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Your guide to a happy holiday season Produced by the BEACON’s Advertising Team

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The Great Thanksgiving Listen: Your mission this Thanksgiving By Teresa Ambord

ill your family be together this Thanksgiving? Most of us will have some elder members at the table—or maybe you yourself are the elder. Whether or not the youngsters appreciate it, many older parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and others have wisdom that only comes from a whole lot of living. And someday, it will be the last Thanksgiving with those loved ones. One man has an idea for capturing some of the wisdom, wit and even the crankiness of our elders before the opportunity slips away.

Make connections happen

David Isay is a radio producer who came up with an idea families can use to get their elderly relatives talking, and capture family history in the process. His idea is called “The Great Thanksgiving Listen.” Some teachers are using his idea as the basis for an assignment over Thanksgiving break. The task is for young people to interview an older relative, and record the conversation. Thanks to the free StoryCorps app, created by Isay, capturing the voice of your elders is easy. As phone-centric as young people are, this should be a natural for them. Isay said the recordings can even be uploaded to the Library of Congress, and can become part of an archive at the American Folklife Center. Rather than getting tossed in the trash, this is an assignment that will last for generations. In an interview he said young people doing these interviews can “know that their great-great-greatgreat-great-grandkids are going to get to eavesdrop on this conversation someday and get to understand where they come from and who their ancestors were.” Imagine making this an annual tradition, he said, bringing the fam-

ily closer as a way to preserve the wisdom of their elders. Kids have the opportunity to hear stories from the Depression era, and several wars, but the really important thing is that the generations are talking. Of course, your family may not include youngsters. But anybody can take this on, using the StoryCorps app or any recording device. In the last years of my Aunt Dorothy’s life I sat with her for hours, listening to the stories that I’d heard so many times. Now that she’s gone, I’d love to hear her voice again. Unfortunately, as is often the case, I didn’t know her time was almost over and I did not record the conversations, such as the memories of being the oldest sibling and only girl in a family of five kids. One day when I visited her at the nursing home, Aunt Dorothy was showing me a handheld mirror, which she later gave to me. As she looked at it, she stopped and asked if she’d told me how she’d protected my dad from the older, bigger brothers. Of course I said I hadn’t heard the story so she’d tell it again. “I’d be sitting and combing my hair at my dressing table,” she’d say. “The dressing table had a cloth skirt around it. Suddenly in the mirror I’d see Johnny running up behind me, scared. He’d say, ‘Hide me Dorothy! They’re after me!’ I didn’t say a word, but I’d move the cloth skirt and he’d crawl under there and hide till the coast was clear.” That simple story is precious to me and I remember it well. If only I could hear it again in her own voice.

Preserving history Suppose your elder relative is less talkative than my Aunt Dorothy. Or more likely, suppose the youngsters in your family (or you) don’t know how to initiate an interview or what to ask.

How to prepare for a family interview: Come up with 10 to 12 questions ahead of time. • Don’t talk too much. • Ask open-ended questions rather than questions that can be answered with yes or no. • Don’t rush the interview. • Don’t interrupt. • Listen quietly. While listening, more questions might occur to you. • Stay on topic, but don’t try to force the person you are interviewing to stick to a topic. • Don’t make it about you. •

One way to get the ball rolling is to find an interesting photograph or two from many years ago, and ask the person questions about it. Or perhaps you have furniture or other items that have been in the family for a long time that you can use as a springboard to get someone talking. Maybe you’ve heard the stories dozens of times, but you can still ask your senior relative what he or she remembers, and get the story recorded. Oral history is just as important as written history—perhaps more. And while your relative may not have played a part in national history, personal perspectives are an important part of the fabric of our collective past. That’s why some of the stories recorded on StoryCorps are read every Friday morning on a radio show called “Morning Edition” on National Public Radio. The stories are important, but Isay said they are less important than getting two people to talk, to feel connected, and for the person talking to be heard. If doing an interview like this is taken seriously, you and younger generations of your family may be amazed at what you’ll learn. ■

He re WE GR OW!

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NOVEMBER 2014 •

• 2014 Holiday events you don’t want to miss

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Produced by the BEACON’s Advertising Team

Your Guide to a Happy Holiday

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2015

Postmarked Christmas By Arlyn Macdonald

ow can you bring more cheer to the holidays? Add fun decorative adornments and postmarks to your cards and letters for the holidays. Olathe Poste owners Bill and Kathy Porter have been postmarking holiday mail with their special holiday postal constellations for their friends and customers since 2004. Olathe Poste is a local business dedicated to stamp collectors and philatelic enthusiasts worldwide. Being avid stamp collectors and stamp artists/designers, Bill and Kathy have produced a variety of stamp collecting supplies and collectibles since 2001. Their products and special mailings go around the world—not just to satisfy customer needs, but also to promote the fun that can be had through collecting stamps and related items. “While using seasonal stamps on holiday mailings is important, related pictorial postmarks are equally important,” Bill said. “The postmark not only ties the stamp to the envelope in a decorative way, but it also adds a time and place to it as well. It officially marks its place historically and your personal association with the sender.” To further promote collecting and goodwill, the Porters were issued a mailer's postmark permit from the United States Postal Service in order to postmark their own mail. This keeps mail a bit more personable, with postmarks that look like they once did before modern technology and before economics and demands for greater profits took postmarking away from local post offices and moved it all to large regional processing centers. Each year the Porters receive bundles of pre-addressed and stamped mail to be postmarked with their pretty postmarks for many of the holidays, including Valentine's Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is a service from

the heart that they provide to their customers at any time during the year and to all interested celebrants during the Christmas holiday season. In the spirit of Christmas, there is no charge for the service. To have your holiday mail postmarked with this year's designs, all you must do is prepare your cards and letters for mailing, by addressing as you normally would and pre-applying sufficient first class or international postage. Once readied, deliver your holiday cards and letters to Bill and Kathy's place of business, Freedom Services, located at 17 Poplar Drive in Montrose. The postmarks will be applied and later each day, all mail is submitted for mailing from the Olathe Post Office. For mail that is bound for international destinations, mail should be brought in during normal business hours no later than December 12 to ensure delivery in time for Christmas. Mail bound for domestic addresses should be presented for mailing prior to December 20. Call 252-1212 for more information. ■

Standing beside their 1916 vintage pinhole perforator, Bill and Kathy Porter, better known in philatelic circles as The Olathe Poste, produce stamps and stamp collecting supplies for enthusiasts around the world.

2015

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Sing your favorite holiday tunes with Grand Mesa Chorus By Brittany Markert

embers of Grand Mesa Chorus, the local chapter of Sweet Adelines International, are already in the holiday spirit as they prepare for their annual Christmas concert, “Crosstown Christmas,” at 3 p.m. December 12 at Colorado Mesa University’s Love Recital Hall. Grand Mesa Chorus invites women age 18 and older to participate in the Christmas chorus, with no obligation to join the chorus for the rest of the year—although they hope singers will have so much fun that they’ll want to sing with them all year long. Participants are encouraged to sign up right away so they can learn the music in time. Gayle Huddleston is not a regular chorus member but joined the Christmas chorus for the camaraderie. A frequent traveler, she is unable to join the Grand Mesa Chorus year-round, but finds pleasure in singing with the group while she’s in town. “It looks like they have a good time and they make good music,” she said. Special guests to accompany the chorus at the Christmas concert include CMU student and 2015 Darlene Guerrie vocal music scholarship winner Rachel Davis. Featured Christmas numbers include “Little Saint Nick” by The Beach Boys, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “12 Days After Christmas” (a spoofstyle song to the tune of “12 Days of Christmas”) and “Winter Wonderland.” The chorus also plans to sing at retirement communities and other locations during the holiday season. Grand Mesa Chorus is a women-only, a capella, four-part barbershop chorus. The chorus is currently made up of 20 women, but they always welcome new singers. A

modest membership fee covers music, costuming, performing, musical arrangements and affiliation with the national group. Members don’t need to know how to read music but have to have a good ear to listen to tones and pitches. “If you can sing ‘Happy Birthday’ and it sounds pleasant to listen to, that’s all we need to know,” Grand Mesa Chorus member Bette Lowenstein said. While many women come from different backgrounds, Lowenstein said they all have one thing in common: They enjoy singing and the fellowship of being around each other. “[Before I joined] there was something missing in my life,” 10-year member Colette Mayers said. “Not only did I need singing in my life, but I needed an outlet for women in my life. I got in this circle and sang, and felt that this is exactly what I needed.” The Grand Mesa Chorus competes in Colorado Springs each spring and has won multiple awards. Grand Mesa Chorus meets at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Redlands United Methodist Church, 527 Village Way in Grand Junction. “Most people usually come for the music, but stay for the friendship, fun and fellowship,” Lowenstein said. “It’s never boring and it’s a neat way to spend your free time.” Tickets to Grand Mesa Chorus’ Crosstown Christmas are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and kids age 13-18, and children 12 and under are $5. Get your tickets at The Shade Tree, 618 Main St; Back Porch Music; and Roper Music. For more information, visit www.grandmesachorus.org or call 255-9419. ■

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NOVEMBER 20 Grand Junction Wells Fargo Tree Lighting Kick off the holidays in downtown Grand Junction, starting with the Wells Fargo Tree Lighting from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. in front of Wells Fargo Bank at Fourth and Main Streets. Special entertainment kicks off the magical evening as crowds gather to see the streets of downtown light up and marvel at the holiday décor. Bring the family to this special start to the holiday season. The night wouldn’t be complete without Santa to visit with the grandkids.

NOVEMBER 28 Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas In the 1970s, Rolling Stone Magazine called Michael Martin Murphey “one of the best songwriters in America.” Murphey has left an indelible mark on the American Music Landscape crafting and recording such iconic hits as “Wildfire,” “Carolina In The Pines,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “Cowboy Logic,” “Boy From The Country” and more. Don’t miss Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas in Grand Junction at 7:30 p.m. at the Avalon Theater. Tickets range from $25-$40 and can be purchased at Grand Junction City Markets, Triple Play Records, or Back Porch Music or at www.sandstoneconcerts. com or by calling 866-464-2626.

DECEMBER 4-5 Palisade Olde Fashioned Christmas Palisade’s Olde Fashioned Christmas will provide a pleasing shopping experience away from the hustle and bustle, with over 40 vendor booths and unique shops in Palisade. Spend the weekend shopping, sampling soups, singing carols, sharing a carriage ride, listening to live music, spreading cheer and savoring the flavors of Palisade. The event begins at 5 p.m. Friday with carolers from Taylor Elementary marching to Town Plaza to light the town tree. The Parade of Lights follows at 6 p.m. The festivities take place Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. DECEMBER 6 Joyful Noise Holiday Concert The Grand Junction Centennial Band performs their holiday concert at 7 p.m. at the Avalon Theatre. Cost is $7. Kids age 5 and under are free. In remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day, veterans are admitted for free. DECEMBER 8 Holiday Light Tour for 50+ Get in the holiday spirit while you relax and enjoy the hidden gems of Grand Junction's best light displays from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Enjoy hot chocolate and goodies before you go. Space is limited, so register early, as this event always fills up. Meet at Lincoln Park Barn at 6 p.m. Must be age 50 or older and be able to board a school bus. Cost is $5. Call 254-3866 to reserve your spot.

015

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Avalon Theater in Grand Junction. Tickets range from $5-$45. Purchase your tickets at www.gjso.org or call 243-6787.

endar DECEMBER 12 Crosstown Christmas Holiday Concert Members of Grand Mesa Chorus, the local chapter of Sweet Adelines International, are already in the holiday spirit as they prepare for their annual Christmas concert, Crosstown Christmas, at 3 p.m. at Colorado Mesa University’s Love Recital Hall. Featured Christmas numbers include “Little Saint Nick” by The Beach Boys, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “12 Days After Christmas” (a spoof-style song to the tune of “12 Days of Christmas”) and “Winter Wonderland.” Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and kids age 13-18, and children 12 and under are $5. Get your tickets at The Shade Tree, Back Porch Music and Roper Music. DECEMBER 12 Fruita Hometown Christmas & Parade of Lights Enjoy a hometown Christmas in Fruita with holiday shopping and activities during the day and the Parade of Lights at dusk. There will be an Arts & Crafts Fair at the Community Center from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 858-0360 for details. DECEMBER 12 & 13 Amahl & The Night Visitors opera The Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra brings Menotti’s classic one-act opera to life this holiday season with talented soloists and the Western Colorado Chorale. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the

VARIOUS WEEKENDS Christmas Train Show The Grand Valley Model Railroad Club hosts its 27th annual Christmas Show at Cross Orchards Historic Site in Grand Junction. The show is open from 10 a.m.4 p.m. on the weekends of December 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27 and January 2-3. Admission is $1 per child, $4 per adult and $7 for a family. DECEMBER 31-JANUARY 2 The Music Man This New Year’s Eve, High Desert Opera presents “The Music Man” fully staged and with live orchestra at Robinson Theater at Colorado Mesa University. There will be three performances of this show: at 7:30 p.m. on December 31, and 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. January 2. Ticket sales will begin on November 23. Stay tuned to www.highdesertopera.org for details.

DELTA COUNTY DECEMBER 4 Parade of Lights Kick off the Christmas season with a bang! Join us for the annual Parade of Lights down Delta’s Main Street. This year’s parade will start at 6 p.m.

MONTROSE COUNTY NOVEMBER 26 Community Thanksgiving Dinner Don’t have anywhere to go on Thanksgiving? Come to Friendship Hall at the Montrose County Fairgrounds, 1001 N. Second St., around lunchtime for fellowship and a Thanksgiving meal. NOVEMBER 27 Montrose Tree Lighting Get ready to be dazzled as the festive

ness and Tourism is proud to present the annual Parade of Lights on historic Main Street in downtown Montrose at 5 p.m. Parade begins at N. Stough Avenue and ends at Rio Grande Avenue. This year’s theme is Starry Nights, Holiday Delights. Go to www.visitmon trose.com/parade or call 497-8558 for details.

tree lights up in front of the Montrose County Courthouse, 320 S. First St, at 5:30 p.m. Sing carols, sip on complimentary hot cocoa or cider, and keep warm during the celebration with the outdoor heaters available. We’ll welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus to town and take a short walk with them as they open their cabin for the season in the Uncompahgre Event Plaza. Go to www.VisitMontrose.com or call 497-8558 for details.

NOVEMBER 29 Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas In the 1970s, Rolling Stone Magazine called Michael Martin Murphey “one of the best songwriters in America.” Murphey has left an indelible mark on the American Music Landscape crafting and recording such iconic hits as “Wildfire,” “Carolina In The Pines,” “Geronimo’s Cadillac,” “Cowboy Logic,” “Boy From The Country” and more. Don’t miss Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas in Montrose at 3 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at the Montrose Pavilion Box Office or at www.sandstoneconcerts.com or by calling 866-464-2626. DECEMBER 5 Montrose Parade of Lights The City of Montrose Office of Busi-

EAT , R EAD

DECEMBER 5 & 6 Christmas by Candlelight This holiday concert presented by the Valley Symphony Association will feature traditional holiday favorites performed by the orchestra and chorus to ring in the season. Warm up your singing voices and join in for a Christmas carol sing-along. Concert takes place Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion. Tickets are $20 for adults. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www. valleysymphony.net or call 209-2196. DECEMBER 11-13 & 18-20 Garden of Lights Brighten the season at the Montrose Botanic Gardens with the Garden of Lights, an illuminated community and family event for the holidays, from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. An entry fee will be requested. For more information, email rpm.gwce@gmail.com or visit www.montrosegardens.org

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2015

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e’ve all seen the ubiquitous magnetic ribbons on cars that support troops, charitable causes, and more. Embroiderers with Busy Bea Quilters have given these ribbons a new twist, so to speak. On Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. machine embroiderers will donate their time, materials and talent to create fabric ribbons for breast cancer and juvenile diabetes research. The actual embroidery process is completely hands off. A water-soluble stabilizer is fastened into a special frame that attaches to the machine. Then the ribbon pattern is programmed into the machine, the thread is added, and with the push of a button, the machine does it all—in about six minutes. As one of the Embroider For a Cause organizers, Busy Bea employee Teresa Spurger said, “Embroidery is a craft that I love to use to benefit many worthy causes. Your experience or talent does not limit participation. My hope is that the embroidery community will unite to make this event so successful that we will be hosting it as an annual event. Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer, diabetes or

other diseases. The need to support these nonprofits in their continued research is vital.” If you’re not artistic, no need to worry. You can pledge a donation in support of one of the charities. In return, you’ll receive a beautiful embroidered ribbon that can serve as a bookmark, an ornament, or a symbol of caring and hope for the cause of your choice. A variety of colors is available. If you want to participate as an artisan, contact the store at 2415700 or stop by 527 Bogart Lane, just west of Golden Corral, to get a pledge sheet and further details. “Machine embroiderers are welcome to bring in their machines, thread, and stabilizer and work in the shop with us,” owner Bea Root said. “We’ll give them the pattern. It doesn’t matter what brand their machines are. Just because we sell Brother exclusively doesn’t mean we won’t allow other brands in the store.” This year, the causes are especially significant. Root is a breast cancer survivor, while co-owner Tracy Miller’s son is afflicted with Type 1 diabetes. Other reputable 501(c) (3) nonprofits or charities can bring in paperwork that certifies them

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Celebrate tradition this Thanksgiving By Ann Hattes

anondagan, a New York State Historic Site in the Finger Lakes region, was a major 17th century Seneca town and palisaded granary. Here 4,500 people lived in 150 bark longhouses. The town and its granary, storing hundreds of thousands of bushels of corn, was attacked and burned in 1687 by the French as they sought to monopolize the fur trade. Today the site, with a reconstructed longhouse and a new $13 million Seneca Art and Culture Center which opened in October 2015, seeks to honor Seneca traditions and share their story with others. The Seneca are one of the six nations that comprise the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy, whose democratic ideals helped inspire the U.S. Constitution. Experience Seneca life in the bark longhouse through interpreters who help make it easy to imagine what life was like

here in 1655. In this place the Seneca call the “Town of Peace,” walk the miles of self-guided trails with signage explaining the significance of plant life to the Seneca and how various plants are used for food and medicine. The Iroquois White Corn Project is based here. This native heirloom variety of corn dating back 1,400 years is low in fat and sugar, high in fiber and gluten free. Non-GMO, it also has a low glycemic index. Following traditions, the corn is planted, picked, husked and braided and processed all by hand. Those working with the corn are to have “good mind,” meaning good and loving intentions, with this spirit passing into the corn and benefiting those who eat it. Corn, along with beans and squash, creates a nutritionally balanced trio called the “Three Sisters” because they have sustained the Haudenosaunee for thousands of years, and therefore should be loved and respected as a family

Thanksgiving inside Seneca longhouse.

member. The Iroquois White Corn Project offers hulled corn, roasted white corn flour and white corn flour. In addition to traditional recipes using these products, there is a wide variety of available recipes from soups and salads to main dishes, bread, cookies and desserts. There have been classes at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua and chefs introduced to the products have developed recipes. For example, the delicious olive oil and fire-roasted corn cake with rhubarb compote was created by Pamela Graham, the pastry chef at the Holloway House Restaurant (www.thehollowayhouse.com) in Bloomfield, New York. This fine dining restaurant dates back to the early 1800s when it served meals to stagecoach passengers. Today, in addition to an extensive menu, it offers a Thanksgiving turkey dinner year round in a colonial atmosphere. Consider including Iroquois white corn in your holiday dining with perhaps a three sisters salad, roasted cornmeal pancakes, or the olive oil and fire-roasted corn cake with rhubarb compote. Shop for the unique corn products and find additional recipes at www.iro-

2015

quoiswhitecorn.org. It is traditional for Seneca to open and close every formal gathering with thanks to the natural world for all of its gifts. Thus, according Iroquois White Corn Project Manager Kim Morf, “Every day is Thanksgiving to us.” Celebrate Thanksgiving with these traditional recipes.

Corn mush (Makes 1 serving). For the Haudenosaunee, corn mush was a popular meal for breakfast or when traveling and hunting. It was simple to make and maple syrup was added when available. 1 cup Iroquois roasted white corn flour or Iroquois white corn flour • 2 cups water (add pure maple syrup if you like it sweet) •

In a saucepan, whisk roasted corn flour into water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat. Simmer for five to seven minutes. Serve with fruit, nuts, or brown sugar.

Roasted cornmeal pancakes Makes 24 pancakes (4-5 inches in diameter) 3 cups Iroquois roasted white corn flour 2 cups all-purpose flour • 8 teaspoons baking powder • 5 cups low-fat buttermilk • 4 eggs (or 2 cups egg substitute) • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 8 tablespoons canola oil • •

In a large bowl stir together flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and oil. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour buttermilk mixture into the well. Stir until well mixed. Lightly coat a non-stick griddle with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. For each pancake, pour a 1/2 cup of batter onto the griddle. Cook about four minutes or until bubbles begin to appear on the top of the pancakes. Using a spatula, turn pancakes over and cook one to two minutes more. For sweet pancakes: Add blueberries, bananas, diced peaches, etc. For savory pancakes: Sauté 1 cup chopped scallions, 1 cup chopped sweet

2015

peppers, and 4 tablespoons chopped parsley in canola oil. Add mixture to batter.

Three Sisters Salad 2 cups Iroquois hulled white corn, cooked 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1 red pepper, chopped • 2 onions, minced • 4 tomatoes, chopped • 10-12 oz. black beans, soaked in water overnight (or used canned) • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced • 1 pound summer squash or zucchini, cubed • 2 cloves garlic, minced • Salt and pepper to taste • •

Cook the beans, corn and squash separately until tender but firm. The beans will take the longest since they need to be soaked overnight and simmered for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. In a large bowl, mix the remaining vegetables together while the corn, beans and squash are still warm. In a separate bowl, mix vinegar, oil, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour marinade over vegetable mixture and gently toss. Let the salad marinate at least two hours before serving—overnight works best.

Olive Oil and Fire Roasted Corn Cake with Rhubarb Compote Recipe developed by Pamela Graham, pastry chef at the Holloway House Restaurant. This simple and satisfying dessert can easily be produced by home cooks. It can be served with any seasonal fruit, warm with maple syrup at breakfast, or alone, as a rustic yet sweet ending to any meal. 1-1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup Iroquois roasted white corn flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt • Zest of one orange or one lemon • 1/2 cup vegetable oil • 2 eggs • 1 cup of sugar • 1/2 cup dry white wine (apple juice, orange juice or cider can be substituted) • 1/3 cup sugar • 1-1/2 qts. fresh rhubarb cut in 1-inch pieces • •

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1 cup frozen strawberries with their juice or 1 ½ cups fresh cut in half • 1-1/2 cups sugar • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla • Juice of 1/2 a lemon •

For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil an 8-inch round pan and line the bottom with parchment and oil the parchment. In one bowl stir together flours, baking powder, salt, and zest of orange or lemon. In a separate bowl whisk vegetable oil, eggs, 1 cup sugar, and dry white wine or juice. Add the wet to the dry and stir until just mixed, turn into prepared pan and sprinkle the top of the cake evenly with 1/3 cup sugar. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until the cake is golden and a tester tests clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and remove parchment. Move to serving plate. For the compote: Place in saucepan fresh rhubarb, strawberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Cook until the rhubarb is soft and thickening but not mush! If it is not thick enough for your taste, you may thicken with a few drops of cornstarch mixed with water. To serve: Place wedges of cake on serving plates or bowls and top with the compote, garnish with whipped cream or ice cream. Best served slightly warm. ■

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Palisade Olde Fashioned Christmas

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Saturday, December 5, 2015

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By Don Rizzo

few years ago we had a Christmas with no presents. It was one of the best Christmases we ever had. It involved a small herd: My wife Diane and I, her two sons, one with a wife, the wife's parents, and best of all, Diane's elderly mother who was spry and sprightly, but in a wheelchair. We all flew to La Quinta, the utterly charming resort in Palm Springs. We agreed in advance that our joint present would be the trip. I loved that part because it immediately relieved the pressure of buying something useless for somebody who really didn't want it, with everybody pretending to be thrilled. The desert is a magnificent place when the sunset paints the iron-colored mountains with a rainbow of changing colors. It’s a natural cathedral. One day we all went to Joshua Tree National Forest. There were guys cliff-climbing—tiny dots barely visible on sheer rock walls. I got nauseated just looking at them. We played golf on a course where the strips of green fairway were surrounded by cactus and sand. It gave a whole new meaning to the term "sand trap." Late Christmas Eve, I was wheeling Diane's mother Connie back to her room after we had eaten and partied. Doors were open all along the route, with people in Santa hats laughing and drinking. I wheeled the old lady into the doorway of one particularly frisky-looking party just to say hi.

Everyone looked up. Suddenly, Connie said in a loud voice, “Anybody know where there's a steep flight of stairs? My son-in-law here wants to give me a one-way ride down ’em!” The second of stunned silence was followed by raucous laughter. We were invited in and spent another hour drinking and singing carols with a crowd of great folks from Los Angeles. Connie’s gone now, but she's with me every Christmas, still inspiring me to have fun and find the best in life all the way to the end. On Christmas Day we had a private room for dinner. We decided we would exchange the gift of each other. Under each plate was the name of another person. You read the name and then spoke briefly about what you loved about that person. We thought it would be a light and airy way to celebrate our bonds. It turned out to be much heavier, but in a wonderful way. Kids teared up as they remembered their dad rescuing them in the middle of the night. Parents were wet eyed as they ticked off the virtues and accomplishments of the kids. For those few minutes, the negatives and the criticisms (and who doesn't have them) were all put aside. Deep feelings that are too seldom expressed were shared with the people who needed to hear them. We focused on the positive. We focused on love. And isn't that what the Christmas season is supposed to be all about? ■