWest Services is here to help. We have serviced several dryers in the past couple months with severe lint build-up, including this one, whose vent was nearly completely blocked, which creates a dangerous home fire risk. A quick service and cleanout and the dryer now runs better and safer.
Contact us today!
435.773.6456 services@swmlife.com
Keeping your dryer vents clean is important for a number of reasons, including energy savings and safety. According to the National Fire Protection Association, typically around a third of the house fires reported to U.S. Fire Departments are caused by dryers. That’s nearly 17,000 home clothes dryer fires each year! These fires cause around 51 deaths, 380 injuries, and $236 million in property loss. The leading cause of these fires, at 34%, is lint build up in the dryer vents. A dryer works by pushing out hot, moist air so your clothes can dry. If your dryer vent to the outside becomes blocked by lint, the air will not be able to expel moisture as designed. The result is the trapped moisture takes more heat energy to evaporate. If you start to notice any of the following, it’s likely you have a vent blockage.
It takes longer to dry clothes With hot, moist air kept inside the dryer drum, it takes much longer and more heat to dry the clothes. This is hard on your dryer, your clothes, and reduces the life of both.
Clothing is hot to the touch Clothing is supposed to be hot and fresh from the dryer, right? Wrong. If your clothes – or your dryer are noticeably hot to the touch at the end of a cycle, it means the dryer is not exhausting through the vent properly. Everything overheats – and overheating is never a good thing.
You smell something burning Bad news – lint is very flammable, and when it builds up in the exhaust vent, lint trap, and drum casing, it can actually catch on fire.
The vent hood doesn’t open If the dryer duct hood flap doesn’t open, you likely have lint build up in the dryer hose.
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Cleaning the dryer’s vent screen after every use will help limit how much lint enters the hose, and regular duct & vent cleaning will help keep your dryer system safe and effective.
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Custom Landscaping One Size Does NOT Fit All
Standardized services can be a good value, but does your yard need a little extra TLC? We offer custom landscaping services tailored to your yard’s specific needs, and our trained and supervised crews pay attention to the details that will make your yard look its best. If you’re interested in customized weed control, fertilization, turf or plant care, give us a call today for a free consultation!
t the a e B mer m u S t! Hea
Living in the desert southwest, quickly addressing irrigation leaks and stressed turf or plants can make all the difference to your landscape’s survival. Don’t wait! Help is just a phone call away..... and we’ll respond within one business day!
Summer Heat Solutions
Fixture Installation - Bring a cool breeze into the house! If you’re getting a new ceiling fan so you don’t swelter this summer, we’ll take the hassle out of the installation for you. No need to stress about figuring out the ceiling mount requirements or complicated wiring, just give us a call and we’ll be happy to do that for you! Don’t forget the Patio! - Turn your patio into a cool zone by switching your outdoor patio light to a ceiling fan! Or install a storm door and bring light and fresh air into the house while keeping the bugs at bay!
Call uslandscape for all your homeneeds! and landscape needs! ome and
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By Nick Boulton, SunWest’s Landscaping Whisperer You want your trees, shrubs and plants to grow large, live long, and look the absolute best that they can. For that to happen, they need TLC throughout the entire year. In addition to providing water, your plants may need more nutrients and minerals than the soil can provide. Fertilization provides these important nutrients, supports growth, and contributes to the overall health of the plants. Forests have nutrients present in the soil from the leaves, twigs and bark that slowly break down into mulch and nutrients. But in yards, that’s not often the case. The desert climate creates less plant debris, and modern landscaping methods remove any plant debris that accumulates to maintain a clean and cared for appearance.
As we sweep and blow away leaves, twigs and fallen bark, it removes the potential recycling of nutrients that otherwise would go back into the soil. Additionally, the grass around our trees is unnatural and often competes with plants and trees for available nutrients and water. That is why it’s important to fertilize plants, trees and shrubs with a slow-release fertilizer, such as a granule. This will help mimic nature and is part of a holistic approach to help keep your plants in a healthier state. Liquid fertilizers are typically quick release and some of the fertilizer gets lost in the soil from wash out. The type of plant and your specific conditions will determine which fertilizer type is best for each plant. Each plant can have different fertilization needs, so watching for signs that your plants are possibly lacking nutrients is important.
When Nick Boulton joined SunWest Management as our Landscape Coordinator he brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. He is a great resource to have in your back pocket. If you would like help with your yard or have questions about plants, Nick would love to connect with you. You can reach Nick at services@swmlife.com or 435-773-6456. 6 l www.swmlife.com
Signs that you might need to fertilize: • Shorter than normal annual twig or leaf growth • Undersized leaves that are fewer in number • Dead branches and branch tips • Leaf veins darker than leaf margins • Leaves other than dark green, such as yellow, black, purple, or spotted • After pruning, very little growth or no growth at all. Pruning will generally promote healthy plant growth With our summer temperatures so high, fertilizing right now could potentially burn your plants, or kill them. It is best to wait to fertilize until temperatures begin to cool down. The hot summer is the perfect time to do your research to learn what your specific plants will need. Then when the cooler temperatures come, you will be ready to give your plants the nutrients that will help them through the winter and look beautiful in the spring.
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Exploring Duck Creek By Casey Ritter, SunWest’s Events Superstar In June, my family and many of our friends decided to get out of the St. George heat, but we didn’t want to travel too far. We agreed on camping at Duck Creek, which is only an hour and forty-five-minute drive from St. George. To get there, take the Cedar City exit to Highway 14, which will take you up the canyon, with an elevation climb up to 10,000 feet. As we went through Cedar Canyon, we felt the temperature drop, rolled down our windows, and inhaled the fresh, crisp mountain air. We had escaped the scorching St. George heat. Temperatures at Duck Creek range from around 70 to 80 degrees during the day and 45 degrees at night. I recommend wearing layers for those cooler nights. At mile marker 29, you will find Duck Creek Village. There is a delicious pizza place, coffee shop, gas station, ATV rental and Visitor Center. For stunning views and an easy hike, go to Cascade Falls. The wellmaintained trail leads you to a 100-foot waterfall. You can also visit Mammoth Caves. The caves were formed by lava and stretch over 2200 feet. There are times you will be crawling in the cave, so it is a good idea to take good shoes, gloves, and a flashlight to help you on your adventure. My kids had a blast exploring all the tunnels in Mammoth Caves. Another cave to visit is the Ice cave near Cascade Falls. It is more like a hole in the ground but has snow and icicles year-round. As the Event Coordinator for SunWest Management, Casey infuses her creativuty into the activities and events she plans for our communities. Some of you might also know her from the St George Senior Center, where she taught fitness classes. She is a former dancer with the Rocky Mountain Repertory Ballet, and loves meeting people and creating friendships. casey@swmlife.com
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There are some fabulous places to fish and kayak, but the water is a bit too chilly to swim. The first lake you will drive by on your way to Duck Creek is Navajo Lake. Personally, this is my favorite lake because I catch more fish at this lake than my husband. The rainbow trout at Navajo Lake are not the biggest, but they are fun to catch. The next body of water on the highway you will come to is Duck Creek Pond. This pond is small and stocked with small trout and can also be fun for fishing. The next lake you come to is Panguitch Lake which is about 30 minutes from Duck Creek. Panguitch Lake is my husband’s favorite place to fish in southern Utah. You can fish off the shore, or you can rent a boat. If you decided to fish here, you will be fishing for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and tiger trout. Duck Creek is excellent for just a day trip or several days camping. There are many campsite locations you can reserve. I recommend booking weeks in advance as the campsites fill up fast. Some campgrounds have power hookups, a place to fill water jugs, a dump station for trailers, and bathrooms. If you choose not to camp at a fee site, remember to get a spot big enough for your party that provides shade and a semiflat area for your trailer or tent. If you are planning on camping, check the fire restrictions. At the time of our trip, fires were not allowed. Even though we couldn’t have a wood fire, that did not stop us from creating a campfire atmosphere. My friend brought a propane fire stand that provided warmth and did not make us smell like smoke. We liked it so much we might do it every year. Without city lights, the stars shine brighter at Duck Creek. To enhance your stargazing experience, bring a telescope. My kids enjoyed sleeping in hammocks while pointing out constellations. However, their favorite night activity was a glow stick dance party. We played tunes on a portable speaker and taped glow sticks to their bodies. They looked like dancing skeletons. To ensure we can all enjoy camping, please remember to leave the campground as if you were never there. If you have camping neighbors, be considerate of their space and the noise. Be respectful of wildlife, dispose of waste properly, minimizing your camping footprint, and practice campfire safety. So, what are you waiting for? Get out and explore Duck Creek!
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2021
Last year marked a huge turn towards virtual fitness. As gyms closed due to COVID-19 virtual and creative fitness outlets were explored. Industry experts have noticed many of the fitness developments from 2020 continue to endure, evolve and gain popularity in 2021, including these: 1. Wearable Technology By far the biggest advancement is the rise of wearable technology. Fitness trackers have become essential items, providing a lot more detail and insights than just counting your steps and calories. The personalized data and insights from wearables have a novelty element – but for many others, wearable data is increasingly being used as a valuable tool to shape and track fitness goals and health and wellness progress. Steps, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep quality are popular trackers. 2. Exercise is Medicine We are becoming increasingly aware of the value that getting active has on both our physical and mental health. The fitness trends for yoga, Pilates, breathing work, mindfulness, meditation and broader mental health training have intensified during the pandemic, with more people opting for combined training that involves both mind relaxation and physical fitness. 10 l www.swmlife.com
3. Virtual Fitness Virtual fitness has been emerging for a while now – however, 2020 saw an explosion in this area in line with the increased need to train at home. Virtual classes on platforms such as Zoom and Youtube were popular and many consumers discovered they liked it. 4. Personal Training/Group Fitness Fitness motivation isn’t at an all-time-high following the pandemic and many are looking for others to help keep them enthused. Group training is especially popular as it is an easy way to get back into fitness after a long time out. 5. Outdoor Activities When gyms closed, many found the outdoors as a wonderful substitute exercise location. This trend is continuing as many continue to feel better exercising in the fresh air and a varied environment. From running to hiking to outdoor group fitness, outdoor options abound.
From Kristie Leong M.D. (@DrKristieLeong)
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The Villas at St George was recently
rockin’
stompin’
and boot scootin’ as local entertainer Eric Dodge led a private concert and line dance
lesson
showdown!
Yee-haw!
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