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WHAT’S INSIDE Jump to the Stories by clicking below Easter Egg Decorating Ideas......................................................3 Creating with Reclaimed Wood.................................................4 Spring Cleaning Checklist..........................................................................6 SunWest Services Specials.........................................................................7 Hiking with Children....................................................................8 Recipe: Hootenanny Pancakes..............................................................10 Spotlight on April........................................................................................12 Citizen Alert................................................................................. 14 Local Charity: Hunny-Bunns Rabbit Rescue...................................15 Historical Marker Dedication.................................................. 16 First photos from the James Webb Telescope.............................17 Please do not Feed Wildlife...................................................................18 Pickleball Tournament!..............................................................................19
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collab@swmlife.com | 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 informative & entertaining products for our customers. 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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a s r a o c E De Ideas Tired of the traditional Easter egg decorations? Try these ideas to add variety and creativity to your Easter egg decorating this year!
Whipped Cream – You can get a cool, tie-dyed effect by adding a few drops of food coloring to a bowl of whipped cream and lightly swirl using a toothpick. Roll your eggs in the sticky rainbow mixture and let sit for 45 minutes to an hour before rinsing with water. Food Dyes – Don’t like using food coloring? Try blending up foods like blueberries, raspberries or beets and mixing them with water and a little vinegar. These pigments will take a lot longer to set, so let the eggs rest in their colors overnight. Patterned Prints - Stamp out a pattern of cuteness using mini rubber stamps dipped in the dye. Make sure you choose tiny stamps so you can get the entire shape on the egg’s curved surface. Chalkboard Messages - For a modern take, nix the pastels and spray eggs with black chalkboard paint, then use chalk pens to create designs or write messages. Découpage – Brush a thin layer of glue over the eggs, add dried flowers, paper cutouts, glitter, etc., and cover with another layer of glue. Need a beginner’s guide? Click here! Click the links for more content!
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Creating with
Reclaimed Wood Nate Johnson brings his expertise in retail, manufacturing, and construction to the SunWest team.
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nce upon a time, there was an old farmer who was looking for a solid wood door for his home. He went to an auction where they were selling used items from an old hotel. He bid on a door and thought he was getting a pretty good deal on it, but when he arrived at the pick-up area, to his surprise, he had purchased nearly 50 solid wood doors! Hmmm...what does one do with a plethora of doors? Well, over the years this man (my father-inlaw), and his eight children have found some creative uses for these doors. Some remained as doors, but others were turned into useful and decorative projects, including storage shelves, head boards, coat racks, and entryway accent pieces. Some pieces still have the original hardware on them, which adds even more character. In recent years reclaimed wood has seen a surge in design popularity as a way to add originality and character to your home. While 50 doors may have been our biggest score, my family has a history of finding and repurposing wood into interesting projects. But first I must admit that there were many hours spent on the internet to come up with the ideas of how we wanted to finish and use wood as decor in our homes. Here
are some outstanding examples to get you inspired on your reclaimed wood journey. My sister-in-law used wood from her grandma’s old chicken coop to make a mantle above her fireplace. She scrubbed the wood really well to clean it. Then, she soaked steel wool in vinegar overnight to make her own stain that she used to coat the wood mantle. Lastly, she put a clear wax coating on the wood to seal it. When my father-in-law sold his farm he told all of his children that if they wanted something from the fields that they had better go get it. We came back with some old corral fence rails of different shapes and sizes. We used them to make shelves and a mantle for our fireplace. We cleaned the fence rails with a 4-to-1 water/bleach mixture and scrubbed with a toothbrush to kill all of the moss that was growing on them. Then they went sunbathing in the
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blazing St. George summer sunshine for a few days. Lastly, we put 3 coats of clear coat on the wood to seal them. While these examples needed some pretty extensive cleaning due to their previous purpose, using wood doesn’t have to be difficult if you can use it as is. Sometimes just placing an old wooden crate on a shelf or in the entryway can give a room character. I used my grandma’s old singer sewing machine stand drawers as shelves to decorate one of the bathrooms in my home, no work needed except nails to hang it up. Good luck on your next reclaimed wood project! Need some ideas? Check these out!
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Home Spotlight
Spring Cleaning Spring has finally sprung! But before you open the windows to let in that fresh spring air, you must clean them first. Yes, we’re talking about spring cleaning! Setting aside time each year to deep clean is important to keep your home healthy, organized and happy. By spring cleaning, you can remove dust, mold and mildew before it becomes an issue. Follow this handy checklist to make seasonal cleaning a little more manageable. • • • • • • • • • • • •
Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures Change all burned out bulbs Clean windowsills and window tracks Vacuum curtains and window blinds Wipe down baseboards Empty the crumb tray in your toaster Clean behind and beneath the refrigerator (those coils get dusty!) Clean behind the washer and dryer Thoroughly clean the lint traps in your dryer Remove furniture cushions and vacuum crevasses Remove window screens and wash them with soapy water Wash the outside of your windows before replacing your window screens
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Window Washing Time! We can handle the dirty job of washing away all the winter gloom from your windows to let the beautiful spring sunshine in!
Dryer Vent Cleaning Stop a potential dryer vent fire in its tracks! Lint build-up should be taken seriously, and SunWest Services is here to help! A quick service and cleanout and your dryer will run more efficiently and safely.
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Wandering Families Looking for fun adventures? Follow along as we share the best! @wanderingfamilies
Hiking with
Children
I wasn’t raised in an outdoorsy, hiking kind of family. I’m from a California, techy kind of family. So when I married this rugged camping, hiking, hunting, mountaineer guy I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It wasn’t until our family started to grow and we were trying to find an identity of what kind of family we were going to be that my love of hiking began. It’s for the most part free, quiet, and a perfect way to grow together as a family. Also, I really believe in exposing my kids to a reasonable amount of risk as they grow so that they can learn what their little bodies are capable of and measure for themselves what might not be safe. These are invaluable skills to building self confidence and empowering them to do whatever they want.
I get asked all the time, “How do you hike with all those little kids?” Here’s my best advice and tips on the subject: Never, ever, ever, leave the house without food. EVER!! No matter how short the hike, no matter how long you’re planning on being out. Once you hit those trails the kids will start to turn. A couple granola bars, some fruit snacks, even a juice box does wonders to perk a tired hiker up. While we’re on the subject of food I like to have a pack of gum in my back pocket when we hike. Something sweet that will make good bubbles. Then once the kids start to complain I’ve got my secret weapon. “Once we get to that rock up there with no whining you can get a ½ piece of gum!” Then hand it out again after the next big obstacle or steep incline. It makes them excited to get to that rock and also it keep their mouths busy while we go. Try it! It’s amazing. If I know we’re not going to be around crowds or other hikers it’s fun sometimes to bring a little bluetooth speaker and play some music as we go. I even have a hiking playlist full of upbeat fun songs they all know. It keeps the pace up and helps keep their minds off tired legs. Research! Before you go on a hike try to read and learn about it as much as possible. Although sometimes it’s fun to just go and explore without a plan for the most part they like to know how long we are going to be hiking, what kind of cool things we’ll see and how intense it’s going to be. It also helps you plan for what kind of gear you need. Nothing like being the idiots trying to wrangle a double stroller up a single track trail. Speaking of gear, we tried it all. We’ve had all kinds of hiking backpacks, front packs, side packs. You name it we’ve probably tried it. Our very favorite hiking carrier of all time 8 l www.swmlife.com
is one from Ergo. It keeps the weight evenly distributed, and keeps them down low so they aren’t banging their heads into low branches. Plus with them strapped on, it keeps me pretty free to climb and boulder when I need to. You wouldn’t believe the places we’ve gone with the kids strapped on. Finally, BE FLEXIBLE! Countless times we’ve had to change plans or not go as far as we’d hoped or leave the trail to discover something new. That’s the fun of being outside with your kids. There’s no rules, no expectations, just being together finding new stuff. Like I said I’m not a natural adventurer, but we have had so much fun exploring together as a family and getting a little stronger in the process. Don’t be afraid to get out there, even if your kids are tiny. That’s the very best time to get them used to it.
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e t i r o v fa S E P I REC
Hootenanny Pancakes A.K.A. German Pancakes Growing up, I loved waking up to the smell of my mom’s baked Hootenanny Pancakes. Now I make them for my kids. They get excited, seeing how tall the mountain pancake peaks in the pan will rise. It’s a unique and delicious change from traditional pancakes.
Ingredients:
6 eggs 1 cup flour 1 cup milk 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp vanilla (optional) 1/2 cup butter
Directions:
Casey Ritter infuses her creativuty into the activities and events she plans for our communities. She is a former dancer with the Rocky Mountain Repertory Ballet, and loves meeting people and creating friendships.
Melt butter in a 9×13 pan while oven preheats. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a blender, mix eggs, milk and vanilla; add flour and salt and blend again. Pour mixture into pan with melted butter. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 425 degrees. (This will rise but will not run over the pan.) Cut in squares and serve with syrup—additional delicious toppings: jelly, fruit, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and whipped cream. Be creative! Serves 8.
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Birthstone
Flower Daisy
Diamond
Wearing diamonds is purported to bring benefits such as balance, clarity and abundance. It’s also symbolic of eternal love
Each color daisy represents something different. The white daisy is a symbol of purity and innocence; yellow means joy and friendship; pink represents affection; and red is a sign of love and romance.
Pink Full Moon Nope, the moon itself isn’t actually pink, :-( but it does herald the appearance of the wild ground phlox, or creeping phlox — one of the first spring wildflowers, that carpets the ground with a pink hue in many parts of the world.
Utah Events Tulip Festival at Thanksgiving Point | April 8-May 7 (closed Sundays) Thousands of tulips are imported directly from Holland each year to make this event one of the best tulip festivals in the nation Washington County Fair | April 20-23 | Featuring a petting zoo, carnival rides, concerts, rodeos, demolition derby, vendor booths, animal shows and so much more 12 l www.swmlife.com
April Showers bring May Flowers This saying originates from the United Kingdom, where April is one of the more soggy months. Since this area typically has a cooler climate, the lower temperatures often push back the appearance of flowers to late April and early May. But does the phrase actually ring true? Most of the time the answer is yes! The main reason being that flowers in general need plenty of sunlight and water to grow, so April showers are welcome and very much needed to kick start the blooming process after winter. All in all, the phrase is used less in verbatim as it is a way to look ahead to better and warmer weather days. Since the changing of the seasons often comes with more active weather that can make it feel a bit more lousy outside, we use the phrase to keep the hope alive, and to look on the brighter side that nicer weather is just around the corner.
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t Al er Ci tiz en
Citizen Scam Alert ****This is an actual scam incident, the names have been changed to protect sensitive information.
John arrived at SGPD and informed officers someone was trying to scam him out of money. He received a phone call from someone claiming to be "Chief Deputy Jordan Miller" with Iron County Sheriff's Office. They left him a message telling him to call back at 435-***-****. The person on the phone stated the citizen had two active warrants for his arrest, missed a court date, and was being held in contempt of court due to missing the court date. The suspect on the phone told John he would need to drive to Iron County Sheriff's Office and turn himself in. The caller then informed John he would need $2500 for bail. They also told him to remain on the phone while driving to the office so if he got pulled over "they" could explain to the officer who pulled him over he was taking care of his warrants. John told the caller he did not have $2500 in cash. They told him they did not take credit cards, but he could pay a portion of it with Google Play Store gift cards. John went to Best Buy in Washington and purchased 3- $200 Google Play Store gift cards, all while remaining on the phone with the caller. John said the caller then asked him to scratch off the back and read the gift card number to him. John became suspicious due to the caller's story changing and did not read it to him. He instead told the caller he was going to go to the St George Police Station. The caller tried to talk John out of it, but John did not listen to the caller. When officers made contact with John, the caller heard the officer and hung up the phone.
Lessons to take away from this case
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Before divulging any personal information to anyone, know who you’re dealing with. Never send money or account information over the phone. Don’t fall for pressure tactics. When in doubt, hang up the phone. Never react quickly or impulsively to offers/requests/demands on the phone. Law Enforcement, Government Agencies, etc., will NEVER ask you to buy gift cards.
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HUNNY-BUNNS RABBIT RESCUE Purchasing a live bunny for Easter may sound like an adorable idea. But if you’re not prepared, rabbits are not easy-to-care-for balls of fur - and many get discarded at shelters in the weeks following the holiday. Bunnies are the third most abandoned pet in the U.S., as well as being the third most euthanized, according to the House Rabbit Society. If you’d like to spend some time with a bunny this Easter, consider adopting from, or volunteering at Hunny-Bunns Rabbit Rescue. Founded in 2017 and registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue organization, the purpose of Hunny-Bunns is to rescue rabbits who have been abandoned (dumped), homeless, abused or neglected. After receiving veterinary care, spaying or neutering, and microchipping, all rescued rabbits are rehabilitated and potty trained, house trained, and socialized. Every female rabbit is bonded with a male rabbit, and the pair is then offered for adoption. Last year after Easter the rescue was hit especially hard, both due to the abandonment that happens when people buy bunnies but are not prepared or willing to provide a long-term home, and also due to people no longer able to care for their rabbit after they went back to work following the Covid-19 pandemic. These rabbits were dumped everywhere in the Southern Utah area; luckily many ended up at Hunny-Bunns, giving them another chance at life. Hunny-Bunns rabbits are house rabbits, meaning they live indoors and can be free roaming just as a cat or a dog would be. Rabbits are inquisitive and intelligent. They are sociable and they make wonderful indoor companions who can live to be 12-14 years of age. They can be active and playful, or they can be reserved or somewhat shy. Hunny-Bunns currently has several pair of adoptable rabbits with varying personalities to fit different lifestyles. Volunteer and visiting hours are from 9:30am-9pm every day, by appointment only. Hunny-Bunns needs committed volunteers and donations to continue to save these animals and provide a better life for them.
Hunny-Bunns Rabbit Rescue
435-680-2661 | Tessa.Chianne@yahoo.com | website Facebook: Hunny-Bunns Rabbit Rescue and Adoption Center Click the links for more content!
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Honoring History Historical Marker Dedication There is a fascinating history of the land where SunRiver St George retirement community was built. The area was settled by William Atkin and Rachel Thompson who emigrated to America from Rutlandshire, England, pulling a handcart to Utah in 1859. Naming the area Atkinville, the village boasted three limestone homes with a boating and fishing pond. It quickly became a favorite recreation destination until it was mostly destroyed by a major storm and flood in 1906. In 2004, a camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) was formed in SunRiver by residents who are descendants of Utah pioneers. This group was named the Atkinville Camp in honor of the first pioneer residents of the area. They are donating a plaque to honor the legacy of the Atkins family pioneers; which will be dedicated Sat, April 30th at 11am at the Atkinville Wash Park ( 1211 Copeland Drive, St George). Parking is available at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1483 Angel Arch Drive). You can choose to watch the program indoors in the Church chapel via Zoom, or walk to the park to attend in person. There will be limited seating at the park; come early or bring a camp chair. All are welcome to attend and learn more about the history of this fascinating spot in St. George. Special guest will be Ralph Atkin, greatgrandson of William Atkin. DUP is a worldwide non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our Utah area pioneer history through collecting histories, photos, artifacts and dedicating monuments in communities throughout the world where historical events took place. The Atkinville DUP Monument will be Historical Marker #591 and is funded by donations from DUP members. The land for the monument and materials have been provided by the City of St. George. For more information about DUP see isdup.org or contact Lorraine Rice, Captain of DUP-Atkinville Camp, loriannrice@gmail.com 16 l www.swmlife.com
DUP Captain Lorraine Rice (L) and Julia Nielson(R) former Captain and artist of Atkinville homes
JWST Ready to Go! What is JWST? It’s the James Webb Space Telescope. Launched on Christmas Day, 2021, the JWST was designed to expand on what the Hubble Space Telescope has accomplished. You may remember our article in the January issue that explained the intricate deployment procedures that took 40 days to complete. NASA has never launched such a complex payload. James Webb has now achieved proper orbit and is fully deployed. James Webb has already taken it’s “first light” picture of a bright star. The picture looked like a cluster of 18 separate stars. This results from the 18 mirrors not being aligned to form images at the same place. Luckily, this was totally expected. Over the next two months, NASA engineers will be aligning the 18 separate mirrors so they function as one large mirror. Then we begin a new chapter in astronomical research. How is JWST different from the Hubble? Hubble lies in a low earth orbit, only about 400 miles above the earth’s surface while James Webb lies in an orbit 5 times farther away than the moon. James Webb also gathers and focuses infrared light, not visible light. We perceive infrared as heat. To “see” in infrared, the JWST must be shielded from sunlight. That required the unfolding of a huge reflective, mylar sun shield. The sun shield has a greater surface area than a tennis court! The James Webb telescope is much larger than Hubble too; Hubble collects light with one 94 inch diameter mirror, while James Webb collects light with an array of 18 mirrors, each one about the same size as Hubble. Ah, one last question remains. While Hubble was a famous 20th century astronomer, who was James Webb? He was director of NASA when John Fitzgerald Kennedy served as President.
Ron Smith has spent his career lecturing and teaching astronomy, meteorology, and earth science. In retirement, Ron continues to enjoy sharing his love of science with others. Click the links for more content!
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Please Do Not Feed Wildlife The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is reminding the public not to feed deer or other wildlife. While it is not illegal to feed wildlife, there are several reasons that it is highly discouraged, including public safety concerns, the spread of chronic wasting disease, and potential harm to wildlife from introducing foods not in their diets. Public safety concerns Whenever someone feeds wildlife, those animals will frequently return to that area in search of food, which can sometimes result in increased traffic accidents and other human/wildlife conflicts. Predators will also follow their prey into more populated areas. And any wild animal can be aggressive. “Help yourself and the wildlife stay safe and avoid conflicts by not feeding them,” DWR Big Game Coordinator Covy Jones advises. Chronic wasting disease concerns Chronic wasting disease is a fatal transmissible disease caused by a protein particle that attaches to a deer’s brain, the same type of particle that causes “mad cow disease” in cows. “Because the disease is so contagious, it is essential that residents do not feed deer or put out food that will attract them,” DWR Veterinarian Ginger Stout said. “This includes putting out corn, hay, dog food or birdseed that deer might easily access. Although it may seem like a beneficial thing to do during the winter months, feeding deer accelerates the spread of the disease because it causes the deer to congregate.” Other biological harm to wildlife Introducing the wrong type of food to wildlife can also harm them. Many animals’ digestive tracts are designed for their specific diets and they cannot readily digest other food, which can lead to them dying from starvation with full stomachs. “This is why feeding wildlife is usually not a good idea,” Jones said. “Although it sounds like an act of kindness and may sometimes help some animals get through, it can often create major problems.” Visit https://wildlife.utah.gov/ for more information. Faith Jolley, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources 18 l www.swmlife.com
It may have been a stormy day, but the action was HOT! HOT!! HOT!!! at the Pickleball Tournament in the SunRiver Villas. Special thanks to our sponsors: SunRiver Development SunWest Management Cross Court Pickleball Congratulations to all the winners!
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Who is ...and what makes us us special? SunWest Management specializes in helping you develop a strong sense of community and promote harmony in your community. Prudent financial management, the best governance practices and maintenance strategies, yeah, we’re good at that too! We work with you to keep your property values high and your community thriving. digital magazine is another way we share our passion and commitment to serve community associations everywhere. Read on for best practices, tips and offers to enhance your home and community! For over 20 years, SunWest has supported association boards and the communities they serve to achieve their goals. By taking care of the heavy lifting, we make it enjoyable and even fun for resident volunteers to lead and contribute. And our efficient management pricing model ensures your community will receive the highest value! Contact us today to discover how your community can start living the SunWest Life!
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