ELIFE Winter 2017

Winter 2017

WINTER LANDSCAPING IDEAS BUFFALO BILL

Julian’s Blood Moon

SOUP FOR THE SOUL MEXICO

Recipes For Love VALENTINE’S DAY HISTORY

Family is why we do it all.

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Giving Hope to Boulder’s Hungry

Another successful year!

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Harvest of Hope Pantry helps provide food for those in need year round!

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LIFE IN ERIE, COLORADO

ADVERTISING ELIFE magazine offers businesses the most cost­effective way to reach consumers in Erie and its surrounding towns.

Information about advertising is available on the web at ELIFEmagazine.org Call 212.695.2959 to request a media kit.

SPONSORSHIPS ELIFE magazine supports organizations that make our town a better place to live and work.

Submit sponsorship proposals to trisha@ELIFEmagazine.org

EDITORIAL OFFICE 212.695.2959 | trisha@ELIFEmagazine.org ELIFE is published by Ventker Publishing

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Editor-in-chief Trisha Ventker Creative and Production Advertising Sales Executives Copy Editor Layout and Design Director Layout Assistant Photographer Contributing Writers

Trisha Ventker Chris Corwin, Jen Johnson, Jasmin Williams John Small Trisha Ventker Tom Ventker Trisha Ventker Wira Babiak Dr. Mark Barnes Jaime Slade Bessko Jessica Bonosoro Michaela Drennon Mayor Tina Harris Uche Ogbuji Mandy Palmer Claire Pearson Connie Ruel Jim Small John Small Sue Sundstrom Amy Webb David White

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Editor's Note note from editor

21

With the holidays behind us, Valentine’s Day decorations and cards have already started popping up in most stores. Is Valentine’s Day meant to celebrate love or obligation? Most people agree that Valentine’s Day is a nice way to show one’s affection, but at the same time others resent this holiday because of the obligatory nature of the expectations that come with it.

Valentine’s Day seems like a “nightmare” for single people, for it may be a reminder they don’t have that “someone special” in their lives. This holiday can also be unnerving for couples, if they “forget” the day, they may endure some flack from their spouses. Personally, as a married woman, I would much rather receive sentiments of love throughout the year than squeezed into a date that was picked randomly on the calendar. When you get a moment, read about the history of Valentine’s Day by Sue Sundstrom as it might surprise you.

I’ve had some doozies of Valentine’s day when I was single; I even had one guy break up with me on this “lovely holiday”. I also spent years looking online for “the one” and penned the bizarre stories in my book, Internet Dates From Hell.

After dating many men over a span of seven years, I finally found someone that I could connect with and start a family. Although we have a good marriage, at times I question what it takes to make things “work”. In this issue of ELIFE, I have asked some local couples to share how they’ve met. I’ve also inquired how long they have been together and also what advice they would be willing to give anyone looking to start a relationship. In the section, Recipes For Love you might get some insight. I know with real recipes, I tend to tweak ingredients along the way to make a perfect outcome, but everyone knows , there’s no such thing as “perfection”.

Finding someone you connect with is so important not only in romantic relationships, but also in friendships as well. No one wants to waste time with folks that are not in harmony or simply have nothing in common. It goes without saying, “connecting” is important, even when looking for a pet companion. In the article Finding the Right Dog For You on page 90, Jaime Bessko shares her insights on how to to select a dog that harmonizes with “your energy”.

This Winter issue also celebrates Buffalo Bill’s 100 year anniversary. Buffalo Bill is known to have a great connection to people in general, children and women in particular. Don’t forget to read John Small’s article on Bill and perhaps plan on going to one of the special Buffalo Bill events listed.

36

Trisha Ventker is an author, photographic artist, branding and social media expert and retired elementary school teacher. She also finds promoting and bringing local businesses together very rewarding.

She is best known for her first book Internet Dates From Hell which is self­published by Ventker through iUniverse. It has since had the movie rights to it optioned

by Paula Wagner. Trisha is also one of the first Indie Books authors to have a book optioned for the big screen. Trisha is originally from New York City, presently residing in Erie, Colorado with her husband and son.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and I hope everyone is having a spectacular new year. With Spring approaching, we at ELIFE will bring you a Spring/Summer issue soon. How many of you can’t wait for the Spring flowers to bloom and put an end to the cold weather?

Trisha Ventker TRISHA VENTKER Editor­in­Chief

www.ELIFEmagazine.org

01 ERIE Letter From Mayor Tina Harris Erie's Rich History ­ Part 5

table of contents

18 22

02 HOME Winter Landscaping Ideas

32

03 PARENTING The Myth of a Stress Free Childhood

36

04 FOOD Soup for the Soul

45

05 TRAVEL Mexico

52

table of contents

06 ARTS & CULTURE Julian's Blood Moon Buffalo Bill The Agony and Ecstasy of Commissioned Art Recipes For Love Valentine's Day History In This Library of Mine

58 59 62 64 72 74

07 PETS Choosing The Right Dog for You

90

08 HEALTH & BEAUTY Beauty Starts Within 3 Ways to Jump Start Your Metabolism and Quickly Lose Fat in 2017 Dreams of Losing Teeth Start 2017 Powerfully

78 81 86 88

NEWS

WINTER 2017

mayor note


LETTER FROM MAYOR TINA HARRIS

2016 GRATITUDE LIST

Based on how quickly I put together my Gratitude List for the past 12 months, 2016 was a very goodmayor year for Erie! note

2016 GRATITUDE LIST

Here are some of Erie’s accomplishments I am particularly grateful for:

TINA HARRIS Mayor Town of Erie

COMMUNITY Groundbreaking of K-8 School at Flatiron Meadows Boneyard at Reliance Park Grand Opening 2016 Best Places to Raise a Family Voice of the People Award Best Cities for Young Families - #23 Healthiest Housing Markets in Colorado - #9 Erie Community Garden Waterwise Landscape Seminar Annexation of the Boele-Messersmith Open Space Annexation Allan Farms Open Space Master Plans for Colliers Hill and Star Meadows Neighborhood Parks Approved FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP Wastewater Debt Refunding to Save Town $1.9 Million Revised Residential Development Impact Fees ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT King Soopers Marketplace at Vista Ridge Grand Opening Global Trade Magazine recognized Erie’s Skilled Workforce as one of America’s best Business Start Up Seminars Development Agreement for Nine Mile Corner Approved Welcomed New Restaurants: La Casona Del Mariachi, Noble Roman’s Pizza, Burger King and Domino’s Pizza

Photo Credit: David Besnette

PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY Safest Cities in Colorado - #15 Erie Parkway Expansion Improvements 1.5 MG Water Storage Tank Improvement Project Adoption of 2016 Airport Master Plan Opening of New Fire Station in Vista Ridge SPECIAL EVENTS Inaugural Downtown Neighborhood Block Parties Farmers Market - Expanded to Briggs Street Concert in the Park Series Town Fair Erie Brewfest Erie Singletrack Advocates Jump Jam & Fall Festival

2017 promises to be another successful year for Erie. And it is with your continued support that I am confident we can deliver on that promise. It is an honor to serve as your Mayor.

Sincerely, Mayor Tina Harris Town of Erie

Town of Erie’s BUSINESS RESOURCE GUIDE

WWW.ERIECO.GOV/BIZGUIDE The online Business Resource Guide has been created to provide new, existing and prospective business owners information on the Town’s business-oriented services and regulations. This guide is intended to serve as a resource to assist owners through the process of owning, operating and starting a business in Erie.

Find resources and more information about:

Location Decisions

Licenses & Permits

Business Planning

Agencies

Competitor Information

Demographics

Community Events

Meeting Spaces

Utilities

Financing & Incentives

Marketing

Networking

Workforce

Additional Resources

Contact Paula Mehle, Economic Development Coordinator, at 303-926-2769 or pmehle@erieco.gov for any further assistance.

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ERIE’S RICH HISTORY HISTORY OF ERIE PART 5

Blood On The Coal Some feel that the season of winter is a reflective time, wherein we mortals should consider our lives or "living times" in view of our deaths while surrounded by cold temperatures, strong winds, icy rains and drifting snow. F rom a Judeo-Christian standpoint, we can "see" our lives in light of an eternal reward or a heaven after we pass on from this sphere. Other religious beliefs are similar in their practitioners' pursuit of an eternal gift of sorts for living a "just life". The great faiths of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism and Zoroastrianism, to name a few, all promote their congregations to live the good life and reap the benefits in the next life of each faith. Winter is by any if not all standards a great season to weigh our pasts for future purposes.

"

MULTIPLE STRIKES AND OTHER LABOR RELATIONS BREAKDOWNS, UPRISINGS AND STATE MILITIA INTERVENTIONS OCCURRED.

by John Smal l

ERIE’S RICH HISTORYall-out With that said, maybe it's time to discuss the Erie area's "not so great" past and some of the consequences the it endured. For the fifty years before the 1920's, the area prospered from the coal production the front range of the great Rockies provided the mine owners and their customers. This, though did not come without a price! Multiple strikes and other labor relations breakdowns, uprisings and state militia interventions occurred. Even death was part and parcel to some of these uprisings.

One of the earliest was The Ludlow Strike of 1914, where seventeen miners and family members were killed by state militias. This set quite a precedent, for across the state of Colorado, miners began arming themselves, thus creating a much more severe and dangerous environment in many if not all mining towns, including Erie. These repressed miners were not, however rewarded gainfully, causing more than less problems overall for the mining industry of eastern Colorado.

Many of their demands for safety and fair wage fell on deaf ears, until 1922, '23 and '27 when between 25 and 30 workers in three mines across the state were killed by explosions in their respective mining areas.

To make matters worse, miners were consistently paid in "scrip", or a payment redeemable only in company owned  stores where the price index of general goods was g rossly exaggerated, so the company, not t h e m i n e r s c o u l d b e n e fi t financially. Finally, in 1927, the revolutionary Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) supported the discontented miners in Serene, Colorado just north of Denver. They called for an !

work shutdown by miners at 113 mines across the state.

The only mines not shut were the Columbine mine and a dozen or so others.

Columbine was the chief focus, for over 150 "scabs" or non union workers were called in and protected by the mine owners in a compound of sorts, equitable to a fort, with THE MORE THAN 8,000 STRIKERS WERE LIVID, AS VIOLENCE BROKE OUT CAUSING HUNDREDS TO BE ARRESTED. NOT ONLY WERE UNION HALLS CLOSED, BUT MANY MINERS WHO WERE NOT JAILED, WERE DRIVEN TO STATE LINES AND ABANDONED. high walls and barbed wire to boot! The more than 8,000 strikers were livid, as violence broke out causing hundreds to be arrested.

Not only were union halls closed, but many miners who were not jailed, were driven to state lines and abandoned. IWW lawyers were prevented from seeing and representing their clients, as they protested openly in the various jails in which they were being held.

Demonstrations continued and worsened like the one in Lafayette where many of the miners refused to leave their cells or "sat in", for fear of others in the same predicament consequently jailed there.

HISTORY ERIE’S OF RICH ERIE HISTORY These occurrences continued until November 21, when over 500 miners and their families marched toward the Columbine mine in Serene causing a mass rally which resulted in armed confrontation by plainclothes militiamen and mine guards equipped with rifles and teargas grenades.

When miners were refused entry to the town and commanded to leave, many claimed residency and a right to assemble. Some even asserted that their children were in some of the very schools in the town and their right to get their children was being denied them. Violence broke as miners, militia and police were summarily injured by gas grenades,

As the temperatures drop and the snows start to fly this winter, remember those brave people of 90 years ago, who sacrificed their lives and safety for the well being and futures of local towns like Erie. R.I.P. The Columbine Miners and Serene Townsmen of 1927.

(Next issue-Erie in the 60's and 70's - "The Lean Years") (History of Erie Article to be continued)

rocks, bottles and myriad projectile objects thrown by the protesters. When the police retreated into the town, itself, the mob followed, and gunshots rang out killing six and severely injuring over sixty! Some claimed that even police machine gun fire was evident that fateful day! "The Columbine Tragedy", coined by the local press was quickly entertained by state and national news people, and before long the ordeal drew federal attention.

The owner of The Rocky Mountain Fuel Company, a staunch liberal, Josephine Roche, who always detested the IWW and felt that miners in general be given fair and reasonable treatment called for the American Federation of Labour to step in and formulate/reinstate the controversial workers' union otherwise known as the United Mine Workers Association or UMWA, who settled the Ludlow Strike over a decade earlier.

Roche's demands were met and the situation tempered to say the least. No police officer or militiaman was held accountable for his crimes. The only remnant of the tragedy still stands today - a commemorative plaque and monument for the deceased and wounded on that fateful day.

One good factor emerged from the massacre, namely the IWW lost its footing in the Coloradan Mine Industry, once and for all. It goes down as one of the best examples of working class accomplishment in American labor history.

!

The Collector, 1234 Main Street, Any Town, State ZIP | 123-456-7890 | www.apple.com/iwork

About the Author John J. K. Small was born in Manhattan, New York in 1954. Moving to Long Island from the south Bronx in 1963, John attended both public and private school straight through his college years. Taking an Associate Degree from SUNY Farmingdale and both Bachelors and Masters Degrees from St. John's University, John is a permanently certified English/Education instructor of high school and college classes, teaching English, History and Education on both levels for the past 32 years. As a writer, he has assisted published writers with copy editing and proofreading along with business owners in constructing business plans, operating agreements, power point narratives, advertising campaigns and business collaboration in general. John lives with his wife, Maureen and son, Jonathan in New York.

Bibliography Dyni, Anne Quimby. Erie Colorado: A Coal Town Revisited.

Erie Colorado: The Town of Erie, 2001. Print.

Lambrecht, Mona and The Boulder History Museum. Images of America: Boulder 1859-1919. Charleston, South Carolina, Arcadia Publishing. 2008. Print.

Lowry, Sam. "Colorado Miners Strike and Columbine Mine Massacre, 1927". Libcom.org.

November, 2006. Web. Michener, James A. Centennial. New York, NY: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 1974. Print.

Stull, James B. For The Historical Society. Erie. Images of America: Erie. Charleston, South Carolina, Arcadia Publishing.

2011. Print.

Stull, James B. A Brief History of Erie Colorado: Out of the Coal Dust. Charleston, South Carolina. The History Press.

2015. Print.

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ACHIEVE GREATER IMPACT THROUGH CREATIVE BRANDING AND MARKETING STRATEGIES. For over 25 years, Trisha Ventker has been developing solutions and implementing methods that make things happen. She started her first business at the age of 20, worked as an educator, speaker, video production manager and photographer for over 25 years. Trisha makes people confront comfort zones in a kind way. “Can’t be done” is not in her repertoire . Trisha has authored three books and has appeared on a myriad of media. Her forte is marketing print, broadcast, and online media outlets. Ventker is a serial entrepreneur and branding expert.

Ventker develops brand strategies with a holistic approach to brand communications so that a company's brand touch-points (corporate identity, product design, web site, retail environment, online marketing, traditional advertising, PR and word of mouth) all work in harmony to create a favorable perception in the mind of the consumer, increasing the chances of positively affecting purchase behavior.

Trisha Ventker's specialty includes how consumers process information, how they attend to, perceive, process and store that information; and how they retrieve and act on previous information from memory. Ventker focuses on the mind, perception, cognitive psychology, human nature and brain science to form a deep understanding of how people think and what makes them do, buy and love the things they do.

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GLACIER’S VIEW

BY DAVID WHITE

WINTER LANDSCAPING SUGGESTIONS The days short, the nights are cold, dark and long. The leaves have long since blown to Kansas, and the last thing on the mind is dragging out the hoses to water the dormant trees and shrubs. But, are they really completely dormant? Maybe not. Colorado often has winter warm spells that can bring temperatures into the 60’s for extended periods. This is the time to winter water.

Winter watering of trees, shrubs and perennials is as important to maintaining a healthy landscape as watering in the summer. Almost all plant material will generate new root growth in late fall, winter and early spring if the soil temperature is above freezing and there is adequate moisture available. Strong, healthy roots are the backbone for a healthy plant. Therefore, even though it is a cold and painful chore, drag those hoses out of storage and winter water trees and shrubs. There is no need to water your lawn unless we have an exceptionally dry winter with warm and windy conditions.

The general rule of thumb for winter watering is as follows: If there has not been snow on the ground under or around a particular tree or shrub on your property for three weeks, it needs water. It is phrased this way because a tree on a berm exposed to sunlight will be snow free with unfrozen soil far sooner than a shaded area on the north side of a fence or home. Water 10

gallons for every 1” of trunk diameter for trees throughout the root zone. For shrubs, the amount of water varies greatly due to size, but, on average, for every 1’ of height, water with 3 gallons of water. For evergreen trees, water 1-2 gallons for every 1’ of height.

Do not water when the ground is frozen. And, only water then the temperature is above 45 degrees. Well established trees need little additional water except in the driest of winters. However, it takes a long time and a lot of water to soak the roots of a 60 foot Oak. These suggestions are mostly for younger, less mature plant material. Your experience with your own property will dictate your winter watering schedule, but in Colorado’s arid to semi-arid climate, this is the one thing that can help insure a healthy, vibrant and thriving landscape.

Soil conditions can also dictate how much or often to water. With clay soils, the water will run off quickly, and they tend to hold moisture much better once it has soaked in. Sandy, or sandy/loam soils allow water to percolate into the ground more easily, but those soils will dry out sooner than clay soils. Most homes in the Boulder/Weld county areas have clay soils, but a few have sandy loam soils. If you live in a new subdivision, you most likely have clay, so be sure to not overdo the watering. Usually 2-3 winter watering sessions are sufficient. Keep plants healthy. Take the time to water in winter!

ABOUT DAVE Dave White is the CEO and President of Glacier View Landscape and Design, Inc. which is a design/build landscape firm in Erie. Dave is the Northern Front Range Landscape Examiner, writing articles on horticulture each month, a 33 year resident of Boulder County, and enjoys gardening, landscaping, the natural outdoors and spending as much free time with his family. Contact him through Glacier View at 303-748-2921.

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KIDS

A F O H T THE MY E E R F S STRES D O O H D L I CH

B B E W

BY AMY

THE MYTH OF A STRESS-FREE CHILDHOOD

BY AMY WEBB I was struck recently by two seemingly conflicting articles that popped up in my social media feeds on the same day. One was entitled, Children and Stress--How to Create a Low Stress Environment for your Child and the other title was, "Children Need Some Stress in the Their Lives": The New Science of Resilience. Now, on the face of it, these seem to be two conflicting articles. What is a parent to do--help your child avoid all stress or allow your child to experience stress?

In reality, both of these articles had some really insightful and thought-provoking lessons about the science of stress in relation to child development. We mostly have negative connotations with the idea of stress. People talk about being "stressed out" at work or school. In reality, some amount of stress is normal and perhaps even beneficial. I remember the stress of starting college in a new town, not knowing anyone. It was stressful at times. I remember my heart racing as I went to my first class and met my first roommate. But what if I can avoided this stress and stayed at home? I would not have grown or learned new coping mechanisms and new skills.

Stress becomes negative and even life-altering when it is so intense that it affects your mental health, relationships, and overall well-being. As Miki Dedijers points out in his article, this is the type of stress that parents sometimes experience and the kind that can affect your children. As he says, "When you’re stressed, your child’s small body senses that there’s some unknown reason for her, too, to be on high alert. Her most trusted adult is wound up tight with apprehension.”

This I think is the real wisdom we can gain from these two articles. The stress that comes with normal developmental stages or changes is what our children use to propel them to the next level. As Michael Rutter points out in his studies on resilience, "children need some stress in their lives, so they can learn to cope with it.

Development involves both change and challenge and also continuity. So to see the norm as stability is wrong.” The typical process of development requires some amount of stress. If you try to protect your child from that, they will inevitably be hampered by it.

They key to coping with stress, in all its forms, is finding coping mechanisms that work for the individual. What Rutter has found in his research is that relationships are one of the most influential factors in dealing with stress.

For children, the most toxic stress can often be the result of failed or dysfunctional relationships. Children who experience abuse, trauma or neglect at the hands of a once-trusted caregiver are dealing with a type of stress that is at the limit of their underdeveloped mental capacities.

This is the type of stress that can be life-altering. However, as Rutter points out, the establishment of even one caring, consistent adult relationship can often be the key to resilience for these children, despite tragic situations they may have experienced.

For us parents too, relationships are one of the keys to coping with stress in our lives as well. As Miki Dedijers describes, overcoming stress is not a quick fix to be solved by a change in diet or meditation. It many times requires a change in lifestyle. Â Our relationships help us navigate through

changes in our lives. Just talking to someone else whom you trust can be the beginning of coping with stress.

Isolation from others can be very stressful. As any new parent who spends hours at home alone with a newborn can tell you, a lack of social relationships can make for stressful living. Positive relationships can help buffer us against the stresses of life.

Ultimately we cannot create a stressfree life for our children. If we really think about it, we know this is not healthy for them either. Some of the stressful challenges many of us have faced have helped us become stronger, more resilient people. In order to help our children, however, we have to keep our stress at a level that is manageable. In doing so, we can help our children learn the skills they need to cope with the inevitable stress they will face. As in many aspects of

Amy lives in Erie with her husband and two energetic boys.

While her PhD is in Human Development and Family Sciences, her best education in parenting (and life) have been her two boys. While completing her degree, she realized there was not enough research-based parenting and child development information that was easy to understand for the average parent. Much of the research done by university scholars is not easily accessible to parents. With her writing, she hopes to provide thoughtprovoking and insightful information that will be useful to parents. She doesn't pretend to be a parenting expert, but rather a translator of research into a parent-friendly format.

www.thoughtfulparent.com amypwebb@gmail.com

POP-UP CULTURE

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(303) 650­0310 www.RidgeviewKids.com 14697 Delaware Street, Suite 210 Westminster, CO 80023 Applies to new patients only. Offer may not be valid with insurance benefit.

Dr. Cara Mudd Board Certified Pediatric Dentist

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Shantae Dental Assistant

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SOUP FOR THE SOUL

FOLLOW THE RUEL

SOUP FOR THE SOUL

BY CONNIE RUEL On a cold wintery day, nothing is more satisfying than a warm bowl of soup.

Whether you’re curling up in front of a blazing fire, your shoulders covered with a blankie and a favorite book in hand, or coming in out of the cold after shoveling the two feet of snow that fell the night before, the warm goodness of homemade soup is exactly what you need. Of course, there are so many kinds of soup…stews, bisques, broths, consommés, fumets… the list goes on and on. But there is one thing they all need to truly be worthy of the obligatory “sip, slurp, ahhhh.”… Their own homemade stock base.

Instead of providing you recipe after recipe of soups, stews etc., I am giving you the wherewithal to make good old-fashioned stocks, giving your soups the start they need to be spectacular.

Big advice: What do you do with that leftover carcass from the local grocer rotisserie chicken? If you said, “chucking it!”, let it be known that you are throwing away not only money, but the beginnings of a spectacular soup. Never throw away any of your bones! Freeze them until the next time you are ready to make stock, then freeze your stock. Canned soups be damned!

Ever y freezer should be filled with vegetable stock, chicken stock, beef stock, fish stock, shellfish stock, duck stock etc…

The first (and most used) stock recipe is from my cookbook “Passions of a Restaurateur”

HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK

HOMEMADE VEGETABLE STOCK

8 lbs of chicken bones 1 large yellow onions 2 carrots unpeeled 1 stalk of celery with leaves 5 sprigs fresh parsley 4 sprigs fresh thyme 4 sprigs rosemary ½ head garlic, unpeeled ½ T salt 1 tsp peppercorns, whole

1 Tablespoon olive oil 4 large onions, quartered (skin on) 2 large carrots, quartered, skin on 1 garlic bulb, quartered, unpeeled 2 large leeks, washed, trimmed, quartered 1 large sprig thyme 1 large sprig rosemary Small bunch of parsley 1 bay leaf 6 whole black peppercorns 1 whole clove 3 quarts water

If you have pieces of vegetable that you trimmed like mushroom stems, fennel stems etc. Throw them in too! Even your corn cobs!

Method Place the chicken bones (these can have remaining meat and skin) in a 375 degree oven and lightly brown (this step can be skipped for a lighter stock). Put the chicken bones, onions (quartered), carrots (cut into 4 pieces each), celery (quartered then halved) and garlic (cut in half) into a large stock pot. Wrap herbs with kitchen twine and drop into pot. Add salt and pepper. Add 5 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat, uncovered, for 4-5 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a sieve and throw away the solids. Refrigerate until the fat has come to the surface (about 12 hours). Remove the fat. Use immediately or freeze for up to 3 months.

Makes approximately three quarts note: To keep the stock from heating up your fridge to a higher and potentially dangerous temperature, the day before you make stock, fill a plastic water bottle 3/4 full with water and freeze (make sure you have removed the label). After you cook the stock and remove the solids, drop the bottle into the pot which will drop the temperature quickly before you put into the refrigerator to solidify the fat.

Method Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl toss the oil with onions, carrots, garlic, leeks and arrange them in a roasting pan. Place pan in oven and roast, stirring once, for 45 minutes or until golden brown and tender. In a large pot combine the roasted vegetables with thyme, rosemary, parsley bay leaf, peppercorns and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour or until the broth is reduced to about 2 quarts. Strain. (use an ice paddle to chill quickly before putting in refrigerator) Are you seeing a common theme here? Making stock is quick and easy. Once you learn the basic ingredient needs, you can certainly improvise!

Here’s more: Let’s talk shellfish stock. Did you indulge in peel and eat shrimp, crab, lobster or even whole fish as a meal? You know what I am going to say… save the shells and bones. Wrap them up and put them in the freezer. Then when you have a collection, it’s time to make stock!

SHELLFISH STOCK

BEEF STOCK

2 tablespoons olive oil Left over shells of any crustacean (about ½ pound) 2 yellow onions, unpeeled 2 carrots, unpeeled, cut up 3 stalks celery, cup up 3 garlic cloves, smashed in skin 1/2 cup white wine 1 tomato, cut up 2 teaspoons peppercorns 3 sprigs thyme 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs oregano

Beef stock 4 lbs beef bones 3 carrots, not peeled cut into 6 pieces each 2 yellow unions, unpeeled, quartered 3 stalks celery, cut into 6 pieces each 2 leeks, cleaned and cut into chunks 1 sprig thyme 2 bay leaves 1 sprig rosemary 1 sprig sage 1/2 bulb of garlic, unpeeled 2 whole cloves 1 tablespoon whole black pepper

Method Warm the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the shells, onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1/2 quarts of water, white wine, tomatoes, pepper, bay, oregano and thyme.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. Do not cover. Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. This makes about 4 cups of stock.

Method Heat the oven to 400F. spread the bones on a sheet and roast until browned. Put the bones in a large pot and cover with cold water by about two inches. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for about five minutes and skim the scum which rises to the top. Add the remaining ingredients and more cold water so that everything is covered by at least an inch or two. Bring the stock to a simmer again, skimming as necessary.

Don’t let the stock boil. Maintain a very slow simmer for four to five hours. If the water gets too low, add boiling water to the pot. When it looks like the vegetables are spent, strain the broth and throw away the solids. insert you’re an ice paddle or frozen water bottle into the stock, then put it, uncovered, in the refrigerator until the fat has solidified on top. Remove and discard the fat. Your stock is ready to use or freeze.

Now you have the base for not only some awesome soups such as Bouillabaisse, seafood bisque, chili, butternut squash bisque, country bean soup, chicken noodle soup, but for many sauces. Stock is the absolute must have of any kitchen.

ABOUT CONNIE Connie Ruel is a lifetime restauranteur who has owned and operated five award winning restaurants with the current being "Follow the Ruel," a coffee café, catering and special event company located in Broomfield, Colorado. She has written the award winning memoir-cookbook "Passions of a Restaurateur" and has appeared on Food Network's "Guy's Grocery Games" and “Chopped." www.followtheruel.com

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Georgez has extensive experience in the event planning industry. Anything from parties, business meetings, fashion shows, charity events to weddings, Georgez offers his expertise. He also offers his services as an ordained minister of all faiths.

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LOVE IS IN THE AIR! CALL FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS “I have decided to stick with love.

Hate is too big of a burden to bear.”

MLK, jr. “

Come help us celebrate the many faces of love Can be on any aspect of love: love of country, love of child, romantic love, spiritual love, and love for old town Erie, Colorado!

The Love Show & Sale will be from February 11th (submission date) to take down date of 3/4/17 Photographs must be wall hanging ready – framed with wire on the back.

Let your imagination be your guide but please remember this is a family-friendly gallery!

RIBBONS WILL BE AWARDED FOR 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD PLACES.

Ribbon Awards at Reception MARCH 3, 2017 Cost to enter is $10 for members, and $45 for non members EMAIL INFO@ARTSCOALITIONOFERIE.ORG TO REQUEST A SIGNUP FORM

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n e z i t i C g n i l e v a Tr e World h t f o

by Michaela Hatch-Drennon

o c i x Me

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, and the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.”

– Cesare Pavese

N

othing epitomizes traveling to new lands for me than the above quotation by Cesare Pavese, an Italian poet, novelist, literary critic and translator. It evokes a deep sense of unexpected adventure, albeit filled with a tremendous amount of apprehension and uncertainty coupled with the realization that we never know everything there is to know about the world in which we live or the situations we are involved. The only true things that remain unchanged are the above listed essentials needed for living (although the quality of air and water, depending on where one is could be highly debated) and the experiences from exploring a previous foreign land becomes the tangible attributes which reshape a person’s being going onward in life.

Visiting and exploring Mexico the past sixteen years over 19 plus trips has offered me the experiences of a lifetime all the while enabling me to envision retiring in a lovely majestic tropical resort community when the time approaches.

Even when not so favorable events occur. During our many Mexico escapades, my husband and I have stayed at a variety of resorts (from 3 to 6 stars) in a variety of places including Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo san Lucas, Cozumel, and Playa Del Carmen. All of our destinations were highly enjoyable, but negative experiences did occur.

Our first Mexican escapade in August 1999 was surreal and enlightening. Specifically, it was utterly informative to my pre-conceived notions of a country wherein I had never before stepped foot in. It was my first time out of the country since I

moved back to the United States from Hanau, Germany in December 1988. The seven day trip signified our one year delayed honeymoon to an all adults only resort called the Blue Bay Village (now Getaway) just a couple of miles from the bustling downtown of Cancun. After checking in with a tad bit of a language barrier (my limited Spanish from high school and the concierge’s broken English) we made our way to our second story suite, changed into our swimming attire and locked up our passports and cash in the suite’s safe and headed for the relaxing pool. The next few glorious days encompassed a range of relaxing days at the pool playing silly adult drinking games, eating fabulously prepared meals and exploring the vastness of Chichén Itzá, a world-famous complex of Mayan ruins on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and Isla Muejueres aka "Island of the Women", an island of the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. One particular afternoon, after returning from a long day excursion, as we were prepping for our return to the States to my dismay I noticed my passport was not in the safe wherein I thought had locked it up for safekeeping. After looking all over the suite, I proceeded to call the front desk and report a passport theft. While waiting for the resort manager to meet us in our suite I kept thinking of the horror stories of resort staff stealing passports to copy them for sale. Shortly after reporting the missing passport, I made the embarrassing discovery that I had placed my passport in our tour day bag. Needless to say, I apologized profusely when management arrived at our door and proceeded to give the cleaning staff, which I inadvertently blamed for my missing passport, an extra-large tip before we checked out for our afternoon flight to Colorado.

The stark take away from this experience was to not immediately go off the deep end when a negative event occurs when in fact you failed to recollect where an important personal item was merely misplaced. Being in a foreign land with unfamiliar surroundings makes it easy to assume the worst. Unfortunately, it is to the detriment of the accused person(s) . . . and ultimately to one’s own character as a citizen of the world professing to be open-minded and giving all humans the benefit of the doubt. Above all, it is extremely powerful to remember to say calm and collected when things seemingly go awry and not make brazen assumptions. By doing so, the development of a more well-rounded worldly person will continue to evolve and new experiences will be that much less stressful.

o c i x e M

Bon Voyage!

M

Michaela Hatch-Drennon is a 13-year resident of Vista Ridge, living in the famed “Halloween House� on Pinon Circle with her husband Mark. She attained her BA in German and French from Eastern Washington University in 1994 and an International MBA w/an IT specialization from Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver in 2001. She actively utilizes her degrees in her international role as a Senior Engineering Program Manager at Seagate in Longmont, CO and on her numerous travels abroad. You can contact Michaela at michaschatze@gmail.com

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The Tallent Company

PUBLIC RELATIONS IS NOT AN AD OR COMMERCIAL, IT IS UNDERSTANDING YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND BUILDING A CONNECTION AND CREDIBILITY WITH THEM.

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#MoreThanMarketing

Julian’s Blood Moon

BY UCHE OGBUJI

To my 11 year old son, Udoka,Julian .

FOR THE BOY THE FIRST WORDS OF WHOSE EMPLOY MADE A SONG AND A SWAY FOR THE SIGHT OF THE MOON, FOR THE BOY THENCE GROWN EVERY DAY, EVERY NIGHT WITH A BOOK BY HIS BED, A MODEL OFF-HEAD OF THE STARS, OF THE PLANETS, ALL MYSTERY OF SPACE; FOR THE BOY EVER PLANETARIUM-RAPT, WITH COSMICAL QUESTIONS: HIS ROLE? HIS PLACE?

THE MOON WITH A WAXING OF BLOOD ON ITS DISK, WHETHER CROUCHED FOR THE HUNT, OR UP NOON-WAY SOARED, IN ECLIPSE IT'S A-WINK, OLD MISCHIEVOUS COIN, FOR MY BOY IT'S MINT COPPER, IT'S FULSOME REWARD.

Uche Ogbuji lives in Superior with his wife and four children, having been born and largely educated in Nigeria, and having lived in Egypt, England and elsewhere. By day he works on Library.Link, the project he cofounded to restore libraries to prominence on the web, but any time he can snatch is devoted to his deepest passion, poetry. His chapbook, Ndewo, Colorado is a Colorado Book Award Winner, and a Westword Award Winner ("Best Environmental Poetry") and he co-hosts the Poetry Voice podcast, which explores the art with delight and a great deal of laughter.

[First appeared in Gris-Gris Journal]

Buffalo Bill

100 Year Anniversary ,

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William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody died on January 10, 1917 while visiting his sister's home in Denver. He insisted that he was to be buried on Lookout Mountain overlooking the city of Denver, according to Louisa, his beloved wife. Bill fell in love with the Front Range well before that. During the spring of 1859, Bill made his first trip to the great and new city of Denver in Colorado pursuing the gold rush up in Pike's Peak. After two months of little to no success, he made his way through Black Hawk and then to Julesburgh, Colorado on his way back to Kansas and was unexpectedly approached with a proposition. That offer would spell success for William, as he subsequently took the famed Pony Express Rider's job.

The rest is history!

Although the Pony Express did not cut through Denver, Colorado then, for it veered north from Kansas into Nebraska and Wyoming, Cody spent most of his work time in his "second favorite state" of Kansas. He did however, travel through most of northeast Colorado on several memorable occasions and loved the plains and high grasses of the area. These jaunts would beg his return, which he would, on several occasions until his death nearly 100 years ago. This June will be the centennial celebration of one of Americana's prized and celebrated sons, Bill Cody.

William F. Cody expressed a tremendous affection for people in general, children and women in particular. To name all of the altruistic achievements from orphanage support to women's equal pay and voting rights would take a lengthy article in itself. Until then, let's just remember an unofficial adopted "son of Colorado", William Cody this June 3, 2017 with a lifted glass of some beverage in homage to a truly great man of integrity and honor. Denver should be proud, of Buffalo Bill as we are here in Erie.

Written by John Small

Events & Exhibits Feb. 23 The Buffalo Bill Experience Luncheon Golden History Center Museum 1.

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Feb. 25 Buffalo Bill’s Birthday Party The Rock Rest Lodge & Restaurant 16005 South Golden Road, Golden

Feb. 26 Buffalo Bill Birth Celebration Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave .1 .. 1

Mar. 25-Aug. 12 Lights, Camera, Colorado!

Buffalo Bill and the Big Screen . -

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Jul. 27-30 Buffalo Bill Days Downtown Golden .1 ..

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ART

INSPIRATIONS WINTER 2017

by Wira Babiak

1 1. Loreli created by Monika Edgar from Ventker Personal Collection 2.Lavender Landscape created by Wira Babiak 60”x40” acrylics 2014

2

THE AGONY AND ECSTASY OF COMMISSIONED ART T

here are artists who regularly do commission art.

Many will work from a photograph that a person provides them of their favorite pet or portraiture.

However, there is nothing like a compliment when someone has seen your art in an art gallery, website, art show or displayed at someone's home and then contacts you for a commission. So you are feeling very honored and it is an exciting moment that you are being asked to paint them a painting like a landscape or abstract. The patron will usually leave it up to the artist to come up with his/her vision of the piece.

Commissioned artwork like that is usually on a large scale. Here are the beginnings of ecstasy. The agony comes in when you are half way through and the patron would like you to change some colors, add a few more flowers, take out some flowers, change the height of this or that and widen that or this. At times a minor change can affect the whole painting and the painting doesn't work anymore and has to be started from the beginning (rare, but happens). I had to redo my painting "Lavender Landscape" because the patron wanted the colors to match the bedroom decor. Thankfully she was happy with the piece.

“Because she gave me all the freedom in the world to do whatever I wanted, it did not feel like I was trying to interpret what the client wanted”

Local artist Monika Edgar described one of her commission clients, Editor-In-Chief of ELIFE magazine, Trisha Ventker, a patient and respectful client that "did not attempt to control the process or dictate a color scheme. She also gave me a full year to complete the piece. Because she gave me all the freedom in the world to do whatever I wanted, it did not feel like I was trying to interpret what the client wanted. The result was a magical portrait of Lorelei, a character based on the myth of Lorelei, a feminine water spirit, similar to a siren or mermaid with a beautiful singing voice. I added a nautilus shell to her head garb with flowing hair and fish as a nod to my client's supernatural powers of often being able to read people's minds. She is a great listener, so the shell also symbolizes her gift of listening.” (see Lorelei on first page of article) These are successful commissions but there are commissions where the artist having spent his/her energies, isn't paid for the work. That is where the agony comes in. Does the artist keep the piece or not?

Normally, the artist asks for half up front for the commission and the balance when the artwork is completed.

Wira (Vera) Babiak, our contributor is an Erie artist. Her works can be currently seen at the Erie Animal Hospital, KCP Art Gallery in Longmont, and Main Street Gallery in NY. Wira holds a BA in Sociology from CU Boulder, and a Masters is Public Administration from CU Denver. Wira has won several art show placement ribbons and judges in art shows all over the world.

For more information check out her website at: wirababiakartwork.weebly.com

valentine

Recipes for Love

How did you meet?

How long have you been together?

What advice would you give regarding your recipe for love?

Teresa & Eric Lipsey "Teresa and I met on March 26, 2004.

We were both out dancing at Teddy’s nightclub when she accidentally stepped on my toe. I asked her to dance and she said yes. We’ve been dancing together for nearly 13 years now."

"I believe the key to our relationship working is we practice synergy in our decisions. We have similar dreams and aspirations. We care about each other’s happiness and respect each other’s differences."

-Eric

photo credit: Dustin Sheffield

valentine 

Recipes for Love

How did you meet?

How long have you been together?

What advice would you give regarding your recipe for love?

Michaela & Mark Drennon "Mark and I met while we were both sign-makers at Eagle Hardware and Garden (which is now Lowes) in June 1994. One night out at a local nightclub our mutual friend Curtis Love introduced us. After a quick 2 minute chat, my good friend Tarina whisked me away to introduce me to some other eligibles.

Apparently, there was a connection 22.5 years!"

"Be best friends first before dating. By having this already established, interests don't become surprises.

Have separate interests (you don't want to date your mirror image. . . boring) in addition to a few together.

Have separate and combined bank accounts; this eliminates arguing over money.Lastly, LAUGH TOGETHER!!."

-Michaela

valentine 

Recipes for Love

How did you meet?

How long have you been together?

What advice would you give regarding your recipe for love?

Kiki & Glen Ramirez "Glen and I met in middle school way back in 1978 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

My Mom, "Mrs. Stutz" was Glen's teacher! We rode the same bus and we were even on the yearbook staff together in high school. We remained friends through my junior year of high school when I moved to Sonoma, CA. in 1983. Fast forward to 2011 ... Glen and I reconnected through Facebook.

After many months of texts and calls, Glen came to visit me in San Diego.

Sparks flew as soon as we saw one another! We have been together almost 7 years now and our relationship seems to just get better with time!"

"Our relationship is built on a strong foundation of love and respect. We leave each other sticky notes around the house; some are funny, sweet or provocative . Those notes make my day! " -Kiki

valentine 

Recipes for Love

How did you meet?

How long have you been together?

What advice would you give regarding your recipe for love?

Pat & John Small "We met on Oct 29th 1950. We were at a parish dance when he spied me coming in the door. He pushed thru the dance floor and approached me and said "would you like to dance?" I replied, "Of course that was why I came here."

John proceeded to do a split on the dance floor and shocked me.

Nevertheless, we dated after that until he was drafted. When he returned from fighting Communism in Korea, we had a beautiful wedding Then came 4 wonderful children and 4 great grandchildren, whom we love with all our hearts. That was 64 yrs ago!"

"Our advice for a loving relationship would be to live FOR each other and try not to be selfish. Seems to work in our case and I hope it will for any young couple starting out. One very important thing too...is to keep God in your marriage. He is a great helper! " -Pat

valentine 

Recipes for Love

How did you meet?

How long have you been together?

What advice would you give regarding your recipe for love?

Elaine & Chris Jorgensen "In 1975 we met at a Young Life social evening at Colorado State. After that night Chris knew only two facts about me. A few weeks later when he needed a date for an event, he thought of me.

Lying on his stomach in the snow while goose hunting, the CSU directory spread out before him, he looked for "Elaine the English major."

He made his way through the L surnames before giving up and calling a mutual friend to get my phone number. We celebrated our 40th anniversary last month."

"I think mutual respect is very important, especially when you disagree and are angry. Stick to working on the issue and don't attack each other. Chris says, "Never stop communicating."

-Elaine

valentine 

Recipes for Love

How did you meet?

How long have you been together?

What advice would you give regarding your recipe for love?

Sarah & Andra Hargrave "Andra and I met 19 years ago this month. I would like to say we met at church or work but we met at a club!

He asked me to dance. We danced and talked the night away and that was the beginning of our story.

We have been married 16.5 years."

"Marriage is hard work. You have to be willing to put in the work every day.

You have to be present, communicate and really listen to each other."

-Sarah

valentine 

Recipes for Love

How did you meet?

How long have you been together?

What advice would you give regarding your recipe for love?

Trisha & Tom Ventker "Trisha and I met on Match.com in November 2003. We were engaged three months later and six months after that."

"Even prior to meeting, I knew their was something very special about Trisha, after having spent two hours on our first phone call. On the evening after our first date I attended a black tie work event. When my boss's wife asked me what I had done that day I responded with, "I met my future wife today." I was that certain!"

"Follow your inner instincts as they most certainly will guide you to make the right decisions. Trisha and I immediately knew that there was a much deeper bond between us. Many people refer to this as being "soulmates" I firmly believe in this.

I recommend finding that special someone by basing it on someone you can't live without as opposed to someone you can live with. It's not about checking some boxes, but rather how great that person makes you feel inside."

-Tom

Wish You Were Here!

50 POSTAGE STAMP

Future Advertisers ELIFE is the number one digital magazine on the north front range! is published quarterly. For more information visit www.ELIFEmagazine.org

ArtSmart

by Sue Sundstrom Valentine’s Day Its Shadowy and Not So Romantic Past Beginning With…

Those Crazy Romans The holiday we know as St. Valentine’s Day was not always full of hearts, flowers and love. According to some sources (not all of whom agree,) the origins of this day, February 14, may date back to ancient Rome, where, between Feb. 13 and 15, Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia, a festival connected to fertility rites. Back then it was less about romance and more about finding a mate. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog and then whipped women with the hides of the slain animals. According to Noel Lenski, a historian at the University of Colorado, the women did not mind this, however, as they thought it would make them fertile. Legend has it that the celebration included a matchmaking lottery where couples drew names from a jar and were matched up for the rest of the festival, or longer if they actually liked each other.

Followed by More Crazy Romans and the Catholic Church Rome was also the site of the execution of two men, both named Valentine, by Emperor Claudius II, on February 14 in two different years in the 3rd century. One of the unlucky Valentines was a Roman Priest who was arrested because he defied Emperor Claudius’ order that soldiers could not marry. Claudius believed that the unmarried soldier was a better soldier. Valentine supposedly took pity on the plight of the single soldier and performed marriage ceremonies anyway. One of the legends associated with the execution is that the night before he met his end, this hapless Valentine wrote a card to the daughter of his jailer (whom he had miraculously cured of blindness) signing it “Your Valentine,” inspiring many future romantic communiqués, although obviously not from him.

Now, About the Catholic Church The Catholic Church subsequently honored this martyred Valentine, making him the patron saint of lovers.

Whitefriars Street Church in Dublin, Ireland is one of three churches that claim to house his remains. I don’t know who is buried in the other two, and I hope they won’t be too upset when they find out it’s someone else. It could be one of the other St. Valentines, because there were about a dozen in all. And their earthly duties include not just watching over the lives of lovers, but intervening on behalf of beekeepers, epileptics, and those who suffer because of the plague, fainting and travel. Seems logical to me.

Fast forward a few centuries, when lots happened, but it’s all rather confusing, including multiple times of the year when you can celebrate Valentine’s Day and lots of names that I can’t pronounce or spell

Sue Sundstrom is a watercolor and pastel artist, living and creating in Erie.

She has been painting, drawing, and teaching art classes for more than 35 years. She has a Master’s Degree in Fine Art and Art Education. You can find more information about her and view her work at

Sue Sundstrom

www.sundstromartservices.com

While some historians doubt the connection between St. Valentine’s Day and these earlier rather grim occurrences, many agree that the modern day version of a kinder gentler St. Valentine’s Day may have begun in the 14th century with Geoffrey Chaucer’s publishing of “Parlement of Foules” in which he wrote “For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh to choose a mate.” There are other instances of Valentine poetry being written by various authors as well including Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife in the 15th century, William Shakespeare in Hamlet, and Edmond Spenser in “The Faerie Queene” in 1590.

She bath'd with roses red, and violets blew, And all the sweetest flowres, that in the forrest grew.

Whatever its origins, since the 19th century, Valentine’s Day as we know it in the US has grown from the simple exchange of hand written notes into a widely celebrated day when more than 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent. (Hallmark, I’m sure, is giddy.) If you add onto that all the school celebrations where cards are exchanged, that increases to a whopping one billion! The average amount spent per person is more than $131, including cards, candy, flowers and/or jewelry for that special someone. With that in mind, I offer you this widely recognized and FREE Valentine’s Day poem from the 1794 Gammer Gurton’s Garland, a collection of nursery rhymes.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

The rose is red, the violet’s blue, The honey’s sweet, and so are you.

Thou art my love and I am thine; I drew thee to my Valentine: The lot was cast and then I drew, And Fortune said it shou’d be you.

Photo credit: Trisha Ventker 2017

BY JIM SMALL

IN THIS LIBRARY OF MINE

In This Library Of Mine In this library of mine if you haven't been there yet you'll find some books about forgiveness and volumes on regret there's a section there for silence and a wing reserved for pain reference works on violence and those who entertain

In this library of mine you won't need to show a card you'll browse the aisles of unpaid dreams the strange, the avant-garde alcoves where your thoughts are weightless corners for desires archives full of jokes, all tasteless copyright requires

In this library of mine we're all literally germane we catalog what's overdue like eminent domain there's nothing shortened, unabridged we index what we say we don't erase our database its forever; here to stay

In this library of mine some books still out on loan anticipate and circulate in abstract undertones places where revised editions are always there in view a word of note from the publisher be quiet, escape from you J. Small 12/29/16

Sometimes when you think you've rescued a dog, it turns out that they have rescued you.

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Beauty Starts From Within

by Mandy Palmer Mandy Palmer is a licensed esthetician and certified lash specialist here in Erie. Many of her clients come from all over Colorado for her expertise, quality of work and superior customer service. Vista Skin and Lash is for discerning clients who want only the best in skin care.

Beauty Starts From Within

by Mandy Palmer

We all know that using great products for your skin is important. Non-toxic, paraben, aroma and dye-free are all great when choosing a proper skincare regimen, but what about your food consumption? Did you know that excess sugar found in most junk and processed food can be the reason you’re having those breakouts with hard-to-extract pimples? Sugar can cross-link the proteins in our skin, making our sebum (natural oils) thicker and harder. Excess sodium found in many processed foods can leave your skin dehydrated, which depletes collagen and elastin production, leading to early signs of aging. To keep your skin well-protected, nourished, and to extend its youthful appearance, focus on foods that are good sources of the following nutrients: Vitamin C Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen (which keeps skin firm) and protects cells from damage caused by free radicals. It’s important to replenish your skin’s vitamin C every day by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Good sources include bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), broccoli, cantaloupe, mangoes, oranges, pineapple, snow peas, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelon.

Vitamin E Vitamin E helps protect cell membranes and guards your skin against damage from the sun’s UV radiation. Some research has suggested that vitamin E may work in combination with vitamin C to provide an extra degree of anti-aging skin protection. This nutrient should come mainly from your diet and not pills. It’s best to stick with food sources like wheat germ, fortified whole-grain cereals, nuts and seeds, olive oil, Swiss chard, and spinach, as well as the small amount of vitamin E found in a multivitamin.

Beta-carotene Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that’s important for skin health. It is converted to vitamin A in the body and is involved in the growth and repair of body tissues. It may also protect your skin against sun damage.

Beta-carotene from foods like apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, red bell peppers, mangoes, pumpkin, and sweet potato is sufficient and great for your skin.

Omega–3 Fatty Acids Omega–3 fatty acids help maintain cell membranes so that they are effective barriers — allowing water and nutrients in but keeping toxins out. These healthy fats also reduce inflammation throughout the body, which may translate into fewer skin breakouts. Omega-3s also seem to offer the skin protection against sun damage. Good food sources include wild salmon, sardines, anchovies, flaxseed, walnuts, and soybeans.

Water Skin needs moisture to stay flexible. Even mild dehydration will cause your skin to look dry, tired and slightly grey. Drink six to eight glasses of water a day - all fluids count towards your daily allowance, but water is the best. Herbal, caffeine-free teas are good too. Try to avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, both can age the skin.

Zinc Zinc is involved in the normal functioning of the sebaceous glands in the skin (which produce oil) and helps to repair skin damage and keep skin soft and supple. Zinc-rich foods include fish, lean red meat, whole grains, poultry, nuts, seeds and shellfish.

The old saying “you are what you eat” not only applies to our overall health and nutrition, but how our skin looks and feels as well. As the largest organ in the body, our skin can benefit from the same nutrition we get from foods that have a positive effect on our heart and other major organs.

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3 ways 2017

by claire pearson

1. EAT MORE

2. EAT THE RIGHT THINGS

3. GET STRONG

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DESPERATE

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HOUSEWIVES OF ERIE OF

Perfect models from local farms

REVIEW

Fun Water Volleyball and Fun Games Like That

Entertaining We can also hold a tune or two.

DHE REVIEW BORED? LONELY? Desperate Housewives of Erie Review are for the ladies who spend too much time on the Erie Facebook groups and get upset with what others’ post. Come on down and have a good time. Bring your BFF and don’t forget to get a mani and pedi! 21 and over please.

Watch this award-winning review with Farmer John, Erie Eagle and Joe Joe Dancer.

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WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE

DREAMS OF LOSING TEETH

by Dr. Mark Barnes

“I dreamt that all my teeth fell out…”

This is more common dream report from women than men, and most frequently pregnant woman. Dreams of “all my teeth were falling out” or “I was eating and my front tooth fell out” are the most common claims I hear.

There are many psychologic theories about dreams losing your teeth. From a physiologic perspective, I have both an opinion and some facts that may explain some of these dream patterns.

Teeth are held in the jaw by a sensitive ligament called the periodontal ligament. It can be sprained from clenching, grinding, or otherwise traumatizing your tooth. Most sensory nerves travel through one or more “relay stations” (synapses) that add or subtract information on its way to the brain. That helps us respond to the injury appropriately such as screaming, jumping back, and pulling a hand away from a hot stove.

The ligaments around teeth and the jaw muscles don’t have synapses so the body can respond faster. We see this when you accidentally bite into something hard in a piece of food. The jaw flies open, even before you know why it happened. This unfiltered reflex is unique to the oral cavity because the mouth and jaws are so critical to sustaining life.

Clenching the teeth during sleep can move you to a “more awake” stage of sleep from the compression of the tooth ligaments. This might trigger “tooth awareness” as you fall back to a deeper stage of sleepresulting in a dream involving pressure or problems with a tooth or teeth.

Planning a family or being pregnant is a significant life stressor; planned or not. The stresses associated with these issues can alter sleep and may contribute to clenching or bruxing (grinding) the teeth. This may contribute to “tooth dreams”.

Physiologic changes in pregnancy disturb sleep. Fluid buildup and weight gain cause discomfort and induces sleep-breathing problems; breaths become shallow, the airway narrows from fluid retention which makes it smaller. Like sleep apnea, this triggers clenching and grinding of the teeth. Clenching stiffens the neck muscles which helps open the airway. This repetitive clenching can happen multiple times per hour. The repetitive clenching sprains the periodontal ligaments and can damage the TMJ disc, leading to a clicking jaw and sore teeth. These constant sensory inputs from the mouth may lead to dreams relating to teeth problems.

Hormonal changes with pregnancy cause ligaments throughout the body to loosen (relax) in preparation for birth. Ligament laxity in the TMJ is known to contribute to TMJ dislocations (clicking and popping) during pregnancy. If this doesn’t subside within a few months after the baby is born, an evaluation of the TMJ is indicated.

Ultimately, we probably can’t know why women report dreaming of tooth loss more than men, but the differences in physiology and body chemistry I believe, help explain this unusual but common report to dentists.

Dr. Barnes has been practicing Dentistry with an emphasis treating TMJ pain patients, and providing Oral Appliances for Sleep Apnea sufferers or snorers, who don’t tolerate CPAP, for over 30 years. Dr. Barnes graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. He has extensive postgraduate training in TMD and holds prestigious membership and certifications.

Start 2017 Powerfully: Four Key Steps to Make a Difference in Your Life

By Jessica Bonosoro CHHC Health & Life Coach Here you are and it’s the end of January. The new year is wide open in front of you with so many possibilities! Have you made your resolutions? Set out your goals for making 2017 your best year yet?

Great. Now what? Not to bring you down, but did you know that by February, 35% of resolutions are already “broken”?

And in the end only 8% of people who set resolutions are successful in achieving them? So what can you do to set yourself up for success this year?

1. Let’s shift from the term resolutions to intentions. A

resolution is an answer to a problem. Seeing where you are now as a problem you are resolving to do something about is not a very fun situation to put yourself in. An intention, on the other hand, is about choosing who you want to be and where you want to go. It can powerfully pull you forth and drive the actions needed to make it a reality. Can you feel the difference of a resolution to “lose weight” versus an intention to “be healthy, strong and fit”? Which one gets you more excited?

2.

Know why you want what you want. Looking at the weight loss example again, most people don’t necessarily just want a certain number on the scale, they want the feeling they perceive will come when they get to that number. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t usually work that way) So let’s reverse this. What is the feeling you want? Confidence? Happiness as you engage and play with your kids or grandkids without aches and pains? Identify how you want to feel and explore how you can live into that feeling now, today, before you achieve the goal. Where do you feel confident and happy already? Anchor into that feeling daily.

3. Clear the clutter. Is there any clutter in your

environment or your schedule that would get in your way? Let’s clear it! This could be clearing out unhealthy food in your fridge, clearing your mind of negative self-talk, or clearing your schedule of your coffee and muffin date with a friend.

4.

Set daily action steps. Start with “read your intention every day.” Keep connected to this. It is your life line to the future you are creating. Make your action steps simple and doable. Basics like starting off each day with a full glass of water and adding a vegetable to dinner every day are going to make a greater impact in the long run than expecting yourself to make a complete overhaul of everything you currently eat and drink.

Although the odds don’t sound good, you can do this. The trick is to make it exciting, make it achievable and make it yours.

Jessica Bonosoro is a Certified Holistic Health Coach. She is a mother, a girlfriend, a friend, a coach, and a woman - doing her best

JESSICA BONOSORO

to live a healthy, happy life. As a health and life coach, Jessica supports her clients to find their own balance of healthy food and lifestyle choices. Improvements in health and happiness come with simple steps, adding ease, grace and balance to your life. You can find Jessica at www.thebalancetree.com.

ing r u t ko s Fea s e eB m i a J

K9

Connection

Choosing the Right Dog for YOU

So you’re ready to get a dog but which breed is right for you? Shelters, rescue groups and breeders have a variety of choices ranging in size, temperament, age and breed. Although some people tend to choose a dog based on appearance, the strongest factor that determines compatibility is how the dog’s energy harmonizes with your own. Even when selecting a mutt, pay attention to the underlying breed and the original job it was bred to do. Although each dog has its own individual personality, the more purebred the dog, the more breed-related drives the dog will have.

Its important to take a realistic review of your activity level. If you wake up early and hit

the trails then you can choose a companion that was bred to have the stamina to run for hours in the field. If your typical day consists of sitting at your home office desk or lounging on the couch then maybe you should choose a low energy dog that was bred to keep the laps of royalty warm.

Ensuring that you can fulfill the dog’s daily needs will play a role in the dog’s behavior and your overall level of connectivity and satisfaction. Whether you find your next dog from a local rescue group, shelter, or from a reputable breeder, focus on finding the dog that is the best match for your energy level.

When I was training service dogs, I really enjoyed the process of evaluating and selecting the new recruits from local shelters. I am passionate about connecting people with pets, so reach out if you need advice in choosing the dog that’s right for you.

Jaime Bessko is a skilled dog trainer and the owner of ERIE DOG CO Dog Training. She lives in Erie, Colorado with her husband, 2 boys, 2 cats and a dog.

She has always had a way with animals and made a great impact training service dogs at International Hearing Dog in Henderson, Colorado. Jaime’s philosophy on working with dogs is to communicate clearly, be consistent, praise your dog and have fun! Some of her favorite pastimes are hiking, snowboarding, painting, reading and enjoying Phish. Jaime can be reached at eriedogco@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/eriedogco