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Focus on February.........................................................................................4 Home Spotlight: Four Systems to Combat Hard Water......6 SunWest Services Specials.........................................................................7 Get your Resolutions Back on Track!....................................................8 Groundhog Day..............................................................................................9 Its Pruning Season......................................................................................10 File Your Taxes for FREE........................................................... 12 Stories from the Heart: Homemade Blessing or Curse............13 40 Days of terror.........................................................................................14 The Great Pie Crust Dilemma...............................................................15 Silly Survey.....................................................................................................15 Local Color: Brian Head...........................................................................16
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Parade of Homes.........................................................................................17
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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.
February is American Heart Month, a time when the nation spotlights heart disease, the Number 1 killer of Americans. In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds, that is about 805,000 people every year. A heart attack, or a myocardial infarction, happens when a clot or a spasm in your arteries causes a blockage of blood flow and oxygen to your heart muscle. Our bodies are smart and usually gives us clues or signs when something is wrong. When a blockage occurs, the muscles beyond the blockage – such as the heart - translate the lack of blood and oxygen as pain. However, there are many reasons to have chest pain, so don’t panic and assume you are having a heart attack every time you develop chest pain, the important thing is to have it checked out.
Know the symptoms of a heart attack: Pressure, tightness, pain, or a squeezing or aching sensation in your chest or arms that may spread to your neck, jaw or back Nausea, indigestion, abdominal pain
heartburn
or
Shortness of breath
Top 7 heart tips: Eat healthy Get active Stay at a healthy weight Don’t smoke and stay away from secondhand smoke
Cold sweat
Control your cholesterol and blood pressure
Fatigue
Drink alcohol only in moderation
Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
Manage stress
Call 911 if you have these symptoms. Early detection and speedy treatment is the key to a quicker recovery.
Learn More!
Irene Gertz has practiced Critical Care for over 40 years in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Southern California. Her last position was as the critical care clinical educator. Click the links for more content!
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Flower Violet The sweet-scented violet flower symbolizes truth and loyalty, while also embodying a sense of modesty, spiritual wisdom and humility.
Birthstone Amethyst Amethyst crystals have a long history of bringing forth the purest aspirations of human kind. It is said to be a protective stone that enhances intuition and calms the mind and spirit.
Snow Moon On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver dubbed February’s full moon as Snow Moon, “because more snow commonly falls during this month than any other in the winter.” 4 l www.swmlife.com
Balloons & Tunes Roundup Feb 18-20 | Kanab About 40 Hot Air Balloon Pilots will take to the air at the 8th annual Balloons & Tunes Roundup February 18-20! The Roundup includes hot air balloon launches, a one-of-a-kind vendor fair, great bands, and a Lantern Festival. Visit Website
Ice Castles Through Feb 21 | Midway Let your imagination run wild as you explore caverns and tunnels made entirely from ice. Race down an ice-carved slide and squeeze through crawl spaces and slot canyons to discover new experiences around every corner. With fountains, thrones, wishing wells, sleigh rides, and more, you’ll be mesmerized by this unique, and family-friendly attraction. Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic! Visit Website Click the links for more content!
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Home Spotlight
Systems to Combat
HARD WATER Welcome to Southern Utah, land of the beautiful outdoors - and hard water. On the hard water scale, anything over 200 ppm (parts per million) is rated Nate Johnson brings his as VERY hard water (soft expertise in retail, manufacturing, and construcwater is rated at 10-50ppm). tion to the SunWest team. According to studies, St. George has a 342 ppm water rating, Washington City is even higher, coming in with a 516 ppm water rating. This can greatly affect appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, shower heads, faucets, clothing, as well as the taste of the water. Entire home systems are a common way to combat hard water. A qualified water technician can help you determine what system would work best for your home and lifestyle. Salt water softener system - Unless you have modified your system, your home most likely uses this approach. This system uses two tanks: the media tank (which is full of resin beads) and the brine tank (the salt tank). Calcium and magnesium bonds to the resin beads as the water passes through the tanks. This system removes the hard water minerals, and thus can help brighten and soften your laundry, and also prevent hard water spots on your dishes and in your showers. The downfall is the amount of water that is washed down the drain during the regeneration process.
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Salt-free water conditioner - The salt-free water conditioner (scale inhibitor) alters the hard water molecules and turns them into little micro crystals. When they are broken down into a smaller size there is much less scale build-up inside the pipes and appliances, thus extending their life. However, the hard water scale is still present in the water and can still bond to your clothing and dishes.
What about water filters? Whole home water filter - Typically, water filters won’t remove the hardness from the water, but they will help make the quality of the water better for drinking and cooking by filtering out sediment and minerals that change the taste, odor, and/or color of the water. You can install them on just one faucet, or for the entire house. Reverse Osmosis water system – This system also focuses on achieving good quality water for cooking and drinking using multiple types of filters to remove sodium, chloride, copper, chromium, and lead. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also recommends this system if your goal is to reduce arsenic, fluoride, or radium in your water. The downfall to this process is that back-flushing the different filters can require over 20 gallons of water (depending on the size of the filtration system).
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Don’t Strain Your Back! Water Softener Salt Solutions! Is your brine tank running low, and you’re dreading struggling with those heavy salt bags? No worries, we would love to take care of this chore for you. Be sure to ask about our service program and recurring visit price discounts!
Dimmer Switch Installation Save energy and set the ambiance in your home with the variable lighting options that a dimmer switch offers! We can take care of all your switch needs, just give us a call!
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New Year’s Resolutions:
Get Back on Track! My wife does not like shows with Bill Murray! I almost dare to use the word ‘hate’? It just might apply. Me on the other hand, I could watch his movies on loop. With the Brian Webster is the Congroundhog about to make troller for SWM. He maintains designations with his seasonal appearance, the IMA and CAMICB, as naturally I associate it with a Certified Management ‘Groundhog Day’, the movie. Accountant and Certified Manager of Community To me ‘Groundhog Day’ is an Associations. annual, must-watch, classic. Can you imagine being caught in that endless loop? I mean, at some point, we’d all either hug or punch Ned “Needle Nose” Ryerson too, right?!
Well, here’s the lesson from Inky, “We can’t be who we’re going to be and who we used to be at the same time!” He goes on to explain that if we don’t have the commitment and passion to do what we’ve said we want to (or will) do, we’re doing the wrong thing. Or doing it the wrong way. So, I started asking myself, am I ‘in’? At home, at work, with my wife and family, with my coworkers and friends. Am I present and engaged? Sometimes I think we try to answer that question in way too big of a view. I prefer a smaller, bite size approach. Am I engaged in this meeting? What do I need to get accomplished in the next 15 minutes? Am I committed to listening to my annoying 15-year-old to see his perspective, even for 30 seconds? (He’s really a good kid )
“The old you has to die off for the new you to become!”
So, a month into the New Year, its time to reflect on how I’m doing with the new goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year. Perhaps many of you have done that as well. To help me keep from falling into the same loop of leaving my goals dead in February, I’ve been reading and listening to some great content, especially on Twitter and YouTube. It’s amazing, when you seek out for the good in your feeds, you find it, and it finds you.
One of the messages that found me, was by Inky Johnson. If you don’t know who Inky is, you should stop reading now and spend a few minutes on his story. If you want to be inspired, to realize how to get out of your own way, to truly commit to success, you need some Inky in your life! 8 l www.swmlife.com
I’ve found my goals for this year have been more in sight this way. Well, it’s only February. But they still feel new and manageable. As I routinely focus on just the next step, continually committing to being who I am going to be, then there’s no chance for regret to occupy hindsight. In ‘Groundhog Day’ the radio DJs encourage, “Okay campers, rise and shine!” Inky says, “The old you has to die off for the new you to become!” So, go ahead: jump in headfirst and be the best you. Every day!
Groundhog DAY Groundhog Day has to be the most uncelebrated holiday by my family, yet every year, we want to know what the groundhog said this year about winter. Groundhogs hibernate through the winter and emerge from their burrows when spring arrives, so it makes sense they could be a harbinger of spring. Groundhog Day gets its origin from Europe during Candlemas where clergymen would hand out candles during mass. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. “If Candlemas be fair and bright; Come, winter, have another flight. If
Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go, winter, and come not again.” Germany expanded on this concept by selecting an animal - the hedgehog - as a Diana Juarez has 10 means of predicting the years of hospitality weather. When German management experiand English settlers ence, and it shows in came over to the ‘New her work for SunWest. World’, there wasn’t an abundance of hedgehogs, so they made do with groundhogs. Surprisingly, there are a few official groundhog predictors. Dunkirk Dave of New York is the second-longest predicting groundhog. Not to be out-done, Staten Island’s, Charles “Chuck” C. Hogg boasts a 78% accurate weather prediction rate. But the most well-known and officially accepted rodent meteorologist is Phil, from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He comes out of his temporary home on Gobbler’s Knob, the weather capital of the world, each February 2nd at 7am - where 10,000-20,000 people have gathered, some as early as 3am, to see his appearance. Phil’s team, a group of local dignitaries called the Inner Circle, wear top hats and tuxedos and carry out an elaborate Groundhog Day celebration sure to bring joy to the attendees whether the prediction is for an early spring, or six more weeks of winter.
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It’s Pruning Season Nick Boulton provides a wealth of landscape knowledge and experience. Connect with Nick at 435-773-6456 or landscape@swmlife.com
Growing fever is building with spring just around the corner. It is at this time of year we tend to start eyeing our plants to determine if they need to be pruned. It’s extremely important to trim each plant at the time of year that is best for that species. Some plants do well with pruning in early spring, others do better to wait until after their blooming time is over, and still others benefit from a clipping in the fall. In Southern Utah, spring is a great time to prune most plants, but be sure to check before you go hog wild with the pruning shears.
Make sure you have the right tools for the job. Pruning shears work well if you are pruning a rose bush or a tree, but for plants like boxwood shrubs or red tipped photina you’ll need a hedge trimmer. You also want to use gloves, safety glasses, and possibly even chaps if you’re using a gas or electric hedge trimmer. Laying down a garbage bag or a burlap sack will help with cleaning up the clippings. Before you trim a twig, step back and take a good look at the plant. It’s important to not start pruning until you have an idea of where you’re headed with it. I recently took up caring for Bonsai Trees as a hobby, it is essential to have a very clear vision of your end goal and what you want it to look like when you’re done, and that is a good concept to apply to any pruning project. Instead of diving right in, look at each shrub and see if there are any shoots or branches that are out of place. Are there any dead places on the shrub? If so, you know where to begin. After you remove these branches, you can begin to narrow down if more is needed. For curb appeal, it’s important to keep the overall balance to the shrub. In most situations, it’s good to start with small cuts and remove more as needed. Think of it like you would a haircut – you can’t tell your barber to glue your hair back on after they’ve cut it off....it doesn’t really work that way. I hope this helps you in your pruning this year. Here’s to a beautiful Spring! 10 l www.swmlife.com
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File Your Taxes
FOR FREE Did you know the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs offer free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals? The VITA program has operated for over 50 years. This program is especially helpful for: • People who generally make $57,000 or less • Persons with disabilities • Limited English-speaking taxpayers
addition to requiring volunteers to certify their knowledge of the tax laws, the IRS requires a quality review check for every return prepared at a VITA/TCE site prior to filing. Each filing season, tens of thousands of dedicated VITA/ TCE volunteers prepare millions of federal and state returns. They also assist taxpayers with the preparation of thousands of Facilitated SelfAssistance returns. Learn More
The TCE program also offers free tax help, particularly for those who are 60 years of age and older, specializing in questions about pensions and retirement-related issues unique to seniors. While the IRS manages the VITA and TCE programs, the VITA/TCE sites are operated by IRS partners and staffed by volunteers who want to make a difference in their communities. The IRScertified volunteers who provide tax counseling are often retired individuals associated with nonprofit organizations that receive grants from the IRS. VITA/TCE services are not only free, they are also a reliable and trusted source for preparing tax returns. All VITA/TCE volunteers who prepare returns must take and pass tax law training that meets or exceeds IRS standards. This training includes maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of all taxpayer information. In
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VITA/TCE Volunteer Spotlight St. George resident Rich Glass has been preparing income taxes, at no charge, for the last 13 years. He is proud to be part of the VITA/TCE program. Last year he prepared over 300 returns for area residents and is offering his expertise again this year. Give him a call at 435-256-6128, or click the link below to find more locations that offer VITA/TCE locations. Find More Volunteers
The Blessing...
or Curse
of a homemade blanket Before I was married, my mother suggested that I make a denim blanket for my boyfriend for Christmas. I loved the idea and spent many hours cutting squares, sewing them together, and then quilting them. In the end, it was a masterpiece that I was proud of. But, a few months after I completed the blanket my boyfriend and I ended our relationship. 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.
Years later, when I got married (to someone else), I finally found out the truth behind the homemade blanket. My mother’s best friend, Liz, had discovered over the years that every boyfriend that her daughters made a blanket for, their relationship ended. So, when my mom was complaining about my boyfriend and how she wished we would break up, Liz suggested I make a blanket for him.
Of course, I had no idea about their crazy superstitious belief. But low and behold, it came true. Do I believe in this theory? No, I don’t. Am I going to suggest that my daughter make a blanket for a boyfriend I don’t like? Yes, I will!
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40 Days
When the Perseverance lander approached Mars last year, NASA scientists had to endure “7 minutes of terror” before it successfully landed. Computer controlled operations essential to the landing needed to be completed in a detailed step-bystep process without a glitch if Perseverance was to successfully land on Mars. While that had to be nerve-wracking for the scientists who were essentially helpless to assist the process, those 7 minutes were just a warmup for the “40 days of terror” that is currently underway to deploy the James Webb Space Telescope. The James Webb Space Telescope is intended to be the replacement and upgrade of the Hubble Space Telescope. The James Webb telescope is immense. It has 18 mirror segments, with each mirror approximately the same size of the
of Terror Hubble’s mirror. That means James Webb will gather 18 times more light than Hubble. The mylar “sail” underneath the telescope mirror places the entire instrument in shade. Unlike Hubble, James Webb “sees” in infra-red. Infrared is emitted by warm objects. The “sail” is really a sunshade used to keep the optics and sensor very cold. The sensors must be cooled to 350 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Successful deployment of the telescope requires 300 separate commands that must be initiated over a 40 day period. This “40 days of terror” is nearly complete. If successful, we’ll have a next generation telescope that promises to make as many astounding discoveries as we witnessed with Hubble.
Ron Smith’s teaching and lecturing career began at age 9 when his farther took him to see a planetarium show at the Griffith Observatory. Ten years later Ron’s dream came true when he began giving planetarium shows at Griffith while pursing an astronomy degree at the University of Southern California. After graduating from USC, Ron began his 34 year teaching career in the California Community College system. He first directed the Tessmann Planetarium at Santa Ana College, then two years later, became a professor of astronomy at Santa Monica College. In 1984 he left Southern California and taught for 18 years at Santa Rosa Junior College. There he produced planetarium programs for the college star theater, and taught astronomy, meteorology, and earth science. Ron considers himself to be a planetarium educator. In retirement, Ron continues to enjoy sharing his love of science with audiences at SunRiver, Dixie State University, and the Kayenta Center for the Performing Arts. 14 l www.swmlife.com
The Great
Pie Crust Dilemma Joseph Brimer relishes being a problem solver, so he’s a perfect fit for the SunWest team!
National Pie Day has sparked some controversy in my circles, and I need your help. A friend and I have been at odds about which crust is better on a pie. The coveted top crust, or the soggy bottom crust? And don’t start with saying that it’s not about the crust but the flavor of pie itself, because the only thing both top and bottom crust gangs (like me and my friend) can agree on is that the crust is at least equally important, if not more. You can probably tell which side of the debate I’m on and here’s why you should join me.
Unlike the top crust, the bottom crust is hardly ever perfect; it’s either WAY too thick - leaving you constantly thirsty - or WAY too thin - meaning it’s the consistency of bread dipped in water. Enjoying some fruit juice with the top crust is still possible because the fruity middle contains juice. No saturated bottom crust, just mix the deliciously sweet fruit with the soft, crisp fluff of top crust. Yummmmm. It’s the perfect balance for your palate that will leave you asking for another piece. Did I convince you? Let me know by voting below!
Cast Your Vote! Which pie crust is your favorite? Crispy top crust, no question Juicy bottom crust, all the way Both crusts - I don’t discriminate Crust? It’s all about the filling!
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Brian Head Resort
Ready to experience Utah’s Greatest Snow on Earth? No need for a long trip, some fantastic powder is just an hour and half away from St George! Situated at 9,600 feet, Brian Head Resort has the hightest base elevation of any of Utah’s ski resorts and receives nearly 360 inches of snowfall annually. Fantastic snow fun is on tap, right here in Southern Utah!
Hailed as one of Utah’s most affordable, family-friendly resorts, Brian Head features two connected mountains: Giant Steps and Navajo, offering 71 runs, eight chair lifts, three surface lifts, and a couple huge tubing hills nearly 600 feet long! The Resort offers skiing, snowboarding, tubing, night skiing, dining, mountain biking, and hiking. With dozens of activities, scenic beauty, and pristine mountain air, it’s easy to see why Brian Head Resort has become a destination for adventure and relaxation. You don’t need to be an avid skier to enjoy the Resort either, two full-service lodges, lessons and equipment rentals can help you enjoy your sojourn in the snow, regardless of your skill level.
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Don’t miss #24 AGNES ~ SunRiver Villas ~
SunRiver Construction, LC • (435) 688-1000 • www.sunriver.com The 2022 St. George Area Parade of Homes is no ordinary Parade. It is the largest Parade in the state featuring 28 new homes full of the extraordinary. This event has a longstanding tradition of displaying a variety of spectacular homes and introducing exciting new home trends. Tickets can be purchased on-line, or beginning February 17th at the Red Cliffs Mall and Lin’s Markets. No tickets sold at the homes. Homes are open February 18-27, from 10am to 7pm daily. #24 AGNES: HOME INFORMATION Welcome to our luxury patio home community, SunRiver Villas. Every amenity within the community speaks to resortstyle living and entertaining from elegant home elevations to an Olympic style outdoor swimming pool, pickle ball courts and fully-featured community center. Special attention is given throughout the community to fitness, gathering and embracing life. The home HOME DETAILS features a deep color pallet with natural Cost $579,900 For Sale No modern elements, from the free-flowing Living Area 1,681 Floors 1 kitchen, dining and living space to the spaBedrooms 2 Bathrooms 2 worthy master suite and bath. Space is Garages 2 reimagined and wrapped in upscale finishes Plan Designer Jeff Andrews Home Design Group throughout the home. If turn-key, worry-free, Marketed By SunRiver Realty LLC activity and amenity rich living is appealing, Interior Designer SunRiver Design Center, Janeen SunRiver Villas will exceed your wish list. Langford & Ashlee Stephens Click the links for more content!
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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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