The SunWest Life Magazine!

Add some flair to your next dinner or party with folded napkins!

By Casey Ritter, Events Superstar

With just a few creative folds you can create something amazing that will enhance the feel you’re trying to create at your party! Try this fantastic and easy fold called bird of paradise. If you attended the Luau at the SunRiver Villas, you got to see it in person! If you happen to run into Justin Kailing, the Villas Community Manager, be sure to ask him to show you his mad napkin folding skills!

For paper napkin instructions, Click here!

For linen napkin instructions, Click here!

Pruning Tomato Plants

By Nick Boulton, Landscaping Whisperer

As a boy I enjoyed helping my mother’s father, my Papa, work his farm. I also enjoyed the many great things that came from all his and my Nana’s (and sometimes my) hard work. A lot of care and time went into growing the garden, as well as cooking and preserving all the produce that came from it. Throughout the entire year they shared pies, cobblers, and meals prepared from the harvest of their garden. Their kitchen would be filled with the aroma of baking cobblers, and the pies, breads, spaghetti sauces and other canned food, fruit leather, and meats we were treated every time we visited! To this day, my favorite was strawberry rhubarb pie. For weeks in advance Papa would tell us to stay out of the strawberries and not to eat them so that he could make the pie for us. Otherwise, all the strawberries would “disappear.”

I particularly remember my Papa pruning his tomato plants. As a child I never understood why pruning was done and how this would help the plant and not hurt it. He explained that it is a way of not only training the plant, but maintaining the plant to help it reach its fullest capability. It will also help with more air flow and less leaves prone to infection with pests. Pruning is obviously an optional technique, and some may choose to not do any pruning at all. But I have to say, the yield that my Papa got every year was amazing!

Before you attempt to prune a tomato plant, check the variety to make sure it is an indeterminant variety and not a determinant. If it is a determinant plant you could hurt the yield quantity and quality of the tomatoes that will be produced by pruning it. In the early to mid-season, remove all leafy suckers just beneath the first cluster of blossoms so that they will not slow the continued growth and development of the fruit. Suckers are the tiny shoots that form in the spot called the axil. This is where the leaf stem attaches to the main stem. In our warm climate it is often recommended to practice what’s called Missouri Pruning. This technique requires pinching off the leaflets on the end of each sucker, leaving only the two base leaflets in place. As these leaves enlarge, they can help with shading the fruit and protecting it from Sunscald. Good luck with your tomatoes this year!

Southern Utah did a lovely impersonation of Hawaii recently as the residents of the SunRiver Villas wrapped up their Annual Meeting with a very special Luau! Even the weather got in the act and bestowed gentle breezes to the pool-side celebration. Attendees feasted on Kahlua Pork and pineapple catered by Mo’ Bettahs, then settled in to be thoroughly entertained. From the first drum beat, the dancers from Siva Pacefica held the audience in the palm of their hands as they performed traditional Polynesian dances that wowed the crowd. “It was better than the shows we saw when we visited Hawaii!” one excited patron said. What a delightful way to spend a balmy spring evening!

LEAVING

for the Summer?

Heading to a cooler climate for the summer? Lucky you! Before you head off, make sure your home is prepared to spend some time “home alone.”

Secure Valuables

Don’t leave any valuables - sentimental or monetary - outside. Take these with you or stash in a safe place. Secure anything left outside so our desert winds won’t give them to your neighbor in your absence.

Water

You definitely don’t want a leak in your home to go unnoticed, so turning off the water is a good idea. You can turn off indoor water valves on toilets, sinks and the washing machine, or you can use your home’s interior water shut-off valve. Remember to leave the irrigation water on so your plants will be healthy and beautiful when you return after the summer! Consider signing up for SunWest’s Backyard Maintenance program so your backyard isn’t neglected.

Food

Spoiled food will attract unwanted summer house guests; make sure you don’t leave any perishable food around. Emptying the refrigerator, cupboards and pantry will help ensure there is no spoilage, limit the appeal for pests and save you the hassle of cleaning up unpleasant messes when you return. If the fridge is empty, unplug it and leave the door slightly ajar with an open box of baking soda inside.

Electricity

Unplug TVs, lamps, dryer, computer, washing machine, fridge and other appliances. Or flip the circuits off at the breaker box, just be sure to leave the breakers on that power essential items, such as the irrigation and security systems.

Burglar Proof

If you still have a phone on a land line, turn off the ringer so it doesn’t ring endlessly, and don’t leave a message saying you’re out of town. Be sure to forward mail and stop newspaper delivery while you’re gone. To further discourage burglars, leave window coverings like you normally do when you’re at home and invest in automatic light timers or nightlights so it appears someone is home after dark.

Enlist Help

Be sure to give us an emergency contact so we can let you know if anything comes up you need to know about. Enlist a neighbor to keep an eye on the place while you’re gone, or take advantage of the summer services SunWest offers. We’re here to help! We offer everything from basic items such as checking the outside of the home and looking for struggling plants, to more advanced options like watering the houseplants and adding water in P-traps. Just contact us at services@swmlife.com or 435773-6456 Happy Summer! #swmlife

St George is now home to a new city park! The Atkinville Wash Park was dedicated and officially opened for use on July 2nd! Located at 1211 Copeland Drive, and named after the first settlers of the area, the dedication prayer was led by Ralph Atkins, great-grandson of the original settlers, with St George Mayor Michele Randall leading the ribbon cutting. The park provides residents living in the Villas at SunRiver area a variety of games such as croquet, chess, checkers, bocce ball, horseshoes, and corn hole. A beautiful outdoor fitness area is also available for those wanting to work out in the fresh air. And if lounging in comfy chairs with a good book is your cup of tea, the relaxation nooks are right up your alley! Visit the Atkinville Park for modern amenities that honor our area’s history.