Colorado Country Life October 2021 Mountain View by American MainStreet Publications

PUMPKIN SPICE THINGS UP PG 12 / COMBAT CYBERATTACKS PG 20 / NAME THAT FLY PG 24 / THE ORPHANAGE PG 27

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC.

OCTOBER 2021

Advanced Technology Allows Macular Degeneration Patients To See Again And Allows Many Low Vision Patients To Drive Again While there is currently no cure, promising research is being done on many fronts. everything and anything possible to keep a person functioning,” says Dr. Stamm, “Even if it’s driving.” A scene as it might be viewed by a person with age-related macular degeneration

For many patients with macular degeneration and other visionrelated conditions, the loss of central visual detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence driving. Colorado optometrist, Dr. Robert Stamm is using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration and other eye conditions. “Some of my patients consider me their last chance for people who have vision loss,” said Dr. Stamm, one of only a few doctors in the world who specializes in fitting bioptic

Same scene of rancher as viewed by a person without macular degeneration

telescopes to help those who have lost vision due to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough to change your life. Bioptic telescopes may be the breakthrough in optical technology that will give you back your independence. Patients with vision in the 20/200 range can many times be improved to 20/50. Bioptic telescopes treat both dry and wet forms of macular degeneration as well as other vision limiting conditions.

bioptic telescope is that the lens automatically focuses on whatever you’re looking at,” said Dr. Stamm. “It’s like a self-focusing camera, but much more precise.”

For more information and to schedule an appointment today, call:

Robert Stamm, O.D. Low Vision Optometrist Member IALVS Offices Throughout South Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska

Toll Free:

(877) 393-0025

www.ColoradoLowVisionDoctor.com

Volume 52

Number 10

October 2021 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, CCC, Production Manager/Designer cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Kylee Coleman, Editorial/Admin. Assistant kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING Kris Wendtland, Ad Representative advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-902-7276 National Advertising Representative, American MainStreet Publications 611 S. Congress Street, Suite 504, Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181 Advertising Standards: Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216-1731. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. ©Copyright 2021, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. EDITORIAL Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-455-4111 coloradocountrylife.coop | facebook.com/COCountryLife Pinterest.com/COCountryLife | Instagram.com/cocountrylife Twitter.com/COCountryLife | YouTube.com/COCountryLife1 Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual. SUBSCRIBERS Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. Cost of subscription for members of participating electric cooperatives is $4.44 per year (37 cents per month), paid from equity accruing to the member. For nonmembers, a subscription is $9 per year in-state/$15 out-of-state. POSTMASTER Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216

On the Cover OCTOBER OCTOBER 2021 2021

Annabel Reader and Dan Huling show off shoes made at their Colorado Shoe School.

“Soaring Over Comanche Park” by Pam Toepfer, a consumer-member of San Isabel Electric Association.

4 VIEWPOINT

5 LETTERS

6 ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT

7 YOUR CO-OP NEWS

12 RECIPES

14 NEWS CLIPS

16 COVER STORY

PINTEREST SNEAK PEEK COCountryLife pinned: Chef Kates, ALDI Test Kitchen shares her Mini Pumpkin Parfait with Cranberry Caramel recipe. This is a must try fall treat. Get the recipe at coloradocountrylife.coop.

EXPRESS YOUR SOLE

20 ENERGY CONNECTIONS

22 GARDENING

24 OUTDOORS

25 READER POETRY

26 MARKETPLACE

27 FOCUS ON AUTOMOBILES

29 YOUR STORIES

FACEBOOK CHATTER Colorado Rural Electric Association posted: Colorado’s electric cooperatives ended the 2021 Colorado State Fair Junior Livestock Sale with a record-breaking auction raising more than $578,000! This sale supports the future of Colorado’s agribusiness. Good work to all the kids who participated! Visit ColoradoStateFair.com to see a complete list of winners.

30 DISCOVERIES

Monthly Contest Enter our contest for a chance to win a $50 VISA gift card and use it to visit a local pumpkin patch. For official rules and how to enter, visit Contests at coloradocountrylife.coop. Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash. coloradocountrylife.coop

INSTAGRAM PIC of the month Colorado Country Life posted: We love the little owl peeking out from behind its mom. So brighteyed! Photo by Alan ZIff, a 2021 photo contest submission. Enter the 2022 photo contest at coloradocountrylife. coop/2022-photo-contest. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

VIEWPOINT

ENERGY INNOVATIONS SUMMIT Colorado’s electric co-ops gather to look to the future BY KENT SINGER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

n Monday, October 11, CREA will host the 12th annual Energy Innovations Summit. The Summit is an annual conference that we host in Denver for the purpose of looking into the future of the electric utility business. As the trade association for Colorado’s electric cooperatives, one of our core functions is to provide as much information as we can to our member co-ops and their managers and directors to help prepare them for a fast-changing and dynamic energy future. There are many forces at work that impact how electric co-ops will provide electric service to rural Colorado in the coming years: legislative mandates to reduce greenhouse emissions from the power sector, technological breakthroughs for renewable energy and energy storage, desires of co-op consumer-members for more choices from their electricity suppliers and evolving energy markets, to name a few. Electric co-ops will face more challenges to their core mission of providing affordable and reliable power in the next 10 years than they have faced since they were formed in the 1930s and 1940s. At CREA, we saw the energy transition coming many years ago. We initiated the Energy Innovations Summit as one more

tool to help our members prepare for a new world of providing electricity. Some of our members have taken information learned at the Summit and implemented it into their business plan. A panel at one of our Summits several years ago sparked United Power’s interest in battery storage, leading to its investment in one of the largest co-opowned storage projects in the country. At this year’s Summit, we will continue to explore new developments in the electric industry including the latest in long-duration energy storage, the prospects for using hydrogen in energy production, updates on electric cars and trucks, how beneficial electrification can help both co-ops and their consumer-members and many more topics. We will once again bring in experts from across the country to talk about these issues and be available for continued discussions after their formal presentations. The Summit is also a great opportunity for Colorado’s electric co-ops to interact with other stakeholders and demonstrate that co-ops are on the leading edge of the energy transition. Many of the panel presentations offered during the Summit will include CEOs of various electric co-ops talking about how their systems are involved in innovative projects and working to implement new business models to better

DRAMATIC CHANGES ARE TRANSFORMING ALL ASPECTS OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY. OCTOBER 11 • HYBRID EVENT 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. MST In-Person & Virtual Event Grand Hyatt Hotel, Denver

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

KENT SINGER

serve their consumer-members. Every year, we look forward to the many conversations that take place, not only among electric co-ops folks, but also between co-op folks and others who have a stake in our industry. We’re also excited about getting back together for an in-person conference this year. Although attendees will be able to participate via webcast if they prefer, we believe we can safely meet in person. The remote Summit we hosted last year was great, but there’s no replacement for live, in-person interaction. Colorado’s electric co-ops have a bright future given their close relationship with their consumer-members and their commitment to keeping the lights on in an affordable and responsible manner. The Energy Innovations Summit will once again show the Colorado energy world that electric co-ops are ready, willing and able to meet the challenges of a changing industry. Hope to see you there! Kent Singer is the executive director of CREA and offers a statewide perspective on issues affecting electric cooperatives. CREA is the trade association for your electric co-op, the 21 other electric co-ops in Colorado and its power supply co-op.

LETTERS

FROM THE EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Clean Energy Alternatives Needed

Co-op memories bring a smile

BY MONA NEELEY

EDITOR

ith October as National Cooperative Month, I’ve MONA NEELEY been thinking about my connections to the electric co-ops that I love and thinking of co-ops makes me think of my dad. He worked for our hometown north Iowa electric co-op for 39 years, including the whole time I was growing up. For a while he was the communicator at the co-op, publishing the co-op’s local newsletter. I remember the photo shoots for the cover art, always at some co-op member’s farm. Those sessions usually involved the whole family as they were often on weekends or evenings. My brother and I carried Dad’s gear and helped him set up and Mom helped him with composing whatever photo was being taken. I also remember working with Dad in the co-op’s darkroom, developing film and printing the photos that would be used in whatever project he was working on. I also helped Dad with the small offset press in the back of the co-op office as he got the monthly newsletter ready for mailing. The local co-op was familiar. I knew all of Dad’s co-workers, their families and their kids, who I went to school with. We all got together a couple of times a year like one big co-op family. That was my first co-op family and I’m happy that, today, I’m still part of the electric co-op family. Mona Neeley is the statewide editor of Colorado Country Life, which is published in coordination with your local electric cooperative. Its goal is to provide information from your local electric co-op to you, its consumer-members.

The scientific evidence for the human effect on climate change has been mounting for years. We need to shift the energy subsidies to renewable energy and research and development of clean alternatives. I applaud SDCEA’s plans in this direction. (SDCEA is the electric co-op headquartered in Buena Vista.) I am willing to double our current low cost of electricity to speed up the process. Nancy Murray, Cotopaxi SDCEA consumer-member

Magazine Brings Memories

I was pleased to see the photo of my grandson, Jacob Monreal, in your May magazine (SDCEA edition). He was a recipient of your four-year scholarship. His history with your magazine goes back over 10 years to when I submitted a funny story about him that was published. We were at a cafeteria in Denver when he was 8. The line to get food seemed interminable. I sighed and said, “Guess we’re here for the duration.” He said, “Not me, Gramma; I’m here for the ham!” Now I have another story from when he was 8. He stayed overnight and when we got up on Sunday morning, I asked him if I could go to church in my pajamas. He said, “Sure.” “Don’t you care what I wear?” I asked. He answered, “You’ll just ‘barrass yourself; I’ll say, ‘That’s not my gramma!’” And now he’s off to the School of Mines. Susan Chermack, Salida SDCEA consumer-member

North Park Wind Not So Bad

Luxury Multifamily Home Builder

Winner of the IBS, 2019 Green Builder Award - Building all across Colorado www.hhofne.com | 402-375-4770

You’ll probably get letters from North Parkers after Dennis Smith’s amusing, but exaggerated, column on fishing in North Park. (Outdoors, August ’21) We take our dog Gracie out, walking or biking every day. In the 13 years of Gracie’s life, we’ve rarely missed a day. We do call it the Wyoming wind since our neighbor, Laramie, has an almost constant wind that makes ours look like a mere breeze. Helen Williams, Walden Mountain Parks Electric consumer-member

SEND US YOUR LETTERS

Use your smartphone camera to scan the QR code.

Editor Mona Neeley, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or mneeley@ coloradocountrylife.org. Include name and address. Letters may be edited for length. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT

Heat Pumps Which one is right for my home? BY PAT KEEGAN AND BR AD THIESSEN

eat pump technology has improved a lot over the past 10-20 years and is likely to be at least 20% more efficient than what you have now. Heat pumps can also cool your home during summer months, which is an added value. Newer models of heat pumps can operate effectively in subzero weather, but sometimes they do so by switching to electric resistance mode, which is much less efficient. In a colder climate, it may be worth investing in a dual fuel system where propane or another fuel provides supplemental heat on extremely cold days. Here are a few brief descriptions of the different types of air-source heat pumps:

The condenser for a mini split is often mounted on an exterior wall. Photo credit: Marcela Gara, Resource Media.

Several feet underground, the temperature remains constant yearround, typically between 45 degrees and 75 degrees, depending on latitude. Heat is transferred into or out of the ground by pipes buried in a loop 10 feet underground or drilled up to 400 feet into the earth. The pipes carry water to a compressor, which uses a refrigerant to transfer the heat to or from your home’s ducts. A professional energy audit could be a great next step, especially

Ducted heat pump If your home has a forced air furnace, a centralized air-source heat pump can work well. A compressor outside your home that looks like an air-conditioning unit is connected to your home’s existing duct system. Like your furnace, the temperature is controlled through one main thermostat. This is a solid solution if your system has quality ductwork that heats and cools every room evenly, which is rare.

Mini split heat pump If your home does not have ductwork or the ductwork is poorly designed or leaky, a ductless mini split heat pump might be your best bet. With a mini split heat pump, tubes connected to the outside compressor carry refrigerant to one or more air handlers, which are mounted high on a wall to distribute air. Thermostats regulate each air handler, providing control of different zones in the home.

Geothermal (or ground source) heat pump

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

This trench shows where pipes will be buried to utilize the constant temperature of the earth for a ground source heat pump. Photo Credit: Marcela Gara, Resource Media.

if it includes a duct leakage test. Check with your local electric co-op for additional information and guidance. Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency write on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

LEARN MORE ONLINE Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn more about ways you can save on home energy costs. Look under the Energy tab.

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

THE COOPERATIVE ADVANTAGE

Celebrate National Co-op Month with MVEA BY JIM HERRON

CEO | HERRONJC@MVEA.ORG

would like to start off by inviting you to attend a Mountain View Electric Association Member Appreciation Days lunch this month. We will be hosting one in Limon on October 13 and another one in Falcon on October 14. (Details are available in the ad below as well as on MVEA’s website, www.mvea.coop.) Every October co-ops throughout the U.S. celebrate National Co-op Month. While it is always a great reason to celebrate our co-op members and our cooperative business model, this year is extra special as MVEA celebrates 80 years of powering possibilities through decades of change. From agricultural co-ops to credit unions, cooperatives provide goods and services across all industry and business sectors. Ace Hardware, State Farm, REI, Land O’Lakes and MVEA all share something in common: We’re all cooperatives. Born from a need for a service, and created solely to maximize benefits to its members, rather than benefits to shareholders, cooperatives play an important role in communities across the nation. How important are cooperatives? As an MVEA member, you are part of a network of nearly 900 electric cooperatives that serve 42 million people across 56 percent of the nation’s landmass. You are part of a movement that electrified rural America in one of the greatest modern examples of what collaboration and determination can achieve. Mile by mile, home to home, electric co-op members built an electric grid that spans a nation. Electric cooperatives now own and maintain 2.7 million miles (42 percent) of U.S. electric distribution lines. All of this was achieved in less than 100 years. And now, electric co-ops (and their members) throughout the country are using the same cooperative principles to help close

the digital divide through the JIM HERRON expansion of fiber broadband throughout cooperative service territories. Bringing fiber broadband to rural communities today, is just as important as bringing light to night 80 years ago. It is a movement that MVEA is proud to be part of as we partner with Conexon Connect to bring access to high-speed fiber broadband internet to MVEA’s membership. The network we are building over the next five to six years will span nearly 5,800 miles of fiber and eventually provide access to 100% of our members. It will be nothing less than life-changing for members in the eight counties we serve. Our members are part of this project, and we take that seriously. As a member-owned organization, we are grateful for your trust in us and we are ready to get started. That’s how we’ve always gotten it done at MVEA, and bringing broadband to our membership will be no different. To that end, your participation in the co-op is a vital component of MVEA’s success in expanding our services while continuing to provide safe and reliable electricity to the growing communities throughout our service territory. We really do have a lot to celebrate this month! In 1941, MVEA’s first members made the decision to form an electric co-op. Fastforward to today, and we now serve more than 51,000 members and 60,000 meters. We are positive proof that small groups of people can make a significant impact on their community for generations to follow. It is a legacy we are proud of, and one that we look forward to continuing.

October 13, 2021 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

MVEA’s Limon Office 1655 5th St. Limon • 80828

October 14, 2021 • Celebrate National Co-op Month | October 2021 •

MVEA Member Appreciation Days MVEA

Free Event!

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

MVEA’s Falcon Office 11140 E. Woodmen Rd. Falcon • 80831

Because you’re not just a customer, you’re a co-op member!

Join MVEA for lunch to celebrate 80 years of powering possibilities through decades of innovation and industry changes!

CDC and county COVID-19 mandates in effect at the time of the event will be observed.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

MVEA Members Capture Colorado’s Beauty Announcing MVEA’s 2022 Photo Calendar Contest Winners! Every year Mountain View Electric Association receives photo calendar contest submissions capturing the beauty of Colorado. From sweeping views of Pikes Peak to storms racing across the plains, MVEA’s 5,000-square-mile service territory provides the perfect backdrop for shutterbugs of all ages to help tell the story of the seasons, wildlife, lifestyle, or landscape of the area. This year, over 150 photos were submitted and reviewed for consideration. Narrowing the images down to 39 for publication was no easy task! The 2022 calendar includes January 2023 and features two additional winning submissions for each month. December 2021

April 2022

Alana Thrower, Elbert

May 2022

Monica Brown, Larkspur

August 2022

December 2022

Jason Fazio, Monument

March 2022

Kenneth Childress, Colorado Springs

June 2022

Karen Stensland, Monument

September 2022

Lisa Buhring, Matheson

Thank you to all of the MVEA members who participated in the 2022 photo calendar contest! February 2022

January 2022

Dave Munns, Colorado Springs

A limited number of 2022 calendars will be available to MVEA members in November in the Falcon and Limon offices as well as distribution locations throughout our service territory. Please visit www.mvea.coop/photo-calendar-contest to view the 14 main featured winners (shown below) and for calendar distribution locations.

Brandy Leggett, Colorado Springs

January 2023

Shane Morrison, Colorado Springs

LuAnn Weems, Colorado Springs

July 2022

Dan Ciccateri, Colorado Springs

October 2022

Ron Ruhoff, Genoa

November 2022

Breanna Bowker, Simla

Bethany Bracht, Colorado Springs

Mark Your Calendars!

The next photo calendar contest will begin January 1, 2022. Start taking photos now for entry by July 7, 2022. Your photo could be featured in our 2023 calendar!

MVEA’s Quarterly “Switch & Save” $300 Account Credit Winner Spotlight: Saundra McGee Saundra McGee enjoys the paperless billing and auto-pay options available to MVEA members through SmartHub. “The elimination of paper billing and use of auto-pay allows me to easily manage my account electronically. This is very convenient and efficient,” she shared. An MVEA member for five years, this isn’t the first time that Saundra has taken advantage of the unique programs available through MVEA. “I also participated in the rebate program regarding the installation of a new furnace and air conditioning. I find MVEA easy to work with and the staff is very friendly,” she added.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

Don’t miss your chance to win! The next quarterly drawing will be in January 2022 for all accounts that are enrolled in paperless billing and/or bank account auto-pay through December 2021. Learn more at: www.mvea.coop/paymentoptions.

Saundra McGee, of Monument, was very excited to win a $300 MVEA account credit.

YOUR CO-OP NEWS A Member-Owned Cooperative

A Member-Owned Cooperative

High School Sophomores & Juniors

You Could Win a Summer Trip!

MVEA Youth Leadership Trip Contest High school sophomores and juniors are just a couple of short questions away from an opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime all-expenses paid trip. Top-placed winners will receive either a trip to Washington D.C., with students from across the U.S. for the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, or will be invited to the Colorado Electric Education Institute’s Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp in the mountains outside of Steamboat Springs.

Local. Trusted. Serving You. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph D. Martin, District 1 President Barry R. Springer, District 6 Vice President Kevin L. Paddock, District 5 Secretary-Treasurer Errol Hertneky, District 3 Assistant Secretary Rick L. Gordon, District 2, Director Milton L. Mathis, District 4, Director

Visit www.mvea.coop/leadershiptrip for contest qualifications and to complete an entry form. Deadline: Thursday, November 11, 2021.

Jim Riggins, District 7, Director

Questions? Contact Erica Meyer, (719) 494-2654, erica.m@mvea.coop.

Telephone Numbers Toll-Free: (800) 388-9881 (719) 495-2283

MVEA Concern for Community Spotlight: Colorado’s Electric Cooperatives Junior Livestock Sale For 4-H and FFA youth across the state, Colorado’s Electric Cooperatives Junior Livestock Sale is the big show, the granddaddy of them all, and the money maker — it is the largest event of its kind in the state, and this year it was a record breaker as more than $578,000 was raised in the auction of 143 animals raised and shown by young people from across Colorado. The sale is sponsored each year by MVEA, Colorado Country Life, the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the Colorado Rural Electric Member Services group, Tri-State Generation and Transmission and electric co-ops throughout the state. Madeline Unruh, of Peyton, sold her Reserve Champion Steer, weighing in at 1,235 pounds, for $5,000. “Thank you to MVEA for sponsoring the sale. It means a lot to the kids — they work really hard to be here,” shared Clint Unruh, Madeline’s father and MVEA member.

All proceeds from the sale go directly to the education funds of the youth exhibitors. The sale is instrumental in supporting the future of Colorado’s agribusiness, as it demonstrates the importance of raising quality livestock and the work required of those who pursue careers in agriculture. The 41-year tradition has raised more than $11 million for youth over the last four decades.

Credit Card Pay-By-Phone (877) 999-3415 Falcon Office 11140 E. Woodmen Road Falcon, CO 80831 Limon Office 1655 5th Street • P.O. Box 1600 Limon, CO 80828 Monument Office 15706 Jackson Creek Parkway, Suite 100 Monument, CO 80132 Office Hours Monday - Thursday • 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. COVID-19 + MVEA Service Updates www.mvea.coop/covid-19-response

Visit our website: www.mvea.coop

Stay Connected: Like. Follow. Share. www.facebook.com/MVEAInc Search for: Mountain View Electric Assn. Inc. www.twitter.com/MVEAInc Madeline Unruh, of Peyton, and her Reserve Champion Steer, compete at Colorado’s Electric Cooperatives Junior Livestock Sale.

Search for: Mountain View Electric Association, Inc. This Association is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Fiber Is Worth the Wait Don’t Get Locked into a Contract for Slow Service from Another Provider! As Mountain View Electric Association and its fiber broadband partner, Conexon Connect, get closer to connecting customers, remember fiber internet is worth the wait. Be the first to know what’s coming by pre-registering at the Connect, powered by Moutain View Electric Association, site: conexonconnect.com/MVEA. You’ll be notified by email when service will be available in your area. Pre-registering is not a commitment to subscribe to service; it just keeps you up to date on what is available with all of the latest information sent directly to your email.

Beat the Bad Guys: Be a Password Pro PASSWORD DOS & DON’TS A strong password can make all the difference in protecting your personal information. Follow these tips for stronger passwords.

DO: • • •

Change the manufacturer’s Wi-Fi password on your router. Use two-factor authentication. Use unique phrases (like lyrics to your favorite song) to remember passwords.

DON’T: • *With Connect’s 2 gig service, download speeds will always reach 2 gig; in a very few cases, the distance from the originating fiber point to the premise may limit upload speeds to between 1 and 2 gig.

scan to learn more and pre-register!

• •

Don’t use common words or numbers like “password” or “1234.” Don’t use personal details like your date of birth in a password. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.

Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart

www.staysafeonline.org 2021 Outdoor Power Equipment Giveaway Entry Form

Visit www.mvea.coop/greengiveaway to enter online and for a complete list of giveaway rules. The giveaway is open to all MVEA

Ditch The Snow Shovel

GO ELECTRIC! Outdoor Power Equipment Giveaway Enter for a chance to win an Electric Snow Blower. Two winners will be selected in November. Giveaway Entry Deadline: October 28

Low Noise • Zero Gas • Zero Emissions • Low Maintenance

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

residential members in good standing who agree to contest rules and requirements. Current or former MVEA employees, affiliates, related entities, and the immediate family members and household members of all such employees are not eligible to win. Enter online, return entry form with your monthly payment, or mail entry form to MVEA, Attn: Green Giveaway, 11140 E. Woodmen Road, Falcon, CO 80831. MVEA Member Name:____________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________________ Zip:_________________ Account #:_________________________________________________________ Phone #:___________________________________________________________ Email:______________________________________________________________

Window & Door

OCTOBER LIGHTNING

SALE!

This Lightning Sale is striking quickly, so we’re only offering this great window, patio door & entry door discount during the month of October.

Sale ends October 31st

$50 OFF

Buy one window or door, get one window or door

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every window and door1

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303-562-2548 TopWindowsColorado.com

Subject to availability, on a total purchase of 4 or more, buy 2 windows or doors, get the second two windows or doors, of equal or lesser value, 40% off – applied to lowest priced window and/or door products in purchase – just have your free Window and Door Diagnosis on or before 10/31/21. $50 discount valid during first appointment only. 2 No payments and deferred interest for 12 months available from third-party lenders to well qualified buyers on approved credit only. No Finance Charges will be assessed if promo balance is paid in full in 12 months. Products are marketed, sold and installed (but not manufactured) by Renewal by Andersen retailers, which are independently owned and operated under Window Warmth, LLC d/b/a Renewal by Andersen of Colorado. See complete information and entity identification at www.rbaguidelines.com. ©2021 Andersen Corporation. ©2021 Lead Surge LLC. All rights reserved. 1

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

RECIPES

A RECIPE Do you have a favorite holiday dessert recipe? We want to try it. Send it our way to recipes@coloradocountrylife.org.

Pumpkin Spice Things Up Skip the slime and save some time BY AMY HIGGINS

| RECIPES@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

Carve out something sensational

t’s spooky season and with it comes ghosts, goblins, fairytale princesses and, of course, pumpkins. Sweet yet savory, pumpkin items are a go-to for many culinary crafters looking to spice up their drinks and dishes in the fall months. However, handling the gooey innards of a fresh pumpkin isn’t always the happiest of cooking highlights. Rather than carving out the ingredients to prepare your pumpkin recipes, opt for other pumpkin products that can spice up your dishes and provide that gourd-y goodness you’re looking for. Here’s a recipe to get you started:

No-Bake Pumpkin Pecan Pie Bites Crust:

1 1/2 cups raw pecan pieces 3/4 cup pitted Medjool dates (about 7 dates), soaked in hot water, 10 minutes 1 pinch pink salt

Filling:

1/3 cup pumpkin puree 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 pinch pink salt 1 scoop collagen peptides (optional) 12 raw pecan halves, for topping To make crust: In food processor, process pecan pieces, drained dates and salt until combined and “dough” starts to form into ball. To make filling: In bowl, combine pumpkin puree, coconut milk, pumpkin spice, maple syrup, pink salt and collagen peptides, if desired. Whisk until smooth.

Strike a Gourd According to Morning Consult, a billion-dollar global research company, 56% of U.S. adults say they enjoy pumpkin spice-flavored savory products. Take a gander at some pasta, soup and bread recipes, for instance, and find out if your taste buds are tempted.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

Line cupcake tin and evenly distribute crust mixture, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, in each cupcake opening. Use fingers to press crust into even layer. Evenly disperse pumpkin pie filling among openings until tins are about half full. Top each with one pecan half and place in freezer at least one hour. Recipe courtesy of American Pecan Council

Find more pumpkin recipes at coloradocountrylife.coop under Recipes.

CoQ10’s Failure Leaves Millions Wanting Use this pill to supercharge your brain and think better than ever. Millions of Americans take the supplement CoQ10. It’s the “jet fuel” that supercharges your cells’ power generators, known as mitochondria.

age. In fact, the Mitochondria Research Society reports 50 million U.S. adults are suffering from health problems because of mitochondrial dysfunction.

As powerful as CoQ10 is, there is a critical thing it fails to do. It can’t create new mitochondria in your cells.

Birth of new mitochondria

As you age, your mitochondria begin to die. In fact, by age 67, you lose 80% of the mitochondria you had at age 25. But if you’re taking CoQ10, there’s something important you should know.

Common ailments often associated with aging — such as memory problems, heart issues, blood sugar concerns and vision and hearing difficulties — can all be connected to a decrease in mitochondria.

Dr. Sears and his researchers combined the most powerful form of CoQ10 available Taking CoQ10 is not enough — called ubiquinol — with a unique, “There’s a little-known NASA nutrient newly discovered natural compound called that multiplies the number of new power PQQ that has the remarkable ability to generators in your cells by up to 55%,” says grow new mitochondria. Together, the Dr. Al Sears, owner of the Sears Institute for two powerhouses are now available in a Anti-Aging Medicine in Royal Palm Beach, supplement called Ultra Accel II. Florida. “Science once thought this was Discovered by a NASA probe in space dust, impossible. But now you can make your PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline quinone) stimulates heart, brain and body young again.” something called “mitochondrial biogenesis” “I tell my patients the most important — a unique process that actually boosts the thing I can do is increase their ‘health span.’ number of healthy mitochondria in your This is the length of time you can live free of cells. disease and with all your youthful abilities In a study published in the Journal of and faculties intact.” Nutrition, mice fed PQQ grew a staggering Medical first: Multiply the “power number of new mitochondria, showing an increase of more than 55% in just eight generators” in your cells weeks. Al Sears, M.D., recently released an energyThe mice with the strongest mitochondria boosting supplement based on this NASA nutrient that has become so popular, he’s showed no signs of aging — even when they were the equivalent of 80 years old. having trouble keeping it in stock.

Science stands behind Dr. Sears is the author of over 500 scientific the power of PQQ papers on anti-aging and recently spoke at the WPBF 25 Health & Wellness Festival Biochemical Pharmacology reports that featuring Dr. Oz and special guest Suzanne PQQ is up to 5,000 times more efficient in Somers. Thousands of people listened to Dr. sustaining energy production than common Sears speak on his anti-aging breakthroughs antioxidants. and attended his book signing at the event. “Imagine 5,000 times more efficient Now, Dr. Sears has come up with what his energy,” says Dr. Sears. “PQQ has been a game peers consider his greatest contribution to changer for my patients.” anti-aging medicine yet — a newly discovered “With the PQQ in Ultra Accel II, I have nutrient that multiplies the number of tiny, energy-producing “engines” located inside energy I never thought possible,” says the body’s cells, shattering the limitations of Colleen R., one of Dr. Sears’ patients. “I am in my 70s but feel 40 again. I think clearer, traditional CoQ10 supplements. move with real energy and sleep like a baby.” Why mitochondria matter

It works right away

A single cell in your body can contain Along with an abundance of newfound between 200 to 2,000 mitochondria, with the largest number found in the most energy, users also report a sharper, more metabolically active cells, like those in your focused mind and memory, and even younger-looking skin and hair. Jerry M. from brain, heart and skeletal muscles. Wellington, Florida, used Ultra Accel II and But because of changes in cells, stress and was amazed at the effect. poor diet, most people’s power generators “I noticed a difference within a few days,” begin to malfunction and die off as they

NASA-discovered nutrient is stunning the medical world by activating more youthful energy, vitality and health than CoQ10. says Jerry. “My endurance almost doubled. But it’s not just in your body. You can feel it mentally, too,” says Jerry. “Not only do I feel a difference, but the way it protects my cells is great insurance against a health disaster as I get older.”

Increase your health span today

The demand for this supplement is so high, Dr. Sears is having trouble keeping it in stock. “My patients tell me they feel better than they have in years. This is ideal for people who are feeling or looking older than their age… or for those who are tired or growing more forgetful.” “My favorite part of practicing anti-aging medicine is watching my patients get the joy back in their lives. Ultra Accel II sends a wake-up call to every cell in their bodies… and they actually feel young again.”

Where to find Ultra Accel Il

Right now, the only way to get this potent combination of PQQ and super-powered CoQ10 is with Dr. Sears’ breakthrough Ultra Accel II formula.

To secure bottles of this hot, new supplement, buyers should contact the Sears Health Hotline at 1-800-731-4270 within the next 48 hours. “It takes time to get bottles shipped out to drug stores,” said Dr. Sears. “The Hotline allows us to ship the product directly to the customer.” Dr. Sears feels so strongly about this product, he offers a 100%, money-back guarantee on every order. “Just send me back the bottle and any unused product within 90 days, and I’ll send you your money back,” said Dr. Sears.

The Hotline will be taking orders for the next 48 hours. After that, the phone number will be shut down to allow them to restock. Call 1-800-731-4270 to secure your limited supply of Ultra Accel II. You don’t need a prescription, and those who call in the first 24 hours qualify for a significant discount. To take advantage of this great offer use Promo Code UACO1021 when you call in.

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. RESULTS MAY VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON. NO INDIVIDUAL RESULT SHOULD BE SEEN AS TYPICAL. OFFER NOT AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF IOWA COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

NEWS CLIPS

Don’t Miss CREA’s Energy Innovations Summit

ore than two dozen energy experts will discuss the latest developments in today’s dynamic energy industry during the Monday, October 11, CREA Energy Innovations Summit. There is still time to register for the always-interesting event at the Grand Hyatt Denver Hotel in downtown Denver. The opening panel will include Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association CEO Duane Highley and Xcel Energy Colorado President Alice Jackson discussing their vision for the future. Morning breakout sessions will look at advancements in energy storage, hydrogen as a fuel of the future, meeting utility customer needs, and carbon capture and storage. Lunch speaker Tim Reeser of Lightning eMotors will review his company’s work electrifying buses, vans and other medium- to heavy-duty vehicles. Afternoon breakout sessions will discuss the impacts of last February’s deep freeze, integrating distributed energy resources, beneficial electrification and reducing methane emissions. Register at crea.coop.

Energy Efficiency Improving

Electric Co-ops Always All About Cooperation October, National Cooperative Month, is the perfect time to discuss the 6th cooperative principle: Cooperation Among Cooperatives. Cooperatives serve their members most effectively when they work together with other co-ops. Colorado’s 22 electric distribution co-ops work together through CREA, their statewide trade association, as an economical way to access services all of the co-ops need. Through CREA, they can lobby the legislature on behalf of co-op interests, share educational resources to keep employees and board members prepared to meet consumer-members’ needs, and provide safety education and support for employees. Colorado’s co-ops also work together to provide this magazine for consumer-members. While each co-op has its own version of Colorado Country Life, collectively, the co-ops are able to surround the important local co-op news pages with other information also important to consumer-members. And the list goes on. Cooperation among cooperatives helps your electric co-op continue to provide service in an affordable and sustainable way.

Despite Pandemic Americans keep getting more efficient in their use of energy, a trend that’s even powered its way through the COVID-19 pandemic. According to 2020 statistics gathered by the U.S. Department of Energy, America’s energy consumption dropped by 7% last year, the largest annual decrease since DOE began keeping records in 1949. The department’s Energy Information Administration attributes much of that decrease to the economy’s reaction to the coronavirus. Energy consumption didn’t just drop; it shifted as well. Commercial energy use fell dramatically as people stayed home. Residential use rose as more people worked from home and peak hours for energy use shifted from 6 a.m. — when people would normally shower and make breakfast before going to work — to times later in the day as many of us simply walked from the kitchen to a home office. The 2020 statistics continue to show a long-term trend toward lower energy use as a result of new, energy-saving technologies. The use of highly efficient LED bulbs, to cite one example, grew from a 20% market share in 2015 to 60% in 2019 — a trend unlikely to be reversed since LEDs last well over 10 years. In a new report, the Annual Energy Outlook 2021, the EIA predicts these efficiency trends will keep going long into a post-pandemic world, thanks to tighter building codes, technological improvements that boost motor vehicle fuel economy and even more energysaving advances in lighting.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

Paint Your Home Cool Engineers have created the whitest paint ever — a paint so white that building surfaces coated in it are 8 degrees cooler than the air on a sunny day. The innovation could reduce air conditioning demands and mitigate the effects of climate change, according to VICE Magazine. The new paint, developed by a team at Purdue University, reflects 98.1% of sunlight. Researchers used barium sulfate, a powder that’s reflective across all wavelengths of sunlight, as pigment for the new paint — most white paints use titanium dioxide as pigment.

NEWS CLIPS

What Can Utility Drones Do? As the range, payload and available sensors for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have increased and federal restrictions regarding their commercial use have eased, electric cooperatives across the country are adding drones to their operations toolbox. “UAS are becoming a foundational part of many co-ops’ inspection processes,” says NRECA Senior Research Engineer Stan McHann. “Their increased use will have a direct and measurable impact on grid reliability.”

LiDAR

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors use laser to measure elevation and produce highly accurate maps and 3D models for right-of-way management and substation maintenance, among other uses.

Hi-res imager

A drone can get close to hard-to-reach equipment and allow high-resolution cameras (20 megapixels or more) to capture images that can help crews detect rust, wear and tear, missing parts or storm damage.

Thermal sensor

From their overhead vantage, drones with thermal scanners can identify overheating equipment in substations, powerplants or transmission towers, allowing technicians to spot potential trouble spots before they fail.

Future application: Integration with GIS

Synching drone data with geographic information systems, and integrating artificial intelligence/machine learning to make sense of the data, will allow inspection results to be viewed across utility job functions.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

COVER STORY

BY JOANN PALMER

nnabel Reader will never forget the moment she met her future husband, Dan Huling. Both had been hired as entertainers for “A Nightmare Before Christmas” party. Huling was a 6-foot-2-inch juggling elf and Reader was dancing around on stilts, Reader recalls. “He was under a streetlamp and looked so handsome in his costume like he was a film noir character. He asked me out but I couldn’t go and, then, nothing happened for months. I asked him out nine months later because his name was playing on repeat in my head. Finally, I was like, ‘OK, universe, I hear you.’” Reader and Huling’s unusual meeting turned into a creative and business partnership that’s more “Christmas” than “Nightmare.” Fast forward five years and the juggler and stilt walker are married and living happily ever after running Colorado Shoe School. Yes, you read that right: They teach

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

people how to make shoes, boots and sandals. Think high-top sneakers with a lingerie theme or a dress pump inspired by a 1920s vintage photograph. There’s nothing like kicking up your heels in a shipwreck-themed pair of purple and red sneakers with a hidden octopus eye. If you can dream it, Huling and Reader can help you make it. If you’ve never thought of making your own shoes, that’s because theirs is the only shoe school in Colorado and one of the few in the United States.

A life of creativity Coming up with creative ideas, solutions and innovations is nothing new for this couple. When they met, Reader, 44, a native of New Zealand, was working as a costume designer for Emerald City Opera in Steamboat Springs and, later, as a shoe mistress for the Cirque du Soleil production, “Luzia.” Understandably, shoes for the

production had to be in tip-top shape. The last thing an acrobat wants to worry about is tripping over a shoelace or a sole falling off midjump. “I was responsible for approximately 200 pairs of shoes,” Reader says. “I had to make sure they were all in excellent shape, the colors were vibrant, the heels weren’t worn down and the soles were in good condition. Any down time I had I started experimenting with making my own shoes.” Huling, 43, was equally busy — playing with fire. He and his brother cofounded “The Handsome Little Devils,” an entertainment company that creates immersive art experiences. “We developed a routine with two flamethrower pogo sticks and six flaming juggling torches,” Huling says. “We took the act all over the world including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Italy and Canada.” To jazz up their juggling act, Huling and his brother built elaborate contraptions for their company, such as a driving vaudeville

COVER STORY

Annabel Reader and Dan Huling, the creative duo who own and lead the Colorado Shoe School in Fort Collins.

stage and a kinetic juggling machine. To top it off, they created a little mechanical monkey puppet to help pedal and steer the creative contraptions. In 2018, eager to spend more time with each other and less time on the road Huling and Reader started brainstorming job options and looking for something else they could do. “Touring is magical and exhausting all at once,” Reader says.

Students work in the school’s studio with its “tree house” feel and view.

Still, they had their doubts. As Huling recalls, “I was hesitant to make a career change, not knowing what the future would be. How and what were we going to teach? Was it a good idea? Were we good enough?” Peggy Lyle, director of the downtown creative district in Fort Collins, had no doubt they were on the right path. “I felt very privileged to be the first person they told. I instantly thought this was going to be a big success. I knew they were onto Shoe school’s beginnings something that was true to their hearts and Before a trip to New Zealand, Reader came would resonate with lots of people.” across a web listing for a shoe school there Lyle took a two-day sneaker-making and shares, “The class was sold out but I workshop with the goal of creating a unique pleaded for them to let us in and they did.” birthday present for a friend’s 50th birthday. The intensive five-day class was followed by “The sneakers had a Phoenix theme. I Zoom workshops with the New Zealand thought it was appropriate for coming out instructor and some pointers from Jim of COVID-19 and my friend’s milestone Brainard, a cowboy bootmaker in Parker, birthday,” she says. Colorado. “He gave us tips and tricks on For Deborah Porter, Colorado Shoe how to attach soles and build up heels,” School snapped her out of her grief. Her Reader remembers. parents had recently passed away, she had

“I am constantly inspired by Annabel’s creative and unique approach to shoe making. I tend to get sucked into the technical side of shoe making and am impressed by Annabel’s ability to test the outer limits. Having a partner like Annabel makes me feel like anything is possible. We make an amazing team and we encourage each other to be daring and explorative.” — Dan Huling

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

COVER STORY retired from her beloved job as a United Airlines flight attendant and the things she normally liked to do, needlepoint, embroider or paint, just didn’t interest her. For 40 years she traveled the world, often with her mother. “After my mother passed from brain cancer, my job lost all its allure.” Although she had a retirement bucket list — learn Spanish, get finances in order, make a hat — she lacked motivation to pursue any of it. “I felt like a balloon deflated on the floor,” she remembers. “Then one day my sister spied an article on Colorado Shoe School in The Denver Post and rushed it over to my house. She knew I had wanted to learn to make shoes for years but I never found the right class in the right location.” Porter didn’t hesitate — she signed up right away for a two-day sneakermaking workshop in July 2021. “I was excited and nervous. I’m 70 years old and worried it would be a disaster, that maybe I couldn’t do it.” But she did. Working with Reader, Porter made a beautiful black and white, lingerie-inspired high-top sneaker with lace touches and mesh peep holes. “I wanted a dressier sneaker I could wear out at night,” she says. To help turn her vision into reality, Porter purchased and brought a pretty black nightgown to cut up and use in her sneaker. Colorado Shoe School had no problem helping Porter create her shoe. “The class was a lifeline for me,” Porter says. “It opened up my creativity again. Annabel Reader is such a dear. She is a marvelously creative, supportive woman.”

The shoemaking process.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

was worked into a sneaker design. A zipper might be reclaimed from an old leather jacket while a battered leather couch cushion can serve as the basis for a pair of boots. Even plastic bags have been repurposed. “A college student wanted to make sneakers out of plastic bags and came here to learn how to do it,” Reader recalls. “We helped him iron the plastic bags together to fuse them. He brought in a vinyl billboard to make part of the shoes and gave us the rest of the billboard. Another student used the big mouth and eyeball images on her shoes.” Inspiration comes in many forms. One student brought in luggage his grandmother had given him over 40 years ago. It had a lot of personality but not much practicality (think: no rollers). He didn’t want to throw the suitcases out but he didn’t know what to do with them either. So, he cut up the buttery soft leather and made shoes out of it. “The shoes will continue to travel in a different way. It’s a lovely story with a lot of romance to it,” Reader says. For Teri Ficke, 58, an information technology project manager, necessity really was the mother of invention. Her nephew’s wedding was coming up and she wanted a comfortable pair of shoes to wear. “The last wedding I went to my feet hurt; I did not want to repeat that experience,” she says. Already a Colorado Shoe School veteran, her inspiration came from a 1920s vintage photograph of her grandmother Anna

wearing black pumps with cutouts in the front. In a five-day workshop she re-created the shoe. “Shoe making speaks to me in terms of the practicality of it and making something that fits,” she says. It was Ficke’s Finding inspiration fifth shoemaking workshop and no doubt Huling and Reader are self-described she’ll take another. “Not only are you in an “conscious consumers.” Not only are they inspirational environment, but the people committed to making fun, fanciful and func- behind it are inspirational, too.” tional shoes, they also upcycle and recycle as much of the material as possible. For Shoe school campus example, the rubber cup soles are partially Colorado Shoe School is headquartered in made from recycled tennis balls. A painter’s Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association’s drop cloth Reader saved from the dumpster territory, in Bellvue near Fort Collins. The

COVER STORY

Annabel Reader and Dan Huling in front of a World War II train car they converted into a residence.

“They are not creating shoes for others. They are facilitators helping people be creative to make wearable pieces of art.” — Peggy Lyle “campus” would make Willy Wonka proud. leather pieces together, putting in gromThe couple’s creative touches and impressive mets for laces. Personalized creative touches DIY abilities are on display in a wood-fired are encouraged. Students routinely create hot tub made from an old stove and horse one-of-a-kind shoes with a bold mix of trough and a World War II train car Huling colors and patterns and custom cutouts of found in a salvage lot in Nebraska. everything from cacti to flaming hearts. To house the couple’s collection of swag Students are encouraged to write a goal lamps and plants, Huling bravely cut a large or mantra into their shoes. This stems from hole in the train car’s roof to create a soaring Reader inscribing the note, “You got this” in atrium. The tiny train house is available for a pair of shoes created just before she did rent by students and may eventually house something challenging. “Now every time I an artist in residence. Shoe school classes wear those shoes I feel empowered,” she says. are held in a cozy 600-foot studio purposely Huling and Reader serve as both cheerbuilt above a garage so students have the leaders and coaches. As Lyle puts it, “They sense of being in a tree house. are not creating shoes for others. They are There’s a lot to learn in shoe school. A facilitators helping people be creative to one-day sneaker-making workshop lasts make wearable pieces of art.” Reader agrees: eight hours and is limited to four or five “Some students come to learn how to make students. Once students decide on a color shoes, most come to express their creativity scheme, they choose between a high- or low- through the shoes they make.” top sneaker. Then comes measuring and Huling and Reader’s combined backfitting. Shoes can be shaped to fit any size grounds in theater, vaudeville and costume variation, a true blessing for students with and prop design are ideally suited to help an unusually narrow or wide foot. clients create memorable shoes. Says Students are tasked with cutting and Huling, “I am constantly inspired by dyeing the leather, gluing and sewing Annabel’s creative and unique approach

Wearable art made at the school.

“Some students come to learn how to make shoes, most come to express their creativity through the shoes they make.” — Annabel Reader to shoe making. I tend to get sucked into the technical side of shoe making and am impressed by Annabel’s ability to test the outer limits. Having a partner like Annabel makes me feel like anything is possible. We make an amazing team and we encourage each other to be daring and explorative.” The Colorado Shoe School offers a variety of classes ranging from a one-day sneaker-making workshop to a more intensive five-day shoe- or boot-making session. Prices range from $190 to $890, which includes all supplies and hands-on instruction. Currently classes are limited to four students and fill up quickly. For more information, visit their website at www.coloradoshoeschool. com or follow them on Instagram at @coloradoshoeschool. Joanne Palmer is an award-winning freelance writer from Colorado’s Western Slope.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

ENERGY CONNECTIONS

Working Together to Combat Cyberattacks BY PAUL WESSLUND

omputer hacking is a top news story these days, and for years electric cooperatives have focused on blocking cyber threats from interfering with the nationwide electric grid of wires and poles that keeps our lights on. The network of power lines, transformers and substations adds up to an incredibly complex system that reliably brings us the conveniences of modern life. That network is transforming into a “smart grid” these days. It’s adding renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, which call for sophisticated software to keep power flowing at night or when the wind isn’t blowing. Computer algorithms react with the most efficient and reliable operations when forecasts call for storms, wildfires or times of high-power use. Making such modern miracles happen means joining with another dominant part of today’s world: the internet. The blink-of-an-eye speed of balancing the generation of electricity with your flip of a light switch relies heavily on the electronically-connected world. The internet is incredibly useful, but also a target of troublemakers — from lone, self-taught experts to international crime rings.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

Electric utilities know this and work every day through their own offices and national organizations on cyber safety. You can take smart steps too, to protect yourself and the electric grid. Because the power grid uses the internet, that means any of your internet-connected devices are also part of the grid: computers, security cameras, printers, smart TVs, health monitors — even cars and lightbulbs can be connected to the internet. Here are the top ways you can defend against hackers:

Lock the front door. If you have wireless internet in your home, the traffic comes in through the router. If you take just one step, create a strong password for that router, and set a reminder to change the password regularly.

Use a secret code. Weak passwords make things easier for hackers. Use combinations of uppercase and lowercase letters, combined with numbers and special symbols like “&” or “!”. There are apps to help you remember passwords. A simple notebook can also work, as long as you never lose it and no one else has access to it. And be aware that every major internet-connected appliance

comes with its own factory-installed password you should change right away.

Stay vigilant. If you receive an email with an attachment you aren’t expecting, don’t open it. If you get a message with a link you didn’t know was coming, don’t click it. If the message is from a friend, phone and ask if they sent it — hackers can send messages using your friend’s address.

Stay state-of-the-art. Your computer and other devices regularly offer updates — install them. They often contain security updates to protect against the latest cyber threat, so consistently check emails or messages saying you need to download an update. Go online and check any updates to your device to ensure they are authentic. October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has titled this year’s theme, “If you connect it, protect it.” That’s good advice for your home — and for the electric grid. Paul Wesslund writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

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GARDENING

Gorgeous Gourd Décor Pumpkin planters create feelings of fall BY VICKI SPENCER

MASTER GARDENER | GARDENING@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG

any of my garden stories bring back memories of time spent with my mother. She never thought of herself as artistic but enjoyed craft projects inspired by her women’s magazines. One year, we experimented with making planters out of an abundant crop of pumpkins. Our greatest challenges were preventing mold and defending pumpkin planters against squirrels. Fresh pumpkins, especially Cinderella pumpkins with flat tops, make the best planters. If you don’t grow pumpkins, you can find an assortment at garden and grocery stores or you can have fun picking your own at a local pumpkin patch. Increase the longevity of your fresh pumpkin planters by washing the outsides with a solution of water, bleach and a squirt of dish soap. You can also soak pumpkins up to 24 hours in a solution of 1/3 water and 2/3 bleach. Either way, it’s important to let pumpkins dry completely before carving. Use a sharp knife to cut an opening on the top of the pumpkin, remove seeds and scoop the interior out just like making a jack-o’-lantern. Let pumpkins dry for another day or so. Less moisture inside will

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

protect against immediate rotting. Preserve your pumpkins even longer by spraying with a coating of matte sealer found in your store’s paint or craft section. Before planting, drill a couple holes in the bottom for excess moisture to drain through and add a layer of small pebbles inside. For the best protection against rot, place small plants in their containers on top of the pebbles and cover edges with sphagnum moss. You can plant directly in pumpkins but you should use new potting soil or soil sterilized by baking 20 minutes and cooling. Chrysanthemums in rich autumn tones are popular for pumpkin planters. Succulents also work well with their gorgeous greens and minimal water needs. They make great centerpieces. Place taller succulents in the center and smaller ones like hens and chicks around the outside along with burro’s tail, which will drape over the edge. You can add dried flowers for more color. It’s also fun to plant kitchen herbs in small gourds but you have to keep them out of direct sunlight. Dramatic effects are created when you cluster pumpkins and gourds of varying

sizes on your porch and steps. The length of time pumpkins will last depends on many factors, including their freshness, heat and humidity. Tricks to make them last longer include rubbing the outsides with peppermint oil or petroleum jelly and putting them on 1/4-inch-thick cardboard pieces to absorb moisture from the ground. Be sure to keep indoor planters away from heat. I learned this lesson the hard way when my first planter started smelling and totally collapsed in my hands from mold inside when I tried moving it. Yuck! Outdoor planters last longer if placed in a covered area where they won’t be exposed to rain or snow. Since planters typically last a month, you should start planning now for Halloween and Thanksgiving displays. Gardener Vicki Spencer has an eclectic background in conservation, water, natural resources and more.

LEARN MORE ONLINE Read previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Gardening under Living in Colorado.

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OUTDOORS

Name That Fly Does a fly’s moniker mean much? BY DENNIS SMITH

OUTDOORS@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG

ome of my fly-fishing buddies can identify the order, family, genus and species of trout stream insects; distinguish between males and females; tell you what stage of development they’re in; and how many veins they should have in each wing. How they can tell the sexual identity of a minuscule mayfly is beyond me, but it’s certainly a fun frill to accompany a campfire story of, “I caught one this big”. Many anglers take a serious interest in this fragment of fly fishing. After all, insects are central to the sport, aren’t they? I’ll admit it’s fascinating, but it can become confusing quickly. I can identify a few species of aquatic insects and tell you their commonly recognized names — or at least I think I can. But even then — because the colors and markings of some vary from region to region and, in some cases, from stream to stream — I’m never really certain. To further cloud the issue, the popular name of an insect may differ from one section of the country to another. For example, a Pale Morning Dun mayfly in the Rocky Mountain west might be known

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

as a Little Sulphur in Pennsylvania and a Light Cahill in the Catskills. Add the Latin, scientifically-assigned taxonomic designation to the mix and things start to get hairy real fast. In the entomologists’ world, the common Green Drake mayfly is known as Ephemerella guttulata, and the little yellow stone flies we fishermen simply call Yellow Sallies are referred to as Alloperla caudata by aquatic biologists, but if you ask for a dozen of those in your local fly shop, you’ll just get a bunch of strange looks. Consider that we haven’t even mentioned the catalog of endlessly imaginative monikers given by inventive fly tiers to their feathered creations. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of them: Woolly Buggers, Zoo Cougars, Pink Ladies, Royal Coachmen, Sparkle Duns, Rainbow Warriors… Like I said, the list is endless — and imaginative. And the inspired names often bear absolutely no relationship to the insect they supposedly mimic. The universally popular Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear nymph, for instance, is generally thought to imitate a caddis fly larva, but you’d never know that from

its name. So, is knowing the names and taxonomic classification of all these flies important? Does it help us catch more fish? I’m not sure. It can seem unnecessarily academic on the one hand, but there’s a kind of mystical, poetic logic to it all on the other. Understanding which insects are likely to be active and attractive to the fish at certain times of the year can help you decide which flies to select. That can provide a sense of purpose and instill a bit of confidence. But the trout don’t care. Their lives depend on these flies and they don’t know the names of any of them; they just eat them. Dennis Smith is a freelance outdoors writer and photographer whose work appears nationally. He lives in Loveland.

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READER POETRY MOUNTAIN HARVEST

Pine needle of the Ponderosa Humble, sturdy, once green, now golden messenger of autumn abundance and forest regeneration Liberated landing into fallen dangles coming to points Gathered into skirts, then twisted, turned and tied into orderly rounds of God’s bounty Reborn as vessels for juniper berries kinnikinnick and other backyard harvest of plenty

2022 PHOTO CONTEST expressions THIS YEAR’S CATEGORIES: • Hometown Pride • Awestruck • Pure Enjoyment • Nostalgia Enter for a chance to win cash prizes and your photo on the cover of the March 2022 issue of CCL. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop/2022-photo-contest for official rules and to enter.

Christy Hansen Poudre Valley REA consumer-member

Rocky Mountain Autumn

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT and CIRCULATION Publication Title: COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE; Publication No.: 469-400; Filing Date: 9/17/21; Issue Frequency: Monthly; No. of Issues Published Annually: 12; Annual Subscription Price: $9; Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor Publisher: 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Editor: Mona Neeley, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; Managing editor: Not applicable; 10. Owner Full Name: Colorado Rural Electric Association; Complete Mailing Address: 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Known Bondholders, Mortgages, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None; Tax Status: (For completion by nonprofit organization authorized to mail at special rates). The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has not changed during preceding 12 months.

Extent and nature of circulation A.

Total number of copies printed (net press run)

Paid and/or requested circulation 1. Paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions 2. Paid in-county mail subscriptions 3. Other non-USPS paid distribution 4. Other classes mailed through USPS

Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months

Actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date

212,031

206,958

210,611

205,607

870

835

211,481

206,442

1. Outside-county copies

2. In-county copies

Total paid circulation (total B1 through B4)

Free or nominal rate distribution by mail

3. Other classes mailed through USPS

4. Other classes mailed outside USPS

459

435

Total free or nominal rate distribution (sum of D1 through D4)

Total distribution (sum of C & E)

Copies not distributed

Total (sum of F & G) — should equal net press run shown in A

212,031

206,958

Percent paid circulation

99.7%

Electronic copy circulation a. Paid electronic copies

550

516

212,031

206,958

b. Total paid print copies + paid electronic copies

211,481

206,442

c. Total print distribution + paid electronic copies

212,031

206,958

d. Percent paid (both print and electronic copies)

99.7%

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). Mona Neeley, publisher 09/17/21

New England boasts of maple leaves in vibrant russet tones. The West Coast has perpetual spring — Fall’s equinox is unknown. But, the Rocky Mountain region is the jewel in nature’s crown. Pine trees stand in silent awe as the Aspens paint the town. The hillsides yield a treasure trove of sparkling gold doubloons, that captivate all our senses, then steal away far too soon. Autumn in the mountains is a season beyond compare. So simple is its beauty, yet its vision is all too rare. Cynthia Bullock Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member

DO YOU WRITE POETRY? Send us your best work; we’d love to read it. Submit your best works via email to: info@coloradocountrylife.org or mail to: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 Include your mailing address and name of your local electric co-op. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

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DRAMATIC CHANGES ARE TRANSFORMING ALL ASPECTS OF THE ENERGY INDUSTRY. Colorado’s electric cooperatives present the hybrid 2021 CREA Energy Innovations Summit – bringing both live and online audiences together to discover, engage and connect to learn more about how electricity is the answer for a sustainable future.

OCTOBER 11 • HYBRID EVENT

CO N G R ATS Paula Meany, Lewis Empire Electric Association

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. MST In-Person & Virtual Event Grand Hyatt Hotel, Denver

FOCUS ON AUTOMOBILES

VISIT YUMA

Cars, Art & Ingenuity When an old furniture store closed its doors in downtown Yuma in October of 2017, local businessmen Ron Wenger and Richard Birnie bought the dilapidated storefront on Colorado’s eastern plains. After a complete renovation, they reopened the building in 2019 as The Orphanage, billed as an “auto-themed gallery space.” The Orphanage quickly became an event-oriented harbor for northeastern Colorado’s flourishing art community, as well as a showplace for “orphaned” vehicles. Recently, following Wenger’s appointment to the Forney Museum of Transportation board and Forney’s mutual exchange program, The Orphanage has become the temporary home for some of the Denver museum’s vintage cars and carriages. Photo of the 1955 Messerschmitt courtesy of The Orphanage. 

Why the name?

What’s coming at The Orphanage?

“Orphan cars are those whose manufacturers no longer exist,” Richard Birnie explains. That applies to the many vehicles on display at The Orphanage with names like Renault, REO, Messerschmitt, Studebaker and Crosley. Earlier this year, the space also included a collection of toy pedal cars and pedal tractors from private collections and the Forney Museum. And the facility has hosted a wide range of events, including anniversaries, high school proms and business meetings.

The Orphanage has showcased the work of dozens of artists, photographers, sculptors, quilters, authors, crafters and artisans since opening two years ago. September’s showcase was the “Yuma Art Association Sampler,” featuring the paintings and drawings of Yuma artists. The October show, called “A Wray Palette,” displays the talented work of artists Patti Bohall, Jody Buck and Cindy Musgrave. November 5 to December 5, the unique “antiphotography” from the camera of Tanya Flemister will be featured.

LEARN MORE ONLINE

WHERE IS THE ORPHANAGE? 300 S. Main St. Yuma, CO Email: rebirnie@gmail.com Open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun. 1-4 p.m.

Visit The Orphanage’s website and see a list of guest vehicles currently on display and those previously featured at orphanageyuma.com/guest-vehicles. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

YOUR STORIES

FUNNY STORIES

READERS’ PHOTOS

WINNER: “No bull, I like Colorado Country Life,” says reader Rick Atwell, a Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member.

Connie Hatfield, a Sangre de Cristo Electric consumer-member, celebrates her 85th birthday in Kona, Hawaii, with snorkeling at Pu´uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park and her CCL magazine.

Colorado Country Life travels to Carlsbad Caverns with Mountain View Electric Association consumermember Danielle Daigle-Chavez.

One of my favorite memories was when my daughter Marni was about 7 years old. She was in the family room alone with the TV. Every once in a while, I would hear a little scream. It didn’t seem serious, but she kept doing it. I finally went into the room and asked her what was going on. She was holding a small bottle and a lid and said, “I’m trying to catch my scream in the jar, but I can’t get the lid on fast enough!” Pat Berridge, Grand Junction Grand Valley Power consumer-member We were recently driving through Denver during a very heavy rain and thunderstorm. My 13-year-old granddaughter, Claire, was listening to music on her earbuds, and took them out to declare, “Isn’t that weird how the rain suddenly stops while it thunders?” Her mom chuckled and replied, “We just drove under a bridge.” Diane Plassmeyer, Livermore Poudre Valley REA consumer-member I was telling my 4-year-old granddaughter on her birthday that her twin brother was a little older than her because he had been born first. “I know,” she said, “we talked about it and he said he would go first.” Shelly Winter, Colorado Springs Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member When our son Travis was little, one of us always followed his sneezes with a “Bless you!” One day, after an especially explosive sneeze, he beat us to the punch and said, “Wow, I really blessed you!” Katy and Dave Ahrens, Calhan Mountain View Electric Association consumer-members

Patti Fix enjoys CCL while on a trip to the Cherry Hut in Beulah, Michigan. She is a consumermember of K.C. Electric Association.

Yampa Valley Electric Association consumer-members Michael and Susan Gaffney enjoy CCL while visiting Rifle Falls near Rifle, Colorado.

K.C. Electric Association consumer-members Zeb and Zoe Mousel, enjoy CCL in the front room of their home in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado.

Take Your Photo with Your Magazine and Win! It’s easy to win with Colorado Country Life. Simply take a photo of someone (or a selfie!) with the magazine and email the photo and your name, address and your local co-op to info@coloradocountrylife.org. We’ll draw one photo to win $25 each month. The next deadline is Wednesday, October 13. Name, address and co-op must accompany photo. See all of the submitted photos on Facebook at facebook.com/COCountryLife.

We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year we will draw one name from those submitting funny stories and that person will receive $200. Send your 2021 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check. COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

DISCOVERIES

FUN & FUNCTIONAL

Colorado companies looking out for your little ones Experience Easier Excursions Parker-based Parker Baby Co. products help ease the burden of traveling with baby so you can spend more time doting on your little darling. PBC’s diaper backpack comes with a changing pad and can haul all of baby’s necessities — and yours — and its multi-use cover is a 4-in-1 superstar that can be used to cover car seats, shopping carts, highchairs and, when hunger strikes, Mom. Yes, it converts to an attractive nursing cover! For information, visit parkerbaby.com.

Buffer Baby’s Bum Bum Like all great entrepreneurial endeavors, Rumparooz was developed because of a need — the need for a diaper that could withstand a baby’s waste while protecting the little one’s skin. Born in 2006, Rumparooz took off and is now a U.S. patented product sold worldwide through Golden-based Kanga Care under the direction of Julie Ekstrom, founder and CEO. Today, Ekstrom showcases several brands and offers a wide variety of options in a range of colors and patterns. For information, visit kangacare.com. Watch “Birth of Rumparooz Cloth Diaper:” youtube.com/watch?v=tssMUV9AuJY

Strap in for Safety Denver-based Safe Ride 4 Kids was created to protect some of our littlest traveling companions and stands behind the brands it advocates: TummyShield® and the RideSafer® Travel Vest. TummyShield ($169) is a seat belt positioner for expectant moms that helps protect her developing baby when she drives, and the RideSafer ($165) is a lightweight, portable, crash-tested and safety-certified child restraint for children as young as 3 years old. Check out these car safety products and more at saferide4kids.com.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE OCTOBER 2021

Unplug and save up to $50 yearly on your energy bill. Your home electronics – TVs, computers and video games consoles – are constantly consuming small amounts of power in standby mode, meaning, a device that is plugged in, switched off or in sleep mode. Unplugging your electronics when not in use can add up to $50 in yearly savings.

Contact your local co-op or public power district for more energy saving tips or visit tristate.coop.